The sky as always is covered in ash with only soft light piercing through, the broken fragments of my various weapons are embedded into the barren wasteland,
I am bleeding, there is no one around except for the source of my injuries.
My left arm is missing, my right leg mangled, and vertigo takes hold in my head as I look forward using a broken spear as a support to stand looking at the being I had fought.
The God of Ash, Nameless Descender, Demon of the Abyss, Ashborn purifier many names are attributed to this bastard and he is the cause of the sunless sky, now in front me was his corpse pinned by dozens of my weapons and torn asunder turning into ash, a weary smile graced my lips.
"Holy shit… I did it…"
This was a fight that I had prepared for since the beginning of this shitty life or at least when I got my memories of Earth and the fact that this was a game world, despite the weary smile I did not feel a speck of happiness.
I looked around the barren wasteland that I had heard was a beautiful forest many decades ago, but captured in my view was now cracked earth with holes of indiscernible depth scattered around causing me to sigh, clenching my teeth.
'Everyone is dead'
The comrades I had gathered had perished, it was surprising that I won but thinking about it more deeply there were various details that contributed to my victory.
'The power of friendship huh?'
The words of an old friend entered my mind causing me to chuckle in absurdity, as the last remnants of this nameless god vanished I looked upwards in anticipation.
This anticipation wasn't disappointed as the soft light grew brighter and brighter, the sky split as the ash that covered it dissipated, the ash that had been there for many decades before I was even born was now gone, replaced by 2 suns floating in the sky yet during this time I felt little emotion.
I let out a hollow laugh, smiling weakly as my vision turned blurry.
'Ah.. I'm dying'
My heart beating quickly a couple moments ago started to slow, my vision taking in the last vestiges of this ruined world now liberated with bright sunlight, so bright I remembered why I had fought and finally felt something.
'I'm happy, I accept this, everyone is gone but I will join them.'
As I awaited my death my thoughts lingered towards some words my comrades had said near the beginning of the journey
[Pray tell, if we clear the sky, what shall thou heroes do afterward?]
[HAHA Saintess loosen up are we not comrades! Once this ends I shall drink until I pass out! ]
[Fufu, I wish to go back to my castle and take a long nap.]
[Really? What about you Saintess?]
[I shall return home to Cathedral Zion]
[Going home is so boring! Having a beauty in arms would be nice and living off of her of course.]
[Hah! A deadbeat like you getting ladies?! You should learn some diligence from the boy!]
[Hmph, despite how I am I would make quite the lover. Wait, that fish was mine, Saintess! Give it back!]
[What about you, Reinhardt?]
The laughter in my memories quieted as I returned to the present my eyes took in the finally rays of light before closing,
'What did I answer with?'
I don't remember, but if I had to answer now
'I want to go home like the Saintess and Lilith, drink until I pass out like Dorn, and I guess find love like Mikhail, of course a sweet and happy love.'
I wanted to do all those things yet now I would die, it wasn't like there was anyone to do those things with anyways.
My body feels lighter, as I drift into the embrace of death.
I feel like I am living through everything and nothing at the same time, the memories of my time on Earth to my Time in the Abyss of the game Chronicles of Terra past, These two lives were exciting I met many people I was happy and sad many times, I cried many times I laughed many times. And…
I accept this outcome.
Stirring in this emotion a bright light appeared. I open my eyes but I can't, they feel open but they aren't the light starting small expands filling my sight as a voice echoes softly, caressing my entire being in an embrace telling or more like admonishing me gently.
"W… u."
The rustling of leaves, the sound of birds chirping,
"W.k. up"
Warmth of sunlight breeze of the wind
"Wake up!"
I open my eyes and in my view the sun shines brightly in the blue cloudy sky, I look around to find myself in a forest, surprised I feel my body, the injuries are missing yet I am wearing clothes I wasn't before. But one thought prevails in my mind with a sense of deja vu.
"I'm…. alive?"
…
'3..4..5.. 6 gods, they really were intent on killing me.'
I looked up listlessly, my hand slowly move up to hold down a large witch hat once a gift to me by my master was now torn and worn, I grip my magic staff tightly its wooden body now rotting from over use, the golden starlight in the gemstone at its head dulled but still swirled powerful mana.
Looking around I found tattered pieces of my cloak shimmering the last remnants of a protection magic I had used earlier to block a devastating attack.
I looked up at the sources of said attack.
Floating about a couple dozen meters away surrounding me in a semi circle 6 figures glared with murderous intent, hints of feelings could be felt from their intent, betrayal, anger, and pity.
I stood up using my staff as a support, checking my condition. My clothing is covered in dirt and worn. My hair shimmering with starlight danced in the wind as I threw my tattered cloak to the ground.
My golden eyes stare up and around, sunlight shines down reflecting off the landscape which is covered in a beautiful layer of crystal. The most eyecatching object is behind me, a tree that reaches the very heavens.
Its leaves seem like gemstones and have a beautiful rainbow color, the bark is also similar to a gemlike appearance, its size towers above all reaching for the heavens causing one's eyes to be drawn to its allure and beauty.
"Witch of Calamity! It is over, you wretch! Once you are dead humanity will be rid of the corruption!"
A knight in armor yelled at me.
The corruption, a force of nature that sought to end life in the world, and the Witch of Calamity its herald and origin.
"Knight king… why do you believe me to be the Witch of Calamity have we not fought side by side against corruption?"
My voice is soft yet resounds throughout, heard by the gods, the knight scoffs pointing at the miasmic terrain.
"As if! The grand oracle gave proof! To think we were led by you and believed in you! My Ariellia… My wife! died because of you!"
Other voices shouted
"You bitch! Repent with your life!"
"Absurd you think we will still believe your lies Arianna!? I'm disappointed sister, how.. How could you kill our brother?!"
'Gosh… how dramatic..'
I looked at my sister with slight sadness, accusations were tossed at me as I sighed bitterly.
'They believe these accusations. How did it come to this?'
The answer had been obvious since the fight had started. Looking around I spotted a woman in the back looking serious.
'The Oracle Pandora, Goddess of Illusions? It was you all along, you were the Witch of Calamity.'
From rank 1 to 10 I have reached the final rank, rank 10 and now I can see through the veil of illusions the goddess had.
I close my eyes, raising my staff. 10 magical circles appeared splitting into dozens and soon thousands appeared around the world, the gods realizing I was moving charged.
"Don't let her cast! Kill her!"
They all dash the knight king, also known as the sword god sends a sword strike that seems to break the terrain cutting against the heaven reaching tree and crashing against Arianna,
Bow god shoots their arrow and it splits from a single one to millions crashing and exploding brilliantly.
Her sister Rihanna the wind god assumes the form of a dragon and summons a blizzard towards Arianna.
From the attacks Arianna emerges flying high up into the air, blood could be seen as she couldn't fully block the attacks, she is covered in wounds.
A Man wearing a cloth covering his eyes holding a spear emerges from immense power piercing through Arianna, she quickly blocks causing the attack to mangle her right arm, her staff pushes the man back leaving her grip and floating beside her.
"Spear god Rael… You've grown stronger."
Arianna casts healing magic on her wounds causing them to mend rapidly. The spear god glares, tossing the spear.
"The continent numbers in the mere millions…. because of corruption! Because of you! Just die already!"
He takes off the cloth covering his eyes. Pitch white light envelops the world causing Arianna to spit out blood, her bleeding and injuries stop healing from magic and only get worse.
The wolf god, a werewolf with 13 eyes, appears opening its two palms chains to extend wrapping around and pulling Arianna towards the ground, then the werewolf opens its mouth absorbing Arianna's attempts to cast spells.
"I've pinned her down! Kill her now!"
The rest charge and soon after Arianna is covered in wounds, her right arm gone and her healing stopped. As her hat falls Dragon horns reveal themselves on her head, her white hair flowed giving the sheen of prismatic crystals, her beauty was ethereal despite missing an arm and being covered in wounds, her eyes stare listlessly at the people killing her she raised her staff a magic circle covering the world appeared shining a bright radiance everywhere.
"Quick! Stop her!"
"The 10th rank?!"
[10th Tier Spell: Heavens Fall]
It was too late and soon the world trembled, covered in light, Arianna started opening her eyes, weapons were embedded in her body, her blood flowing, but she looked around at the terrain as pillars of light from her 10th Tier spell bore deeply into the ground. There were thousands scattered all across the world, the divine tree was the source of her spell and ascension to the 10th rank.
Ignoring the pain she focused on the living organisms from the trees, the crystal containing the corruption and the miasmic aura disappeared, replaced with living trees, The corruption slowly disappeared.
"H-How?"
They stared in shock but quickly realized what had happened, Arianna swiftly moved as they were distracted, the burden of having to cast such a large spell which took years of preparation was gone and now she was at full power even if temporarily,
She dashed at the wide eyed Pandora, Pandora still shocked, barely noticed and started to cast a spell.
'Too late!'
[8th Tier spell: Profound Echo]
Arianna was faster, the attacks she had received were now also put onto Pandora. Arianna stared at the bleeding Pandora emotion soon filled her eyes, it was endless spite.
"Goodbye God of illusions.. no … Witch of Calamity."
Arianna stabbed herself, ripping her heart out with a smile causing Pandora to have the same injury.
"Damn Bitch!"
The heavy damage reverted Pandora to her true form and Realizing she got caught, her mask slipped.
"This.. This isn't over! Calamity is endless!"
'How cliche…'
They both collapsed. Pandora seemed to have perished, her body's divinity diminishing, the other gods tried to get to Arianna but she teleported a short distance away with the remainder of her magic.
Arianna laid near the divine crystal tree, slowly bleeding out, even if she didn't pull out her heart she after the fight she would have died anyway from the toll, killing Pandora required the macabre act.
'This is the end for me…'
I sighed thinking about my life or lives would be more appropriate, I transmigrated into a Fantasy Otome game from earth but it was anything but fun.
Banished from my family I wandered until I met my teacher, we traveled and eventually the corruption appeared, the rest could be seen here, I'm bleeding to death, my body embedded with various weapons tired from solving the corruption.
'I'm sorry teacher… You sacrificed yourself for me to live happily but here I am… It seems I will never be happy'
On earth she lived and died young from overworking, this life, slightly peaceful and fun at first, soon turned into a living hell just like her life on earth.
'I hate it… It's like I'm a character in a terribly written tragedy'
"Hah.. If I do get a third chance I'm going to be lazy living away from conflict."
Arianna frowned coming to a realization while closing her eyes,
'Isn't that a Jinx?'
Just like some cliche in a novel,
"No.. even if it is, I will live peacefully.. happy. I will get rich and find love I couldn't find in the past. I will laze around or go places I would never go, I will go to the ocean that isn't corrupted, I will… I will… live… liv…."
Her voice died down as she found it impossible to open her mouth.
'Though… I probably won't get another chance… not with my luck anyways..'
The thoughts amused her as her vision soon turned dark she drifted into a long needed rest through the embrace of death her body turned into particles of light as she dissolved.
The tree's leaves drooped as if it had also been killed and soon also aged turning its vibrant rainbow colors into dull black hues as it turned into dust in a matter of minutes the divine tree having fulfilled its purpose was no more.
Then a voice resounded deeply and with a feeling of encouragement and determination in my mind. To live, to keep going, and eventually move on.
"W.k. .P"
The rustling of leaves, the sound of birds chirping similar to a lullaby .
"Wak. .P"
Warmth of sunlight enough to lull anyone to a deep dream
"Wake up."
I slowly open my eyes, I feel energized yet tired at the same time I slowly lift my body holding my dizzy head looking around. I find myself in a forest, a beautiful forest. A thought and I smiled with exasperation with a sense of deja vu.
"I live..again…?"