The Eminence in Shadow

Finally, it gathers at his obsidian sword, spiraling through the air and drawing an elaborate pattern over the weapon’s blade.

“I AM—”

Shadow’s voice rumbles out deeply, and the bluish-purple magic glows ever brighter.

“WH-WHAT IS THAT MAGIC?! ARE YOU EVEN REALLY HU—?”

“—ATOMIC.”

With that, the bluish-purple light blots out the world.

When the light dies down, the world stands completely altered.

The sky is blue again, and the sun’s rays are streaming down. Rose can see her breath in the crisp, clear winter air.

Shadow stands at the very center of the world, raising his jet-black sword to the sky.

“Are you…? Are you really…?”

Rose starts to say something, but then goes quiet.

For some reason, two piano players are starting to overlap in her mind.

There’s no way. It simply isn’t possible. Yet she finds herself drawn to Shadow’s each and every movement all the same.

“So, that was Master Shadow’s plan for the Black Rose…”

Beta and Epsilon look up at the sky. There, they see the shattered Black Rose.

Not even it survived Shadow’s mighty attack.

As they watch, it slowly crumbles to pieces. As it does, a small mass gets sucked into it.

The mass is covered in blackened skin and red hair. It’s Mordred, now reduced to nothing more than a head.

Then…

“I give myself to the ebony vortex, and vanish into the world of darkness…”

With that, the shadowy figure dives straight into the Black Rose.

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Master Shadow?”

The Black Rose swallows Shadow whole.

The girls stare up in shock—

“I-I-I’m coming, too!”

—and Beta, tears in her eyes, dives in as well.

Not a moment later, the Black Rose disappears, gone from the world for good.

Everything is dead silent for a little while.

Epsilon mutters a sort of strange incantation to herself as she stares at the sky. “…I-I’m sure Master Shadow had some grand design in mind. Of course he did. His resourcefulness lets him see through everything. His eyes are like those of a god. His radiant gaze burns incandescent, and his jet-black blade cleaves the skies and parts the seas…”

“Oh no, my ring…”

For some reason, Rose’s wedding ring lies shattered as well.

Rose takes that as a sign of what’s become of her beloved. The blood drains from her face.

And with that, the battle for the Oriana Kingdom comes to a close.