THEN... THERE WAS SILENCE

Black and white mingled like pair of lovers, wreathing about the earth and towering up like heaven-piercing skyscrapers, molding into massive pillars which clashed over and over again as though they were two opposites that could not live underneath the same sky. Boundless flames swallowed all, turning once lively world into nothing short of edgeless inferno; it burned on and on, as far as the eye could see and then beyond, burned without a word. Deep within the endless inferno, at its very heart, two streaks of light flashed through the void repeatedly. Once the flashes met, they would be both blown backward all the same, before shifting around and clashing yet again.

Surrounded by the bounding flames, Lynne’s expression reeked of slight madness and deep-laid joy. His eyes sparked strangely while his now completely white hair was seemingly caught ablaze, fluttering in the wind, unleashing sparks ever so often. Although his left arm was completely chopped off, it seemed to hardly impede his battle prowess. With a scythe in his hand and Skyfire bellowing out form every inch of his body, he dove in headfirst into every clash against Ignis. The latter, as though sparked by the madness within Lynne’s eyes, roared into the vast sky before crashing against his foe yet again.

Perhaps, within the entirety of the World, only these two figures could upturn skies and oceans to battle in a hellish inferno. One honed Hellfire Flames to the utmost perfection, causing entirely, pitch black flames to dance with his will, while the other donned Skyfire Flames, contrasting the boundless darkness with the purity of light. After yet another clash, Lynne felt blood inside his veins boil as he was blown backward, crashing into already carved out earth beneath, leaving yet another massive crater lying there. Without even taking heed to his injuries, he flipped backwards and forcibly halted himself before roaring out into the sky, veins on his neck and head popping out in clear view.

Enamored by the tinge of madness surfacing from within his heart, his entire being reeked more of fire than human’s vitality. Blasting off, fires surged like oceans at the spot where he just stood; blasting outward, they were like tsunamis, swallowing the already fading flames and reinvigorating them to burn ever so brightly.

He blasted off into the sky, his eyes losing the luster of sanity by second, and crossed countless miles in a single spin before appearing in front of Ignis. The latter had already disregarded his initial form; now, before Lynne stood a six meters tall giant with six arms, nine protruding horns growing out of its blazing head. Its entire body was covered in scales and bellowing, black flames, with the only exception being two, brilliant, crimson eyes who seemed as ancient as life itself. Each one of his six arms donned a blazing sword, and arts he displayed carried no profound meaning, no depth, no absolute mastery… merely pure, raw savagery.

Seeing Lynne blast toward him yet again, six arms swung in unison toward the approaching figure, tearing the void in space, leaving behind a massive gash that seemed to swallow life. On the other hand, still bearing the momentum, Lynne swung his scythe in an upward arc, causing a gigantic swarm of flames to erupt as the scythe cried out in joy; the sentient weapon had never felt the joy it was feeling today. Even if it were to be destroyed today, it would have no qualms about it.

“COME ON!!!” Lynne roared as two clashed yet again, causing yet another explosion of realm-leveling proportions. Despite the countless Spatial Locks set around their battlefield, the barrier was wavering, as though it could break at any moment. Lynne knew that if that was truly to happen, not a single soul in this realm would be spared from utter annihilation.

As shockwave spread out, two figures didn’t scatter as before, but rather remained locked in the high sky, their heads centimeters apart from each other, weapons screeching out in joy, anger, hatred, pride… Lynne’s lips were curled up in a massive grin, revealing two rows of white teeth gashed in crimson blood. His white hair fluttered brilliantly in the sky, elongating into distance like eternal flames, while his two eyes remained locked on the pair of crimson ones staring right back at him.

“… Absolution.” Lynne muttered under his breath. Suddenly, black flames screeched as they felt themselves being torn away from their Master. Ignis’ eyes flashed wickedly as it roared, rearing his flames back. Yet, he still felt the pulling force fighting him.

While he fought that battle, all the energy within hundreds of thousands of miles suddenly surged and sparked and was set ablaze. Boundless ocean of white flames surged beneath the two of them as it began roaring and rearing upward into the sky, forming a massive shape of a sword. Behind Lynne’s back, reaching nearly half a million miles in size, an object that could seemingly tear through the heart of the entire World itself roared majestically, exuding aura of utter dominance, something no one and nothing could defy.

This wasn’t the first time Ignis witnessed this attack; the only reason he survived the first time was because he transformed himself into his current form. When he was blasted the first time, he felt something he had never felt before in his entire life: fear. Not a fear of death, not that instinctual fear everyone feels when presented with something outside their prowess, but fear that struck the very core of his soul. Fear that reshaped his convictions, his beliefs and his thoughts. He was certain that, were that sword to appear within the Primordial Realm, it would have no issues tearing it asunder within a single slash. Yet, for the second time, he was forced to stare at the tip of that blade, feel the surging warmth of the inferno while his own heart turned cold.

“Immemorial Reaping.” Lynne muttered yet again as he struck toward Ignis, pulling himself backward. The gigantic sword bellowed like the unparalleled god of life and death as it speared through the sky, tearing it apart until not even primordial chaos was left.

In its wake, all was taken; Ignis’ two eyes widened as far as they could go, his heart beating beyond his control. This was the primal fear of the soul. Countless thoughts of surrender surged within his mind, telling him to kneel and accept his death, that it would be an honor to die beneath that blade.

“NO!!!!!!!” Ignis roared from the bottom of his lungs, feeling the chains tangled grimly around his heart crack and disintegrate into ashes. Clasping his six arms thrice, black flames surged from behind him, morphing into his Primordial Form – a giant whose size pierced out of the boundaries of this realm, where Lynne could only see quarter of its legs. “Hellfire Judgment!!”

Billions of chains suddenly surged from the giant’s feet, all pitch black in their hue, as they coiled around like snakes and dragons, eclipsing the torn sky asunder. Just then, space around them rippled and Lynne felt strange force of suction force him away; no matter how much he tried to struggle, he was unable to break free.

A mere flash later, he found himself surrounded in boundless darkness; before him, Ignis stood, confused all the same. However, their attacks didn’t stop. Without a second to ponder, the bellowing sword created of Primal Skyfire clashed against the universe of black chains forged from the Primal Hellfire. Two Origin Flames, source of all other flames in the World, purified down to their utmost cores, reeked of desire to establish dominance over the other. It was the eternal struggle, one beyond the fate of mankind or even Primordial Gods. Struggle which happened before this World even existed… and the World before it… and countless Worlds before all of them. Since the time immemorial, two flames were bound by laws of equality, always yearning to break away from the chains binding them, and flutter free at the peak of all other flames.

As the two sides clashed, there was no sound. There was no explosion. There were no realm-raving shockwaves. There were no tears in space that could swallow the universe whole. There was just blinding light in the ocean of darkness, as though the Origin had yet again transpired. From within primal darkness, first light formed. From first light, energy expanded endlessly. Inanimate worlds were given birth. First beings of sentience forged ahead. Life sprung into becoming. Then, evanescence. Nothing. Over and over again, like ocean’s tides, like seasons… endless cycle with no end.

Lynne stood motionless in this nothingness as endless images surfaced within his mind. He felt his entire self being washed and illuminated by knowledge. He heard voices gentle, angered, terrified, excited, startled, joyful… he saw a flower bloom beneath the current of rain, he saw tree bear fruits, he saw oceans birth life… after who knows how long, light faded. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at Ignis before him, who similarly had odd expression. Then, there was silence…

**

While on the brink of despair, being pushed down to their very last breath, people of Skyfire Paradise had borne witness to those legendary stories they believed to be mere fairytales. From the sky, a hero descended and swept away evil in his wake. To them, it didn’t matter who the hero was; whether it was a dashing man, a beautiful woman, or a monkey and a bird. What they knew was that the two who descended had uprooted the tides.

Monkey trashed about in his giant form, each one of his fists carrying momentum of endless mountains, each strike representing only one certainty: death. He had at last fully awakened his Divine War Ape Bloodline, and immediately came here. When he saw the state his friend’s Kingdom was at, he felt his heart bleed and anger burst like hurricane deep within his soul. Without saying a word, he sprang into action and began a massacre of unheard proportions. As he watched countless corpses fall listless from the sky, his anger dwindled somewhat, but he still willed his fist forth. Just as he was about to crash against yet another wave of enemies, something which he wouldn’t forget until the day he died occurred.

All worldly energy surrounding them vanished – not a single speck was left behind. Then, far high up in the skies, white flames of unparalleled beauty, primal and archaic dominance surfaced. They bellowed and roared like ancient beings, transforming into a massive blade that was as large as hundred-thousand-suns. The monkey – alongside every other living being in the entire realm, not just Skyfire Paradise – arched their heads upward and stared at the divinity. Sensing the familiar aura, the familiar warmth, the monkey’s expression suddenly mellowed. Parsia felt his heart freeze for a moment as he saw the spectacle. Old Headmaster watched from deep within the city, surrounded by a bunch of young kids, unable to produce a sound. The bird merely floated in the air, similarly stunned. Crimson-haired child – now a massive, bloody giant – stared at that sword which seemed to have been formed from all the truths of the universe. Next to him, two Dragons’ eyes flickered with strange emotions, whereupon they bowed their heads slightly toward the sword.

Down below, Thalia – who was currently being tended by various healers – similarly stared at that massive sword which seemed to be able to rip the entire world apart. However, her expression was calm. At long last, she felt chains around her heart wane, as though she finally understood. Her lips broke out in a slight smile as she tilted her head sideways.

“… no wonder,” she spoke softly. “You are no longer of this world… so how could you have stayed?...” then, the sword – just as quickly as it appeared – disappeared into nothingness, and with it boundless energy which swept through the entire world like a swift current. Then… there was silence.