Chapter 17 How It Ends
Max
July 25th, 2017
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
After the big bang I set off from the snap of my two fingers, I wake up in an empty void. A strange place that filled the environment with nothing but orange around me. I stand up to look around me. Wondering if I just died to stop Ares and finish the war.
Then I'm faced with an entourage of figures before me. One of them was none other than King Arthur and Ezra Prescott at the forefront taking point in the group. Among them were Jeremiah Prescott, Merlin, Tristan, Lancelot, Anna Laurie, Willem Hayes, Adam Baldric, and everyone else who once groomed themselves in the Heard of Whales or the Order of Saint Loomis. Even Uncle Bryan was there near the front of a crowd of thousands of members of both the Heard and the Order. Arthur and Ezra stood closer to me as they approached to speak.
Arthur: Well done, Maxine. You did it. You did what we could not.
Max: King Arthur? Ezra? Wh – where are we? Am – am I dead?
Ezra: You could be. But you don't have to be. Where you are matters little.
Arthur: For centuries, the threat of Ares has always loomed over our world from within the shadows and outside of them. For generations, we have held onto hope that one day that threat would be eliminated from this world by a traveler like yourself. And now you've fulfilled that prophecy once and for all.
Ezra: No one could survive the power of all six Eternity Shards. Not even you. In nature, you're already dead. But we now reward you with a reprieve. One earned by your sacrifice and courage to give your life and bring back the balance to the world Ares threatened to break.
Max thought to herself for a second. Taking in the words of dead people.
Max: So…what you're saying is that – I died…but I'm bringing brought back to life as a reward for my sacrifice?
Jeremiah: Without sacrifice, there is no victory. But some sacrifices don't have to be paid for in death. They can be dealt with in life.
Merlin: You've earned this gift of reprieve through the actions that led you to stop Ares. We wouldn't want you to waste it.
Bryan: It's time for you to live the life we're bringing back to you. I'd want nothing more for my niece who's deserving of it.
Ezra: Go forth, Maxine Caulfield. And don't waste this gift we reward you.
Arthur: The heard will be with you. Always.
King Arthur steps closer and presses his fingers over my head and his thumb over my forehead. A glowing light of life force surges through my void. The environment around me glowed brighter and brighter. Afflicting my gift of resurrection was rewarded by my sacrifice and victory. And then I exit the void and spring back to reality.
Back in the real world, after snapping my fingers, Ares and all his allies were going down and crumbling into little pieces of dust. Everyone but the ConDef forces. The Fallen and the Eternity Moons were falling apart.
David on the ground of the maelstrom was carrying Cayce on his shoulders with Cayce's one arm severed. A Fallen Hydra was flying towards them until the hydra itself evaporated into dust. The two of them were saved.
Then it was the Eternity Moons that were going down next. Roars from their mouths screamed down from orbit and across the globe they were orbiting in. As the moons shuttered into dust, their mouths with teeth crumbled, their tentacles attached to the ark crumbled, and every fragment of the moons came crashing down through the atmosphere. Turning into burning meteors as the fragments were plummeting to the planet and as the moons were destroyed.
In the battlefield outside of High Providence back on the surface, Chrysalis troops were still fighting Fallen and ConDef on the ground. Infantrymen shooting back, helicopters and harriers zooming above them, and Fallen Revenants rampaging on the dirt. Even more, Titans were still afoot.
While Chrysalis soldiers kept fighting back, that is when all Fallen variants began turning to dust. Every Fallen on the ground charging towards the Chrysalis men were instantly reduced to atoms before attacking their targets. The Titans towering the battlefield end up dusting away as well. Falling to their knees before imploding into dust like sand castles in the sand. All that remained were the enemy ConDef troops who allied with the Fallen.
Everyone stopped fighting. The Chrysalis men all gazed at the dissipating Fallen. The ConDef men gazed at them with a shock of defeat. Then the Chrysalis side all waved their guns and fists in the hair. Cheering down their victory. While the ConDef side had no other choice but to lay down their guns and surrender.
In one area of the island, a Chrysalis soldier was pulling his wounded brother-in-arms out of a downed helicopter. Fallen Revenants were surrounding them. The one soldier helping his friend pulled out his pistol to shoot back at the charging enemy. Right before they were all dusted away by my snap as well.
At a moment's notice, every Revenant in the clearing was dusted away. That's when the soldier looked around to see the Titans being dusted, too. The soldier knew this was a sign of victory and knew who was responsible.
In the waters off the land of Meridian Prime, the signs of victory were there as well. Flying fighters shooting at hydra variants were being dusted apart before the bullets could neutralize them. Other Fallen variants boarding the Chrysalis ships were all but deteriorated.
On the Oregon, Admiral Penske and Captain Harvest looked out their window on the bridge. Seeing what was happening to the Fallen forces. The admiral and the captain both looked at each other with glad frowns. Knowing they had just won this final battle. Thanks to my efforts alone.
Ares walks on the floating platform where the Ark of Genesis is deactivated by the power of the Eternity Shards. Witnessing his defeat by a mortal traveler. Gazing at the burning skies above where the Eternity Moons crumble into decimation and the pieces rocket down from orbit into burning fireballs. Ares knew his Fallen forces were destroyed with the moons as well. This Ares felt weakness inside of him. The sting of his life fading away from him.
The God of War himself then knelt on his knees defeated. Feeling his godhood and lifespan draining away from him. Ares knew Max had just ended him. It was only a matter of seconds before he could stop living any longer thanks to Max's snap.
And in just a matter of a few more seconds; Ares's skin, armor, and gauntlet began to crumble into little pieces of dust. Ares's entire form then disintegrated into dust. Then, finally, at long last, Ares was no more. Erased from life and never to be seen again.
Alex
July 25th, 2017
1:39 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis
After witnessing the death of Ares by Max's hand, as the moons in the sky fall apart in orbit after Max clicked her fingers, my legs are still pinned under the debris. Until Chronos wakes from his unconsciousness and aids me by using his time magic and rewinding the rocks off my feet. I take Chronos's hand and I get back up after almost half an hour or more being pinned under the debris that struck me as I stupidly tried blowing Joanna and Alkaline up earlier.
Then I catch wind of Max lying on the ground unconscious. The left half of her body was molten where she had been holding her Exo-Gauntlet with all six Eternity Shards on it. The gauntlet itself looked like it fried itself from the shards' power. A fatal side effect from her snap. Her right eye had been butchered open as well. With a scar that sliced across the right side of her face, too. Max looked motionless and lifeless where she lay.
Alex: Max!
I run past Chronos and towards Max. Cradling her body and holding it with sorrow.
Alex: No, no, no. Max, come on. Stay with me. Be alive. Please, be alive! Please!
I start to weep. Water was ready to drip past my eyelids in a desperate desire for Max to live. I turn my guilt-ridden face to Chronos with a frown and sob of denial.
Alex: Chronos, please! Do something!
Chronos knew Max would be dead after this. He had planned this all this time and ensured it would happen to win the war. And he kept it from everyone else so it would be made possible. Chronos touches my shoulder with remorse on his face. Wanting me to accept Max was dead.
Chronos: I'm sorry, Alex. She is no more. There was no other way.
I hug Max's battle-damaged body to mourn her. Crying for her life that just ended to win this. What was I going to tell Chloe? Not that I knew Max's relationship with Chloe all that well, but I knew Chloe of all people wouldn't take this loss lightly. Despite knowing this victory was a one-way trip and knowing not all of us would make it out alive. Max especially.
I loved Max so much like a sister. Even when I never knew she was my actual sister until now. Chloe loved Max like the love of her life. And now she was gone for good.
Then suddenly, the Soul Shard on the gauntlet lit up like amber. It's power surging through Max. Coursing around her veins as if it was about to heal her or something. I removed myself from Max for a moment to see what was occurring. Even Chronos took notice of it as well. Only he looked less surprised about it.
The energy from the Soul Shard now illuminated all around Max and by the time it did, the energy faded away. Then Max herself opened her eyes and gasped her mouth open for air. Whatever the Soul Shard did, it just resurrected Max back to life.
Alex: Max!
I hug Max even tighter and then give her air to breathe. She was alive! Alive!
Alex: Oh, you're alive!
Chronos smiled. Then a communication from Admiral Penske chimed in. Broadcasting to all Chrysalis forces on the island or near it.
Penske: (comms) Attention all Chrysalis personnel on the island or on shore. ConDef and the Fallen have lost. ConDef has surrendered peacefully and all Fallen variants have been decimated. All Chrysalis units disengage. Disengage and rendezvous at the fleet. The battle is over. Chrysalis is victorious.
Chronos: It appears our allied forces have been recalled. We must leave now. This inner sanctum is to its knees and will crumble over us if we don't hurry.
Alex: You go on without us. We'll find some help getting out of here along the way.
Chronos flies away from us. I then help Max on her feet and hurry on out of here.
David
July 25th, 2017
1:42 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis Destruction
I carry Cayce on my shoulder with the one arm he had left remaining. Trudging on our collapsing platform while debris around us was falling from the sky or from pieces of this underground city and its ark. Then my comm link chimes in with a familiar voice communicating to me.
Chloe: (comms) David! It's Chloe! Come in, David!
David: Chloe, is that you?
Chloe: (comms) We're flying in a debris field at your location. We're getting you and Max out of there!
David: No, Chloe! Turn back! We'll find someone else to help us!
Chloe: (comms) There is no one else to help you! I just convinced the pilot to fly us down there and we're not turning around now! Just give us something to signal with and we'll be there in no time.
David: Fine. Just get a stretcher ready. Cayce is badly wounded and missing an arm. I'm shooting a flair right now.
Once a stubborn child, always a stubborn child. I pull out my flair gun while carrying Cayce to signal Chloe. The flair fires away an orange spark of light. High enough for Chloe to see on her bird.
Max
July 25th, 2017
1:44 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
Ark of Genesis and High Providence Destruction
The ark and the entire city was decaying around us. Flaming debris from the moons as well as from the levitating obstacles caused by Ares activating the ark were descending in our surroundings like a meteor shower. Alex and I hopped around every platform we could to escape the High Providence falling apart. My right arm and face still hurt like hell from snapping my fingers with all six shards on the battle-damaged gauntlet I was wearing. Even with my skin half healed from the Soul Shard. But the both of us could still manage and run for our lives well. All we needed was a chopper or whatever to get us off this crumbing underground hellhole.
Max: Alex, we gotta get out of here!
Alex checked the clip of her gun for ammo in case they needed it. We were dangerously low on it.
Alex: Three fucking bullets?! How the fuck do we manage with three freaking bullets?! Holy shit!
Max: Just keep running, Alex! Run!
As Alex and I keep on running over the falling platforms, and ConDef soldier gets the jump on Alex. The two get into a struggle. Cause Alex to fire on bullet from her pistol in the air. Leaving us with only two more bullets to spare.
I try and intervene. But not before someone else tackles me. Causing me and my attacker to fall on lower ground. As we get up, I realize it is Elias Alkaline who jumped. The man who left Joanna and I to die in the ark's chamber. Who was still left alive on this sinking ship and now it was just me and one more loose end to cut down.
It wasn't enough I just went through my battle of the century with Ares. He and I time traveling so Ares would rewrite my fate and history on paper. Now I was left to deal with his remaining lieutenant. I was hardly in any condition to fight and I couldn't use my damaged gauntlet either. I had to make the best of what I could.
Alkaline gets up and pulls out his Swiss army knife to fight me. This should be fun. Alkaline attempts to swing his knife at me, but I parry and hit him in the face to counter. Enduring as much pain from my injuries as I could, I punch Alkaline across the face a couple of times until he ducks and swings his knife at me again. I dodge and counter his move by holding his arm and flipping him to the ground. I was surprisingly a little more agile than I figured I'd be when managing my condition in this fight.
I punch and counter. Alkaline tries knifing me and I counter. At one point, Alkaline flips me on the ground and tries swinging his knife across my waist until I kick him back and counter. Alkaline sweeps me to the ground again. This time, to stab me across the face or neck. The two of us wrestle against the knife. Alkaline used his muscles to try and plunge the knife between my eyes. I wrestle backward as hard as I can with the edge of the knife coming closer and closer to my skin. Then I instantly shift my head rightward so the knife would miss me as it clings to the concrete. Then I use my knee to kick Alkaline backward and get back on my boots.
Alkaline tries another trick to slay me. Alkaline seizes me and tries to stab me from behind. As I'm wrestling against Alkaline's muscles again, I bite Alkaline's arm to break his grip and elbow his ass off me.
This platform we were fighting on was becoming less stable as it just shook itself. Causing us to lose our footing a bit. Either I was going down, Alkaline was going down, or we were going down with each other. And I was going to make sure Alkaline would be the only man down.
As I attempt to strike Alkaline with another punch, the man himself parries as we wrestle between the knife again. Only this time, Alkaline tries something else. He drops the knife between us, then grabs it in mid-air to try and slash my stomach apart, but I immediately evade and give him a good punch across his cheek. Alkaline himself proved to be a fiercer fighter than Joanna with his military background and all. He had already proven that when Alex and I fought him together back in New Exodus. But I knew I was fiercer. The only challenge was fighting with one eye. With half my vision blacked out.
We continue the fight. Then Alkaline has me pinned to the ground once more. Right near the ledge of our platform. It was yet another tug of war with Alkaline's knife. The man slowly pushes the knife towards my throat. As I fight to push the knife backward. Fighting both Alkaline's strength and the pain of my Eternity Snap injuries. But with just a little more power left in the gauntlet, the Time Shard glows, and then I'm able to use its power to Time Freeze Alkaline's hold between us. His hands and knife caught in a little stutter in my little Time Bubble.
A bullet then pierces through Alkaline's shoulder. Breaking his hold on me as Alex comes to the rescue with her handgun in her hands.
Max: Thanks.
Alex: That'll teach you to bring a knife to a gunfight!
Then our ground shakes again. Causing Alex to drop her gun near the ledge and me to fall over the ledge until I grab hold of the ledge and pick up Alex's gun. I aim the pistol at Alkaline to shoot him. But not before another tremor causes me to fall further downwards below the platform. I grab hold of the rock before I can fall to my death down the narrow ditch wear the city and debris had been crumbling towards.
I climbed up the rock as quickly as I could. Alex was still up there fending Alkaline for herself. When I reached the top, I could see Alex and Alkaline both throwing punches until Alex was pinned near the ledge. Alkaline kicks her in the face and her arm is hanging over the ledge. Alkaline picks up a rock to finish Alex for good and kill. There was only one bullet left in the chamber. A bullet with the General Alkaline's name on it. And I knew how to use it.
I aimed the gun as steady as I could. Alkaline himself is holding the big rock over his head. Ready to strike down Alex. I use my one missing eye like I was blinking it if it was still there, to aim carefully with the last bullet saved for my last enemy and my finger on the trigger.
Max: Time to end this you son of a bitch!
Then bang! The bullet plunges into the man's throat. Alkaline is choking on the bullet and hurling his own blood for air. The man even drops the rock on his head after the bullet pierces him. Alkaline gurgles some with blood dripping from his lips and Adam's apple. Then the man limps off the ledge as I witness his dying body fall thousands of feet down the crumbling ditch hole. And Alkaline was history. Ending our rivalry that began in that bar fight back in Vancouver.
I climb to the top. Then I help get Alex back on her feet before making a break from the collapsing city.
Alex: Thanks, Max. Come on. We gotta get out of here!
David
July 25th, 2017
1:49 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
High Providence Destruction
As we waited out Chloe's helicopter and I kept holding onto Cayce with his one arm over my shoulder on our platform, the platform itself was becoming unstable. We feel a tremor beneath our feet. Another tremor shakes our footing hard enough to lose my grip on Cayce.
Then suddenly, the ground beneath Cayce falls apart to where he is nearly off the platform. But not before I immediately catch his one arm with my two hands. Cayce was now hanging off the ledge and hanging by a thread. About to fall thousands of feet to his death. I flattened myself on the broken ground to hold Cayce as tight as I could and I could already feel Cayce slipping.
David: Cayce, hold on!
Cayce: David, Commander, please. Just let me go.
David: No, Cayce. We're getting out of here together. Use your muscles!
Cayce: David, I only have one arm. My muscles won't be enough. Just get out of here! Go see your wife and step-daughter again. Tell Kristine…and Mom…I love them very much.
David: Cayce…
Cayce looked me in the eye before he could fall. A look and a light smile of reassurance that everything will be fine for as long as I and Kristine survive this. Even if Cayce doesn't.
I stare at him back with a worrisome frown. Cayce was just seconds away from his life falling down a pit of death and I needed to make the hard call and make it fast.
X/Square/Left Mouse – Sacrifice Cayce
B/Circle/Right Mouse – Save Cayce
No, not again. I won't lose Cayce the way I lost Cage, Heard, and the rest of Valor. And I won't lose him like I lost Phil, either.
I used one hand to grapple Cayce's remaining arm and use the other hand to pull up Cayce as hard as I could. And just like that, Cayce is off the ledge. While pulling him up, I lift him upward and carry his entire form over my shoulder. Cayce's one arm and the socket of his severed other arm both stick out as he's being carried.
That is when Chloe's helicopter flies in and starts landing. The rear hatch opens and it's Chloe and Rachel sticking out to pick us up.
Chloe: Come on! Get in!
I run towards the ramp while Cayce is held over my back. I jump on the ramp and immediately set Cayce down while Chloe and Rachel help me set him down. The hatch closes and the chopper is away in the air. All that was left to do now was find Max and Alex and we could all get the hell out of here in one piece.
Max
July 25th, 2017
1:45 PM
High Providence, Meridian Prime
High Providence Destruction
Alex and I continue running up the collapsing platforms. Upon running, Alex's foot trips under something. Her foot is smashed into the ground and then half her leg gets stuck inside the ground. Keeping Alex from running any further.
Alex: Max! Help! I'm stuck!
I turn back for Alex and run to where she's stuck. I attempt to pull her out but she's stuck tight.
Max: Ugh…you're heavy!
I keep trying to pull out Alex. It was no use.
Alex: Max, listen to me.
Max: Come on, Alex! Use your muscles! I can't do this alone!
Alex: Max, listen to me!
I stop pulling and look Alex in the eye.
Alex: We did it, okay? All I ever wanted was to find the ark with you and we did.
Falling rock crashes and tumbles on our platform. Breaking it into a chunk next to us.
Alex: You need to get out of here, okay? Just leave me. Get back to Chloe. And don't turn back!
Max: No, Alex! I'm not losing you, too! We're getting out of here together!
More debris crashes next to us breaking our ground apart even more.
Alex: There's no time to argue! Just get out of here and leave me! I need to know you got out of here alive!
Time was running out for us. Our platform was on its last legs and I had to yet make another hard choice. Another sacrifice to make. One I hadn't made since the lighthouse in the Arcadia Bay storm or the Chrysalis Tower during Triple Four. Either Alex and I were both getting out of here alive…or only I was.
X/Square/Left Mouse – Leave Alex
B/Circle/Right Mouse – Save Alex
Fuck it. I made a brave but perhaps stupid attempt to save Alex one more time. I wasn't losing her again. Not like back in Seattle. I attempted to use my time powers and the Time Shard on my broken gauntlet, but it didn't work. I tried again, but my powers weren't strong enough. Nor was there enough power for the shard to work properly. Without second-guessing, I call for an ally.
Max: Chronos! I need you!
Assuming he heard me both vocally and telepathically, I made another effortless attempt to get Alex out of the hole. I was still powerless. Then suddenly, the green shard was glowing again. Chronos was behind me. Levitating mid-air and holding his hand in front of himself. The shard, my power, and Chronos's power combined rewound the hole to an unfractured state. Releasing Alex and getting her leg unstuck.
The platform was still breaking and there was little of it left to run on. Chronos knew what to do.
Chronos: Take my hands!
Alex and I take his two hands. I take one. Alex takes the other. Chronos then flies us off the platform right before it's shattered completely to where there's nothing left to stand on.
As Chronos flies us around the collapsing city like the last son of Krypton, a chopper flies next to us. The hatch on the rear of the two-bladed helicopter opens and Chloe is sticking out calling to us.
Chloe: Max! Over here!
Without hesitation, Chronos flies us in the direction of Chloe's bird. It looked like the same helicopter I put Chloe and Rachel on almost two hours ago. Chloe must have come back for me. Stubborn girl.
Chronos, Alex, and I reach the helicopter that flies in the middle of the debris field. Chronos lands my sister and I on the ramp and we make it inside safely. The hatch closes as Chloe and Chronos helps Alex and I inside.
How It Ends – DeVotchKa
The helicopter makes its way out of the airspace of the crumbling city. I'm laid down on a stretcher and is Cayce Foley lying down on the stretcher behind me. Inside the chopper; Chloe, Rachel, David, Kristine, Chronos, and Alex are seated. Medics take care of Cayce and me. Including Kristine. Chloe and Kristine's injuries must have already been treated and Kristine appeared healthy enough to treat the burns on my skin. Since David, Cayce, and Kristine are the only ones onboard I assumed Cage and Heard were killed in action.
Chloe and Alex look at me while Kristine treats me. David looks at Cayce while he's being treated by another medic. Bandages were seen around the arms and legs of Chloe and Kristine. Showing them stitched up and healthy enough to stand on their feet.
As the helicopter was now hovering over the island's surface, Mount Genesis could be seen crumbling over the underground city of High Providence. With Eternity Moon debris still scraping the skies and falling around the island. Since the moons were orbiting the globe, some if not most of the pieces must be falling elsewhere on planet Earth, too. Hopefully, most of the debris is falling into the ocean and not on land where a building or whatever could get destroyed by the burning rock.
Our helicopter is en route back to the Oregon's fleet where most of the Chrysalis army had been recalled. On the surface below us, bodies of fallen Chrysalis, ConDef, and Fallen variants spread around the dirt. Down vehicles like armored tanks, trucks, and choppers laid bare as well. And while some Chrysalis troops were returning to the fleet in Meridian's waters, they had also been rounding up ConDef troops surrendering themselves to the Chrysalis army as prisoners of war. With Alkaline and Ares gone, there was no one left for ConDef to follow.
The chopper we were on flew away from Meridian's mainland and over the shores. Approaching the Oregen and the North American fleet surrounding the ship. The dark clouds in the skies above us faded and the sun was now out and about. The sun itself was now setting down for the golden hour as well. No more Eternity monstrosities in orbit. Just Earth's natural sun shining on our skies again as Mother Nature intended.
The helicopter was now coming in for a landing on the Oregon's flight deck. Bringing home its survivors from Valor Team. The hatch opens as soon as our bird lands on solid ground. Chloe, David, Rachel, Kristine, and Chronos are the first to come out. David and Kristine are holding onto the one-armed Cayce. Paramedics come along and race towards Cayce to lay him down on a stretcher and roll him out to sick bay.
My parents Vanessa and Ryan, along with Joyce, are on the flight deck to see who survived. Joyce is relieved to see her husband David and her daughter Chloe alive and well. Joyce hugs them both.
As for Ryan and Vanessa, to keep staring at the helicopter's hatch. With worrisome frowns feeling that neither I, Alex, or even Bryan made it out alive. Mom gets ready to break down the longer it takes for her and Dad to wait for me to come out. They keep holding hands for at least ten more seconds longer before accepting the idea that I'm dead. And not another moment too soon, Alex and I finally step out. Alex holding my shoulder to carry me out.
Mom finally breaks down in tears. Covering her mouth in shock to see me and my sister alive. She and Dad race towards me for a hug. They both hug me and Alex tightly. Though my parents may be shaken up to see their daughter missing an eye and half her body burned, they were still happy to see me still alive. Even if only half well.
Dad turns to Alex. Asking why Bryan was. Alex nods her head. Signifying Bryan was dead. Which he was. Dad doesn't react much at first but is still sad to lose a brother who died protecting his daughter and niece. As well as proud Bryan died with honor with his final act being a noble one.
Another group of paramedics come and put me on a stretcher as well. They remove the broken gauntlet on my arm and roll me to sick bay inside the Oregon. My parents, Joyce, Chloe, David, Kristine, Chronos, and Alex watch me get strolled inside while the orange sun sets down upon the ocean and the battlefield of Meridian Prime miles from the fleet.
This war had taken a heavy toll on all of us and nearly tore our world apart. But rest assured, the war was over. And we won.
This is how it ends.