A godlike figure looms above the vast cosmic of nothingness, its gaze encompassing all of existence, from the beginning to the end. It touches countless threads of destiny, leading to orbs of pure light that represent individual lives. These threads are connected by lines of fate, a lines that were shaped by choices that can either be irreversible, or already predetermined by the universe, like the inevitability of death.
High above, a colossal moon shines and encircled by two slowly spinning rings signifies the culmination of threads and fates. The moon casts a soothing, ocean-like blue hue over the stars of emptiness, a reflection of Adam's good choices and the karma that influences terra's lives.
The godlike figure, radiant and serene, gaze their destinies, the warriors from four different nations and world, before releasing the threads. Its luminous appendages cracked open like a shell, revealing a skin.
"...His progress has been slower than any chosen ones who has already demise. Perhaps, this is the end."
"The end of a cycle... The end of everything."
Unbeknownst to the figure, the tip of its right wing crumbled, its light disintegrating like dust, exposing the hand of a youthful man.
"It seems, I failed. I'm sorry."
Adam dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding a throwing axe from his enemy. His foot sliding over the ground as he brought his sword to his chest. Another axe clashed against the edge of his weapon, and the ursusian soldier snarled behind his mask, attempting to overpower Adam's strength.
With quick thinking, Adam delivered a well-aimed kick to his balls, causing his enemy to grunt in pain and lose his grip on his weapon. Adam then swung the enemy's sword to the side, leaving him unarmed. He used the back of his own sword to strike the side of the soldier's temple, rendering him unconscious.
"A little help here!" Adam shouted in a slight panic, just before dodging and parrying an attack from another enemy who charged toward him.
Firewatch sprinted to his side while firing her crossbow, the bolt finding its mark in the back of Adam's opponent. Adam kicked the dead man aside.
"Where are our knights!?" Adam yelled amidst the chaos on the battlefield.
"They—!?"
A spear flew through the gap between their friends and enemies alike in the battlefield, aimed at Firewatch. Instinctively, Adam parried it, causing the spear to change its course.
"Disgusting people like you shouldn't breathe the same air as us, elafia," a man wearing a black coat and ushanka hat calmly walked through the battle, fencing sword in hand.
Adam exchanged a glance with Firewatch, but before he could say anything, the ursus captain appeared before him, his sword in the air, attempting to strike Adam's head. Adam raised his own weapon to block it with the flat of his scimitar, the clash ringing out loudly despite the thinness of the officer's sword, it was made of stronger material than Adam's.
The captain executed a round kick to Adam's guts, taking advantage of his good will. Adam gawked and spat out blood saliva before being hurled into the trees while his bag off from his back and thrown away from him. He slid down to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain, wincing and groaning.
Firewatch wanted to shout, but the captain left her no room to breathe. He targeted her next, attempting to slash her, but she managed to dodge his attack.
Then, an explosive bolt soared toward him, prompting him to activate his forcefield to shield himself from Meteorite's attack.
Meteorite could only curse as her sneak attack failed. The captain retrieved his spear from where it had landed and gripped it tightly. With a powerful tug, he yanked the spear from his hand.
The wooden rod crunching in his grasp before he hurled the spear towards the Sarkaz sniper standing on a tree trunk. The spear glowed with a purple hue as it sailed through the air, marking Meteorite as its new target.
But suddenly, a powerful wave of light intervened, halting the attack. The wave sent the spear spinning aimlessly into the sky.
"That's enough."
Numerous knights emerged victorious, having eliminated or wounded all their adversaries. The wounded could only watch as their sole captain faced off against the Pegasi.
"You've lost. All your soldiers are either killed or wounded with no hope to fight. Surrender yourself," one of the knights declared firmly.
The captain scowled upon hearing this, but then slowly transformed into a mad grin. He grabbed his walkie-talkie and pressed the button.
"This is Mikhail, commence 'Scorched Earth' on my position."
The wounded ursus soldiers widened their eyes in terror, while confusion etched everyone else except them. The Pegasi knights began to advance toward the captain to apprehend him.
Suddenly, a deafening screech pierced the skies, and the ground erupted, sending everyone into a panicked frenzy as they realized the captain's intent.
He had called for a barrage of artillery strikes on his own position as a final act of defiance, a suicidal move. He preferred total annihilation rather than becoming a prisoner of war.
"Get out of here!" Roy shouted in a panicked command to everyone still alive.
Chaos reigned as everyone, including the ursus soldiers, ran amok to escape the artillery shells raining down upon them. Firewatch grab Adam's bag and rushed toward him, who was still recovering, attempting to help him up. The snowpriest joined her, assisting in getting him to his feet.
"You will fail! All your deceit will be shown to the world, remember this!" The captain shouted in madness as the dust enveloped him. The refugees and the soldiers ignored his words and began to hastily leave the place.
A few minutes later, they safely escaped from the hellish place. Even the Ursus soldiers, despite their previous indifference, had chosen to join them, preferring to become prisoners rather than remain under their captain's command. They trudged through the forest toward the border where the checkpoint awaited.
Adam continued to walk in pain, even with the assistance of the two people by his side. Blood dripped from his mouth after the kick he had received. He glanced at the elderly man on his right, and the old man smiled back at him.
"It's alright, we're almost there. Hold on a little bit, my child," the elder reassured the young man gently.
Adam snorted and was about to thank him when suddenly, a flash of scenes appeared before his eyes.
He found himself standing amidst a devastated, frozen forest littered with giant shards scattered across the ground and embedded in every tree. Each shard held the corpse of a refugee, their bodies sprouting from the ice crystals that impaled them, their faces etched in terror, their eyes wide with fear.
The knights themselves were frozen in place, some crumbling into pieces, leaving nothing behind.
In front of him lay the elderly man, struggling to rise and attempting to shield him from something. Adam's eyes were haunted by the horrifying scene before him.
"Run, Adam," the snowpriest smiled as he readied the hammer lying on the ground.
Thousands of shards appeared in the skies.
And there, shrouded in what looked like an animal-skin of snow, stood the monstrous entity.
Then the shard tearing him —
"..."
Adam now stared at the ground, his eyes filled with the horrors he had witnessed. Cold sweat dripped from his temple. The two people helping him on either side were bewildered by the sudden change in his demeanor.
No. Adam's thoughts raced frantically, sensing that his gifts were trying to tell him something about the near future. Was this how they were all going to die?
Was this how he was going to die? Right now? Right after being given a second chance?
Anger surged within him. He had been forced into Terra against his will, away from Earth, and manipulated by that entity —
What is this!? Is this some kind of sick joke!?
What's the meaning of all this!? If he was fated to die in the end, then what was the point of him being here!?
So, he was just a pawn in some show for It!? Is that it!?
"..."
NO NO NO. I REFUSE. GIVE ME SOMETHING. ANYTHING—!
Then, instead of a flash, he found himself standing in the middle of a forest, but this time it was fire, not ice.
A black sea of flames consumed the entire forest floor, devouring everything in its path, and nothing could extinguish it. The black flames surged to life, seemingly commanded desperately by the outsider himself, protecting him from the frozen monstrosity.
The inferno spread like a wildfire, consuming both the forest and the monster. The monster shrieked in agony like a tortured soul, its freezing abilities proving futile against the all-encompassing flames that eventually engulfed it entirely.
The flames also didn't spare the people, including Firewatch. They screamed and pleaded for it to stop, Adam's heart sank and his face looked horrified. He tried to control it, stop it, but he couldn't. The flames were like a wild beast unleashed from its cage.
He saw Firewatch crawling and —
"..."
Adam's face was drenched in cold sweat, and terror filled his frantic eyes as he returned to his senses, alarming both the snowpriest and Firewatch.
He took a deep breath and attempted to calm down. Right, he have something like Itachi's ama — something, except he couldn't control it once he released it. He needed to use his precognition again, maybe he could find something.
He found himself back in the forest and made a run for the snowpriest's hammer embedded in the ground, planning to use it against the monstrosity.
Only he was impaled by one of the shards the moment he grabbed it.
"..."
Okay, take a deep breath. It wasn't real. He needed to try again.
But the answer remained the same, just like the first precognition.
He tried again.
People around him being engulfed by the black flames, just like the second vision.
Again.
In the end he found himself in a similar scenario, just like the third.
Again.
The shard —
Again.
He was impaled —
Again.
People engulfed by —
Again.
Tearing —
Again.
Black flames —
Again.
Firewatch —
Again.
Tear —
Again.
Again. Again. Again. Again.
Until he vomited all of his lunch onto the ground, startling both of his companions. His legs moving wobbly, and he dropped to the ground.
"Adam! Hold on! I don't know what that captain did to you, but please, hang on! We're almost there!" Firewatch said, her face filled with worry.
"I'm...fine," he managed to say, both of his eyes opened revealing a red bloodshot, blood dripping from his right nostril. His head — brain and everything throbbing in pain from abusing his gifts.
He need to do something before all of them were killed, he refused to accept the precognition telling him that they were fated to die by any means. But, what is it? What is it? What is it? His mind raced, pushing through the headache he endured.
What is it!?
That monstrous entity was trying to trap them all, all of them even the knights and the snowpriest were killed. He could borrow the snowpriest's hammer and use the copy technique arts, but he knew it would be useless since not even the snowpriest could kill it.
Unless...
With the help of both of his companions, Adam slowly got up with his strength left and said, "Listen, both of you, I have something to say. There is something out here waiting to kill us."
The elderly man's expression turned serious. "Who is it?"
"I don't know, but none of you can kill it. I have something that could kill it, but... It could spread through the whole forest and kill all of you in the process. When I say run, all of you run away from here while I distract it. Now, can you tell everyone that?"
"If you have an arts that could harm us, it's best not to use it. Can you tell us who or what is waiting for us there? We can fight it," the elder said, gently grabbing Adam's shoulders as he struggled to stand.
Adam clenched his jaw, trying to ease the throbbing headache, and answered, "You don't understand, you old codger. You can't kill it, not even those elite knights can. That thing can sweep icy power through the forest and freeze it."
"...How do you know about the Frozen Monstrosity?" the snowpriest asked, alarmed by Adam's knowledge, while Firewatch listened closely.
"Listen, you need to run when that thing appears—!"
Adam stopped when he saw snowy dust hovering and descending before him, horror filling his face.
The monster, once a snowpriest who had lived to kill creatures from the north, stood before them, a gust of frozen wind enveloping the forest. People in the vicinity shielded themselves with their arms, confused about who or what this entity was.
The monster hovered and landed a few meters away from them. The knights and all the fighters stood alert, gripping their weapons, waiting for the creature to make a move.
But, Adam having none of that, pushed both the snowpriest and Firewatch away and run with all his might into in front of them, before shouting desperately, "Go! Run away from here! All of you can't kill it—!"
"What—?" one of them began before shards impaled him into the trees, freezing him entirely.
This triggered everyone into combat mode as thousands of shards appeared from all sides, the monster's skin flowing with an icy wind.
It then sent down several massive shards raining onto them. People were running in all directions, some unlucky souls getting hit accurately, the monster marking some of the strongest first to be wiped out, one by one.
Adam ran to the elder, and he and Firewatch took cover behind one of the giant trees. "Listen to me! You need to tell everyone to get out of here!"
"No, you and —"
"No, you! And the others need to get out of here! I have visions that you'll be killed by that thing!"
The snowpriest sat in stillness, hearing this, but then shook his head before speaking, "I have experience with this, trust me, child."
Adam could only ruffle his hair in frustration. His eyes still bloodshot from pain as he could hear the battle in the background. "You stubborn old—! Get. Away. From —"
Then the giant tree they were hiding behind was cut in two from the top, crashing hard to the ground, and the earth trembled. The snowpriest looked at the massive crystal embedded in the ground, almost the size of a house, as a gust of wind froze the remaining half of the tree completely.
"This is —"
"Go! Now!"
"...Alright, if you wish."
"Wait, are we just leaving him here!?" Firewatch said in shock.
"Something is wrong. The corrupted should never have this kind of power. It shouldn't be here in the first place... We can only hope to trust his plan," the elder explained calmly, and Firewatch looked at Adam.
"I will be fine," Adam said, wiping the blood from his nostrils.
With that, the snowpriest nodded at Adam before tugging Firewatch, who looked at Adam with resignation and clenched her jaw in regret before standing up with the elder.
Adam grabbed a large rock and left his hiding spot, hurling it at the monster. The resounding *Tac!* made the creature turn its attention towards him rather than its other enemies.
"Come here! Come and get some!" Adam shouted, his sword in hand, ready to parry the shards, and his arts ready to dodge any deadlier and larger ones despite in pain.
One of the knights noticed this and asked, "What are you doing!?"
"Are you—?" Roy began to question but stopped when the elder approached him.
"We need to go," the snowpriest said.
Roy wanted to retort, but the elder sounded so confident and serious, indicating that there was a plan behind this.
"...Fine, everyone! Let's pull out, while our tourist here distracts that creature."
"What!?"
"Roy, what are you talking about!?"
"What's the meaning of this!?" one of the Pegasi knights demanded angrily.
"Go! I got this!" Adam shouted to them while rolling backward like a drunk man to evade the shards that were hunting him down.
"What are you planning!?"
Adam looked at them, holding off his pain from before, both psychic and physical. "Ding — ding! I have a plan, but you all need to get out of here!"
They hesitated but the snowpriest said firmly, "Let's go."
Roy, before running with the others, shouted at the outsider, "Don't die, okay!?"
"Yeah! Yeah!"
Now, with only Adam facing the monster alone, he could unleash something inside of him that had been begging and tugging at him from the start. It hungered for this moment, and by looking at the Frozen Monstrosity in front of him, it could tell it would satisfy its appetite.
The figure itself watched in interest as Adam prepared to use this power. Of all the chosen ones from all the cycles, he was the only one to use it in this part of the cycles.
Adam gazed at the monster with pained and bulging eyes. He snarled trying to push the pain away as he extended his left hand toward it, and his palm slowly began to emit something unusual.
The figure, if it had a mouth, would have grinned. After all, this was one of its finest creations that would unleashed upon this corruption.
"The fire, from there the yellow fire burned for millennia until it became red, burned once again until it became pure white."
"And once more, burned until it became as dark as the darkest night."
"This fire was one of the strongest, if not the most dangerous of them all, consuming everything, including vitality."
"One spark could burn a mountain for a thousand years; one particle could engulf a city for a hundred years."
"Nothing could control it, for it was alive. Nothing could extinguish it, until it was satisfied."
"It was called... Hell—!"
"AMAATERAASSSHKK!"
"...Or whatever he wants to called it..."
...
Platinum walked alongside her Lazurite companion, her concern evident in her voice. "Are you sure it's a good idea to leave him with that?"
He waved dismissively. "It's fine —"
Suddenly, a massive wall of black flames erupted from behind the escaping group. A scorching blast of heat washed over them, startling everyone in the vicinity. They turned to look back, where Adam had been standing moments ago.
In his place, a portion of the forest had been engulfed completely by a sea of flames darker than the night itself. Trees, grass, rocks, and everything in its path were destroyed, devoured, scorched to the ground, or simply vanished without a trace. Otherworldly shrieking of agony emanated from the heart of the inferno, as if something within begged for an end to its torment.
The bystanders watched in awe, their expressions ranging from terror to amazement. Some dropped to the ground, unable to tear their eyes away from the blazing black inferno. Roy, feeling the intense heat, attempted to lighten the mood amidst the chaos. "Hahaha, this guy, trying to be a hotshot, eh?"
The fire continued to spread, attempting to reach them and causing panic to grip the group. But just as suddenly as it had erupted, the flames stopped. The shrieking ceased, and the black inferno slowly dissipated into the air, leaving a stunned and awestruck group of witnesses.
The part of the forest that had been engulfed by the sea of flames simply vanished, leaving only behind scorched earth. There in the middle of it was Adam lay on the ground, his limbs sprawled across the charred terrain.
Meteorite spoke up, her voice determined amidst the shocked silence. "...I'll go get him."
While everyone continued to stare at the charred remains of the forest, Meteorite cautiously stepped forward, feeling for parts of the ground that weren't hot. She walked to Adam's prone form, which looked as though he were sleeping. Kneeling down, she began to shake his body.
Adam's eyes snapped open, still bulging and bloodshot. He grabbed and checked every part of his body as if to ensure they were all intact before bursting into manic laughter. "I'm alive! I'M ALIVE!"
Meteorite responded cautiously, "Yes, you are."
"Nice! Now, help me stand up, please." Adam requested. Meteorite nodded and carefully lifted him from the ground. As he stood, Adam seemed dazed, brushing down the dirt on his clothes.
Meteorite inquired, "So, what was that?"
"That was one helluva fire," Adam replied with a mix of humor and truth. "Actually, I don't know what that fire was. It just sprouted from my palm..."
Meteorite examined his eyes, which were still bloodshot and seemed to hold a trace of madness. "I think you need sleep."
"Absolutely! Now, I want to lay in my comfy bed and sleep soundly without everyone or everything trying to kill me wherever I go." He looked at her with tired, pained eyes.
Meteorite snorted in response to his comment, then gestured for him to follow her. Adam walked behind her, sword still in hand, exhaustion and sick evident in every step he took.
...
As the skies began to darken, Adam continued his journey alongside the group. Some of them looked at him with fear, particularly the prisoners, but he paid little attention to their glances. All he wanted was to get this done and finally have a proper rest, perhaps with a bath or a satisfying dinner. The thought of both sounded inviting.
While walking, he couldn't help but think about the Sage. Wasn't the Sage the reason why three countries had started this war? Maybe he could play a role in stopping it. After all, it seemed like he was the one they had all been waiting for.
"I think we should stop here for a moment," one of the Pegasi knights ordered, leading the group to halt.
"What's going on? We're almost there; why are we stopping?" one of the refugees protested, a sentiment Adam silently shared.
"...Antero, do you have something to say before we continue?" the Pegasi knight asked the snowpriest.
Antero looked cautious, as if he sensed an accusation. "I don't understand what you mean..."
The knight continued, "A few years ago, Sami sent two messengers, one to Kazimierz and one to Ursus."
"Yes, that's true. What are you getting at? I had feared our messenger to Ursus might have been killed by them."
"That's a possibility, but only if he wasn't killed from your side..."
Antero seemed bewildered. "What...?"
The knight revealed a damaged knife, resembling a pukko knife, and drew everyone's attention to it. "We received intel from our informant that some among you killed the messenger. By sheer luck, the killer left behind evidence while an Ursus patrol was doing guard rotation. After years of searching, we finally traced it to this group. The killer orchestrated this to spark a war."
Shock rippled through the onlookers at this revelation. Antero's hands trembled, and his legs grew weak. "No... Why would anyone do this?"
"We don't know the motive yet, but we do know there are three suspects among us. The killer used a bow." The knight glanced at the three men who carried ranged weapons, who now looked anxious under the weight of the accusation.
"Could each of you kindly show us your own knife to confirm you still have it?" he continued, still holding the damaged knife.
The man who had a scar on his face showed his knife, which appeared pristine with minor damage. The half-antlered elafia displayed his own, which was damaged but beyond repair. Lastly, the third man revealed a brand-new knife that appeared untouched.
"I see," the knight sighed. "It appears our informant had incorrect information regarding this matter."
Adam, growing impatient, couldn't help but chime in. "Can we go now?" he asked wearily.
The Pegasi knight chuckled lightly at Adam's complaint. "Yes, yes. Let's go." And with that, the group resumed its journey.
As Adam continued walking with Meteorite's support, he couldn't help but mull over the recent revelations from the knights. What was that all about, anyway?
All he needed to do was declare himself the Sage in front of them, and stop the war.
He had a dream living in a peaceful, quiet place, maybe on top of the mountain, after all of this. Of course, he wouldn't forget to lead these nations into a golden age; should be easy —
...
He stood amidst the wreckage of his own work, the city he had once been so proud of now descending into chaos. Flames raged from buildings that were once symbols of unity, and the sound of terror-filled screams echoed from every corner. The three once-united nations were at war again, marching to kill and pillage without regard for their honor as soldiers and warriors.
Adam's legs weakened, and he knelt, powerless to stop the devastation. He had failed. Failed to bring peace, failed to save them. Even his once-reliable precognition had always leading to nothing after he take up the mantle, it was broken. His eyes were haunted from the failure, knowing that this was the end of the cycle, his cycle, was the last one. There would be no predecessors to correct his mistakes for the future.
He had failed to overcome his own Pride and Greed.
His gaze fell upon Firewatch's lifeless body in a corner of the room, and he felt a surge of guilt. He shouldn't have involved her in this.
It was his fault.
Then, he felt a bullet pierce through him —
"..."
A single tear traced a path down his cheek. His face stoic as he returned to the present, his bloodshot eyes gradually losing their frantic look. He closed them and clenched his jaw against the tenfold pain from that.
Meteorite, filled with concern, asked Adam "You okay?"
With a hoarse pain voice, he responded, "Yeah... I'm alright."
Roy, seemingly carefree, stretched his arms out as if announcing their presence, shouting, "We are here — !?"
But instead of the expected Kazimierz knights and refugees, they found themselves facing the entire Ursus army, standing at the border of the forest. Roy's personality shifted abruptly to alertness, followed by the others who were armed, while the rest of the group retreated in fear.
Silence fell over the greenish field, with both factions separated by a hundred meters. The survivors stood on the Sami border, while the Ursus army occupied their own border. Neither side made a move.
Then, one of the Ursus soldiers, draped in a long coat, spoke up, "Oh? I see both of you working together then? Kuranta and elafia, Kazimierz and Sami, what a matchup. Two birds with one stone..." The soldiers began preparing for combat.
The survivors anticipating another confrontation, readied their weapons once more. However, Adam's anger was palpable. Instead of taking a combat stance, he confronted them calmly and questioning their motives, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Your friends, that elafia barbaric and cunning nature was the reason we've had come into this, and you work with them so we had no choice but to kill all of you too," the Ursus officer replied.
Adam gestured weakly at the unarmed civillians who were hiding behind the knights, "Including them?"
"Including them." He replies showing with no remorse.
Adam's anger escalated upon hearing this. He was so pissed that he forgot the pain he had endured earlier. He stomped forward and positioned himself in the middle of both sides.
Unknowingly stepping on the borders of all three nations at the same time, which alarmed the snowpriest and someone.
Adam stood his ground, pointing at the Ursus officer and hissed, "That's hypocrisy coming from you. Why don't we stand down and explain our situations to each other to gain a better understanding."
The Ursus officer clearly agitated and warned him, "Put your finger down before I cut you down, right here, right now."
Adam pressed on, "You're here because you want the Sage, right?"
The officer confirmed, "Yes, and to reclaim part of the land that was once ours."
Adam continued, "Do you think the Sage wants this?"
The officer responded firmly, "Whether they want it or not, it's already been said that they will take sides with the people of this land."
Then a Pegasi knight stepped forward, adding, "Well, we thought the Sage would take the side of the people who were against armies with the two-headed bird symbols."
The snowpriest, unsure of Adam's plan, followed suit, "While we thought the Sage would be here with us, creating a path for the survivors against invaders, although it left cryptic who the invaders were."
Confused, the Ursus officer questioned, "What...? What are you trying to say? Are you implying there's more than one artifact?"
Antero, the snowpriest, responded, "You don't know? I thought your friend 'Mikhail' had told you about that..."
"No, he's not... then, where is this other artifact? Show it to me!" The Ursus officer demanded evidence to support their claims.
Antero requested his bag, which was carried by a woman among the refugees, and he retrieved a part of the artifact. He handed it to the Ursus captain. Similarly, one of the Pegasi knights did the same, passing over a piece of the artifact, while the leader of the Ursus army produced his own portion of the artifact and tried to assemble it to read the entire message.
As he read, his eyes widened in realization. "He's here...?"
Antero smiled and relief but before he could answer that the Sage was Adam, the Sage cut him off with a word that shocked him to the core.
"No..."
The Ursus captain, displaying more patience than before, demanded, "Explain."
Adam, his face begin twisted in rage, frothing at the mouth, and his eyes looked bloodshot, retorted, "Look around you! Your fanaticism for the Sage, lead to death everywhere! And where is this Sage!? If he is here, he should have introduced himself by now instead of skulking around, leaving us all confused!"
The captain's confidence wavered as he hesitated, replying, "...Well, we're just waiting here for a moment, and he will surely reveal himself any time now..."
But, no one answered him.
"What...? Sage! We —" The Ursus captain shouted to the group to everyone calling his Mudret and tried to defend the belief.
But Adam interrupted him again, his voice fierce and trembling in fury, "There is no Sage! If there is, do you really think he wants to appear when all of you are in a bloodbath over him!? Give me that!" Adam forcefully snatched all the parts of the artifact from him and angrily hurled them away. They landed in the muddy ground.
"...What? He... refused...?"
The figure sounded astonished by Adam's decision, more curious than angry. Among all the chosen ones across countless cycles and world, he was the only one who had chosen to reject his destiny — a destiny that the figure had meticulously prepared for the betterment of the future. Adam had refused the figure's blessings.
Why?
The figure reached out to touch the threads of Adam's chosen path, and It saw:
- He had given a single piece of bread to a hungry, infected child shunned by society, leading to saving thousands of civilians from harm by a traitorous splinter group in the future.
- He had offered counsel and advice to the Sarkaz, resulting understanding between the infected and uninfected. A peaceful death, was his grand prize.
- He had cared for a wounded and deranged feline, which would later lead to the defeat of a dangerous androgynous opponent intent on massacring an entire city.
It saw everything.
As the cycle neared its end, on the precipice of destiny, Rhodes Island...
"Ha... Ha ha... Ha ha ha... Ha ha — haha hahahaHAHAHAHA!" The figure erupted into uproarious laughter, stretching Its hands toward the sky as Its visage cracked.
Adam had shown that grandious plans and necessary evils weren't required to save the cycle —
Just one small act of kindness is enough.
One kindness had the power to bring about the betterment of Terra and its people.
Now, the figure fully understood why It had been punished, for Its atrocities that crossed moral boundaries, sacrificing and betraying everyone and its chosen ones across countless cycles. Transgressed the rules of higher beings, Its lust for power and control had brought It to the brink of erasure from this world.
The figure's radiant form slowly cracked and disintegrated into the cosmic skies, his body concealed by a white robe, his face and hair mirroring that of the current chosen, like Adam.
How ironic, of all the chosen ones, he bore the same face as him.
It doesn't matter, as long as the cycle can be saved.
He laughed, as he senses the approach of the agent of death, his skin crumbled, revealing an unknown metallic beneath.
"Of all things, this is where I was wrong. I am the one who ascended beyond Akasha, yet I couldn't grasp its meaning."
The figure peered at the lines of Fate, tracing them with his fingers, only to find nothing. He couldn't see Adam's ending fate — something was wrong. He trailed his fingers softly along the lines, searching for answers.
There, he witnessed Adam's trials, hardships, and suffering. He was fated to face otherworldly creatures and people beyond this dimension and reality, grotesque in form and power, alone. These beings defied the threads and lines, rendering them useless, free to act as they pleased, affecting everyone's destiny and fate at will — an impossible feat. An Anomaly.
This was the consequence of the figure's actions, tearing through dimensions and reality, resulting a rifts that scattered across the lands.
Luckily, these rifts would appear rarely.
In the final scene, the figure observed Adam stealing an a gun, his own world gun, a weapon something akin to reality sinker from Rhine Lab's research facility, a weapon capable of killing these creatures effectively. Adam laughed as he fled from the pursuing soldiers.
"...Perhaps, It's time for him..."
But before the figure could act, he fell to the ground, coughing harshly and writhing in pain. Everything around him turned into static black and white, like analog televisions.
"Don't end me yet..."
Rising to his feet, the figure extended his right hand, commanding the surroundings to transform into a world housing a device — a device capable of granting any wish, three wish, that can bend anything to his will.
He should received it after succeeding his mission. But now, plans have changed.
He hoped one of these wishes, Adam used it to defeat these anomalies.
Gray metal from cosmic of nothingness engulfed everything, once serene and soothing beautiful skies turning into dark, mechanical motives, a whirring machine resonated across the lands.
A world that guarded by towers on every part and edge of the lands, a towers that could fracture minds, manipulate psyches, and control one's vitality.
He tapped the sandy ground with his feet, conjuring a pyramidal construct from the earth. Its sides parted to reveal four pillars slowly, their ends bound by chains to a hovering plate that cradled a cyan sphere composed of flesh-metal from higher dimensions, from a 'god' material.
He ventured inside but had barely taken a few steps when he stumbled within the construct.
His legs slowly disintegrated into the air, and the godlike figure, now immobilized, couldn't help but laugh as he realized his body was fading away.
With a wry grin, he spoke, "Hah, I can't move, but at least, I've accomplished my task. Doctor Bren, if you were to see me like this, you'd surely scold me for my recklessness..."
"Kal'tsit, I'm sorry for not being able to keep my promise..."
"Adam... I hope you find your way to this place and secure the Paradoxicale. It will aid you on your journey. And I pray you will assist Bren, and be his friend... He truly needs one,"
"HAHAHAHA — !"
With a final, resounding laugh, Amka's body blazed with an intense, pure white before disintegrating into countless shimmering light particles, dispersing into the air.
He vanished, died with a completed task.
The construct sealed its sides, merging seamlessly with the ground.
The chamber transformed into a pristine, white landscape.
Infinite numbers and symbols rained down, filling the airspace, a chaotic storm of cryptic characters and digits that seemed to defy understanding.
A clanging sound of metal through the world.
Thousands of massive chains materialized, slinking, locking the sole entrance gate behind impenetrable barriers. Only Adam held the power to open it, guided by the last prime directive left by Amka.
As the fortress itself became cloaked in the sands of time, it disappeared into the vast desert storm, hidden from all but those who knew where to look. A secret sanctuary to one man's sacrifice and the enduring legacy of his selfless mission...
"...He's gone..." The lynx woman's voice quivered with shock and anxiety, jolting her compatriot awake.
"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" demanded the masked man.
"I can't sense his connection anymore... It's like he's completely erased from existence..."
"*sigh* I guess it's up to us now..."
The scimitar plunged deeply into the ground as he made his declaration. He then stepped back and addressed the crowd. "This sword can only be pulled by everyone if the Sage chooses to show himself here. The artifact was a fake, crafted by man. This sword will be marked as a sword of truth."
Well, he pushed the sword very deep into the ground, no one can anyway, not even him.
Suddenly, he felt a powerful punch to his cheek, delivered by a half-antlered Elafia man. The force of the blow sent Adam sprawling to the ground, where he winced in pain.
The Elafia man seethed with anger, his face contorted in a furious scowl. "Who the hell are you!? You threw away our only artifact for the Sage into the mud! That was utterly disrespectful!" he shouted, his voice filled with rage, as everyone watched in shock.
Adam, still concealing his true identity as the Sage, he responded with equal anger. "So, you want everyone to die with their eyes blinded from the truth!? Is that what you want!?" he retorted.
The Elafia man's hatred was palpable. "What do you know about it!? You're just a tourist who got caught up in the middle of something bigger at the wrong place and at the wrong time!" he spat out, while some of the onlookers murmured their agreement.
"You think you can just casually tell us it was man-made!? We know more than you do!" he continued, his frustration boiling over. "I've had enough of this!"
Before he could act on his anger and draw his knife, a gauntlet belonging to one of the Pegasi knights grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground. His eyes widened in shock and desperation as he struggled to breathe.
"Hey! Let me go!" he choked out, unable to break free.
"No, because I've finally found the culprit..." the Pegasi knight declared, his voice filled with grim determination.
The Pegasi knight continued to explain, "Back there, when I asked the three of you to pull out your knives, it was a test. The truth is, I wanted to see which knife had been utterly damaged. We've been tracking the three of you from the start."
He went on to clarify, "Not everything I said was true back there. I had been withholding information from all of you."
Suddenly, one of the Ursus soldiers who had been a prisoner stood up, grabbing everyone's attention. The disheveled man snorted and spoke up, "Private First Class from Intelligence Investigations for the Emperor himself, at your service. I'm gonna take it from here..." This unexpected revelation left everyone in the group stunned.
"The rampant corruption within our government has limited our actions," the soldier explained. "But that doesn't mean we're not collaborating with Kazimierz to find a solution to stop this war. You see, there's an entire first wave of refugee corpses found by Emperor Blade teams. They were killed by the monstrosity, which suspiciously appeared out of nowhere."
"They inspected bodyguards equipment, and only one guard was missing a knife in her sheath. Revera's knife, if our knight friends here are right, was indeed damaged after the conflict started. This made me think that our culprit here is very like knives, as there were dozens of them embedded in the trees with blood all over it."
"While the monstrosity itself was transformed from a man, intentionally, I don't know how you did it, but the transformed man was the leader of the refugee group. 'Urman,' a man with powerful icy arts. This would somehow explain why that creature was different from the others."
"So, there you have it. Yuri, by the order of the Emperor, your punishment will be death," the investigator concluded, addressing the accused.
The situation grew even more intense as Yuri widened his eyes and his voice trembled in the knight's grip. He protested, "What? You can't do this to me! Where's the evidence!? You think just a knife is enough to make us believe that!?"
"It was the truth, I was the one who checked their equipment..." A flat voice suddenly emerged from behind them, catching everyone off guard.
Standing there was the sole survivor of the Emperor Blade, separated from the group. His armor was cracked, and ominous black mist threatened to burst out from it.
Yuri's eyes bulged in surprise, and he stammered, "How are you still alive!?"
"Just like you, I was able to escape from it," the Emperor Blade survivor said in a flat tone, his voice holding a calm anger.
"...What is your other plea, Yuri?" The Pegasi knight tightened his grip on Yuri, demanding an answer.
Meanwhile, Roy whistled and looked at the Emperor Blade, examining the wound and damage. Then he turned his attention to the Pegasi Knight. "You both were working together without inviting me?" Roy inquired.
The Pegasi knight grunted in response. "We were going to tell you. Your mission was supposed to be a low-profile meeting with the Ursus investigation team, not an assassination."
Roy scratched his head in puzzlement. "But 'They' didn't tell us that..."
"Of course they didn't, because there's a mole in our ranks," the Pegasi knight explained, shedding light on the situation.
"Huh...?"
Yuri's mad laughter echoed through the tense air as he gazed toward the sky, his eyes taking on a shadowy blue hue. A wide, deranged grin stretched across his face as he addressed the Pegasi knight and the others.
"That's correct!" he exclaimed in crazed glee. "You think it was just me planning all of this!?"
His voice dripped with madness as he continued, "It was all a sacrifice to summon the Sage! We merely followed what the passage dictated! Amka revealed this to us!"
"But now," he snarled, fixing his gaze on Adam with a look of contempt, "since all of you have foiled our plans, especially that kid," he spat out the word with disdain, "we have no choice but to start all over again."
Suddenly, chaos erupted as one of the Ursus soldiers stabbed his comrade from behind. To the shock of everyone present, this act of betrayal triggered a chain reaction to other groups within, and turned against their own comrades. The factions were thrown into disarray, and everyone scrambled to protect themselves from the sudden outbreak of violence.
"This is crazy!" Firewatch fired her weapon at those who attacked her, her eyes darting around to discern friend from foe.
"Everyone who wants to end this war! Form up on me!" shouted the Pegasi knight, rallying those who sought to bring an end to the turmoil. He deftly evaded an incoming slash and retaliated with a swift counterattack.
Meanwhile, Adam desperately tried to navigate through the turmoil, gasping for breath. He hide behind he thought one of his friends whenever he can, all the while holding off the pain. He really want to pick up one of the weapons scattered on the ground and help them out, but, he sure as hell doesn't want his back painted as a target.
Suddenly, an Ursus soldier slammed into his side, sending him tumbling. The man scrambled reached for his weapon while Adam still recovering, but before he could strike, a black sword impaled him and hurled him aside. Adam looked up to see his masked savior standing over him.
"Get out of here while you still can," the Blade urged.
Adam couldn't help but respond with sarcasm, "Oh gee! Like I'm not trying over here!" He struggled to his feet, only to be thrown to the side once more, this time by Meteorite, who had been hurled at him by her assailant.
Meteorite groaned in pain on top of Adam's body, he frantically tried to shake her off, his dazed, bloodshot eyes blushing as he realized their awkward position.
"Yo! Get off me!" he exclaimed in a panic.
Suddenly, a bodyguard among the refugees charged at them. In a burst of adrenaline, Adam shoved Meteorite off his chest with all his might, and with a quick motion, he hurled her crossbow at the charging assailant. The man was stunned, and before he could react, a bolt from Firewatch's crossbow struck him in the head.
Relieved to be saved, Adam shouted, "Thank God!" as Firewatch rushed to his side.
"Are you okay!?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern as she checked him over.
"I'm fine! I'm fine!" he assured her.
Seeing that all of his forces were being killed, Yuri shouted, "Retreat!" It was clear to everyone who the enemies and friends were now. They began running and retreating into the deep forest behind them, leaving behind a battlefield littered with chaos and betrayal.
As the three factions tried to chase down their traitors, the Ursus captain's voice rang out, "Halt, let them run like the cowards they are..."
"It was a pain in the ass, but I agree with this man over here," Roy added, clearly out of breath.
The Investigator, grunting as he pushed an enemy's body away from him on the ground, continued, "We already know who sparked the war intentionally. The Emperor will declare all hostilities ceased between the three nations, and provide all the credible evidence of who the perpetrators are."
"But, what about the artifact? The Sage?" one of the unarmed refugees asked.
With a heavy sigh, the Ursus captain declared, "Until he reveals himself, it's all just a myth." The mysterious Sage remained hidden, leaving the truth shrouded in uncertainty. While the skies begin to darken.
...
The sun rose from the east, casting a warm glow across the land that had witnessed so much bloodshed. Mass graves had been dug, and the fallen from both traitors and allies alike were laid to rest, far away from the Ursus camp. It marked the end of the war.
The Emperor had declared a cessation of hostilities, and diplomatic efforts were underway to restore peace and understanding between the nations. Evidence had been gathered to prove that external parties had manipulated them into this bloody conflict. Those with ties to the extremists were hunted down.
In an effort to make amends for the damage, the Ursus captain allowed the refugees and others to stay in their camp until transportation arrived from Kazimierz.
Adam, now refreshed and free from the pain of the previous day, decided to walk through the bustling camp with his bag. Lost in thought, he mumbled to himself, "I think I should go... but where?" As he walked, he accidentally bumped into one of the Ursus soldiers.
"Oh, sorry about that," he quickly apologized to the soldier, who looked surprised to see one of the individuals responsible for ending the war standing before him.
"Hey, you're Adam, right?" The Ursus soldier asked with respect in his voice.
Adam nodded, intrigued. "Yeah, that's me. How did you know my name?" he inquired.
"Shouldn't you have gone with our captain and the others last night? The Emperor wants to reward those who stopped the war and revealed the perpetrators..." The soldier seemed puzzled.
Adam scratched his head, feeling the exhaustion in his body. "I must have fallen asleep in the tent," he admitted with a sheepish smile.
The corporal offered, "Well, we can arrange transportation just for you if you'd like..."
Adam waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks anyway." With that, he left the soldier behind, who couldn't help but be puzzled by Adam's refusal. After all, who wouldn't want to be rewarded by the Emperor himself?
Now, Adam found himself at a crossroads, unsure of where to go next. He stood there, pondering his options. Then, he remembered the wind. It had a direction, and he decided to trust it. Raising a finger and feeling the breeze, he sensed it blowing to the west.
Well head to the west then, toward Ursus.
"You are Adam, right?" A voice from behind startled him, and he turned to see the elder man, Antero.
"Yeah, and I remember you. You're the stubborn geezer," Adam replied bluntly.
Antero chuckled. "Yes, that's me. But can you tell me why you refused that?" he inquired implying about becoming the Sage, genuinely curious about Adam's decision.
Adam hesitated for a moment before responding cryptically, "I have a vision, and it wouldn't do any good."
Antero nodded, understanding that Adam had his reasons. He then offered, "I'd like to give you a reward for your significant contribution in ending the conflict." He handed Adam a pouch of coins.
Adam accepted it slowly, looking somewhat surprised. "Are you sure about this?"
Antero smiled. "It's fine. I have plenty in the bank."
Adam blinked, realizing that the elder man was quite wealthy. "So, I guess you won't be heading to Ursus to claim the rewards from the Emperor?"
Antero chuckled and shook his head. "No, I have other matters to attend to."
"Ok... So, good bye and thanks, geezer."
"Farewell, Adam. And take care." He waved as Adam walked away, and Adam waved back before continuing on his path alone.
While Adam was walking alone, he encountered Meteorite, the Sarkaz mercenary he had met the day before. She blocked his path and crossed her arms, clearly waiting for him.
"She's is searching for you," she informed him about Firewatch.
Adam scratched his neck sheepishly. "Oh yeah, she wanted to come with me, but I'd rather go alone. So, I lied and told her that one of the refugees needed her help."
He didn't want to put Firewatch's life in danger after the traumatic predictions he'd experienced. The thought of her lifeless body haunted him.
Meteorite asked, "Where are you headed anyway?"
"Ursus, and then maybe Victoria or Laterano," Adam replied.
Meteorite stated firmly, "I'll go with you."
Adam hesitated. He didn't want anyone else to go through what he might experience. "No."
She insisted, "I want to go to Kazdel, and since we're passing through Ursus, why not travel together?"
Adam thought for a moment and eventually shrugged. "Yeah, sure, why not."
Meteorite nodded, and they continued their journey to Ursus together. Unbeknownst to them, a new faction had formed with the goal of killing Adam and establishing a new order.
Marking end of the beginning.
AN: A new faction has formed, something like Illuminati group from a conspiracy theory.
Adam now have three gifts that fall into two categories: Arts and a power similar to Kashchey's or others:
1. CopyPaste or Copycat Arts: He can copy techniques from weapons he has stolen or borrowed from someone, with the limitation that he can only use this ability on one handed weapon once, except for two-handed weapons. Ex. Adam stole A's bow and he can only use it on A's bow.
2. Black Flames, Hellfire. Amaterasu, or Kagutsuchi on steroids: It can burn and eat everything and drain someone's vitality. But, there is a limit and consequences; when unleashed, it can't be controlled and act whatever it wants.
3. Precognition: Adam has a precognitive ability like Alex from Final D. Except, the path of these visions is random and can lead to either good or bad or the same results of situations. And, he can use it to see someone's past too. There are limits and consequences; if he uses it on himself, he can feel what his future felt like, affecting his psychology. Using this power more than five times in one week can lead to pain, sickness, or coma. When each time he rested and the pain gone, there still will be a consequences tenfold than before.
Lastly, he has been forcibly shoved with calm virtue persona and the current timeline common knowledge from Arknights into his mind. Meaning he doesn't know the new formed faction, the Anomaly, or something that tied to the deep secret knowledge like Seaborns gods origins.
Sometimes he can and remembers it, sometimes he's not.