Continued from here.
Epilogue Part One
"End of the Night"
Mother cared little for the taunts and the distractions. Undead leaped in front of her to block her from harm, showering her in blood. For attacks they couldn't block, Mother seemed to manipulate reality itself to put herself out of harm's way. Raising her arms, the concrete of the city street moved like rubber, forming a barrier that did more than any of the undead could.
Sigma got the upper hand on Takashi, getting around his knife and pulling hard enough on his wrist to snap it. He was forced to let go of Saeko and was thrown back by a fierce kick from Sigma.
Meanwhile, Billy had just finished off the illusionary Kate, sending her flying with a blast of magic. His powers seemed more focused in the dark place. No wonder Mother wanted them for herself. Things were so different now, Billy had no idea what he would do. He didn't understand the Demiurge powers, and it wasn't like he had Loki here this time to mentor him through it.
Nor did he have Teddy here to support him.
But... Billy knew the only way to see Teddy again was to stop Mother here and now. No matter the support he had, this was his battle in the end.
"You want me, you can have me!"
Billy cried out and flew into the air. His eyes glowed blue as lightning coursed around him and he made a course straight for Mother. The woman seemed to turn the air around her into a near-transparent shield. Billy slammed against it and glared at the woman with hate. He slowly inched past the barrier, rejecting Mother's power. With one last cry, Billy had broken through, and he quickly grabbed Mother by the throat.
She seemed to struggle for a moment, but eventually, her look of worry changed to a satisfied grin.
"Did you think it would be that easy?" Tentacles formed out of reality itself and twisted tightly around Billy. He was pulled back from Mother, gasping from pain. She leaned in close and said,
"This is not your true power. Not at all. I'll take that power now."
A heavy shell began to form around the pair, forcing out all who might try and rescue Billy. The boy screamed as darkness poured out of Mother's mouth and surrounded him. It was suffocating and all-consuming.
As Billy drifted away, his final thoughts were of Teddy.
***
Cooper paused when the bullet sunk into his back. He turned around slowly and eyed Kyoko like she was a minor problem at best. He started toward her.
"My associate has finished her use of Wanda Maximoff. It is time I took what I am owed."
Makoto ran up next to Kyoko, placing his hand on hers. He looked into her eyes, ignoring Cooper's advance.
"Kyoko, keep shooting. Do it until the clip runs out." His hand gripped tighter and he held the gun steady for her.
"The Diver told us he had given us some of his power, but Shane didn't believe. Kyoko, you... I'm sorry for everything. I've given you know reason to trust me, but right now... you have to trust me. Stare him in the eyes and shoot, no matter how close he gets. It will work."
Together, with Kyoko pulling the trigger and Makoto holding her steady, the pair unloaded the machine gun at Cooper, who did not stop his approach until the gun ran empty.
Cooper stood frozen as if someone had pressed pause on a video player. He looked down slowly to see his bullet wounds start to glow with light. He turned his head to the Diver and nodded in understanding.
"I see what you've done. So, the boy was not lost after all."
He turned back to Kyoko and Makoto.
"Fortunately for you, the ending was already written. But it's never over. We will see."
The light inside Cooper's wounds grew in intensity. He opened his mouth horrifyingly wide and he seemed to vomit light. His body expanded as if he was about to explode, but instead, the air around him shifted and he suddenly disappeared, almost as if erased from reality.
***
Billy Kaplan was not yet dead. He, however, was not yet alive. He was here, at a time in the present. He was here, at a time in the beyond. He was here, at a time indeterminate.
Billy sat in a chair before a tall man. He was sitting across from Billy, like a mirror image.
"The before is the after," the man spoke.
"The after is the before."
Billy stared back at the man, unblinking. He was hearing the man's words as if they came from somewhere distant. He spoke oddly, but for some reason, it didn't seem odd to Billy. He could feel a strange sense of clarity.
"It's always been there. The lock on the door. The house will be secure, if you make it. It is not theirs to take if you only make use of it."
It made a lot of sense, in a way. Something greater was at work here, and it needed Billy to make it into being. Whoever or whatever was behind it, they would guide him. Billy, of course, still knew how naive he truly was.
It was time to end at the beginning.
***
The shell surrounding Billy and Mother began to crack. Light shot out from the cracks, bathing the battlefield in a warm light. The structure crumbled moments later, revealing Billy and Mother locked in a flurry of magic and energy.
Mother scoffed at the boy's power.
"Cute, dear. This will not be a repeat of last time. You've lost everything here in the dark place."
Billy smiled.
"I have help, this time. Forces that have put a lot of effort into stopping you, here and forever."
Mother seemed unconvinced at first, but when Billy's power started to overcome her own, her eyes went wide.
"I... should have known. The light is leading you."
Mother seemed to know what this meant. Billy didn't care, he just wanted to set things right. His light began to envelop the battlefield. He was going full Demiurge, where the future and the past would open itself up to the boy. He knew what he had to do; just a little cut along the fabric of reality, not a big deal, really.
The undead began to evaporate, along with the illusions still remaining. Mother screamed out in anger, but she was the next to go.
"Remember to tell him... the dark place is eternal!"
In a flash of light, the woman disappeared into thin air. The light only got brighter, until all anyone could see was a blinding void...
***
Wanda Maximoff sat on the ground. Everything in her body ached as she cried,
"I just wanted to protect them! Can't you see? I just wanted something good." Her knees buckled as she tried to stand up.
"Someone just kill me. Please."
Agatha slowly walked toward her former student.
"Child, you need to keep fighting. You're too close to quit now."
Evie laughed as her dark wind pushed her attackers back. This all seemed to be some kind of sick game to her. Even as Cooper met his end, Evie continued her assault in glee. The Diver began to approach her.
"A girl who understand nothing," he said.
"Another pawn of the dark place. It is time for this too to end."
Evie screamed at him.
"Go away! I'm having fun! Mother said I could!"
"I will go away soon. Now is the point of convergence. It is time."
A flash of light burst above everyone, illuminating the barn and putting out Evie's dark winds. When the light faded, none other than Billy Kaplan was revealed, glowing a brilliant blue. With a wave of his hand, the illusions evaporated in the air, only to be replaced by those who had fought in the battle against Mother in the afterlife.
The Diver went still. He shook slightly and off popped his helmet, revealing nothing but light existed within the suit. Out of the neck rose a golden orb that floated before Billy. He grasped it with his hands.
"With your light, I shall give birth to the future and the past. You will become the seal that has guarded the dark place for all eternity and will continue to do so for all eternity. I am the Demiurge, and one day, I shall reach into the past to sow the seed that would become this moment. The Diver was made to be our protector of the light for all of time."
Evie gasped and looked up. She stared up at the ceiling, open-mouthed, looking possessed.
"Mother?" she said quietly.
"Mother? No... they can't take you away, not now. This is our family!" She paused for a moment, eventually nodding.
"Yes, Mother. Before they lock you away, I'll go to you." Evie rose into the air and faded from view.
The golden orb that Billy held then rose above him and exploded into a golden light. The boy, his powers now waning, turned around to see something only he could currently see. There was a dark void, where
Honda and
Ruby stood. He reached out to them, looking sad.
"I'm so sorry. I don't understand all this... but there's a balance. I can't bring you to this side."
As the void began to close, Billy shook his head.
"But it's okay! People will come for you! There will be a day! Look for her... the rabbit!"
As the void closed, Billy floated to the ground. The light around him abated and he just about collapsed to the ground.
"Billy!"
Tears fell down Teddy's face as he made a run for his boyfriend. Billy barely had the energy to stand, so Teddy scooped him into his arms and supported him into a kiss.
Makoto pulled Kyoko into a hug.
"You had every right to hit me, Kyoko. But... that wasn't me. I'm me now, and... I'm just so glad you're okay."
The battle was over. The barn was safe and friends were finally reunited.
Cast List
@Takumi as
Amir Halgal [Otoyomegatari]
@Kaykay as
Beatrice Waltrud von Kircheisen [Dies Irae]
@Gummi Bunnies as
Kiyohime [Fate/Grand Order]
@ShiroKiyoshi as
Klein Ullyr Green [OC]
@Verite as
Kyoko Kirigiri [Danganronpa]
@Leon Moretti as
Leon Moretti [OC]
@Mason Moretti as
Mason Travis Moretti [OC]
@Krieg as
Nancy Wheeler [Stranger Things]
@Yun Lee as
Noembelu [Street Fighter]
@Crow as
Nono Morikubo [The Idolmaster]
@LuckycoolHawk9 as
Phil Connors [Groundhog Day The Musical]
@York as
Reiner Braun [Attack on Titan]
@Minerva as
Saeko Busujima [Highschool of the Dead]
@Otto as
Shen [League of Legends]
@Glostechk as
Six [Little Nightmares]
@Jeremi as
T'Challa [Marvel Comics]
@J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X as
Teth Adam [DC Comics]
@The Batter as
The Batter [OFF]
@thatguyinthestore as
Toffee [Star vs the Forces of Evil]
