Parallels- an MCSM AU [COMPLETED]

THIRTY-NINE- Blackout

finally going back to Jess!

aaaaaa i'm so excited,, we're really in the last big part of the story and i'm just looking forward to it so much ^^

but you're here for story, not rambling, so let's get to it! >:]

also, just for effect, don't play the music at top until they get to the In-Between

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As soon as I woke up, I knew that something had changed. For one thing, the floor of my room had inexplicably been transformed to grass, small flowers blooming alongside my bed, bookshelves, crafting table, and everything else.

For another, the sky was gone.

Well, okay, I suppose it's not possible for the sky to actually be gone, but that's what it seemed like. The sun, which should have been rising when I awoke, was absent. There were no stars or moon or even clouds to be seen, just a blank grey nothingness that hung over the world like a blanket. Light still shone down from an indistinct source, but it wasn't right, too dim and muted to be sunlight.

I soon discovered that the floor of the entire Order hall was now grass, and, had I not already known that it was a result of our collapsing reality, I would've thought it was a clever practical joke.

I waited downstairs as my friends slowly each woke up. Very few words were exchanged as we prepared for the battle to come- there wasn't much left to do or say, and we all knew it.

Petra tried to insist on coming with us again, but seemed to know that I'd refuse to let her and didn't seem surprised when I did exactly that. She and Lukas shared a long goodbye hug, which I supposed meant they'd finally made up.

"Do we even know what's going to happen?" Radar asked cautiously as I was drawing the mystical symbols to open the gate.

"Of course not." Julia replied. "We know this is our last desperate effort to stop Essa, but that's all. Maybe we'll manage to take her by surprise, or maybe she'll be waiting for us when we get there. It doesn't matter anymore."

I slashed my sword downwards, opening the gate. "Last chance, you three. You don't have to come with us." I told Lukas, Aiden, and Radar.

Lukas shot me an unamused look. "Doesn't matter if we have to or not. We are."

"Fine." I said curtly. "Then let's go."

I led the way across the threshold, sinking into the strange realm of white. I shuddered, memories of the nightmarish void space resurfacing. We had to win today, or a version of that twisted future might come true.

I stepped out into the In-Between, scanning the area cautiously with my sword still in my hand. The place was a total wreck, the ground shot through with cracks and the sky darker than ever before. Only the gates looked mostly the same, four of them glowing brightly and the fifth...

Oh, no.

The fifth and smallest gate was much brighter than before, but that wasn't the problem. No, the problem was the two people standing in front of it.

Essa wore grey-and-pink armour and a self-satisfied smirk, her long hair pulled elegantly out of the way of her face. I didn't know the other person; a fairly short boy with pale skin and messy auburn hair, dressed in elaborate red armour, but I easily recognized who he was.

The last Prime.

I stood frozen as the rest of my friends came through the gate behind me. Julia and Aiden both had diamond swords, Lukas had his enchanted bow, and Radar was brandishing his favorite shield. We were more than ready for a fight, but I wasn't sure if Essa was going to make it that simple.