LRAB Chapter 360: The Final Choice
Chapter 360: The Final Choice
Chapter 360: The Final Choice
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Chapter 360: The Final Choice
24th March 2015, Dimensional Void
(Jasmine Sayre POV)
"I'm sorry, but this is beyond me, beyond you. Some things are just set in stone. We need you to fulfill your purpose, after that you can do anything, you want. You could come back here."
"What if I lose, what if I don't defeat Entropy in the exact way you wanted?" I asked.
"Then we'll rewind time, and we'll start again, and again, until you get it right. If you complete what you're trying to do, I will not destroy Olympus. I will respect your decision, but the timeline will start over. The timeline will be pruned, and we'll start again. We are that desperate. Olympus might be a godly realm that is beyond my supervision, but it is still bound to time. It will rewind, and you'll start over. Someone will probably end up destroying Olympus to prevent that from happening in the next timeline. It won't be me, but I will not stop them if they do it. If you finish this decision, the timeline will be considered to be defunct, and we'll start over."
I paled at her with my mouth open. I could feel the truth of her statement, her resignation, her desperation.
She gave me blank look, "So, Morrigan, my champion, now that you have brought Death itself to desperation, what is your decision?"
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25th April 2015, New York City
(Jasmine Sayre POV)
One month later, and I still didn't know if my decision was the correct one. I chose to trust Death one last time. Well, calling it trust wasn't really true. It was mostly just giving up my defiance. My plan was a rash one, completely impulsive, born out of fear of remaining bound to an entity that was doing her best to make me miserable. But now, I understood that freedom just wasn't even in the cards, that should I escape my fate somehow, I would have been bound once more. Time would unwind and I would be back to the start. I would need to do it again and again until I fulfill my destiny in the exact method that the cosmic entities devised, and it was then that I realized that I had no chance.
It felt stifling, like I was some puppet in a play that needed to do an exact thing that I didn't even know about. I wanted to ask the universe why I was chosen. What made me special? Everything in my life was controlled, calculated for this single purpose. I understood now that I was raised like a lamb to slaughter, the only difference is that it took a while for it to happen.
What an ironical turn of events. I had the same fate as the original Harry Potter. Dumbledore had arranged his death, his sacrifice, like some sort of mastermind. He made sure to keep him humble, to destroy any value the boy had on his life, to promote and encourage his self-sacrifice, so that he was alone, that he walked into the forest without a second's thought, and stood motionless as he was hit with a killing curse.
I was the same, I was made for the battle to happen exactly the way Death, and her fellow Endless predicted. Only this time, the mastermind wasn't an arrogant wizard who thought he knew better, no, it was Endless beings with power beyond my understanding that weaved this tapestry that is my life.
A part of me wished to see what would happen if I just refused and let the cosmic entities turn back time. I wouldn't have any memories of Selene betraying me. I wouldn't have had any memories of my sister leaving me. I wouldn't be uncomfortable with Wanda and Jean. I wouldn't be alone, hell, I would still have my humanity.
"I think I might have a plan, for my end of the battle, I mean."
"So, you do not wish for me to be present in the real battle," she commented, sounding slightly upset.
"Because of the aberration, the Time Stone is very weakened. It's better for you to lead the troops in the battle with Thanos, while I handle the rest," I replied.
The bald woman didn't seem to be convinced, "Stephen here can lead the troops."
"Better than you? Especially considering how unlikely you are to survive the first few seconds of my side of the fight."
The woman grimaced and nodded, "If you're certain."
Doctor Strange though didn't seem to accept it, "What troops, what army, what conflict? What in the name of the Vishanti are you all talking about?"
I winked at him and spoke up, "Get him up to speed, will you?"
The bald woman nodded, and I teleported out. Yeah, I needed to do a lot, but I didn't have enough time. First of all, I opened a telekinetic conversation with Wanda and Jean, "Jean, Wanda."
Both girls responded at once, "Jasmine! What's going on?"
"Prepare the troops to be ready at a moment's notice. I already have the sorcerers onboard. Jean, go to Genosha and tell Emma Frost to start assembling the troops. Wanda, I want you to go to Stark and get his people ready, and then go to Wakanda, and try to convince them to hold the battle there. Say that their forcefield could give you a fighting chance against Thanos. Make sure everyone is ready to be deployed at a moments' notice."
"Yes, Jasmine," both of them replied.
Jean left immediately but Wanda stayed on, "Is it really time?"
"I can feel it, yes. It should start anytime now. Don't worry, I've got a plan, a real one this time."
"It's good to have you back, mum," the girl answered before disconnecting our psychic connection.
Wanda must have noticed that something was different that I was less defeated somehow. It made me wonder how much she noticed. She's been there all this time, supportive and all. She stayed when Selene betrayed me, and when I banished Rose she didn't even judge me for it. She was always grateful and helpful in my lows. And she saw that I was acting differently, speaking differently. I was so defeated after my conversation with Death, having let go of my defiance due to the inevitability of it all. I honestly had nothing. Every single hope I had was practically gone. Without Odin and the Celestials there with me, my chances had dropped astronomically, I was ready to fail, and to have Death and her fellow cosmic entities restart the timeline. But no more, I was going to take my place and fight with everything I can, not because of some higher beings, but because that's what I did. It was always my role, I realize that now, the woman who stops the monsters. I guess I could have it in me for one last one.
Suddenly, a voice appeared that no one but me could hear, a voice that made me stiffen when I recognized it. It was Entropy, "Morrigan, I know you can hear me. I was hoping to make this somewhat civil by having a little pre-battle meeting to put a few rules in place. Meet me in the place your daughter died in your hands. You have one hour."
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If you want to support me check out my patron at /athassprkr
I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.
Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.