Crystalla
Into the Endgame

Syl knocked on Roisin's door, as he listened to the droning chattering noise coming from the nearby great hall. Roisin's room was on the 9th floor of the Council Chambers building, and Syl couldn't help but be impressed by the size of this old building.

Roisin opened her door, she looked as if she hadn't slept all night.

"What is it?" Roisin asked, weakly.

"How are you holding up?" Syl asked.

"I'm not" Roisin shrugged, as she moved to let Syl in. Syl walked into the darkened room, the curtains were closed, letting only a slight bit of light in.

"Roisin..." Syl sighed. "You're still you" He said, as he pulled her closer and hugged her. Roisin cried into Syl's shoulder. As he looked around the room, he spotted Ruby curled up, asleep on the bed, and smiled. "I'm sorry I took so long to come see you..." He shook his head. Roisin stayed quiet but continued to hug him.

Suddenly an alert sounded throughout the entire building, Roisin and Syl looked at each other confused as a red flashing light illuminated the room. Ruby jumped awake and looked around.

"What's going on?!" She panicked.

"I... don't know" Syl replied. Roisin looked at Syl and nodded.

"We gotta go replace out" Roisin sighed. Syl took Roisin by the hand and headed out to a balcony overlooking the great hall, Ruby flew out over the hall and looked at a giant screen, showing footage captured from a forward camp in the Steppe outside of Raryst.

"What is that in the sky?" Ruby asked, as darkness fell across the Steppe.

"The darkness is returning?" Syl frowned.

"No... that isn't the darkness... that's an island" Roisin shook her head.

"An island?!" Syl gasped as he looked closer, Roisin was right, a colossal island, or continent seemed to now be floating above the steppe. The radios dotted around the room all began to crackle as the island came to a halt.

"Greetings, Crystalla. This is Infernus. I am pleased to announce that the date of the end has been rescheduled" A voice spoke across the radios.

"Infernus... doesn't he sound different to you?" Roisin frowned. "More, emotional..." She added. Ruby looked at Roisin and nodded.

"Rescheduled?" Syl pondered, as he noticed Keegan was now standing with them.

"Everything has gone according to plan, and now I can happily report, this ailing universe has but four days left until the end. I would advise you to spend your final days wisely. That is all" Infernus announced, before the radio cut off. The whole building was stood in silence.

Roisin took a deep breath and approached the balcony.

"People of Crystalla!" Roisin shouted, as her voice echoed throughout the great hall. "You probably know of me, or have seen me. But, I'm just like you all are right now. I'm scared, sad, and fearful of what is to come" She continued, the whole of the great hall was now focused on her, as was several cameras which began broadcasting across the emergency signal, worldwide.

"Do not let this development dissuade you. This 'Infernus' is growing desperate, and is accelerating his plans, in an effort to carry them out before we can act. This is a good thing, he is rushing his plans, which means his weaknesses will be exposed. We are so close to victory now, you should all be able to taste it"

"So carry on in your tasks, if you are here with me in the Council Chambers, continue working on what you are working on. If you are in the forward camps, stay vigilant. If you are in the cities, please do not panic. Let unity be your strength, you are as important as any of us. Keep our homes and lives going, so that when this war is finally over, we can return to a happy and stable home. For Crystalla!" Roisin shouted.

"For Crystalla!" Ariel yelled up at Roisin.

"For Crystalla!" Another person shouted. Before long, the whole hall was chanting, and cheering. The sound of the united voices echoed across every screen in every home across the world.

Meanwhile, on the floating continent of Utopia, that sat above the skies of Raryst. Infernus was sat in the throne, below a giant beacon which stretched up to the tear above the old broken Lumina Academy.

He watched a nearby screen as a news broadcast showed the partying in the streets across the world.

"How pitiful, do they not know the end is near?" Infernus asked.

"They do" Rychard's voice echoed. "And yet they hold onto hope. Which is more than you will ever have" He added. Infernus slammed his fist on the throne, breaking the marble, and standing up.

"You still have hope?" Infernus asked.

"Until the final second, yes" Rychard replied. Infernus gritted his teeth as he walked outside of the old academy, and looked across miles and miles of circuits and strange looking technology that had taken the place of the city of Utopia, he recalled vague memories and a wide grin stretched across his mechanical face.

"My people had hope. It only took one traitor to