An Ending

The brimstone began to fall, precisely on time, and exactly as he’d seen it in the crystal. It trailed long streaks of fulminating smoke in the air, leaving an acrid reek that even from here made his sinuses burn. They’d wanted an ending, but now it was here was anyone grateful?

Of course not, when people wanted an ending to things they always meant something that passed for happiness and peace. Well, there would be peace now. That he could provide, even if there would be precious little in the way of happiness. You can’t please all the people all the time, but antagonising everyone is surprisingly easy when you set your mind to it.

The ground shook again, echoing the dull explosions in the guild district and docks. The thin sound of screams battled the roar of the unleashed Titans, an eerie counterpoint to the rumble of the falling skies. He tried to feel something for the people caught up in this moment, but felt only dull curiosity as to how it would play out now the moment of prophecy was here.

He supposed the survivors, if there were any, would decry him as a villain. He wouldn’t stop them if he were still around to do so, but an ending had been promised, an ending had been needed, and here and now an ending would be provided. No one would ever know how difficult this had been to engineer.

The heartbeats of the Titans were now joined to his, and their anger had consumed his as fuel. In his hand he held the Sigil of Union, and now he could hear the chosen heroes approaching. He held no blade, and they held many. This would not take long. In moments now, there would be an ending, even if they misunderstood their role.

And here they were; his chosen instruments that would end the Titans’ threat. His own life was a small sacrifice in the grand scheme. He heard his name called, a voice full of the anger he could no longer feel, and turned to embrace the sharp destiny that would save them all.