A young woman staggered backward, her breath ragged, lungs burning as the stench of rot and the scents of those horrifying beings mingled in the air
The ground beneath her boots was slick with a variety of liquids - saliva, poison, mortal blood and the ichor of the Gods each shimmering with their individual colors, and the shadows writhed with shapes that should never have existed - abominations with too many limbs, mouths that gnashed in impossible directions, numerous eyes that glowed with hunger.
Their disgusting shrieks and soul trembling roars reverberated through the vast piece of destroyed land - possibly an asteroid or one of the destroyed strongholds
Her body still wished to fight but her mind had long realized her situation, and she knew - this was it. Death loomed and threatened to end her and her companion. The creatures surged forward, claws outstretched, their grotesque forms blotting out what little light remained.
Her friend looked at her with an incomprehensible gaze - "Well it's been a pleasure Alexandra"
He spoke softly - his eyes were hollow and lifeless; well, it made sense - when he transcended, he became one of the Gods of death despite also having the qualifications to become a warrior deity - more specifically a sword God like her
"I suppose... We did our best but in the end the tower fell too"
She spoke dodging a scythe like appendage aimed at her angling her blade with such precision that it used the force of the beast to dismember the arm
The last line of her friends summons crumbled under the pressure of the countless hoards and they prepared to embrace death
Then, without warning there was a whirring of sound that appeared around them in the shape of a dome. A blinding shimmer erupted around them, forming a barrier of pure radiance. It rose like a dome of molten glass, humming with power, separating her from the tide of horrors. The abominations slammed against it, their claws screeching across its white but slightly transparent surface, but the barrier held firm. The barrier cracked over and over but repaired almost as fast
The duo collapsed to their knees, eyes hollow, blood streaking from their eyes, nose, ears and mouth - down their dirt-stained face falling onto their armors that looked a moment away from crumbling.
They fought with a distance of roughly 5 people between them while being in that back-to-back position so the moment the barrier appeared they were the closest Relief mingled with awe as they reached out, fingertips brushing the barrier's surface. It was warm, alive, pulsing with a force that felt both ancient and powerful.
The monsters howled in frustration, their forms twisting in rage, but they could not cross. For the first time since the nightmare began, she was they shielded by a power beyond their understanding.
And in that moment, as the barrier's glow wrapped her in its embrace, she realized, something - or someone - had saved them
Even if it seemed to have only gifted them moments - but they resigned themselves to death already, so their only goal was to rip as many abominations as possible apart
The barrier pulsed brighter, and the shrieking of the abominations faded into a muffled roar, as though the world itself had been pushed away. Alexandra knelt in silence, trembling, until a voice - vast, resonant and immensely powerful - filled the air.
It was not sound alone. It was presence. It was an inevitability
"Lady of steel, Harbinger of the last breath" the voice intoned, each word vibrating through their very essence, "you stand at the edge of your fate... at the end of the universes fate- Yet your fate is not immutable."
Her eyes widened. The barrier shimmered, and within its glow a figure began to take shape, a being of pure radiance, neither man nor woman, but something beyond even their divine comprehension. Its form shifted like constellations, a thousand stars woven into a single silhouette.
"I am the Eldest," the being declared, "the spark from which all Creation was born. I have watched your struggle, your pain, your defiance against the tide of ruin. And though death reaches for you, I offer you a choice - a last chance
The woman's lips parted, but no sound came. Her soul quivered beneath the weight of the divine presence.
"You may let this moment consume you," the First God continued, "and pass into the silence of the realm of nothingness. Or... you may send your soul back" - The being seemed to shift despite not moving but when she saw her companions' eyes widened, she knew it was now speaking to him - ' and I can only afford to send your memory beyond the veil of time. You may walk the path again, armed with your knowledge" - It looked back at her - "and the will to save those who fell before. You may rewrite the story of your worlds and the last timeline"
The barrier hummed, and visions flickered before her eyes - a face that after all this time could not forget, her Guild alive and whole, the faces of those she had lost.
Tears streamed down her cheeks - "I... I can save them?" - she whispered.
The First God's voice softened, though it still carried the weight of eternity. "Yes. But know this, there can never be a chance like this again - across those countless timelines the one I will send you back to us the last one and my consciousness will fade forever and only my body will remain"
The barrier's light coiled around them, lifting her gently from the ground as the barrier began to fade slowly. The abominations clawed and screamed, but they were powerless, shadows against the brilliance of divinity that was slowly fading
"Choose, children," - the First God said - "Will you surrender to death... or will you return, to fight anew, to save all, and become more than you ever were?"
Her trembling hand reached toward the light - Her soul burned with resolve
"May I know your name Eldest" - She spoke under the pressure and the being seemed confused
"Eldrathis... I am Eldrathis but why do you ask child?"
"I wished to know the name of my savior..." - She paused - " Eldrathis, I will return," - she smiled
The moment before the light enveloped her completely, she turned to her companion and yelled her voice slowly dissipating into a time long in the past
"We'll meet up again in the tower!"
He looked at her, and she watched as his almost always dull and lifeless eyes gained a spark - "Become stronger!"
She smiled and dissolved, and her spirit was drawn into the radiance - carried backward through the currents of time, toward a second chance she felt she would never get again
The light consumed her, and when it faded, she gasped.
Her eyes snapped open—not to the endless hordes of horrors, not to the shrieking abominations - but to the soft glow of fluorescent lights and the sounds of an air conditioner. The scent of polished wood and fresh coffee filled her senses. She blinked, disoriented, staring at the sleek desk before her, the glowing monitor, the neatly stacked reports.
She was in her office - more than a 100 years ago
The city skyline stretched beyond the glass wall, sunlight glinting off towers that stood tall and unbroken. No smoke. No ruin. No screams or shrieks. Just the ordinary bustle of a world still alive. The sounds of cars moving in the streets
Her trembling hands touched the leather chair beneath her. She looked down at herself—her tailored suit, her polished shoes. No blood, no dirt, no scars. She was whole and empty at the same time
The calendar on her desk caught her eye. The date burned into her mind
exactly one year before the apocalypse began.
Her heart pounded. The Eldrathis words echoed in her mind, "You may send your soul back"
She sat there, legs week, staring at the familiar office she had once taken for granted. The sight of her phone, the chatter of employees that echoed even from the lower floor, the faint vibration of the city alive with commerce—all of it felt impossibly precious.
She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the weight of her second chance.
This was no dream. This was her rebirth.
The young CEO inhaled deeply, her resolve hardening. She had a year to prepare. A year to change everything. A year to save those she could care to help
And this time, she would not fail - but then something happened making her body grow cold
The door creaked open, hesitant, as though the person behind it wasn't sure if they were welcome.
Alexandra turned, still reeling from the shock of her rebirth, and her breath caught. Standing in the doorway was her Wife - clutching a small box wrapped in ribbon against her chest like a shield.
Her girlfriend's eyes flickered nervously looking everywhere around the room but never quite meeting hers
"Um...I got you something" - she whispered, voice trembling, almost apologetic. She stepped inside slowly, shoulders hunched, as if afraid she might be scolded for intruding.
Alex heart twisted. She remembered this moment—or rather, the version of it from her past life.
'My 26th birthday'
Back then, she had looked up from her desk, yelled at her for intruding into her workplace
she barely remembered but due to the immense regret and when she had gone mad recalling all the memories, she remembered how she had yelled at her
Something about it being bad enough being forced to marry her, having her stay at the same house and leech of her hard work where she then dismissed the gift with disgust throwing it into the bin besides her desk
She had been cruel, distant, uncaring. And yet, despite all of that, this timid, gentle soul had loved her. Loved her enough to die for her when the world ended
Now, seeing her alive again, she felt her chest ache with guilt and longing.
Chloe placed the box carefully on the desk, fingers lingering on it for a moment before pulling back quickly, as though afraid she might be reprimanded.
"I... I know you don't really like surprises," - she murmured, eyes downcast - "but I thought... maybe... you'd want something small. Just... to mark the day."
She rose from her chair, legs trembling. She could see the way her Chloe flinched slightly at the movement, instinctively bracing herself for coldness. That tiny gesture hurt worse than any attack she had got
"Come" - She spoke, voice breaking - "Come here"
Her girlfriend blinked, startled, finally daring to glance up. Her wide eyes were filled with confusion, fear, and - A deep worry
Alex stepped closer after seeing Chloe stuck in fear, slowly, carefully, as though approaching a frightened bird. She reached out, taking her girlfriend's hand. The warmth of her skin was real, alive, and it nearly undid her.
"I'm so sorry," - she said, tears spilling freely now - "I should have cherished you. I should have loved you the way you deserved. I was blind, selfish... cruel. But I won't be that person again I'll give you everything you deserve"
Her girlfriend's lips parted that fear replaced by worry within an instant - "What... What happened Alex? please tell me," - she inquired softly - "What's wrong? ... I'll help if I can even if I can't do much"
Alex pulled her into an embrace, holding her tightly, desperately. Her girlfriend stiffened at first, uncertain, but slowly melted into her arms, timidly resting her head against her chest. She was, Timid, hesitant - and afraid but her love was still there, buried beneath years of neglect she continued to try and dig herself out
"Nothing is wrong baby" - She spoke into her hair - "I'll protect you. I'll take care of you. I won't neglect you. I'm so sorry for what I did" - She was mumbling into her hair - before realizing her tears were wetting her wife's hair and trying to pull back
Chloe's hands clutched weakly at her suit jacket, as though afraid she might be pushed away again
"It's okay" - she murmured, voice trembling. "You didn't do anything"
Alex heart shattered. This adorable, gentle woman had always believed in her—even when she hadn't deserved it and now, she was trying to make her feel better
She tightened her embrace, vowing silently
this time, she would not fail her.