Hololive Fanfic Outline

by CohenTyPa

A brief overview of my untitled Hololive fanfiction. Circumstances surrounding a mysterious cult bring five unique souls together to save the world.

3. Part 3 Outline

Section 1 - Reunion

(Bae)

Bae lifts her head off of the table with a groan. She is feeling . . . something, but she isn't sure what. There is a weight on her shoulders and a fog hanging over her mind. Her eyelids are heavy, but she isn't sleepy. There's a pit in her stomach. Whatever this feeling is, it is most definitely wrong.

That look on Gura's face just before she booted Bae out of her mind keeps popping up as she tries to figure things out. For so long Gura was all Bae had, the only connection she possessed. It was hollow and parasitic, sure, but they were two spirits who could understand each other. Isn't that what friends are?

Shadows of the other council members fade in and out around her. They all have the same expression as Gura. Pity garnished with disdain. She deserved those looks, she knows. They are supposed to be her friends, but Bae always found a way to push them away. That is just who she is.

But . . . haven't the others defied their natures? They've all chosen to join the people they should hate the most. Complete strangers who have done nothing but spit in the faces of the forces they embody have befriended them. How? How have they suppressed the very core of their beings?

If she can just figure that out, maybe she can do it too? Maybe she can repair the connections that she destroyed. Bae remembers Irys's pleading words inside Gura's mind. The look on her face was neither disdainful or pitying. Desperate is a word that fits. Bae wanted to listen to those words. She really, really did. But now, as in that moment, she remembers the face Irys made the time before that.

Eons ago, they'd had a falling out. She didn't want to remember the words that were exchanged, but that face . . . Indifference. Uncaring. The look of a stranger. It hurts just as much now as it did then.

Bae's head hits the table with a thud. That Her feelings are a mess, but that's how things should be. She is chaos incarnate. Tumult is to her as calm is to others. At least, that's how it should be.

The room buckles around her and she sees a light, bright through her shut eyelids. The Administrator places a hand on Bae's shoulder and her eyes shoot open. She sits up straight, eyes forward. There is a weight to that touch, this presence, that Bae feels in the depths of her soul.

The Administrator expresses her disappointment in the other members of the council. Shockingly, she actually praises Bae. She was given an opportunity to abandon her duty, but she chose to stay the course. The Administrator is proud of her.

Bae feels like smiling, though her lips do not move. She tries to look at the Administrator, but as her eyes move the room appears to stretch, keeping the higher entity just out of view. A wave of gratitude washes over Bae, and she finds herself thanking the Administrator. It is strange at first, but that strangeness quickly fades. The Administrator appreciates her. Why shouldn't she be grateful? She can't see the Administrator, but Bae can tell that she isn't looking at her with anything like disdain or pity. There is no scorn in her transcendent voice. She says that the rest of the council will come, along with the disruptive elements. It may fall on Bae to stop them. She is the final bastion of reality as they know it.

The Administrator believes in the power of chaos.

The loneliness within Bae deepens, but at the same time, she feels a companionship with the Administrator. There is a familiar sense of mutual isolation between them. It is the two of them against everyone else. It is . . . comforting. Bae latches on to that comfort.

The Administrator speaks as if through Bae's own mind.

Yes. She is the only one capable of executing the Administrator's will. She is the only one that the Administrator can rely on. The only one she can trust. They understand each other. They are friends. She is Bae's only true friend.

The Administrator retreats, leaving chaos incarnate alone to whip herself up into a frenzy. Bae throws herself into a fervent spiral. Her mistakes don't feel like mistakes when she considers what the Administrator wants of her. All those times she burned bridges and hurt her friends were simply meant to happen so that Bae could stand confidently against the Administrator's enemies.

That is what she tells herself, over and over, until it starts to sound true.

It never really does.

(Irys)

Despite the foundational powers wielded by the council, only Sana has the ability to ferry the group directly to the council's realm, so Irys arrives first. This space is . . . well, it can't really be called a "space" in the traditional sense. It has been long enough since the last time Irys had agency that she has almost forgotten the strangeness.

The council room, with its long table and phantom walls is nowhere to be seen. This plane of existence has no boundaries. The vague impression of ground beneath her feet keeps her from plummeting into the void. Crystalline lights shone in the darkness, glittering like stars in the distance. Then again, the concept of distance doesn't really apply here. It takes Irys's eyes a few moments to adjust.

It is more beautiful than she remembered. Odd that her last impressions of the place were negative.

Kronii pats her on the shoulder, nearly knocking her over in her dazed state. She scans the hazy horizon, deadly serious. Each member of the council would have a different impression of this landscape, the nature of their existence altering their perceptions ever so slightly.

The other members of the council arrive, followed by Sana and the rest of the party. Sparkling eyes abound as Kiara and the rest take in the extra-dimensional scenery. How does this place appear to the mortal eye?

Before she can think about it, Ina speaks up. She is happy that they were able to reach this far, but now what? Is there another, higher plane they need to reach? If so, how? The council members aren't actually sure. The Administrator always appears to them here, but they aren't clear on where she comes from.

Ame suggests that being here might be enough to draw her out. After all, they are intruding in a place not meant for mortal eyes. It isn't exactly changing the future, but it still feels like a pretty major transgression. Calli agrees and asks if there is any way to call the Administrator to them directly. Irys doesn't see why not.

Mumei takes it upon herself to explain. The laws of reality that are familiar on earth do not apply here. There is no time or space. Everything that will ever happen here is happening all at once, and not at all. It is infinitely large, but also too small to even be in. Everyone but Gura seems to follow. It occurs to Irys that she is the only one of them that hasn't seen reality the way the council members do. Calli and Kiara are intimately familiar with life and death and all that stems from them. Ame has traveled through time and stood outside of it. Ina has glimpsed the world through the lens of Sana's power. Meanwhile, Gura has only experienced her own mind, corrupted by the power of chaos though it may have been.

She is an outsider . . . but aren't they all? Sure, they've glimpsed reality through the council's perspective, but they haven't truly experienced it. The only thread tying them to this realm is their conflict with the Administrator. Without that, would they even be able to exist here?

As the others tease Gura, the void shudders. A short distance away, a portal opens and the Administrator steps through. She is blinding to behold, bearing an awesome presence. Irys's chest grows tight. This being manipulated her friends, turning them to tasks that they would never willingly agree to doing. She took advantage of their lack of agency towards some end that nobody else can really understand.

The council arrange themselves in a line in front of the others. A sword appears in Kronii's hand and she points its tip at the Administrator. She declares mutiny, using the corruption of their natures as foundational forces as justification. The Administrator does not emote. She barely even moves. Still, her voice, entirely dispassionate, reaches them.

She ponders the necessity of a reset. Perhaps it is better to scrap everything and start fresh. That apocalyptic notion vibrates deep within Irys's soul. The sheer callousness of the idea threatens to overturn the side of her that is hope. Bubbling despair makes it hard to breathe. She almost panics until Kiara steps up beside her. The others follow suit, placing them in line with the council. Warmth chases the despair away, giving hope room to breathe.

The Administrator tilts her head. She doesn't seem to truly comprehend their resistance, at first, but eventually blinks. She understands and waves her hand. Bae appears from behind her, standing between the Administrator and the party. They expected this to happen, but Irys still finds herself frozen in place. There's something missing inside of Bae. A void of a different variety.

The Administrator bids everyone farewell and disappears into another portal. Calli and Kiara attempt to chase after her before the portal closes, but they are rebuffed by Bae. They conclude that they'll have to go through the embodiment of chaos before they can get to their true enemy. Irys tries to convince them to come up with another solution, but she is ignored. The others step forward, leaving the council members behind. Before they begin fighting, however, Sana calls out.

Portals between planes of existence are something of a specialty of hers. After paying close attention to the Administrator's exit, she thinks she can recreate it and take Kiara and the others straight to where the final boss waits. The only catch is it might take her a while to them where they need to go with her power. Ina concludes that they only have to fight Bae long enough for the path to be opened.

Anxiety grips Irys. Things are progressing too quickly. There isn't enough time to find a better solution. Ame points out that Bae will probably be able to chase them down, so some of them will have to stay behind to keep her busy. Gura volunteers, as do Calli and Kiara. Ina and finally Ame agree to act as a vanguard as well. Kiara approaches Irys, taking her hands. She explains that this fight isn't just theirs anymore. They trust the council to take down the Administrator in their stead.

The council members aren't terribly happy to leave a group of (mostly) mortal beings to hold out against one of their own, but they don't see any other option. Begrudgingly, they agree to the plan.

But Irys cannot accept it. She looks at Bae, sees the utter absence of hope in her eyes, and realizes that there is a better way. She says that she'll stay behind and fight while the others go ahead. Bae is strong, and Irys isn't exactly built for combat, but she should be able to talk her down. She refuses to accept a strategy that forces them to treat Bae as an obstacle. She is every bit as much a victim as the rest of them.

Calli points out that the Irys herself resolved not to fight any member of the council. This leaves Irys at a loss. She did say that. She hadn't offered more than an emotional boost in any of the previous fights. She is being a hypocrite, only acting when it suits her. And she doesn't care. If only she could explain what she is feeling . . .

Sana steps up and declares that they don't have to fight Bae, they can just try to rescue her. Totally different. The broad smile on her face shines like a star in Irys's eyes. Mumei follows her lead, acting like holding Bae in place is somehow not going to require a fight. Then Fauna offers her two cents. They'll just have a nice chat. Things might get a little heated, but that can't always be avoided. Kronii shakes her head and apologizes to the Ame and the others. Her's makes five votes in favor, so the motion to hold the line passes.

Calli, Ame, and Gura don't look convinced-the other two look worried more than anything else-so Irys reassures them. The members of the council cannot stand by while one of their own is being used. They trust the party of mortals to take care of the Administrator in their stead. Calli and Ame shrug, relenting to the council's decision.

They all look towards Bae, who has been oddly passive this whole time. She is staring at them, or rather staring past them. It's a dangerous expression. The group shuffles around, keeping the council between Bae and the others. Calli, Kiara, Ame, and Ina gather around Sana who is focusing her power. Gura, though, stands aside with her fists clenched. Bae isn't the only one with a dangerous expression.

Irys takes her aside, casting a wary glance back at Bae. She knows it's selfish to ask, considering Gura's history with chaos, but she asks the shark girl to give Bae a pass this once. Gura takes a deep breath, one that clearly must lift a great deal of weight, and says that her friends saved her. So, she'll give Irys and the rest of the council a chance to do the same for Bae. Even if she doesn't want Bae to be saved. Even though she wants to take out all those years of fear and self doubt on chaos with her own two hands. It's only fair.

What Irys feels isn't anything close to relief, but she is reassured. Gura's words act as a confirmation that what the council is attempting to do is not doomed to fail. They can save Bae.

They will save her.

(Bae)

Dim flashes illuminate deep red clouds normally hidden in the darkness. Occasionally, a brighter, more violent, streak of light cuts through the void in a jagged path. Chaos is like a storm. It builds, showing its hand ever so slightly. You know it is coming, you can see it looming, growing more terrible. It swells, releasing all of its pent up energy in a brilliant, destructive blast.

Bae is like a storm. She watches the others argue and plan and trust each other. They toss furtive glances her way. They see her looming. They anticipate the storm breaking, unleashing its fury at any moment. But storms, like chaos, are not that predictable. Bae is biding her time. Waiting for the right moment.

Mumei, Fauna, and Kronii stand before her, ready for battle while Sana hangs back with Gura's team. She opens a portal and the marked ones step through. Gura lags behind to look at Bae one last time. Bae can't even describe the emotion in that look. She has lost the capacity to do so. The portal does not close.

Time and space are convoluted in this place. Predictably, trying to invade the Administrator's domain is not as straight forward as opening a door. Sana will need to maintain that portal until the other group reaches their destination.

A fine opportunity.

Bae was willing to allow the Administrator to wipe out those marked for execution, but if she can eliminate the council before they get to her, then they will be lost in that liminal path. It's a win-win. Now, she can focus all of her efforts, all of her loneliness and frustration, on the people who pretended to be her friends.

She breathes in, the storm clouds darkening and billowing into towering monstrosities. Then the storm breaks. The power of chaos spills out of her, seeping into the fabric of the dimension around them, casting everything in red. This startles the members of the council whose individual perceptions have just been overwritten. In their shock, Bae makes her move, rushing up to Kronii. The warden of time raises her sword in defense, but she is too slow. Bae's fist slams into her stomach, and then her chest, then her chin. Kronii crashes to the not-ground rolling past the others.

Mumei reacts quickly. With a deadly glint in her eye, she raises a newly materialized axe over her head. Bae tries to avoid the swing, but she runs into an out-of-place steel girder jutting out of the void. The axe head comes down, biting into Bae's arm. It might have lopped the limb off completely if not for Mumei pulling back, the deadly glint replaced by concern. Bae is not so soft. She grabs Mumei by the collar and plants a knee in her gut before spinning and slamming her into her own girder. Chaotic power builds in her fist. There is no remorse as she pulls her fist back.

The flat of Kronii's blade digs into Bae's stomach, sending her rolling. When she comes to a stop she finds herself in the middle of a thicket of vines. The greenery immediately springs to life trying to restrain Bae. On their own, they are nothing, but steel cords wind their way through the thicket, reinforcing the bindings.

Bae thrashes, trying to break free, but her restraints are just barely holding on. Irys calls out to her, pleading. Her words ring hollow. It's all lies. The determination in Fauna and Mumei's eyes as they maintain their holds on Bae. The sure grip Kronii has on her blade, held ready to strike should Bae escape. The distance that Irys keeps as she desperately calls out Bae's name. It makes their true intentions crystal clear.

They are fools. Chaos cannot be contained. The storm releases a torrent, calling forth a great flood. The power of chaos oozes from Bae and the fabric of the reality around them is drawn in, giving it form. With a roar, the vines and wires holding Bae are torn away. The congealed chaos engulfs her, drawing her into its core as it takes shape. Kronii charges, with Fauna and Mumei close behind, but they are too slow. Bae swings a massive arm, crackling with scarlet lightning, batting them away.

Bae's veins swell with the ichor of the universe. She has a gestalt moment as every aspect of her becomes apparent. Her physical self, her mind and agency, and her raw, primal power combined in the same form for the first time.

It is pure ecstasy

And it is very, very painful.

(Kronii)

Kronii's grip on her sword loosens. There, standing on a disk of solid light that has become this realm's floor, is something that shouldn't be. A fundamental force given form in the truest sense. It goes against the entire purpose of the council, for if such a thing were feasible, they wouldn't need to exist as they do. It is a monstrous abomination that will most certainly destabilize reality if allowed to roam free.

They need to destroy it at all costs. Scattering an aspect of the universe is not an ideal solution, but it is far better than the alternative. That being said . . .

Kronii looks at Irys, her eyes wide. They are all shocked by what Bae has become, but Irys has been the most desperate to talk her down. Will she see that they cannot let the avatar of chaos continue as she is? With the amount of determination in those wide open eyes, the answer is most certainly no. And although Kronii is afraid of what might happen should they fail, she is moved.

Bae is their friend. They've all been together for as long as the universe has been. They've had their ups and downs, but even millennia of bad blood can't shake that timeless bond.

They will find a way to stop Bae and bring her around. They just have to hold her still long enough to do so.

Easier said than done.

Mumei moves first. She raises her hand and a series of rails rise up from the ground. Large trains scream past them, gunning for Bae. Her giant form allows her to bat most of them away, but a couple strike true. She staggers, but the swirling red vortexes acting as the monster's eyes stay focused on the council. She picks up the mangled remains of one of the engines, raising it up to throw it. It explodes beside her head.

Kronii and Fauna leap into action. A powerful gust of wind carries clusters of seeds-and Kronii-through the air, exploding into thick clusters of vegetation on impact. The monster reels and tries to break the plants away from its swirling skin. Kronii falls from above, plunging her blade deep into the scarlet flesh of the beast's arm. Wrenching the blade in the wound, she freezes the limb in place, throwing Bae off balance.

A torrent of water carries a massive ship into the monster's side. Kronii releases her hold and leaps away, narrowly avoiding the incredible explosion that follows. The ether arranges itself according to Fauna and Mumei's wills, facilitating their attacks. Craggy hills shoot out of the ground, dropping boulders. Vehicles of various shapes and sizes appear from the darkness and crash. The monster roars, growing additional limbs that swing wildly, intercepting many of these attacks.

Aiding the others, Kronii focuses. She stops time for parts of the others' attacks, staggering the timing and making it difficult for Bae to defend. In the corner of her perception, she notices Irys still pleading her lungs out. Her desperation grows as her voice becomes raspy and harsh. What she's doing isn't helping, however. Kronii calls out to her, trying to get her to change tactics.

She can't fight like the others. All she can do is talk, and if Bae refuses to listen, then . . . She calls out in surprise, startling Kronii. She tells the other council members that if they can restrain the monster around Bae-and she means really restrain it- then she might be able to get straight to the heart of things. Literally. Kronii looks to Mumei and Fauna, and without any other plan, they agree to try.

A great tree sprouts at the beast's feet. It's trunk and branches entangle themselves in its multitude of limbs. At the same time, a series of intricate steel structures assemble from the ether, holding the monster's joints. The thing is mostly immobilized, but it struggles, threatening to escape. To prevent this, Kronii throws everything she has into locking the entire hulking behemoth in time. The strain of it is intense and she is locked alongside it, but with all three of them working together, the monster stops.

And Irys gets her chance.

(Irys)

Words aren't reaching Bae. No matter how Irys strains her voice, she isn't getting through. She only has one option at this point. Seizing the opportunity the others have created, Irys lets out a long breath. Her physical form starts to fade.

She vanishes, leaving a bright pinprick of light in her stead. That light shoots towards the monster and the girl contained inside of it. Hope pierces through time and space and enters the mind of chaos.

Irys's consciousness wavers. Her perception grows fuzzy. She is enveloped in darkness that suddenly becomes stark white. She hears a voice. Her own. The words are not kind. She grits her teeth, hearing the harshness in her own voice. She can't move. She can't run away.

Her surroundings start to fade into view. The landscape is still a void of pure white, but there is something in the distance right in her line of sight. A cluster of thorny red vines, bubbling and dripping. In the middle of that bramble, Irys just barely spots Bae, her back turned, knees clutched to her chest. Irys tries to reach out to her but finds herself restrained by the same vines. She tries to call out, but finds her voice muted.

She pulls at her restraints, ignoring the thorns biting into her skin. She knows her voice isn't reaching Bae, but she cries out anyways. She won't give up. If she does then hope is lost. Blood streams down her arms and legs, but she keeps pushing. Eventually, she tears away the vines holding her and flies to the bramble surrounding Bae.

These vines are even more dense and sharp. Unlike the ones that held Irys-which were slack and stretchy-these vines are rigid and dried. They are almost like dead branches, though much more solid. Irys calls out, hoping that her voice will reach at this short distance, but to no avail. She reaches through a gap in the thorny shell, disregarding the stabbing pain.

Finally, Bae stirs.

(Kronii)

The monster is stirring. Sweat drips from Mumei and Fauna's faces as they struggle to maintain their hold. Kronii, who is locked in time alongside the beast, feels herself being torn in every direction as the thing struggles. Time is already a flimsy concept on this higher plane, and against the overwhelming power of chaos it can barely hold up.

The monster lifts its arms in slight, jerky motions. The time lock shatters, throwing Kronii across the ground. Mumei and Fauna double their restraints, throwing all they have into holding the giant still, but they are struggling.

They aren't going to last much longer.

(Bae)

She is almost free. Her power continues to grow, compounding with each moment. Whether it be time or nature or civilization, nothing can restrain chaos. All things progress. All things fall to ruin. Everything dies. She roars as she is encased in a patchwork of wood and steel.

At the back of her mind, though, she hears a voice. It is faint. She ignores it, tearing away her bindings, but it persists. The familiarity draws her attention further. It demands her focus. She draws back, allowing her raw power to run wild.

She sits in a white void surrounded by doubt and fear. Those awful feelings ooze and drip from thorny vines, sizzling as they break away. That voice is here. It is somewhere nearby. Bae turns her head slightly, just enough to see a figure reaching through the cage of vines. There is a light behind the figure, though it is dim. The rest of her is mottled and dark. Bae knows her. She is one of the sources of these vines, of the oozing malice that coats them.

She turns away, hugging her knees tighter. She tries to ignore the voice, but it keeps getting closer.

Two figures appear in miniature before her and act out a scene. The first player, a little red mouse, follows its companion, a dark, yet brilliant crystal. The mouse is eager-maybe even a little nervous-to follow the crystal, but the gemstone flashes with a harsh light. The players are silent, but Bae knows their lines.

The crystal admonishes the mouse for seeking friendship. It is not what she is meant to do. All she can do is destroy. The mouse's ears droop, but perk up again moments later. She scurries around the crystal. Destruction can be enjoyed together, she implores. And besides, she doesn't always have to destroy, especially if her friends don't like it.

The crystal falls silent. The mouse sniffs at the translucent stone as it begins to glow with a dark, almost sinister light and recoils. Bae hides her eyes. She doesn't want to see. She doesn't want to hear. When she uncovers her eyes, she sees the mouse, alone, trembling. It grows, distorting into something identifiable as a rodent but uglier.

She hears that voice again. It sounds closer. She can just about make out what it is saying. It sounds like . . . an apology. It isn't asking for forgiveness, it is simply acknowledging her pain and expressing remorse. A soft glow fills the little cage of dried vines as the crystal descends on the malformed mouse once again. This time, it shimmers with a light that is devoid of darkness.

The voice comes through clearer. Bae turns again to see Irys trying to force her way through the bramble. She is tangled in it and bleeding from scratches all over her body. Bae's chest tightens. Doubt, fear, and apprehension rise to smother the light coming from her friend . . . former friend.

She rejects Irys's apologies. Her words are empty. Meaningless. They have to be. The bramble grows thicker, encasing Irys in even more malice-laced thorns. Hope is a mask to disguise despair. The deformed mouse hisses and bites at the crystal pulsing with calming light.

Too little too late. There is no going back.

(Kronii)

The monster expands, shattering the constructs holding it. The shockwave sends Fauna and Mumei tumbling beside Kronii. All three of them are at their limits. They need a second to recover, but Bae isn't giving them that time.

The monster roars again, raising its claw over its head, menacing the exhausted council members. Kronii tries to lock the massive limb in place, but to no avail. The monster swings and . . .

A massive foot slams down beside Kronii and the others and with a thunderous sound Sana plants a fist in the monster's jaw. She shifts, sliding her a leg around the others and follows up with another solid hit.

Mumei is the first to recover. She leaps through the air, using Sana as a platform. A large hammer appears in her hands and she swings it with all of her might. The blow knocks the beast off balance and it nearly falls back.

Fauna reacts next, plunging her arms into the misty ground. Behind the monster an enormous tree sprouts and flourishes. Its branches curl around the beasts arms and back, keeping it from toppling and restraining it tightly.

Kronii takes a sharp breath and follows the others. She launches herself at the monster's chest and swings her sword in a mighty arc. The creature's chest splits open, revealing Bae at its core. The wound starts to close immediately, but Sana plunges her hands in the hole and holds it open.

Along with Mumei and Fauna, Kronii enters the hole to confront Bae. She glares at them, eyes glowing bright red, teeth bared. But more than rage, her expression conveys fear and desperation.

It is clear to all of them what has to be done.

(Bae)

The light is gone. All that is left in that solid dome of thorns is Bae and the thing that only slightly resembles a mouse. It is alone, just like her. That's fine. It's how things are meant to be. She hates it, it's painful, but this is how the Administrator, the only person who will accept her, wants things to be. There are no other options.

Bae feels the hole open in her chest. She feels the council members enter the wound. She didn't want things to be this way, but she never had a choice.

Right?

She hears a voice, muffled at first, but growing louder and more clear with each syllable. She turns just in time to see a hand burst through the bramble. Bae is bathed in a soft light that makes her chest feel tight. She shrinks back, hiding her face. She is trembling, just like the mouse.

Those words . . . demands? No. Assurance? Acknowledgment? Irys's voice is clear as crystal as she drags herself through the thorns, heedless of the deep scratches and gashes she is receiving. Her expression isn't pleading and is devoid of uncertainty. She is determined and her words are lent strength by confidence. She tells Bae that before their duties, before their natures, before the Administrator, they are her friends. They will not back down.

Bae feels something collide with her body. Then another, and another, and another. They wrap tightly around her, holding her arms to her sides. Irys smiles at her and Bae feels like she has seen the sun for the first time in ages. She kneels down and wraps her arms around Bae.

The other members of the council hold Bae tight. She can feel their warmth. It feels so nice it hurts. They don't speak to her, but their feelings are clearly conveyed. Bae shudders as the monstrous manifestation of her power dissipates. Her lips quiver and her eyes burn. She takes one, quaking breath, and then bursts into tears.

She returns the embrace as best she can and sobs, letting out all of the resentment and self-doubt she has accrued. She doesn't want it. She never wanted it. It was something that was thrust upon her by her very nature. She's had enough.

Bae clings to the warmth from her friends. She lets the heat drive away the fear and loneliness.

Section 2 - Consolidation

(Ina)

Even as they are hurrying through the liminal passage, Ina can't help but be mesmerized. The Council's domain is already a bizarre and nonsensical place, but this is even stranger. A space with no dimensions, and yet it gives a clear impression of a corridor. The void around them swirls and bubbles with unearthly colors that are vaguely familiar.

She sees Sana's fingerprint in the way the corridor bends and flexes at points, the way it glitters with the wonders of the universe. And she sees how that fingerprint fades the closer they get to their goal, though the others don't seem to notice.

Ina speaks up, warning the rest of the group that they are nearing their destination, and soon enough, they see a shimmering white gateway floating in the void. As they are about to pass through, Ina hears Sana's voice telling her that the council will try and catch up as soon as they save Bae. They wish each other luck as Ina crosses the threshold.

When the white glow fades, Ina is astounded. This space is different than the formless realm of the council. It has a discernible floor, glistening with a faint light that almost seems alive as the abyss stares up at them through its crystalline surface. But that is an oddity, for the space around them is something on a scale that Ina can barely perceive.

Endless, twisting filaments crisscross through the darkness. They are so ubiquitous that the darkness hardly seems dark at all. The void is alive with clouds of cosmic dust. There is a primal energy here that even Ina, with her connection to the cosmos, cannot fully comprehend.

Ame shakes Ina out of her stupor. Something is wrong. The Administrator is nowhere to be seen. Can they even be sure they've arrived in the correct realm? As if in response to her doubt, a crisp ringing noise, like glass beads clicking against each other, reverberates around them. The ringing accelerates, coalescing in a disembodied voice. A chill runs down Ina's spine. The Administrator isn't absent, she is this place.

This revelation concerns the others as well. They've battled forces of a truly unearthly nature, but this is beyond their previous opponents. Only Gura seems unfazed. She calls out to the voice, demanding it appear in a form she can punch. Surprisingly, it does.

The shimmering white form of the Administrator rises up from the crystalline floor. She floats a short distance in the air, her long hair hanging all the way past her feet. Her piercing gaze makes Ina feel as if she is being observed by the universe itself. Ame also buckles under the pressure of that stare. It is only the presence of their friends that keeps them on their feet.

The Administrator addresses them, calling them an error that has corrupted the system. Her voice is clear, but as it echoes it returns to the ringing sound of glass. Ina realizes that she isn't really hearing her speak. Her voice simply is, and they are experiencing it with their very beings. No matter how she looks at it, this seems like an opponent that simply can't be beaten.

And yet, she steels her resolve. This isn't some petty conflict. This transcendent being is threatening her and her friends, and possibly the rest of the world they know as well. The whole universe, even. Not fighting isn't an option. Ina doesn't have to look to the others to see that they are similarly clenching their proverbial fists. She can feel it. And so can the Administrator, apparently.

A geometric weapon resembling a sword appears in her hand, and the fight begins. Before Ina or the others have any time to react the space they occupy is fractured. They do not move, instead they are moved, separated. Ina can see the others through kaleidoscopic fissures in the air, but she knows that she could not reach them if she tried. The Administrator approaches, and she realizes that their enemy appears the same in every instance of this space.

Each one of them will have to face the Administrator on their own.

Ina breathes in sharply. Her tome is open a moment later, and her body fills with incredible power. Tentacles sprout from a portal at her back, wings sprout from her waist and a halo glows over her head. There is no room for caution here. She doesn't know if defeating this instance of the Administrator will allow her to assist her friends, but she has to try.

With a flick of her wrist, a barrage of lasers assaults the Administrator. At the same time, clusters of enormous tentacles sprout up from the crystalline floor and crash down on her. It is an all-out assault. And it does nothing.

The Administrator chops the tentacles around her down in the blink of an eye and the lasers refract as they draw close, shooting off into the void. Ina begins to sweat. Thus far, she has focused on using her connection with Sana's cosmic power to muster brute force. And in most every instance, it has been enough. It isn't here, though.

The Administrator flies through the air towards her, prompting Ina to flee. She propels herself with her magical abilities, barely managing to keep her distance. She launches more attacks as she flees, but the Administrator swats them all away with ease.

Her mind races, trying to find a solution. She taps deeper into the power of her tome than ever before as she continues to flee, searching for something, anything that might give her a fighting chance.

(Ame)

Ame's belt flashes and encases her in sturdy armor. The buckle starts to run hot almost immediately. She considers that it may have something to do with the nature of this space, but she forces her mind into a more pressing engagement.

The Administrator lunges at her. She considers batting the blade away and launching a counter attack, but thinks better of it. She rolls out of the way and dashes past the seemingly divine being. She pivots, throwing her weight into a kick at the Administrator's back. But the Administrator's body bends unnaturally to avoid it. The blade comes right after, striking Ame on the thigh.

Ame experiences a brief moment of vertigo as she envisions her leg being severed, but is quickly brought out of it by an intense flash of heat at her waist. The sword swipe sends her tumbling through the air and she is able to land with all of her limbs intact. She grimaces for the moment of searing heat from her belt buckle, but is otherwise unharmed. Curious.

This armor, hewn from her time machine, was meant to help Ame counteract the warden of time, but it seems to have applications besides that. She is wary of the Administrator's power. The council already possesses god-like abilities, so how strong must the entity above them be? But thinking about it, if the Administrator's power was really so great, why couldn't she simply will Ame and the others out of existence?

It's a feeble line of reasoning, but without much else to go off, Ame is willing to pursue it. She charges in, meeting the Administrator's sword with an arm thrust. Ame's buckle flashes with heat like a hot iron, and her arm aches like it has been stricken with a baseball bat, but her armor is intact. She concludes that the Administrator is either holding back for some reason, or she is unable to bring the full force of whatever divine power she possesses to bear in these circumstances.

Either way, Ame concludes that she might be able to hold out. Maybe if she's lucky, she could even win.

(Calli)

Sparks fly as the blade of Calli's scythe scrapes along the length of the Administrator's sword. They exchange attacks in quick succession without rest. Calli finds the Administrator's movements shockingly easy to read, but she is still unable to fully take advantage of that fact.

She forces the Administrator away, giving her a split second to check on the others. They are at least hanging in there. It's about as much as she could have hoped for, considering who their opponent is. She tries to enter limbo space, but can't. Looks like she won't be able to rely on a speed advantage.

The Administrator reengages, forcing Calli to unleash a flurry of blows. She spins and leans, flinging her scythe every which way to get a hit in. But it's no use. The Administrator's arm moves as if it isn't attached to her body and her joints appear to be a cosmetic feature only. Calli begins to wonder if she is fighting the Administrator or the sword itself.

A straight on battle of blades is doomed to fail, so Calli looks for something to give her an edge. Without limbo space, she only really has one gimmick left. She peers into the Administrator's soul and glimpses infinity. It dazzles her completely, giving the Administrator an opening. Calli returns to her senses the moment after the sword slices her shoulder.

Blood seeps out between her fingers as she clutches the wound. It is deep, but not debilitating. Certainly not ideal either way. Exhaustion is setting in for Calli, while the Administrator isn't breaking a sweat.

Nothing is working. This fight seems impossible to win.

But Calli has seen enough to know that she and her friends have a knack for making the impossible possible. She throws herself back into the fray with a mind to exert herself as little as possible.

(Kiara)

The Administrator progresses at a steady pace. Without breaking stride they push Kiara back, swinging their sword relentlessly. Kiara's arm hurts behind her shield, and she can feel her shoulder start to ache. There aren't any openings that she can see. Still, she tries to talk.

Kiara asserts that there is no good reason to reset things. The world hasn't ended, it's only following a different trajectory. To her surprise, the Administrator actually responds. They say that a different trajectory is itself wrong. The correct path was set from the beginning and any deviation means failure. They add that they cannot see the future, but it can be discerned with the scope of their perception. Kiara realizes that they are responding to someone else as well.

The fight seems mostly hopeless, but now that they have the Administrator talking, things might work out. Kiara pulls back her shield and swings her sword. The two blades collide, and Kiara pushes all her weight into the clash. The Administrator does the same. Kiara smiles. She might not be able to win, but if she can drag things out long enough to make the Administrator see reason, then that's good enough for her.

She expands her argument. The council has also decided to oppose the Administrator's way. Surely those fundamental forces carry weight even to a being above them. The Administrator's expression does not change, but they almost seem annoyed. They insist that the great failure has simply corrupted the council. If anything, that is all the more reason reality itself must return to zero.

Fighting is pointless. Mere mortals cannot possibly defeat the Administrator. All Kiara and the others are doing is wasting time. Kiara's eyes widen and a spark ignites inside of her. The Administrator, of their own volition, has tried to convince the party to surrender.

If things really were hopeless, if they really had no chance of winning, there wouldn't be any need to get them to give up. The flame inside Kiara swells and burning wings burst from her back. Her sword and shield glow, casting the mostly white form of the Administrator in a soft blue-green light.

Kiara flaps her wings and pushes the Administrator back. They can do this.

(Gura)

Gura makes a whistling sound as she forces spent breath from her lungs. Her heart is beating a steady rhythm. Her gaze is fixated on the opponent in front of her. She can almost hear her father's voice instructing her. She keeps her center of gravity low and makes certain her trident's center of gravity is on the same level.

She launches herself towards the Administrator, knocking the higher being's sword aside and planting her heel in their chest. Their torso bends, but they remain in place. In an instant, they counter with a swipe of their sword. Gura stabs her trident into the crystalline floor and twists around it, narrowly avoiding the attack. Following through with her momentum, Gura swings her trident like a blunt instrument and blows the Administrator into the air.

She thinks back, considering all of the conflicts she's taken part in throughout her life. In each one there was a shadow looming over her. She was working in a fog of self doubt that left her mind numb. Now, though, her mind is clear. She can apply what little she remembers of the techniques her family taught her.

Gura spins the trident in her hands, feeling its weight and momentum. Rusty doesn't even begin to describe her, but the basics should carry her through. She looks up at the Administrator hovering inverted in the air. Part of her wonders if she has any right to use what her people taught her. Another part of her decides that if it means letting her friends down, she doesn't care. She shifts her body into a basic offensive stance. Her lead foot faces her opponent and carries much of her weight. Her back foot rests lightly at shoulder length, perpendicular to the lead. One hand holds the trident firmly over her shoulder. With the other, she lightly supports the head of the weapon with her fingers.

The Administrator dives, their eyes flashing. A blinding spectrum of light illuminates the sword's edge, obscuring Gura's vision. Something strikes her leg, slashing at her ankle. She tries to counter, but doesn't hit anything. Her vision recovers quickly, allowing her to see that the Administrator was still diving towards her. She recalls her father alluding to a form that would allow her to reset her stance in the event of a premature strike, but she does not know it. Instead she dives out of the way.

But she isn't quick enough. The Administrator's sword catches her, digging a deep gash in her arm. Gura retaliates, stabbing rapidly with the prongs of her weapon. She manages to land a few solid blows, even with only one arm, but they don't have much of an effect. The Administrator knocks Gura away as if they weren't just pierced by a trident.

Gura lands hard. She rolls to a stop, propping herself with the butt of her trident. She can still fight, but things aren't looking good. As the Administrator slowly approaches, she checks on the others. She can't help but smile when she sees them putting up a good fight. However, the situation is the same with them as it is with her. No matter how hard they fight, they don't seem to be able to deal any lasting damage. It's only a matter of time before they run out of steam.

All five of them are trying to buy time for the others to make a breakthrough. Ideal or not, Gura isn't about to let the others' efforts go to waste. She stands, taking a deep breath to steady herself. The wound on her arm is troubling, but she can manage with one hand. She sets her stance to meet the approaching Administrator.

But the Administrator has stopped. More than that, they seem distracted, shocked even. Before Gura can process what she is seeing, she notices something that sends a chill down her spine. Standing behind the Administrator is none other than the avatar of chaos. Rage swells in the pit of Gura's stomach, but before it can boil over, Bae slams into the Administrator, blasting them away.

Gura locks eyes with Bae. There is a moment of tension, but Gura realizes the council member's intentions. The dark spirit that had hounded her for millennia is going to help her for once.

The Administrator rises into the air looking actually upset. They raise their sword, it flashes with a blinding light, and they swing. Luminous blades of light soar at Gura and Bae forcing them to move. Coincidentally, they move in the same direction. Gura ends up shoulder to shoulder with Bae. The share a glance before splitting apart again.

Ducking blades of light all the way, Gura circles around and rushes towards the Administrator. When she gets close, she doesn't leap up to meet the deific figure. Instead, she dashes below them and hurls her trident straight up at them. They dodge effortlessly and turn their full attention down on Gura. This gives Bae the chance to catch the trident in the air above the Administrator and bring it down on them.

The Administrator lands, struggling against Bae's attack. Gura doesn't want to give them any room to breathe, so she charges in. She and Bae overwhelm the Administrator with a flurry of heavy attacks. The Administrator is launched through the air with a genuinely flustered expression.

Gura isn't exactly happy about working with her longtime tormentor, but she can't deny the results. With Bae's help, they might actually be able to break through.

She looks around and grins. She isn't the only one getting a helping hand.

(Kiara)

The Administrator's sword slams down on Kiara's shield. She tries to get a swing in herself, but the pressure is way too intense. Her knees start to buckle. She takes a step back to steady herself, but struggles to find her footing. She looks to the Administrator, and the look in their eyes sends a shiver down her spine.

Wide, prismatic eyes. Too large, too deep. They contain a maelstrom of emotions unthinkable for the Administrator's flawless form. It is intimidating. Frightening even. Kiara struggles against the deific strength of the Administrator, but she isn't sure she will last much longer. Just as she is about to falter, the Administrator's eyes flicked to the side. They pull back right as Mumei crashes into them, hammer in hand.

The Administrator hesitates for the briefest of moments, then swings their sword. Mumei matches their movements but faster, swinging her handheld hammer through the open air. A thick steel beam shoots out of the glassy floor and strikes the Administrator in the chest. They respond immediately this time, cutting the metal as if it were nothing. Mumei wastes no time following up her first attack, however. She raises her hammer and swings it down, calling on a rain of bricks to bury the Administrator.

With the brief respite granted by the falling bricks, Kiara calls out to Mumei. She thanks her for her help and asks about the others. Mumei assures her that the council is here to help. The Administrator explodes out of the mountain of bricks. Their expression is blank, but Kiara can feel the frustration in their wide-open eyes.

Mumei takes up a position behind Kiara and says she will follow her lead. Kiara is nervous, but the addition of an ally gives her a boost of confidence. The Administrator charges, and instead of pulling back and focusing on defense, Kiara rushes forward to meet her divine opponent. As they reach striking distance, a stone wall shoots up between them. The Administrator cuts it down with ease, giving a Kiara a chance to strike. Her blade strikes true, but the Administrator is seemingly unfazed. Their arm swings independent of their body. Kiara is barely able to raise her shield in time.

As the Administrator's sword collides with Kiara's shield, Mumei slips between them, swiftly wrapping a metal cord around the Administrator's arm and pinning it firmly to the ground. Kiara flaps her wings, engulfing the Administrator in a torrent of fire. Mumei then pulls her back as two hulking vehicles crash into each other with the Administrator between them.

The vehicles are eviscerated, revealing the Administrator to be somewhat more frazzled, but still mostly flawless. Kiara and Mumei prepare to charge in again.

(Calli)

Massive roots tear through the crystal floor, breaching and diving like a pod of dolphins. The Administrator cuts through them with ease, but their numbers are increasing. Fauna is close to overwhelming them. Calli hides among the log-sized roots and gets close. The Administrator spins, becoming a blur, and decapitates dozens of woody tendrils.

This is the chance. Calli dashes in from behind them and swings her scythe. Her blade collides with the Administrator's. Calli clicks her tongue, but when the Administrator turns to look at her, Calli sees something that makes her smile.

Frustration. The Administrator's lips are ever so slightly parted, their eyes are wide, and there are lines on the perfectly smooth surface of their face.

The time for biding time is at an end, so Calli goes all out alongside Fauna.

(Ame)

Ame staggers. The heat being produced by her belt is excruciating. If Kronii hadn't appeared to draw the Administrator's attention, she might have been done for. The warden of time crosses swords with the Administrator. Her movements are precise and sharp. So much so that Ame realizes that the Administrator's movements are becoming more deliberate and messy. Their movements have been restricted to those of a person with a human body.

Ame grits her teeth. She can't let this opportunity go to waste, not when everyone is fighting so hard. Ignoring the burning pain at her waist, Ame charges in, slipping between the swords to deliver a blow to the Administrator's joints, causing them to falter. In the brief gap in attacks, Kronii slashes the Administrator across the chest, nearly separating their torso from the legs. The Administrator leaps back, openly snarling now, and begins to recover.

Ame moves to chase, but Kronii stops her. She holds her hand over Ame's overheating belt and forces a power Ame can't see past it. The burning at her waist subsides immediately. She should be able to fight at full capacity again.

Kronii warns her that she only froze the pain in time. Once the fight is over, she'll have to reckon with it. Ame is a little concerned, but now is not the time to worry about it. The Administrator's body stitches itself back together and they charge carrying a new, more ominous aura.

(Ina)

Sana's voice rings in Ina's mind. Just a little longer.

The Administrator charges in again, swinging their sword even more ferociously than the last attack. Ina does her best to stop the advance, but no matter how many tentacles she summons or beams she fires, the Administrator blasts through all of it. Ina draws more and more power until she starts hearing inhuman whispers. The more power she draws, the louder those voices become.

The Administrator appears right in front of her, their face a frenzied mask. Ina shouts a word that not even she understands and a barrier pops into existence around her. The Administrator attacks it and it holds. At first. Each strike generates cracks in the opalescent shield. Those cracks start to spread further and further.

The strain of holding against the assault makes Ina's head hurt. Each strike dims her consciousness. She grits her teeth and holds up her tome. It shines with a dark light, the pages flipping as if being blown by a steady gust of wind. Power floods Ina's body and mind. It washes away the strain and clears her consciousness enough to notice her slipping. The radiance that usually accompanies her powers disappears, being replaced by darkness that somehow feels more true to the power of the book. At the same time, though, she feels herself falling into that power more than usual.

Fear creeps its way forward from the back of her mind. She hears Ame's voice telling a story of her future. The image of the dark priestess that facilitated the end of the world dominates Ina's thoughts for a moment. But only a moment.

The cult has already been defeated. The council is on their side. It is frightening, but this power might give Ina the strength to help her friends. If that means losing herself . . . so be it.

She cries out, letting the tome's power flow freely through her. The Administrator's eyes widen even further as they are pushed back by the sudden burst of power. The darkness encroaches on Ina's consciousness much more quickly than she expects. She barely has time to think of her friends before her vision is shrouded in darkness.

All at once, her mind is divorced from her form and she is left floating in a void. She knows that the power of her tome is derived from Sana's aspect of the universe, but she hadn't truly grasped the scope of it. It's so vast. So lonely. Is this what the future version of herself experienced? Is this what Sana experiences all the time? She curls up, trying desperately to make peace with the sadness and isolation, but the darkness permeates the very depths of her soul.

And then a light appears. Blinding in the void, it draws close to Ina, banishing the loneliness and despair. It speaks to her and Ina recognizes Irys's voice. Words of reassurance guide her out of the darkness.

Ina comes to amidst a wave of eldritch energy. Exhaustion hits her immediately and her head thrums with pain. She falls to the ground, stunned. Irys kneels down beside her and helps her catch her breath. The Administrator is similarly grounded. One of their arms is missing. The space next to them distorts and suddenly the arm is back. No time to recover.

Or so Ina thinks.

The stellar filaments acting as the backdrop of this place begin to swirl. They glow white hot and then coalesce in a brilliant flash. Sana, looms over the battle field-all five of them-and all five Administrators look up at her in disbelief. Glowing with accomplishment, Sana smiles down on everyone. Then, furrowing her brow, she spreads her arms and tries to bring her hands together.

The darkness surrounding Sana starts to sparkle as little motes of light speed by. The spectacle becomes clear as large clusters of galaxies fly by. As Sana's hands come close to each other a familiar celestial body comes into view.

The entire space flexes. The glassy ground cracks and shatters as the five distinct instances are smashed back together. Ina looks around her and finds the rest of the group and council around her and Irys. Sana touches down beside them and smiles. Ina smiles back before everyone turns their eyes on the Administrator.

The now lone Administrator stands against a backdrop of the planet earth, all traces of damage having vanished. Even their expression is in its original serene state. Their eyes scan the group opposing them. And then they sigh.

(Bae)

The Administrator asks if the party really thinks that they can stand against them. The council is certainly powerful, but it was the Administrator who assigned them those powers. They inherently stand above all. They alone have the authority to decide the fate of existence.

Bae steps forward, her emotions all in knots. She's been pulled in so many directions lately, but she is sure of one thing, at least. She tells the Administrator that she does believe that an error has occurred in the execution of the universe, and that that error is the Administrator.

The higher being actually laughs. They wonder how exactly the one responsible for administering the universe can possibly be at fault. What would a terminal, a mere aspect of greater existence, know of the universe's purpose and direction? Especially one as broken as Bae.

That hits deeper than Bae would like. Her thoughts freeze and words die in her throat. She's broken? It's true that Administrator essentially created her, so if they say so, it must be true. It fits all too well with Bae's recent experiences. She starts down a spiral of doubt. Did the Administrator ever really trust her? Do the other council members really care about her? Is she truly alone after all?

A hand on her shoulder smothers those doubts. They aren't gone completely, but seeing Irys step up to support her makes them seem small for now. The rest of the council gather around Bae, staring the Administrator down.

Kiara steps up beside them and asserts that they are living beings. They are not dolls to be played with. Calli steps up next and says that they are all more than just concepts. They act in whatever way suits them regardless of their nature. Ame is next, saying that possibility isn't something that can broken down into a heartless system. Then Ina, declaring that they will not be caged. Finally, Gura steps up and declares that their past mistakes do not define them. Errors or not, they will do what they can to move forward.

Bae can't take her eyes off of the shark, though Gura pointedly avoids even glancing in her direction. Those words hurt, but they are also freeing. Can Bae do that too? Move forward? Truly?

She looks at each of the council members in turn, affirming the strongest emotion in her heart in that moment. They are all determined to escape the Administrator's control.

The Administrator's expression resets. They state that the group's platitudes are very nice, but irrelevant. The errors must be purged. They start to walk towards the group. Gura and the others seem to be their target at first, but then they vanish, moving too fast to track.

And they reappear in front of Irys, sword already swinging. The glint of the blade reaches Bae's eyes just in time to see the weapon reach the peak of its arc. She needs to move. She needs to react. She needs to help her friend. But she can't move. Not fast enough.

The Administrator's sword spins in their hand. They are going to swing again before Irys can even fall. Bae feels a wave of heat and hears the flapping of wings as the Administrator's sword is stopped dead by Kiara, her eyes burning. She deflects the sword and swings her own blade. The edge ignites and trails green flame.

But she doesn't make contact. The Administrator retreats, the slightest bit of smugness showing through their pristine mask. Kiara wastes no time in pursuing. Her wings glow with light and heat and a single flap propels her across the glassy ground. A pink streak of light follows close behind her. The Administrator raises their guard against Kiara, but is unprepared when Calli appears beside her. A flurry of strikes is exchanged and the Administrator is blasted away.

Fauna rushes to Irys's side as blood starts to spill out of the gash in her chest. She doesn't look confident. Bae kneels down beside them, a ringing in her ears. Fauna curses, closing her eyes and bringing as much of her power to bear as she can. The glassy ground around them transforms into a plot of soil that is alive with greenery and insects. Irys's body begins to glow, but Fauna still looks dejected.

She can't do it. She can't heal Irys's wound. The others gather around. Kronii, while keeping an eye on the fight, suggests that the members of the council are not alive in the traditional sense. Their bodies are little more than manifested concepts, so Fauna's power wouldn't have an effect.

The weight of those words hits Bae in waves. This can't happen. Not when they've just begun to reconcile. She looks to the other members of the council, but none of them have any abilities that would allow them to heal a concept unrelated to them. Bae herself is the same. She looks to the mortals and very nearly pleads with them desperately, but her eyes meet Gura's and the words die on her lips.

She can't ask anything of these people. Gura least of all. Unlike the other council members, she didn't listen to reason. She didn't recognize the machinations of the Administrator. And even if she had, there is just too much bad blood to overcome in a single cooperative interaction.

The fight comes back around. The Administrator slides across the glassy floor nearby, singed and covered in wounds. Those blemishes quickly vanish and they speak. They say that hope is as good as dead. And with hope gone, despair will flourish. Kiara and the others might as well accept their fate.

Bae feels those words so keenly that it pains her. If she had only listened when she had the chance, they might have been able to avoid all of this. But she didn't. And the result is the loss of one of the friends that Bae cares so deeply for. She wraps a hand around Irys's and, fighting back tears, apologizes for everything. The fear that her words fall on deaf ears crushes her.

Kiara's voice cuts through the rising despair. She declares that she will not allow the Administrator harm her friends anymore. She bursts alight as a kaleidoscopic flame envelops her. She emerges radiant and empowered by something that leaves Bae, the other council members, and even the Administrator awed.

Hope.

Then, a sensation. It is light, so much so that Bae easily could have imagined it, but she clings to the ever so soft feeling of Irys's fingers tightening around her hand. Hope is not dead.

Her friend is not dead.

(α)

This doesn't add up. It isn't as if a fundamental part of the universe would disappear if a council member dies, but Irys has a significant effect on her surroundings. So much so that, depending on which of her halves is dominant, she can change the morale of the world simply by manifesting. Even if she isn't dead, her fading life should have broken her allies' spirits. And yet . . .

The phoenix stands before her engulfed in a flame that even α sweat. The power radiating out of that strangely immortal soul simply shouldn't be. Irys cannot feed her power into others even if she was in a position to. She can only influence the direction of morale. So what is this?

No, it doesn't matter. An error is an error. Their foundational power might be stifled by the power of the cosmos, but α is still the Administrator of the universe. They stand at the peak of all things sentient.

They swing their sword, three quick swipes, and the space in front of them warps. Flying blades of compressed existence shoot towards the phoenix, but she knocks them away easily. α sees a flash of pink out of the corner of their eye and raises their guard. The reaper collides with them a moment later. Death is a concept far removed from the Administrator, so this is merely a distraction. Or so they think.

A spike of panic runs through α's chest accompanied by a vision of doom. They see an end to their consciousness. Reflexively, they disengage and retreat, their focus having shifted to the reaper. She is glowing now too. A soft pink surrounded by an aura of darkness.

This is wrong. There can be no threat to the one above all, so why does α feel this anxiety? They have no heart to beat, nor lungs to breath, so how can they panic? A soul that never diminishes and an agent of death they may be, but they are still mortals. For them to possess strength enough to pressure the Administrator is . . .

An error a deviation a blemish a mistake a failure . . .

α looks down at their trembling hand and fractures. The Administrator cannot be truly destroyed, even by their own self, but parts of them can be cordoned off. This part of them that is frightened-the part of them that foresees doom-must be isolated. They cannot allow the error to spread any further.

The Administrator looks back to the two aberrations and feels nothing. They are nothing. They charge, closing the gap unexpectedly quickly, but α is ready. Zero these mortals may be, but they still seek to stand against the will of the universe. They are enemies of all things, and should be treated as genuine threats.

The phoenix and the reaper come at the Administrator from two sides, so the Administrator faces them. Their body shimmers, sprouting two new torsos to respond to the attacks. When they rebuff the attackers, the dummy torsos fade. This is the solution. If the Administrator cannot exert their will on the space around them, then they must simply exert their will on their own form.

Again and again the errors attack, but they gain no ground. They cannot penetrate α's divine defenses. And when the Administrator attacks, they easily overwhelm the impudent mortals.

The other errors, those clustered around what remains of hope, spring into action in response to their allies' predicament. The time traveler and the fish join the phoenix and the reaper, doubling their close-range assault. They sneak through α's guard before they can adjust, but no matter. Damage is ultimately meaningless to the Administrator.

They push the errors back, applying pressure to all four of them at once. Just as they are about to strike a decisive blow, a cluster of jagged stones crash up through the glassy floor. Nature has joined the battle, and apparently so has civilization as α discovers explosives embedded in the rock.

Vision and hearing are enveloped in a white hot roar. The blast and resulting shrapnel tear through the Administrator. One of their limbs is torn off and engulfed in fire. Again, not matter. A paltry amount of focus is needed to replace what has been lost. There is beat, then the Administrator's limb reappears as if nothing happened.

But that beat . . . α is momentarily lost in contemplation. It should not have taken any amount of time to restore their lost limb, and yet there was a delay. Why?

No time to think as time interrupts, swinging their sword in quick, circular arcs. The swordplay is smooth, but non-threatening. The Administrator has no trouble whatsoever blocking each and every strike. But then they notice that the time between strikes is shrinking. Each clash of blades results in a smaller gap before the next. Soon, the strikes are near constant. Before the Administrator realizes what is happening, the phoenix and her group appear out of nowhere.

They attack in tandem with time obliterating α's defenses. Their form is beaten and cut and stabbed. The attack is so destructive that the Administrator is forced to duplicate their form and jettison it out of the melee. Their new main body backs away as the errors turn to face them.

Dozens of tentacles sprout from the ground, forcing the Administrator to take to the air. but just as they escape the reach of the tentacles, a massive hand slaps them back down. The impact cracks the glassy surface of the floor and leaves the Administrator's new body battered. They need a new one, fast.

A new form shimmers into being, but something is wrong. The figure is deformed. Useless. They try again to similar results. Why? What is causing this? They search, frenzied until they spot chaos glaring intently at them. Of course. There is another foundational error, it seems.

α abandons their attempts to regenerate and dashes at the avatar of chaos. They position their blade to run her through, but she doesn't shrink back. She plants her feet and raises her hands in defiance. Seeing their hapless tool take a stand like this obliterates the Administrator's tranquil facade. They roar as they reach try with all their might to destroy her.

She starts to glow, not with the sparking, blood-red light of chaos, but with something softer. Something warmer. A chill runs down the Administrator's back as chaos's eyes flash. She moves just out of the way of α's sword and throws a punch that explodes in their face.

The Administrator of all things hits the ground and bounces. Their limbs snap and they are left limp on the ground. They are panicking now. Their eyes shoot between the approaching errors until they land on the body of hope. It is glowing too.

Chaos speaks, drawing α's attention. She says that the order the Administrator represents is shockingly susceptible to her power. She surges forward, her form melting and reforming in a terrifying mass of flesh that is constantly shifting. It reaches α in a moment, then turns back into chaos's usual form. She says that the Administrator might stand above all other sentient things, but that doesn't seem to mean much after all.

She stomps her foot and the glass floor shatters. Whatever was left of the Administrator's realm disappears along with it. α tries to flee, creating a new body-imperfections and all-and running as quickly as they can. It is meaningless. The cosmos shrinks the space between them. They try to pass through existence, but cannot open a hole through which to pass. This place is completely outside of the Administrator's control.

Just as α realizes this, the members of the council descend on them. They are pummeled with steel and jagged rocks. Slashed by time's blade and crushed by the immensity of the cosmos. Pain is not something the Administrator of all can feel, but they can sense the degradation of their manifestation. They lay amidst an ambiguous fog, the planet earth looming over them. They are almost completely broken. Then chaos steps over them. She plunges a fist into the Administrator's chest and her power seeps into their very being. Their control goes up in flames.

Their connection to the universe, to existence, is severed and their consciousness begins to gradually dissipate. The errors surround them, looking down as they slowly disappear. There is not a single ounce of pity in their eyes.

The Administrator bares their teeth and tells the errors that they cannot die. They may be scattered, for a time, but they will always be manifested again. So long as the universe exists, they will be back.

The phoenix steps forward and kneels down beside α, propping them up as the lower portion of their torso fades away. She says that it is fine if the Administrator returns. In the mean time, though, the universe will continue to change. All sorts of things are bound to happen, and they will all continue to live, changing as the world does. She then challenges α to watch. If they are still set on resetting everything after seeing how the world can get by without them, then she and her friends will stand up against them again.

The Administrator's consciousness starts to dissolve. Before it goes completely, they see hope leaning on chaos's shoulder. Her wound is healing, bolstered by the hope contained within those around her. α smiles and leaves the errors with one final taunt. Hope cannot exist without despair. One day, they may find the power that allowed them to accomplish so much working against them. They had better pray that the Administrator doesn't return then.

And then their form vanishes. Their awareness expands, diffusing into existence. They observe the group that defeated them one last time, incapable of bitterness or spite.

And then their mind vanishes too.

Section 3 - Epilogue

(Calli)

Despite her brave words, Calli was a little worried that deleting the Administrator of the universe would have some kind of awful ramifications. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to have changed a thing. At least not visibly.

The earth is still spinning. The sun is still rising in the morning with the moon chasing after it at night. The air is still breathable, music is still wonderful, and food is still delicious. Life goes on, and Calli and her friends have been enjoying a period of quiet. Unfortunately, it can't last forever.

If left to its own devices the universe would eventually unravel. It is the council's job to keep reality running smoothly. They can't afford to take anything more than a short vacation. Calli, too, has a job to do.

The first to return to her duties is Sana. She pulls everyone together into one big group and hugs them all at once. She promises to visit when she gets the chance. Giving Ina one last hug, she exits the mortal plane, expanding into the cosmos. The mood isn't as sad as Calli thought it would be. There are teary eyes, yes, but the departure is embraced with the expectation of reunion sometime in the future.

It isn't a true goodbye, Ina tells her. Ina never realized it when she was young, but now she has perspective. Friendship is a bond that can traverse space and time is a way that defies reason. Sana could be on the other side of the universe, but she'll still be Ina's friend. She finds comfort in that.

Calli looks to Kiara, contemplative. Calli has overseen uncountable numbers of final farewells. Kiara, too, has seen multitudes of friends pass on over her long, long life. Despite their similarities, they are, ultimately, different. Aren't they? Calli doesn't get attached. She doesn't know the people who she ferries across the Styx. In fact, up until recently, Kiara was her only real friend.

The next day, Kronii departs. Shaking hands with Ame, she comments on the nature of time. It is rigid and fragile, but perhaps it can be massaged into a more flexible form given enough care. She looks forward to what the future has to offer, whatever that may be. She squeezes Ame's hand, though, and leaves a warning about further temporal meddling.

To her credit, Ame smiles-if a little nervously-and promises not to do any more time travelling. An understanding reached, Kronii follows Sana's example and ascends to a higher realm to continue her duty as the warden of time.

Once everyone disperses, Calli asks Ame what exactly she plans to do now. The former time traveler scratches her chin and tilts her head, falling deep into thought. Eventually, she admits that she has no idea. She has a fair amount of engineering skill, but she isn't really a fan of the grease monkey lifestyle.

Calli is a little concerned, but Ame puts those concerns to rest. She might not know exactly what she can do, but she isn't alone in this new world. She has real friends, something she lacked in her original time. If she can build a machine to travel back in time on her own, who can say what she will be capable of with friends by her side.

Calli smiles, but she is conflicted. She is happy to hear that Ame is optimistic about her future. At the same time, though, reflecting on her own path is somewhat troubling. She has always been death's apprentice, an extension of the very idea of mortality. In other words, there has never been any doubt about what she will do.

Ame can't return to what she knows. She has no choice but to forge a new path forward. Similarly to the council, death will continue to exist whether or not Calli does her duty, but her involvement keeps things running smoothly. She is proud of that, and is thankful for her role. That same old path extends ahead of her, but for the first time she is made aware of alternative paths. And unlike Ame, she finds herself unsure about the future.

Days pass before the next departure. The apartment that they have been using as a base has been crowded but oddly comfortable. It is warm in a way that Calli is unfamiliar with. That comfort diminishes somewhat as Irys and Bae prepare to leave.

Having the manifestation of chaos living with them has created an ever expanding bubble of tension. She and Gura avoid each other, and with good reason. Bae has expressed a desire to reconcile, but in all her time Calli has never seen blood as bad as what Bae and Gura have. Bitter, resentful kings left unceremoniously dead are less intense about their disdain than Gura.

Yet still, as hope and chaos prepare to leave, Gura attends. It is quiet. So quiet that Irys and the others bid each other farewell in hushed tones. All the while, Bae does her best not to avert her eyes and approaches Gura. Then, eyes glued to her shoes, Bae squeaks out an apology. It is as convincing a demonstration of regret as Calli has ever seen. Bae finishes by expressing her hope that she and Gura might one day call each other friend in earnest.

Gura rejects this notion outright. Part of her wants to forgive, but there is so much pain in their shared history that she doesn't think she ever can. Curtly, Gura thanks Bae for helping them fight the Administrator, then declares that she never wants to see Bae again.

Bae is mortified. She clutches at herself as Gura leaves, barely holding up the weight of her guilt. Irys comforts her, but it doesn't help much. After collecting herself, Bae says goodbye to everyone else and announces that she will do better.

As they turn to go, Calli sees a glint in Bae's eye. It is something she has seen before, though rarely. It is the same light present in the spirits of those who have reached the boundary between life and death without dying. She always interpreted it as the will to live, but in this context it feels more like a refusal to let things end as they are. It is less the will to live and more the desire, the determination, to change.

Calli goes to check on Gura. The shark wonders if Calli is going to admonish her for holding to her grudge, but Calli does not. In fact, she congratulates her. Considering what Gura went through, Calli is overjoyed to see her friend stand up to the executor of her pain. Gura grumbles, clearly relieved but trying not to show it. Calli watches her carefully.

She sees the same glint in Gura's eyes. That same drive to move forward. There is no telling how long her trauma will weigh her down-she might never overcome it at all-but Calli can be sure that Gura will keep going regardless.

Still more time passes before Fauna announces her return to her duties. Mother nature, life itself, has developed pleasant relations with everybody, and her goodbyes are accompanied by many hugs and cheerful tears. Calli endures a particularly tight squeeze before Fauna moves on to Kiara. There's still an awkward air between them, but their reconciliation seems to have gone well.

Holding Kiara's hands tight, Fauna admits that her perspective has shifted significantly. Nature itself, much like the life that resides within its bounds, can evolve. It must do so. Even if that means accepting facets that otherwise might not seem appropriate at first glance.

One last time, she apologizes. And then she thanks Kiara for being alive. Tears flood from Kiara's eyes as Fauna walks through the door, entering a thicket that suddenly appears on the other side, and disappears.

Calli takes in the feelings Kiara's face is projecting. Gratitude and appreciation stand out amongst others, and once again Calli finds herself looking at her friends. She reflects on her own appreciation and gratitude and how she might not express them as often as she should.

The time of her own departure is quickly approaching. Will the others understand how much they mean to her once she leaves? Will they feel her appreciation? Will they . . . miss her? She'll miss them. That much, at least, is certain.

Time marches on, but the last remaining council member does not return to her duties. Calli had hoped to depart only after all of the council had gone, but if Mumei takes her time, she will have to take the initiative.

Half way through packing her bag, Calli realizes that she doesn't have enough room. She's accumulated a fair number of personal effects in her relatively short time in this city. Should she leave some behind? Would leaving particular things prompt a negative response from the others? In truth, she doesn't want to leave anything, but what else can she do?

She looks around her room. What was once a bare, temporary abode has been colored by her presence. It's strange. The tightness in her chest, the apprehension is new. This is what it means to forge bonds, she already knows that, but reasoning isn't the same as experiencing. Maybe she just needs to go. She can't hesitate if she doesn't give herself the chance to.

Sending a message to the group, she leaves the bag and everything in it. She leaves the walls and shelves decorated as they are. Death doesn't need luggage or anything of the sort. Attachments are a burden that only get way.

Calli passes a mirror hanging in the hall outside her room and catches her reflection. She doesn't see death with its archetypical robe and skeletal features. She sees a woman who has resigned herself and is marching straight into loneliness. She isn't a pile of dusty, old bones. She's a person, and though she may not be alive in the traditional sense, she still lives. She still has needs. Attachment is one of those needs, she realizes.

Unfortunately, she can't ignore her duties. Death will occur whether she reaps souls herself or not, but that is no excuse. She steps into the common room where her friends are waiting. There isn't a dry pair of eyes in the room, Calli's included. She take it slow, giving her friends as much time as they need. Then, when all of the goodbyes have been said, she steps out the door and into the world.

She doesn't possess the ability to shift to a higher plane of existence-Limbo space isn't practical for the task-so she walks. She takes in the sights and sounds around her. The people and their lives resonate with her on a deeper level than ever before. She barely gets a few blocks before someone calls out to her.

Kiara rushes up behind her, eyes still red. Calli notices a hastily packed bag on her back and another in her arms. She insists that Kiara is better off staying with the others. Her life is better served among the living. But Kiara refuses, leaving no room for argument. Calli, familiar with her oldest friend's way of life, relents easily.

In truth, she is grateful for the companionship. She takes the bag proffered by Kiara and slings it over her shoulder. There is a long journey ahead of them; ferrying souls and putting down misguided cults and such. There is no telling when they'll return here. Maybe the turnaround will be quick. Maybe their friends will be long gone by the time pass through the next time.

The reality is harsh, but it is what it is.

Calli spots Mumei walking towards them. The personification of civilization greets them and explains that there are an unusual number of oddities in this city that she still has to monitor. She wonders what Calli and Kiara are up to. Calli explains that they are leaving to resume their journey. Mumei wishes them luck and continues on.

They haven't taken two steps before Mumei rushes back to them. She has a gift for Calli that she almost forgot to deliver. Calli takes the gift and holds it before her. It is a key of ornate design, the sort of which she hasn't seen in a long time.

Mumei confesses that she has been thinking about how civilization interacts with nature. She has decided that the two are, ultimately, intertwined. Civilization needs nature. And that means it needs death. Kiara was right. She apologizes for not seeing it sooner.

The key is a special tool that allows one to mimic Mumei's own nature. With it, any door can open to any doorway, essentially linking the holder to all of civilization the way Mumei is. In the hands of death, it is sure to be very helpful indeed. Her piece said, Mumei once again wishes them a safe journey before disappearing into the crowded city streets.

Calli clutches the key, feeling it in her hands. It is real. She looks at it intently, studying every facet and spot of tarnish. It is real. She tests its weight, and sure enough it has some heft to it. It is real.

She starts to walk, almost leaving Kiara behind. She is moved. This gift isn't just a sign of reconciliation. it is a fantastical convenience. With this key, she doesn't need to consider the worst case. She can visit whenever she wants from wherever she is.

Steadying her voice, she encourages Kiara to pick up the pace. She wants to get to the next town so she can surprise the others with a quick return.

She can't wait to see their faces.

+The End+