The world collectively held their breath.

A million hopes and dreams fell onto the shoulders of the Beholders and the Nexus. The Floor of Civilization was set alight as the greatest powers in Elysia fought with tooth and nail. Like the manifested city beyond the Nexus, the Floor of Civilization was split into quarters, each representing a suit of cards and a thematic color.

The crystals were ever present, and with it arose 3 major crystals as the ones floating by Sinder's shoulders.

A blue diamond.

A red heart.

And a black spade.

But there was one more. In the distance, the Archivist saw a path leading towards a world of green as she found herself at a crossroads once again. Her feet could not take her anywhere. Conflict consumed her, and the flames of her book reminded her of a pain that slowly began to creep into her mind like ivy.

It wrapped her. Kept her in place. She trembled to its invisible bounds all of a sudden as all highways leading elsewhere called for her, taunting what little courage she truly had left.

Defeating Sinder was impossible in the eyes of all. From his friends to those that stood at the pinnacle of strength – none seemed to be able to put a dent into the violent star.

But maybe…

… There was someone else who could.

“Pompous of me to assume that they can’t!” A gentlemanly voice exclaimed, startling the determined Archivist.

“A-ah!” She nearly fumbled her precious book.

A man with the head of a card, wearing a pristine top hat and a golden suit approached her unexpectedly. He walked beside a, fuzzy spider with a single eye in the shape of a camera lens.

*Snap*

A polaroid appeared from thin air. A surge of air nearly blew it away, but thankfully, the strange man caught it with two fingers as he lowered his top hat politely.

“But I can feel it thriving in my bones! It’s calling for me! If my bones were a xylophone, then you too would be able to hear its excitement!”

“U-Um… You are?”

“Pardon me. We’ve never met before, have we? Not in this life. It is I! Magus, the Magician!”

< He is the Archetype of Hope >

Nav confirmed, sensing the Archivist’s growing concern. Hearing that he was just like her allowed a sigh of relief to leave her lips, but she was still warried. Although, a part of her was strangely enthralled by the sight of the giant, huggable spider.

“Well. I do hope our friendly voice has clarified. I’m no suspicious fiend, but a friend! This is your moment to shine. The spotlights, as that detestable fellow would call it, are shining down upon you!”

“Because this is my Awakening…?”

“Indeed! Your Awakening has arrived! How does it feel!?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t this impossible…? I know Nav’s said it, but… how is that right? None of the Corrupted are archived. So how – no, w-why is it happening?” The Archivist wondered, perplexed by the sudden Awakening of her Floor.

But in truth, a part of her just wanted to escape. To find something to latch onto rather than to take action. It was a detestable part of herself, and before she could speak another word, she choked on them.

Suddenly, a white, gloved hand fell onto her head.

“In times like this, I believe questioning things is arbitrary. It’s not good for the soul. You see, why seek an excuse when you’re given a path paved just for you?” He the turned the Archivist away from Sinder – a name that they both now became familiar with – and pointed her into the direction of the green clubs.

Each direction was colorless save for the one before her. But it was also the one that was the hardest for her to walk towards.

“… Because I want to run away. But I know that I can’t. Running… is all I’ve done my entire life. I want to change.” The Archivist, after a silent moment of deliberation, clasped onto her book with teary eyes, feeling its already immense heat grow further.

“And?” The Magician kindly asked like a fatherly figure.

“And…?” The Archivist was about to look up at him.

But there was no need.

The Magician crouched down to her level, giving her the polaroid. While he couldn’t see its contents, the Archivist’ eyes widened. She clutched the book ever tighter, her eyes watering at the sight of her and Sinder standing in a field of flowers, gazing up at a world without stars.

It was the same place where she received his diary.

She held it near and dear to her heart, fumbling between her book and the polaroid. Suddenly, she uncovered something else layered behind the image, finding a tarot card.

The card was symbolized by a central figure, surrounded by 4 distinct symbols on each corner. These symbols were the suit of cards.

“The World…” She recognized this card.

“Isn’t there something else you want?”

“… I want to… save my friend. Save everyone. I… resorted to archiving books because it was the only thing I knew how to do. But right now… I don’t want them to become books. Not like… like…”

Like Him.

She desperately wanted to say it out loud, but her lips betrayed her.

“Our friend needs to rest. But he’s been immortalized in this book. His darkest memories turned into chapters. Hm… You see, I can see faint glimmers of hope through the despair of this world. My heart of hearts tells me that your first step will be the most painful. Attachment is the root of all suffering. All of us have been there. You, maybe the longest.”

The Magician’s words were like a faint glimmer of light. Somehow, she felt like she had heard these same words before. No matter how hard she tried she could not remember the face of this person.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

But she knew deep down that they were probably one in the same.

He offered her his hand, the magical tarot card disappearing into particles of fleeting light as Snap purred:

“Bzzzt! Brr. Brrrrr. Brrr!”

“Indeed. Run, Archivist. It’s time to let go of the old and embrace the current.”

With conviction infused into her heart by their words of courage, she wiped away the budding tears and firmly nodded, although, there was still a part of her that remained uncertain.

Regardless, the Magician tipped his hat and disappeared with Snap as suddenly as they appeared, leaving the Archivist behind. She took one step forward towards the green lane, feeling her heart race and jump to her throat as she desperately tried to overcome her fears.

< Archivist. I’m here with you. Please. Let’s save Frost >

“… Both of them… I want… to save both of them. But I know that it’s not possible.” The Archivist took another step alone, dragging her foot forward as the world fell into chaos behind her. “He… Sinder… Tried to save our world. So did I. We all followed that dream. I… also love this world.”

Suddenly, her steps became faster.

“I met new people. I met Jury. I’ve read all those wonderful stories of people who called this world their home.”

And before she knew it, she was running against the roaring winds.

“That’s why… I don’t want to watch this world also burn! So if it means that Sinder has to go away then…!”

< Your emotions are pure. Believe me when I say this, Archivist, you’re our only hope of defeating Sinder and saving Frost >

< The Conditions are now as follows >

< CONDITION: The Crowned seeks for the Ultimate Language. With no way in sight, the Crowned feels lost >

< “That’s why… I’ve chosen to become a star. The fire that brims. To reignite what was lost.” >

Sinder spoke, as if in response to Nav.

< SUPPRESSION REQUIREMENT: Proof that Civilization is redeemable. That there exists outliers who can instill change and embody the dream we all chased after. The Crowned will be permanently weakened with each proof it is met with >

< “It’s impossible… because I’ve already culled them. My regret is immeasurable.” >

< SUBJUGATION REQUIREMENT: The Crowned’s HP must reach 0 >

< AWAKENING REQUIREMENT: Save them >

The Archivist entered a full sprint towards the green light, and to her surprise, there was actually a 4th crystal. A small, tiny green crystal in the highway of green. It seemed to run away from her.

“S-Save them!?” She cried out.

Crystalized Courage

HP : 1

< Unknown. But I believe you will know in time! >

“R-right! I can’t… reach it! It’s too fast!” She cried, watching the sidewalks suddenly filled with faceless people, the scenery flashing between a bustling world to one where these people were slaughtered.

Rocks were suddenly thrown at her.

Libraries were burned down.

It felt like the entire world was against her. Repressed memories came surging back as she recalled her motivations. Her despairs. Her struggles and life before meeting Sinder.

“I… loved books because they took me away from our world. I hated it more than anyone else. Every day was hell. I was lucky. I know people I loved who dealt with worse and called it ‘normal’ for people like us…”

The pelting rocks hurt. The flames of her book stung. And the memories twisted her heart in ways she couldn’t describe.

“We were victims of greed. Victims of assimilating bodies. I also know how many people lost their way. Victims to families turning on loved ones for a psychotic cause. The language you sought after was gone… all you ever saw was violence. I was scared…”

Suddenly, the green buildings caught alight. Her legs seemed to slow down, but she the distance between her and the fleeting crystal remained the same. She bit down on her lips, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she cried:

“But you saved me! You… thought my dream of bringing these words to people wasn’t a waste! When everyone discarded us you tried to help!”

The crystal approached her, and the many countless above began to resonate with a high-pitched whine. Beams of light were fired towards Sinder as he conjured a giant club-shaped orb.

//////// < WARNING > ////////

< UNAVOIDABLE ATTACK >

< You’re his target! >

“But now… you’ve discarded us all like the rest. Sinder… I wrote that notebook… I tried to archive it all – because –!” The Archivist, with one last desperate cry, reached out for the crystal.

But her hands couldn’t reach it. The book she towed along prevented her from doing so.

Thus, with a pained heart, she made the decision to finally let go. The book was swept away by the storms, disappearing into the urban mazes.

But she did not care.

The Archivist, carrying insurmountable conviction all of a sudden, shouted at the top of her lungs:

“– BECAUSE THIS IS THE WORLD MY FRIEND TRIED TO SAVE!”

It shattered at the faintest touch.

A strange power entered her. It coursed through her veins as the crystals above shattered one by one, plunging the city into darkness temporarily before a beam of light cut through the Floor of Civilization.

< “I discarded many. This dream of mine fell asunder, but I believed that it could revitalize theirs. I became their star in their starless night. I spoke their language and brought the same destruction they had always known.”

< Clubs of the Voiceless >

< It cannot be stopped! >

< But! >

< The Archivist Has Manifested as We (Will) Save Many >

The Archivist, turning on her heals, lifted her arms to protect herself as a tiny, club-shaped, green crystal formed before her out of her own volition. It seemed to carry the will of countless souls, all eager to stand against the most violent. Through the world could not hear it, the Archivist heard a million words of encouragement, and because of that, through a stream of tears, she cried:

“My library will take care of you all! I… I WON’T ALLOW ANYONE TO DISCARD ANYTHING ANYMORE!”

< [Courage] >

ATT : 50,000,000 MAG ATT : 50,000,000

< EFFECT: Ignores all DEF stats >

The tiny shield was all that stood against the beam. Not even the Arbiter could prevent it from reaching her. However, as the city was split apart by it, the Archivist’s shield tanked the attack with a heavy clank. The beam condensed into an orb before it was redirected back at Sinder, hurdling him so far away that he physically met with a bizarre barrier.

That barrier was the limit of the Floor of Civilization, and the Nexus quaked in response.

Crowned

HP : 440,000,000

< His… His HP has been permanently reduced by one fifth! >

The Archivist, still on her high of the clash, trembled. Her sight waned. She was fatigued, having never run so much in her life.

But she never allowed herself to fall. Her courage could never allow her to, and before she knew it, she was running in the direction of a golden glow as the light returned to the city.

No longer was she stuck in her crossroads.

The Archvist actively took whatever direction she believed was right.

And while fear still ate at her, she now had her courage to fend it off.

< If my intuition is correct, then Greed is next! >