The Last Silver

"It's choosing."

Isolde stopped struggling.

For one terrible moment, she simply stared at Gilgamesh.

Then she looked at Dinraal.

He was on his knees in the center of the chamber.

Silver light poured from beneath his skin.

Not blood.

Something brighter.

Something older.

His scream had stopped.

That frightened Isolde more.

"Choosing him for what?"

Gilgamesh didn't answer.

"Gilgamesh."

The ancient king looked at her.

His expression was grim.

"The Gaunt was never a weapon."

Dinraal's body suddenly lifted from the floor.

Isolde gasped.

Silver fragments rose around him.

They had disappeared into his skin.

Now they emerged again.

Tiny pieces of light.

Thousands of them.

Each fragment reflected something different.

A face.

A battlefield.

A city.

A child.

A dying sun.

Isolde stared.

"What am I looking at?"

Cleopatra stepped forward.

Her voice was quiet.

"Memories."

Caesar looked toward her.

"More than memories."

Alexander had stopped smiling.

For once, he looked genuinely concerned.

"The inheritance."

Johanna glanced at him.

"You're going to have to start explaining things."

Alexander looked at her.

"I was hoping someone else would."

"Coward."

"Strategist."

"Coward."

Alexander nodded.

"Fair."

Another shockwave tore through the chamber.

The First Weapon slammed its claws into the floor.

Its six red eyes burned wildly.

Vael shouted, "It's losing control!"

Gilgamesh turned.

"No."

The ancient king's face went pale.

"It's remembering."

Inside the Light

Dinraal stood alone.

Or at least—

he thought he was alone.

The darkness around him stretched forever.

There was no ground.

No sky.

Only silver.

He looked at his hands.

They were covered in light.

"Hello?"

His voice echoed.

A thousand voices answered.

HELLO.

Dinraal froze.

"No."

YES.

He closed his eyes.

"I'm not doing this."

Someone laughed.

Dinraal opened his eyes.

A man was sitting on a stone several feet away.

The stranger wore a simple crown.

His beard was dark.

His expression was amused.

Dinraal stared.

"Gilgamesh?"

The man smiled.

"Wrong one."

Dinraal frowned.

"There's more than one?"

"Historically speaking?"

The stranger shrugged.

"Complicated."

Dinraal looked around.

"Who are you?"

The man's smile faded.

"A memory."

"That doesn't answer—"

"Nothing in here does."

Dinraal groaned.

"Why does everyone ancient talk like that?"

The man looked offended.

"I am not ancient."

Dinraal stared.

The stranger sighed.

"Fine."

He stood.

"My name was Gilgamesh."

Dinraal blinked.

The stranger pointed at himself.

"Not the one you know."

He pointed somewhere beyond the darkness.

"Him."

Dinraal slowly understood.

"You're…"

"A piece."

The memory of Gilgamesh smiled.

"A very small one."

Dinraal stepped backward.

"No."

The darkness filled with people.

Men.

Women.

Children.

Warriors.

Kings.

Farmers.

Faces from worlds Dinraal had never seen.

They stood everywhere.

Millions.

Then billions.

Dinraal could no longer see the darkness between them.

His heart began racing.

"What is this?"

The memory of Gilgamesh looked around.

"Us."

"No."

Dinraal shook his head.

"No, no, no."

He turned.

More faces.

More voices.

They were all watching him.

"You are not us."

The memory of Gilgamesh looked at him.

"Are you sure?"

Dinraal backed away.

"I am Dinraal."

The voices became quiet.

The ancient king nodded.

"Good."

Dinraal stopped.

"What?"

"You remembered."

"What?"

The ancient Gilgamesh stepped closer.

"When the Gaunt chooses someone, the danger isn't power."

Dinraal looked around.

"Then what is it?"

The man's expression became sad.

"Losing yourself."

The people around them began speaking.

Different languages.

Different voices.

But Dinraal understood them.

Remember me.

Remember us.

Remember.

Dinraal grabbed his head.

"Stop."

The voices grew louder.

"STOP!"

A woman stepped through the crowd.

Everyone became silent.

Dinraal stared at her.

He knew her.

Not because he had met her.

Because he had seen her before.

The silver-haired woman.

"You."

She smiled sadly.

"Yes."

Dinraal pointed at her.

"Who are you?"

She looked at him.

Then at the countless humans surrounding them.

"My name has been forgotten."

The memory of Gilgamesh lowered his head.

Dinraal frowned.

"What?"

The woman approached.

"I was the first."

Silence.

Dinraal stared.

"The first what?"

Her eyes filled with grief.

"The first human to remain."

The darkness disappeared.

Dinraal saw Earth.

Not the Earth Bahamut had shown him.

This Earth was dying.

Fire covered the horizon.

The sky was black.

Ruins stretched across the land.

There were no cities.

No nations.

No armies.

Only silence.

The woman stood beside him.

"Once, humanity was numerous beyond counting."

Dinraal watched shadows vanish.

One by one.

"Then came the long dying."

He saw disease.

War.

Famine.

Worlds collapsing.

Humanity fleeing Earth.

"Some escaped."

The stars filled the sky.

"Some survived."

The image shifted.

A handful of humans stood together.

"And the fewer we became…"

Dinraal whispered the words.

"The stronger each one became."

The woman nodded.

"But strength has a cost."

Dinraal looked at her.

"What cost?"

She raised one hand.

The image changed.

He saw a man.

Alone.

Standing in the ruins of a city.

He raised his hand.

The city vanished.

Dinraal recoiled.

"He did that?"

"He didn't mean to."

The woman looked away.

"He could no longer control the strength he had inherited."

Dinraal stared.

"The last human?"

The woman shook her head.

"No."

Her expression became darker.

"He was the second-to-last."

Dinraal felt cold.

"What happened to the other?"

The woman looked at him.

"He killed her."

Silence.

The image vanished.

Dinraal swallowed.

"Why?"

The woman stared into the darkness.

"Because he loved her."

Dinraal's expression twisted.

"That doesn't make sense."

"No."

The woman looked back at him.

"It never does."

He waited.

She continued.

"He believed that if he became the last, he could carry humanity forward."

Dinraal slowly understood.

The strength.

The memories.

Everything.

"He wanted all of it."

"Yes."

Dinraal's stomach turned.

"What happened?"

The woman smiled faintly.

"I killed him."

Dinraal stared.

The memory of Gilgamesh laughed.

"She's leaving out the impressive part."

The woman glared at him.

"Be quiet."

Dinraal looked between them.

"You were the last human?"

The woman was silent.

Then she nodded.

"For a time."

The darkness shook.

Dinraal stumbled.

The woman reached for him.

"Listen carefully."

"What?"

"The Gaunt isn't choosing you because you are the strongest."

Dinraal looked at her.

"Then why?"

Her hand touched his chest.

"Because you are still afraid."

He stared at her.

"What?"

"You still know that you can become something terrible."

The woman looked toward the countless faces.

"Those who want power believe they deserve it."

Her expression softened.

"Those who fear it might survive."

Dinraal's breathing slowed.

"But I'm not human."

The woman smiled.

"....."

Dinraal froze.

"What?"

"You don't know what you are."

The light exploded.

The Ancient Chamber

Dinraal's eyes opened.

Silver fire erupted from his body.

Everyone stumbled backward.

Everyone except Gilgamesh.

He stepped forward.

"Dinraal!"

The boy looked at him.

Gilgamesh froze.

Dinraal's eyes were silver.

But behind them—

something else watched.

Something ancient.

"Din?"

Isolde's voice shook.

Dinraal turned toward her.

For a moment, she saw nothing familiar in his face.

Then he blinked.

The silver light dimmed.

His knees buckled.

Isolde caught him before he struck the ground.

"Hey."

Dinraal's breathing was ragged.

He looked at her.

"I hate ancient people."

Isolde laughed.

Then she began crying.

Dinraal frowned.

"Why are you crying?"

She grabbed him.

He winced.

"Ise."

"Don't."

"Can't breathe."

She immediately released him.

"Oh."

Dinraal took a breath.

"Better."

She hit his shoulder.

Dinraal stared.

"Was that necessary?"

"Yes."

Johanna walked over.

"Do it again."

Claire nodded.

"Twice."

Dinraal looked around.

"You are all terrible."

Alexander folded his arms.

"I like him."

Cleopatra looked toward him.

"No one asked."

Alexander smiled.

"Still true."

Caesar stepped closer to Dinraal.

His expression was serious.

"What did you see?"

The humor vanished.

Dinraal looked toward him.

"Someone."

Gilgamesh became still.

Cleopatra noticed.

"Who?"

Dinraal looked at the ancient king.

Gilgamesh's face had gone pale.

The First Weapon began making a low sound.

Almost—

a whimper.

Dinraal slowly stood.

The creature's six eyes fixed on him.

"She said her name was forgotten."

Gilgamesh closed his eyes.

Dinraal continued.

"She said she was the first to remain."

Cleopatra's expression changed.

Caesar looked toward Gilgamesh.

Alexander stopped smiling.

"Gil."

The ancient king didn't respond.

Dinraal stared at him.

"Who was she?"

Gilgamesh finally opened his eyes.

His voice was barely audible.

"Eve."

Silence.

Claire looked at Johanna.

Johanna looked at Claire.

Neither spoke.

Dinraal stared.

"Eve?"

Gilgamesh nodded.

"The first woman."

Cleopatra's voice was cold.

"Not according to history."

Gilgamesh looked at her.

"History lies."

Caesar sighed.

"Frequently."

Alexander raised a hand.

"I have several complaints."

Cleopatra ignored him.

Dinraal looked toward the First Weapon.

"She was inside the Gaunt."

"No."

Gilgamesh's voice became quiet.

"She was inside everything."

The entire chamber shook.

Everyone turned.

Above them, the black ring surrounding the planet continued glowing.

Vael stared at his communicator.

His face went pale.

"Dinraal."

"What?"

Vael showed him the display.

The number was impossible.

At first, Dinraal didn't understand what he was seeing.

Then his heart stopped.

A population counter.

Humanity.

Every known human world.

Every colony.

Every station.

The number was falling.

Claire whispered, "What are they doing?"

The number dropped again.

And again.

And again.

Billions.

Millions.

Thousands.

Dinraal stared.

"No."

Gilgamesh grabbed the communicator.

His expression changed.

"They're not killing everyone."

Dinraal turned.

"What?"

Gilgamesh pointed at the display.

The Ashen fleet was attacking human population centers.

But only human population centers.

Dinraal's blood ran cold.

"They're targeting humans."

Cleopatra looked upward.

"The law."

Caesar's expression hardened.

"Every death makes the survivors stronger."

Alexander slowly drew his sword.

"And stronger."

The First Weapon roared.

Dinraal turned.

A new voice entered his mind.

Not Bahamut.

Not Eve.

Not the countless memories.

One voice.

Familiar.

DINRAAL.

His father.

"Father?"

LISTEN.

Dinraal's heart began pounding.

THE ASHEN DO NOT WANT THE LAST HUMAN.

Dinraal stared.

"What?"

The voice became desperate.

THEY WANT THE FIRST.

The chamber fell silent.

Dinraal slowly looked toward Gilgamesh.

The ancient king already understood.

"No."

Gilgamesh whispered.

Dinraal turned toward the First Weapon.

The creature's eyes were no longer red.

They had become silver.

Then the planet shook.

Not the chamber.

The entire planet.

Johanna grabbed a wall.

"What was that?"

Vael looked toward the floor.

His face drained of color.

"No."

Dinraal frowned.

"What?"

Vael slowly raised his eyes.

"The planet."

Another earthquake struck.

Vael whispered—

"It isn't Earth."

Dinraal stared.

Vael pointed downward.

"It never was."

The ground beneath them split open.

Far below the ancient chamber—

something moved.

Something larger than the First Weapon.

Larger than the city.

Larger than anything Dinraal could comprehend.

A voice echoed through every mind in the chamber.

Ancient.

Female.

Awake.

MY CHILDREN.

The First Weapon lowered itself.

Gilgamesh dropped to one knee.

Cleopatra's face went white.

Caesar slowly drew his sword.

Alexander whispered—

"Oh."

Dinraal stared into the darkness below.

And remembered Eve's words.

I was the first.

The voice spoke again.

YOU HAVE MADE ME WAIT A VERY LONG TIME.

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