End

Route:

Aeterno

The figure containing both the human and the devil struggled. In that instant, everyone and everything held their breaths; everything hinged on what would happen in the next few seconds. Homura's physical body, with two entities inside vying for control, began thrashing about, striking anything that was in range.

Dark energy, presumably belonging to the demon, pulsed out of the body, filling the air. Kyouko and Sayaka stood on either side of Madoka, watching the scene.

Gashes began to appear randomly on Homura's body, tainting the area with the smell of copper so strong that all the magical girls in the area could taste it in the back of their throats.

"Nggghhh…. Gahhhhhh…."

Two voices interchanged with each other. One ethereal-sounding one filled to the brim with madness, the other a normal one filled with determination.

This went on for several minutes, with neither seemingly gaining an edge over the other. This was a battle between two wills sharing a goal. At the crux of the internal battle was the very same burning desire; the desire to give Madoka Kaname her happiness.

"S-she'll win, right? Our Homura?" Kyouko asked nervously. "T-that's how it works in the stories."

The ethereal voice let out an excruciatingly loud scream. The body of Homura Akemi fell to her knees. Then, a purple light shone. The vessel ejected a second Homura, sending her flying backwards and crashing into Sayaka. Wings sprouted from the vessel they had all been watching, wings as black as night.

"Ma...do...ka…" The Demon growled. She began stumbling towards the goddess slowly, reaching her hand out. A feral light could be seen in her eyes.

The area exploded into a flurry of action. Dozens of magical girls stood between the demon and the Law of Cycles, each one in a fighting stance. The demon began to cut through the lines ruthlessly, damaging each one beyond regeneration.

"You." A magical girl dressed in green had her head torn off.

"Will. Not." The demon backhanded three magical girls, sending them flying across the city.

"Keep me." A blast of pure magic erased another girl, leaving only the soul gem.

"FROM MADOKA!" An explosion rocked the area, injuring most of the magical girls barring her path and knocking the rest of them to the ground.

While this was happening, the human Homura stared up at the caring expression on her first friend. Madoka smiled at the human Homura. The real Homura.

"Can you stand, Homura-chan?" Madoka asks. She gets a nod in response, and the two stand up together.

Madoka holds out her hand, palm facing the sky, and closes her eyes. A small golden sphere materializes, shining brighter and brighter. Homura, Kyouko, and Sayaka stand around Madoka's outstretched arm, taking in the warmth of the golden sphere. Even the demon, still several meters away, stops to look.

The ball of light zips up, then into Homura, surrounding her with a golden aura. The purple-clad magical girl looks at Madoka, meeting her eyes. There was no need for words. Their eyes told each other everything. Homura nods.

She reaches for her shield. Before the demon can react, she spins the device, engulfing the world in grey.

The demon would never move again.

[]

Steps echoed throughout the empty halls of the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey.

How long has it been? A hundred years? A thousand? Ten thousand?

One solitary set of footsteps.

I lost track long ago. Even though I'm not frozen, I don't age.

The footsteps bore the weight of many things. Abandonment. Thievery. Fighting. Killing. The weight of being the last set of footsteps that will ring in this grey world of silence.

I wonder why I wasn't frozen.

The footsteps led towards the altar.

That's okay though. I'm okay with this.

A hand reached up and pulled out a hairpin. Red hair draped over her shoulders.

After all...

She kneeled and lowered her head, clasping the hairpin between her hands.

I'm right where I want to be.

And she prayed.

END

Editor Notes:

Written by WinterCactus!