The day before the final confrontation with Malkor hung heavy, a palpable weight that pressed down on the Academy and its inhabitants. Each shadow seemed a little darker, each whisper a little more ominous. The students and instructors prepared, not with hope, but with a grim acceptance of the battle to come.
Tokoyami was a storm of conflicting emotions. The weight of responsibility pressed on his shoulders.
"We are ready."
With one of the first blows it was known that all of the members were already possessed. With that being said and with Anya moving they started to fight as long as possible. However things were quickly coming to a close. As they went on someone struck down with a dagger but she had taken it.
Anya's eyes started to glow as she could feel it working within her. It had taken her. The words were finally being told. Everything they had prepared was gone.
"I will beat you." She whispered.
"And what makes you think so child?" He taunted.
"Because I said I was going to you fool. With this all it would be your downfall. And with every thing I have been trying to do it comes down to this. Let's end it."
Anya glowed brighter, radiating power that pushed back the encroaching darkness. But the strain was visible on her face, the effort carving lines of pain around her eyes. This was a gamble, a desperate bid to use Malkor's own power against him.
The problem was the control was not complete. While Anya knew everything she had to do there was a chance that the actions were her own. This was all coming down to whether or not the world was actually coming to an end.
Then a voice broke the silence. It wasn't Tokoyami. It wasn't Malkor. It was Anya, but not the Anya he knew. This voice was cold, devoid of emotion, and laced with a terrifying power.
"I am the end."
The transformation that followed was horrifying. Anya's body began to contort, her limbs twisting into grotesque shapes, her skin cracking and peeling away. Dark energy erupted from her, consuming everything in its path. But amidst the chaos, a core of pure light remained, a defiant spark of her former self.
Tokoyami watched in horror, paralyzed by the unfolding nightmare. He knew what she was doing. She was sacrificing herself, channeling Malkor's power and her own to unleash a force that could destroy him, but would also obliterate her.
With a final burst of will, Anya focused the energy, drawing Malkor into the epicenter of the cataclysm.
"Goodbye Tokoyami. Live. Do not let the rest of us down."
The explosion that followed dwarfed everything that had come before. The very air seemed to ignite, the ground splitting open, the Academy crumbling into dust. The force of the blast ripped through Tokoyami, tearing his body apart, his vision fading to black.
When he finally awoke, it was to a scene of utter devastation. He lay amidst the rubble, his body a shattered ruin, his mind numb with shock. The Academy was gone, reduced to a smoldering crater. The air was thick with the stench of death and destruction.
He managed to drag himself to his feet, his legs trembling beneath him. He stumbled through the wreckage, searching for survivors, but found only corpses. Students, instructors, even the corrupted Academy leaders – all reduced to charred, unrecognizable remains.
He found her at the center of the crater. What was left of her. She was gone and the world knew it.
Malkor was also gone, nothing more than a greasy smear on the ground, a testament to Anya's sacrifice.
As he sat in the pile of dust the others finally came. It was over. They were all happy and celebrating. Everyone was great.
How could they be so happy? Everything was destroyed. No one cared at all. And to top it off she was gone. They should all be crying.
One approached. He said his name was Gordin. He had always seen great potential in the world.
"It's over Tokoyami. We can all move forward now."
"What there is nothing" Tokoyami shouted
"Yes there is! It is wonderful that we are here right now because it is because of her that we are able to keep going. We did not die and you should see that!"
"There is no point. Nothing will ever be the same and it will because all of this was inevitable and it was going to come down on her and she never did anything wrong."
The tension was there.
Tokoyami turned from him, unable to bear their triumphant expressions. He couldn't share their joy, couldn't celebrate their victory. All he felt was a crushing sense of responsibility and a profound sense of loss. Anya had been his friend, a trusted ally, and a constant source of support. Her sacrifice weighed heavily on him.
Gordin grabbed his shoulder, a desperate plea in his eyes. "You can't give up! The world needs you, now more than ever. Anya wouldn't want you to give up. You have to be the leader."
Tokoyami shrugged him off, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "I'm not a leader. I never wanted to be. I just wanted to survive."
He paused, a flicker of something akin to guilt crossing his face. "But she wanted that. And I need to respect it. However I am not sure if I can do that with all of you."
He walked to a portal. The light was on it. The instructions. If he was ever not happy with what was given this was his chance.
He barely touched his finger and everything started to teleport. There was a chance that he would be somewhere new then darkness enveloped him once more.