When I woke up...I saw nothing but darkness. After a few moments, my eyes adjusted to the dim setting so I looked straight at numerous little holes in the room. It looks like...claw marks? I idly wondered which creature would have such a strong physique that it can puncture steel-inforced walls. But more importantly, the holes are really random, as if some crazy beast was contained here.

Lights came from those holes. Is this moonlight? No, moonlight is gentler. Sunlight? Is it morning already? No, the dust would have covered up the sky. Seeing those lights go from bright to dim in a rhythm, I shivered. As if a monster was greedily swallowing something.

Then I saw the prison cell. Unlike one with bars, this one is all walls. I can even hear water dripping somewhere in this room, creating eerie background music. But I'm not afraid of the darkness, I'm more afraid of the cold. It's as if life is draining away from me every second.

When I tried to move, I then noticed a heavy, cold band attached to my arms and legs. The chains binding me jingled. It seems to nullify my magic. Ugh, I'm beginning to hate these magic tools.

Then I heard a growl.

I froze. Slowly lifting my head up, I came face to face with that blue-eyed man. Seeing him makes me relieved somehow. I don't know why but I don't feel any hostility when I first met him. I wonder why he's also inside this cell? Isn't he serving that demon or Greed or whatever? 

When I tried asking him, he remained silent. He just lowered his head to his knees with his arms wrapped around it. Somehow, he seemed like an abandoned child as he rocked back and forth while trembling.

I called out but received no response. I called out again, this time, he lifted his head. I instantly froze. I don't know why but the look in his eyes scared me. However, this familiar pressure...

I calmed myself down. There's nothing to be afraid off so I returned the stare, forgetting why I called out to him.

After a while, I noticed a discoloration in his left eye. He began sweating and panting then as if he was in pain. He breathed in and out while closing his eyes. He intensified his rocking motion as if trying to be calm. The deafeningly long silence unnerved me. Then I heard him talk.

??: Why are you here? Isn't it good enough to stay put in where you are? Coming here is just looking for death.

I saw those blue orbs turn cold then hot, alternating between anger and worry. I sighed.

Ruby: Well, I really wasn't planning on dying here. 'sides, I just came to see what's happening...and see if...maybe...I can do something about it.

Thinking about it, it's kinda stupid that I just rushed here out of curiosity and blurted out that nonsense. I writhed in shame just from remembering what I'd done. I sighed, I'm not cut out to saving the world.

Remembering a certain hero junkie, I teared up a little. Why aren't you here? There's a real demon king over here destroying the world so where are you, you self-proclaimed hero?!

I came back when I heard his sigh. Shaking those memories away, I was startled by a sudden laugh. Hey, what the hell are you laughing about?!

??: You are an idiot.

What did you say?! I know I did some stupid things but hearing him say it makes me mad. What's up with this guy? Yo, you ever had a girlfriend? I bet no! Big, fat NO!!

Then he became silent again. Unwilling to let him go, I pestered him.

Ruby: Why are you helping him?

??: ...

So we're doing the silent treatment, huh? Guess what, I--

??: I help him, he help me.

Ruby: How?

??: We used each other to achieve this end of the world plan.

My mind blanked out before lava-like anger coursed through me. The hell you are!?

Ruby: So...those innocent souls are just pawns to you guys, huh?

??: The souls aren't for me.

I know it's for that devil. What I want to know is what's in it for you, you bastard! Gritting my teeth, I held in my trembling fist.

Ruby: Who are you really?

Then he stopped talking.

??: I talked too much.

Haa!? What the hell do you mean?! You only said a few phrases! With a jerk, I postured my body, ready to jump and tackle him. After that, we'll see how he can handle my self-defense arts. Don't think being raised by a demon made me an angel. 

But before I could act, I fell when the ground trembled again. I instantly knew it's different from that time. If before are convulsions, this time, Mother Earth is giving out her death throes. 

??: Too late...it's already starting.

I was about to ask when one of the Greed's follower came to get us. The moment I got out, I saw an enormous gate. I trembled at the sight, breathless. The sheer amount of mana almost made me suffocate and a series of alarm bells rang in my head. My instincts told me, this shouldn't be here. This isn't a mere gate. Something's wrong.

Greed stood in front of it, waiting for it to open.

Greed, the one who killed and harvested the souls of billions on Earth.

Greed: Ku...hahaha. At last! I' finally returning! I'll make sure all of them will bow down to me, ku...hahaha!!

Sensing dark aura coming from Greed becoming stronger, I stepped back. The pulsating lights...the souls whirled around the gate and the demon, bright then dim, bright then dim. The gate opened with a piercing shriek as if billions of living beings gave a mournful cry all at the same time. 

Shivering and panting now while kneeling on the ground, I suppressed my cries, as if wanting to mourn with them. Then a bright light, bigger than anything before, rose out of the ground. The moment it separated from the Earth, it was as if time stopped. Then, cracks began forming from that point as if Earth is crumbling away. 

I watched that bright orb reach the gate. The moment it did, the agonizingly slowly opening gate stopped, before slamming fully open. The shrieks also stopped and then there was...nothing.

Ruby: What the hell did you do!

Greed just ignored me. He's off reveling in his own greed. Then I realized what that blue-eyed guy said. If the human souls are one for that devil to devour, then what method does he want to open a realm. I tried to recall all the books I've read in Tier's library.

Heart of the world. Heart? Do you mean the core of the Earth?! Without that, the earth will totally be destroyed! This is insane! 

As I thought, that bright orb was the core. And right now, Earth is officially a dead planet. Even Greed's followers' souls had been sucked. 

Three, that's the number of beings left in this dead world. Me, Greed and that blue-eyed man. I think it's thanks to our high mana density that we can even survive. I watched space and time distort and form black vortexes, destroying anything in its path. It isn't just Earth that died, this world also died due to the lack of mana.

Right now, the three of us are standing on a piece of detached land with the gate hovering over us.

I can't just stand there and watch as the world I was born in was destroyed. Vexed and panicking, I tried to take off my chains with brute force until my hand and wrists bled. 

??: You should stop resisting. Just accept it. This world is gone and nothing's gonna change even if you stopped him.

Ruby: How could you say that! If I still have the will to live then I will live. The only way is forward!

My eyes stung with unshed tears.

That's a lie. A little voice inside me said that but I ignored it.

??: !! You. Haha, you really are an idiot

Ruby: Shut up! This is not the time to be laughing! Aren't ya going to help?!

??: No, I'm about to die so I at least want my wish to be granted.

Ruby: Huh?!

Greed: Ahahaha. It's done!

??: Greed! Isn't it time you grant my wish! 

Greed: Ahh that...ku...hahaha. Do you still believe that I can grant your wish?

??: ...

Greed: I am a demon, I don't grant wishes, I take them away. 'sides, granting that wish is a pain! So, a nameless Eukarian like you should just go and die without anyone remembering you. Kuhahaha!

After that, Greed leaped and went through the gate. Once I can't see him anymore, I whipped my head toward the blue-eyed man.

He just stood there, calm and unaffected with no signs of dejection. He continued looking blankly at the place where Greed disappeared.

??: ...

Ruby: ...

Then I heard a small snicker full of self-mocking.

??: Well...I knew from the beginning that he's not willing to grant my wish...but I was hoping that...even just on a whim...he would...

Ruby: What is it that you wished for?

??: I wish...to be granted a name.

Ruby: Huh?!