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This was it. All their trials, all the fighting and peril they'd faced...all the misery Dracula and his minions had caused...it all led up to this moment. One final strike, and they could finally go home.

"Okay! Ready, Libra?" Sumia called, rushing to her companion's side. Just like old times.

"..........." Libra was silent a brief moment. "Sumia, I'm afraid I can't attack."

"Whaaat?! Why???"

"My axe is only useful up close. And in this situation, that is far too close, I'm afraid. But I can aid you and your arrow. Perhaps I can bless it? The gods will make it a holy weapon, and can pierce Dracula with it."

"Um...okay, I guess." She gulped, but offered an arrow to Libra. Taking it in his hands, Libra closed his eyes and uttered a small blessing. The arrow didn't seem to change, but perhaps it would still be effective? That is, if she didn't mess this whole thing up...

Once he was done, Libra opened his eyes and returned the arrow to Sumia with a smile. "Here. May the gods guide our way to victory."

Sumia smiled back and, with a nod, took the arrow and aimed at Dracula. Perhaps it was the added boost of confidence of Libra's assistance. Perhaps it was the feeling of knowing this whole ordeal was almost over. Or...perhaps it was simply fate. Whatever it was, Sumia felt power surging through her, and as she pulled the bowstring, she couldn't help but shout.

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"I'll end this now!!!"

With that, she let her holy arrow fly, hoping to pierce through Dracula's heart.

@Ver @Kaykay @Yun Lee @Alex Azure@Raptor Jesus @Jeremi @Otto @Takumi@Archmage Jeremiah @etcetcetc​
 
Astolfo showed up again after another long absence. He seemed startled that the final battle was happening.

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"Did I almost miss a grande finale? Sacre Dieu!" He said grabbing his spear Noble Phantasm in his hand. "At least let me get a hit in." He looked over at Dracula. "You're not nearly what I expected. As I said before, I've met the real Dracula, but c'est la vie. Nothing is as we expect."

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"TRAP OF ARGALIA!" He shouted, saying the Noble Phantasm's name. "DOWN WITH A TOUCH!"

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The spear activated as he aimed it towards Dracula.

@Crow @Ver @Yun Lee
 
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Mike and Josh

Mike looked over at Josh and sighed. He didn't trust his friend after all of the events he had put him through and taking the gun didn't solidify his negative opinion on him, but he knew that he had lost a lot and it was partially his fault. Okay, that was a lie. It was entirely his fault. " Josh, go and go grab the blade that the Ben kid made, I'll cover you," he replied.

Josh was at a loss for words, but nodded, grabbing the sword. Normally, he would have charged up and slashed Dracula, but then he realized, there was a better way. He picked up the sword and threw it and the knife in Dracula's direction. He also aimed a shot from Mike's shotgun for added impact on him. " Thanks, Mike."

" You know what they say, dream as you live forever, live as if you will die tomorrow," he replied, shooting his own fire blast from his book and throwing his machete at Dracula.

@Ver @Minerva @Crow @Yun Lee @Everyone
 
Dracula let out a sharp, snake-like hiss as Mike and Josh fired at him, drawing his attention long enough for Sebastian to transform and make his attack, slashing all over his body, rendering him unable to move through the barrage and even wounding him to an extent. Though his limbs weren't exactly cut clean enough, Dracula seemed to find difficulty in moving for a brief moment after Sebastian was done, as though it was more his slashed tendons that prevented him from moving adequately, allowing Atomix to also throw in his attack in the form of a powerful force of light. Within the light, his very body almost seemed to melt away into nothingness as he yelled in agony.

However, as his body did disappear, the mist that he morphed into before was visible, almost seeming to leisurely float out of harm's way, before Dracula's humanoid form became visible once again, unceremoniously rematerializing on his knees, his arms supporting himself up as he struggled to get back to his feet, his vampiric regeneration slowly undoing the great damage done to him as he began to audibly breathe in a labored fashion, eyeing the group spitefully.

"Indeed... It is unsightly... repulsive..." Dracula said to Sebastian, his hand resting on a nearby pillar to help him stand, "... to see a demon align himself with humans to be sent against his own brethren. Truly, the spiteful nature of humanity knows no bounds..." He growled, fangs visible as he gritted his teeth, before dark energy began to form around his arms, as though charging up one final attack.

Demonic Meggido


"I'd bloody well hope he doesn't plan on doin' a suicide run to take us down along with him, and I'd rather not find out!" Constantine exclaimed, clutching his seal tightly, "Give 'im everything you've got! One last charge! It should be enough for him to be susceptible to the brand!"

@Kaykay @Yun Lee @Alex Azure @Crow @Raptor Jesus @Jeremi @Otto @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @Everyone

Zoe had to slap her hand over her mouth to stop herself from giggling in the middle of the climactic battle, watching as Dracula offered himself up as a sitting duck for everyone to whale on. "Oh come on, that's no fun! You're not even trying to fight back now!" she huffed, sounding distinctly dissatisfied, "I mean, fine, we're still gonna knock you out, but-...hohhh..." Zoe groaned and hung her head, half-heartedly kicking a sleepy trouble bubble Dracula's way. Undoubtedly, it hit its immobile mark, and the time and space around Dracula would begin to warp, slowing the rate at which his exhausted form regenerated and drew in the magic of the world, but was unable to lull him to sleep. Again, Zoe groaned. "So you're one of those vampires that doesn't sleep, too?" she grumbled, floating lazily into the air and dispiritedly raising her paddle to the ball of light she had left hanging there. Throwing her head back to shut her eyes and yawn, Zoe casually spiked the ball down, sending it speeding towards Dracula. On collision, the deceptively innocent ball of light would violently dispel the effects of her trouble bubble, causing the warped space all around Dracula to burst at the seams in a brilliant display of light. The energy released would shoot inward at Dracula, giving him the unusually painful sensation of a million tiny pins and needles piercing his skin all at once.

@Kaykay @Yun Lee @Alex Azure @Crow @Raptor Jesus @Jeremi @Otto @Takumi @Ver @Everyone
 
Continued from here.

Epilogue

"Destiny"

As the group draws further, they finally reach the throne room, where Dracula waits for them in the deepest part of the castle. After engaging in a brief debate with them on the morals of their actions and the actions of their race, he begins to do battle with them, all the while his demon underlings battle with Guts, Etrigan, and Zatanna, rendering them to unable to help. Still, after a lengthy fight, they manage to overcome the vampire lord, afflicting him with the God Hand's Brand just as dawn rises.

With their objective finally fulfilled, the pack of strugglers begin to return home.


"Gaaaaarrghhhh!!"

Dracula's immortality seemed to be true as he said, as even as the group gave him their all, he still lived, maintaining his form as he was no matter what they threw at him. Even as everyone finished their final attacks, he still continued to live, albeit beaten, bloody, and battered. Still, his arms glowed with dark energy, as though still intent on his final maneuver himself. However, Constantine, resolved to see this through to the end now that they were finally this far, was finally confident enough to make his move, closing in on Dracula's position.

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"Foul beast! Return to the abyss from whence you came! Perhaps this fate will be more merciful than allowing you to continue living this cursed existence!"
Constantine exclaimed, propelling the paper seal right onto Dracula's form with a beam of light conjured up from his hand, sticking onto the side of his neck. With a hiss, the vampire quickly tore off the seal, but by then; it was too late, and as he removed it, the red brand, recognizable to everyone, was already there.

"What sort of black magic is this that you've bestowed upon me?!"

"Harbingers of fate and destiny, servants of the Idea of Evil, I present unto thee, a sacrifice to appease thee in place of these faraway individuals!" Constantine only continued, seeming to chant a spell speaking out toward the God Hand, "I implore thee, accept this as a substitute for your desires! For the wicked heart of his is truly equal to that of them, and perhaps even beyond!"

"And... may his soul be put to better use in this manner, rather than continue as it is, cursed and prone to nothing but misfortune and suffering! Whether he meet salvation or damnation next... It is by your decision! Come! Come and accept this offering!"

"You... You insolent...!"

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"Very well. I shall accept this wicked soul as substitute for the collective hearts of the humans and demons who have struggled to escape their fate," Void's booming and imposing voice spoke as his form suddenly appeared out of nowhere, towering over behind Dracula, almost as tall as the entire room itself.

"W-Where did he...?!"

"That... is one ugly dude," Zatanna whistled, half impressed and half terrified, though she did a better job of hiding the latter part than Miki did, on the other hand, "You have got to tell me just what the hell you were up to while I was stuck here, John."

"No... No, no, no, no!!" Dracula roared, clutching his wounds as he could hardly even move toward the group, away from Void's abrupt appearance, "I... will not... yield so easily! It cannot end like this!"

"As powerful as you are, lord of shadow, even you cannot escape your fate. That is the will of causality," Void spoke, raising his freakishly long arm, a projection of the brand appearing above his hand. Everyone in the group would notice that the brands on their bodies would gradually disappear, like a wound healing up in a matter of seconds. In contrast, Dracula's being finally managed to give away, as his brand even began to glow lightly, blood flowing from the spot.

"No... No! Damn you! Damn you all to hell! A thousand curses upon you all and your bloodline! May you suffer a thousand hardships, and a thousand more!" Dracula cursed, before letting out an anguished yell as the sunlight began to make itself known from the open windows in his giant chamber of a throne room, the sunlight burning visibly at his skin.

However, it didn't stop there.

It wasn't so much the sunlight that caused him anguish here, but rather, Void's power, as the giant God Hand member seemed to conjure his own form of black magic, as in a gruesome display, Dracula's skin began to disintegrate, undoing itself until all that was left was the structure of his muscles underneath, which became all the more visible as he eventually grew scrawny enough that his massive robes fell off his body.

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"GAAAAAARGHHHHHH!!" Dracula screamed, reaching out in vain for something -- anything -- to grant him salvation, but none came. Falling to the ground, subjected to endless agony, he convulsed incessantly, until eventually, his entire body -- or at least, what remained of it -- melted away into a disgusting puddle of blood, with that puddle being the only proof that he ever existed now, along with this empty castle.

As Dracula finally ceased to be, Void stared silently at the group. He said nothing initially, until just before he disappeared.

"Count your blessings, for they are few in this cursed world. You would do well not to return to whence you came now," he simply said, and just like that, sunk back into the shadows of the room, and with that, his presence completely disappeared.

However, following the disappearance of both Dracula and Void, it wasn't quite time to celebrate and relax just yet, for the entire castle began to shake violently, rocking as though it were in the midst of an earthquake. Placing a hand on her temple and sticking her arm out, Zatanna's eyes widened in great surprise.

"This castle... Without a master to maintain its form, it's finally giving out! It's gonna crumble without a source of magical energy to keep it alive in this form! We need to get out of here!"
Zatanna exclaimed, as the castle indeed began to undo itself, debris falling from the ceiling like a rotting appendage, and cracks appeared everywhere, from the walls to the ground, which split apart cleanly.

"Well, what are ya waitin' for?! Get us out, Z!"

"Jesus, calm down! I was just getting to it!" The raven-haired witch exclaimed, but knew that this was hardly the best time to bicker with Constantine, before thrusting both her arms out and beginning to conjure another spell.

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"Tropsnart edistuo!"

With that, a magical, protective dome suddenly materialized around the entire group, shielding them from the crumbling castle. In a matter of seconds, suddenly everything became blindingly light, and suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Zatanna had evidently managed to instantly teleport the whole group safely out of harm's way, as everyone now stood just outside the castle as it began to visibly implode in on itself, sinking like a massive ship in the ocean.

With a relived breath, Zatanna rubbed her own shoulder, as though shaken up a bit by the events she'd just witnessed, but attempted to shake her head in order to knock herself out of it.

"Jeez... Now that was an ordeal."

"You can say that again," Constantine agreed with a nod, "Now, then. I think it's high time we get these blokes back where they belong, as that Void chap said. Z, would you do the honors?"

"Hmph. Not even a please. What do I look like, the Questing Queen?"

"A little."

"Shut up. The moment we get back home, I am so summoning Jason back."

"Fine, fine. Pretty please."

"Ugh..."

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WHOOSH!

"A htap emoh!"

With that, as a glyph appeared below Zatanna's position and the wind began to shift notably, she closed her eyes and began to focus her energy. From there, she managed to conjure up a bright blue portal for everyone to see.

"Alright, just go through there when you're ready to go home. Let's just say that other worldly matters are something I specialize in, so when you step through, you should be able to get back to where you came from," Zatanna said to the others, holding it open and maintaining it for everyone, "Whenever you're ready though. Can't imagine what you guys had to go through after all this time."

"Ahh... I... I can't believe it's finally over,"
Miki sighed, gazing at her hand, as though finding it initially difficult to process that the brand was finally gone from her now, as was the same as everyone else.

Now was the time to exchange goodbyes if one felt so inclined, if not just return home.

Cast List
@Minerva as Astolfo (Type-Moon)
@Crow as Ben Tennyson (Ben 10)
@thatguyinthestore as Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler)
@Jeremi as Fall-From-Grace and Mortimer Rictusgrin (Planescape)
@Sen as Genya Arikado (Castlevania)
@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Hollow Knight (Hollow Knight)
@dark as Jak (Jak & Daxter)
@Gummi Bunnies as Kaine and Emil (NieR)
@Alex Azure as Kokichi Oma (Danganronpa)
@Krieg as Kurumi Ebisuzawa (School-Live!)
@Yun Lee as Libra and Sumia (Fire Emblem)
@Takumi as Lindel (The Ancient Magus Bride)
@York as Lucatiel of Mirrah (Dark Souls II)
@Lucky as Mike Munroe and Joshua Washington (Until Dawn)
@Kaykay as Sera Mizuki (Soushuu Senshinkan Gakuen)
@Otto as Siegward of Catarina (Dark Souls III)
@Tutski19 as Soraka (League of Legends)
@Khan of the Mardu as Virginia Maxwell (Wild Arms)
@Josh as Yuuri Wakasa (School-Live!)
@Archmage Jeremiah as Zoe (League of Legends)​
 
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Grace sighed in relief once the dust had settled. "I am glad that we all survived this ordeal." A friendly smile flashed towards the rest of the group. "Perhaps we should not try to do this again, shall we?"

Morte looked around. "Yeah good that all of us survived I guess. Gonna stick around any longer though?"

"Perhaps...if you have some farewells to say."

Morte looked over the crowd again as his eyes stopped on Sumia. "Yeah...I guess I have." Morte floated over to her. He looked a bit awkward before he spoke. "So uhhh...you ain't dead! That's good!"

@Yun Lee
 
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"Motion denied! We will not be cursed!"

And so the castle came crumbling down as Dracula was defeated. Alien X opted to stay out of the barrier to give others room.

As the others landed, they would see Alien X hovering in front of them, in front of an empty circle free of rubble. Alien X then hovered onto the rubble, before his body began to disintegrate, and a green, marble-sized sphere within it transformed into Ben Tennyson.

With that, the Alien X-Saber, the sword created via his reality warping, vanished out of existence.

"While I was Alien X, I made sure to save one of the curses in a box. Only Alien X can open it, thought you could use an extra copy," Ben says as he holds in his palm a virtually weightless box with the design of a starry sky and no openings as he talks to Constantine, Zatanna & Etrigan, giving them the box, "by the way, you guys should totally invite me to your world someday. I've only seen that gloomy, dark place known as Gotham City. Not the best first impression. But otherwise, this is goodbye, huh? You know, if it weren't for you... we would've been that ugly's dessert... thanks."

Ben looks at Constantine & Zatanna.

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"Maybe you'll finally be together when we next meet. As for you, Etrigan," he whispers this later part in his ear, "I know that your best memory of Constantine involved him getting you to deal with some bad gambling issues, but... he's worth trusting as an ally as long as you're one of the good guys."

He walks away, winking at Etrigan, before greeting the others with handshakes.

"Miki, Yuki, School Living Club... take care, will you? Keep on doing what you do best. Hope to see you all again. Miki, use that sword well."

His sight lingers onto Yuki for a bit, before he turns away.

Next was Ciel & Sebastian.

"Open up a little, Ciel. There's more people who care for you than you think. As for you, Sebastian... well, you do you... I guess. What'll you even do after the end of your contract?"

Next up was Sumia.

"Well, looks like your Flower Fortune didn't predict my future accurately. All of us are still in one piece, and that's a good thing. Thanks for looking over us, Sumia. You're a great help to me and many others here. Just know that you're one of the furthest things from a burden I know of, as evidenced by your actions throughout these past few days. You're as much of a hero as any- uh- most of us."

Next up was Zoe.

"So... you wanna go first?"

After the supposed conversation, he went on to Kokichi.

"Uuuhhh... yeeaah... see you again?"

Then Josh & Mike.

"You guys make a great team. Watch each other's backs and I'm sure everything will be fine. That, plus many other factors. Like thinking twice when you need to think twice..."

Next was Lindel.

"I know we'll meet again soon, Lindel. But for now, we'll have to part. Thanks for all the assists."

Then Siegward & Libra.

"If there's anything I've learned today, is that knights truly do deserve the respect they're reputed to have. I've always thought it'd be awesome to meet some actual medieval knights in person as opposed to those Forever Knights who spell a bad name for warriors like you guys, and I was proven right. You two truly are awesome, and I hope you stay that way. Say, Siegward, think I could have some Siegbrau to bring home? And Libra, you've helped out quite a lot, and I have to thank you for helping my pal Astolfo towards the end. Speaking of Astolfo..."

Ben walks towards the Paladin of Charlemagne.

"Hey, Astolfo, bu- huh?"

As Ben approached Astolfo, his eyes began to flash a pink-purple light, the same glow it gave off whenever he used magic.

Simultaneously, some sort of sigil reappeared and disappeared on his arm, as if it was a malfunctioning, blinking light in a red-light district. Some of it seemed to overlap with his Omnitrix.

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"OK, what's happening? Is this another Brand? Doesn't feel like it."

Just what was happening?

@Ver @Raptor Jesus @Yun Lee @Archmage Jeremiah @Alex Azure @Takumi @Otto @Lucky @Minerva @etcetcetc​
 
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Ciel and Sebastian Epilogue: His Butler - Fulfilling His Duty

Ciel could only watch in disdain as Dracula slowly melted a way, a look of pure contempt in his eye for the man---no---that thing.

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"You have brought this upon yourself, you retched beast." Ciel said coldly as Dracula finally melted away in a pool of his own blood. As the castle began to crumble, Sebastian didn't hesitate to grab Ciel and make his way out of the castle before it imploded, jumping out the window and landing with Ciel out of harms way.

As the others followed suit, Ciel and Sebastian were about to make their leave when the portal was conjured up by Zatanna, however Ben approached them before they could do so.

Ciel only grunted in response.

Sebastian, however, gave off a kinder, more polite reply, returning the young hero's inquiry with a devilish smile as he rose a single gloved finger to his face and placed it right over his lips.

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"Well, I shall continue to dine on more souls after I do so to the Young Master. Perhaps even your soul may end up on the menu. Let's just hope you never find yourself in my domain." Sebastian said with a sinister overtone. With that ambiguous not-threat out of the way, Ciel cleared his throat as he stood next to the portal.

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"Sebastian!" Was all he had to say to signal his butler, who only nodded and followed suit, the two entering the portal without looking back.

***

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As the demonic duo arrived back at Phantomhive manor, it was exactly as Ciel remembered it being before this whole mess. However, it didn't take long for the two to enter the manor before...

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"CIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLL!!!!!" Came the all too familiar voice of a certain young girl by the name of Elizabeth Midford. Ciel could only turn around in pure horror as he saw Elizabeth mere inches away from him as Elizabeth had already taken point and leaped up into the air, tackling her "fiancé" to the ground.

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"Oh, Ciel! What a pleasure it is that you've returned! I was afraid that you had disappeared again! Oh, how terrified I was that I had lost you again I--"

"I believe that's quite enough, Miss Midford. The young master is quite tired, I'm afraid." Sebastian said as he casually lifted her up off Ciel, the latter shakily standing to his feet as he brushed himself off. Before he could get a word in, however, even more familiar faces showed up to greet the pair.

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"Oh, Sebastian and the Young Master have returned, they have! We thought you both had right up and died, you had!" Mey-Rin, the female Phantomhive servant, exclaimed in relief that her employer and master had both returned home safely.

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"Duly sorry to disappoint, Mey-Rin." Sebastian replied slyly.

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"See? What'd I say? I told you lot they'd be alright." Said Bardroy, who didn't seem nearly as anxious as Mey-Rin.

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"But you just said an hour ago that--"

SLAP!

Finny, the youngest of the Phantomhive servants, didn't even have a chance to get a word in before Bardroy slapped him hard on the back of the head, to which he simply fell silent, with Bardroy only smiling nervously in return, letting out a nervous chuckle to accompany it.

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"Right... well, it is a pleasure to see you all again, though as Sebastian said, I'm afraid I'm a bit tired after all that's happened, so I shall retire within the hour." Ciel said as he began walking towards his office, with Sebastian following close behind.

The three Phantomhive servants only watched in silence as their young master made his leave just as quickly as he returned, with Elizabeth yelling goodbye to Ciel as she waved frantically.

***
Ciel sat in his office with a cup of tea in his hands, having recounted the events that had just transpired with Sebastian over the course of a few minutes, with Sebastian having prepared tea for the young master while they discussed said matters.

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"The multiverse is much larger than even I anticipated." Ciel said as he sipped idly stirred his tea with a silver spoon, the sounds of the metal clinging against the glass almost hypnotic. "Entire organizations dedicated to ensure its well being? Antagonists with the capability of rounding up beings from different universes for their own personal gain?"

"What do you suggest we do next, Young Master?" Sebastian asked, the tall butler standing next to his large chair, to which Ciel only continued to stare on in contemplation.

"I don't believe this will be our last experience with the multiverse. Grell Sutcliff has already undergone a similar experience, and who knows who else?" Sipping his tea again, Ciel continued. "So for now, we wait. Plan our next move like it is a game of chess. With an entire multiverse at our disposal, there are much more pawns at our disposal. Much more possibilities."

Sebastian only bowed.

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"Of course, young master."

~FIN~

 
Continued from here.

Epilogue

"Destiny"

As the group draws further, they finally reach the throne room, where Dracula waits for them in the deepest part of the castle. After engaging in a brief debate with them on the morals of their actions and the actions of their race, he begins to do battle with them, all the while his demon underlings battle with Guts, Etrigan, and Zatanna, rendering them to unable to help. Still, after a lengthy fight, they manage to overcome the vampire lord, afflicting him with the God Hand's Brand just as dawn rises.

With their objective finally fulfilled, the pack of strugglers begin to return home.


"Gaaaaarrghhhh!!"

Dracula's immortality seemed to be true as he said, as even as the group gave him their all, he still lived, maintaining his form as he was no matter what they threw at him. Even as everyone finished their final attacks, he still continued to live, albeit beaten, bloody, and battered. Still, his arms glowed with dark energy, as though still intent on his final maneuver himself. However, Constantine, resolved to see this through to the end now that they were finally this far, was finally confident enough to make his move, closing in on Dracula's position.

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"Foul beast! Return to the abyss from whence you came! Perhaps this fate will be more merciful than allowing you to continue living this cursed existence!" Constantine exclaimed, propelling the paper seal right onto Dracula's form with a beam of light conjured up from his hand, sticking onto the side of his neck. With a hiss, the vampire quickly tore off the seal, but by then; it was too late, and as he removed it, the red brand, recognizable to everyone, was already there.

"What sort of black magic is this that you've bestowed upon me?!"

"Harbingers of fate and destiny, servants of the Idea of Evil, I present unto thee, a sacrifice to appease thee in place of these faraway individuals!" Constantine only continued, seeming to chant a spell speaking out toward the God Hand, "I implore thee, accept this as a substitute for your desires! For the wicked heart of his is truly equal to that of them, and perhaps even beyond!"

"And... may his soul be put to better use in this manner, rather than continue as it is, cursed and prone to nothing but misfortune and suffering! Whether he meet salvation or damnation next... It is by your decision! Come! Come and accept this offering!"

"You... You insolent...!"

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"Very well. I shall accept this wicked soul as substitute for the collective hearts of the humans and demons who have struggled to escape their fate," Void's booming and imposing voice spoke as his form suddenly appeared out of nowhere, towering over behind Dracula, almost as tall as the entire room itself.

"W-Where did he...?!"

"That... is one ugly dude," Zatanna whistled, half impressed and half terrified, though she did a better job of hiding the latter part than Miki did, on the other hand, "You have got to tell me just what the hell you were up to while I was stuck here, John."

"No... No, no, no, no!!" Dracula roared, clutching his wounds as he could hardly even move toward the group, away from Void's abrupt appearance, "I... will not... yield so easily! It cannot end like this!"

"As powerful as you are, lord of shadow, even you cannot escape your fate. That is the will of causality," Void spoke, raising his freakishly long arm, a projection of the brand appearing above his hand. Everyone in the group would notice that the brands on their bodies would gradually disappear, like a wound healing up in a matter of seconds. In contrast, Dracula's being finally managed to give away, as his brand even began to glow lightly, blood flowing from the spot.

"No... No! Damn you! Damn you all to hell! A thousand curses upon you all and your bloodline! May you suffer a thousand hardships, and a thousand more!" Dracula cursed, before letting out an anguished yell as the sunlight began to make itself known from the open windows in his giant chamber of a throne room, the sunlight burning visibly at his skin.

However, it didn't stop there.

It wasn't so much the sunlight that caused him anguish here, but rather, Void's power, as the giant God Hand member seemed to conjure his own form of black magic, as in a gruesome display, Dracula's skin began to disintegrate, undoing itself until all that was left was the structure of his muscles underneath, which became all the more visible as he eventually grew scrawny enough that his massive robes fell off his body.

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"GAAAAAARGHHHHHH!!" Dracula screamed, reaching out in vain for something -- anything -- to grant him salvation, but none came. Falling to the ground, subjected to endless agony, he convulsed incessantly, until eventually, his entire body -- or at least, what remained of it -- melted away into a disgusting puddle of blood, with that puddle being the only proof that he ever existed now, along with this empty castle.

As Dracula finally ceased to be, Void stared silently at the group. He said nothing initially, until just before he disappeared.

"Count your blessings, for they are few in this cursed world. You would do well not to return to whence you came now," he simply said, and just like that, sunk back into the shadows of the room, and with that, his presence completely disappeared.

However, following the disappearance of both Dracula and Void, it wasn't quite time to celebrate and relax just yet, for the entire castle began to shake violently, rocking as though it were in the midst of an earthquake. Placing a hand on her temple and sticking her arm out, Zatanna's eyes widened in great surprise.

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"This castle... Without a master to maintain its form, it's finally giving out! It's gonna crumble without a source of magical energy to keep it alive in this form! We need to get out of here!" Zatanna exclaimed, as the castle indeed began to undo itself, debris falling from the ceiling like a rotting appendage, and cracks appeared everywhere, from the walls to the ground, which split apart cleanly.

"Well, what are ya waitin' for?! Get us out, Z!"

"Jesus, calm down! I was just getting to it!" The raven-haired witch exclaimed, but knew that this was hardly the best time to bicker with Constantine, before thrusting both her arms out and beginning to conjure another spell.

"Tropsnart edistuo!"

With that, a magical, protective dome suddenly materialized around the entire group, shielding them from the crumbling castle. In a matter of seconds, suddenly everything became blindingly light, and suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Zatanna had evidently managed to instantly teleport the whole group safely out of harm's way, as everyone now stood just outside the castle as it began to visibly implode in on itself, sinking like a massive ship in the ocean.

With a relived breath, Zatanna rubbed her own shoulder, as though shaken up a bit by the events she'd just witnessed, but attempted to shake her head in order to knock herself out of it.

"Jeez... Now that was an ordeal."

"You can say that again," Constantine agreed with a nod, "Now, then. I think it's high time we get these blokes back where they belong, as that Void chap said. Z, would you do the honors?"

"Hmph. Not even a please. What do I look like, the Questing Queen?"

"A little."

"Shut up. The moment we get back home, I am so summoning Jason back."

"Fine, fine. Pretty please."

"Ugh..."

image.png


WHOOSH!

"A htap emoh!"

With that, as a glyph appeared below Zatanna's position and the wind began to shift notably, she closed her eyes and began to focus her energy. From there, she managed to conjure up a bright blue portal for everyone to see.

"Alright, just go through there when you're ready to go home. Let's just say that other worldly matters are something I specialize in, so when you step through, you should be able to get back to where you came from," Zatanna said to the others, holding it open and maintaining it for everyone, "Whenever you're ready though. Can't imagine what you guys had to go through after all this time."

Miki_329_copy.png


"Ahh... I... I can't believe it's finally over," Miki sighed, gazing at her hand, as though finding it initially difficult to process that the brand was finally gone from her now, as was the same as everyone else.

Now was the time to exchange goodbyes if one felt so inclined, if not just return home.

Cast List
@Minerva as Astolfo (Type-Moon)
@Crow as Ben Tennyson (Ben 10)
@thatguyinthestore as Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler)
@Jeremi as Fall-From-Grace and Mortimer Rictusgrin (Planescape)
@Sen as Genya Arikado (Castlevania)
@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Hollow Knight (Hollow Knight)
@dark as Jak (Jak & Daxter)
@Gummi Bunnies as Kaine and Emil (NieR)
@Alex Azure as Kokichi Oma (Danganronpa)
@Krieg as Kurumi Ebisuzawa (School-Live!)
@Yun Lee as Libra and Sumia (Fire Emblem)
@Takumi as Lindel (The Ancient Magus Bride)
@York as Lucatiel of Mirrah (Dark Souls II)
@Lucky as Mike Munroe and Joshua Washington (Until Dawn)
@Kaykay as Sera Mizuki (Soushuu Senshinkan Gakuen)
@Otto as Siegward of Catarina (Dark Souls III)
@Tutski19 as Soraka (League of Legends)
@Khan of the Mardu as Virginia Maxwell (Wild Arms)
@Josh as Yuuri Wakasa (School-Live!)
@Archmage Jeremiah as Zoe (League of Legends)​

195


"So, the fight's finally over? We won?" Kokichi asked. He had been hiding off in a corner for the whole Dracula fight. Everyone else had magic or weapons or training in combat. Kokichi felt a bit underpowered.

"Everyone did kinda okay, I have to admit. I can't say it has been fun running for our lives the past three days or so. It has been memorable, though."

"Say, Libra, you've met Angie and Gonta wherever you were in the multiverse, right? Mind taking me to go see them as well? Angie's obssession with Atua and Gonta's obsession with bugs... They may be annoying as hell, but it's better than all that we have been through."


@Ver @Yun Lee
 
P45iDrM.jpg

"Motion denied! We will not be cursed!"

And so the castle came crumbling down as Dracula was defeated. Alien X opted to stay out of the barrier to give others room.

As the others landed, they would see Alien X hovering in front of them, in front of an empty circle free of rubble. Alien X then hovered onto the rubble, before his body began to disintegrate, and a green, marble-sized sphere within it transformed into Ben Tennyson.

With that, the Alien X-Saber, the sword created via his reality warping, vanished out of existence.

"While I was Alien X, I made sure to save one of the curses in a box. Only Alien X can open it, thought you could use an extra copy," Ben says as he holds in his palm a virtually weightless box with the design of a starry sky and no openings as he talks to Constantine, Zatanna & Etrigan, giving them the box, "by the way, you guys should totally invite me to your world someday. I've only seen that gloomy, dark place known as Gotham City. Not the best first impression. But otherwise, this is goodbye, huh? You know, if it weren't for you... we would've been that ugly's dessert... thanks."

Ben looks at Constantine & Zatanna.

ZqYCmvX.jpg

"Maybe you'll finally be together when we next meet. As for you, Etrigan," he whispers this later part in his ear, "I know that your best memory of Constantine involved him getting you to deal with some bad gambling issues, but... he's worth trusting as an ally as long as you're one of the good guys."

He walks away, winking at Etrigan, before greeting the others with handshakes.

"Miki, Yuki, School Living Club... take care, will you? Keep on doing what you do best. Hope to see you all again. Miki, use that sword well."

His sight lingers onto Yuki for a bit, before he turns away.

Next was Ciel & Sebastian.

"Open up a little, Ciel. There's more people who care for you than you think. As for you, Sebastian... well, you do you... I guess. What'll you even do after the end of your contract?"

Next up was Sumia.

"Well, looks like your Flower Fortune didn't predict my future accurately. All of us are still in one piece, and that's a good thing. Thanks for looking over us, Sumia. You're a great help to me and many others here. Just know that you're one of the furthest things from a burden I know of, as evidenced by your actions throughout these past few days. You're as much of a hero as any- uh- most of us."

Next up was Zoe.

"So... you wanna go first?"

After the supposed conversation, he went on to Kokichi.

"Uuuhhh... yeeaah... see you again?"

Then Josh & Mike.

"You guys make a great team. Watch each other's backs and I'm sure everything will be fine. That, plus many other factors. Like thinking twice when you need to think twice..."

Next was Lindel.

"I know we'll meet again soon, Lindel. But for now, we'll have to part. Thanks for all the assists."

Then Siegward & Libra.

"If there's anything I've learned today, is that knights truly do deserve the respect they're reputed to have. I've always thought it'd be awesome to meet some actual medieval knights in person as opposed to those Forever Knights who spell a bad name for warriors like you guys, and I was proven right. You two truly are awesome, and I hope you stay that way. Say, Siegward, think I could have some Siegbrau to bring home? And Libra, you've helped out quite a lot, and I have to thank you for helping my pal Astolfo towards the end. Speaking of Astolfo..."

Ben walks towards the Paladin of Charlemagne.

"Hey, Astolfo, bu- huh?"

As Ben approached Astolfo, his eyes began to flash a pink-purple light, the same glow it gave off whenever he used magic.

Simultaneously, some sort of sigil reappeared and disappeared on his arm, as if it was a malfunctioning, blinking light in a red-light district. Some of it seemed to overlap with his Omnitrix.

HtS1ZTj.jpg

"OK, what's happening? Is this another Brand? Doesn't feel like it."

Just what was happening?

@Ver @Raptor Jesus @Yun Lee @Archmage Jeremiah @Alex Azure @Takumi @Otto @Lucky @Minerva @etcetcetc​

Continued from here.

Epilogue

"Destiny"

As the group draws further, they finally reach the throne room, where Dracula waits for them in the deepest part of the castle. After engaging in a brief debate with them on the morals of their actions and the actions of their race, he begins to do battle with them, all the while his demon underlings battle with Guts, Etrigan, and Zatanna, rendering them to unable to help. Still, after a lengthy fight, they manage to overcome the vampire lord, afflicting him with the God Hand's Brand just as dawn rises.

With their objective finally fulfilled, the pack of strugglers begin to return home.


"Gaaaaarrghhhh!!"

Dracula's immortality seemed to be true as he said, as even as the group gave him their all, he still lived, maintaining his form as he was no matter what they threw at him. Even as everyone finished their final attacks, he still continued to live, albeit beaten, bloody, and battered. Still, his arms glowed with dark energy, as though still intent on his final maneuver himself. However, Constantine, resolved to see this through to the end now that they were finally this far, was finally confident enough to make his move, closing in on Dracula's position.

image.png


"Foul beast! Return to the abyss from whence you came! Perhaps this fate will be more merciful than allowing you to continue living this cursed existence!" Constantine exclaimed, propelling the paper seal right onto Dracula's form with a beam of light conjured up from his hand, sticking onto the side of his neck. With a hiss, the vampire quickly tore off the seal, but by then; it was too late, and as he removed it, the red brand, recognizable to everyone, was already there.

"What sort of black magic is this that you've bestowed upon me?!"

"Harbingers of fate and destiny, servants of the Idea of Evil, I present unto thee, a sacrifice to appease thee in place of these faraway individuals!" Constantine only continued, seeming to chant a spell speaking out toward the God Hand, "I implore thee, accept this as a substitute for your desires! For the wicked heart of his is truly equal to that of them, and perhaps even beyond!"

"And... may his soul be put to better use in this manner, rather than continue as it is, cursed and prone to nothing but misfortune and suffering! Whether he meet salvation or damnation next... It is by your decision! Come! Come and accept this offering!"

"You... You insolent...!"

vjr1AZdNRjOYz3yBAfIf_Q.png


"Very well. I shall accept this wicked soul as substitute for the collective hearts of the humans and demons who have struggled to escape their fate," Void's booming and imposing voice spoke as his form suddenly appeared out of nowhere, towering over behind Dracula, almost as tall as the entire room itself.

"W-Where did he...?!"

"That... is one ugly dude," Zatanna whistled, half impressed and half terrified, though she did a better job of hiding the latter part than Miki did, on the other hand, "You have got to tell me just what the hell you were up to while I was stuck here, John."

"No... No, no, no, no!!" Dracula roared, clutching his wounds as he could hardly even move toward the group, away from Void's abrupt appearance, "I... will not... yield so easily! It cannot end like this!"

"As powerful as you are, lord of shadow, even you cannot escape your fate. That is the will of causality," Void spoke, raising his freakishly long arm, a projection of the brand appearing above his hand. Everyone in the group would notice that the brands on their bodies would gradually disappear, like a wound healing up in a matter of seconds. In contrast, Dracula's being finally managed to give away, as his brand even began to glow lightly, blood flowing from the spot.

"No... No! Damn you! Damn you all to hell! A thousand curses upon you all and your bloodline! May you suffer a thousand hardships, and a thousand more!" Dracula cursed, before letting out an anguished yell as the sunlight began to make itself known from the open windows in his giant chamber of a throne room, the sunlight burning visibly at his skin.

However, it didn't stop there.

It wasn't so much the sunlight that caused him anguish here, but rather, Void's power, as the giant God Hand member seemed to conjure his own form of black magic, as in a gruesome display, Dracula's skin began to disintegrate, undoing itself until all that was left was the structure of his muscles underneath, which became all the more visible as he eventually grew scrawny enough that his massive robes fell off his body.

ZHIGze1.png


"GAAAAAARGHHHHHH!!" Dracula screamed, reaching out in vain for something -- anything -- to grant him salvation, but none came. Falling to the ground, subjected to endless agony, he convulsed incessantly, until eventually, his entire body -- or at least, what remained of it -- melted away into a disgusting puddle of blood, with that puddle being the only proof that he ever existed now, along with this empty castle.

As Dracula finally ceased to be, Void stared silently at the group. He said nothing initially, until just before he disappeared.

"Count your blessings, for they are few in this cursed world. You would do well not to return to whence you came now," he simply said, and just like that, sunk back into the shadows of the room, and with that, his presence completely disappeared.

However, following the disappearance of both Dracula and Void, it wasn't quite time to celebrate and relax just yet, for the entire castle began to shake violently, rocking as though it were in the midst of an earthquake. Placing a hand on her temple and sticking her arm out, Zatanna's eyes widened in great surprise.

GEKet_Xc_OT0_O-_A3_Gd_J8_EW9g.png


"This castle... Without a master to maintain its form, it's finally giving out! It's gonna crumble without a source of magical energy to keep it alive in this form! We need to get out of here!" Zatanna exclaimed, as the castle indeed began to undo itself, debris falling from the ceiling like a rotting appendage, and cracks appeared everywhere, from the walls to the ground, which split apart cleanly.

"Well, what are ya waitin' for?! Get us out, Z!"

"Jesus, calm down! I was just getting to it!" The raven-haired witch exclaimed, but knew that this was hardly the best time to bicker with Constantine, before thrusting both her arms out and beginning to conjure another spell.

"Tropsnart edistuo!"

With that, a magical, protective dome suddenly materialized around the entire group, shielding them from the crumbling castle. In a matter of seconds, suddenly everything became blindingly light, and suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Zatanna had evidently managed to instantly teleport the whole group safely out of harm's way, as everyone now stood just outside the castle as it began to visibly implode in on itself, sinking like a massive ship in the ocean.

With a relived breath, Zatanna rubbed her own shoulder, as though shaken up a bit by the events she'd just witnessed, but attempted to shake her head in order to knock herself out of it.

"Jeez... Now that was an ordeal."

"You can say that again," Constantine agreed with a nod, "Now, then. I think it's high time we get these blokes back where they belong, as that Void chap said. Z, would you do the honors?"

"Hmph. Not even a please. What do I look like, the Questing Queen?"

"A little."

"Shut up. The moment we get back home, I am so summoning Jason back."

"Fine, fine. Pretty please."

"Ugh..."

image.png


WHOOSH!

"A htap emoh!"

With that, as a glyph appeared below Zatanna's position and the wind began to shift notably, she closed her eyes and began to focus her energy. From there, she managed to conjure up a bright blue portal for everyone to see.

"Alright, just go through there when you're ready to go home. Let's just say that other worldly matters are something I specialize in, so when you step through, you should be able to get back to where you came from," Zatanna said to the others, holding it open and maintaining it for everyone, "Whenever you're ready though. Can't imagine what you guys had to go through after all this time."

Miki_329_copy.png


"Ahh... I... I can't believe it's finally over," Miki sighed, gazing at her hand, as though finding it initially difficult to process that the brand was finally gone from her now, as was the same as everyone else.

Now was the time to exchange goodbyes if one felt so inclined, if not just return home.

Cast List
@Minerva as Astolfo (Type-Moon)
@Crow as Ben Tennyson (Ben 10)
@thatguyinthestore as Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler)
@Jeremi as Fall-From-Grace and Mortimer Rictusgrin (Planescape)
@Sen as Genya Arikado (Castlevania)
@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Hollow Knight (Hollow Knight)
@dark as Jak (Jak & Daxter)
@Gummi Bunnies as Kaine and Emil (NieR)
@Alex Azure as Kokichi Oma (Danganronpa)
@Krieg as Kurumi Ebisuzawa (School-Live!)
@Yun Lee as Libra and Sumia (Fire Emblem)
@Takumi as Lindel (The Ancient Magus Bride)
@York as Lucatiel of Mirrah (Dark Souls II)
@Lucky as Mike Munroe and Joshua Washington (Until Dawn)
@Kaykay as Sera Mizuki (Soushuu Senshinkan Gakuen)
@Otto as Siegward of Catarina (Dark Souls III)
@Tutski19 as Soraka (League of Legends)
@Khan of the Mardu as Virginia Maxwell (Wild Arms)
@Josh as Yuuri Wakasa (School-Live!)
@Archmage Jeremiah as Zoe (League of Legends)​

With the fight at an end, and the group taking a moment to say their goodbyes, Lindel took a moment to rest and regain the energy he spent during the battle-forcing himself to use magic in the process.

When Ben approached, he was a bit out of it for the most part, until the words registered with the elder. Putting his sword away, he'd speak after a moment of thought.

"Well then, if and when we meet again, perhaps it'll be under better circumstances, hmm? And it wouldn't of been right of me to let you do most of the work without any assistance. What sort of mage would I be if I couldn't help a child in need?" he responded with a shrug and a smirk, before patting the young man on the shoulder.

tumblr_p1ql4hD8SC1wj1nn0o6_250.gif


"Take care now, alright?" his smirk now turning into a grin he nodded and moved on to go bug Libra, because why not?

"Libra, you weren't injured at all right? I was out of it during the last bit of the battle so it was a blur." he asked with a bit of a thoughtful hum.

@Ver @Yun Lee @Alex Azure @Crow
 
"Oh my Gods, we did it! We actually did it!" Sumia felt the back of her hand, marvelling at the now brand-free skin. "Thank Gods that's over!"

"Yes...I'm quite relieved myself." Libra didn't sound too relieved, though. Count your blessings, for they are few in this cursed world... what Void said paralleled what Luca had told him before. So this world was truly cursed...

"Hm? Hey, you all ri-" Sumia stopped as Morte arrived, and she giggled. "Oh yeah, I am! Glad to see you're okay, too! That was one wild fight, wasn't it?"

As Ben spoke to her, Sumia chuckled. "I think you've cracked the secret of my fortunes," she said. "I use them as motivation to do well, no matter if good or bad. Good fortunes make me work to prove them right, bad ones make me work to prove them wrong. No matter what, I won't leave my destiny to be decided by anyone but me!"

There was one more person to say goodbye to. "Hey...Miki. It was really nuce meeting you and your friends."

While Sumia was saying her goodbyes, Libra turned to Kokichi. "Hm? Oh...I beg your pardon, but Angie and Gonta are both off on their own for the time being. I'm afraid I don't know where they are." But he had a feeling they were all right.

He shook his head at Lindel's question. "Miraculously, I'm not. It seemed staying on the sidelines to heal kept me safe this time. And you? Are you all right?"

@Ver @Jeremi @Crow @Alex Azure @Takumi
 
"Oh my Gods, we did it! We actually did it!" Sumia felt the back of her hand, marvelling at the now brand-free skin. "Thank Gods that's over!"

"Yes...I'm quite relieved myself." Libra didn't sound too relieved, though. Count your blessings, for they are few in this cursed world... what Void said paralleled what Luca had told him before. So this world was truly cursed...

"Hm? Hey, you all ri-" Sumia stopped as Morte arrived, and she giggled. "Oh yeah, I am! Glad to see you're okay, too! That was one wild fight, wasn't it?"

As Ben spoke to her, Sumia chuckled. "I think you've cracked the secret of my fortunes," she said. "I use them as motivation to do well, no matter if good or bad. Good fortunes make me work to prove them right, bad ones make me work to prove them wrong. No matter what, I won't leave my destiny to be decided by anyone but me!"

There was one more person to say goodbye to. "Hey...Miki. It was really nuce meeting you and your friends."

While Sumia was saying her goodbyes, Libra turned to Kokichi. "Hm? Oh...I beg your pardon, but Angie and Gonta are both off on their own for the time being. I'm afraid I don't know where they are." But he had a feeling they were all right.

He shook his head at Lindel's question. "Miraculously, I'm not. It seemed staying on the sidelines to heal kept me safe this time. And you? Are you all right?"

@Ver @Jeremi @Crow @Alex Azure @Takumi

Well, that was good to hear, since there was quite a few close calls in the past few days.

"Mhm, just tired is all. Though, I'm glad you're fine, it wouldn't do if you or anyone else was hurt right now, you know?" he responded.

@Ver @Yun Lee @Alex Azure @Crow
 
"Oh my Gods, we did it! We actually did it!" Sumia felt the back of her hand, marvelling at the now brand-free skin. "Thank Gods that's over!"

"Yes...I'm quite relieved myself." Libra didn't sound too relieved, though. Count your blessings, for they are few in this cursed world... what Void said paralleled what Luca had told him before. So this world was truly cursed...

"Hm? Hey, you all ri-" Sumia stopped as Morte arrived, and she giggled. "Oh yeah, I am! Glad to see you're okay, too! That was one wild fight, wasn't it?"

As Ben spoke to her, Sumia chuckled. "I think you've cracked the secret of my fortunes," she said. "I use them as motivation to do well, no matter if good or bad. Good fortunes make me work to prove them right, bad ones make me work to prove them wrong. No matter what, I won't leave my destiny to be decided by anyone but me!"

There was one more person to say goodbye to. "Hey...Miki. It was really nuce meeting you and your friends."

While Sumia was saying her goodbyes, Libra turned to Kokichi. "Hm? Oh...I beg your pardon, but Angie and Gonta are both off on their own for the time being. I'm afraid I don't know where they are." But he had a feeling they were all right.

He shook his head at Lindel's question. "Miraculously, I'm not. It seemed staying on the sidelines to heal kept me safe this time. And you? Are you all right?"

@Ver @Jeremi @Crow @Alex Azure @Takumi

Morte chuckled. "Yeah, I liked to think I helped a little bit. Told that Dracula pal where he could stick it." Now was the time where I had awkwardly looked at his feet...if he had any. "Well uh...I just wanted to say it was nice to get to know such a pretty girl like you and I hope that whole clumsy business fixes itself!"

@Yun Lee @Ver @Takumi
 
Libra couldn't help but smile at that. "You're right. I'm relieved that we all made it out all right. Maybe with the defeat of Dracula...this world might know a bit more peace."

"You did help quite a lot! And I'll definitely be working on my clumsiness..." She trailed off, noticing Morte seemed a bit sad. Now, that wouldn't do! Sumia smiled and opened her arms wide. "Hey...how about a hug goodbye? Would that cheer you up a bit?"

@Takumi @Jeremi
 
Libra couldn't help but smile at that. "You're right. I'm relieved that we all made it out all right. Maybe with the defeat of Dracula...this world might know a bit more peace."

"You did help quite a lot! And I'll definitely be working on my clumsiness..." She trailed off, noticing Morte seemed a bit sad. Now, that wouldn't do! Sumia smiled and opened her arms wide. "Hey...how about a hug goodbye? Would that cheer you up a bit?"

@Takumi @Jeremi

Yes! "Well...since you asked so nicely." Morte responded before snuggling up real close to Sumia.

@Yun Lee
 
Libra couldn't help but smile at that. "You're right. I'm relieved that we all made it out all right. Maybe with the defeat of Dracula...this world might know a bit more peace."

"You did help quite a lot! And I'll definitely be working on my clumsiness..." She trailed off, noticing Morte seemed a bit sad. Now, that wouldn't do! Sumia smiled and opened her arms wide. "Hey...how about a hug goodbye? Would that cheer you up a bit?"

@Takumi @Jeremi

"That's something I really hope for this world. Especially after all that's happened for some of it's residents here." Lindel nodded as he replied.

"And for your dear friend Luca." he added.

@Yun Lee
 
Libra couldn't help but smile at that. "You're right. I'm relieved that we all made it out all right. Maybe with the defeat of Dracula...this world might know a bit more peace."

"You did help quite a lot! And I'll definitely be working on my clumsiness..." She trailed off, noticing Morte seemed a bit sad. Now, that wouldn't do! Sumia smiled and opened her arms wide. "Hey...how about a hug goodbye? Would that cheer you up a bit?"

@Takumi @Jeremi

GZqJVii.jpg

"I don't know about that, Libra," Ben speaks, "there's still a lot of humans that are... well... pretty evil, even without Dracula's influence. And that freaky brain guy who branded us alongside his god-pals is still out there. With all of us returning to our respective worlds, who will be the hero of this one?"

@Ver @Takumi @Yun Lee
 
Miki_1002_copy.png


"Y-Yeah... I'm glad to have met someone like you too, Sumia," Miki said with a soft smile. With the brand gone, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, though... it wasn't as though all her problems had necessarily been solved. If she was to return to her home "world" along with everyone else, then... that would mean having to go back to its hardships and problems as well. Still, even in a despair-filled world like this, if a bunch of people could come together and try to create a sliver of hope, then... Well, that's what she'd just have to do. She'd have to forge such a hopeful future for herself and her friends.

Besides, she had no place in a fantasy land like this or Sumia's, like straight out of a book or a Grimm fairy tale.

"I guess... It's time, then."

@Yun Lee
 
Addendum
"Fate"

m2ww8DzcRxWIn3__0U-6EA.png


And so, the story came to a close, with an ending as satisfactory as one could possibly be in this world.

However, a story is never limited to simply what those who participate in the narrative are able to perceive and what they are aware of. And this such story is no exception. There are many things that elude their grasp, and though many of them may depart from this world, never to take part in a story such as this again, those who belong to this domain are not so lucky, for their fates have not yet been written. Perhaps this fact is also true of those who intruded into this world, and those who were brought in against their own will.

The elusive Black Swordsman, given the name "Guts," continues to venture on his quest for vengeance along with his crew, seeking out one of our own, struggling in vain against his own darker desires and the forces who would hunt him down for his cursed brand. The courtesan "Luca" continues to move across villages in order to aid the less fortunate, even when she is not such a blessed existence herself. Every now and then, she longs for a companionship to undertake with a man, but she knows that she must reject such advances in this patriarchal world, in which marriage and love are but luxuries for women of higher standing than her. She ponders the men in her past who have tempted such responsibilities, even to a wishful degree, but accepts the loneliness that comes with living selflessly.

The conman, John Constantine, returns to his world safely with his partners, the witch Zatanna Zatara and the demon of blood Etrigan, as well as the sorceress Morrigan, and though all is well for their health, it is only in the comfort of such health that Constantine realizes the fractured relationships he holds with them all, from the witch's heart that he had broken, to the demon's faith he had taken advantage of, and the sorceress who simply looks down upon him for his nature of character. The girl, Miki Naoki, and the rest of her crowd, continue to navigate through the hopeless wasteland of their world, fighting against monsters and other strugglers, in a hope to create a new hope for their world. But there is only so much that a handful of schoolgirls can do by themselves.


And as for the strugglers who were brought into this world against their own will to be sacrificed... Though their future is uncertain and unwritten, for the will of this world does not concern itself with them, they would never know the truth that eluded them all this time, the truth that eluded itself from Constantine and even the Skull Knight as well. The truth... that their struggles were orchestrated from the very beginning, tricked into believing that they were to be sacrificed. The truth that it had all begun when the lord of shadow known as "Dracula" had intruded himself into this world -- a world that he did not belong to -- and attempted to take over, as if in a foolhardy attempt to overwrite the fate currently written for this world by the Idea of Evil. For the God Hand cannot overtly interfere with the outside world, and thus, manipulated the strings of fate into leading up to Dracula's downfall as punishment for his insolence of believing he could take over a world that did not belong to him.

In essence, the strugglers were summoned against their own will, not to be sacrificed as they believed, but simply to be tools in order to execute Dracula, driven by the ugly, selfish desire to live, that theirs was more important than his life.

But in the end, it is such a simple thing for the Idea of Evil to manipulate such strings of fate... And yet, humans try so desperately in order to manipulate it themselves, to no avail.

Perhaps it is true... that mankind has no control. Even over his own destiny.
 
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Siegward of Catarina - Epilogue
@Ver @Yun Lee @Kaykay @Alex Azure @Crow @Raptor Jesus @Jeremi @Otto @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @Everyone


It was finally over. The knight sat on the ground with crossed legs and let out a deep sigh. Surprisingly, he wasn't all that relieved. That was only one task accomplished; this whole ordeal was merely a setback for his duty in his home world. Even if he did go through that portal, there would certainly be no happy end for him. He was already fated for death. After all, he was branded with the Darksign, a brand that, unlike Void's, cannot ever be removed.

He began considering not going through the portal. Most of the people here had worlds with societies intact and hearth-fires to go home to, but not for Siegward. No, he would have to trek through all kinds of landscapes and make it to the Profaned Capital, where it was his duty to slay a Lord of Cinder.

Then again, this world, the world he was forcefully dragged into, wasn't much better. It was almost an identical copy, in fact, if not worse. Perhaps there was a way to follow someone else to their world?

He shook his head. This journey of his wasn't just about fulfilling his purpose, it was also about upholding the promise he had made. He stood up and clenched his fists as he stared at the portal.
...
...
...
"If there's anything I've learned today, is that knights truly do deserve the respect they're reputed to have. I've always thought it'd be awesome to meet some actual medieval knights in person as opposed to those Forever Knights who spell a bad name for warriors like you guys, and I was proven right. You two truly are awesome, and I hope you stay that way. Say, Siegward, think I could have some Siegbrau to bring home? And Libra, you've helped out quite a lot, and I have to thank you for helping my pal Astolfo towards the end. Speaking of Astolfo..."
Ben talking to him caught him off guard, and he suddenly turned toward Ben as if he were startled. He listened to his comments and felt a little warmer inside, but it wasn't enough to change his mood. He responded to Ben with honest, yet hollow words.

"I extend my thanks to you as well, Ben. You were a great help to us all." He sighed. "I'm truly sorry, but I cannot spare any more drink right now." He looked at the portal once more. "I still have a long, arduous journey ahead of me..." He walked toward the portal and before he entered, he addressed everyone with slightly more energy.

"I wish all of you luck on your respective responsibilities. I will never forget our valour, teamwork, and victory in this quest..."

He stepped through and a familiar scene greeted him: the elevator that he had fallen asleep next to.​
 
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