Fiction:Second Great Cyrannus War/Chronicles: Part V - The Crack in the Mirror



 Second Great Cyrannus War: Chronicles - Part V: The Crack in the Mirror 

I · II · III · IV · V

 PROLOGUE 

Aedanius Cretacea, once President of the New Republic and now the informal leader of the Remnant stood in the midst of a frigid forest clearing on, completely alone other than the distant calls of birds roosting the surrounding trees.

Sitting on an outcropping of rock, Apollo sank his head and clasped his hands together. Since the devastating losses sustained on, the Remnant had been rudderless, managing to establish a base on distant Harborage only through 's intrepid leadership.

A large part of Apollo wanted to get to his feet, march to the command post and start acting like the leader he had been for much of his life. Yes, he had sustained losses, but so did every single man and woman in the Remnant. He needed to pull himself together.

He couldn't.

The death of his father and his companion had finally caused something to snap within him, something which had endured a lifetime of grief and war. His thoughts became fixated on those who died because of him: dad, Gorf, his staff... his love. He felt empty, rudderless, hopeless, as though he had been hollowed out.

Whether he liked it or not, however, Apollo knew that his leadership, his legacy, was the sole thing keeping the Remnant together. That was why, he realised, as a tear dripped to the hard stone, why it was doomed.

"No," a familiar voice said from the forest clearing behind where Apollo sat. "It is only doomed if you allow it to be so."

Apollo turned his head to one side, glancing over his shoulder at —the former Empress of.

"Lovely," he said, "I've completely lost the plot."

"It was bound to happen at some point," she said with a smile. "But seriously, get to your feet. The Apollo I knew would never give in to self-pity."

Apollo sighed and got to his feet. "Well, he's gone. Like you. Like my father. Like everyone e-" As he turned, he came face to face with not only Ramashe, but his father, Willelmus Cretacea, standing proud in his New Republic uniform and, who smiled with tears in her eyes.

Apollo forgot himself and rushed forward to embrace his wife, only to pass through her as if she wasn't there. The trio moved forward with loving smiles etched on their faces.

"W-what is this?" Apollo asked, his voice cracking. "... My subconscience is f-frakking with my mind."

Gianne smiled sadly, her eyes searching her husband's face as though she couldn't look at him enough. "No, my love. We're here. We never left you."

Cretacea nodded his head and beckoned to the path leading to the control centre. "The people down there, son, they placed their hope in you. They could've abandoned us at any point over the last few years, but they didn't, because they believe in you. Don't lose sight of that."

"There's a plan for you, old friend," Ramashe said. "Your part to play is not yet over."

Apollo shook his head. "I-I can't. I won't let my friends die on my behalf. I won't give hope where there is none."

Gianne placed a corporeal hand on his chin and lifted it to face her. "You say that, but you don't mean it." She cocked that quirky smile he loved so much. "So, stop feeling sorry for yourself, get up off your arse and get your game face on!"

Apollo couldn't help but smile, but nevertheless, resisted. "No, I-I can-"

"Oh yes, you can," Gianne said, pulling him to his feet. "You're the man for the job. I know it, they know it, and frustratingly, you know it. You've always known it."

"At the risk of overusing the metaphor," Ramashe said with a smile. "The spark of hope isn't out. It never will be. But you need to help carry the torch."

Cretacea placed a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "Don't worry, son. We'll be with you every step of the way."

The figures suddenly began to fade away, and Apollo desperately attempted to hold onto Gianne's hand, but to no avail. "I love you!" she said as she faded away, a sad but reassuring expression on her face.

"Goodbye, my darling," Apollo said sadly, before turning to Ramashe and Cretacea. "I'll... I'll make you proud."

Trivia

 * Written by.