Prologue
Behind the luminous, faceless visage of the Titan of Light, there was a glasslike dome that existed in a dimension between dimensions - a fragment of spacetime floating between the realm of the Infinite Library and the City of London. A tapestry world of Priestess Amelia Watson's own making.
Within that glasslike dome, the unwilling priestess saw London through the eyeless eyes of the Titan of Light. It was a spherical screen that encapsulated her above, below and all around while she knelt down on a transparent platform. From that perch, she was subjected to the horrors of war being waged on the British capital, the devastation that her Titan had caused and the unnatural green haze hanging over the city.
No matter where Ame looked in that dome, there was nothing but despair that was plain for her to see.
Surrounded by carnage, Ame's heart felt like lead and weighed heavily against her chest. She knelt down on the glasslike platform while the Priestess' veil made of the seven Strings of Fate shrouded her head and fogged her thoughts.
Her face was contorted in frustration. She slammed her fists on the transparent platform, but she couldn't even make a dent. The horrifying sights and sounds remained and haunted her. Tears started to form at the sides of her eyes. In response, the Titan of Light stirred and diamond tears began coalescing before its faceless visage.
After three straight days of agony, Ame's resolve was finally starting to crack.
While Ame drowned in her despair, the sound of distinct footsteps reached her ears. French military boots against the crystalline surface of the transparent platform. Ame didn't have to turn around to know who it was.
"Knowledge…"
"As the Librarian of the Ancient Ones, we hoped that you would have given us the reins of your potential at the moment your titan manifested." Knowledge sauntered down the platform, showing the back of her now pristine Napoleonic military coat to Ame, "However, personally speaking, I admire your tenacity for holding out to the very end. Futile as your attempts may be, a part of me wishes that I had your daring when I was still just a girl without a care in the world." Through the faint reflection on the glasslike dome, Ame saw Knowledge bring out her golden R-shaped pendant before the librarian continued, "However, that time has long since passed. The bridges I had to the past have long since burned to ash. And from those ashes, we shall build anew."
Ame gritted her teeth.
She wanted to make a snide remark or a witty counter like she always did, but no words came to mind. Her heavy heart kept her from speaking back. She no longer believed her own taunting words, after all. Moreover, she was tired.
Incredibly tired.
The Priestess' veil started to grow heavy on her bowed head.
Knowledge's reflection smirked.
The cosmic librarian returned her pendant back under her coat and joined her hands behind her back while she regarded the turbulent scene erupting throughout the City of London.
"This world is crooked. See how Londoners fight against Londoners - Grim Reapers fight against Grim Reapers. The sorrows of this world transcend the cycle of life and death. It transcends dimensions! Serve as the Priestess of the Ancient Ones long enough and you will see it with your own eyes. You will carry it all in your heart until it bursts like the light of a thousand suns!"
Knowledge's impassioned speech painted a frighteningly clear picture in the eye of Ame's mind. It was almost as if the cosmic librarian was speaking from experience - from catastrophes that she had seen with her own eyes.
The librarian paused and turned to face Ame.
"This cycle can be broken, Amelia Watson, and you have the power to do it. You may not realize it, but the cross-shaped sword your Titan wields carries the power of a true miracle. That sword can pierce the barrier of realty and unleash the Ancient Ones upon this world. The other worlds will follow soon after. THIS is the opportunity of a lifetime! Not the ramblings of a disreputable company with lofty, idealistic dreams."
She marched over to Ame and urged with a softer tone, "The Ancient Ones stand ready to wipe the slate clean. All this suffering will end before you know it. You just have to take that sword and open the door!"
While Knowledge spoke, a myriad of inhuman eyes began appearing in the midst of the green haze. Millions upon millions of eldritch horrors peered through those eyes, eager to descend upon the war-scarred streets of London and the world beyond the green haze.
Tears started streaking down the sides of Ame's eyes and the Titan of Light followed suit. The last sliver of hope that Ame clung on to drained from her hardened heart and the radiant beast peeled itself off of the clock tower of Big Ben. Ame's tearful eyes saw the hands of the clock tower moving incredibly fast - thirty minutes condensed into thirty seconds.
Was that me just now?
No… please! Please stop!
I don't want this! Turn back the clock! Turn it back, damn it!
Ame instinctively reached for the golden chain by her hip, but her pocket watch was no longer there. She grasped for the missing timepiece and winced in despair.
Did I make a mistake…?
Did I ask too much of them?
This is all my fault.
Damn it. Damn it! DAMN IT ALL!
The belfry of Big Ben rang and marked the eleventh hour. All the diamond tears that manifested before the Titan of Light began orbiting around its faceless visage. The Priestess' agony fuelled the fire of the Titan. Its visage burst with a ray of blindingly bright light that passed through the arrays of diamond tears, intensifying until it shot forth a powerful beam.
Westminster Bridge was blasted by the beam of light and was set ablaze, consumed by otherworldly flame. Knowledge regarded the inferno and grinned with delight. Ame, on the other hand, lowered her head in tearful shame.
"I can't bear to look at this anymore." Ame spat, looking at her own faint reflection on the transparent platform.
"Worry not, Priestess Amelia." Knowledge reassured with a condescending tone, "Neither your hands nor your conscience will be stained any longer. We, Knowledge, would gladly take the reins of this beast and open the door to the new age on your behalf. We were the Priestess of the previous age. We are intimately familiar with the song and dance of what happens next."
With that, Knowledge raised up her hand and summoned black tendrils out of thin air. The tendrils bound together and formed the librarian's mighty greatsword rooted in the transparent platform of the glasslike dome, mirroring the powder blue blade sheathed in the ruined walls of Westminster Palace.
When Knowledge drew the greatsword from the platform, the Titan of Light followed suit and drew its cross-shaped sword from the palace walls. Knowledge and the Titan raised up their swords together and swung down into the burning wreckage of Westminster Bridge. That blow finally caused the mighty structure to start to collapse.
Ame closed her eyes and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
She was prepared to fall asleep one last time. Perhaps eternal slumber, she thought, would wash away her woes.
However, beyond the moaning noise of the falling Westminster Bridge, Ame noticed something. The rumble of war had, for the most part, come to a halt. Moreover, she heard voices calling out to her.
Familiar voices.
Calliope Mori.
Kiara Takanashi.
Ina'nis Ninomae.
Gawr Gura.
Their voices were faint, but they were calling out to her. They were there for her, just across the River Thames!
They came all the way here…for me!
Ame opened her eyes and saw the figures of her dear friends through the walls of her glasslike prison. They were on the southern bridgehead of Westminster Bridge, together with all their allies. Pangs of regret gnawed at Ame and she focused her thoughts to try and retake control of the Titan of Light. However, the Titan no longer listened to her.
"Well, it seems that your friends were just as stubborn as you." Knowledge clicked her tongue, "We didn't think they would get this far, but they are only delaying the inevitable. What power could they possibly have to challenge the Ancient Ones!? If they knew what was best for them, they would have stayed on the Azores and enjoyed what little time they had left!" She pointed her greatsword at Ame and declared, "The bells have already tolled for this world. If you know what's best for you… stay down and look the other way!"
At Knowledge's command, the Strings of Fate from Ame's veil came alive and started growing with lives of their own. The strings bound Ame's arms and legs and forced her back down on her knees on the glasslike platform.
Ame winced in pain and felt the Strings binding her arms and legs tightly. However, she was undeterred and cried out at the top of her lungs!
"HELP ME!"
For a brief moment, the Titan of Light paused and carried her strong, albeit muffled voice throughout London. However, the radiant beast quickly came back under Knowledge's influence and mirrored the cosmic librarian's movements once more.
"Silence!" Knowledge lashed bitterly. She commanded the Strings of Fate to gag the unwilling Priestess and imprison her.
Despite being bound from head to toe, the defiant fire in Ame's blue eyes never wavered. Knowledge snorted and turned back towards the army gathered beyond the River Thames. She wielded her greatsword above her shoulder and the Titan of Light followed suit. Then, she roared a ferocious roar.
"The hour of reckoning is at hand, HoloMyth! Embrace your inevitable despair!"
AlterMyth
The Eleventh Hour
Ninety-First Scene - Answering The Call
Eldritch horrors emerged from the multitude of inhuman eyes that appeared in the midst of the green mist hanging over London. They fell like meteorites and crashed into various places throughout the war-scarred city and emerged from craters to begin their relentless assault against friend and foe alike. Atlantean soldiers, Grim Reapers from both factions, partisans, constables and cultists alike were forced to fight the creatures from the falling sky.
In the midst of the chaos erupting throughout the city of London and the flames that burned on the crumbling Westminster Bridge, Amelia Watson's cry for help rang clear and true.
"Ame heard us just now didn't she!?" Gura listened to the detective's voice with hopeful excitement, "That's why she called out to us! She's still somewhere up there in that shiny thing!"
"I agree." Ina nodded and watched the Titan of Light with her glowing gold eyes. Her grimoire AO-chan floated nearby and emitted purple runes that Ina translated, "AO-chan and I think that Ame still has some form of control over that beast, but it's been commandeered by another presence."
"It's that damn book lady again isn't it?" Calli deduced with a frown.
"Humu…" Ina nodded again and continued, "Ame might still be able to stop this circus if she can fight off Lady Knowledge, but she'll need help doing it." She reached into the pocket of her coat and brought out Ame's golden pocket watch, "Gura and I had AO-chan and the scholars in Atlantis help us unlock the power within this timepiece, but only Ame can wield this kind of time magic."
Kiara looked at the chainless pocket watch in Ina's hand and mused.
"So, if we can bring this pocket watch back to Ame..."
"We'll have a chance to cancel the apocalypse." Ina declared firmly.
While the Myths were speaking, however, forces that were loyal to Mr. Lowry and Death-sensei across the River Thames were suddenly attacked by the Titan of Light. The colossal beast swung its sword and crushed them like bugs on its heel. All the while, tendrils of light emerged from the back of the Titan's coat, just like the tentacles that Ina was able to manifest.
Those tendrils flew through the air and swatted at reaper, constable and cultist alike in a one sided slaughter. Red mist splattered onto the ruins of Westminster Palace and Big Ben and the River Thames ran red with blood.
"I don't think that book lady's going to let any one of us get anywhere near her, though." Calli grumbled.
"Don't lose hope yet, kiddos!" The voice of J-chad called them from behind, "We've got your backs!"
The Myths turned around and saw J-chad and Jenma, along with a handful of their allies, bring forward the Maxim machine guns they captured from Mr. Lowry's forces. Ophelia Lowry, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Enma, on the other hand, brought a pair of strong, young horses with them.
J-chad turned the Maxim gun around to point at the Titan of Light, wiped the sweat from her brow and spoke.
"Jenma-senpai told me that it's up to us managers to clear the path for you in times like these." She ran a hand through her long, brown hair and smiled, "You ladies will have enough on your plates when you start working for Cover Corp, I heard. So we'll do our best to lighten the load."
"Miss J-chad is correct." Enma concurred and adjusted her glasses with a smile, "Managers will do what they can, but when the lights come on and the curtains fall, the performance will be in your hands. We'll cheer you on from behind the curtain, so spread your wings and fly! We'll cheer for you every step of the way."
When Enma said this, the small hunting terrier she held in her arms barked in agreement.
Finally, the blond Jenma sauntered towards Kiara and wore a warm smile.
"Miss Ame sacrificed herself to buy us time to escape. She believed that we would be able to come back for her - all of us! Now's our chance to prove her right."
Kiara answered with an eager smile of her own and made her declaration.
"We're gonna get Ame back for sure! We aren't joining HoloMyth without her."
"I like the enthusiasm." Jenma nodded in agreement. She joined her hands together and gathered the Myths around her, "Well then, ladies. Let's get down to business."
Ninety-Second Scene - Over The Burning Bridge
After Jenma's briefing, Kiara stretched her tense arms and legs and carefully tilted her head to the left and then to the right. Once her muscles had loosened up somewhat, she heaved a sigh and spread her bright orange Phoenix wings behind her.
The mighty Phoenix's fiery heart beat hard against her chest. After all, the plan that Ina and the managers hatched was asking a lot from her. Proud as she was of her skills, even she knew that she had to push herself to the limit.
Precision flying. Firebombing. Swooping attacks. Something Jenma and Enma called "Close Air Support".
However, she glanced at Ame's Titan of Light and steeled her heart.
Even though Kiara was the first official member of the HoloMyth unit, she knew that it was Ame who brought the five of them together. For a regular human girl to do so much, Kiara was amazed. She understood why Gura and the others were willing to lay it all on the line for the detective.
While Kiara was reminiscing, Calli and Gura each rode their horses to where she was. Gura, sporting her cute cowgirl hat, approached Kiara and spoke with a toothy grin.
"Thanks for agreeing to our plan, Kiara." Gura spoke graciously, "It'll be tough, but the last thing we want is having shiny boy try to fry us while we're crossing the bridge."
"Don't worry, Gura." Kiara clenched her fist enthusiastically, "I'll make sure the Titan watches me while you cross."
"You sure about this, kusotori ?" Calli cautioned, "That thing ain't no joke. Do you see how it tore up those poor souls across the river!?"
"HoloMyth is a family, Calli." Kiara gently reminded, "And Ame is part of that family, so we're not gonna abandon her no matter what. So, if you're worried about me, ride as fast as you can! Okay?"
Calli scratched the back of her head, but eventually nodded.
"We'll ride faster than you've ever seen, kusotori . Just… promise me you'll join us there when we make it across."
Kiara smiled. "It's a promise."
When the Phoenix said this, Ina came running towards Gura's horse and hitched a ride on the back of it.
"The operation's a go!" Ina reached for Gura's hand and let the Atlantean help her up onto the horse, "When the managers give the signal, we're crossing the river."
"What's the signal?" Kiara tilted her head curiously. Gura and Calli likewise watched Ina with anticipation.
Then, the four captured Maxim guns opened fire on the Titan of Light all at once and bathed the beast in a hail of lead. Bullets flew and traced lines through the darkened skies, but the tendrils of light that sprouted from the Titan's coat started swatting them away. However, handfuls of bullets made it through the Titan's defense and struck it, drawing groans of pain.
"That's the signal, everyone!" Ina urged, "Go, go, go!"
With that, Gura and Calli spurred their horses forward and started riding towards the burning Westminster Bridge as quickly as their mounts could go. Ina, on the other hand, held onto Gura for dear life.
"Straight into the fire, huh?" Kiara spread her bright orange Phoenix wings and launched herself into the air, "Let's get this show on the road!"
Kiara flapped her wings and propelled herself ahead of Calli's and Gura's horses. She swooped down into the infernal fire burning on Westminster Bridge and parted the sea of flames, opening up a narrow path for her friends. The Phoenix absorbed the flames she flew through and her body glowed brilliantly like hot metal in the forge. By the time Kiara made it through to the other side of the Thames, she was engulfed in flames and was filled with immense power.
In the midst of the gunfire from the four Maxim guns, The Titan of Light noticed the burning Phoenix approaching it. The beast held its powder blue blade, cross-shaped sword in the same way that Knowledge wielded her rapier against Kiara in the Infinite Library.
I know that stance. It really is you, huh? Good. That means I won't have to hold back!
The flame-swept Kiara summoned her buckler shield and her orange broadsword with flashes of orange light, but the sword and shield shone as brilliantly as the Phoenix herself. Her broadsword, too, swirled with flames that made the weapon grow to twice its size.
The Titan of Light swung its tremendous blade, but Kiara didn't change course. She skillfully weaved around the lines of gunfire and under the swipes of the Titan's triangle-tipped tendrils with her sword and shield at the ready. Kiara's flaming orange blade clashed with the Titan's blue and caused an explosion of sparks that burst like fireworks.
In that state, Kiara and the Titan were evenly matched, but the flames that the Phoenix had absorbed began to dissipate from her body.
I can't keep this up forever…
The Titan thrust its blue blade at her with breakneck speed. The Phoenix managed to block the strike with her shield, but even more flames fizzled away from her body. Kiara winced and pushed back against her opponent's blow, but she saw the faceless visage of the Titan through the fire. She gritted her teeth and cried out.
"Ame! If you can hear me… then hold on! We're coming for you!"
Suddenly, the Titan hesitated again and Kiara managed to break free from the assault. That was her chance!
Shrouded by the last of her luminous flames, Kiara flew past the Titan's sword and went behind its back. While the tendrils of light were busy swatting down the hail of Maxim gun shots, Kiara swooped in and started cutting down the tendrils one after another. With every slash of her blade, the Titan groaned with pain, but the flames that she carried continued to weaken.
Kiara managed to cut down the last of the tendrils but she spent the last of her flames to do so. The Titan lost its balance from the flurry of slashes and fell backwards onto the clock tower of Big Ben. However, the beast managed to thrust its cross-shaped sword one last time and caught the flying Kiara right between the ribs.
Sharp pain tore through Kiara's body, followed by an unnerving sensation of warmth. The Phoenix coughed up blood and her broadsword and buckler shield dissolved with flashes of orange light.
Ninety-Third Scene - Life And Death Reprise
Ah… is this how it ends?
Her bright orange Phoenix wings, like her sword and shield, fizzled away with weak flames. Then, in Kiara's eyes, the city of London flipped upside down.
I feel lightheaded...
From fifteen stories above ground, the mighty Phoenix started to fall headfirst towards the cobblestone streets. Unnerving weightlessness gripped her body and frigid winds contrasted the warmth of blood seeping out of her side. Her vision blurred and was fading out to white when one last thought crossed her mind.
Calli...
All of the sudden, a sharp cry reached her ears from below.
" KUSOTORI !"
In the blink of an eye, Kiara felt herself fall into arms that snatched her out of the air. She heard the whinny of a galloping horse, followed by tired panting. Then, warm tears started streaking down her face.
They weren't her tears.
Kiara dared to open her eyes again. She found herself on her back in the arms of the Grim Reaper - her Grim Reaper - weeping bitter tears that fell onto the Phoenix's face.
"... Calli." Kiara croaked. She reached out to Calli's face with her right hand and gently wiped off some of the Reaper's tears, "Were you worried... about me?"
"Of course I was, damn it!" The reaper cupped the back of Kiara's hand. Her tone was sharp but softened quickly, "Of course I was… kusotori . I don't know what I'd do if you became a pile of ash again. You cheated death once, but I don't know if you can cheat it again." Calli lowered her head and continued, "Those damn creatures from the sky fell on the bridge. We had to fight our way through the falling bridge. I didn't know if we were going to make it."
"But you did make it, Calli." Kiara wore a weak smile, "You caught me. All of me."
Calli winced her eyes, red from her tears, and embraced the wounded Phoenix closely. She hopped off of her horse with Kiara in tow and called out.
"Ina! Kiara needs help."
Gura and Ina rode up to where Calli was and the two of them hopped off their horses in a hurry. Calli set Kiara carefully down on the cobblestone street and promptly stepped aside. Ina knelt down beside Kiara while her grimoire floated above the Phoenix to study her. All the while, Calli and Gura watched with nervous silence.
"It's a deep cut. My healing magic can seal her wound for now, but she'll need rest and proper medical treatment to pull through." Ina laid her hand on Kiara's wound and bathed it with warm purple light, "If we could get her to Dr. Watson across the river, then maybe we…"
While Ina was speaking, however, the war-scarred Westminster Bridge finally collapsed and tumbled into the River Thames. Pillars of water and soot shot up into the air, marking the grave of the once mighty bridge. At the same time, the fallen Titan of Light started to stir again and a myriad of eldritch horrors that had fallen from the sky started crawling towards them.
"I'll get kusotori back to the other side. I'll find a way to cross that river somehow." Calli knelt down as well and gently picked up the wounded Kiara. She turned to Ina and Gura and urged, "The two of you have to get going before shiny boy here gets back up. I'm not ready to say goodbye to any of you today. Got it!?"
"Got it." Gura answered wholeheartedly. She took Ina by the hand, but gave Calli a sidelong glance, "We'll see you both on the other side."
With that, Calli carried Kiara towards the northern bridgehead of what was once was Westminster Bridge. She peered down to the platform below and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Of course." The reaper scoffed, "There's a rowboat."
Calli hurried down to the platform below the bridgehead with Kiara in her arms. She laid down the wounded Phoenix into the rowboat and unmoored it with practiced ease, following the steps that had been drilled into her head in her three hundred years in the Underworld. Once the boat was free, Calli hopped onto the boat herself, picked up the oars and began rowing across the River Thames.
"Calli…" Kiara croaked weakly again.
"One day, I will reap your soul, kusotori . I will row you down the River Styx and give you your final journey." Calli paused, then spoke firmly, "But today is not that day. So stay with me, okay?"
"Mm." The Phoenix nodded with a peaceful expression, "Don't worry, Calli. I plan to be with you... for a long, long, long time."
Ninety-Fourth Scene - Leap of Faith
When Calli and Kiara made their way across the River Thames, Ina and Gura faced off against the Titan of Light. The creature, still stunned from Kiara's daring assault, had its back pressed against the facade of Big Ben but it was already starting to stir. All the while, swarms of eldritch horrors loomed and trampled through the desolate streets of Westminster district.
Trapped now, the two Myths fled to the front door of Big Ben. Gura kicked open the door while Ina used her tentacles to pull furniture and barricade the threshold behind them. Eldritch horrors threw themselves upon the makeshift barricade and shook it violently, but the mountain of furniture stayed put for now.
"This barricade ain't gonna last forever." Gura grumbled, "And that shiny boy's gonna get back up on its feet."
The grimoire AO-chan floated by Ina's shoulder and spoke in its purple runes.
"Looks like we're surrounded. AO-chan says the fabric of reality is starting to tear. The horrors are only trickling into this dimension now, but there's many more of them waiting for the Titan to 'open the door'." Ina warned. She pointed up to the spiral staircase that snaked above them and added, "If we're gonna reach Ame, there's no way for us to go but up."
Gura nodded eagerly. She took Ina's hand again and the two of them ran up that stairwell as quickly as their feet could take them. Three hundred and thirty four steps stood between them and the belfry of the famous tower, so the two Myths pushed themselves onwards.
"This feels like the Bordeaux Municipal Library again." Ina commented, panting in between her strides, "Except this time, the enemies are chasing us upstairs - not down."
"Hehe, yeah." Gura agreed with a chuckle, "You didn't get a chance to see it, but Ame was the one who saved our hides back then. This time, we're gonna be the ones rescuing her!"
They soon reached the top of the staircase and opened the door to the belfry. Neither Ina nor Gura had the chance to catch their breaths when the entire clocktower shook violently. The Myths looked down from the ledge of the belfry and saw the Titan of Light tackling the historical tower over and over. The shaking grew so wild that it nearly threw Ina and Gura off their feet!
Ina summoned her tentacles and held onto the columns of the belfry while Gura clung onto her for dear life. The Titan's assault continued until the structural frames of the grand clocktower groaned ominously. The bells of the belfry were all displaced and rang loudly in Ina's and Gura's ears.
Ina and Gura tried to call out to Ame like Kiara did, but the frantic tolling of the bells drowned out their voices. Then, the entire clocktower tilted sideways.
Big Ben was about to fall.
"Damn it!" Gura shouted and cursed, "That book lady really is a pain!"
"Looks like we don't have any other choice!" Ina shouted back, over the deafening clanging of bells, "Do you trust me, Gura?"
"I do, but…!" Gura tried to speak, but Ina suddenly placed Ame's golden pocket watch in Gura's free hand
The Priestess then said, "Good! Hold onto that, Gura…and hold on to me!"
"Wait a sec…" Gura gasped, "What are you planning to… !"
Before Gura could say anything else, Ina used her tentacles to launch the two of them out of the belfry of the clocktower. Gura screamed wildly out of fear and shock. She had never leapt up from this tall a height in her whole life!
When the rush of the leap winded down, however, Gura came to her senses and realized what Ina was trying to do. The two of them were gliding towards the faceless visage of the Titan of Light!
"Hold out your hand with the watch, Gura! I'm casting a spell to breach the threshold!" Ina explained while they flew, "Ame's on the other side of that face. We're getting this pocket watch for her if it's the last thing we do!"
Even though Gura's face was pale, she did as she was told and held out her hand. Purple runes started to form on the faceless visage and it started to take on a glasslike form.
Before long, Gura's hand touched the sparkling visage. The surface rippled like water, causing ripples to spread out all over it.
"Ame…!" Gura roared and pushed against the water-like visage, "We're right here! If you can hear us…then let us through!"
When Gura said this the ripples on the visage intensified and Gura's hand - along with the pocket watch - slipped through.
To the dimension between dimensions.
Ninety-Fifth Scene - Sunshines on a Cloudy Day
Back in the glasslike dome behind the faceless visage, cracks started to form in the dome that imprisoned Priestess Amelia. Even though Ame was bound and gagged, she could see the sweat drip down Knowledge's brow. The cosmic librarian watched the cracks multiply and snake all over the dimension between dimensions, turning Knowledge livid.
"It's the eleventh hour! Why are they still resisting!?" Knowledge spat. Black tendrils emerged around her and took the form of her mace-like scepter, "No matter. The Titan of Light will shatter their hopes and dreams! The new age will come whether they like it or not!" The cosmic librarian wielded the scepter, but she nearly lost her balance for a moment. She paused, lowered her head and swore with seething rage, "I will not become a failure again. Not like before!"
While Knowledge was engrossed in her tormented soliloquy, Ame felt the Strings of Fate that bound her grow weaker. The more cracks that formed in the glass dome, the looser the Strings became.
Moments later, cracks started forming on the transparent platform where Ame knelt. Those cracks, however, turned the crystalline floor into a water-like substance that was rippling wildly. Ame managed to free one of her hands from her weakening restraints and she dared to touch the rippling water.
All of the sudden, Ame's hand went through the crystalline platform. In that void, she heard the faint cries of Gura calling out to her. Then, Ame's hand met with Gura's for a brief moment before the presence faded away into nothing.
Ame pulled her hand back out of the rippling water and saw her golden pocket watch on her palm. The timepiece was fully repaired - from its glass face to the internal mechanism that had been jammed many months ago. Moreover, the watch emanated golden runes that soothed Ame's mind and rejuvenated her strength. It almost felt like the watch had a heartbeat of some sort that beat in tandem with her own!
She closed her eyes and whispered beneath her breath.
"Gura. Ina. Thank you…"
The moment that Ame said, the green haze that loomed over London started to dissipate along with the inhuman eyes that had formed on them. Rays of sunlight pierced through the haze and illuminated the war-torn city for the first time in three days. Next, the Priestess' veil and the Strings of Fate that bound Ame started to melt all around her and come undone.
Finally, the Titan of Light came to a complete stop and slipped out of Knowledge's control once again. This time, however, Knowledge couldn't retake control of the beast from the detective.
Her rampage came to an abrupt end!
Epilogue
Knowledge shivered wildly from head to toe and she turned to glare at the cause of her woes.
Ame attached her pocket watch back to her chain and faced Knowledge with a defiant smirk.
Knowledge furrowed her brow and summoned her five weapons made out of her black tendrils: her naginata, greatsword, rapier, scepter and revolver. She traded her scepter for her naginata while the other weapons floated around her at the ready.
"You are a fool, Amelia Watson! You have the opportunity to wipe the slate of this world and the slates of so many other worlds clean with the aid of the Ancient Ones! Why do you refuse to accept your great calling!?"
"I have no idea who you are and what turned you into such a bitter little bitch, Knowledge…" The detective started and wiped off the traces of the Strings of Fate from her coat, "But this is my life! I get to choose what I want to do, not anyone else!"
"We shall see about that!" Knowledge swung her naginata around with incredible force, casting gusts of wind that rustled Ame's coat, "If you are not willing to hand over your potential, then we shall take it from you by force!" She pointed the bladed tip of her weapon at Ame and dared, "We, Knowledge, are fighting for the greater good of this universe! We are destined to prevail!"
"And I'm fighting so that my friends and I can choose our own destinies!" Ame drew her Webley revolver from the holster by her breast and faced off against Knowledge once again. She took her golden pocket watch with her free hand and set her thumb on the time-adjustment knob, "That's our opportunity of a lifetime! And if you've got a problem with that, then try and stop me!"
With that, Ame pressed down on the time-adjustment knob and the flow of time came to a grinding halt, frozen in a powder blue haze. Everything in the world around Ame went still - from the cracked image of Ina and Gura beyond the Titan of Light's faceless visage, to the four weapons that were accompanying Knowledge.
Knowledge herself, however, and the naginata she wielded, continued to move despite the spell. Thus, in the frozen powder blue realm, Amelia Watson squared off against the cosmic librarian Knowledge for the last time.
To Be Continued