Beyond the Bright Stars (draft)

Negotiations

"Why did you let things happen this way, brother?" The Great Arima appears in front of his agonizing brother as he falls in the castle of the Authentic Aurora of Existence, his home. 

The Great God of Darkness and Light opens his eyes to look at the six angels forming a circle around him. Xano, Kiro, Livious, Telon, Anbar, and Colum lift their wings to the open to save what's left of his energy. Although it's too late to save him, the Colossal Angels watch with compassion as what's left of his darkness eats him from the inside out. The hole of his chest expands with every breath he takes, his veins are exposed, he's blood has turned black and thick. His lips have turned purple and his eyes have lost their color.  

"Home, I'm finally home..." he struggles to get the words out of the burning fire destroying his soul. Unable to erase the shocked expression on Camille's face as he blew up the castle and what was left of the Lost Star, the Great Adonis can't do anything but slow down the process now. With him out of the way, Axl, the Great Arima, and Camille have a better chance to fight the Great Goddess.  

The Great Arima inhales the sadness it causes him to see his brother sacrifice every glimpse of hope he has for the universe. 

"My apologies, brother, but I cannot risk her survival, just like you cannot risk your son's." The Great Adonis stutters with difficulty. 

"I never meant any disrespect or harm to her, I hope you know that." The Great God Arima,  bows in reverence and respect towards his older brother. 

"Have you planned this for long?" Telon questions the Great God of Destiny since he's the only one with the ability to manipulate everyone's destiny even his own. As the God that sees everything before it happens, the Great Arima has been aware of the outcome of the final battle, but the one to decide how it'll end is him. 

"Perhaps Kaiden is right," Livious observes that the only one faithful enough to Camelia's sacrifice has been the Angel of Light. 

"We were trying to protect her and our worlds from what Eirene is planning to do but I underestimated the determination of my own son," the Great God of Destiny can't hide the hint of pride in his tone. The fact that he's witnessed Axl's determination to keep Camille safe, to risk his own life for her. To plan against his mother for her sake. 

"Do not let her see the darkness, I implore you, brother." The Great God of Darkness begs for a chance for his daughter. 

"As the guardians of the worlds our duty is to protect and serve equally, we can not choose or come between your decision or choices, perhaps it is time to change that," Xano says with a respectful tone. 

"Indeed, intervening with Eirene's plan is not allowed unless there is someone with a force stronger than hers,"  The Great Arima says in a more calm, but menacing way. The Colossal Angels open their eyes as he leans closer to his dying brother. 

"To sacrifice the most valuable source of balance that we have is not what I planned, brother. I can assure you that, Eirene is not willing to risk her victory either, but her ambition has blinded her from seeing that her source of power is standing on a thread." The Great Arima explains. 

After spending some time in the Water Sanctuary while observing in detail how much effort the Great Goddess puts into keeping Axl away from any possible altercation that can cause his darkness to take over. Using fear as a source to manipulate and impose her authority but even the Great Goddess understands that Axl's love for Camille can actually be the cause of extinction.  

"But it is time for the one last sacrifice." Colum kneels down beside his master. Followed by the rest of the angels, they close their eyes and collect their celestial energy around him as his blood begins to turn black. The Great Adonis cringes on the floor right next to his brother. Panting to keep his eyes awake, he looks up at the angels. 

"Your excellency, you can not keep suppressing the evil energy taking over you." Livious tries to ease his pain but it's no use. His chest opens up as the black hole grows bigger, claiming his life. 

"Please forgive me, brother, to make you suffer all this time. To force you to live away from what you love, I promise I will not let her suffer the same fate." The Great Arima holds his brother in his arms as the Great Adonis gives in to the agony. The darkness expands like fire in his veins, his beautiful violet eyes have turned into stone. His wings have turned black. 

"I do not want her to remember a world full of hatred." The Great Adonis struggles, pulling tears out of his brother's eyes. 

"I understood your view, I would have done the same. I understood there was nothing for me to do but to accept that to secure a better future, there must sacrifice." The Great Arima explains with guilt. 

"Brother..." The Great Adonis struggles to breathe. 

"Do not hurt Camille, whatever you intend to do, do not hurt her." His knees are weak, his heart even if it's not with him, it's dying with him. 

"I give you my word, I will let them handle those monsters," The Great God Arima consoles his dying brother.

Expressionless, the Great Arima takes a deep breath while his hands turn into fists while trying to hold back his pain. He kneels and bowed his head but his heart breaks even more as the Great Adonis's wings fall to the floor as he closes his eyes. 

"It is our time." Xano expands his wings to the sky as the rest of the angels follow on cue. Gathering all their energy, a loud thunder takes over the universe announcing the disintegration of the Great God of Darkness and Light. Using their bodies to protect what's left of his light and what Camille will need to complete the medallion, the Colossal Angels sacrifice their lives to finish the last piece of their plan. A bright ray of light falls on the Great Arima's hands as they vanish in the air. A golden dagger stretched into a sword next to him. Casting rays of light all over the palace. The Great God of Destiny and Life takes a deep breath to control his emotions. He picks up the sword.  

"For the peace of the worlds, do not let me down, brother." the Great God of Darkness and Light makes one last request but he can't see him anymore. 

"Believe me, there will not be a better punishment for her, than seeing him hate her for taking the one he loves." The Great God Arima says as the last parts of his brother's body disintegrate in the air. Leaving behind the last piece of hope they need to destroy the Great Goddess of Evil and Death. 

The moment the Great Arima looked into Camille's violet eyes, he realized that the time has come. A time to change, looking at her was like going back in time to see his brother.  A time where both of them were ignorant of what it might be to sacrifice something as important as their own life for another.

The Great Arima remembers how his brother used to care for him, even when he was the older one. Adonis was in every way better than him, selfless, caring and admirer of the hope he every living thing could have in them. A perfect being of light that was also cursed by being chosen to suppress the darkness. The moment Adonis became the Great God of Darkness and Light, he did it for him. 

Failing to fulfill his duty the Great Arima can't find peace within himself, for letting his love for someone as evil as Lady Eirene take over the universe. To betrayed his brother's trust and duty to a bigger cause. Now looking into Camille's eyes is the call he needed all along. 

A loud thunder breaks through the heavens, slamming against the main tower of the Water Sanctuary. Demolishing the beautiful towers into pieces, crumbling to the ground, the chaos takes over every planet, every galaxy. The angels of death, the spectrums, and the demons receive the order to attack at the same Asilos's portal opens in the middle of the main garden. Kaiden launches himself at full speed, followed by Zelon, Gala, and Caligo. 

Camille's mind goes blank as she lands in her home. Having the love of her life just a few feet away is a pang of sadness but her father who has suffered an eternity for something unfair makes her mind release a storm inside her brain, wiping her tears away, Camille swallows her pain and faces Axl and his mother.

"Let's get this over with," she says as she steps out of the portal.

R.I.P The Great God of Darkness and Light and the Colossal Angels.