Despite the ongoing war that humanity stubbornly continues, the snowflakes still fell, blanketing the craters and scars left behind by the students. The buildings and streets of New York lay in ruins, yet nature remained indifferent to the damage done to its vessel. Though this journey had begun long ago, it was far from over. But for now, the students faced their final battle of the school year.
As the smoke from the recent explosion dissipated, it revealed Cameron Sin standing under a gentle snowfall. His white, almost blue spiky hair was dusted with flakes, a contrast to the crimson eyes that still flickered, his life refusing to be extinguished. He leaned heavily on his scythe, his tall muscular frame trembling from the loss of strength. A little more weight, and he would surely collapse. Yet for the others there was no time for rest. Not until he was dead.
Stomping through the snow toward Cameron was someone who has wanted him dead for a long time. The power dampener that had weakened Cerberus' ability had finally worn off, returning the most destructive being alive to full strength. They were like a mirror, with Cerberus having a similar messy snow-colored hair, those his eyes were a burning blue full of spite. As Cameron tried to limp toward Cerberus, he stumbled and fell to his knees, his weapon falling to the snow below. He could feel his heartbeat growing weaker.
Cerberus raised his hand toward Cameron, casting a dismissive glance at Helios and his crew. In his eyes, they were talentless hacks, not worth his time. He had attempted to kill them all minutes ago, but they had temporarily joined forces to defeat their common enemy. The one who had plagued the world for far too long. Cameron was the greatest threat they had faced yet. But after his death, they could then settle their differences.
They were all tired of it. Of Cameron, of his existence, he was everything to Cerberus' spite. The last time they fought, the world had believed him dead. But now, resurrected by Fenrisúlfr, he had adopted the name Cerberus for this very moment. His new life up until this point was just to kill Cameron, and to him it was worth selling his very soul for loyalty under someone until death.
Cerberus' hand flared with flames that transitioned to ocean-blue from its heat, growing fiercer with each passing second acting as a countdown for the flames to consume everyone nearby. Taking his time to fully enjoy his final moment with the spider, Cerberus nay. Vulcan Amanogawa stared down at Cameron Sin.
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"You’ve lost. Any last words, you filthy stain? I'm sure you must be feeling regret for all you've done."
For the first time in his lifetime, Cameron had to burden the consequences of his actions and began to ponder in his thoughts his current emotions.
This cold feeling... is it regret?
His eyes slowly lifted, blurry but still able to see the silhouette of not Cerberus, but Vulcan, as if reliving their past.
"Regret...?”"
A uncontainable cackle escaped from his throat, wheezing at what Vulcan commented, as if it was some joke.
"Dear, oh.. dear! Regrets, why would I have any? After all...My dream has already been inherited."
Denouncing the world to its face, Cameron still dared to reach upwards with his hands. As a man who continuously devalues the worth of human life, he was destined to die alone. That was his fate. But fate is to be rejected. He grasped onto Vulcan’s hood, his body still heavy and limp, as he struggled to confront Vulcan face-to-face by lowering his head.
"I didn’t lose, Vulcan. I’ve achieved everything I set out to do. I freed Helios from the chains of his past. Yin, foolish enough to playing hero of the school, was given the strength he always wanted after the harsh truth hit him. I took you, this school's white knight, and dragged him down to my level. Now, you're nothing but scars and burns all over your body from our previous confrontation. Don't you see the imprint I've left all over the world?"
Deep down, Cameron knew his influence would linger, the stain of sin forever etched in the hearts of mankind.
"All of you now bear the madness I bestowed upon you. Madness will always be like spreading a wildfire..."
Mocking death in his final act, one last spider-like appendage ripped free from his back with the remnants of his ability, hanging behind Vulcan, refusing to impale him. It was a silent heed, urging humanity to take the final step, to be the one to tip the dominos and set everything into motion.
“All it takes is a little spark.”
In the end, his presence would never truly be gone, as he already marred himself on the pages of history. As the cycle of violence prepares for its inevitable return in the threads of fate, it will do so with Cameron intertwined within its fabric. Vulcan, his soul boiling with the returned fire of anger lit by the desecration of the moment he had waited so long for, encouraged him to finally pull the trigger, unleashing forward a wave of destructive flames that engulfed Cameron in its insatiable anger. Thus on May 24th, the curtain on Cameron's reign over Empire State High closed.
And now, the conclusion that follows after will be with the school officially left behind. The fate of the world rests on my shoulders alone, but this crew...perhaps I can lessen the burden. To have people to trust once more.