antumbrac | THE FINAL CONFRONTATION

[It's time.

Once everything has gathered, perhaps they feel as prepared as they can be under these circumstances. Behind that door lays the place where things will end. The door opens easily, giving them access to the most important place underneath Krakow.

It's a rather large chamber, carved in the rock, but on the far end it feels like someone decorated the place to give it a very mystical vibe. A polished stone staircase leads to what seems to be a very large, glowing gate. It's being assaulted by an uninterrupted beam of volatile energy. Its origin is visible: a large, imposing laser machine, where all the tubes and wires are connected to. Right beside it, there's a coffin-shaped machine, the antenna blinking intermittently. Looks like it's on! But is it doing anything right now?

And, standing there with your backs to you, are the two people who have caused you so much grief and pain during the last month and a half. They're standing some distance away from the gate. Throughout the room are a few rocks that could serve as cover, as well as a pillar or two, but do you intend to hide? Regardless, looks like your intrusion didn't go unnoticed]

You all are so noisy.

[The door opening seems to have alerted her of your presence, yup. The Lady turns around. She doesn't have her half-mask anymore. The eye that's usually under it has a summoning circle carved onto it, shining so noticeably it can be seen even from the other side of the chamber. To her hip there's a sword, and her hand goes to a weapon a couple people may be familiar with: the marshmallow gun...with modifications. That sure is the fire-spewing trombone attached onto it. It's all pretty dangerous-looking yet still ridiculous. ]

Welcome, everyone, to the secret of this world. In here--why are there cats here?

[She blinks, puzzled. A good sign! Looks like, despite everything she has done and worked on, there's still room to catch her off guard in many ways!

The Lady shakes her head]

If you're down here it means you have been snooping around, haven't you? I'm sure this isn't the only place you sneaked into. My, darlings, that's naughty of you. All you had to do was stay on the surface and do nothing, and you could have the happy ending you wanted. Now, since you have seen more than I intended, I have no more option but to kill you. You can only blame yourselves, darlings.

[The Lady glances back at the gate, pensive, for just a moment before slapping a grin on her face]

My followers call me their Lady. My priestesses their Goddess. Everyone else calls me...the Other, for...some reason. [She doesn't seem terribly fond of that moniker.] But you all can just call me Lucrezia. And this here is my servant, Rembrandt as you well know by now. [She turns to him to add:] Oh, feel free to strike fear into their hearts by undoing your current form. The charade is over.

Now, have you all grasped the truth of this project?

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Ahhh, is that guilt I hear? [ He seems to relish it, smiling with his many mouths. ]

By all means, continue, continue!

I should have died! I should have-- the guilty need to die, I...

[ He's been over this, he's gone over this many times, but it's not until now that it really sunk in that it could have been Light Yagami, standing here. It's not a fate he wishes on God, but it's a fate in which he lives and in which he can continue living. Surely, he'd have worked it out.

But instead it's him. Him, he who failed. The one who let God die. God's mistake.

He's here. And he'll live, now, but none of this should have happened. ]

Mikami...

[ Rean sent a short glare at the demon but worried his lip, looking over at Mikami. Last time they spoke about this, he didn't do so good.

What could he say? ]

...We need to get through this, together.

.... I know. She will bleed for all of this. Me dying now serves no purpose at all.

I should be dead. But I'm not relinquishing our chance at justice now.

You already know how I feel about whether or not you should be dead.

[ Rean sighed, and though he couldn't smile, there was some kind of relief. That Mikami wasn't giving up now at the least. ]

But, I'm glad to have you by our side still.

Let's see this through to the end—the Lady's complete end and defeat.

[ He will also sigh and shake his head at Rean. They'll never see eye to eye on this, though it doesn't functionally matter anymore. ]

I'm looking forward to having her deleted from this and any other world.

Teru Mikami.

[His words are sharp. Cold.]

If anyone is to pass judgement on you, it's going to be me. Do you doubt that I won't hesitate to kill you?

[He's keeping the weapon trained on Lucrezia, but he's glancing over at...whatever's happening there.]

You gave me your word, multiple times over. If you decide now that it's worth nothing, I'll kill you where you stand.

[ Mikami freezes at that and then his shoulders drop and he relaxes, an image of acceptance. He doesn't turn to Cumore immediately, instead opting to stare at the floor. ]

I shouldn't be here. It should have always been him, a million times over. But I am here.

I'm yours to kill or keep. Nothing has changed.

[ He actually brings his hand to his heart as he finally looks at Cumore. This is a vow.]

Forgive my weakness.

Good, because I don't care who you think it should have been!

[He's yelling again, escalating sharply in volume in a way that's impossible to miss. ...People were somehow surprised that he has Sonui.]

This isn't anyone else's choice to make - not hers, and certainly not Rembrandt's! Are you going to listen to the words of a demon over the principles given to you by your god - not whatever man you were following, but the one you've told me about! You are not going to listen to any of what the demon has to say over your convictions, do you understand?

[ Mikami is not a man who has ever known uncertainty in his life. Everything has always been obvious. It's only since he came here that nothing makes sense, none of the pieces fit together, he doesn't make sense to himself anymore.

Until someone else pieces him together, seemingly effortlessly. Makes it all clear and simple once more.

Maybe surprising to the people here, Mikami is a man with a taste for dramatics. Unseen from the eyes of unworthy outsiders, he loves acting out his devotions physically. Grand gestures, the very picture of worship... all of those have always been things he enjoyed, a display for himself and the God who might be watching.

Now, he's not displaying to any Gods, but he still takes a deep bow. ]

I understand.

Criminals mired in sin, crawling through the depths on whatever corpses they need to escape, one after the other to latch onto a single spider's thread... oh yes, I know that all too well. [ Licking his lips. ]

But you're not going to give up now, are you? After all you've done, after every single life you've taken...

[ Between Cumore and Rean, he's regaining his stability a little. Looking the vortex in the many eyes is not as hard anymore.]

I regret none of those kills. And I'll enjoy adding your master to the list.

[ ... ]

If you can, that is.

We will.

[ There's no point in doubting themselves now. It's either them or her and there is only one outcome that is acceptable.

Sebastian's true form is still terrifying, his life still feels like a mistake, but this much, he can be certain of. Only one person here truly has to die and it's not him. ]

...I look forward to your attempt.

THE FINAL CONFRONTATION

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