“Why… Why, Ney?!” Maha let out a blood-curdling scream as she reached for a vial on her hip. Her ‘Why’ asked many things: Why was Ney a demon, why did she betray her, why was she doing this, and so much more.
Ney grinned wryly and answered, “Isn’t it obvious? To return everything to nothingness.”
That alone seemed meant to answer all of Maha’s questions.
“You were a demon?”
“No, I’m human. …Or at least I once was, long ago. This form is temporary. You’ve only fought my clones so far.” Ney had a distant look in her eyes. Maha didn’t know it, but the long ago Ney spoke of was before she channeled the divine.
“Maha. You remember the memories of mine you’ve seen?”
“Now’s not the time, Metako!”
“The girl I knew is probably Ney—though her name has changed since then.”
“What…?”
“Indeed. You’re still there, aren’t you, Metako? Or should I call you Metalia?” Ney smiled softly. Her gaze was nostalgic, as if she were looking at an old friend.
“I don’t understand,” Maha said. “Metako, you knew Ney?”
“I had an inkling who she might be, yes. But the girl she used to be would never have wished for the world’s end. She was unmistakably human and stood directly against what the demons believed in. That’s why her betrayal is a surprise, even to me.”
“How? Aren’t you supposed to be connected to the Akashic Record?” Maha’s voice had an accusatory tone to it. I didn’t blame her. It must seem almost willful that someone able to know anything, like me, didn’t notice something as important as Ney’s betrayal.
“I cannot look into the Akashic Record for information concerning her.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s cut me out, dear.” Ney smiled self-deprecatingly. I felt my heart ache. “I don’t know why. But when she sacrificed and reduced herself to pure concept, she severed the connection between not only the world and the Song of the End, but also between her and me.”
Indeed. A normal human would have to rely on their raw ability to use alchemy if they lost the ability to interface with the Akashic Record through me, but Ney could use the power of the Akashic Record herself, so cutting her off wouldn’t hurt her ability to fight demons. But it would make it impossible for us to directly communicate. Even with her god-like powers, she could not talk to me like Maha could. I failed to notice the change in her as a result, but I didn’t do this without reason.
“Maha, tell Ney something for me. The reason why I severed our connection was—”
“Enough. I do not care to know. ‘Tis beyond mattering now.” Ney read Maha’s mind and stopped me before I could finish my words. “I shall take Ruri. You’re free to try and stop me…if you truly believe you have a chance.”
Maha frowned. She knew how strong Ney was better than anyone. Stopping her by force would be next to impossible. “…Can I ask one thing?”
“Of course, dear.”
“You could’ve run off with Ruri whenever you pleased. Why wait until now?”
“Because she’s only just become willing.”
“What do you mean?”
“I desire the Song of the End, and she’s now willing to give it to me.”
Her words shook Maha. “You’re lying! Ruri would never!”
“She has already agreed to it, my dear. Do you really not understand after she spilled her heart out to you? How she questions her own existence, how she’s filled with doubt?”
“I-I…”
Ruri had said, quoting Maha’s own words, that life wasn’t worth living and that she wished she hadn’t been born into the world. Such words closely resembled the beliefs of the demons and of Ney.
“N-no! She would never!” Maha insisted.
“Goodness… You’ve grown strong, but your mind is as naive as ever. The truth remains the truth no matter what you wish to believe.”
“Shut up!”
“But then again, perhaps I seem like no more than a madwoman to you, in which case I could understand why you would doubt my words. But I’ve told no lies. I truly cared about you and Ruri, so I chose to wait until she was willing.”
“Just shut up, you traitor!”
“Hm. There’s nothing I can say to that.” Indifferently, Ney shrugged and stopped talking.
“…Do you really mean to use the Song of the End?” Maha asked.
“I do.”
“Even if it means using Ruri like a tool?”
“Shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself and the world?”
“I won’t let you!”
“…Hm.” Ney nodded, then raised her right hand.
Just as Maha sensed danger, I reacted. “Activating automatic defenses. Diamond Shield.”
“Gah…!”
But my defenses weren’t enough, and Maha’s body bent backwards. I couldn’t tell what happened. Some unseen force had hit her.
“Justice without force is powerless. If you want to stop me, show me you have what it takes.” Ney returned to her human form, scoffed with disinterest, and began to leave.
“W-wait…!”
“Come after me if you wish. I will neither run nor hide.” She reached out into what seemed to be empty space, then lifted up Ruri’s small, unconscious body. She must have altered the light to camouflage her.
Maha watched as Ney slowly walked away before losing consciousness herself.