*
" What are you doing here?" (Sariel)
A voice that sounded just about to plead, but also resistant in its delivery. It came out almost like a whisper among the winds above the school rooftop. About a day has passed since the gunmen were sent, Sariel would be thankful if Eterna decided not to pursue the magical girls aside from herself. Unlike herself, she couldn't guarantee the rest would survive, her number one priority was to keep everyone alive.
"... I wanted to see how you were doing." (Eterna)
Cold articulation, frigid even. Not a trace of warmth or emotion, akin to a robot delivering a message. As if talking to a hamster within a cage at the pet shop, or a worm crawling in the ground. Observing the death throes of a toy, that was the impression that the woman before her gave off. She didn't know why another one of Eterna's avatars is here, maybe it's to harass her, she wouldn't know what goes on in Eterna's head.
"Are you here to mock me? I know about how peculiar you higher beings are, about the right time and place for fighting." (Sariel)
"..." (Eterna)
It's supposed to be a bright afternoon, yet the sky is an alarming pitch black. Sariel might have cursed everyone, her fear of the sun blowing up came true. There is no sun, normally vast swathes of the earth would begin freezing over, yet even that has been overcome by human ingenuity. Energy is still plenty, the zones remain connected to multiple electrical grids. Systems and infrastructure continue to run, even the weather system could continue to provide warmth in this bleak world.
As if it was magic.
"As the sole deity of this universe, the realm has been shelved into a state of systematic deletion. As of this moment, nothing exists beyond this planet." (Eterna)
Once more, humanity is protected by the law of magical girls. No, that's too charitable of an interpretation, to group every supernatural law regarding both humanity and the arcane as a 'law of magical girls'? To say the least, humanity inexplicably created these laws, and these laws protect them in return. To probe into the creation of these secrets, was it possible even for Eterna?
A state of unreasonable abject calmness took hold. A deity's passivity could radiate this much such that it would affect living beings in proximity, almost like a passive form of brain washing. However, passivity didn't disarm vigilance. Sariel took hold of her composure and used it to her advantage. She asked without any hurry.
"Why? Why are you trying to kill all the magical girls? What could possibly threaten you from this generation?
The most I could accomplish is fight off one of your avatars, those that possess unaturally ceaseless growth like Lastia and Arin are already gone. Or are you afraid that I might find a way to bring them back? " (Sariel)
" Afraid... Yes, I might be afraid. That last Fragment evolved into a demon king by assuming the vacant throne, the 4th seat of the heavenly kings.
Demon king? Heavenly king? I'm starting to lose perception over my senses. Anyway, that thing... Vinia, summoned an ancient being from a previous era, from the origin era. A being that made deities look like fodder to be consumed like breakfast.
I figured I could offer humanity on a platter as a sacrifice to appease that being. " (Eterna)
"... Incomprehensible. My mood would never dictate this conclusion no matter how much you sedate it with brain washing.
You'd give up all you cherished for a chance at survival? Then what are you gonna do after that? Sneak behind it's back and create another world? Load an extra save file you made? " (Sariel)
Her words soaked like venom, but because of the emotional sedation they didn't come out too passionately. Her ire blossomed through all the more, laced with hostility.
"... I'm not arguing this with you. You must think there must be some tangible 'hope', some other way to deal with that being.
Someone ancient beyond any other, for she eliminated any other adversary before her time. The 'humanity' we have now is not the same as her 'humanity', we are mortal enemies, a subspecies that diverged from what was meant to be. She will stop at nothing to destroy the world itself, I can't even lift a finger. " (Eterna)
" Someone who could even terrify you was summoned... So where are they now? " (Sariel)
" The world is fragile, just by existing she could start breaking it down. The world itself rejected her and pushed her to the boundary of the universe... Is what others would say.
I am the world itself in my authority, I am what changed the coordinates of her manifestation. Over there, she's... Fighting someone called Yggdrasil. " (Eterna)
"... Yggdrasil? The false tree that blossomed in our residential zone? What about Lastia? The last time I saw her, was when she was taken away by that heavenly king... " (Sariel)
"... That? That... Was Yggdrasil. Lastia died when she fought The Calamity. Yggdrasil, the mimicry of the world tree possessed the body since. The real Lastia could never go toe to toe with that ancient being, Yggdrasil has long since surpassed her and is fighting to a standstill at the moment.
It's only a matter of time before she succumbs too. " (Eterna)
"... " (Sariel)
She looked on at the sea of fire. The emotional sedation reaches critical efficacy, fixing her face to rigidity. Yet even so, a small frown sets itself as naturally as the crescent moon, 2 jewels gently gazed with streams of purity flowing down her cheeks. So this was why Eterna killed everyone. We were living on a time bomb only she knew about, so she concluded that the world had a chance of survival if this 'new humanity' wasn't around to walk the lands.
"So that's why you decided 'humanity' had no chance, had no merit for existing." (Sariel)
The magical girls wouldn't give in, the protectors of humanity wouldn't go down without a fight. So she reversed the order, and killed all the normal people first. During the height of the school's bustling activity, every pipe, every conduit, every infrastructure spontaneously combusted. Sariel had long transformed and changed to normal clothes, staying transformed throughout the day. The teachers treated her as if she was absent despite her sitting at her seat.
Naturally, such a thing could no longer be cause for concern. She survived. Did any other magical girl survived? Every zone is a sea of fire, what should she do? What is the point? Both Arin and Lastia are dead.
Any semblance of hope... Is there any of it left in this world?
Isn't this the end of the world...?
"... No, it's not!!!
Not even the master of the garden can decide humanity's worth!!! " (Alice)