Okay, first off—SORRY for how the beginning notes in the last chapter appeared... honestly, I have no idea why it appeared like that. I can't seem to fix it neither.
Crystalstorm21- glomps Ah...I've missed your Heero threats! giggles insanely and runs away
Zaeria- It's good to be back...sort of...I haven't written in so long I'm almost afraid to try it again, lol. Heh, originally, only Wufei was supposed to die and that would set off a whole 'nother chain of motions...but somewhere between all my breaks from writing, I lost the inspiration for that particular version of the story. ; huggles
Apologies in advance from the language that is spoken by Chaos and Cosmos, but I simply couldn't change the language...it seemed only right that they would speak to each other in their native tongue in that particular part of that scene. Translations in parenthesis, for those who don't remember, it is a made up language.
Chapter Seventeen
There was a deathly stillness that suffocated the players in the battlefield. Not even a false gust of wind dared to breeze by and attempt to battle the immobility that had invaded the battlefield, a suffering shroud that paralyzed its wearers.
This was a monumental moment, the deciding factor of the ever-teetering balance. Even the daftest living individual could feel the importance of this moment deep within their bones, knew better than to make a sound, to do anything that may take away from this exact moment.
Chaos was wounded.
...And he bled...crimson.
It was an unwritten fact that all knew, yet never learned. It was an unquestioned truth, truer than the blood that ran through their veins, than the breaths they were taking—truer than their very existence, their very being.
Mortals bled all shades of color—red, blue, green, black, purple—hell, they could have bled an array of rainbow blood for all the mortals that existed.
But immortals, they bled only one color. It was the fearful proof of their eternalness, undisputable and eternal. It was a shade that was as wished for as it was feared, as hated as it was loved. It made beings revel in its promises, scream in its truths, and ponder over its existence. It was the sweet blood of the immortals, a soft milky silver that glowed with a life of its own.
And Chaos bled red...scarlet.....crimson....no matter how one may have described his blood, the unstated finding was blatantly obvious.
Chaos bled crimson, shade of the mortals.
Chaos was mortal.
Chaos was dying.
Those who fought on behalf of Chaos paused in their battle, perplexed by this change of events. They fought the creatures of light because it was what Chaos, their creator demanded of them. Yet, it was this very creator that was currently leaving them, prepared to begin another journey in another plane that was inaccessible to those who had breath left in their body.
Their creator had created them for one sole purpose, and it was for this purpose that they lived, that they breathed, that they fought.
As long as Chaos lived, they must destroy all creatures of light.
But now, Chaos was dying...what were they to do if Chaos died. His command would then be void and they would have no purpose, no use, no reason to exist. They looked anxiously at one another, then at their master, confused and restless.
He was numb, or perhaps he was shocked.
She had struck him...it was a stab to the heart—literally.
And now, he was bleeding the blood of a mortal. A mortal.
He, Chaos, was a mortal! Even he had not known that!
Dimly, he could feel the blade pull out of his heart, and he fell onto his knees, his eyes wide and unfocused as he stared at the flowing river of thick crimson, his fleeing ally of life.
"No," He registered the horrified whisper unconsciously, looking up with unfocused eyes at his kindred spirit, his life-lover, his sworn enemy, his greatest ally, his murderer.
"No," Her eyes were a coming wild confusion, disbelieving and rich in denial. "No no no," her head shook from side to side as the weapon of legends fell from her hands and onto the uncaring ground, disintegrating into useless dust as it did so. "No, no no..."
Why did she care? Why did he care?
Well, he was the one dying by her hands, so he supposed that was a reason to care...but he could have dodged, he knew it. So why didn't he...why was he so surprised that she had done this, had gone through with her intent?
Because he hadn't expected her to...because when you love someone, you cannot hurt them and cannot believe that they could hurt you...because...because....dammit, where the hell did love come in?! He was Chaos, she was Cosmos, and they were the sworn enemies of legends, the enemies of necessity. They could not love each other simply because it was their fate, their duty, their life to hate and battle one another.
So why then, was he actually pleased that she had been the one to strike him and not the other way around? Why then...did that annoying voice that he had failed to listen to since he realized his duty as Chaos now penetrate the haze that he was so accustomed to to mock him with ideas of love?
And it was then that it hit him, as it had probably hit her just precious moments earlier.
It was a surprise....because he loved her, as Cavan loved Hikari, because as much as he refused it, Cavan was as much a part of Chaos just as Hikari was a part of Cosmos...They were one in the same. Cavan was as much Chaos as Chaos was Cavan and Hikari was as much Cosmos as Cosmos was Hikari.
It was rather confusing in its simplicity, really.
His eyes found the eyes of the only person who he had ever wanted to protect, who, ironically, it was his duty to attempt to kill and torture time and time again.
"Chaos....Cavan....oh no, no no no, Cavan...Chaos...I...no..." Silvery hear whipped side to side as its owner shook her head in denial. "NO!" She flung herself towards the dark body, clutching the weakening form of her lover close to her. Both were on their knees, but his body was weak and it was she who held him up, his head resting upon her bosom, his arms hanging limply at his sides.
"Oh stars, what have I done, no...no...you cannot leave me, Chaos, Cavan...you cannot leave me! Oh what have I done, no...no...don't leave me, you cannot leave me, not now, not ever! Oh stars, what have I done?! Chaos...Cavan...love, you cannot leave me! Forgive me—what have I done?! No, no..no no no no no! No..." Her voice was nothing but a broken whisper, strengthened by its denial and Chaos found himself utterly loving the sound of her voice.
"Le limai," Chaos stared at her, his eyes hazy yet he had never seen so clearly before now. There was a lazy and warm feeling that was slowly overtaking him, one that he recognized but could not remember. It felt...homely. Yes...it felt as if he was going home. He smiled faintly at the vision of glittering silver and sapphire above him, speaking in a tongue that felt as foreign as it felt natural. It was the tongue of his youth, the tongue of a happier time. (Le limai- My light)
"Le la'yim," Cosmos stared brokenly at Chaos, brushing his hair back as she tried futilely to heal him. (Le la'yim- My heart)
"Li'ua shanju na," Chaos' smile was lazy, but went unnoticed by the hysterical woman who held him in her arms. (Li'ua shanju na- You hurt me)
"Sui-wa yar-e'a, sui yar-e'a," Cosmos wept bitterly, "Yu'ain na, wai'nai-ne. Sui yar-e'a, sui sui yar-e'a. Yu'ain na, wai'nai-ne." She buried her face in his hair, weeping bitterly as she repeated herself over and over again, pleading for forgiveness. (Sui-wa yar-e'a- I'm so sorry; Sui yar-e'a- So sorry; Yu'ain na, wai'nai-ne- Forgive me, I love you; Sui sui yar-e'a- So so sorry)
Chaos smiled, burying himself deeper into her bosom as his eyes shut lazily and the ebbing pain surrendered completely to the warmth that had escaped him for so long. He purred softly from the back of his throat, enjoying the invading warmth and the comfort of her bosom. "Wa-mai" He murmured it softly, but he knew she heard him, "Wai yu'ain na." (Wa-mai- I'm glad; Wai yu'ain na- I forgive you)
He frowned as he felt, rather than saw, her surprise, feeling and hearing the intake of breath she took, and most importantly of all, the slight rearing back of her shocked body as he so readily forgave her. He felt it in his soul and in the way the warmth receded from his body as her body left more distance from his. His frown deepened and his eyes opened slightly as he mustered his remaining strength and pulled her closer by her waist, snuggling as deep and close as possible against her as his eyes drifted shut lazily once more, his lips curving up into a soft smile of contentedness.
"Nai'ii?" Her voice was breathless, her question, unnecessary. (Nai'ii- Why)
The warmth was so close now, and he was so comfortable. He never wanted to leave this warmth, why, if he died right here right now, he would be a happy man. It never occurred to him that this was exactly what was happening, the duty of the mythical sword reaching fulfillment.
He breathed in deeply, slowly exhaling as he attempted to snuggle in deeper, his arms still wrapped around her waist. A pleased sigh escaped his pale lips as he moved his head slightly to place a kiss on her bosom, his eyes opening just the slightest crack of clouded and hazed azure. His head slowly and lazily moved back to its original position as his eyes drifted shut once more as he felt the last of his breath begin to slowly leave him. His voice was of the softest breeze as he answered in tone that bespoke of utter contentment, gentle with the slightest hint of teasing, stated as if it was the most obvious thing.
"Wai'nai-ne, le limai," As the last of his words escaped his lips, so did his last breath. With the corner of his lips gently curved as he laid wrapped in the arms of the one he loved, his head buried against the soft comfort of her bosom, Chaos fully embraced the warmth and passed on.
And the war was over.
Light won.
And she wept uncontrollably, sinking onto the ground so that the back of her thy now met her calves, rocking back and forth as she wept and cradled the motionless body in her arms, calling out for her lover to return to her, pleading, begging, but to no avail.
Light won.
The balance teetered and tottered one last time, before it began to slowly collapse within itself. All throughout the universe, everyone felt the doings of Chaos disappear and while most breathed a sigh of relief, the truly learned shook their heads in horror.
The eternal war was over.
Light won.
Foundations began to crumble and people fled in fear. Nature and her children became inconsolable, their tears proven in the torrents of rain that flooded and the hail and sleet that crashed down upon structures and left indents and shattered damages wherever they landed. Thunder roared its sorrow as lightning let loose its despair. Homes, wildlife, friends, families—all bowed brokenly to fierce winds that howled hauntingly as it attempted to outrun its pain. Fires in all its forms roared with anger, daring for any to try and fight it.
Stars suddenly burst with light and life, before bursting and releasing waves of power all throughout the universe. Meteors and other celestial bodies found themselves lost and feeling more alone than they had ever felt. There was a deep dread that was growing, a deep and unrelenting fear and pain as they saw and felt the sudden pandemonium that struck not only them, but their children as well.
Chaos was amuck.
Because Light had won the war.
The looming death of the delicate Balance was not lost to those in the final battleground. The ground shook beneath their feet, the palace behind them threatened to fall to pieces, yet nothing was done for it. Harsh winds howled fiercely, making it a game to try and knock over those standing, whipping precariously around as they sought escape.
It seemed that the ones who should have noticed—who needed to notice, did not.
A mourning Sol held a nearly hysterical Hana and found that Hope had moved closer to them, her eyes wide and frantic as she surveyed the destruction taking place around them.
Youmas, demons, and monsters of all sorts scrambled about, fighting and pushing, panicked by the unexpected and unexplained destruction that was occurring.
Light won.
And now chaos was rampant and destruction imminent.
The irony was lost to Light and the three who stood behind her, on the very ground where Chaos gave to Light. None of the four figures in that group moved or raised an eyebrow at the destruction that was occurring in the wake of the battle. There was nothing said or done to suggest that they even realized the events taking place around them.
Light won.
And she now cradled the defeated as she rocked back and forth, seeing nothing but the deceased body she held in her arms. She heard nothing but her own voice as she called out for him to return, to join her—as she brought forth memories and promises made, and made new promises and offers if only he would just return and join her in the realm of living.
Fate and Destiny watched her with sorrowful and sympathetic eyes—they, too, knew how it felt to lose such an important part of oneself. They had known what was to happen and so it was no surprise to them, though that was not to say they were not affected in the least.
Destiny turned to face Fate, her eyes grieved, though her lips curled into a wry smile. "I suppose this is how we shall be freed from our duties, sister."
Fate turned to stare at her younger sister, her eyes mournful. A small and dry smile of her own appeared as she took her sister's hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. "Well, we always did say we'd like to be freed from our prison, no matter the price, didn't we?"
Both sisters exchanged a sad smile and held onto each other—after all, they were all each truly had, had always had, and would always have, even in the wake of the Universe's destruction. They smiled, as if to reassure themselves that this was the way it was truly meant to be, though it was certainly not anything they had sown into a tapestry, and turned to look ahead at Cosmos. In seeing that she was still in the same condition, they turned their heads and found Harmony.
Harmony must have felt their gazes upon her, for she turned and offered them a soft smile, though her eyes did not shine. She nodded at them, as if to let them know everything was all right, that this was the way it was to play out. And then, she turned and slowly made her way to Cosmos, and both Fate and Destiny once again felt a pang in their heart, though not nearly as strong as it would have once been, as they realized that, once again, Harmony had chosen Hikari over them.
Three lights pulsed quickly, though in sync, with one another.
One by one, they began to pulse sporadically.
"Now?" It was hard to say which one seemed to ask this question, though it hung in the air.
"Now." It was a command that came from nowhere, and in unison, the pulsing stopped as each light grew brighter and brighter until it could get no brighter and vanished. When it vanished, there was nothing save a vast abyss that rapidly spread in all directions, engulfing anything and everything in its path.
Harmony rested a hand on Cosmos' shoulder, her eyes regretful as she stared at the still face of the one she viewed as son and the pained one of the girl she had always seen as her daughter.
"Hikari," Her voice was soft, yet it broke through the blank haze of Cosmos' mind. "Yein limai," Harmony called again. (Yein limai- Little light)
"Sa'maa?" Cosmos turned to look at Harmony, voice and eyes confused. Harmony offered her a soft smile, an air of sadness around her. (Sa'maa- mother/mom/mama, etc...)
"The Balance has been tipped, little one," Harmony's index finger and thumb held Cosmos' chin, "The Tsuyosa no Toushin is no longer in existence, shattered with the mortal immortal as its final victim. Chaos has left this realm and none has risen to take his place—the Balance has already begun to collapse, and it is only a short matter of time until all is nonexistent." Seeing nothing appear in the eyes of the one whose chin she grasped with two fingers, she continued.
"Look around you, my little one—already, the universe—my mother—is falling apart. I hear the cries of my brothers and sisters pleading for aid, for salvation. They plead for mercy and for answers, for they do not understand what has happened. Child," Harmony let go of Cosmos' chin and gestured with her arm for Cosmos to look around her, "Will you help them?"
"I cannot." The once light and silvery voice was flat.
"Can you not?" Harmony's head tilted slightly, a soft knowing smile of regret upon her lips. It had happened, she knew it...she could feel them—all of them, the Tsukai-jen, the Daa'ka-jien, and the Haitsu'aan-jei'caan—enter her body. (Respectively: Tear of Hope, Blood of Darkness, Hope of Harmony)
"I cannot and I will not. He's gone...and my duty is done."
"Is it truly, now?"
"Chaos is gone, and with he gone, there is no reason for my existence. The Balance is gone, and soon, we all shall be as well, sa'maa. We'll all finally be at peace." Cosmos looked around, "My son and his wife will no longer feel the pain for their child whom you killed," Cosmos spat, her eyes glaring at the one she called mother. "Hope will no longer fear the light so, and Fate and Destiny," She turned impassive eyes to stare at the two before turning to Harmony, "They shall be freed from their punishment."
"And you?"
"I shall die and join Chaos—"
"Ah, but the realm of the dead shall no longer exist." Harmony informed a startled Cosmos. "As light balances dark, the living balances the dead. It is not the end of the universe in this realm, child—it is so much more. Now, I ask you again, will you help this universe?"
"I would rather not exist with Chaos, than to continue to exist without him!" Cosmos turned furious eyes upon the taller woman. "You ask me if I would help when you know I cannot! I have done my duty—Chaos, my dear sweet Chaos, lies dead by my hands! I, by all definitions but the one that does not count, am dead! My unborn grandchild is dead—and it. Is. All. Your. Fault!" She seethed. Her anger grew as Harmony only offered her a sad smile.
"Say something!" She hissed out, "Say anything! Defend yourself, scream, explain! Why did you not step up?!" She screamed and flung herself at Harmony, "You could have saved him! You knew, you could have prevented this—all of this—from happening! Why didn't you?!" Clenched fists pounded against Harmony, but still she stood there, her eyes closed and face unrevealing. "He called you mother! How could a mother do such a thing to something—someone—she created! You monster, you evil monster!"
As Cosmos continued to beat her fists against Harmony, Harmony stood tall, her eyes a clouded regret though her face was drawn into the very picture of impassiveness. The air of renewal around her clashed horrifically with that of the destruction that was occurring around them, igniting neon sparks and short unexpected bursts of pure power.
The foundation they stood upon had already begun to disintegrate, and now Cosmos watched and acknowledged the screams of Chaos' minions as they roared and voiced their horror as the very ground beneath them became dust, then nothingness, and their lives were instantly cut short. Fate and Destiny remained in their position as Sol picked up Hana and ran towards them, Hope not far behind him.
Harmony stood stalk still, turning to face those still standing as Cosmos ran, meeting Sol, Hana, and Hope where Destiny and Fate stood.
"I love you all," Cosmos whispered to them, "Do not be scared."
"What's happening, mama?" Hope asked, her eyes speaking of the terror she would not voice.
"The Balance has been destroyed," It was Fate who answered her. "And now, we all shall die."
"Aishiteru, Hana," Sol whispered, kissing his wife's temple.
"Sol-koi," Hana leaned against her husband, her eyes tearful, "Ashiteru." Both turned their heads sorrowfully to gaze at Hana's flat stomach.
"Aishiteru, my unfortunate child," Sol whispered fiercely, "Forgive me."
"Aishiteru, my little love." Hana's voice was shaky and her eyes held the deepest depths of pain.
Harmony watched them through all-seeing eyes. She saw in her mind's eye as throughout the entire universe, nature and the element raged, whole celestial bodies were destroyed, so many lives stolen. She heard the cries and pleas for help, for mercy—she heard the prayers sent out, the messages, the hopes that whatever was happening, it would end soon before anything else could happen. She saw and heard the tears, the heartache, the overwhelming horror, the acceptance, the pain, and the glimmering hope.
'The Silence comes, but from Silence shall arise the soundless Melody.'
Around her, the land disappeared quickly and bursts of energy were shot out as the surrounding stars died. She watched on, her eyes unblinking and her face impassive though the air around her bespoke of the regret and the mourning that she carried. Her eyes never left the group in front of her, even as their mouths began to open into a soundless scream as their lives were violently ripped away. The remainder of the base she stood on crumbled, and soon—within seconds—she was the only one left.
All was silent for a moment—nothing and no one else save her existed in the Universe. And then, she heard it.
"Nai'u..." The voice was ageless and toneless, yet she heard it deep in her heart. It was a silent voice that spoke volumes, which spoke of the beginning of existence while mourning its end. (Nai'u- who)
"Sa'maa," She smiled gently, "It is only I...Jei'caan." (Sa'maa- mother; Jei'caan- Harmony)
"Jei...Jei'caan?" The soundless voice seemed uncertain, "Is it really you?"
"Yes, it is me."
"What.....happened?"
"The Balance was destroyed mother. A lot has happened since you've gone to sleep."
"To.......sleep?"
"Yes, mother, to sleep. It has been eons. When was it that you went to sleep, mother?"
"Sa'maa...call me...Sa'maa..."
"Do you remember who I am, mother?"
"We all did," When Harmony said nothing, the soundless voice continued. "When...you were dark...we all remembered then...but it was too late. You were gone."
"Who am I, mother?"
"Jei'caan...my first child. Call me...Sa'maa...it was so good to hear you call me Sa'maa again..."
"That time has passed, mother. You were my Sa'maa then, but now...it is a different time. The Balance was destroyed—my daughter destroyed it."
"D..daughter?"
"When did you go to sleep, mother?" Harmony's tone was sharp, biting.
"You were so dark...it hurt so..."
"You went to sleep while I was Chaos?" Her tone was still sharp, the bite it contained harsher than ever.
"Chaos? Is that what you were called then?"
"Yes, mother. I guess I ought to bring you up to date—I created a son, Cavan—and after his creation, I became Cosmos. I was Light, then, and I created a daughter, Hikari. Fate and Destiny disapproved of them mother—they grew jealous—and decreed Cavan to be Chaos and Hikari, Cosmos. It was an ill-fated destiny from the very beginning—they loved each other far too much. I, too, slept, mother. I am no longer the watcher of the Balance, mother. Not long ago, Chaos fell under Cosmos' hand, destroying the Balance in the process. As you can see, we are all that is left—rather, I am all that is left of you, mother. Your other children are gone, swallowed by the End."
"What...will happen now?"
"Oh mother, why are you asking this? Do you not know?" Annoyance was clear in Harmony's tone, her eyes flashing with an impatient anger and an unforgiven hurt.
"Pain...gone, my children are all gone."
"I am still here, mother. Your other children may be gone, but I am still here...and soon, I am all that shall be left."
"My children, gone...what next..." there hung about the feeling of despair and a deep mourning in the statement.
"I was never your child, was I?!" Harmony hissed suddenly, her eyes flashing in anger as she lost the composure that none before had seen her lose. "I was your first child, the fleshed child, who nourished your other children while you attempted to recover—"
"You were a tiring one to create," The voice was tired, "Never...recovered..."
"Then rest then!" Harmony crossed her arms, her eyes both hurt and furious, her form shaking.
"Why...do you do this?"
"I do not know what you are talking about, mother."
"You do not forgive....we tried to bring you to light when you were lost in dark...but we could not. I slept...because you were killing me."
"It was your own doing!" Harmony hissed, bearing her teeth as she glared around her at the abyss. "You, who I am to call mother, forgot me! Oh, it was a hard task, to remain neither light nor dark, and you certainly did not make it any easier!" Disgust was clear in her tone.
"Daughter...."
"Your daughters are dead, mother." Harmony's face twisted into a sneer as she all but spit out the last word, "Your sons as well. They sought me out, you know...as the Balance was destroying itself, they sought me out and pleaded for aid. But it is not time yet...not time yet..."
"You live..."
"Of course, mother. How can something that does not exist, die?"
"You exist...just as I do...I made you."
"You will soon die, as well, mother."
Silence answered her, before it gave way to a pained chortle. "Then you too?"
"No, mother...while you die, I will still be here...I do not exist, mother."
"Not...exist?" Confusion laced the tired voice, greatly aged and weakened.
"I was created from an abyss, mother. I am nothingness, and the everything that you find within it." As if to prove her point, a blade appeared in her hand and she used it to slice her wrist. The skin opened instantly, yet nothing came out.
""I do not..."
"It is contradictory, mother. From nothing I was created, and so I am the everything within the nothing—and how can everything exist in nothing? I cannot bleed mother, for I have no blood—and I have no blood, for blood is both giver and thief and I've nothing to give nor thieve."
"You are my daughter to me...nothing else."
"No mother, your daughters are dead. Now, you are dying, mother, and before you go, I wished for you to know why."
"Why do you do this?"
"I do nothing, mother. Just rest now, mother. After your death, I will have to recreate you."
"Create...me?"
"I am the everything that exists in nothingness, mother. Everything means everything.
"Nothing...can exist.....in nothing.."
"Of course, mother...my very existence is a contradiction...perhaps I shall think about it while I wait."
"Why...so cold? Use to laugh..."
"I find no reason to laugh with you mother. Your children are dead, you ought to mourn for them—oh, goodbye, mother."
And Harmony was left alone as the universe was overtaken by Nothing.
"Why did you love them better...why couldn't you love me like them, sa'maa?" Harmony whispered sadly, her eyes glowing with inner pain. "I am all alone again...just like before." She hugged herself tightly, curling up into a fetal position as she continued to drift in the emptiness around her. "Cavan, Hikari...Fate, Destiny...how I miss you so," Now, truly alone and surrounded by emptiness, she allowed herself to let go, allowed the tears to run its silvery path down the smooth and soft curve of her features. "Cavan, my chibi Chaos...you are gone, your silver blood crimsoned by my appearance, your life stolen by my tears." She let out a shuddering breath.
"Hikari, my little one...did you hate me when you were taken, were you able to see your Cavan at least one last time? Fate, Destiny...I shall miss you both as well, my forsakened daughters," Tears continued on their trek as Harmony hugged herself tighter, "My fault, all my fault," The tears were coming faster now, "If I had only shown you more love, first daughters, then perhaps your pain and jealousy could have been avoided...If I had saved your lovers, perhaps you would not have sewn that murderous decree." She sighed, closing her eyes as she shook her head. Slowly, her eyes opened halfway, regret and question clear within their depths.
"But there is no gain from memory's regret, no rest for the mind's questions. I have all the time in existence, yet time no longer exists." Harmony's eyes fluttered closed as her body began to relax. The skin on her forehead began to tear as three objects began to protrude from it, yet it never bled.
From their place embedded into her forehead, the Tsukai-jen and Daa'ka-jien on either side of the Haitsu'aan-jei'cann, the jewels began to pulse slowly, a thin thread of light slowly extending from each crystal as it began its slow journey, beginning to thread itself into a cacoon in which its mistress could rest and store the energy required to create Existence. (Respectively: Tear of Hope, Blood of Darkness, Hope of Harmony)
If time existed, then eons would have passed before the cocoon was completed. The cocoon neither floated about nor stayed in one location. It appeared to glow with an inner light, yet light did not exist and so it could not. It simply was.
There was no longer such a thing as time, but had it existed then, then an endless amount of it would have passed before the cocoon slowly began to unthread itself, and even more time would have come to pass before the cocoon was no longer.
As the last thread of light disappeared into the crystal from which it had sprung, eyes of a golden silver sheen slowly began to open lazily, leisurely wandering to observe the emptiness that surrounded her. Wrapping herself tighter in her fetal position, Harmony merely watched through unseeing eyes as she continued to simply be, and it was not until—a timeless amount of time later—the jewels upon her forehead wrenched themselves free from her skin that she moved, her body stretching languidly as she slowly moved from a position she had taken since the end of Existence. The three jewels surrounded her, letting out a soft glow as it seemed to welcome her.
Her mouth opened to let out a soundless song, and the three jewels suddenly burst, their powers condensed into molecular seeds of unseen energy that attached onto the skin of Harmony.
Harmony languidly stretched her arms and as she did so, the seeds of energy suddenly glowed, illuminating her entire body before it burst out and rapidly began to spread throughout the entire abyss, a thin and endless string of energy keeping it tied to Harmony.
'Let the soundless melody sound'And everything burst forth from nothingness, straining the threads that spun from Harmony until it snapped into pieces that floated about, prepared to create life in all its existence.
A universe began to take shape and a balance, established.
Time once again existed and ran, and as it aged, the pregnant universe grew, becoming stronger, becoming bigger, familiar. Gradually, celestial life were born, and from it, sprung all sorts of life. Time continued to age further, and when it no longer knew its own age, only that it had simply existed for all its life, the left-over residue of the life-giving seeds began to change, taking from Harmony a part of her very essence as it created souls.
And these souls were spread all throughout the Universe, growing, living, but rarely truly dieing. And while Harmony never died from such thievery of her essence, she never quite lived neither, and simply watched patiently, awaiting the births of her greatest treasures.
Confused? Frankly, I am too, since so many things in this chapter is contradictory. This chapter came out a lot longer than I had originally planned (I had originally planned a short five-pages, but it became about eleven, not counting the AN in the beginning and end)
Gah, I know Harmony sounded all-powerful, but I certainly hope she didn't come off as a Mary-Sue. Anyways, the epilogue is all that is left, and then this story is complete. It's changed so much since I first began it, and I know the time that lapsed in between the posts does nothing to help tie the story together. Hopefully, the revision will make this story a lot easier to understand.
