The gate opened without sound
No rumble no flash
Just a slow unveiling like a curtain lifting on the end of a long play
Zerach stood inside arms behind his back calm as always eyes gleaming like he'd been waiting forever
Aya stepped forward her blade already drawn
Reiss followed eyes scanning every corner
But it wasn't just Zerach
Someone else stood beside him
A child
No
A shape that looked like a child
Eyes hollow skin grey no emotion just stillness
Zerach spoke first
You've made it further than any before you
Congratulations
But this is where choice ends
Aya spat
Choice never ends
Zerach smiled
That's exactly what it wants you to believe
He turned to the childlike figure
This is the Origin Key
The first concept
Before system before gods before magic
It made everything
It's not a being
It's the will of creation
And now
It's waking up
Reiss cursed
Why wake it
Why drag us down here
Zerach's voice was soft
Because I failed to control it
And it decided to try something new
You
Aya's hands shook
You think I'm gonna submit to that thing
Zerach nodded slowly
No
It's going to submit to you
Or it will destroy you
And if it does
I'll erase this version of reality and start again
Aya's blade pulsed
So this was all a game
Zerach chuckled
Not a game
A selection
You are the last option
Then the child moved
Just one step
And the floor cracked
Aya's shard went dark again
Time warped
Space folded
The Key raised a hand
And the world began to unmake
Zerach stepped back into the shadows
His part done
Aya stepped forward eyes locked on the thing that made all things
No weapons
No rules
Just her
And the end