The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 70: The end of his world. (Part 1)

"I would invoke the End. By the will of the World all life will be turned to ash and from it be reborn."

For a moment I was stunned, unsure she meant what she did, "Then... everything will die? Not just the demons but everything... everyone?"

"Yes. Currently the demons are still linked to the World's will, they have not completely broken it. If they are to die, it is now."

"Hang on," I had to stop her. "But what about the people on the Isles? The survivors? When you said everything, did you even mean the plants and animals? All Life?"

"Yes," she replied with simple bluntness.

"That's insane!" I shouted unable to hold back. "You can't just kill everything. Even if it's to get rid of the demons, what's the point if everyone will die?"

Her eyes become even colder than before, "That is the will of the world. It will take time, but everything will return to become as it should be. The demons will be eliminated."

"Can't you just kill the demons?"

"If only it were so simple," her eyes turned down at me, her presence growing. "Ardent was to come back with a different solution. He has died. Instead, I will give you the chance to offer one. And do not fear. You are not one of this world. You will be sent home regardless."

"You-," I grit my teeth, mind ablaze. "I need time to think."

The Witch sighed, "We have waited long enough, answer quickly."

I needed to buy time and spoke as I thought, "We just killed Kazu Hinterhold and destroyed Celestia. Surely that counts to something. Trust in the people that still live."

"Kazu was just one of many. The demons grow in strength and number. You struggled now and will inevitably be defeated."

"And if I hunted down the others? If I killed the strongest of the demons for you?" Even I knew that couldn't be the answer, but I needed her to slow down.

"You couldn't possible do what I could not," she again answered coldly. "They are cunning, and the Faceless King protects them from sight. Should they break free of the world entirely, all would be lost. The time is now Ardent. Now answer clearly."

All while she spoke, I felt my brain burn, chewing through calories in my body. My other self came from my world. He must have seen something, heard something. He had met my family, seen Endi at least. What else could he have experienced? What else set my world apart? From what I could tell, he hadn't returned from the future. I traced back my experiences since I woke up. I met Zen, I became the champion, Vanter and Endi came to us, we fought the Violet Oath, we found Elastire.... Elastire!

"What if-," I began as I tried to form the words. "What if I sent the people of this world somewhere else first? If I took the survivors to a different plane of existence and then you enacted the End, would that work? They'd live and the demons would still die." I felt confident I found a plausible solution and the Witch paused.

Her eyes narrowed on me, "And you have a place where you could take them?"

"Elastire," I began to explain with my hand on my chest. "The city that once belonged to the Witch of Blood. It should have been cast out by the Witch of the Void. If it's there, the surviving people could be kept safe while you eliminate the remaining demons. I can find it and save the people of this world."