Main Event Right Hand of the Magic God

[York]

Spoiler: Replies

Suddenly, an intense, blinding light shone down from the sky above, bathing Jiren and those fighting him in an aura that could only be described as "holy." It was now almost impossible to see anything but the light and a sweet aroma seemed to permeate the air. Feelings of anger, anxiousness, fear, and the like were ebbed away, though did not disappear completely. The light began to dissipate after a few moments, though it left a transparent and shining veil around everyone.

What was perhaps most surprising once the light dissipated, was the reveal of a giant, glowing bird in everyone's presence.

A booming male voice could be heard by all present.

"Malevolence holds no power in my presence, for I am the light that nullifies the darkness. Stand down now, all of you, or risk divine retribution."

Immediately following this, a blue light appeared next to Aska, that quickly expanded to about the size of a human. Out of this light came a figure who was plainly Billy Kaplan.

"Everyone," he said, speaking loudly so all could hear, "this is one of the Great Spirits, Aska! He provides the Utopian Parallel with its light... and is the reason I'm still alive!"

"Truly ironic," said Aska. "It is only due to the loss of Verius that I must intervene, though I must protect the sorts of beings that caused his demise. Tell me, where is the being known as Shepherd Sorey, the one who wields the silver flame?"

@Cromartous @York @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight​

The aura soothed all as the bird descended.

"Over there, your great eagleness," Ben's form, controlling Schala's arm, points to Sorey's position as he spoke.

"You're a Great Spirit, right?" Ben asks, followed by a tint of nervousness in his tone. "I think you might want to leave soon. Someone's after you, and you appearing before us is part of their plan!"

@Atomic Knight @Cromartous @York @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight​

Phil Connors

Phil had already know what he was going to do before he even did it. While everybody had been busy monologuing, he had did a backwards flip into the water and started to swim towards the direction that Othinus had headed in. He hadn't even thought when he was swimming, acting on instinct he had learned from his college days.

He didn't care if they followed him. He didn't care if he died. It was funny, but death was welcome to him. In the loop, he couldn't die, no matter how he tried. In the Dark place, he couldn't die, but knowing that he had done something horrible and couldn't take it back was something he didn't care.

@Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Ver @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City

Rita Hanson

" He's telling the truth. I believe that Sorey is by... uhh Fiamma now," she said, trying to remember if she was right.

@Atomic Knight @Cromartous @York @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight

"Hmph." Aska seemed more annoyed than thankful for the group pointing Sorey out. He raised his head, causing Sorey to lift in the air. A shield of light appeared around the boy as he began to wake up.

"Wha...? How..."

"I am in no danger," said the Great Spirit, "but the multiverse is. Without Verius, the balance of all worlds threatens to tip at any moment and your petty squabbles only push all of reality further toward destruction. Beings like Sorey who have been granted my gift to purify malevolence are truly few, and that is why I must protect them in case of calamity."

Billy shook his head. "I don't know much, but Aska must be one of the strongest entities of the entire multiverse. If anything, we need him to help us fight Othinus!"

"I may counter malevolence, but malevolence takes no sides, and neither do I. I am here to protect the boy, nothing else."

@Cromartous @York @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight ​

"Can't we protect the boy for you, oh great eagleness?" Ben's form responds, trying to find a way to keep Aska away from Othinus. "That was kind of what we were doing... well... kinda... alright, we'll do a better job. Mistakes were made, but they can be learned from. That, or what Rita said."

Due to the reduction of aggression, he slowly levitates Schala back to the ground, transforms back into his original uniform-like form and Schala's regular outfit, jumps off her and back to the ground and transforms back into old human Ben.

And this time, Ben was feeling strain in his head and muscles, as well as heavy breathing.

"Man... that transformation was something... Schala... are you feeling alright...

Aaaanyways, I apologise, your eagleness, I'm not sure if I can allow you to proceed, especially if you view yourself as that important."

His muscles weak, but he neared the great bird, T-posing with every bit of strength he had in front of it.

"I don't know... if you want physical evidence... it might be too late by the time... you see it..."

His eyelids were fading, and his body shaking, yet he was determined.

@Atomic Knight @Cromartous @York @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight​

"Ben!" Libra rushed to the boy's side, attempting to heal him with his staff. He looked up to Aska as he did so. "I fear no matter how you try to protect him, Sorey is doomed, as is the Multiverse itself," the priest said. "Magic God Othinus is frighteningly close to her goal of rewriting reality as we know it, and unless we stop her...all of our lives may be forfeit. Please, there must be something you can do. We could use all the help we can at this point."

@Atomic Knight @Cromartous @York @Crow @Takumi@Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight
---

"Ugh..." Severa grimaced as Touma helped her up. The pain was subsiding, thankfully, but now something else wss bothering her. Gods, this was embarrassing...being all vulnerable like this was the worst! Okay, sure, her knee had been totally messed up, but...still. "I...I'm fine," she replied to Touma, and Kyoko as well, not back to her fiery self just yet. "Phil used his gun on my knee. Macy is healing me now, so...I'm fine."

Beat.

"...thanks for the help." She wasn't ready to move away just yet. It was kind of...nice, really, to just have someone by her side.

Good luck getting her to admit it, of course.


@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

Will had cut through Jiren's death beam likebutter, the sheer power she was feeling allowing her to tank the painand slice through his ki. He seemed full of rage and anger, that much was clear to Will. But she was too far gone now to reason with him, to talk and hopefully set him on the right path.

She had tried to many times before, with other enemies of his kind, only to be coldly brushed aside. now, Will would play it smart. If jiren would rather face death than change his ways, Will would be all too happy to send him packing.

"How pathetic. You still can't see the forest for the trees, can you? No matter. The others can try to reason with you, but I won't. You had your chance. Now you die like the rest."

Every word was spit from her mouth like venom from an angry cobra. Will had lost some humanity herself it seemed. How much Malevolence had she taken hold of? She didn't know, nor did she seem to care.

Instead, Will covered her fists in Dark Ki and rushed forwards to meet Jiren head on.

If Ben and Schala wanted to fool around and trade witty banter, they could do so all they wanted. Will on the other hand was done taking shit from people who clearly lacked remorse and compassion.

"This perfect world you so desperately seek shall NEVER become a reality! Not while I stil exist!"

@Cromartous @Crow @Ver @Yun Lee @Alex Azure @Jiren Fight

"Well, now that it's been all explained and out of the bag," Ben stops shaking his fidgety limbs, his eyes back to normal and his energy back, "I guess I'll have to tell you the biggest part of this jig - you are the final piece of her plans. We could use your help, but we'd like it to be in a way that Othinus can't sense you, visually or whatnot."

@Atomic Knight @Cromartous @York @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight​

Schala Zeal
@Cromartous @Ver @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight

When the great spirit, Aska and Billy arrived... Schala felt her body suddenly relax, as a tired, but happy smile spread across her face.

"Finally... Backup..." She said, and though she was about to point towards where Sorey was... Ben did it for her.

It was probably for the best. Although she wasn't physically exhausted, mentally, it was a different story.

Though it was evident Aska wasn't going to help, she was glad to see that Sorey was safe... Quietly looking up at the majestic bird, and smiling.

"Thank you... I'm glad... The Shephard is safe now..." She said softly.

Though, her attention quickly turned, first to Ben, who seemed to be quite worn out after this whole ordeal, but stopped once she saw he was being tended to by Libra.

In the end, all she could do, was at least say something to Ben.

"I'm... Fine... I think... Rest well... I-" But she never had the chance to finish what she was saying.

What Will was about to do forced her to divert her attention in a flash, casting haste on herself as she moved to stand in front of Will and Jiren, holding up both of her hands in a desperate attempt to break up the fight... Remembering what Aska had said earlier... About their squabbles...

"No...! You have to stop this, both of you!!!" She shouted.

It looked like something had suddenly occurred to her, about this conflict as a whole.

"... If Aska is right... At the rate we're going... This Multiverse won't even survive long enough for any of us to win..." She said, then she paused, turning to Aska for the moment, something else coming into her mind as well... A question.

"Othinus... She seeks to become a god... And perhaps destroy the multiverse as we know it... Why? Is it to achieve the 'heaven' Pucci spoke of?" She asked, frowning as she tried to recall the details of the encounter with Pucci.

After all, that was the reason Jiren turned against them in the first place...​

 

[Crow]

Phil Connors

Phil Connor was many things and he decided to try something dangerously stupid. Since Max had grabbed him by the chest and Girono had tried the Gold experience, he would try to do a flip and have it hit Max. If he failed, he died. What did it matter? It didn't. If he wasn't fast enough, so be it. It was either kill or be killed and both yielded good results. Either way the heroes choose, they could not win.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City

Phil would be successful, if he had taken into account what was in Max's other hand.

"Everyone fall back! Mason, get me once you've saved the worlds, bring Ben along."

The other item - it was... it seemed to be a weapon of sorts. Gold Experience, instead of hitting Phil or Max, would hit the device, breaking it. He previously called it the Null Void Projector.

"You're coming with me! I'll save you from them, and save me from you!"

With that, he presses the device's button which unleashed an explosive force! Anyone protected by a barrier that Max had suggested would be safe. Anyone outside the confines of such a barrier... eeehhh...

Either way, an explosion of spherical red energy spread throughout. Max had intended to have it solely engulf Phil, which it would at the very least do, and him too.

"Be good kids, or adults for that matter. I won't take long.

Maybe you'll find that this decision was dumb, stupid, well, maybe it is. But there's only one way to find out."

Based on its aftereffects after the burst cleared, it took a spherical area of ground, and Grandpa Max & Phil with it, as if they were vaporized.

Mason would feel a fresh essence from the site of the aftereffects that was similiar to his powers - specifically, his portal-based powers.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

 

[Ver]

"Don't worry about it. Though... If it's still hard for you to move with that leg, and considering we still have to swim across the city... You might have to hang on to my back until then. But only if that's okay with you," Touma said without missing a beat to Severa, as though it were the most logical conclusion. At least, if no one else here could fly and carry here.

...

And then... As the struggle went on, with Phil and Max suddenly disappearing from everyone's view, Othinus only clicked her tongue.

"Hmph. How droll. Boring, yet amusing. Still, wherever the two of them went, it is no matter to me. Surely, at least one of them has met their end or will so very soon, and for that, perhaps I shall humor my new subject when the time comes," she spoke, remaining seated in the air where she was until she finally began to move, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, "... But you will see at least one of them again soon enough. Perhaps even both."

And with that, she began to fly away, not even bothering to egg on the group this time. As she left, 10032's expression shifted, troubled as even she was able to recognize the gravity of the situation.

"It... appears that she is moving toward the location where the energy signatures were detected earlier, MISAKA observes as MISAKA realizes there is an increased amount of electrical energy in the air in that location," 10032 spoke, equipping the goggles that had always been worn over her forehead, as though using them to scan something in the air.

"Then... We've got to move!! We can't lose her again!" Touma exclaimed.

@Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

 

[Yun Lee]

Oh Gawds.

"Y-Yeah. Sure. B-But only because I have no clue what this knee is gonna do." Even now, she absolutely HAD to stress that to him. She couldn't even crack a joke about him being a pervert right now...and not just because she had gotten shot, either. It was clear he was looking out for her, and was genuinely concerned. And that was...nice, really, to be looked after like that, especially with how messed up everything had been so far. Probably one of the first times since winding up in Avalon that it happened.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Knee or no knee, I still have a score to settle with Othinus!" Her confidence was slowly coming back, fueled by Touma's kindness...and by a personal satisfaction at seeing Phil get obliterated. Serves him right!

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

 

[Crunch]

"Don't worry about it. Though... If it's still hard for you to move with that leg, and considering we still have to swim across the city... You might have to hang on to my back until then. But only if that's okay with you," Touma said without missing a beat to Severa, as though it were the most logical conclusion. At least, if no one else here could fly and carry here.

...

And then... As the struggle went on, with Phil and Max suddenly disappearing from everyone's view, Othinus only clicked her tongue.

"Hmph. How droll. Boring, yet amusing. Still, wherever the two of them went, it is no matter to me. Surely, at least one of them has met their end or will so very soon, and for that, perhaps I shall humor my new subject when the time comes," she spoke, remaining seated in the air where she was until she finally began to move, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, "... But you will see at least one of them again soon enough. Perhaps even both."

And with that, she began to fly away, not even bothering to egg on the group this time. As she left, 10032's expression shifted, troubled as even she was able to recognize the gravity of the situation.

"It... appears that she is moving toward the location where the energy signatures were detected earlier, MISAKA observes as MISAKA realizes there is an increased amount of electrical energy in the air in that location," 10032 spoke, equipping the goggles that had always been worn over her forehead, as though using them to scan something in the air.

"Then... We've got to move!! We can't lose her again!" Touma exclaimed.

@Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

"...!"

Before Giorno could pull back Gold Experience, Max Tennyson did what he did. Giorno's eyes winced as the flashing light of the seemingly-malfunctioning Null Void Projector consumed the bodies of Phil and Max, only opening them slightly to watch the nebulous black hole vanish into nothing, along with Max and Phil.

Giorno was frozen in place for a few moments. In the three years since he became the boss of Passione, nothing really surprised him much these days, but the brief sequence of events left the Don Giovanna staring blankly at nothing. Othinus' booming voice intruded upon his mental space, to which Giorno shook his head and thrust himself back into his own body. He inhaled, looking upwards in the direction that 10032 pointed to, swallowing the gravity of the situation again.

"... We'll see if what Max did was worth it. Jolyne, everyone, let's go!" Giorno pushed himself off the ground and rushed to the edge of the rooftop, waving his hand for the group to follow.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

 

[Sark]

"Well, Libra, I'm keeping to my promise not to kill him..."

When Jiren struck the team, he would feel something from Schala & Ben that halted his actions. Schala was being veiled in a cloak of light during this as Ben's fabric-like form was reduced to a compressed, durable metal-jade-like neckpiece that carried her pendant.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

Schala would find her outfit altered, transforming into a brand new one, as white cloths, emerging from the neckpiece, crossed over her chest in an X-like manner, before descending and decorating themselves into a long skirt base. This skirt area had two drapes hanging on the sides, flowing in the wind gracefully - one seeming to burn at the tip, yet no amount of time could actually char it, and the other one seeming to dissipate into plasma electricity, yet it would never truly vanish.

The finishing touches - blackish-green metallic-jade anklets and cuffs to go with the outfit, a small frost tiara, and this odd transformation turning her earrings into gems resembling the sun & moon.

What, were you expecting something more delinquent-like for an outfit?

The very energy of the transformation process seemed to slow Jiren down, and should Jiren continue, Ben would control Schala's hand for a bit to block the punch, seemingly effortlessly as the combined duo was blown back only a mere few metres. Whatever the upgrades did, it caused Schala to become greater in power, in both offense & defense. To say it doubled, quadrapled, that would be an understatement. She would begin to levitate above the ground and waters.

"... but I made absolutely no promises about not kicking his butt really, really badly!"

Ben's supposed 'eyes' in this form looked to a corner at what appeared to be toy bricks, some of Pesky Bloxx's leftover... uh... body parts. During this period, the burning drape would be temporarily transformed into a plug-shaped appendage as it zapped at the bricks, converting them to a plasma-like state and draining them, before turning back to their usual silky white form, with the burning tip. Just what was that for?

"Alright, if we're still on the 'make peace' thing, I might have an idea where step one is going very near to Jiren. That on its own might be a problem, but I think that's obvious...

... I'm going to pull this plan off before we even start thinking of last resorts!"

"Ghhhraggh!!"

Jiren roared, his first colliding with Schala's hand. She had... endured his strike. Lost in thoughts of impossibility, Jiren simply watched her skid backwards, unfazed by his full power strike. He could not admit it. He would not admit it... but the tabled had started to turn in their favour. Jiren twisted his body into a spin kick, the feint attack sending a razor wind forth, dividing the air between him and his foe. From here on out, every strike mattered. Ever touch and every tap would lay the foundations towards the final blow, whether it would be his or theirs. Not time to hesitate. No time to think. No time for mercy.

Diamond rose from the ground, forming a sharp wall to take the brunt of Jiren's attack and protect Chise and any near her. Once the alien was done, it lowered, her resolve still present, but a gleam of sadness could be detected in her gaze.

"My mother nearly killed me when I was little, before taking her own life...I was unwanted by realtives and wanted nothing more than to end my own life before I was given the chance to be useful to someone, to be wanted and have a home." She spoke, more magical energy being expelled and absorbed by the girl as she mentally, and physically prepared for anything Jiren would throw at her.

"If my mother hadn't let go that day I wouldn't have gone through all of the hardships I've faced that shaped me into who I am now-I wouldn't have friends or a home or any of it! The experiences I went through, both good and bad, were needed for me to grow and want to live." She spoke, the ground beneath her becoming crystalized thanks to the powers of Diamondhead that Ben's Omnitrix gave her. Crystalline flowers and shards forming. "I have people I love that I will protect, and my new friends...I want to protect them too. I...the experiences that make me who I am, you have no right to change them by warping everything to this so called 'freedom', or the world you envisioned." She didn't want to kill him, but she knew that if he wasn't stopped somehow, then he would hurt her new friends and comrades or kill them. She didn't want to use anymore energy than this either, otherwise, she'd end up worse than before back at the vault. That didn't mean she wasn't ready to at least keep the rest of the group from getting hurt too much.

A shockwave rippled across the surface of the diamond, sounding a gong's chime across the battlefield. A second strike followed it, projected from his waist with his other arm. It struck again and again and again, his ears closed from the devastating cries of the compressed air. With a roar of its own, the diamond shattered into shards, its spikes stinging his flesh like a swarm of wasp. He closed his mind further, shielding himself from the pain. His levitation shielded him from the diamond flowers at this feet.

He came to a sudden halt in front of his foe, his scratched form returning to its statued state.

"I pity your struggle... but it ends tonight. It ends here. From tomorrow onwards, things will be made anew. The scars may not vanish, but they will fade away. They will be unto the morning due. Your pain will be gone. There will be no more need for conflict... you will find the peace and release your words do not carry. You will have the chance to let go. Have faith"

Even at what Jiren said... Schala suddenly sheathed her blades, intending to face him with her bade hands... Instead of dark magic coated blades, shaking her head.

"I too, fight to break the cycle... I believe we don't need a heaven... We don't need immortality, but... What we do need... Is to change how we fight... And in the end... How we win." She said.

"I understand we'll have to fight Jiren... Maybe knock some sense into him... But, as I said... We must... Break this cycle of death and violence. We must change... Our way of fighting... If we ever to achieve what we desire." She said.

"Maybe one day, you will break the chain..." Jiren broke into another spin kick, releasing another wave of razor winds, before charging forward to flank them, closing the gap between Schala and himself "But then... you will die. Time will eat you. Time will destroy all you have made, and the toxicity of human nature will defile its corpse. It will be undone. Reality kills. Reality consumed! IT MUST END!"

Suddenly, an intense, blinding light shone down from the sky above, bathing Jiren and those fighting him in an aura that could only be described as "holy." It was now almost impossible to see anything but the light and a sweet aroma seemed to permeate the air. Feelings of anger, anxiousness, fear, and the like were ebbed away, though did not disappear completely. The light began to dissipate after a few moments, though it left a transparent and shining veil around everyone.

What was perhaps most surprising once the light dissipated, was the reveal of a giant, glowing bird in everyone's presence.


A booming male voice could be heard by all present.

"Malevolence holds no power in my presence, for I am the light that nullifies the darkness. Stand down now, all of you, or risk divine retribution."

Immediately following this, a blue light appeared next to Aska, that quickly expanded to about the size of a human. Out of this light came a figure who was plainly Billy Kaplan.

"Everyone," he said, speaking loudly so all could hear, "this is one of the Great Spirits, Aska! He provides the Utopian Parallel with its light... and is the reason I'm still alive!"

"Truly ironic," said Aska. "It is only due to the loss of Verius that I must intervene, though I must protect the sorts of beings that caused his demise. Tell me, where is the being known as Shepherd Sorey, the one who wields the silver flame?"

Jiren shielded his eyes, slowing his assult until he came to a complete stop. Even beneath the shield of his arm, he found his eyes entering a full squint, his eyelids forced shut with the same force as the rage was pulled from his system. The spirit had finally arrived... the finale was coming closer and closer by the second. How fitting that a force of life would come to witness the death of the universe? He had never invested himself into the intricacies of the plan before; under Pucci's command, he had fought for the defence of the ideals of the movement, leaving the technical details of the plan to the technicians. He trusted what remained of his allies. They would the situation under control. In his state of peace, he raised his hand to Kaplan's arrival.

"And so it begins... The first rebirth... Hold on to this joy... For more life is coming"

The aura soothed all as the bird descended.

"Over there, your great eagleness," Ben's form, controlling Schala's arm, points to Sorey's position as he spoke.

"You're a Great Spirit, right?" Ben asks, followed by a tint of nervousness in his tone. "I think you might want to leave soon. Someone's after you, and you appearing before us is part of their plan!"

Libra immediately felt humble in the presence of Aska, and relieved to see Billy alive. "He is safe, sir," he dared to say, indicating where Ollerus and Fiamma had relocated the poor boy. "And it is as Ben says...you are in grave danger by being here."

"Ignore them, Spirit!" Jiren cried "Ignore the blasphemer! Do not strike out against the Revanites. Protect them... Strike out against the Coalition. They are the ones who have come here to destroy!"

"Hmph." Aska seemed more annoyed than thankful for the group pointing Sorey out. He raised his head, causing Sorey to lift in the air. A shield of light appeared around the boy as he began to wake up.

"Wha...? How..."

"I am in no danger," said the Great Spirit, "but the multiverse is. Without Verius, the balance of all worlds threatens to tip at any moment and your petty squabbles only push all of reality further toward destruction. Beings like Sorey who have been granted my gift to purify malevolence are truly few, and that is why I must protect them in case of calamity."

Billy shook his head. "I don't know much, but Aska must be one of the strongest entities of the entire multiverse. If anything, we need him to help us fight Othinus!"

"I may counter malevolence, but malevolence takes no sides, and neither do I. I am here to protect the boy, nothing else."

"So be it... Remain separate from this. Sever your tethers to life. If conflict accelerates the Rebirth, then you cannot stop it. Every strike you make against us plays into our hands now... you cannot defeat Othinus"

"Can't we protect the boy for you, oh great eagleness?" Ben's form responds, trying to find a way to keep Aska away from Othinus. "That was kind of what we were doing... well... kinda... alright, we'll do a better job. Mistakes were made, but they can be learned from. That, or what Rita said."

Due to the reduction of aggression, he slowly levitates Schala back to the ground, transforms back into his original uniform-like form and Schala's regular outfit, jumps off her and back to the ground and transforms back into old human Ben.

And this time, Ben was feeling strain in his head and muscles, as well as heavy breathing.

"Man... that transformation was something... Schala... are you feeling alright...

Aaaanyways, I apologise, your eagleness, I'm not sure if I can allow you to proceed, especially if you view yourself as that important."

His muscles weak, but he neared the great bird, T-posing with every bit of strength he had in front of it.

"I don't know... if you want physical evidence... it might be too late by the time... you see it..."

His eyelids were fading, and his body shaking, yet he was determined.

"Ben!" Libra rushed to the boy's side, attempting to heal him with his staff. He looked up to Aska as he did so. "I fear no matter how you try to protect him, Sorey is doomed, as is the Multiverse itself," the priest said. "Magic God Othinus is frighteningly close to her goal of rewriting reality as we know it, and unless we stop her...all of our lives may be forfeit. Please, there must be something you can do. We could use all the help we can at this point."

"They lie...They seek to manipulate you. They seek to keep you from your destiny. Strike him down. Remove him from the fight. Their lies will destabilise this world" Jiren took a knee, casting his eyes down before the bird's light "Grant me a fraction of strength, Great Spirit. In exchange for that gift, I will keep these mortals from interfering with your fate. Go to Sorey. Go to Othinus. She will show you the truth"

"How pathetic. You still can't see the forest for the trees, can you? No matter. The others can try to reason with you, but I won't. You had your chance. Now you die like the rest."

Every word was spit from her mouth like venom from an angry cobra. Will had lost some humanity herself it seemed. How much Malevolence had she taken hold of? She didn't know, nor did she seem to care.

Instead, Will covered her fists in Dark Ki and rushed forwards to meet Jiren head on.

If Ben and Schala wanted to fool around and trade witty banter, they could do so all they wanted. Will on the other hand was done taking shit from people who clearly lacked remorse and compassion.

"This perfect world you so desperately seek shall NEVER become a reality! Not while I stil exist!"

Jiren's Ki shield dispersed the acid upon contact, the liquid fading into steam. Before the might of the Spirit, all the powers of man meant seemed like nothing. In the face of the light, the Dark Ki was crippled. Jiren stepped out of the path of her strike in a flash and returned to his stance of kneeling before the bird.

"Do you not see, Great Spirit? She stands with these mortals! She fights to destabilize the multiverse! She had no respect for your might... Punish her!!"

"Well, now that it's been all explained and out of the bag," Ben stops shaking his fidgety limbs, his eyes back to normal and his energy back, "I guess I'll have to tell you the biggest part of this jig - you are the final piece of her plans. We could use your help, but we'd like it to be in a way that Othinus can't sense you, visually or whatnot."

Jiren reached out with his mind, seeking to establish a mental link between Othinus, his allies and himself. His foes could not remove him from the area without the Spirits permission, and if they insisted on earning the Spirit's favour so publicly, he would have an ample opportunity to claim an advantage of his own.

"Lord Othinus... and all who remain" Jiren spoke across the void "The Spirit has arrived. Our foes are attempting to manipulate him. I pray I can prevent him from striking against us, but I am in need of counsel. How do I proceed?"

@Ver ​

 

[Crow]

Schala Zeal
@Cromartous @Ver @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight

When the great spirit, Aska and Billy arrived... Schala felt her body suddenly relax, as a tired, but happy smile spread across her face.

"Finally... Backup..." She said, and though she was about to point towards where Sorey was... Ben did it for her.

It was probably for the best. Although she wasn't physically exhausted, mentally, it was a different story.

Though it was evident Aska wasn't going to help, she was glad to see that Sorey was safe... Quietly looking up at the majestic bird, and smiling.

"Thank you... I'm glad... The Shephard is safe now..." She said softly.

Though, her attention quickly turned, first to Ben, who seemed to be quite worn out after this whole ordeal, but stopped once she saw he was being tended to by Libra.

In the end, all she could do, was at least say something to Ben.

"I'm... Fine... I think... Rest well... I-" But she never had the chance to finish what she was saying.

What Will was about to do forced her to divert her attention in a flash, casting haste on herself as she moved to stand in front of Will and Jiren, holding up both of her hands in a desperate attempt to break up the fight... Remembering what Aska had said earlier... About their squabbles...

"No...! You have to stop this, both of you!!!" She shouted.

It looked like something had suddenly occurred to her, about this conflict as a whole.

"... If Aska is right... At the rate we're going... This Multiverse won't even survive long enough for any of us to win..." She said, then she paused, turning to Aska for the moment, something else coming into her mind as well... A question.

"Othinus... She seeks to become a god... And perhaps destroy the multiverse as we know it... Why? Is it to achieve the 'heaven' Pucci spoke of?" She asked, frowning as she tried to recall the details of the encounter with Pucci.

After all, that was the reason Jiren turned against them in the first place...​

"Ghhhraggh!!"

Jiren roared, his first colliding with Schala's hand. She had... endured his strike. Lost in thoughts of impossibility, Jiren simply watched her skid backwards, unfazed by his full power strike. He could not admit it. He would not admit it... but the tabled had started to turn in their favour. Jiren twisted his body into a spin kick, the feint attack sending a razor wind forth, dividing the air between him and his foe. From here on out, every strike mattered. Ever touch and every tap would lay the foundations towards the final blow, whether it would be his or theirs. Not time to hesitate. No time to think. No time for mercy.

A shockwave rippled across the surface of the diamond, sounding a gong's chime across the battlefield. A second strike followed it, projected from his waist with his other arm. It struck again and again and again, his ears closed from the devastating cries of the compressed air. With a roar of its own, the diamond shattered into shards, its spikes stinging his flesh like a swarm of wasp. He closed his mind further, shielding himself from the pain. His levitation shielded him from the diamond flowers at this feet.

He came to a sudden halt in front of his foe, his scratched form returning to its statued state.

"I pity your struggle... but it ends tonight. It ends here. From tomorrow onwards, things will be made anew. The scars may not vanish, but they will fade away. They will be unto the morning due. Your pain will be gone. There will be no more need for conflict... you will find the peace and release your words do not carry. You will have the chance to let go. Have faith"

"Maybe one day, you will break the chain..." Jiren broke into another spin kick, releasing another wave of razor winds, before charging forward to flank them, closing the gap between Schala and himself "But then... you will die. Time will eat you. Time will destroy all you have made, and the toxicity of human nature will defile its corpse. It will be undone. Reality kills. Reality consumed! IT MUST END!"

Jiren shielded his eyes, slowing his assult until he came to a complete stop. Even beneath the shield of his arm, he found his eyes entering a full squint, his eyelids forced shut with the same force as the rage was pulled from his system. The spirit had finally arrived... the finale was coming closer and closer by the second. How fitting that a force of life would come to witness the death of the universe? He had never invested himself into the intricacies of the plan before; under Pucci's command, he had fought for the defence of the ideals of the movement, leaving the technical details of the plan to the technicians. He trusted what remained of his allies. They would the situation under control. In his state of peace, he raised his hand to Kaplan's arrival.

"And so it begins... The first rebirth... Hold on to this joy... For more life is coming"


"Ignore them, Spirit!" Jiren cried "Ignore the blasphemer! Do not strike out against the Revanites. Protect them... Strike out against the Coalition. They are the ones who have come here to destroy!"

"So be it... Remain separate from this. Sever your tethers to life. If conflict accelerates the Rebirth, then you cannot stop it. Every strike you make against us plays into our hands now... you cannot defeat Othinus"
​

"They lie...They seek to manipulate you. They seek to keep you from your destiny. Strike him down. Remove him from the fight. Their lies will destabilise this world" Jiren took a knee, casting his eyes down before the bird's light "Grant me a fraction of strength, Great Spirit. In exchange for that gift, I will keep these mortals from interfering with your fate. Go to Sorey. Go to Othinus. She will show you the truth"



Jiren's Ki shield dispersed the acid upon contact, the liquid fading into steam. Before the might of the Spirit, all the powers of man meant seemed like nothing. In the face of the light, the Dark Ki was crippled. Jiren stepped out of the path of her strike in a flash and returned to his stance of kneeling before the bird.

"Do you not see, Great Spirit? She stands with these mortals! She fights to destabilize the multiverse! She had no respect for your might... Punish her!!"

Jiren reached out with his mind, seeking to establish a mental link between Othinus, his allies and himself. His foes could not remove him from the area without the Spirits permission, and if they insisted on earning the Spirit's favour so publicly, he would have an ample opportunity to claim an advantage of his own.

"Lord Othinus... and all who remain" Jiren spoke across the void "The Spirit has arrived. Our foes are attempting to manipulate him. I pray I can prevent him from striking against us, but I am in need of counsel. How do I proceed?"

@Ver ​

"Oh right, I almost forgot Jiren was here for a while," Ben said, speaking to Aska, "oh great eagleness, you might want to fly away, like...

... now!"

He seemed to know what was going to happen next. He knew of Jiren's telepathic feats. He steps back.

"I know this is the worst time, Schala, but just in case the worst possible thing happens, can I trust you with something?"

@Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @York​

 

[Lucky]

Rita Hanson

Rita just stared for a moment and looked at Rita 2 and then the spirit. " Okay, maybe it's being a stupid mortal, but is there anyone way to stop the multiverse and reality from crumbling or is it just going to happen?" She asked.

@Crow @Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @York

 

[Kaykay]

There were no further movements from Leivinia after Phil had managed to dodge her slash of wind. Other than a slight shift when Othinus reappeared and promptly disappeared, she hadn't interfered with Phil's affairs any further. Honestly, he was just a normal person with an absurd desire to see the end. It wasn't worth pursuing him too far just to stop him. There was very little he could offer after all. The Coalition had already lost the piece of Gungnir and they had lost the Arrow here. There was no information to leak and Phil offered minimal to nonexistent combat presence.

So when Max absorbed both of them into some sort of portal-like thing, Leivinia could only frown. Playing the hero to save someone who didn't even want to be saved. She could understand the reasoning and idea behind it, but she couldn't help but feel like it was an insane, wasted effort. But even so, she would hope for the old man's success.

Speaking of heroes, Leivinia shot Touma a dirty glare but otherwise didn't react. For now. Following the direction of the energy, she began to walk with the others.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

 

[Macy Moretti]

"S-Severa?! What happened?! What's going on?!" Kyoko exclaimed over the comm link as she was shot, before Touma's voice echoed loudly from behind.

"Severa!!" He called out, running over to her hurriedly, followed by 10032 (in a comparatively less alarmed manner). As Macy healed her wound, the spiky-haired boy rushed over and tried to help her up, braving to wrap her arm around himself just in case she'd still have trouble walking -- if not from the residual pain of the wound, then just from the physical and mental shock of everything -- before anything else. He hadn't even noticed Severa's more subdued response to Macy's nursing until after that point, a softer expression painted on his face.

"S-Severa, are you alright?" Touma asked. He felt a bit stupid asking her something like that, when the situation was what it was, but at the same time, he couldn't stand not asking her just in case.

"She was wounded, but has already been healed, it appears, observes MISAKA."

"That's not what I meant!"

...

Meanwhile, as the rest of the group chased after Phil, with mostly Max trying to engage with him, Othinus suddenly appeared again from above, floating in the air with her legs crossed as though she were sitting atop an invisible chair, chuckling softly as she witnessed the struggle between the two, plus Leivinia. Looking at Phil with a smirk, she spoke with a commanding voice.

"Fufu, you've finally become true to yourself, it appears. Good, good. But you must prove that you are truly willing to serve me. Such trials are fulfilled with blood, as per human customs, it appears. So then, in accordance with it... I shall give you a test, Philip Connors."

"Prove your loyalty to me. Kill Max Tennyson, or die by the hands of your former allies. Either way, you will be rewarded in time."

@Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

"Ben!" Libra rushed to the boy's side, attempting to heal him with his staff. He looked up to Aska as he did so. "I fear no matter how you try to protect him, Sorey is doomed, as is the Multiverse itself," the priest said. "Magic God Othinus is frighteningly close to her goal of rewriting reality as we know it, and unless we stop her...all of our lives may be forfeit. Please, there must be something you can do. We could use all the help we can at this point."

@Atomic Knight @Cromartous @York @Crow @Takumi@Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver @JirenFight
---

"Ugh..." Severa grimaced as Touma helped her up. The pain was subsiding, thankfully, but now something else wss bothering her. Gods, this was embarrassing...being all vulnerable like this was the worst! Okay, sure, her knee had been totally messed up, but...still. "I...I'm fine," she replied to Touma, and Kyoko as well, not back to her fiery self just yet. "Phil used his gun on my knee. Macy is healing me now, so...I'm fine."

Beat.

"...thanks for the help." She wasn't ready to move away just yet. It was kind of...nice, really, to just have someone by her side.

Good luck getting her to admit it, of course.


@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

View attachment 3344
"You're welcome. Happy to help," Macy said, finding the will to smile in the dark moment.

"Yeah, Mace, I think we're needed elsewhere," Mason interrupted. He grabbed his sister by the collar and dragged her back into battle, just as she had dragged him away earlier.​

"Othinus, you monster," Grandpa Max simply says as he continues the battle.​

"I can make promises to not kill you, Phil, but I make absolutely none about giving you a long, long hospital stay."

It seemed that Grandpa Max was being serious here as he takes out his blaster and begins to aim for Phil's legs!

"You're not a bad man, Phil. Alright, maybe you are, but you have potential. You blame society on having such toxic mannerisms, yet you embrace them, you accept them, you integrate them into you. Today you're going to learn about the possibility of change! Today, you will care!"

Max then speaks to the rest of the group.

"Leivinia, Mason, think you two could conjure a barrier around your friends?"

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

"...Hoo, how frustrating."

Giorno Giovanna sighed.

The sequence of events left the guardian of the Arrow mute and lost in thought. Diego may disapprove of his son simply allowing the all-powerful, coveted Arrow to fall into the hands of their sworn enemy so casually, but Giorno simply couldn't feel any resentment or weakness in the face of the Magic God. What else could his stony face convey? It remained still and frozen with unknowable intent, watching the scene unfold.

It was all so frustrating. Irritating. Not rage-inducing by any means, but more like a thorn in his side that refused to fall off. The path ahead was momentarily obscured... but such a 'reality' simply could not exist.

Alongside Willard, Giorno boldly approached Phil and coldly looked down upon him, commanding Gold Experience to flash its fists.

"You have no resolve left, do you? No will to survive, no morals to speak of, no overriding objective or purpose. Those eyes are like lifeless puppet wandering aimlessly."

"I have a dream that I know is just...for our future, we must do what we can. If you obscure my path... then, I'll give you a swift death, at the very least," the don spoke in his authoritative voice, evoking his title as the boss of Passione.
​

"Gold Experience."

Gold Experience was already lunging forward as soon as the guns entered its view, faster than anything else.

A golden fist aimed to completely impale the adult through the abdomen.

@Ver @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

Phil Connors

Phil Connor was many things and he decided to try something dangerously stupid. Since Max had grabbed him by the chest and Girono had tried the Gold experience, he would try to do a flip and have it hit Max. If he failed, he died. What did it matter? It didn't. If he wasn't fast enough, so be it. It was either kill or be killed and both yielded good results. Either way the heroes choose, they could not win.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City

❝ Dammit. ❞ Willard could see this ending off worse than they'd like. Rushing to the scene, he did his best to try and push Max out of the Stand's way, and going for a quick stab with his sword towards Phil. There was no way he was going to let this conflict take more than they could lose.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

Phil would be successful, if he had taken into account what was in Max's other hand.

"Everyone fall back! Mason, get me once you've saved the worlds, bring Ben along."

The other item - it was... it seemed to be a weapon of sorts. Gold Experience, instead of hitting Phil or Max, would hit the device, breaking it. He previously called it the Null Void Projector.

"You're coming with me! I'll save you from them, and save me from you!"

With that, he presses the device's button which unleashed an explosive force! Anyone protected by a barrier that Max had suggested would be safe. Anyone outside the confines of such a barrier... eeehhh...

Either way, an explosion of spherical red energy spread throughout. Max had intended to have it solely engulf Phil, which it would at the very least do, and him too.

"Be good kids, or adults for that matter. I won't take long.

Maybe you'll find that this decision was dumb, stupid, well, maybe it is. But there's only one way to find out."

Based on its aftereffects after the burst cleared, it took a spherical area of ground, and Grandpa Max & Phil with it, as if they were vaporized.

Mason would feel a fresh essence from the site of the aftereffects that was similiar to his powers - specifically, his portal-based powers.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

Mason and Macy arrived in the nick of time. Purple and blue auras provided shields and barriers for protection. The twins assured that only Max and Phil were affected by explosion of the Null Void Projector. As the blast cleared, the barriers disappeared, as had Max and Phil.

Yet the twins could feel an energy left in the air. It was as if the empty void where the elder and traitor once stood had a heart of its own. A wave of energy passed over them. Macy backed away, trembling in a way a robot shouldn't be. Mason retracted the Arc Fusion Blades and took a step forward. Something drew him towards the spot.

Mason held his left hand in the space where the Null Void Projector was moments before being smashed. Suddenly, a flurry of red sparks popped into existence and ran up Mason's arm. The sudden jolt caused him to jump back. For an instant, a ring of red aura formed in front of him. Through the ring could be seen the hellish landscape Max and Phil had been transported to. The Null Void.

But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. It was there for only a fraction of a second. The red sparks continued arcing around Mason's arm. It caused him clear pain, but all he could do was stare in wonder at his left arm. The sparks eventually faded. He wiggled his fingers and twisted his wrist. No damage was done to it, but something felt different.

"That blast felt just like one of my portals. Normally I can only copy something for the sake of looks, but I think I can... I think Max left a way for me to get him out of wherever he is."

"That device... He called it the Null Void Projector. It opened to another dimension. He summoned crazy alien beasts from it and tried to suck Pucci into it back at the mansion."

"Do you mean another universe?"

"I don't think I can access it by any normal sort of multiverse travel. Dimension might be the better word in this case."

"So... I think I can access the Null Void... HELL YEAH! About time I got an upgrade! Time to go slam Othinus into another dimension!"

"MASON. STOP." Macy spoke with a harsh, commanding tone. This wasn't her normal, cheery disposition. Nor was this the sassy underside drawn out by Severa's anger or Phil's nihilism. This was a voice filled with panic. Worry. Despair, even. She glared at Mason, freezing him in place.

She continued, "You're still such a kid sometimes. I am too, but one of us has to be the grown up at some point. I spent two years trapped with you. Two. Years. Maybe even more. We both lost track of time.

"I know you, Mason. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking you've been given some great heroic power. You're thinking you can go up to Othinus, open up the Null Void, and suck her in. You think you can be the hero, center stage, spotlight. Well, Mason, that isn't going to work.

"You haven't got the power to back up that kind of move. The reason you can't world hop on your own? You don't have enough power to handle it. You can make portals, you've proven that. I'm even proud of your precision with them! But going between universes doesn't require some special advanced technique that I've learned and can teach you. It wasn't a magical necklace or guidance from the gods that brought you between worlds. It was me, providing a bit of extra power so we can make the jump. I spent two years as a magical battery because I knew eventually you'd bring me back somehow. Even now, I can still barely handle a multiverse portal! It's a miracle we get anywhere we need to go when I make one! Pure random chance that we don't end up out in space, or underwater, or in a solar system that's about to experience a supernova!

"And you've seen how much you can't stack up. You can't stab a serial killer. You can't shoot a stand user. You can't beat a god of thunder. And you definitely can't beat a Magic God. Not on your own. That's why we have a team! It has been a slowly dwindling team, and I feel personally responsible for letting some people die, but we're still together!

"Be glad you're not an Imagine Breaker, or a summoner of spirits, or an Ultimate Detective, or a Stand user, or a twelve-year-old magical mafia leader, or an old man who is risking his life for the greater good. Usually I can put up with you playing hero, but this time you're risking a lot more than your own life. You can probably only open the Null Void once. Maybe twice, if we're lucky.

"So you're going to sit in the back, provide support, and stay alive. When this is over, we go save Max with Ben's help. Do you understand?"

Mason offered silence in reply. He stood still, blanky staring. Macy sighed. With her rant over, she took a moment to make sure her own wounds were healed, covering up the bits of metal showing from underneath synthetic skin. With Mason still unresponsive, she started dragging him by the collar again, moving onward.
​

"Don't worry about it. Though... If it's still hard for you to move with that leg, and considering we still have to swim across the city... You might have to hang on to my back until then. But only if that's okay with you," Touma said without missing a beat to Severa, as though it were the most logical conclusion. At least, if no one else here could fly and carry here.

...

And then... As the struggle went on, with Phil and Max suddenly disappearing from everyone's view, Othinus only clicked her tongue.

"Hmph. How droll. Boring, yet amusing. Still, wherever the two of them went, it is no matter to me. Surely, at least one of them has met their end or will so very soon, and for that, perhaps I shall humor my new subject when the time comes," she spoke, remaining seated in the air where she was until she finally began to move, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, "... But you will see at least one of them again soon enough. Perhaps even both."

And with that, she began to fly away, not even bothering to egg on the group this time. As she left, 10032's expression shifted, troubled as even she was able to recognize the gravity of the situation.

"It... appears that she is moving toward the location where the energy signatures were detected earlier, MISAKA observes as MISAKA realizes there is an increased amount of electrical energy in the air in that location," 10032 spoke, equipping the goggles that had always been worn over her forehead, as though using them to scan something in the air.

"Then... We've got to move!! We can't lose her again!" Touma exclaimed.

@Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

Oh Gawds.

"Y-Yeah. Sure. B-But only because I have no clue what this knee is gonna do." Even now, she absolutely HAD to stress that to him. She couldn't even crack a joke about him being a pervert right now...and not just because she had gotten shot, either. It was clear he was looking out for her, and was genuinely concerned. And that was...nice, really, to be looked after like that, especially with how messed up everything had been so far. Probably one of the first times since winding up in Avalon that it happened.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Knee or no knee, I still have a score to settle with Othinus!" Her confidence was slowly coming back, fueled by Touma's kindness...and by a personal satisfaction at seeing Phil get obliterated. Serves him right!

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

"...!"

Before Giorno could pull back Gold Experience, Max Tennyson did what he did. Giorno's eyes winced as the flashing light of the seemingly-malfunctioning Null Void Projector consumed the bodies of Phil and Max, only opening them slightly to watch the nebulous black hole vanish into nothing, along with Max and Phil.

Giorno was frozen in place for a few moments. In the three years since he became the boss of Passione, nothing really surprised him much these days, but the brief sequence of events left the Don Giovanna staring blankly at nothing. Othinus' booming voice intruded upon his mental space, to which Giorno shook his head and thrust himself back into his own body. He inhaled, looking upwards in the direction that 10032 pointed to, swallowing the gravity of the situation again.

"... We'll see if what Max did was worth it. Jolyne, everyone, let's go!" Giorno pushed himself off the ground and rushed to the edge of the rooftop, waving his hand for the group to follow.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

With her bright, cheery tune returning she spoke to the group there in the city.

View attachment 3344
"If anybody has anything else to add, let's do it on the way. We need to get moving. Mason will reboot from this blue screen of death soon enough."

"Severa, sweetie, let me know if that knee keeps hurting. Bones are a bit tricky to heal, so it might still be tender. My brother here has broken enough bones to know how brittle they can be. Right, bro?"

"Yeah, always the legs," Mason mumbled in reply.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT@Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

 

[Hahli Nuva]

"Ghhhraggh!!"

Jiren roared, his first colliding with Schala's hand. She had... endured his strike. Lost in thoughts of impossibility, Jiren simply watched her skid backwards, unfazed by his full power strike. He could not admit it. He would not admit it... but the tabled had started to turn in their favour. Jiren twisted his body into a spin kick, the feint attack sending a razor wind forth, dividing the air between him and his foe. From here on out, every strike mattered. Ever touch and every tap would lay the foundations towards the final blow, whether it would be his or theirs. Not time to hesitate. No time to think. No time for mercy.

A shockwave rippled across the surface of the diamond, sounding a gong's chime across the battlefield. A second strike followed it, projected from his waist with his other arm. It struck again and again and again, his ears closed from the devastating cries of the compressed air. With a roar of its own, the diamond shattered into shards, its spikes stinging his flesh like a swarm of wasp. He closed his mind further, shielding himself from the pain. His levitation shielded him from the diamond flowers at this feet.

He came to a sudden halt in front of his foe, his scratched form returning to its statued state.

"I pity your struggle... but it ends tonight. It ends here. From tomorrow onwards, things will be made anew. The scars may not vanish, but they will fade away. They will be unto the morning due. Your pain will be gone. There will be no more need for conflict... you will find the peace and release your words do not carry. You will have the chance to let go. Have faith"

"Maybe one day, you will break the chain..." Jiren broke into another spin kick, releasing another wave of razor winds, before charging forward to flank them, closing the gap between Schala and himself "But then... you will die. Time will eat you. Time will destroy all you have made, and the toxicity of human nature will defile its corpse. It will be undone. Reality kills. Reality consumed! IT MUST END!"

Jiren shielded his eyes, slowing his assult until he came to a complete stop. Even beneath the shield of his arm, he found his eyes entering a full squint, his eyelids forced shut with the same force as the rage was pulled from his system. The spirit had finally arrived... the finale was coming closer and closer by the second. How fitting that a force of life would come to witness the death of the universe? He had never invested himself into the intricacies of the plan before; under Pucci's command, he had fought for the defence of the ideals of the movement, leaving the technical details of the plan to the technicians. He trusted what remained of his allies. They would the situation under control. In his state of peace, he raised his hand to Kaplan's arrival.

"And so it begins... The first rebirth... Hold on to this joy... For more life is coming"


"Ignore them, Spirit!" Jiren cried "Ignore the blasphemer! Do not strike out against the Revanites. Protect them... Strike out against the Coalition. They are the ones who have come here to destroy!"

"So be it... Remain separate from this. Sever your tethers to life. If conflict accelerates the Rebirth, then you cannot stop it. Every strike you make against us plays into our hands now... you cannot defeat Othinus"
​

"They lie...They seek to manipulate you. They seek to keep you from your destiny. Strike him down. Remove him from the fight. Their lies will destabilise this world" Jiren took a knee, casting his eyes down before the bird's light "Grant me a fraction of strength, Great Spirit. In exchange for that gift, I will keep these mortals from interfering with your fate. Go to Sorey. Go to Othinus. She will show you the truth"



Jiren's Ki shield dispersed the acid upon contact, the liquid fading into steam. Before the might of the Spirit, all the powers of man meant seemed like nothing. In the face of the light, the Dark Ki was crippled. Jiren stepped out of the path of her strike in a flash and returned to his stance of kneeling before the bird.

"Do you not see, Great Spirit? She stands with these mortals! She fights to destabilize the multiverse! She had no respect for your might... Punish her!!"

Jiren reached out with his mind, seeking to establish a mental link between Othinus, his allies and himself. His foes could not remove him from the area without the Spirits permission, and if they insisted on earning the Spirit's favour so publicly, he would have an ample opportunity to claim an advantage of his own.

"Lord Othinus... and all who remain" Jiren spoke across the void "The Spirit has arrived. Our foes are attempting to manipulate him. I pray I can prevent him from striking against us, but I am in need of counsel. How do I proceed?"

@Ver ​

Will once again felt a calming warmth overtake her, repelling the dark and murderous thoughts. Never before had he rmind been so clear. As if she had taken a good night's rest and woke up feeling the best she'd ever been in a long time.

The light of the spirit filled her soul, warming her heart and dissipating her darker, more malicious attire. Once again, Will was in her normal pink and green Guardian attire.

"My head....W-what happened?"

"You were rescued from darkness, my child. A spirit has restored your mind."

"But we didn't win. Jiren's still here..."

"He is not the main problem, Keeper. Othinus is close. Be prepared. Let go of your hate. Turn it into compassion. You know this, Will. Himerish chose you for a reason...."

"...Okay... I will. I'm sorry. I won't be distracted anymore."

Will rose from the water, feeling rejuvinated and landing next to Ben. She looked upon the majestic being with a small smile. This was yet another Great Spirit. Hopefully this time, thing swould be different. Yet, Will could feel something, right on the horizon. Coming, moving fast. She didn't know what or who it was.

She just knew that it meant trouble. Still, if jiren dared atack the spirit, Will had no qualms about stepping in and making sure he paid the price.

@Ver @Yun Lee @Crow @CrunchyCHEEZIT @York @Minerva @Cromartous @Spirit

 

[Jeremi]

"This is fucking bullshit!" Jolyne exclaimed in frustration with all of the chaos surrounding them. "You guys are making my job way too hard!"

"For real!" Ermes agreed. "Stop being lame asses and beat up the witch instead!"

"...!"

Before Giorno could pull back Gold Experience, Max Tennyson did what he did. Giorno's eyes winced as the flashing light of the seemingly-malfunctioning Null Void Projector consumed the bodies of Phil and Max, only opening them slightly to watch the nebulous black hole vanish into nothing, along with Max and Phil.

Giorno was frozen in place for a few moments. In the three years since he became the boss of Passione, nothing really surprised him much these days, but the brief sequence of events left the Don Giovanna staring blankly at nothing. Othinus' booming voice intruded upon his mental space, to which Giorno shook his head and thrust himself back into his own body. He inhaled, looking upwards in the direction that 10032 pointed to, swallowing the gravity of the situation again.

"... We'll see if what Max did was worth it. Jolyne, everyone, let's go!" Giorno pushed himself off the ground and rushed to the edge of the rooftop, waving his hand for the group to follow.

@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City​

"You don't have to tell me twice!" As Jolyne and Ermes caught up with Giorno the young Cujoh did something that she hadn't done since her arrival hear. She sounded concerned. "How are you holding up?" She asked Giorno. "I know that arrow means a lot to you and with that witch having it...I'd be fucking pissed."

@CrunchyCHEEZIT
@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City

 

[Crunch]

"This is fucking bullshit!" Jolyne exclaimed in frustration with all of the chaos surrounding them. "You guys are making my job way too hard!"

"For real!" Ermes agreed. "Stop being lame asses and beat up the witch instead!"



"You don't have to tell me twice!" As Jolyne and Ermes caught up with Giorno the young Cujoh did something that she hadn't done since her arrival hear. She sounded concerned. "How are you holding up?" She asked Giorno. "I know that arrow means a lot to you and with that witch having it...I'd be fucking pissed."

@CrunchyCHEEZIT
@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City

Giorno initially didn't stop to even look at the young Cujoh, looking over the rooftop and remaining in constant movement. "I'm angry about many things, but not enough to let it cloud my judgement. We're approaching the end-game fast... I must do all I can to stop Othinus and protect the Arrow, even if it kills me. I have to..."

The boy's voice trailed off slightly as he halted at the edge of the rooftop, heavily exhaling and shaking his head. Even Jolyne could see some bags forming under his eyes, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He finally turned to look a Jolyne, managing to flash some semblance of a smile - weak as it was, it was genuine.

"I'm fine, Jolyne.... thank you."

Giorno continued moving onward, head facing forward. After a long while of awkward silence, he began speaking again. The exhaustion in his voice was palpable. "You know, I think I'm responsible for roping you and Ermes into this battle. I know you didn't want to see your father again, and I can only assume this whole thing seems annoying and irrelevant to you."

"I'm... I'm sorry, if that's the case. I don't mean to drag innocent, good people into the crossfire. I... just know the value of reliable alli--"

Giorno coughed.

"Reliable friends. In this case, reliable family."

Giorno glanced over his shoulder at Jolyne. "Everything I said to you back at the prison is still true. I hope that's still the reason you and Ermes joined me here."

@Jeremi
@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City


​

 

[Jeremi]

Giorno initially didn't stop to even look at the young Cujoh, looking over the rooftop and remaining in constant movement. "I'm angry about many things, but not enough to let it cloud my judgement. We're approaching the end-game fast... I must do all I can to stop Othinus and protect the Arrow, even if it kills me. I have to..."

The boy's voice trailed off slightly as he halted at the edge of the rooftop, heavily exhaling and shaking his head. Even Jolyne could see some bags forming under his eyes, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He finally turned to look a Jolyne, managing to flash some semblance of a smile - weak as it was, it was genuine.

"I'm fine, Jolyne.... thank you."

Giorno continued moving onward, head facing forward. After a long while of awkward silence, he began speaking again. The exhaustion in his voice was palpable. "You know, I think I'm responsible for roping you and Ermes into this battle. I know you didn't want to see your father again, and I can only assume this whole thing seems annoying and irrelevant to you."

"I'm... I'm sorry, if that's the case. I don't mean to drag innocent, good people into the crossfire. I... just know the value of reliable alli--"

Giorno coughed.

"Reliable friends. In this case, reliable family."

Giorno glanced over his shoulder at Jolyne. "Everything I said to you back at the prison is still true. I hope that's still the reason you and Ermes joined me here."

@Jeremi
@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City


​

Both women listened to Giorno intently and as he finished they looked at each other and grinned. "Nah we joined cause you got a nice ass!" Ermes responded with howling fake laughter, no doubt she would have slapped her knee if they weren't in a hurry.

Jolyne as well was laughing hard before her face got serious. "We're a lot of things but neither me and Ermes are innocent by any stretch of the word. We're here because if we weren't we'd have no say in how our future's going to be shaped. Or in this case, have a future at all. I'm going to do my best to break through and give that witch a good spanking so that everyone can live." She gave Giorno a small smile. "I guess your shitty words had something to do with it as well."

@CrunchyCHEEZIT
@Ver @Lucky @Hood Rat @Kaykay @Jeremi @Yun Lee @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Alex Azure @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @City

 

[Ver]

Collab with @Atomic Knight

---

Intermission
"The Descent of the Angel That Harms This World"

"..."

Akiko Yosano, one of the chief medical officers of the Coalition, was bored.

Ever since she had been assigned to the medical facility on Avalon shortly after the Coalition Civil War, a gesture of the organization's attempts to spare some of their numbers across their facilities in the wake of members either dying or resigning, Akiko had been bored nearly half to death. Curse Doppo for sending her here. Even Kenji was getting more action in the field than she was at this point!

Surprisingly, not a lot of people exactly needed pressing medical attention. If anyone was ever in need, it was usually just, they needed some medicine for a minor illness or so. And the few instances where someone did come to her for something significantly more serious like an injury pertaining to an altercation in the town or so, it wasn't even really that exciting to treat.

Even with the recent mess in Avalon with that demon boar and so on, no one was even gravely hurt. Seriously, what a pain. How was she gonna stay in business here?

But of course, that was Avalon. Nothing exciting ever happened here. Nothing interesting ever happened here.

At least, nothing that stayed restricted in Avalon.

Funny, even with the Coalition reeling from the recent attack on Knowhere, Akiko was still bored, even with the work she did get now, but--

"Akiko, are you okay...?"

"Oh, hmm?"

Jude Mathis sighed. He worked often with Akiko Yosano, but couldn't say he really worked with her necessarily. They always seemed to be of two different minds and would often divide work between them without speaking a word to each other. Things had been admittedly slow for a while, which seemed to have lulled Akiko into a drone-like state.

Which was only a problem now that things were picking up again.

"Hey, listen, I was wondering what we should do about dividing the wounded from the attack on Knowhere? I had Leia helping me treat most of them, but now they are getting a bit restless. The Brotherhood who were hurt protecting the civilians really want to get back out there, but most of them need rest. Really, they seem to just work each other up, so..."

Jude wrung his hands in thought. Not only had the wounded been transferred here, but so had many of the civilians when they evacuated Knowhere. There was no room for them here or anywhere else on Avalon, so they would have to be moved back soon now that the attack was over. There was just so much to do!

Even so, Akiko still only gave a lackadaisical response, shrugging simply. "Knock them out, whether with a good punch or a sedative. It'll work out in the end."

"Juuuude!" a female voice rang out.

The boy turned around to find his childhood friend, Leia, standing in the doorway of the office, looking wide-eyed. Leia and Jude had grown up together, both learning medicine, so she made a capable nurse when needed. Jude imagined she rathered be on the front lines for this particular battle, but he knew her affection for him likely trumped that.

Following behind her was Mikleo, the water seraph who Sorey had sent to stay at the facility. They actually had very few exorcists on hand, so determining if his run-in with malevolence was negatively affecting him was unclear. Regardless, Mikleo possessed powerful healing magic and so had been a valuable asset in helping the wounded.

"What is it?" Jude asked, looking a bit confused.

"One of the Brotherhood guys is acting totally loopy!" Leia exclaimed. "He's refusing all of my help! I want to know what's wrong with him but he won't let me examine him... it's just--" Leia crossed her arms and looked downcast. "I think he's upset. Did I do something wrong?"

Jude wasn't sure what to make of what Leia was saying at first, but then it occurred to him who she must have meant. "Oh... you mean Paladin Danse?" Jude tapped his head. "He will only let some certain staff help him. It's not your fault, Leia, I promise." It had completely slipped Jude's mind about Danse's condition. Showed how much he had to keep track of today!

As for Mikleo, the boy looked pensive. "... Also," he said, finding a moment to speak up, "you have a message from Morrigan. From the M.E.U.? She said she was interested in examining Jennifer. She wants to do a transfer, said it might be related to the current fighting with the Revanchist."

The Revanchist... Jude frowned at hearing that name. Thanks to them, it seemed every organization was suddenly incredibly busy. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that this was intentional. Revan and his followers had a long time to plan and knew exactly who their enemy was. This was going to be a long campaign.

"Oh, that reminds me," Jude said, turning to face Akiko. "I got word from the Federation. They'll be sending a few medical officers over. They are also willing to house wounded if we start running out of space. And Commander Shepard herself said she was willing to send a heavy shipment of medi-gel to us."

"Good, that's good. There's only so much my healing power can do before it has to recharge again. And to think, all of them are already nearly half-dead anyway so it's no fun to use it," Akiko said, probably mystifying anyone nearby who didn't know how her powers worked. Still, this was... a good and bad thing, the Federation pitching in.

On one hand, it was good to get more help from other sources. A part of Akiko even braved to think, what if she might even get the chance to meet Leonard McCoy himself one day? On the other... How bad did this situation really have to be if the Federation of all organizations -- who had always put forward their number one directive of non-interference -- felt the need to step in and help out? Who could say?

"Wait... hold on." Leia waved to get Jude's attention, going back to the previous immediate train of conversation. "Were you fine with Morrigan taking Jennifer's body? That doesn't feel right, right?"

Jude shook his head at her. "I don't know, Leia. Nothing we've done has been able to help her. Maybe this is something only magic can do."

"It sounded like she wished to use Jennifer, not heal her," Mikleo said.

"That's right!" Leia chimed in.

Jude sighed once again. Jennifer had no family to speak of, leaving no one to turn to for decisions like these. It was just too much to think about right now. "I'll... I'll think on it, okay?" Jude then turned back to Akiko.

"Anyway, right, like I was saying... your thoughts, Akiko?"

"Well, at this stage, it's just a request, right? I don't think it's so much of a big deal right now. Besides, we've got other work to focus on right now, and at the end of the day, it'd be Doppo's decision. And Kyoko's," Akiko responded. It might have sounded a bit cold, but honestly, it was a bit out of her hands, looking at it in a certain way. She looked toward the others with lifeless, yet analytical eyes, mostly toward Mikleo, whom she'd been treating for some time.

Just like the Brotherhood members, Mikleo had become restless in the past hour or two as Doppo and Alisha had communicated that they were unable to track down Sorey's position, and considering how close Mikleo was with the boy, Akiko could only imagine how anxious and restless he felt here, but staying here was for his own good, even if it seemed to others like he might have been doing well to keep his anxiety at bay. But Akiko knew better.

"It'd be--" The medical officer began to respond, before a comm link in her ear suddenly opened up, as well as everyone else's in the area.

"Akiko?! Are you there?! Come in immediately! Code red emergency! Answer immediately!" Doppo's voice was heard over the communication, in a panicked voice, prompting Akiko to furrow her brow and wonder what her dear friend could be so worked about now, opting to answer.

"Akiko here. What do you--?"

"Get out of there right now, Akiko! Get out of there NOW!!" Doppo screamed in a forceful tone, startling even the normally unshakable doctor. In his voice, there was nothing but pure terror, as though he were horrified of something that was very near.

"What are you--?!"

"I said NOW!! Evacuate everyone you can if you must; you're all in immediate danger! NOW! Before it's too la--"

Zzzzt.

Suddenly, the link died, and there was nothing in the communications link other than static. With wide eyes and a hardened expression, Akiko attempted to re-establish contact, clicking on her earpiece repeatedly. "Doppo?! Doppo, come in! What--?!"

Akiko froze again when she heard it. The screaming in the distance. Citizens of Avalon screaming in agony as though something was afflicting them. A disease? A plague? A great fire? And following those screams, what sounded like glass shattering rang loudly through the air. As Akiko, in her confusion, turned toward the source of the sounds, her body stopped cold as she quickly realized it.

It wasn't the glass on the windows in the nearby buildings that were shattering.

It was air. It was space that was shattering before her eyes, breaking into shards, revealing nothing but emptiness beyond.

Like a wave of pure terror, space began to shatter out of nowhere, erasing everything before her eyes. The people. The buildings. Everything. Akiko froze up in horror, unable to even register what was going on. And by the time she could accept the images before her eyes, it was too late.

Her entire body shattered like glass, just like the space she was once occupying. The same went for Mikleo, Jude, Leia, and everyone else at the medical facility. And the wave just kept on going from there.

And soon enough, Avalon in its entirety was erased from existence.​

 

[York]

Spoiler: Replies

"Ghhhraggh!!"

Jiren roared, his first colliding with Schala's hand. She had... endured his strike. Lost in thoughts of impossibility, Jiren simply watched her skid backwards, unfazed by his full power strike. He could not admit it. He would not admit it... but the tabled had started to turn in their favour. Jiren twisted his body into a spin kick, the feint attack sending a razor wind forth, dividing the air between him and his foe. From here on out, every strike mattered. Ever touch and every tap would lay the foundations towards the final blow, whether it would be his or theirs. Not time to hesitate. No time to think. No time for mercy.

A shockwave rippled across the surface of the diamond, sounding a gong's chime across the battlefield. A second strike followed it, projected from his waist with his other arm. It struck again and again and again, his ears closed from the devastating cries of the compressed air. With a roar of its own, the diamond shattered into shards, its spikes stinging his flesh like a swarm of wasp. He closed his mind further, shielding himself from the pain. His levitation shielded him from the diamond flowers at this feet.

He came to a sudden halt in front of his foe, his scratched form returning to its statued state.

"I pity your struggle... but it ends tonight. It ends here. From tomorrow onwards, things will be made anew. The scars may not vanish, but they will fade away. They will be unto the morning due. Your pain will be gone. There will be no more need for conflict... you will find the peace and release your words do not carry. You will have the chance to let go. Have faith"

"Maybe one day, you will break the chain..." Jiren broke into another spin kick, releasing another wave of razor winds, before charging forward to flank them, closing the gap between Schala and himself "But then... you will die. Time will eat you. Time will destroy all you have made, and the toxicity of human nature will defile its corpse. It will be undone. Reality kills. Reality consumed! IT MUST END!"

Jiren shielded his eyes, slowing his assult until he came to a complete stop. Even beneath the shield of his arm, he found his eyes entering a full squint, his eyelids forced shut with the same force as the rage was pulled from his system. The spirit had finally arrived... the finale was coming closer and closer by the second. How fitting that a force of life would come to witness the death of the universe? He had never invested himself into the intricacies of the plan before; under Pucci's command, he had fought for the defence of the ideals of the movement, leaving the technical details of the plan to the technicians. He trusted what remained of his allies. They would the situation under control. In his state of peace, he raised his hand to Kaplan's arrival.

"And so it begins... The first rebirth... Hold on to this joy... For more life is coming"


"Ignore them, Spirit!" Jiren cried "Ignore the blasphemer! Do not strike out against the Revanites. Protect them... Strike out against the Coalition. They are the ones who have come here to destroy!"

"So be it... Remain separate from this. Sever your tethers to life. If conflict accelerates the Rebirth, then you cannot stop it. Every strike you make against us plays into our hands now... you cannot defeat Othinus"
​

"They lie...They seek to manipulate you. They seek to keep you from your destiny. Strike him down. Remove him from the fight. Their lies will destabilise this world" Jiren took a knee, casting his eyes down before the bird's light "Grant me a fraction of strength, Great Spirit. In exchange for that gift, I will keep these mortals from interfering with your fate. Go to Sorey. Go to Othinus. She will show you the truth"



Jiren's Ki shield dispersed the acid upon contact, the liquid fading into steam. Before the might of the Spirit, all the powers of man meant seemed like nothing. In the face of the light, the Dark Ki was crippled. Jiren stepped out of the path of her strike in a flash and returned to his stance of kneeling before the bird.

"Do you not see, Great Spirit? She stands with these mortals! She fights to destabilize the multiverse! She had no respect for your might... Punish her!!"

Jiren reached out with his mind, seeking to establish a mental link between Othinus, his allies and himself. His foes could not remove him from the area without the Spirits permission, and if they insisted on earning the Spirit's favour so publicly, he would have an ample opportunity to claim an advantage of his own.

"Lord Othinus... and all who remain" Jiren spoke across the void "The Spirit has arrived. Our foes are attempting to manipulate him. I pray I can prevent him from striking against us, but I am in need of counsel. How do I proceed?"

@Ver ​

"Oh right, I almost forgot Jiren was here for a while," Ben said, speaking to Aska, "oh great eagleness, you might want to fly away, like...

... now!"

He seemed to know what was going to happen next. He knew of Jiren's telepathic feats. He steps back.

"I know this is the worst time, Schala, but just in case the worst possible thing happens, can I trust you with something?"

@Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @York​

Rita Hanson

Rita just stared for a moment and looked at Rita 2 and then the spirit. " Okay, maybe it's being a stupid mortal, but is there anyone way to stop the multiverse and reality from crumbling or is it just going to happen?" She asked.

@Crow @Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @York

Will once again felt a calming warmth overtake her, repelling the dark and murderous thoughts. Never before had he rmind been so clear. As if she had taken a good night's rest and woke up feeling the best she'd ever been in a long time.

The light of the spirit filled her soul, warming her heart and dissipating her darker, more malicious attire. Once again, Will was in her normal pink and green Guardian attire.

"My head....W-what happened?"

"You were rescued from darkness, my child. A spirit has restored your mind."

"But we didn't win. Jiren's still here..."

"He is not the main problem, Keeper. Othinus is close. Be prepared. Let go of your hate. Turn it into compassion. You know this, Will. Himerish chose you for a reason...."

"...Okay... I will. I'm sorry. I won't be distracted anymore."

Will rose from the water, feeling rejuvinated and landing next to Ben. She looked upon the majestic being with a small smile. This was yet another Great Spirit. Hopefully this time, thing swould be different. Yet, Will could feel something, right on the horizon. Coming, moving fast. She didn't know what or who it was.

She just knew that it meant trouble. Still, if jiren dared atack the spirit, Will had no qualms about stepping in and making sure he paid the price.

@Ver @Yun Lee @Crow @CrunchyCHEEZIT @York @Minerva @Cromartous @Spirit

Schala Zeal
@Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @Crow @Hahli Nuva

Schala looked towards Aska, before turning back to Jiren... Her arms still aching a little as she recalled their most recent battle. He wasn't wrong; though she might eventually break the cycle of violence... Once she came to pass, it wouldn't last.

"Even if I can't break the cycle forever... Even if things are destined to destruction... As long as I preserve our future... ... Hope... Will live on..." She said.

"If time eventually consumes everything I once was... So be it... ... All I can hope for... Is the legacy I've left behind... In a place I once called home... Is enough to finish what I've started..."

Though... By the time she had finished what she was saying, Aska had interrupted their battle for the most part, and from there... The rest was history.

It was only when Ben spoke up, asking her to be trusted with something, she frowned... Seeming a little nervous as she spoke.

"... What is it?" She asked, her face shrouded in a look of uncertainty.

Despite having joined the Coalition, and acknowledging the fact that others confided in her... She still had trouble confiding in herself to this day, fearing that she might turn out like her mother one day... Or make an unforgiveable mistake. Despite this though, she was determined to press on... In hopes of proving her own fears wrong.​

 

[Sark]

Jiren and Toppo- A Farewell to Justice

As silence filled the air, Jiren willed himself the speak again, his heart weighed down the by forces of fate. He had wandered down a rabbit hole, sliding down thousands of dark passages and pathways. He had gone so deep even sunlight did not dare to follow him, plunging his soul into blackness. This was the path he had chosen; the road less followed, its earth still rocky and unworn. There were times when he had doubted his own convictions. Perhaps, somewhere along to the way, he had started to fight to defy traditional justice. Perhaps it was the rejection of the force that had rejected him that gave him his strength of resolve and granted him the will to stand against the world. Maybe he had turned his back on the OMDA purely to spite Toppo. But the answers had stopped mattering long ago. He had made his choice.

None of it would matter in a few moments. By the time the sun went down, his paradise would be upon him, paving the way for the world he had always dreamed of. He could undo his mistake. He could make the OMDA see the light. He could make Toppo see the light. He could finally bring his friend back to his side. He could rewrite every song to fit his ears, he could demake every dish to his taste. Perhaps he could grant Schala the courage to join him too. The perfect world; his goal achieved; no more evils.

And the price was so small. All he had to do was throw away the joys he never had, and then it would all be over. He joined his hands in meditation, one last goodbye to this cold, uncaring world.

---

Toppo felt the tension rise in the room as all appealed to the Great Spirit. Jiren' manipulations continued, his face contorting into unusual masks of factory compassion and dollar-store pity. It sickened him to see his friend stoop so low. He had thrown away his pride. He had thrown away it all. He had gone from towering over his foes, dressed in gold and anointed with a crown, to begging for his life. His heart reached the point of concern. Something was brewing in Jiren's heart... and Toppo dreaded to think what it could be.


A ki Signature spiked, and with it, Toppo's alertness.

"Jiren... what are you..."

---

Beads of light began pouring from Jiren's person. A smile crawled across his lips. The feeling of release he felt... it was liberating. To finally let go of his mortal form and prepare for his ascension. It was what he wanted. It was all he wanted. Freedom from the pride that had blinded him. Freedom from the rage that had turned his eye away from Marian. Soon, it would all be over- the Great Spirit had given him the clarity to see that. It was either the grey or the void. Either way, he'd be free
----

Toppo watched as Jiren's aura began to calm and sooth, the flames dying down and transforming into a swirling red fog. He felt his foe's energy shift and change, transforming from a writhing mess to a single straight line of Ki; Jiren was balanced again, his centre completely focuses, far more than his own. Even as his power rose and fell with every breath, Toppo never felt the line stray- not by so much as an inch- will to be a statue by Jiren's iron heart. Until that moment, Toppo had never truly felt the strength of his old friend's convictions; he never knew how deeply Jiren had found himself depending on that goal. Maybe it had sealed the cracks and covered up the guilt he felt for his betrayal. Then again, perhaps his grey stoic friend was incapable of guilt. Perhaps his goal had become more of an addiction, something he had wanted, no, needed to achieve to remain true to himself. As he reached forth with his mind, Toppo failed to sense where Jiren ended and his new mantra began, the growing so deeply entwined they had almost become one. Jiren had truly become Jiren the Grey, fully severed from any passion he had once had. Everything he had done had seemed so logistical, impersonal.
---
"For... the Greater good..." Jiren's lips moved, providing ripples of motion to his frozen face. "For justice, for the Grey, for the New World and the Old" The fog grew thicker and thicker, with the beams of light that now radiated from Jiren's chest standing as the only light. The cutting rays of blue pierce the cloud, revealing flickers of the glowing figure beneath, his flesh becoming one with his silver Ki. Gray Ki. He continued his prayer, his eyes fixed forward at the base of the Great Spirit "For Ben's Courage, for Schala's Resolve, For Will's drive, For Sorey's faith, For Max's clarity, For Rita's soul, and for all the Spirits I feel flickering out so far away. For Marian's kinship, and for Pucci's trust, here I kneel"

A tear made its way down his check, dancing along to slope of one of his burns before it too was pulled into his storm. Was it a tear for love? A tear for hate? A tear for pity? Or simple the last flickers of passion and guilt draining away from his person, lost in the wildness of his winter's spirit. A sigh, a sniff and a twitch. He raised his head to the skies.

"I have won. And I have lost. I have saved souls and I have snuffed them out. Centuries ago, I was cursed with the burden of this pain. I let it consume me. I let it eat into who I was. I harvest its power and in turn, it harvested me. For years I sought to break its hold on me but I failed. All the good in the world could not shatter to yoke of evil. It infested me. It was the cancer. Hate. Vengence. Fury. I thought that fighting for my new world could... I thought it would purify me... But all its done is given me new targets. New spirits to crush. More foes to overcome. And now... now that it's all over... I don't know if I am relieved... If I should be relieved. All it know... is that I've earned my rest..."

---
Toppo raised his hands before his face, guarding himself from the force of Jiren's storm as it expanded outwards, its cutting razor winds reaching out across the waves. Lighting cracked from within, its crystalized source remaining unmoving at its core. He tried to shout but his words were lost to the weather, his screams rendered mere whispers. His pleas fell on deaf ears.
---

"In all my years, and in all I've done... and in all I've seen... I can't help but pity this world I call home... But it cannot be pure whilst one of its pathogens still lives... I cannot clean the world whilst I still live..." He felt the burden shift slightly, allowing him to smile again. His neck loosened. He breathed again. "It's a paradox... but while I still hate and while I am still hated and I still love... I cannot be clean. I cannot be trusted. I cannot overcome the ways in which this world has sought to program me..." His eyes peeled open. In his hands, he now held the golden chance. He could accept his burning nature. He could accept his passion and fury and hate and direct it to those who would do this world harm one more time. He could accept Libra's offer and fight beside for the OMDA one last time in a futile war against the limitless foe he created. Maybe that was what true justice was; goodness in the face of adversity...

But even if they could defeat Othinus, even they could save the Multiverse, then the foul pile of peace would follow. Hate would fester again. A new evil would arise. Perhaps the OMDA would impose martial law. Perhaps Will would lose control of herself. Perhaps Ben's aliens would find a way to free themselves. The Multiverse would find some way to endanger itself again. The zero- the passion- would still exist, and from its, the script of hatred would be written. Maybe he could fight to slow it in his own lifetime. Maybe he could not. But one day, that zero would multiple to 10000. No number of cullings could prevent the cycle from starting up again.

No. He had to stand true. He had to stand strong. He had to stand true. The Arrow and the Spear were the only things that could rewrite that code. They were the only things that could save mankind from its own fate... and for that good he would still need Othinus. For that good to come to be, he still needed to destroy those who would welcome him back home. Perhaps the tear was for them...

"My mind is ready for the New World... but this body.. this soul... they are still impure...I can see it now... I can see the pain that flows within us all... you... me... even Billy, DIO, Othinus, Marian... the soul itself is what Othinus must cleanse... even mine is... broken"

His follow eyes flickered. He spoke with the words of a shattered man, his world crumbling around him.

"I trust the shepherd to cleanse his flock. I trust in Othinus's will. I trust that she will remake this world for me... For what my mind knows to be true, and what my soul still seeks to deny. Mankind it sick... we're all sick... And if the sickness is what makes human.... then I am glad that I am not human"

The earth beneath Jiren began to crack and warp, unable to withstand the strength of his burning potential, uncapped by fear for his own health or the continuation of his story. This wasn't the final chapter. He would be immortalized in the gray... he would be a martyr, purifying himself in the name of peace. True peace.

He clung to that hope.

"So this is my destiny... to delay the horsemen who wish to destroy the Gray before it can come to be... So be it. My passion faulted me from the start. If my death must come... then I shall take all out you with me!!!!"

Flame leapt from Jiren's flesh once more, burning with a light so intense its negative would be imprinted on the eye of all who dared watch. The heat could be felt on every cheek. The smoke in the air filled every lung. The flames burned true, never flickering and never failing. Its fuel remained true. Jiren would burn himself to a cinder.

"I WILL BE REBORN!!! I WILL BE PURE!!! THE NEW WORLD WILL COME, WITH OR WITHOUT MY BODY!!! LET THE GRAY TAKE MY MIND! LET IT TAKE WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE AND MAKE IT TRUE!!!!"

----

In a heartbeat, Toppo knew what he had to do. While those around him flinched and winced, he walked. He walked true. One foot found its way in front of the next.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

The air burned his tongue.

Left.

Right.

The white light burned his eyes black.

Left.

Right.

His charred, once proud uniform crumbled from his chest.

Left.

Right.

His moustache was torn from his flesh.

Toppo broke into a sprint, the strength of a Kryptonian marching behind each step he took. He praised the gods for the might of fate. He praised them for Ben's gift; he praised them for the strength of the Superman. As the charred figure defied the unwavering, unyielding force, the two locked eyes.

Toppo became a bullet.

---

A swift strike to the check caught Jiren off guard, but his body had long since gotten lost in the flames. Through all his mutations and transformations, he barely had a form left, his very body dissolving into more ki to add to his bomb. He had every intention of giving his life to his cause... and so did Toppo.

No words were said between the two when they collided.

No words were said as Toppo slashed furiously as his ghostly foe, desperate to delay the blast by any means necessary.

No words were said as wave after wave of Justice Flashes were forced through Jiren's shell, only to shatter onto the ground behind him.

No words were said as Toppo's Kryptonian resistance was pushed to its very limits, pulling the old man to his knees.

One word was said as Toppo reached his limit.

"JIREN!"

A wave of Hakai leapt from his body, tearing through the spirit of Jiren. His focus shattered in an instant, the power of a god ripping through his Ki barrier. The two met eyes, each willing the other to cease their assault, knowing that neither had the humility to yield. Each was a Pride Warrior to the end, no matter how little that title meant to either party now. In a heartbeat, the wounded grey was within Toppo's grasp, his head lowered in a Nelson grasp. The raging fire returned to its master, birthing a chilling silence. The quiet before the storm.

"You cannot stop it, Toppo! The Gray will come! It's already begun! It's already here!"

Toppo tightened his grip, forcing Jiren's neck to its breaking point, his chin striking his collar. Jiren held on, his body willed to hold on to its last flickers of light as his energy storm brewed. Rivers of red began to flow within his hollow form, growing thicker by the second as two grey hands sought to tear themselves free from a great orange arm.

"F-Friends!" Toppo growled, resisting his foe's counter grip the best he could. He knew he didn't have time for goodbyes. He knew he didn't have time to ask for forgiveness. He knew that every second he wasted on the ground was a second Jiren's detonation grew closer... Yet, the last remnants of his pride returned to life by the kindness of Manson, willed him to stay for a single moment more. Long enough to say:

"Be good now... Fight for good... No matter how dark it seems, you get out there and fight until there's nothing left to fight for... then keep fighting. Stand for your pride. Stand for those who cannot fight for themselves. Stand for those you have lost and stand for those lost to you. Darkness can't destroy light--" Jiren placed an elbow between Toppo's ribs, forcing a cry of pain from his lips. He signalled for his friends not to interfere. It was simply another signal that it was time to go "But a single candle... can start the fire... that turns night... today. Never Yield. Gods... not as long as you still have sparks to light fires never yield. Find the light, and you'll find your way... after that... its all a test of your endurance..."

Any other words Toppo might have been trying to say were lost to the sound of two bodies cutting through the air, as Toppo, propelled by a newfound resistance to gravity and all the Ki that still burned within him took to the skies, far beyond the eyes of his allies. He smiles. How fitting that his journey would end with some grand sacrifice. To end with a bang and not a whisper... maybe the had been right about Toppo... maybe he was a hero after all...

---
"No! You can't take this from me! This is my destiny!"

Jiren was released from his grip, his body floating helplessly miles above the waves. His energies balanced again, his spirits focusing themselves again. He watched those he had fought so hard to destroy vanish against the plane of blue, half a dozen dots upon an infinite expanse of colour. He felt his ki burning within him, screaming to be free again, bringing a wave of pain even he could not will away. He couldn't hold it back... he couldn't make it stop... His time had come

"So my sacrifice... means nothing now? I'll die up hear... harmless... weak"

"You were never weak old friend. You were lost and you were hurt... but you were never weak"

Jiren looked his friend in the eye and, for the first time since the Tournament, he does so without the smallest hint of hate or disgust. He looked at him the way he once had: with the eyes of a friend.

"Toppo... you never gave up on me, did you? Beyond the tough words... beyond the catchphrases... you still held back... why?"

"Becuase..." He froze "I... I don't know why. Maybe its because you were... because no matter what you have done you are still my friend."

"I... I've damned this world... I hurt good people in the name of Justice... You can't forgive me now. You won't"

"I can... I can do so quite easily Jiren... and I do so not because I am strong, or because I'm weak or because I'm compassionate or any other reason you might convince yourself. I do so because forgiveness is a choice. Good is a choice. It is not a response to evil like Ben claimed, or a byproduct of evil Libra and Schala suggested... It's a choice. You chose to become a Pride Warrior. You chose to fight evildoers. You chose to join the ODMA. These weren't passionate choices. They weren't strategic choices. They were choices made in the name of goodness"

"I chose to turn on the OMDA... to disband the Pride Warriors... I did those in the name of good too... and question if I was right in those too"

"Yes..." He spoke with a heavy heart "Yes you did... But you remained true to yourself. You remained true to your own Justice. You lost your way, Jiren. It was human weakness. Human error"

"There shouldn't be such things... Soon, there won't be..."

"No. Those things will always exist, believe me. Even if penned by you, no one can write a perfect world. The Gray will have just as many holes as this world..."

"No! We will cover the holes! Fill them!"

"Jiren... hush... it doesn't matter now... For us... its over... You have faith in your Revanites... I have faith my friends will stop them...Yes... they'll find a way... so let us agree to disagree"

"Agree...to disagree"

"Old Friend..."

Toppo placed a hand in his friend's shoulder. Jiren did the same.

"My friend... for what its worth... I am-"

"You don't have to say it... I know"

"I'll see you on the other side them, Pride Warrior Toppo... Hero of Freedom"

"And I'll be seeing you, Pride Warrior Jiren... Hero of Justice...Hero of the Gray..."

The two men smiled and bowed their tearful heads...

"Goodbye"
----

A second sun of purple light erupted overhead, the heat of the Hakai raining down harmlessly over the waves. Sparks of white light rained down across the battlefield like shooting stars, cool and warm all at once. As the smoke cleared and the black hue of the blast faded from sight, neither Warrior remained. The Heat of their downfall faded into memory. The last of the Pride Warriors were no more.


@Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @Crow @Hahli Nuva et.all
​

 

[Crow]

Schala Zeal
@Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @Crow @Hahli Nuva

Schala looked towards Aska, before turning back to Jiren... Her arms still aching a little as she recalled their most recent battle. He wasn't wrong; though she might eventually break the cycle of violence... Once she came to pass, it wouldn't last.

"Even if I can't break the cycle forever... Even if things are destined to destruction... As long as I preserve our future... ... Hope... Will live on..." She said.

"If time eventually consumes everything I once was... So be it... ... All I can hope for... Is the legacy I've left behind... In a place I once called home... Is enough to finish what I've started..."

Though... By the time she had finished what she was saying, Aska had interrupted their battle for the most part, and from there... The rest was history.

It was only when Ben spoke up, asking her to be trusted with something, she frowned... Seeming a little nervous as she spoke.

"... What is it?" She asked, her face shrouded in a look of uncertainty.

Despite having joined the Coalition, and acknowledging the fact that others confided in her... She still had trouble confiding in herself to this day, fearing that she might turn out like her mother one day... Or make an unforgiveable mistake. Despite this though, she was determined to press on... In hopes of proving her own fears wrong.​

Jiren and Toppo- A Farewell to Justice

As silence filled the air, Jiren willed himself the speak again, his heart weighed down the by forces of fate. He had wandered down a rabbit hole, sliding down thousands of dark passages and pathways. He had gone so deep even sunlight did not dare to follow him, plunging his soul into blackness. This was the path he had chosen; the road less followed, its earth still rocky and unworn. There were times when he had doubted his own convictions. Perhaps, somewhere along to the way, he had started to fight to defy traditional justice. Perhaps it was the rejection of the force that had rejected him that gave him his strength of resolve and granted him the will to stand against the world. Maybe he had turned his back on the OMDA purely to spite Toppo. But the answers had stopped mattering long ago. He had made his choice.

None of it would matter in a few moments. By the time the sun went down, his paradise would be upon him, paving the way for the world he had always dreamed of. He could undo his mistake. He could make the OMDA see the light. He could make Toppo see the light. He could finally bring his friend back to his side. He could rewrite every song to fit his ears, he could demake every dish to his taste. Perhaps he could grant Schala the courage to join him too. The perfect world; his goal achieved; no more evils.

And the price was so small. All he had to do was throw away the joys he never had, and then it would all be over. He joined his hands in meditation, one last goodbye to this cold, uncaring world.

---

Toppo felt the tension rise in the room as all appealed to the Great Spirit. Jiren' manipulations continued, his face contorting into unusual masks of factory compassion and dollar-store pity. It sickened him to see his friend stoop so low. He had thrown away his pride. He had thrown away it all. He had gone from towering over his foes, dressed in gold and anointed with a crown, to begging for his life. His heart reached the point of concern. Something was brewing in Jiren's heart... and Toppo dreaded to think what it could be.


A ki Signature spiked, and with it, Toppo's alertness.

"Jiren... what are you..."

---

Beads of light began pouring from Jiren's person. A smile crawled across his lips. The feeling of release he felt... it was liberating. To finally let go of his mortal form and prepare for his ascension. It was what he wanted. It was all he wanted. Freedom from the pride that had blinded him. Freedom from the rage that had turned his eye away from Marian. Soon, it would all be over- the Great Spirit had given him the clarity to see that. It was either the grey or the void. Either way, he'd be free
----

Toppo watched as Jiren's aura began to calm and sooth, the flames dying down and transforming into a swirling red fog. He felt his foe's energy shift and change, transforming from a writhing mess to a single straight line of Ki; Jiren was balanced again, his centre completely focuses, far more than his own. Even as his power rose and fell with every breath, Toppo never felt the line stray- not by so much as an inch- will to be a statue by Jiren's iron heart. Until that moment, Toppo had never truly felt the strength of his old friend's convictions; he never knew how deeply Jiren had found himself depending on that goal. Maybe it had sealed the cracks and covered up the guilt he felt for his betrayal. Then again, perhaps his grey stoic friend was incapable of guilt. Perhaps his goal had become more of an addiction, something he had wanted, no, needed to achieve to remain true to himself. As he reached forth with his mind, Toppo failed to sense where Jiren ended and his new mantra began, the growing so deeply entwined they had almost become one. Jiren had truly become Jiren the Grey, fully severed from any passion he had once had. Everything he had done had seemed so logistical, impersonal.
---
"For... the Greater good..." Jiren's lips moved, providing ripples of motion to his frozen face. "For justice, for the Grey, for the New World and the Old" The fog grew thicker and thicker, with the beams of light that now radiated from Jiren's chest standing as the only light. The cutting rays of blue pierce the cloud, revealing flickers of the glowing figure beneath, his flesh becoming one with his silver Ki. Gray Ki. He continued his prayer, his eyes fixed forward at the base of the Great Spirit "For Ben's Courage, for Schala's Resolve, For Will's drive, For Sorey's faith, For Max's clarity, For Rita's soul, and for all the Spirits I feel flickering out so far away. For Marian's kinship, and for Pucci's trust, here I kneel"

A tear made its way down his check, dancing along to slope of one of his burns before it too was pulled into his storm. Was it a tear for love? A tear for hate? A tear for pity? Or simple the last flickers of passion and guilt draining away from his person, lost in the wildness of his winter's spirit. A sigh, a sniff and a twitch. He raised his head to the skies.

"I have won. And I have lost. I have saved souls and I have snuffed them out. Centuries ago, I was cursed with the burden of this pain. I let it consume me. I let it eat into who I was. I harvest its power and in turn, it harvested me. For years I sought to break its hold on me but I failed. All the good in the world could not shatter to yoke of evil. It infested me. It was the cancer. Hate. Vengence. Fury. I thought that fighting for my new world could... I thought it would purify me... But all its done is given me new targets. New spirits to crush. More foes to overcome. And now... now that it's all over... I don't know if I am relieved... If I should be relieved. All it know... is that I've earned my rest..."

---
Toppo raised his hands before his face, guarding himself from the force of Jiren's storm as it expanded outwards, its cutting razor winds reaching out across the waves. Lighting cracked from within, its crystalized source remaining unmoving at its core. He tried to shout but his words were lost to the weather, his screams rendered mere whispers. His pleas fell on deaf ears.
---

"In all my years, and in all I've done... and in all I've seen... I can't help but pity this world I call home... But it cannot be pure whilst one of its pathogens still lives... I cannot clean the world whilst I still live..." He felt the burden shift slightly, allowing him to smile again. His neck loosened. He breathed again. "It's a paradox... but while I still hate and while I am still hated and I still love... I cannot be clean. I cannot be trusted. I cannot overcome the ways in which this world has sought to program me..." His eyes peeled open. In his hands, he now held the golden chance. He could accept his burning nature. He could accept his passion and fury and hate and direct it to those who would do this world harm one more time. He could accept Libra's offer and fight beside for the OMDA one last time in a futile war against the limitless foe he created. Maybe that was what true justice was; goodness in the face of adversity...

But even if they could defeat Othinus, even they could save the Multiverse, then the foul pile of peace would follow. Hate would fester again. A new evil would arise. Perhaps the OMDA would impose martial law. Perhaps Will would lose control of herself. Perhaps Ben's aliens would find a way to free themselves. The Multiverse would find some way to endanger itself again. The zero- the passion- would still exist, and from its, the script of hatred would be written. Maybe he could fight to slow it in his own lifetime. Maybe he could not. But one day, that zero would multiple to 10000. No number of cullings could prevent the cycle from starting up again.

No. He had to stand true. He had to stand strong. He had to stand true. The Arrow and the Spear were the only things that could rewrite that code. They were the only things that could save mankind from its own fate... and for that good he would still need Othinus. For that good to come to be, he still needed to destroy those who would welcome him back home. Perhaps the tear was for them...

"My mind is ready for the New World... but this body.. this soul... they are still impure...I can see it now... I can see the pain that flows within us all... you... me... even Billy, DIO, Othinus, Marian... the soul itself is what Othinus must cleanse... even mine is... broken"

His follow eyes flickered. He spoke with the words of a shattered man, his world crumbling around him.

"I trust the shepherd to cleanse his flock. I trust in Othinus's will. I trust that she will remake this world for me... For what my mind knows to be true, and what my soul still seeks to deny. Mankind it sick... we're all sick... And if the sickness is what makes human.... then I am glad that I am not human"

The earth beneath Jiren began to crack and warp, unable to withstand the strength of his burning potential, uncapped by fear for his own health or the continuation of his story. This wasn't the final chapter. He would be immortalized in the gray... he would be a martyr, purifying himself in the name of peace. True peace.

He clung to that hope.

"So this is my destiny... to delay the horsemen who wish to destroy the Gray before it can come to be... So be it. My passion faulted me from the start. If my death must come... then I shall take all out you with me!!!!"

Flame leapt from Jiren's flesh once more, burning with a light so intense its negative would be imprinted on the eye of all who dared watch. The heat could be felt on every cheek. The smoke in the air filled every lung. The flames burned true, never flickering and never failing. Its fuel remained true. Jiren would burn himself to a cinder.

"I WILL BE REBORN!!! I WILL BE PURE!!! THE NEW WORLD WILL COME, WITH OR WITHOUT MY BODY!!! LET THE GRAY TAKE MY MIND! LET IT TAKE WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE AND MAKE IT TRUE!!!!"

----

In a heartbeat, Toppo knew what he had to do. While those around him flinched and winced, he walked. He walked true. One foot found its way in front of the next.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

The air burned his tongue.

Left.

Right.

The white light burned his eyes black.

Left.

Right.

His charred, once proud uniform crumbled from his chest.

Left.

Right.

His moustache was torn from his flesh.

Toppo broke into a sprint, the strength of a Kryptonian marching behind each step he took. He praised the gods for the might of fate. He praised them for Ben's gift; he praised them for the strength of the Superman. As the charred figure defied the unwavering, unyielding force, the two locked eyes.

Toppo became a bullet.

---

A swift strike to the check caught Jiren off guard, but his body had long since gotten lost in the flames. Through all his mutations and transformations, he barely had a form left, his very body dissolving into more ki to add to his bomb. He had every intention of giving his life to his cause... and so did Toppo.

No words were said between the two when they collided.

No words were said as Toppo slashed furiously as his ghostly foe, desperate to delay the blast by any means necessary.

No words were said as wave after wave of Justice Flashes were forced through Jiren's shell, only to shatter onto the ground behind him.

No words were said as Toppo's Kryptonian resistance was pushed to its very limits, pulling the old man to his knees.

One word was said as Toppo reached his limit.

"JIREN!"

A wave of Hakai leapt from his body, tearing through the spirit of Jiren. His focus shattered in an instant, the power of a god ripping through his Ki barrier. The two met eyes, each willing the other to cease their assault, knowing that neither had the humility to yield. Each was a Pride Warrior to the end, no matter how little that title meant to either party now. In a heartbeat, the wounded grey was within Toppo's grasp, his head lowered in a Nelson grasp. The raging fire returned to its master, birthing a chilling silence. The quiet before the storm.

"You cannot stop it, Toppo! The Gray will come! It's already begun! It's already here!"

Toppo tightened his grip, forcing Jiren's neck to its breaking point, his chin striking his collar. Jiren held on, his body willed to hold on to its last flickers of light as his energy storm brewed. Rivers of red began to flow within his hollow form, growing thicker by the second as two grey hands sought to tear themselves free from a great orange arm.

"F-Friends!" Toppo growled, resisting his foe's counter grip the best he could. He knew he didn't have time for goodbyes. He knew he didn't have time to ask for forgiveness. He knew that every second he wasted on the ground was a second Jiren's detonation grew closer... Yet, the last remnants of his pride returned to life by the kindness of Manson, willed him to stay for a single moment more. Long enough to say:

"Be good now... Fight for good... No matter how dark it seems, you get out there and fight until there's nothing left to fight for... then keep fighting. Stand for your pride. Stand for those who cannot fight for themselves. Stand for those you have lost and stand for those lost to you. Darkness can't destroy light--" Jiren placed an elbow between Toppo's ribs, forcing a cry of pain from his lips. He signalled for his friends not to interfere. It was simply another signal that it was time to go "But a single candle... can start the fire... that turns night... today. Never Yield. Gods... not as long as you still have sparks to light fires never yield. Find the light, and you'll find your way... after that... its all a test of your endurance..."

Any other words Toppo might have been trying to say were lost to the sound of two bodies cutting through the air, as Toppo, propelled by a newfound resistance to gravity and all the Ki that still burned within him took to the skies, far beyond the eyes of his allies. He smiles. How fitting that his journey would end with some grand sacrifice. To end with a bang and not a whisper... maybe the had been right about Toppo... maybe he was a hero after all...

---
"No! You can't take this from me! This is my destiny!"

Jiren was released from his grip, his body floating helplessly miles above the waves. His energies balanced again, his spirits focusing themselves again. He watched those he had fought so hard to destroy vanish against the plane of blue, half a dozen dots upon an infinite expanse of colour. He felt his ki burning within him, screaming to be free again, bringing a wave of pain even he could not will away. He couldn't hold it back... he couldn't make it stop... His time had come

"So my sacrifice... means nothing now? I'll die up hear... harmless... weak"

"You were never weak old friend. You were lost and you were hurt... but you were never weak"

Jiren looked his friend in the eye and, for the first time since the Tournament, he does so without the smallest hint of hate or disgust. He looked at him the way he once had: with the eyes of a friend.

"Toppo... you never gave up on me, did you? Beyond the tough words... beyond the catchphrases... you still held back... why?"

"Becuase..." He froze "I... I don't know why. Maybe its because you were... because no matter what you have done you are still my friend."

"I... I've damned this world... I hurt good people in the name of Justice... You can't forgive me now. You won't"

"I can... I can do so quite easily Jiren... and I do so not because I am strong, or because I'm weak or because I'm compassionate or any other reason you might convince yourself. I do so because forgiveness is a choice. Good is a choice. It is not a response to evil like Ben claimed, or a byproduct of evil Libra and Schala suggested... It's a choice. You chose to become a Pride Warrior. You chose to fight evildoers. You chose to join the ODMA. These weren't passionate choices. They weren't strategic choices. They were choices made in the name of goodness"

"I chose to turn on the OMDA... to disband the Pride Warriors... I did those in the name of good too... and question if I was right in those too"

"Yes..." He spoke with a heavy heart "Yes you did... But you remained true to yourself. You remained true to your own Justice. You lost your way, Jiren. It was human weakness. Human error"

"There shouldn't be such things... Soon, there won't be..."

"No. Those things will always exist, believe me. Even if penned by you, no one can write a perfect world. The Gray will have just as many holes as this world..."

"No! We will cover the holes! Fill them!"

"Jiren... hush... it doesn't matter now... For us... its over... You have faith in your Revanites... I have faith my friends will stop them...Yes... they'll find a way... so let us agree to disagree"

"Agree...to disagree"

"Old Friend..."

Toppo placed a hand in his friend's shoulder. Jiren did the same.

"My friend... for what its worth... I am-"

"You don't have to say it... I know"

"I'll see you on the other side them, Pride Warrior Toppo... Hero of Freedom"

"And I'll be seeing you, Pride Warrior Jiren... Hero of Justice...Hero of the Gray..."

The two men smiled and bowed their tearful heads...

"Goodbye"
----

A second sun of purple light erupted overhead, the heat of the Hakai raining down harmlessly over the waves. Sparks of white light rained down across the battlefield like shooting stars, cool and warm all at once. As the smoke cleared and the black hue of the blast faded from sight, neither Warrior remained. The Heat of their downfall faded into memory. The last of the Pride Warriors were no more.


@Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @Crow @Hahli Nuva et.all
​

"Schala, you see- hold on, what's happening?"

Ben's little sentence was interrupted by the scene Jiren put up.

"Wait, wait, Jiren? What are you doing? I don't think this is part of your job description. You're supposed to see your new, ideal world take shape, not die before you can! That's not how it works, Jiren!"

Was Jiren... was he...

... he was, wasn't he?

"Jiren, the mistakes you made, you can find a way to fix them!"

It was pointless.

"Maybe I've got a-"

Before he could activate an alien in his Omnitrix, Toppo hopped into the Gray's face. That was when Ben understood that this was between brothers who have known each other for a long time, Ben nods, deciding to stay silent for the whole process. He had no right to interrupt it, raising a hand up to halt anyone who wanted to. Their conversation, their end alongside each other as a Hakai eliminated every bit of them - their soul and body alike.

A tatter of Pride Warrior uniform flowed, decorated by the rain of sparkling Hakai energy. This piece of red and black latex, alongside the battles and talks they had with each other - that was all that was left of Jiren & Toppo in this existence.

This piece of uniform was caught by Ben's grip. He wipes a single tear with his other palm.

"Goodbye, my allies, and be free. Your pride lives on, right next to my courage."

He looks as the sparkling ashes of the warriors flowed in the wind, down to the ground until they vanished into nothingness. He was silent after this, speaking not a word.

@York @Cromartous @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Hahli Nuva @Ver​

 

[Hahli Nuva]

Jiren and Toppo- A Farewell to Justice

As silence filled the air, Jiren willed himself the speak again, his heart weighed down the by forces of fate. He had wandered down a rabbit hole, sliding down thousands of dark passages and pathways. He had gone so deep even sunlight did not dare to follow him, plunging his soul into blackness. This was the path he had chosen; the road less followed, its earth still rocky and unworn. There were times when he had doubted his own convictions. Perhaps, somewhere along to the way, he had started to fight to defy traditional justice. Perhaps it was the rejection of the force that had rejected him that gave him his strength of resolve and granted him the will to stand against the world. Maybe he had turned his back on the OMDA purely to spite Toppo. But the answers had stopped mattering long ago. He had made his choice.

None of it would matter in a few moments. By the time the sun went down, his paradise would be upon him, paving the way for the world he had always dreamed of. He could undo his mistake. He could make the OMDA see the light. He could make Toppo see the light. He could finally bring his friend back to his side. He could rewrite every song to fit his ears, he could demake every dish to his taste. Perhaps he could grant Schala the courage to join him too. The perfect world; his goal achieved; no more evils.

And the price was so small. All he had to do was throw away the joys he never had, and then it would all be over. He joined his hands in meditation, one last goodbye to this cold, uncaring world.

---

Toppo felt the tension rise in the room as all appealed to the Great Spirit. Jiren' manipulations continued, his face contorting into unusual masks of factory compassion and dollar-store pity. It sickened him to see his friend stoop so low. He had thrown away his pride. He had thrown away it all. He had gone from towering over his foes, dressed in gold and anointed with a crown, to begging for his life. His heart reached the point of concern. Something was brewing in Jiren's heart... and Toppo dreaded to think what it could be.


A ki Signature spiked, and with it, Toppo's alertness.

"Jiren... what are you..."

---

Beads of light began pouring from Jiren's person. A smile crawled across his lips. The feeling of release he felt... it was liberating. To finally let go of his mortal form and prepare for his ascension. It was what he wanted. It was all he wanted. Freedom from the pride that had blinded him. Freedom from the rage that had turned his eye away from Marian. Soon, it would all be over- the Great Spirit had given him the clarity to see that. It was either the grey or the void. Either way, he'd be free
----

Toppo watched as Jiren's aura began to calm and sooth, the flames dying down and transforming into a swirling red fog. He felt his foe's energy shift and change, transforming from a writhing mess to a single straight line of Ki; Jiren was balanced again, his centre completely focuses, far more than his own. Even as his power rose and fell with every breath, Toppo never felt the line stray- not by so much as an inch- will to be a statue by Jiren's iron heart. Until that moment, Toppo had never truly felt the strength of his old friend's convictions; he never knew how deeply Jiren had found himself depending on that goal. Maybe it had sealed the cracks and covered up the guilt he felt for his betrayal. Then again, perhaps his grey stoic friend was incapable of guilt. Perhaps his goal had become more of an addiction, something he had wanted, no, needed to achieve to remain true to himself. As he reached forth with his mind, Toppo failed to sense where Jiren ended and his new mantra began, the growing so deeply entwined they had almost become one. Jiren had truly become Jiren the Grey, fully severed from any passion he had once had. Everything he had done had seemed so logistical, impersonal.
---
"For... the Greater good..." Jiren's lips moved, providing ripples of motion to his frozen face. "For justice, for the Grey, for the New World and the Old" The fog grew thicker and thicker, with the beams of light that now radiated from Jiren's chest standing as the only light. The cutting rays of blue pierce the cloud, revealing flickers of the glowing figure beneath, his flesh becoming one with his silver Ki. Gray Ki. He continued his prayer, his eyes fixed forward at the base of the Great Spirit "For Ben's Courage, for Schala's Resolve, For Will's drive, For Sorey's faith, For Max's clarity, For Rita's soul, and for all the Spirits I feel flickering out so far away. For Marian's kinship, and for Pucci's trust, here I kneel"

A tear made its way down his check, dancing along to slope of one of his burns before it too was pulled into his storm. Was it a tear for love? A tear for hate? A tear for pity? Or simple the last flickers of passion and guilt draining away from his person, lost in the wildness of his winter's spirit. A sigh, a sniff and a twitch. He raised his head to the skies.

"I have won. And I have lost. I have saved souls and I have snuffed them out. Centuries ago, I was cursed with the burden of this pain. I let it consume me. I let it eat into who I was. I harvest its power and in turn, it harvested me. For years I sought to break its hold on me but I failed. All the good in the world could not shatter to yoke of evil. It infested me. It was the cancer. Hate. Vengence. Fury. I thought that fighting for my new world could... I thought it would purify me... But all its done is given me new targets. New spirits to crush. More foes to overcome. And now... now that it's all over... I don't know if I am relieved... If I should be relieved. All it know... is that I've earned my rest..."

---
Toppo raised his hands before his face, guarding himself from the force of Jiren's storm as it expanded outwards, its cutting razor winds reaching out across the waves. Lighting cracked from within, its crystalized source remaining unmoving at its core. He tried to shout but his words were lost to the weather, his screams rendered mere whispers. His pleas fell on deaf ears.
---

"In all my years, and in all I've done... and in all I've seen... I can't help but pity this world I call home... But it cannot be pure whilst one of its pathogens still lives... I cannot clean the world whilst I still live..." He felt the burden shift slightly, allowing him to smile again. His neck loosened. He breathed again. "It's a paradox... but while I still hate and while I am still hated and I still love... I cannot be clean. I cannot be trusted. I cannot overcome the ways in which this world has sought to program me..." His eyes peeled open. In his hands, he now held the golden chance. He could accept his burning nature. He could accept his passion and fury and hate and direct it to those who would do this world harm one more time. He could accept Libra's offer and fight beside for the OMDA one last time in a futile war against the limitless foe he created. Maybe that was what true justice was; goodness in the face of adversity...

But even if they could defeat Othinus, even they could save the Multiverse, then the foul pile of peace would follow. Hate would fester again. A new evil would arise. Perhaps the OMDA would impose martial law. Perhaps Will would lose control of herself. Perhaps Ben's aliens would find a way to free themselves. The Multiverse would find some way to endanger itself again. The zero- the passion- would still exist, and from its, the script of hatred would be written. Maybe he could fight to slow it in his own lifetime. Maybe he could not. But one day, that zero would multiple to 10000. No number of cullings could prevent the cycle from starting up again.

No. He had to stand true. He had to stand strong. He had to stand true. The Arrow and the Spear were the only things that could rewrite that code. They were the only things that could save mankind from its own fate... and for that good he would still need Othinus. For that good to come to be, he still needed to destroy those who would welcome him back home. Perhaps the tear was for them...

"My mind is ready for the New World... but this body.. this soul... they are still impure...I can see it now... I can see the pain that flows within us all... you... me... even Billy, DIO, Othinus, Marian... the soul itself is what Othinus must cleanse... even mine is... broken"

His follow eyes flickered. He spoke with the words of a shattered man, his world crumbling around him.

"I trust the shepherd to cleanse his flock. I trust in Othinus's will. I trust that she will remake this world for me... For what my mind knows to be true, and what my soul still seeks to deny. Mankind it sick... we're all sick... And if the sickness is what makes human.... then I am glad that I am not human"

The earth beneath Jiren began to crack and warp, unable to withstand the strength of his burning potential, uncapped by fear for his own health or the continuation of his story. This wasn't the final chapter. He would be immortalized in the gray... he would be a martyr, purifying himself in the name of peace. True peace.

He clung to that hope.

"So this is my destiny... to delay the horsemen who wish to destroy the Gray before it can come to be... So be it. My passion faulted me from the start. If my death must come... then I shall take all out you with me!!!!"

Flame leapt from Jiren's flesh once more, burning with a light so intense its negative would be imprinted on the eye of all who dared watch. The heat could be felt on every cheek. The smoke in the air filled every lung. The flames burned true, never flickering and never failing. Its fuel remained true. Jiren would burn himself to a cinder.

"I WILL BE REBORN!!! I WILL BE PURE!!! THE NEW WORLD WILL COME, WITH OR WITHOUT MY BODY!!! LET THE GRAY TAKE MY MIND! LET IT TAKE WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE AND MAKE IT TRUE!!!!"

----

In a heartbeat, Toppo knew what he had to do. While those around him flinched and winced, he walked. He walked true. One foot found its way in front of the next.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

The air burned his tongue.

Left.

Right.

The white light burned his eyes black.

Left.

Right.

His charred, once proud uniform crumbled from his chest.

Left.

Right.

His moustache was torn from his flesh.

Toppo broke into a sprint, the strength of a Kryptonian marching behind each step he took. He praised the gods for the might of fate. He praised them for Ben's gift; he praised them for the strength of the Superman. As the charred figure defied the unwavering, unyielding force, the two locked eyes.

Toppo became a bullet.

---

A swift strike to the check caught Jiren off guard, but his body had long since gotten lost in the flames. Through all his mutations and transformations, he barely had a form left, his very body dissolving into more ki to add to his bomb. He had every intention of giving his life to his cause... and so did Toppo.

No words were said between the two when they collided.

No words were said as Toppo slashed furiously as his ghostly foe, desperate to delay the blast by any means necessary.

No words were said as wave after wave of Justice Flashes were forced through Jiren's shell, only to shatter onto the ground behind him.

No words were said as Toppo's Kryptonian resistance was pushed to its very limits, pulling the old man to his knees.

One word was said as Toppo reached his limit.

"JIREN!"

A wave of Hakai leapt from his body, tearing through the spirit of Jiren. His focus shattered in an instant, the power of a god ripping through his Ki barrier. The two met eyes, each willing the other to cease their assault, knowing that neither had the humility to yield. Each was a Pride Warrior to the end, no matter how little that title meant to either party now. In a heartbeat, the wounded grey was within Toppo's grasp, his head lowered in a Nelson grasp. The raging fire returned to its master, birthing a chilling silence. The quiet before the storm.

"You cannot stop it, Toppo! The Gray will come! It's already begun! It's already here!"

Toppo tightened his grip, forcing Jiren's neck to its breaking point, his chin striking his collar. Jiren held on, his body willed to hold on to its last flickers of light as his energy storm brewed. Rivers of red began to flow within his hollow form, growing thicker by the second as two grey hands sought to tear themselves free from a great orange arm.

"F-Friends!" Toppo growled, resisting his foe's counter grip the best he could. He knew he didn't have time for goodbyes. He knew he didn't have time to ask for forgiveness. He knew that every second he wasted on the ground was a second Jiren's detonation grew closer... Yet, the last remnants of his pride returned to life by the kindness of Manson, willed him to stay for a single moment more. Long enough to say:

"Be good now... Fight for good... No matter how dark it seems, you get out there and fight until there's nothing left to fight for... then keep fighting. Stand for your pride. Stand for those who cannot fight for themselves. Stand for those you have lost and stand for those lost to you. Darkness can't destroy light--" Jiren placed an elbow between Toppo's ribs, forcing a cry of pain from his lips. He signalled for his friends not to interfere. It was simply another signal that it was time to go "But a single candle... can start the fire... that turns night... today. Never Yield. Gods... not as long as you still have sparks to light fires never yield. Find the light, and you'll find your way... after that... its all a test of your endurance..."

Any other words Toppo might have been trying to say were lost to the sound of two bodies cutting through the air, as Toppo, propelled by a newfound resistance to gravity and all the Ki that still burned within him took to the skies, far beyond the eyes of his allies. He smiles. How fitting that his journey would end with some grand sacrifice. To end with a bang and not a whisper... maybe the had been right about Toppo... maybe he was a hero after all...

---
"No! You can't take this from me! This is my destiny!"

Jiren was released from his grip, his body floating helplessly miles above the waves. His energies balanced again, his spirits focusing themselves again. He watched those he had fought so hard to destroy vanish against the plane of blue, half a dozen dots upon an infinite expanse of colour. He felt his ki burning within him, screaming to be free again, bringing a wave of pain even he could not will away. He couldn't hold it back... he couldn't make it stop... His time had come

"So my sacrifice... means nothing now? I'll die up hear... harmless... weak"

"You were never weak old friend. You were lost and you were hurt... but you were never weak"

Jiren looked his friend in the eye and, for the first time since the Tournament, he does so without the smallest hint of hate or disgust. He looked at him the way he once had: with the eyes of a friend.

"Toppo... you never gave up on me, did you? Beyond the tough words... beyond the catchphrases... you still held back... why?"

"Becuase..." He froze "I... I don't know why. Maybe its because you were... because no matter what you have done you are still my friend."

"I... I've damned this world... I hurt good people in the name of Justice... You can't forgive me now. You won't"

"I can... I can do so quite easily Jiren... and I do so not because I am strong, or because I'm weak or because I'm compassionate or any other reason you might convince yourself. I do so because forgiveness is a choice. Good is a choice. It is not a response to evil like Ben claimed, or a byproduct of evil Libra and Schala suggested... It's a choice. You chose to become a Pride Warrior. You chose to fight evildoers. You chose to join the ODMA. These weren't passionate choices. They weren't strategic choices. They were choices made in the name of goodness"

"I chose to turn on the OMDA... to disband the Pride Warriors... I did those in the name of good too... and question if I was right in those too"

"Yes..." He spoke with a heavy heart "Yes you did... But you remained true to yourself. You remained true to your own Justice. You lost your way, Jiren. It was human weakness. Human error"

"There shouldn't be such things... Soon, there won't be..."

"No. Those things will always exist, believe me. Even if penned by you, no one can write a perfect world. The Gray will have just as many holes as this world..."

"No! We will cover the holes! Fill them!"

"Jiren... hush... it doesn't matter now... For us... its over... You have faith in your Revanites... I have faith my friends will stop them...Yes... they'll find a way... so let us agree to disagree"

"Agree...to disagree"

"Old Friend..."

Toppo placed a hand in his friend's shoulder. Jiren did the same.

"My friend... for what its worth... I am-"

"You don't have to say it... I know"

"I'll see you on the other side them, Pride Warrior Toppo... Hero of Freedom"

"And I'll be seeing you, Pride Warrior Jiren... Hero of Justice...Hero of the Gray..."

The two men smiled and bowed their tearful heads...

"Goodbye"
----

A second sun of purple light erupted overhead, the heat of the Hakai raining down harmlessly over the waves. Sparks of white light rained down across the battlefield like shooting stars, cool and warm all at once. As the smoke cleared and the black hue of the blast faded from sight, neither Warrior remained. The Heat of their downfall faded into memory. The last of the Pride Warriors were no more.


@Ver @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @Crow @Hahli Nuva et.all
​

Will had seen a great many cosmic events in her life.

The rise and fall of empires, gods, demons, and even planets be destroyed and reborn. At first, she had thought of Jiren as no better than Phobos, a simple madman lost to his own power and convinced he as the sole dealer of what he considered to be 'right'

Even as they chased him and his new allies, even as she let herself almost be consumed by dark magic, Will neverlet go of that train of thought. It buried itself deep into her soul, he rmind. How could such a strong and convicted warrior simply choose to switch sides?

Then this happened.

Will felt the stregnth of Jiren's spirit and drive. It matched her own, and as a fellow warrior of justice, she respected it. The Heart had been right all along. Will let her assumptions and stereotypes could her vision, blinding her to the truth. Jiren wasn't some comic book bad guy, twirling his moustache as she and her friends pursued him.

He had honestly believed his own path and choices were true. All this time, Will had been fighting her version of JIren, what she wanted him to be. She couldn't bring herself to the realization that Jiren CHOSE his path. He wasn't coerced or mind controlled.

No. He reminded her a lot like Nerissa. A bold, convicted soul so convinced that they were right, that their ambition could change the world.

"Jiren..."

"Do you see the truth now, Keeper?"

"...I was blind."

But now you see. Jiren was more than your average foe. You were too busy comparing him to your past enemies, you never considered the fact that he could make his own choices. Not everything is as black and white as it used to be."

"But..Jiren wanted to destroy The Multiverse..."

"Did he? I recall him speaking of justice and peace. He reguarded humanity as a sickness, yes, but you never knew his past. ou known, the weight of his convictions would be too great for even you to bear."

"So he was right?"

"No. He was driven. Much like you and the others. But now, he is gone. along with his ally, Toppo."

"So now what do we do?"

"You know what to do, Will. You aren't helpless. Just because the rest of The Guardians are absent doesn't mean you forget your leadership skills."

"Was that your version of a pep talk?"

"Yes."

"Hmph. Needs work."

@York @Cromartous @Crow @Takumi @Lucky @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Donder172 @Ver

 

[Minerva]

Through all the chaos and post-Jiren destruction, Cordelia would land the pegasus. She would get off of it and walk towards the crowd. "Uh, sorry I was late." She apologized to the group.

@Crow @Cromartous @Atomic Knight @Ver @Yun Lee @Hahli Nuva @Jiren Group​