The End of the Beginning

For the last ten years, the human race has been able to keep control of the Monsters. Cities have become safe havens of humanity, while the countrysides still remained riddled with Monsters.

As this new world of Monsters and Magic became normalized, the world learned to forget the dangers of the past. They forgot the endless fight, the ages of death.

But that all changed on a certain day. On a certain day of destruction, of disaster.

In Paris, on the 5th of January, the world saw the real horrors of war, the real destruction of the Monsters.

The Magic Force was defeated, not just by Monster's but also by a hidden force that lurked in the shadows. A group of Rogue Sorcerers... A group of terrorists against the world... The High Tueurs.

The battle lasted two hours. With the High Tueurs at first glance leading the charge but quickly ending in defeat, with half their force being defeated. But that was just the beginning. With the High Tueurs defeat, they released X-Class Monsters on the world. Five X-Class Monsters.

It took all the Sorcerers from Squads Marry, Squad Mato, and the Special Magic Squad to defeat just three of these five God-like-beings. And even then, after the countless fighting, only five Sorcerers remained uninjured. With the other two X-Class Monsters disappearing from thin air.

But that was just the beginning. The beginning of the end, the end on the doorstep of the world, the end the world wasn't ready for.

There was no more peace, no more relaxation, the end was coming, and coming fast. As a new threat approached the Magic Force. An enemy only thought to be nonexistent and unknowledgeable. A threat so grand and destructive the Magic Force sought to wipe it from the ancient texts. A threat even more powerful than an X-Class monster. The only being able to heal the Monster King. A being so powerful that even the Ancient Five Great Sorcerers feared it. A being that lived somewhere on the earth, undisturbed, alone, hiding. But that would soon change. And this being... It went by the name... The Competitor.

And thus started a new age. A new age of destruction, war, death, and magic.

---

"The end has come Colt." (Toby)

Colt sat in a deep dark cell. Its walls pitch as night, blocking out any vision or light.

He looked up at the small hole where Toby's voice echoed through.

"What do you mean, the end?" (Colt)

"The Raid went very poorly. We were tricked and counter-attacked by a new organization called The High Tueurs. They summoned an army of monsters, including five X-Class Monsters." (Toby)

"That is some end of the world, bad news." (Colt)

"And we lost Mato and Marry to them, plus all of their Second-Class Sorcerers." (Toby)

Toby slowly fell into a pout.

"I feel partially at fault for it too. If I didn't come when I did then you could have saved them." (Toby)

Colt laid back. His head hitting against the pitch-black smooth wall.

"Nah, you're not at fault Toby. Orders are absolute, you couldn't go against them or else, you know what would happen... But it's funny..." (Colt)

He sprung into laughter.

"Hahahahaha! Those old wrinkly assholes wouldn't let me out even if the world would end tomorrow. And it shows. They would let the entire Magic Force die than allow me to hop in. I'm just that much of an inconsistency. They don't know when I might explode next." (Colt)

"But... I don't get that? Why would they put you in here if you're magic hasn't gone haywire once, since you were released three years ago?" (Toby)

"I learned to control my magic when I turned seventeen. They didn't let me out until I could prove that I was safe for the human world." (Colt)

"And even after three years of consistency, they decided to put you back in?" (Toby)

"Yuparoo. Those fuckers... But I can't blame em. When I look at myself... I can't..." (Colt)

Toby leaned forward in silence, he tried to stare through the small hole, but couldn't see a damn thing.

"But yeah your right. It sucks. This hole is indestructible. So I'll just have to sit on the sidelines and listen to the battle from here." (Colt)

"Can you really not get out?" (Toby)

"The Hole was made with magic similar to Emma's infinite magic, not even God could destroy it. Not even if the world exploded would it get a scratch. I would probably still be sitting in here, floating through space. Forever and ever. Crazy right...?" (Colt)

Toby thought for a second.

"No. You'll get out eventually. I can feel it. This cage. This hole. There's a new age coming. Where the high command of the Magic Force might shatter and disappear. And someone knew might take charge. I just know it." (Toby)

"Ha, funny, believe what you want to believe, but say that out loud, they might snap you... But... I'll just... I'll... Thanks..." (Colt)

Colt smirked in silence. His words not coming out correctly. All he could see was darkness.

"I... Thanks, Toby... I needed that." (Colt)

Toby smirked.

"No problem." (Toby)

He started to walk away.

"Wait Toby!" (Colt)

"What is it?" (Toby)

"Tell your girlfriend I said hi!" (Colt)

He sighed.

"Dude, she doesn't even know who you are." (Toby)

"Oh..." (Colt)

---

In a small hospital in the suburb of Saint-Denis. Nine kilometers away from the destroyed city of Paris.

Yaku woke up from his coma.

"Whaaa!" (Yaku)

He sat up screaming.

"Where...!" (Yaku)

He looked around the small hospital room. It's tight white walls and tiny windows looking out on a small yard. Birds chirping and frogs croaking. He looked at his IV, pumping him full of some unknown liquid.

"What happened to me? I feel... Drained..." (Yaku)

He shook his head, trying to get rid of the headache.

He then suddenly felt something by his foot. A large object holding him down.

"What the..." (Yaku)

He looked down.

A girl laid out flat, with her head and arms on his feet. Her silvery-white hair and soft serious face out flat, sleeping peacefully.

"Ono?" (Yaku)

He shook his feet waking her up.

"Who... Yaku..." (Ono)

She looked up. She saw Yaku's awake face.

"Your... Awake!" (Ono)

She jumped from her seat, flinging herself in his tired arms.

"I was so worried! I thought you were gonna die!" (Ono)

Yaku looked out the window. He immediately knew that he was still in Paris. He looked at Ono. He remembered that she was in Tokyo just the other day.

"Ono how did you get here? To Paris?" (Yaku)

She stopped hugging him.

"Oh... Well... I made some calls with some old friends in the Magic Force. They told me you got injured and were put in a coma." (Ono)

"So you flew out... For me...?" (Yaku)

"Yes... I did...! I was worried... I didn't want you to die... Like my..." (Ono)

"Your brother..." (Yaku)

"Yeah..." (Ono)

She sat up on the bed. Her legs crossed on his lap as he laid out straight, staring straight at her. They stared at eachother.

"Remember what we talked about, back at that park?" (Ono)

Yaku scratched his cheek, remembering the embarrassment of that day, the long nights spent trying to forget it.

"Yeah..." (Yaku)

"Well... My work kinda... How do I say this...? I'm gonna quit my part-time job and I thought about it. You getting hurt and all... I want you to quit with me. So we can work together. Boost up my business together. You and me. Like we did all those years ago." (Ono)

He kept remembering past events. Embarrassing events. Horrifying events. Sad events.

"When we both found each other. Our families both gone. You want to relive those days?" (Yaku)

"No..." (Ono)

She leaned in close. Their foreheads touching.

"I want to relive those days with you." (Ono)

They kissed.

---

Five minutes later.

"Ono, I forgot to ask, but how long was I out for?" (Yaku)

"A week." (Ono)

"A week... What?!" (Yaku)

---

The end of the beginning was faster than anyone could have imagined.

Only three days after the destruction of Paris, Mato's European Division 1 was fully demolished and torn apart, leaving Red to take up Mato's mantle. In about one day after her recovery, she was immediately tasked with controlling not just one half of Europe, but all of Europe in its entirety, including all of Mato's leftover Third and Fourth-Class Sorcerers.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the sea, North America was in an even worse predicament. Unlike Europe Squad Marry didn't have many neighbors to take over the job of leadership. And directly after its demolition, Marry's entire Squad and Division split into factions, one half controlling the west and the other controlling the east coast of the continent.

So with no one left to go to, the Grand Sorcerer asked the Second-Class Sorcerer, Diana Court, to take over as Captain of the North American Divison. At first, it was just until they could find a permanent replacement, even allowing the Special Magic Force to move to America. But slowly that impermanence turned to permanence as Diana grew more accustomed to the job. And the higher-ups agreed with the decision since Diana was already a good friend of Marry's and she already knew most of all of her Squad, so she could work with them without any trouble.

And as the days went by, that idea flourished, as the Special Magic Squad was officially deemed ineffective and next in line to be demolished from the Force.

But at the time nobody cared about that stuff.

---

It was on a rainy day...

A funeral on a rainy day...

The rain slowly spreading across the landscape. The singular tree giving shade to Vlad as he gulped down a bottle of scotch, no tears, only depression.

Two umbrellas sat in the pour. Yaku holding his out for Diana. and Jack holding his for Emma. The two pairs standing in silence, watching the casket lower, slower and slower, until...

It stopped...

"Emma are you..." (Jack)

She was crying. The sadness on her cute face. It almost made Jack cry.

Qway Wan. His grave blank and silent. His name engraved in gold. They watched as the dark clouds struck lightning. Death all around, graves on graves on graves. Death...

Families crying for their sons and daughters, friends crying for their friends, Sorcerers crying for their Sorcerers.

They stood in silence. Thinking of the future, but not their future.

All they could think about was the future of revenge. Of that day. Him...

All Jack could think about was him.

"Frankenstein...!" (Jack)

---

Half a year passed. Jack and the rest of the Special Magic Squad hung out in the North American Divison's Main HeadQuarters in New York City. They all sat on two couches, one opposite the other, watching a movie.

Marsh and was there too.

"So how far have you and Emma gone yet?" (Marsh)

He leaned over slapping Jack in the face.

Jack turned embarrassed.

"Nothing much... We've... We've held hands." (Jack)

Vlad grinning.

"Ooooooh. Spicy." (Vlad)

Jack turned even more embarrassed. His embarrassed levels reaching an all-time high. In fact, he went so high that he popped.

"Shut up Vlad! You haven't gotten with a girl in like... Fifty years." (Jack)

Vlad turned pissed.

"Dude, I just met you half a year ago. How you know that?" (Vlad)

"Uhhggg... Can you three be quiet I'm trying to watch the movie." (Yaku)

All three of the boys turned to Yaku all at once.

"Yaku..." (Jack)

"Huh?" (Yaku)

"Are you gonna tell us?" (Marsh)

"Please don't." (Yaku)

They all leaned in closer.

"We've seen you sneaking out." (Vlad)

"Who's the girl?" (March)

"Uhhgggg... Not gonna tell you." (Yaku)

On the other couch opposite the boys.

"So Emma, how far have you gone with Jack?" (Diana)

Emma blushed all shy and reserved.

"Well... We've kissed." (Emma)