CLAN'S FALL (II)

Light lit up the flames of life, devouring darkness as though it was merely a grain of sand in the never-ending desert. Thunder boomed, its sound stiffening the souls of the listeners, as the sky was hidden behind the curtain of ebb and flow. As a massive scythe cried out one last time, it heard the sound of Lynne’s faint clap. Skyfire Flames, as though sentient on their own, awoke to the sound of that clasp as scythe’s very own soul fell back.

The curtain which divided life and death, light and darkness, blended to the point of co-occurrence within the reality. The giant mass of thunder struck against the whirling saw of Skyfire and the scythe itself as the collision shook the very heart of the realm. Mountains crumbled and hilltops swayed, and oceans turned to giant waves and earth split like a web. What little city remained beneath was immediately buried in a massive explosion that ensued. Fabric of time and space was sliced open and reality bled, as wounded Gods from beyond cried out in their solace.

Buried within the epicenter of explosion, surrounded by gushing Skyfire and raging thunderbolts, Lynne remained calm, a faint smile imprinted on his face. While the reality around him crumbled, and the realm surrounding their battle was being besieged by natural disaster after a natural disaster, causing the mass panic, the two causes remained staring at each other’s eyes. The False God had reverted back to his old man’s appearance, a defeated expression his face.

“… you have sped it up.” the False God said. “Was it on purpose?”

“I merely got tired of waiting.” Lynne replied.

“… you don’t have Time.” the False God said, chuckling lightly. “I have never met a more brash moron than yourself. Too bad that brash moron had far surpassed me.”

“Submit to me,” Lynne said. “And I can save what little of this realm remained.”

“I don’t know what you feel about False Gods,” the old man said, smiling. “But, just like you, and those around you, we have our own purpose, one we chase until the day we die. It just so happens that my day is today. We’re not afraid of death, much like you, and to what ends we pursue our dreams… the only thing left is to see.”

“… I see,” Lynne said, sighing faintly as his hair fluttered backwards. “I respect that.”

“Do you?”

“I do.” Lynne said. “I find it very hard to hate you, and the rest of you, old man. It is much easier for me to simply believe you’re the mankind’s natural enemy.”

“Both of us – men and gods alike – extend our arms too far out. Were we smarter about it, we’d have never waged a war.”

“Maybe… maybe not. I’m right in assuming the others are coming here?”

“No.” the old man said. “The moment I saw that last attack of yours, I told them to go back. No need for more of us to perish today.”

“You think too highly of me.” Lynne said, smiling.

“Some of us have always pushed for your death,” the False God said. “Believing you’d turn into a massive obstacle come right time. However, our opinions were always dismissed. You’ve come a long way, child.”

“… some good it did me,” Lynne said, his expression dimming for a moment. “But, alas, regret is a bitter thought I can’t afford to have. It was a pleasure, if not honor, fighting you, old man.”

“Likewise,” the False God said, tilting his head sideways as he tied his arms behind his back, smiling. “We shall meet again, young one. Beyond the curtain of white and black.”

“I highly doubt it,” Lynne said as he suddenly appeared in front of the False God. “I appreciate the sentiments, though.”

Lynne merely placed a finger on the old man’s forehead, and it was all over. The False God took its last breath as his eyes closed, never to see the light of dawn again.

Outside the epicenter of the massive explosion itself which swallowed the sky dry of rain, only ruins stood. Valleys and mountains turned into flatland as far as the eye can see, as countless craters stood firmly open on the ground. The only remnant of the city where the clan resided were the ghastly screams of the dead who’ve yet to understand what happened.

Y’se and the monkey appeared from one of the Spacial Locks, their jaws agape as they witnessed the world that appeared rather ordinary just a few minutes ago. Then, their eyes veered back up to the blinding light from which a figure appeared. Lynne landed in front of them, his clothes slightly tattered and reddened, yet, despite that, he appeared to be completely fine.

“That went well.” he said, sighing in relief.

“…” Y’se remained silent as she carefully looked around, her brows creasing slightly. “Why did we even come with you?” she asked at last, looking at him. “You knew what would happen.”

“Did I?” Lynne asked back, creasing his brows. “I’m not too sure about that.”

“You knew!!” Y’se yelled out angrily. “… of course you did, though,” Y’se chuckled bitterly. “Too many times I think of you as an idiot that I forget you’re just playing the part well. So, why are we here? You never even had to sneak in, let alone bring us along. What’s the point of your ploy, huh? To prove us we’re idiots? Fuck you. Big time.”

“… do you feel the same?” Lynne turned toward the monkey sitting on Y’se shoulder.

“No,” the monkey said calmly. “Because, for a change, I know what you’re thinking.”

“Oh, you do?” Lynne chuckled. “Please do tell.”

“You’re bidding us goodbye.” the monkey said solemnly. “Telling us, ‘this is what I can do. How can you possibly hope to help me?’. And, you’re right. We can’t. Shitty way to go about it.”

“…”

“Is he right?” Y’se asked, her expression sinking.

“He is.” Lynne said, nodding lightly.

“Heh.” Y’se chuckled bitterly as she felt her eyes water. “So, this is your great idea of a goodbye, huh? Send us off while standing on the ruins and bones of the dead, never to see you again?”

“Nobody said you won’t see me again.” Lynne said.

“No, no one did. But we won’t.” Y’se said. “What difference does it make whether someone said it or not?”

“… ah, I suppose it doesn’t.” Lynne sighed, looking up into the sky. “I won’t ask you to understand or even to forgive, if that makes any sense. As you said, I’m not an idiot Y’se. I’ve thought it all through and, in my own little way, at least to me, my choices make the most sense.”

“I’m sure they do,” Y’se said. “Well, this is it then, isn’t it? One last goodbye.”

“… what’s so bad about the goodbyes?” Lynne said, smiling. “It means the final words are worth it, as they signal something good happened before them.”

“You hate goodbyes.” Y’se said.

“I do, I really do.” Lynne chuckled. “Thank you. I don’t think I ever said that to you, actually.”

“You have.”

“Oh? I have. Strange, that doesn’t sound like me at all.”

“You had your moments.”

“It may have begun as a mere Bloodline resonance,” Lynne said, suddenly reaching out and hugging Y’se tightly. “But, at least to me, you became something far more important. You’re ethereal.”

“… I don’t even know what that means, but thank you, I guess?” Y’se said, chuckling lightly. “You’re usually good with words.”

“I don’t think it’s wrong, you know?”

“What?” Y’se asked as the two parted, arching her brow.

“Finding love where you did.” Lynne said simply.

“Oh.”

“Don’t give up on it.”

“…”

“Don’t look down,” he said, lifting her chin up and smiling. “Hold it up high, and defy the fuckers left and right. That’s what Y’se I know would do.”

“…”

“And hey, furry cretin.” Lynne turned toward the monkey and smiled.

“You’re a furry cretin. Fuck you.”

“You know, you never told me your actual name.” Lynne said, as though finally realizing something. “How about it? Instead of a kiss goodbye – because holy shit, I really, really don’t want to kiss you – you give me a name goodbye?”

“No.” the monkey said firmly. “Come back, and I’ll let you know…”

“… I suppose I’ll just have to call you what you are.” Lynne said.

“Monkey?”

“My best friend.”

“… that was bad.”

“Really? I thought it was great.” Lynne said. “And I wasn’t even kidding.”

“It’s sadder that you didn’t.”

“Don’t be a snarky bastard,” Lynne said, ruffling monkey’s head, much to the latter’s dismay. “It’s up to you to bring back the glory of Divine War Apes. And to do that, you gotta have a lot of kids, you know? Rows and rows of them.”

“… are you telling me to go fuck myself?” the monkey said, arching his brows slightly.

“Ah, looks like spending so much time with me has really brought up your street intellect, huh? Can’t even get the ‘go fuck yourself’ joke past you anymore. Thank you, though. For everything. But, mostly, for being a friend I never thought I’d have.”

“… you’re really leaving for good, huh?” the monkey said, his voice cracking somewhat. “You’d never tell any other soul that otherwise.”

“River of booze and a mountain of women await,” Lynne said, laughing heartily. “I’d be a fool not to go.”

“…”

Winds ruffled their hair gently as Lynne’s laughter resonated, but not within Y’se’s and monkey’s heart. They only heard silent pleas, wrenched away agony and pain residing deep within that laughter. Neither heartfelt nor bittersweet, to the two the goodbye appeared mostly lonely. Within Lynne’s words, they heard reluctance, but, at the same time, determination. He had already parted with everything which bound his heart, and had long since set his sights on this very choice. He’s going someplace not only them – but no one else – can truly follow. A place were winds aren’t gentle and fires aren’t warm, but rather a place where death is a serenade of agonized lovers.