Blaze In The Rising Darkness

Crimson floated back in front of the moon, just like earlier, his black wings unfurling with the same mighty rustle. He repeated the same motion, raising his hand high, and once again, those dark, swirling symbols began to form in the air. They pulsed with an eerie glow, drawing the light out of the surroundings, the way they had before.

The sky trembled in the same way as before, and the moon began to darken again, turning an ominous shade of red. The stars faded, leaving nothing but an empty, suffocating void above us. The city fell into complete silence, broken only by the distant crackle of flames from earlier destruction.

I could feel my heart pounding due to the weight of helplessness pressing down on me. Shizuka-san and Kaito-san looked pale, and their movements, frozen. Even Hayato who is always calm and collected, seemed shaken and his usual composure seems cracking.

But despite the overwhelming fear and hopelessness, I held on to one thing—Ruby-san. I believe in her. She had to have a plan. Whatever she is doing, I will wait for her. I have to trust her. She is my very last hope.

Crimson is now about to start the ritual. His voice echoed through the still air. "We shall begin."

"Aeternus...Eclipsa...Luna—...hmm?!"

The moon is beginning to fade, its crimson glow is dimming slowly, almost as if darkness itself is swallowing it whole. At first, I thought this is it. This is the ritual. My heart raced, thinking his spell has already started working.

But then I noticed something odd—he isn't smirking. His face is twisted in confusion, his fiery arrogance is replaced by genuine shock. "What…?" he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he glanced up at the moon.

This isn't his doing? And that realization sent a chill down my spine. If Crimson, the one controlling the shadows and orchestrating all this destruction, is startled… then what could it possibly be?

The moon continued to fade, dimmer and dimmer, until it vanished completely into the void.

Why does he look so shocked? Isn't this exactly what he wanted? Or… is the moon's disappearance someone else's doing? Could it be that someone is trying to stop the ritual?

Wait—this has to be Ruby-san's doing, right? She's behind this… right? But how? How can she possibly manage something this...overpowering? How can she possibly make the entire moon vanish like that?

Does this mean he can no longer perform his ritual? That's a relief. But still...

Crimson then took a deep breath, his face hardened as he tried to regain his composure. He let out a dark laugh with his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the now empty sky where the moon once was.

"Well, well… it seems I've underestimated you, Miss BloodThorn Witch," he said, his voice is calm but laced with grudging respect. "To think you could wield such power. You've done well to stop me—temporarily, at least."

A dark grin pulled at the corners of his lips. "But I must say, you've certainly earned my admiration. The skill required to erase the moon... not even I would have imagined such potential in you."

His tone is cool, but there is an unmistakable glint of intrigue in his eyes now. "You may be a worthy adversary after all."

"Why don't you show yourself now, Ruby?" he called out. "I shall give you a reward for your little display. You've earned it, after all."

He tilted his head, as though waiting for her to make her move, a smirk playing on his lips. His stance was relaxed, but his gaze betrayed a readiness to face whatever she had in store. "Come on, I'm curious to see how far your power truly reaches."

Then suddenly out of nowhere, a soft, swirling breeze kicked up around him, and petals—delicate and ethereal—began to gather in the air. They twirled and danced, slowly coalescing into a human form. The petals fell away like the final touches of a masterpiece, and there, standing before them all, is Ruby-san.

Her cool, calculated looking eyes are meeting Crimson's gaze. In her hand, she is holding a slender staff—its design is elegant yet formidable, an embodiment of her precise control over magic.

"Reward?...How charming. I wasn't aware I had been a good little servant, eagerly awaiting my reward."

Her lips curled into a smirk. "But I suppose if you insist, I'll take your precious offer. It's not every day someone as delightful as you offers such... generosity."

She tilted her head, studying him with a mixture of amusement. "So, what's this reward of yours, Crimson? A nice little vacation in the Demonic Realm? Or perhaps a one-way ticket to oblivion?"

Crimson smirked. "Be patient. But first... tell me, how did you manage to do that?" He pointed to the sky where the moon had vanished.

She tilted her head with a cute little shrug. "Not telling," she said with a teasing smile and a playful tone.

"I see."

He stared at the spot where the moon had once been, his perceptive eyes scanning the area. "Ah...so an illusion, right?" he asked, his voice amused.

She froze for a second here. Her eyes widened just slightly before quickly masking it with a flick of her hair. "What? How did you—"

He let out a dark chuckle. "That's cute. Casting an illusion to make me think the moon had truly been erased. How very clever."

Her heart sank for a moment, and she clenched her staff tightly. "Wait... how the hell do you know that?" she asked with a panic.

His smirk never left. "Do not underestimate my perceptive skills," he said calmly.

Her playful demeanor is now faltered, a rare crack in her confidence. "Damn it..." she muttered under her breath. Her motivation, the sense that she could keep him off balance with her cleverness, suddenly felt like it had slipped through her fingers.

Crimson's smirk is now deepening and his eyes are now glowing with dark amusement. "I can easily destroy this little illusion of yours in a snap of my fingers," he said with a mocking tone in his voice.

"But...you know what?," he continued, "Fufu...I'm not doing it."

???

He then let out a frustrated sigh. "Honestly, I'm bored now. How many times have I been disturbed in the middle of this ritual? I'm not playing with this shit anymore."

His gaze is turning deadly serious. "But don't feel relieved. I don't care about the Yonzol anymore. But...I promise, none of you on this planet are going to survive now. I'll eliminate each one of you and destroy this planet myself...I'll make sure of it. That's what you get for standing in my way. Lowly beings."

Soon, the first light of morning broke through the horizon. With it, the entire scenery is seeming to shift. The sky, once dark and ominous, has now began to lighten, and the air grew still.

Crimson then released the four of us from the binds he had cast earlier, the shadowy tendrils disappeared into the air like smoke. Also, his remaining giant Oscuro army vanished with a flick of his hand.

The world seemed to breathe again, the silence hanging in the air. The sky is slowly returning to its usual blue, and the chaos has began to subside.

But he is still here.

Crimson's gaze turned to Ruby-san and with a dark chuckle, he said, "I shall start with you, Miss Witchy."

Saying that, he moved with an unnatural speed, faster than my eyes could follow. In the blink of an eye, he stood right in front of Ruby-san. His overwhelming presence is now just inches away from her.

There's no way she'll survive a blow from him this close. I can't afford waiting here. I have to help her! Move, legs, move! My arms, my body, MOVE!

But the aftermath of using so much Seishin energy earlier is hitting me all at once. A wave of dizziness is crashing over me, and my vision started to blur. My body couldn't even move an inch. Damn it.

Ruby-san froze, her eyes widening as she looked up at Crimson, now standing just few inches away from her.

"D-Didn't expect you to be this fast... or this close," she said, in a shaking voice.

He smirked. "Surprised, sweetheart?"

His gaze then scanned over her, a slow and deliberate inspection, and a twisted admiration filled his tone. "Seeing you this close... you really are a divine beauty. Every detail of you, from those rubical eyes to the charming smile… it's captivating."

She was tensed with fear. Clenching her fists, she tried to steady her breathing, but his presence was overpowering. She could feel the dread rising within her as he continued to admire her.

"You must know," he continued with a sickening smile, "how rare it is to see such perfection. It's almost a shame I have to destroy it."

Her voice came out shaky, barely above a whisper. "D-don't get any closer..."

He chuckled softly.

Then, he finally made his move, slowly raising his right hand. A sickening energy is swirling around him, dark and oppressive. It made Ruby-san's body tremble in fear. She wanted to move, to escape, but her limbs felt like they were glued to the ground. The dark aura surrounding Crimson is pressing in on her, making it harder to move.

"Please, God," I whispered to myself. "Save her... save her from that devil."

I watched helplessly, every part of me screaming to do something, but my body refused to respond. Time seemed to slow as Crimson's hand hovered closer to Ruby-san.

"It's over, Ruby." Saying that, he brought his palm right in front of her face, his hand so large it could cover her entire face. He held it there for a moment, the tension thicking in the air, and then he spoke with a grin,

"BOOM."

He eyes widened in terror, her body bracing for the worst. But surprisingly enough, the mood shifted. The heavy darkness surrounding Crimson has vanished, and the air lightened, like a cloud had just passed. He then chuckled with a playful tone. "Fufu...just kidding, sweetie," he said, and to everyone's surprise, he gently patted Ruby-san's head with the same hand that had just threatened to crush her.

"This...is your reward."

A soft, genuine smile stretched across his face as he looked down at her. The warmth of the gesture is completely out of place coming from him.

Everyone stood in stunned silence, not knowing what to make of this strange moment. Kaito-san's jaw hung open in disbelief, Shizuka-san's eyes narrowed in confusion, and Hayato's brows furrowed with suspicion.

Even I can't believe what I am seeing. Is this a game to him? Or is something more sinister at play? Ruby-san, still processing the shock, slowly blinked, unsure whether to be relieved or horrified by what had just happened.

After that, he turned around and glanced at the usual, small, brainless Oscuros still running around, causing chaos. With a flick of his wrist, he cast a spell, and dark, shadowy rods emerged, each one piercing through their Orcas with ease. All of them fell almost instantly, their writhing bodies vanishing into nothing.

He then turned to Ruby-san one last time. "Such a shame you're so quaint, yet still in the way," he teased. His voice is almost playful despite the destruction around him. "You should have just stayed out of it." He gave her one final look, savoring the moment.

Then, with a flourish, he raised his hand toward the sky, and a dark portal began to materialize behind him, swirling with ominous energy. He stepped back, his eyes locked on to Ruby-san's once more. "Well, it's been fun, Ruby," he said, lazily, "but I'm off now. Goodbye."

And with that, he slowly vanished into the portal, leaving everything behind — the dead Oscuros, the ruined city, and the lingering sense of unease.

What was all that? I want my answers.