The Final Act
Here is something I’ve been working on for the past few months! This is the finale of the Revolution of Ulna. (to those who read what ive posted, some of these parts are probably familiar, some aren’t, so here it is all together)
Two figures stand in the ruins of a town, looking around at the devastation.
Sagax runs their fingers along the crumbled remains of the waypoint, the center of the town where people can teleport in and out. A sigh goes through their whole body as the glance around at all the buildings, a heavy weight growing more and more every time their eyes land on a body. They notice their hands shaking, and stuff them into their pockets as they stand up straight.
"What now," Dicar croaks out, weariness dripping off of xir voice. Sagax glances at xem over their shoulder, and that weight grows even heavier. A devastated look of disbelief and horror is painted over xir face, xir golden eyes dull with sorrow. Xe look small, Sagax remarks to themself. Xe are hunched over almost, xir whole body almost shaking as xe stare not at Sagax, but in the direction Sagax knows is the schoolhouse. They refuse to look over there.
King Yanna always said that the best way to control your enemies is through the children.
No one realized that she wasn't talking only about the other realms.
Sagax tilts their head to the side, turning to face Dicar completely. Xe rubs over xir arms almost subconsciously, xir fingers tracing over the red scarred chains dancing across xir arms. All of a sudden, Sagax is struck by the fact at how young Dicar looks. At how young he is. At how long xe were under King Yanna's finger.
Dicar knows that saying better than anyone.
They have only seen Dicar like this once before. Xe tend to try to keep xir emotions locked up. Wonder who's fault that is, Sagax thinks bitterly.
The same person who's the reason Sagax has seen xim like this twice.
They still remember the day Dicar finally believed them. Sagax had already told xim their suspicions about King Yanna, but they knew that Dicar didn't fully believe them. Why would xe? King Yanna was like a mother to xim.
The haunted and devastated look in xir eyes after that day is forever burned in their mind.
"Sagax?" xir voice breaks through their thoughts, defeat coloring xir words. Xe sound so weary. So does Sagax. They clear their throat before answering.
"We wait. She said she'll return here. So we just have to wait until she does," they answer with a sigh. They remember the last time they saw her. Her laughter when she told them that she'll see them again at the town with glittering cliffs and mountains.
They should have expected the ruins.
They should have known which town she was talking about.
They should have saved them.
"How do you know?"
"She just wants to get rid of us. This is her chance. Isolated and alone," they respond, their words clipped.
"Where's Lexor." Dicar asks, but it's not a question. It's just a broken and defeated statement.
"I don't know."
That's all they can say.
"Does it matter anyway?"
The pair freezes. That weight suffocates Sagax as they try to breath, ice freezing their heart as they spin around. They can see Dicar out of the corner of their eyes, xir eyes a swirl of gold and dark red, red electricity beginning to sparkle around xim. Sagax knows they look similar as they feel the energy fill them from head to toe, their eyes dancing with silver now.
King Yanna stands before them, a wide smile on her face.
"Why hello there," she purrs. Her arms are crossed, eyes a bright red magenta. She is radiating confidence, for why wouldn't she be?
"How could you," Dicar croaks out, anger and horror painting xir words.
All she does is cock her head and laugh, taunting the pair.
"Why not?"
The pair look at each other and nod. They are in the same length as they spring forward. Sagax flicks their knives out of their sheaths, the knives and their arms being circled by silver energy. Dicar grips xir spear and flies towards her, xir black wings fanning out behind xim.
King Yanna just stands there with that stupid grin as the two reach her.
It happened so fast.
Next thing they know, a scream rips through the air.
They don't even notice as they collapse on the ground, coughing up blood.
All they can do is watch.
Their eyes widen as Dicar plummets off the nearby cliff, xir wings leaving a trail of smoke.
King Yanna laughs before turning towards Sagax, her eyes flashing with amusement.
She smiles.
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Sagax coughs, their whole body shaking. They rub their hands together, dark red blood staining them. Taking a deep breath, they glare up at the monster in front of them.
“How could you,” they hiss, a harsh cough cutting them off. Their eyes glow bright green, hints of silver stitched through them. With a knee on the ground, clutching their stomach, Sagax looks up at the being standing in front of them.
“Why not?” King Yanna asked, a wide and cruel smile spread across her face. Pride and humor flood her words. Her eyes glint a dark red, with similar colored crackling energy surrounding her. Not a single scratch is on her, in stark contrast to the almost collapsed figure before her feet.
“You can’t keep getting away with this. My people know the truth now. You can’t keep hidi-” they croak out with a harsh and angry tone before getting cut off by a sharp and crazed laugh as it echoes around the ruins.
“And who’s going to stop me?” she sneers, ridicule dancing across her expression. “You? You can’t even stand right now, how are you meant to compare with me?” she proclaims with arms spread out wide. “You’re just an error. A mistake. You shouldn’t even exist.”
Sagax just listens, bitterness spreading through them.
She's right. Who are they to dare try to challenge her?
For she’s King Yanna, the most widely respected and beloved ruler in the realms, an ancient being of immeasurable power.
And they are just a mistake, a lowly shinigami with magic far more powerful than it should be.
“And then we also have my coward of a left-hand. Speaking of him, where is Lexor?” Yanna asks, her head tilted to the side and a smile and sneer that seems to now be plastered permanently on her face. Burning rage strangles Sagax at the thought of Lexor.
She’s right. Where is he? He was meant to be here, helping Sagax against this…monster. But he never turned up.
Not only that, but Lexor did turn a blind eye towards King Yanna for centuries.
Can Sagax really trust him?
They shake their head and scoff at themself. Lexor did help, in many ways. He helped convince the people that Sagax was telling the truth. He also found that…spell. Sagax has no reason to distrust him. They take a breath, and focus back on Yanna.
“Then there is my loyal right-hand. Wonder where xe are,” she smirks.
“You threw xem off a cliff,” Sagax snarls, eyes burning with hatred. “Dicar trusted you, and you threw xem off a cliff anyways.”
They shudder as laughter echoes around the ruins and cliffs.
“Oh, I know. Don’t worry though, once I get rid of you,” she says, a glint in her eyes, “I’ll have Dicar by my side again. I’m sure it won’t be difficult to convince xem. I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again.”
Sagax glares at her, nails digging into their palms. She just looks on at them in amusement. Thunder begins to echo around the ruins as King Yanna looks up, rain falling down.
Sagax looks down, wet hair covering their face.
They watch the blood drip down into a puddle below them, mixing with the rain water.
They watch their hands shake as they lay on the ground, stained with their own blood. Their nails dig into their palms as Sagax tries to rein in their shaky breaths. Sagax looks back up.
They watch King Yanna, her confident and sadistic smile spread across her face as she looks up at the sky, dark grays and blues dancing across the sky. She's not paying attention to Sagax anymore, just lost in her thoughts.
What is she thinking about?
Is she thinking about everything she's done?
All the blood on her hands.
All the corruption strangling her heart.
All the lives she's ruined.
All the centuries she spent destroying her own realm, with no one knowing the truth.
Or is she just watching the rain.
Sagax shakes and lays their forehead on the ground. What can they do? How can they possibly fight against this being of immeasurable power who ruled for centuries, unstopped. Sure, they have a spell, rumored to be able to kill the unkillable. But why should that work? They’re just a wet and pathetic shinigami, lying in the ruins of one of their own towns.
Sagax remembers the people who lived there.
The council leaders, who only tried to protect their people.
The warriors, who tried so hard to fight back.
The scholars, who made sure their people knew that fighting wasn’t the only option.
The kids, who were just kids.
Sagax looks back up.
King Yanna pauses, tilting her head. She turns her focus back to Sagax, and smiles again.
Silver electricity, crackling dangerously, dances across the ruins and surrounds the two of them, mixing with the dark red.
Sagax glares at King Yanna, the weight of the realm on their back as they stumble to their feet.
“Want to dance?”
Sagax holds their hand out, a grim smile on their face as their eyes glow and crackle silver.
Laughter echoes around the ruins of a town as electricity dances in the air, it's only inhabitants dancing a fight of ghosts and pain.
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Sagax lunges forward, knives out, and slashes. Yanna laughs as she dances out of the way, spinning. As she whirls around Sagax, an arc of fire follows her. Sagax just stays there, watching her and the dark red flames dancing around her, as they wait for her to strike.
In a blink of an eye, Sagax lunges to the right, the heat from the flames almost licking their face as they close in on Yanna. With a spin of the ring on their finger, their scythe appears in their hand, the flames shining in the black metal of the long arched blade. The spin continues over their head as they reach Yanna, slicing down across her neck with a quick woosh. Her laughter echoes around the mountains as she steps out of the way, walking away from Sagax while she pulls her sword from the shealth. Sagax begins creeping around her, spinning the scythe as it slowly shifts into their staff.
Electricity crackles in the air, silver and red dancing with the rain drops still falling.
With a spin of the sword, a staff takes its place in Yannas hand as she turns to Sagax, a wide smile on her face.
"Well, what are you waiting for," she asks, her head cocked to the side. "You wanted to dance, so dance!" She proclaims, her staff slamming against the ground.
Sagax grits their teeth and lunges towards her, a bright green overtaking the silver in their eyes.
The rain drops suddenly stop, almost being suspended in the air. Even the ever present electricity has ceased it's crackle as time slows down.
Sagax grins as they race towards Yanna, frozen with a smile on her face. With a murmur, silver electricity begins crackling and swirling around the tip of their staff. They whip the staff around their head, changing their words as they then lunge forward towards King Yanna, the staff hitting her in the chest.
Their eyes flash silver again and the rain continues its dance, a boom echoing around as King Yanna is blown back in a crackle of electricity.
She then plants her feet and the magic is redirected into the ground with a grunt, but Yanna still heaves forward, coughing.
She looks up at Sagax, back to circling her, and cackles. "Now, that's what I'm talking about!"
Sagax darts back, turning around to Yanna.
The two stand up straight, facing each other on either side of the ruins.
One has their staff tucked under their arm, close to them as silver electricity dances around them. Blood drips down their face and hair, mixing with the rain as it falls to the ground. Their silver eyes are sharp and hard as they stare at the other, deep hatred painting them.
The other has her staff next to her, gripping it hard as dark red magic swirls and crackles around her. A wide and sharp grin is scrawled across her face as she watches, cockiness dripping from her.
In tangent, the two run at each other. Yanna whips her staff around her head and with a few quick words, slams it into the ground. Sagax jumps and places their staff on the ground, balancing on it as long black spikes emerge from the ground. They hop on each spike around Yanna, dodging as flames lick their feet.
Their eyes flash green while they jump up, time slowing down as Sagax channels the magic through them to gather at their feet. With a flash of silver, time resumes and Sagax lands a kick on Yanna, the rippling silver electricity traveling into her. With a laugh, she grabs her staff with both hands and redirects the magic into it, and with a low swoop, sends a crackling wave of red and silver electricity.
Sagax darts back and throws their staff high in the air. With both hands and a quick murmur, they catch the wave of magic and swirls their hands around it, containing it. They briefly let go of the magic, catching the staff with both hands, and redirect the magic into it. They spin the staff around, getting a firm grip on both the staff and magic. They narrow their eyes, and race towards Yanna, lazily standing there watching them. They flick their feet out, and the ground moves with them, creating platforms of spikes. Sagax dashes up them, and with a shout of words from an ancient language, a burst of crackling energy shoots from their staff at Yanna.
Yanna dodges, only barely getting hit. It doesn't seem to affect them much as she rushes forward, the staff slamming down inches from where Sagax was before they quickly stepped away. They retaliate with a quick jab to the temple, but fails as Yanna quickly blocks the strike.
Sagax throws their staff in the air, dropping down to sweep Yanna. With an amused laugh, Yanna takes the hit and just goes with it, rolling out of the way and springing to her feet. Sagax catches their staff and grinds their teeth, but unable to dodge as a swift kick lands on their side.
The two go back and forth, dancing a battle of staffs and bursts of magic.
Frustration begins to cloud their mind as they look at Yanna with heaving breaths. She stands there looking down on Sagax with a smirk, appearing to be just as she was before the fight, not a scratch on her. Sagax blinks the blood and sweat out of their eyes, leaning on their staff as they stare at her.
This has gone on for long enough.
For centuries.
No, for millenniums.
Invisible blood coats King Yanna from head to toe because no one could stop her and her poisonous grip on the realm.
This has to stop now.
Sagax grinds their teeth and plants their feet as they stare at Yanna, knowing what they must do.
They don't even know if the spell would work. It's too powerful. Requires too much magic.
It was meant to be the three of them.
But only one stands in front of Yanna.
Are they even capable of the spell?
They have to be, Sagax thinks with a final thought.
With a deep breath, they grip their staff and dart around Yanna. They continue to circle her, drawing a single rune in the dust and stone with a drag of their staff, whispered words following them.
Sagax still attacks Yanna though, distracting her from the carvings on the ground.
They complete the rune as Yanna slams them with her staff, electricity running down them. They fall to the ground in the middle of the rune, coughing as drips of blood and water join them, but they still continue chanting the words in a low voice. Yanna walks towards them and stands right in front of them.
Sagax looks up into her wide grin, sharp with victory and amusement.
"Well, this has been fun," she hums, her words smooth and beautiful, "but this has gone on long enough."
Yanna raises her staff above her head, dark red electricity coating both her and the staff.
Sagax grips their staff, and with a final word, slams it into the ground.
They smile as Yanna looks on in confusion, but it's short lived.
With an ear piercing scream, Yanna collapses to the ground. Her hands grip her face as the electricity turns out of control, burning her.
Sagax scrambles up and moves away from her, watching in….something.
Horror?
Amusement?
Vengeance?
Victory?
They don't know, and can only watch as Yanna is torn from the inside out.
Long jagged cracks slice through the ground, glowing bright white. The dancing electricity grows dangerous as a roaring wind whips around the ruins.
Sagax slowly backs away from Yanna, their hands covering their ears.
Yanna still screams, clawing at her face. Jagged electricity dances over her, a swirl of red and silver and white and black.
Then silence.
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Sagax blinks.
They walk over to King Yanna, collapsed on the ground, and look into her blank white eyes.
They smile to themself and look up at the sky. The moon is out now, casting a soft glow over those below. It's quiet, with not a single sound breaking through the silence.
It was over.
Finally.
They bring their hands up to their face, wiping off the wetness covering them. They bring their hands back down.
Sagax freezes, and their eyes widen.
Their hands are covered in this silver liquid, giving off a soft glow around them.
Vines constrict around them, suffocating them as they wipe their hands off, revealing glowing silver cracks dancing on their skin. Their eyes scan their arms, following the cracks swirling around their arms and up to their neck, before grabbing a mirror, always kept in their pocket.
Sagax stares at their reflection, unable to recognize the person in front of them.
Silver cracks wrap around their face and neck as a similar silvery liquid runs down their face from their eyes. They wrap around their body, giving off a soft glow around them, all stemming from one place.
The source of their magic.
The core.
Their eyes.
Something’s wrong, as they struggle to breath, gasping for air.
Why does it burn?
What is wrong with their magic?
With them?
A single figure kneels in the center of an arena dancing with a ghost, trying desperately to conceal the shattered bits of their soul.



















