[[I don't usually write dark apocalyptic stuff, but this came to me while I was reading the final book in an amazing trilogy. (Any guesses?)

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters or music mentioned.

Set: An AU on the ending of Azran Legacy.

Spoilers: For AL and several other PL games. Be cautious.]]

Ruin

The guardian's heart had been pierced. Her blood flowed pure and free, opening the gates to the final legacy the Azran so thoughtfully bestowed upon the world.

As promised, enlightenment was delivered... cold, dreadful clarity of what had actually been unleashed. There was no omniscience, no scientific miracles, no monumental technology for mankind. Had the Azrans' inferior successors believed they were worthy of such treasures?

Aurora had tried to warn them of the legacy's true nature, and then what would happen if they took the chance to save humanity.

Luke— oh, Luke— had been the first to step forward; he was just a boy, yet he accepted this cruel fate for the sake of everyone. At least he didn't have to face it alone. Professor Layton was with his apprentice until the very end. Despite their betrayals, Emmy and Descole...or Professor Sycamore, selflessly surrendered their lives too.

But there were five sides to the prism controlling the Azran sanctuary's mechanisms. Only four brave individuals had entered the light beams. As the Azran emissary, Aurora could not join them. She was forced to hear their agonised cries echo around the sanctuary as the breath was snatched from their lungs. And now... now Professor Layton, Luke, Emmy and Professor Sycamore lay inert on the pedestals while the golems wreaked havoc outside.

Azran... Human... It made no difference to the golems. All they saw was a race governed by greed and lust for power. Although Aurora understood her kin's pain and fury, she did not agree with them. Yes, there was corruption, injustice and wickedness in the human world. But Aurora had witnessed so much good as well:

Professor Layton's concerned face– the first thing she had seen when she awakened from the ice; Luke teaching her about human society— treating her like someone his own age, like a friend; Emmy helping her select clothes in Kensington, snapping humorous photos on their adventure; Professor Sycamore attempting to make her laugh with his jokes; assisted by Raymond and his terrible puns.

And it wasn't just her companions on the Bostonius that had made Aurora smile. There was the traditional spreading of happiness in San Grio, the touching friendship between Old Red and Ruby in Torrido, Chief Morel's comical show in Phong Gi, the love Julius and Romilda shared in Hoogland, Umid reuniting with his mother in Mosinnia...

The golems would not see any of that. They would destroy everything.

Aurora released a wretched sob, clutching her chest. Her heart may not have been human, but it still throbbed with hurt-despair-anger-regret-loneliness... and guilt.

Overwhelming guilt. The kind that consumes a person inside and makes you want to curl over and die.

She had been the cause of their suffering, hadn't she? Or...Was she simply the catalyst? The key? No, Aurora suddenly realized, the real cause of this calamity stood mere feet away from her.

One ruthless man now broken by the knowledge of what he had done. He was too filled with his own grief to follow the others into the light beams. He'd ignored Professor Layton's calls for help. Because of him their sacrifices had been in vain. (Or perhaps they knew no hope remained.)

Leon Bronev was on his knees, muttering to himself inconsolably. "For years and years I chased after my dream... our dream. And for what! Nothing...!" He glanced up when Aurora silently approached him with tears pooling in her eyes. "What is it, girl? Come to reprimand me? Put me out of my misery?!" He gave a deranged half laugh, gesturing to the corpses of Layton, Sycamore, Emmy and Luke. "My sons, Emmeline, and even that boy are dead... Mankind is damned! And the fault is all mine!"

He had sunk to his darkest point and dragged his entire species down with him. Yet, even after his malevolent misdeeds, Aurora couldn't bring herself to hate Bronev. (There was enough hate as it was.) She felt only... pity.

Professor Layton's wise words suddenly came to her: "The events beyond our control were already set in motion," she recited calmly. "Had you not released the golems, Professor Sycamore might have done so instead… or another archaeologist."

Ultimately, the Azran were the root of everything. They were all just puppets dancing to the tune of the tyrannical civilisation... And now Aurora's strings had been severed.

The sanctuary— former prison of the golems— began to crumble. Bronev's eyes widened as Aurora's body was engulfed by a soft golden light, dissolving into blissful obscurity.

"The Azran sanctuary has served its purpose," Aurora whispered, "...As too have I." With the Azran's message delivered, and her duty as guardian failed, she was free at last. At some point she may have wished to be reborn as a human being... Not anymore.

Only ruin, and ruin, and more ruin awaited humanity.

...

Raymond's orders had been simple. Drop Desmond, disguised as Descole, at the ice cave in Froenborg and recover the Bostonius when Layton and his cohorts arrived, which they surely would in pursuit. Why Desmond had revealed his identity to Professor Layton in The Nest of all places, and stolen the Azran keystone was beyond Raymond's comprehension.

Wouldn't it be more effective if Desmond worked with Layton to keep the Azran Legacy from Targent? Of course not, this was how Desmond worked. Shut all others out, focus solely on your own plans with regard for nothing else.

However, Raymond had been extremely surprised when Desmond even dismissed him, after everything they'd been through. Raymond genuinely worried for his safety. Why did Desmond feel he had to take on Targent and the Azran civilisation alone?

But it wasn't Raymond's place to question his master's decisions.

So, he waited until Layton's group reached the ice cave before sneaking onto the Bostonius. The airship had rough a lift off, as something seemed to be stirring in Froenborg's mountain...

Raymond's eyebrows rose in horror as he steered the Bostonius towards what could only be the Azran sanctuary: a great edifice that now dominated the sky. Robot-like creatures swarmed out of the levitating ruins, shooting purple lasers. Below, Targent vehicles and ships exploded.

Big shame, thought Raymond, shaking his head. (This wasn't the time for humour!) By the looks of it, Targent had already activated the Azran Legacy. Unless... Desmond wouldn't be foolish enough to start this... this hail of destruction, would he?

"Master..." Raymond murmured with dismay. He couldn't shake the fear that it was too late for Desmond. And everyone else in the world.

...

The forsaken town of Froenborg was the first place to be hit. Its residents had escaped on avalanche alert when the Sanctuary started to awaken. They may have sought shelter from the melting mountain's wrath within the valley walls. But none of them anticipated how they would be trapped in an icy bowl; easy pickings for the Azran golems.

...

A terrified reporter from the World Times was the first to catch a picture of these catastrophic creatures. From there images and news spread across the planet like wildfire.

Upon beholding the ascending bronze bodied and (seemingly) white winged entities, some proclaimed "Angels!" Others argued "Aliens!"

Most doubts were dispelled by a group claiming to be experts in archaeology. This 'Targent' agency was shrouded in shadow and savagery, but they provided much needed answers. Their airships had apparently managed to shoot down one of the flying creatures. Their scientists had examined it. The monsters were in fact of this world, Targent confirmed, but they had been constructed millennium ago, by an ancient race. They were... automatons with the ability to think, reason and kill.

Golems.

Whatever their motives for annihilation were, the golems did not take kindly to Targent disabling and dissecting one of their brethren.

Even with Targent's military might, the Nest was the first city to fall.

...

Though it was in the middle of a dessert, Monte d'Or was a thriving city that stood out like a beacon. There was a high chance it would be targeted by the golems.

In the Ledore Mansion, Henry paced, burning a hole in the carpet as he tried to organize a plan of action.

"W-what should we do?" Angela quivered. She was perched beside Randall on the plush settee, clutching his hand like a lifeline. The two men had wanted her to escape the city with the tourists and other residents, among them being Chief Sheffield, Mrs Ascot and Dalston (who personally led the Stellar Circus animals to safety). However, Angela refused to abandon Randall and Henry. The three of them were in this together.

Henry ceased pacing. "Sheffield is busy with the evacuation... But we still have a considerable sized police force remaining. The question is if they'll be able to withstand an attack."

"The ruins..." Randall suddenly breathed. (The pair ignored his archaeological ramblings.)

"Their lives could be at great risk," Angela pointed out, gravely concerned for the officers' sake.

"If they are willing to fight, that may be a chance we'll have to take..."

Randall persisted, "What about the ruins?"

Usually Angela preserved a huge amount of patience for her husband. But with those she cared about in danger, her nerves were extremely high strung. She snapped, "This isn't the time to worry about ruins, Randall!"

"No seriously!" Randall shot to his feet, struck with a wild yet wonderful idea. "We can use the Akbadain Ruins to defend the city!"

Henry and Angela blinked at him for a minute. Then a smile lit Henry's face. "That's... brilliant, Master Randall. And it might just work."

As done so during the Masked Gentleman's "final dark miracle", the ruins beneath the city would arise, enabling them to level with the golems more. The city would become a stronghold.

The three of them would protect their home as long as they lived.

...

One part of the Nest came out of the golems' onslaught unscathed: a tall shining blue column where Targent's headquarters once loomed. Curiously, there were other surviving Azran sites across the globe. The golems seemed reluctant to raze the very Azran structures they had been enslaved to build. (Perhaps they took some degree of pride in their work?)

The inhabitants of Kodh, San Grio, Torrido and Hoogland hid within these Azran ruins. The walled city of Mosinnia, with its architecture dating back to Azran civilisation, went untouched altogether.

Dr Schrader would live to recount how he avoided the golems while staying on the Island of Ambrosia.

At the time Misthallery was demolished, the towns' children had been playing in the Golden Garden. (Thankfully even Crow had taken the day off.) They emerged unharmed— Tony Barde claimed it was due to the protection of Loosha's spirit— but a devastating sight awaited them.

...

Dean Delmona had assured his granddaughter he was just paying a quick visit to Gressenheller before they escaped. He needed to procure some vital documents from his office and lock up the university...

"Hi, Dean Delmona!"

The Dean nearly jumped out of his skin. Panting, he readjusted the toupee on his head and turned to face the young woman who had slipped into the room. "M-Miss Stone... What on Earth are you doing here?" He hadn't thought anyone would still be on campus, let alone a student!

Rosetta shrugged. "I'll be leaving in my parents' private jet shortly. I just wanted to check... Have you heard anything from Professor Layton?" Never had a student been so obsessed with her teacher's whereabouts.

He shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid I haven't heard anything from him since he informed me he was going on a worldwide archaeology trip. It's quite likely that he's trapped in another country right now." (Delmona hoped Layton was well... Who else would be able to solve his granddaughter's puzzles?)

"Oh, right," Rosetta pouted in disappointment. "If you do get in contact with the professor, could you tell him that Rosetta misses him and she hopes he's okay?"

"Very well. Now I really think you should go, Miss Stone."

Thanking the Dean, Rosetta walked outside, devoid of her usual bravado.

Professor L was the smartest, bravest, most resourceful man in the world, Rosetta assured herself. He was probably cooking up a way to beat the golems at that very moment. Of course she didn't have to worry about him!

Then...Why did she have this sick, twisted sensation in her stomach? Normally her pulse would race whenever Professor Layton crossed her thoughts... But now she just felt her heart shatter into a million iddy-biddy pieces.

...

All Don Paolo been doing was testing his flying contraption— which he intended to crush Hershel Layton with— in an inconspicuous field in the English countryside. As his luck would have it, he encountered a golem while he was flying.

The most common reaction would have been fear. But Don Paolo, being Don Paolo, felt only fascination. He squinted out the window. What type of technology was used to make these things? Did they have brains? Just how did they fly? (Those puny wings on their heads didn't seem to be much help...) The golems resembled robots; maybe he could take this one apart to discover how it ticked. Sure, those Targent nut heads had already tried that, but Don Paolo's intellect in mechanics was unmatched. Anyway, he could always reprogram the golems to do his bidding...

But before the scientist could attempt to capture the golem, it rolled in midair, opening its arms.

"Wait— NO! NO! NO!" Don Paolo shouted as the blasted thing shot at him and his flying machine was trapped in a purple beam. He punched an emergency red button and his seat was ejected just as his beautiful machine exploded.

As he parachuted to the ground, Don Paolo gaped at the sheer number of golems... an entire swarm, headed in the direction of London. "Well, shit!" Don Paolo muttered.

They would probably destroy Layton before him.

...

When the golems soared over St Mystere, they sensed not humans but automatons rather similar to themselves, and opted to leave the curious village as it was. Fortunately, they did not detect the human girl holed up in her tower. Unfortunately, she was going to be waiting up there for a long time.

...

"HEEEEELP!"

"C'MON, LET US OUT!"

"IT'S THE FUCKIN' APOCALYPSE!"

Frantic shouts rang out through London's prisons. Inmates rattled on their cell bars. Police officers ran up and down, hopelessly trying to quell the dissent.

"Quiet, all of you!" Inspector Clamp Grosky barked, pounding furiously on his chest. "I'm sure this isn't a permanent situation!"

According to the Prime Minister's orders, all prisoners had to be accounted for and kept under lock-down. (Apparently a golem invasion was no excuse for criminals.) Meanwhile, Bill Hawks himself was currently overseeing the golem outbreak from the security of a top secret bunker.

Though Grosky would much rather be evacuating citizens from London, he'd been called here by Constable Colby to help establish some order amongst the convicts. If Inspector Chelmey was present, he would've had these criminals cowering in fear. Unfortunately he was still stranded abroad with Amelie, their honeymoon having been interrupted. Grosky could only hope that Chelmey would take care of his little sister, and that his own lovely yet estranged wife was safe...

Grosky's troubled reverie was disturbed by the sound of a cell door being opened. Several grateful inmates poured out, making a break for the prison exit. Grosky would've raced after them, but he was too shocked by the sight of a stout young policeman, holding the jail keys and liberating convicts from their cells.

"Constable Barton, what do you think you're doing?" Grosky demanded as Levin Jakes was released. (He grinned triumphantly at Grosky, jogging away.)

Barton, Chelmey's clumsy assistant left in Grosky's care, turned to him with a determined look. "This... this is the right thing to do!" he squeaked. "I know it goes against the Prime Minister's wishes, and they've committed crimes... But they deserve to escape with their lives, like everyone else! Crooks are people too, not just statistics on paper!"

Grosky was astounded by how much Barton sounded like his late father. (Gilbert would've agreed whole-heartedly with his son at that moment. Even Chelmey might have.) The inspector nodded to Barton. "You're right, justice must prevail, even in these troubled times. Let's make haste!"

Barton beamed and continued freeing people. Grosky helped him, yelling as they ran past the cells:

"Quickly, everyone! Out! Out! Out!"

Narcisse and Frankie, two conmen Grosky had caught in Monte d'Or, stared in disbelief as the inspector flung their cell door open. "This some kind of joke...?" Frankie probed suspiciously.

"No," Grosky growled. "Now go, before I change my mind."

As Narcisse and Frankie slipped out (intent on scamming some poor evacuees), Barton reached the final cell. "Mr Whistler, we need to leave!" he informed the grey haired man sitting quietly at prison's piano.

However, Oswald Whistler merely shook his head. "Thank you, but don't worry about me." Barton hesitated in the doorway for a minute until he saluted and followed Grosky outside. There was nothing more he could do for the composer.

Whistler took a deep breath, turning to the piano. For his daughter who so loved music, he began to play a slow, mournful tune: 'Departure from Life'.

Soon he would be with Melina again.

[[I'm sorry for destroying Professor Layton's puzzle loving world T_T

I may add to this to show how other PL characters cope with the 'golem invasion'.

*Edit: Thanks to Ophelia for pointing out how Bronev doesn't include Luke in the body count.]]