The Three (DC Comics) [Chapter XX]

[Sincara]

"Silence..."

Spoke Sincara softly just as she walked up to meet The Third Aspect. Demanding the Arashi attention stays on her in spite of the orders of Lord Yahweh, the open defiance of the devoted or the mindless taunts of the knight. Her eyes forcing themselves to remain in the diamond eyes of The End while the tiny shards snowed on the holy land bathed in The Second Aspect's light. The Will of the Lord. Sincara had waited for what felt like a lifetime for this moment, and she would have no interruptions.

"I had hoped to encounter one of your brothers, but you'll have to do."

Sincara spoke at length, squeezing the handle of her revolver with each word that left her lips.

"You destroyed my home, you murdered my family and you've brought NOTHING but misery and death to my entire planet! For everything you claim to be for like a hypocrite your actions cause the opposite of what you set out to do. Look at yourself! You go through all this trouble to maintain balance when even The Creator cares nothing for it. Think about it. It's an infinite ball of energy that breathes life into all of us. Me, you, God... If it really wanted to restore the balance it could do so with ease. What does it need Yahweh for? What does it need you for? You're nothing. Your entire worth comes from a stone written ten thousand years ago! How does it feel to know that in spite of everything you're no more special than anyone else? That as far as The Creator is concerned, you're worthless."

Though all of her words did not apply to The End directly, Sincara spoke to the Arashi in general through the only one left standing.

"I have a message, signed from Genesis especially for you."

Sincara raised the revolved towards the mask of the Arashi.

"Get over yourself."

Her words ended with a loud bang as the .357 magnum left the barrel and headed straight to the dead center of the mask, an eery blue glow cloaked the bullet as it attempted to shatter the face of God on impact.

[Eos]

Eos stopped at the foot of the cathedral as the defenders of the city presented themselves one by one very much in the same manner that her brother Aper had before. The snow fell evenly on the holy capital now, and the angelic wings of the End laid behind her like a great cape. The apendages flowed behind her just above the ground like a celestial cloth. She stood still as a statue - a monument of the Arashi - and listened to the words of those who deemed themselves the followers of Yahweh. Her decayed marble-like features reflected against the beauty of the citadel in a peaceful expression that offered neither warmth nor comfort and her gaze was transfixed upon all of them. One by one, the silver eyes of the Night Angel moved from one to the next, and finally Sincara decided to let it upon herself to cast the first stone. Condemn the holy presence of the End as a heathen and a whore. The bullet moved with white-hot fire, searing across the air towards Eos, and it struck.

The bullet was like a drop of water and splashed on the face of the Arashi, baptizing it in the glory of her god. The specks of liquid flew in all directions and froze in the air around the divine figure, swiftly becoming indistiguishable from the other crystals that fell from the heavens. Eos visibly felt indifferent about Sincara's attack and instead rose her attention to the sky, raising her hands in like a prophet, lifting part of the luminescent veil behind her. Immediately the resonance of the gunshot was silenced with the rest of the city.

''There are six things that the LORD hates, and seven that are an abomination to him.'' Her voice was like the drum of thunder. ''Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.'' The gate of Aircano was gradually turning into a gem-like stone now - the floor of the city following suit as it was coated by the snow and turning to crystal.

''He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD. '' The sky was still marred by blazing auroras. Meanwhile, a great opalescent pyre could be seen out on the horizon - as high as the Downward Spiral - a great wall of light that consumed everything on it's path and left nothing but the frozen ashes of the world in its wake.

''And you have all commited these crimes and struck balance from measure. The Arashi will enact the final rites and restore the world from the wrongs of man.''

The sun was rising in the west, and its shadow was dawning upon Aircano. Suddenly the cape behind Eos sprung to life and her wings lashed out to the heavens. They rose up beyond sight and danced like great cobras in the sky. Their motion was almost hypnotic, and they slithered through the streets, spreading the crystal venom through every house and every soul. They lashed out and took their prey. And the face of Amoura could not look more serene through it all.

[Sincara]

Sincara didn't seem phased when the bullet was reduced to water and splashed the mask of the Third Aspect, nor did she even look up into the sky as the Third ascended into the heavens above. The grip on her gun never letting up and the words of the Arashi never going ignored as the fire rose from the west. Even as the wings of light came crashing down their divine retribution, the hunter didn't move from her spot. And her lips parted.

"Gott ist tot."

The weight of those words carried over through the sky and to the face of the Arashi. Cracks shot across the stone face in an impossible act, and then it shattered like glass. For it was not the bullet that was ever a threat when it exit the chamber. It was the eery blue glow which entered into The End's face unnoticed. It was the eery blue glow that spread across her body like a poison and began decreasing the size of the wings on her back. The eery blue glow that weakened the Arashi's body, and it was the eery blue glow that shinned over the hunter's revolver and up to her arm. It was the one thing in this life that The End was never meant to absorb, the one thing in this life that had no Life Force to absorb.

It was the energy of The Creator.

For it was after her confrontation with Tajna Rasha, her expedition into the Downward Spiral that led to this energy. Capable of harnessing the power into the gun as she did the Netherrealm energy months after the event of Grand Utopia. It was the energy she used on Kasul during the Jherrazad invasion of Kari. The energy she used to combat the gods that threatened this land. All this time Sincara wielded the most dangerous weapon to ever exist.

The weapon that can kill an Arashi.

Sincara brought up the revolver and fired another shot, this time it was not a bullet but a surge of The Creator's energy that ripped through the air and headed towards the chest of the stoned woman. If it hit it would serve to further weaken the body of the Arashi until not even her own light remained. With this act Sincara's role as the Guardian of Genesis was forever cemented in the Book of Jherra, the pages of history.

"Bang."

[Eos]

It took moments for the Arashi to fully process the event that had occured. Her expression contorted as a hand shot up to try and hold back the pieces of her face from from falling out. The gesture had been automatic - the result of an instinct she had never once known to posess.

The wings twitched behind her as a surge of energy burned through her. Some seemed to have gone limp from the shock while others continued to float about, though with less enthusiasm as before. It was a feeling unknown to the Arashi up to this point. The shattering continued down along the rest of her body like fractures along an ancient trail of ice over a frozen ocean. Every crack happened like the world suddenly held its breath and let out a terrifying rasp. An unmistakable blue radiance seeped from the wounds and that's when she knew.

She was in pain.

Eos looked at the woman between her fingers; a smouldering white flame burning in her eyes. Even though the experience was unprecedented there was no mistakening the source of the energy that raked her body. How had a simple girl come in contact with the Creator? Better yet how was she able to store its power - something even she in all her divine glory couldn't do? To even think of the thing was a blasphemy. An impossibility. And yet there it was. Here lied a mortal capable of -and hellbent on- slaying a god. As the energy manifested once again from the barrel of the weapon, the Arashi understood - for her mission - that she could no longer let her guard down.

The blast came, and Eos shot the hand that held her mask forward. Instantly, like how one extracts a venom - the energy that radiated from the initial shot came forth to meet the attack.

Aircano shined like a star.

[Ayen]

Ride of the Vulture

While a fire came from the west, a cloud of black came from the east. The cloud parted and ignited, revealing that it was no mere cloud. It was the full might of Vulture's air force. Every high tech aerial vehicle ever assembled by Isafaro and painted black. At the lead of the charge was the familiar Vulture's blimp, with none other than the General Koma Iz Vulture sitting in the pilot seat inside. But the only one among the mass down below who would feel his presence the most would be Legion. The experimented demon child that proved to be Vulture's greatest creation.

“Ride of the Valkyries” blared through the speakers of the blimp as Vulture leaned back in his seat. A large smile of madness on his face as he looked down below to The Third Aspect. Laughing. Laughing at the sight of the Third Aspect. Laughing at God and laughing at the star that shone over Aircano as forces that was never meant to be seen visible in Genesis collided. His laughter breaking over the music and his insanity was heard by all just as the jets in the sky unleashed hell in the form of missiles down at the Holy City. Looking to take out Eos and Aircano all in one fair swoop.

Today was a good day to die.

[Jehanne]

I got permission to do this.

"My loyalties are not to you."

Spat Jehanne as she looked towards Yahweh in disgust.

"My loyalties are to the High Priestess and if she says she is your enemy then so am I."

Jehanne readied her hand, prepared to take on both Eos and Yahweh if she had to. But then all eyes went to Eos who took to the air and started to attack the city with her wings. The temperature suddenly starting to rise from the west caused her to become even more alert but first thing first. As the light ran through the city destroying buildings, the knight in training grabbed Miracle and got her out of the way of fire. Her head turning in time to see what was happening to Eos. Looking on in shock as the mask cracked and shattered. The energy coming from Sincara's weapon shaking the entire battlefield before it collided with its own energy that went into the Third Aspect. The sudden light was blinding and Jehanne kept Miracle's face to the ground so she wouldn't be blinded by it. Turning her own head away as the blast caused the surrounding buildings to collapse.

When the light started to fade, there at the center between Sincara and Eos was a small ball of energy covered in the same blue light as Sincara now was. The energy causing the air around it to ripple and change by its very existence. As soon as Jehanne's eyes laid upon it she was overwhelmed by the beauty she found within. Incredible wonders of the universes all came spiraling through the ball that now stood in the holy city as the second sun once has. But it was more than that. The battle between Arashi and mankind had created something truly wonderful and terrible all at once. The result of the Creator's energy colliding created a second Creator.

"It's beautiful!"

Suddenly without warning, Jehanne's eyes burned away like fire, her entire skin melting off as if she had been set ablaze. The armor protecting her body melting along with her skin and mixing with the remains as all that remained of the knight in training at the sight of the new Creator was a puddle of melted flesh.

[Legion]

Legion stood in silence as Eos ascended and Sincara took up arms against it. Observing the changes on the Third Aspect's body as the face of God shattered to the words spoken by the gunslinger. Even standing in her place on the ground, the demon child could feel the pain that her sister, her kin, was experiencing. As the forces never meant to be contained by human hands collided, Legion didn't so much as blink as she bore witness to the bang. The secrets of the universes coming alive as a new omnipotent entity was born before them. Looking to all the wonders of creation through its body and not decaying like the knight that came before. It was indeed beautiful.

And it was in the way.

But as beautiful as this was, Legion's attention would be drawn to another. Hearing the music as the black cloud moved up above. Feeling the presence of the man who cursed her life forevermore as a hellspawn. As a victim of The Essence. And it would not see this man survive another day. If all of creation was lost, if she was to be purified in the light. Then she would do so knowing that she claimed her vengeance beforehand.

Sensing the wall of fire that came from the west, the demon child tapped into her pyrokinesis and took control of the flames. Splitting the wall in two and then guiding it over the city, casting down an orange light upon the city as it set ablaze the Vulture's planes. Fire surrounded the blimp the General was inside and sent it plummeting straight into the path of The End.

[Ashley]

"Y-you must be joking."

Phebe couldn't believe what she was hearing. The Lord wanted them to stand down and allow this creature to kill them. She didn't want to die. She still had so much to live for in this world. In that moment her faith shattered and she abandoned her holy staff as she fled from the city. Leaving Aircano, and Miracle behind to get as far away as she could. But there would be no escape for her as she ran straight into the wall of fire. The flames scorching her flesh as she cried out in agony. The other priests that remained in the city being obliterated along with Jehanne the moment the new creator was born.

[Ayen]

Who wants to live forever?

There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Even if the pilot escaped the burning jets and blimp, the flames in the air outside would incinerate them before they could hope to get far. Vulture smile never faded as he crashed towards The Third Aspect. An Arashi without even so much as a face thanks to the damage inflicted upon it by Sincara's magic gun. He stared into eternity, it being the last thing he witnessed before going blind entirely. The flames melting off his skin and right before it could finish him off, Eos' light reduced him and the fire to crystallized glass. A half dead smile continuing to taunt the Arashi in the wake of being purified until it shattered alongside the flames and blimp, the shards snowing down with the rest and being lost to the blue flames of the new omnipotent being born on this day.

It was the end of an era.

[Miracle]

Before Miracle could do anything she was brought to the ground by Jehanne. Her eyes shielded from the light but she could still hear everything. She could hear the sound of her servant Phebe abandoning her to flee, only to hear her screams from the fire that claimed her flesh. She heard the last words of her dear friend and loyal bodyguard before her hand touched the puddle that was now her remains. Tears falling freely from her cheeks at the lost, keeping her eyes closed as she crawled about the ground. Holding on to the only thing she had left.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Miracle spoke these words clearly, her hands sliding through the dirt of the ground while flames scorched the heavens and war waged on against Arashi. Though she could not see the Spirit guided her. Leading her through a safe passage away from the new god and to an empty space on Eos' right to where she could stand. Reciting the most important verse she, and every man and woman to have faith, held dear.

"For God so loved Jehanne..."

Miracle hand grabbed onto a piece of rubble, slowly bringing herself up to one knee as she continued to speak.

"For God so loved Phebe..."

On both feet, the High Priestess stood up still shaking from the sorrow that filled up her body. Reaching for her sword.

"For God so loved General Vulture..."

The mere power behind those words were enough to make even Miracle's voice be unsteady, sheathing her sword and holding it out towards Eos. The only vision coming from the Spirit since her eyes remained close to avoid death at the sight of the infinite ball of energy that stood at Aircano's center.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

[DC Comics]

Yahweh looked upon the High Priestess through a look of rage. Ready to release all his anger towards his former disciple. But it would not stay on Miracle. Instead it would finally shift to Sincara herself, the ungodly one. For it was by her actions that the Arashi had felt pain and a new god was created on the soil of the old ones. No longer capable of holding in his rage, he charged towards Sincara. A holy light radiating off his body, the Holy Spirit coming out of his back as he swung down his holy blade to smite Sincara once and for all.

[Alex]

Alex was glad to see she weren't the only one telling Lord Yahweh to stuff it. But sadly not everyone was like that. Phebe, overwhelmed with fear, ran off. Prompting Alex to call out to her, "Phebe! Get your ass back here!" But it was too late. The fire that drew close took her before being manipulated into the air and after the Vulture's reinforcement. Her attention going back to Miracle and Jehanne, joining the two as Jehanne got Miracle out of the way of the wings of light. Staying near the ground by the High Priestess' side. While she couldn't see what was going on, Alex could feel the power that now stood at the heart of the city and saw Jehanne look in that direction.

"Jehanne, no! Don't look!"

Again it was too late and Jehanne paid the price. Her body was destroyed and nothing remained but a puddle of flesh and steel. She died a hero and Alex would make sure her death was not in vain as she stayed close by Miracle's side. The High Priestess thought it was the Holy Spirit guiding her but it was actually Alex. The only guardian angel she had left in this city. Standing by her side now with her sword raised as the two looked towards Eos.

"Look what your precious balance has done! It created something even you can't control!"

[Eos]

Eos gaze burned with righteous flames. The energy of the Creator reflected itself against the light - the wisps of power licking each other like celestial streams and rivers. The shards of her mask laid at her feet - slowly losing their opaque and decayed allure - becoming transparent and glass-like. They slowly lifted from the ground and returned to her face as a mirror-like puzzle with every crack and fissure scarring her immaculate visage. The wings washed across Aircano like the tides of judgement. She would not be stopped.

[Miracle]

"My friends are dead because of you..."

Miracle finally opened her eyes, the Creator well out of her visual range as she kept her gaze locked onto the now faceless Arashi. This corrupted and mangled stoned body was all that remained of her friend Amoura. The hero that came to this city and tried to help her the first time the Arashi came to the holy capital. Three times the city were rebuilt, and all three times the Arashi came. She should have known that no matter how hard she tried, Aircano could not escape the nightmare that is the Arashi.

"My home... How many times must I watch my home be crushed by your heel? I tried... We tried so hard to do the Lord's work. Had we known, had we just known we could have prevented this. But no."

Miracle's voice started to deepen as her eyes grew a light hue of blue as the shadow of the Second Aspect started to emerge from the ground. Wrapping its arms around the High Priestess in a cool embrace as they both drilled holes into his sister. His kin.

"We were expected to go in blind. To purge every realm outside of Genesis. Countless lives were lost because we did not know from what vessel The End would manifest. All of this could have been avoided and the Lord would have remained as he was! And the balance would have never been shifted. Even if you succeed the second Creator will continue to exist in the new life. Balance is forever changed."

Miracle raised up her blade and in turn Aper's raised up his.

"You do not belong!"

Miracle swung her blade downward in a vertical angle, the shadow of the Second Aspect doing the same as a great destructive force hurled itself towards Eos.

[Legion]

Legion's eyes widened at the sight of Vulture turning to glass, her lips curved and a maniacal laugh exit the demon child's throat. At last! After so much searching, after tearing Isafaro upside down and inside out she had claimed her vengeance. General Vulture was dead by her hands. Now there was just one more loose noose to tie before Legion could finally be laid to rest. She walked pass the ball of Creator's energy, avoiding contact and ignoring the conflict now between Sincara and God. That were their fight. Her battle came now. Standing on the opposite side of where Alex stood next to Miracle, Legion's red orbs went to the Third. Still remaining unmoved by the wings of light that tore down the holy city. A great darkness gathered before Legion, growing and growing and going until finally a figure of Veran emerged from the ball and stared down Eos alongside his brother kin. The First Aspect was reborn.

“Are we nightmares?”

Just as Aper raised up his blade and prepared it to fall down, Veran brought his hands up to the mask that covered his face for an eternity. His sister has been unmasked in the face of the wild card that was now Sincara. It was only right that Veran even things out. Removing the mask, and unleashing another unprecedented force that could not be measured, joining with the destructive force of the Second. For the first time ever all three Arashi stood in the same place at the same time, and for the first time ever Veran and Aper fought on side by side against the force they had tried to prevented from the very beginning. It was man who brought The End upon the world, it would be Arashi to purge it as Legion cried out in a rage.

“Vastaa Arashi!”