I lean up against a giant stone wall, out of breath and severely wounded. The splatters on the wall are running down and tracing the intricate lines of the ancient text carved all about; my hand is applying pressure to the wound on my side, the blood seeping through my fingers and into my fur. My face bears a grim look of determination. “Ramsey… Do you remember the last time we were here? We were so helpless, scared, and lacking strength to overcome that nightmare.” Pausing, I look up at Ramsey and smile timidly. “You know, Ramsey, you don’t have to go through with this.”

Ramsey, with a far off look about him, replies, “And you know, Maka, that I’m fully prepared for what’s about to happen.” Ramsey wipes at the blood running down his cheek. He holds a spear in his hand, the tip anointed with blood. “I’m sorry, Maka, but this is the point of no return.”

“That’s not true! You know very well that you can still come back from this! Ramsey, don’t sell yourself short! I know you’re not completely gone!” I shout in the hope that Ramsey might snap out of it.

“Gone?” Ramsey hesitates for a second. “And what makes you think that I’m gone?”

“No! I’m… ummm… I’m just saying! There’s…!” I stutter unconvincingly.

“Enough!” Ramsey takes a deep breath as he looks at the ground. It seems he can’t help but feel calm, having come to terms with his decision. He grips his spear tightly. He turns around; his resolve pure in his eyes. The look of a man who is prepared to die. A man who is prepared to kill his friends.

“Maka, do you remember the promises we all made?” Ramsey asks as he slowly begins to walk towards me, water circling around his spear.

I look up at Ramsey and understand with certainty what is about to happen. Standing up straight, I put on a brave smile before declaring, “Yes. I do remember.”

***

As I enter the heart of the temple, I hear someone screaming out in pain. If only I would have made it in time, I could have prevented this from happening. I can smell the scent of blood upon arriving at my destination. “Maka! …I’m sorry,” I say as I notice Maka lying unresponsive and covered in his own blood. I turn and look at Ramsey. “I see.” Within a few seconds, I quickly press my palms together followed by the connecting of my thumb and ring finger of my right hand together. “Gen! Incinerate and reduce to ashes! Ember!” I say as Ember rises from the soil. I firmly take hold of my spear Ember, its flaming blade one that can pierce even the hardest metal. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I quickly contact my thumb and ring finger together. “Re! Phoenix Touch!” As I look at Ramsey, my eyes filled with fury, the flame wraps around my left arm until it completely engulfs it. I have come to my decision. “Shit. Ramsey! You’re leaving me with no other choice! Why would you go so far for the Truth?!”

“A fool like you could never understand, Fukai!” Ramsey slams the ground with the butt of his spear in anger.

I take a step forward, determined to show Ramsey that we are still friends. “Then make me understand!”

Ramsey looks into my eyes. “You are too late to join us, Fukai! The Arrival is upon us, and you are not ready for it!”

As blood runs down my face, I can’t escape the feeling of inevitability. I’ve seen better days, but still my eyes can only see Ramsey standing in front of me, which brings up so much anger and so much regret.

“Fukai, do you remember the promises we made?” Ramsey looks at me calmly. 

“Don’t speak to me about promises! Especially after what you’ve done!” I shout with tears flowing down my face.

“Don’t get mad at me because you couldn’t keep your promise,” Ramsey smirks at me.

There is a giant stone wall behind me with ancient text written on it. Maka is laying off to the side of me sitting on the ground hunched over with his head looking towards the floor. There’s blood dripping down from his face. A hole the size of a spear is located in the rock above his right shoulder, and blood splatter is all over the wall right behind Maka. “Maka! Dammit! Don’t die on me just yet!”

This world doesn’t have much time to live.

I step forward with anger burning in my eyes that is only matched by Ember’s rage. I tightly grip Ember in my hand and begin to run towards Ramsey. “Ramsey!” I quickly pierce Ember into the ground and use it as a spring to launch myself into the air. Ramsey takes a fighting position as I start to head down towards him with Phoenix Touch.

*Clang!*

The sparks begin to fly as Ramsey blocks my Phoenix Touch with his spear. “This won’t go how you hope it will, Ramsey!”

I can only hope that he is right and the sun will rise again on this planet… Sun E. Yasha.

This was one of the final thoughts that ran through Fukai’s mind as he encountered the impending darkness.

But with every ending there’s always a beginning, and Fukai’s story begins…

14 Years Earlier: Present Day, The Deep Jungle.

I’m in the Deep Jungle at high noon with the wind in my face. I can’t help but smile as I shout, “I can just smell it! A new adventure is about to happen!”