Dododex
ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion
The Omega Timeline
Chapter 55, Part 3: Totality (Cont.)
- by Ben
Emma gasped. She awoke from her vision, and looked around her to see flames and overgrowth taking the buildings down. Her vision was dire. A warning. A warning that they’d lose the war.
Andrew was going to fight Drain alone, and if he did, he would lose, and everyone would inevitably die.
Emma rushed to the mansion as quickly as she could. As she arrived, she noticed the rest of the Knights gathered around, checking for wounds and counting heads. They turned to see Emma, and Aragorn gasped.
“Emma! What are you doing here?” Aragorn asked, “Get to the White Obelisk now! That bat might be here any moment-”
“There’s no time to explain,” Emma hurried, “All of us need to get to the Shadowkeep, and quickly.”
“Is that where Andrew went?” Buddy asked groggily. He had just woken up from his unconscious state, “If Drain was taken along with him, shouldn’t we let him deal with it? Andrew’s the only one strong enough to take him on.”
“Yes. Going there would only slow Andrew down and have him worry about us,” Emerald added, “Going there would be more harmful than helpful.”
There were fast footsteps. They turned to see Bear galloping toward them, with Erica atop fast asleep.
“Good guys?” Bear asked.
“Yes,” Drake said, rolling his eyes.
“Okay then, here you go.”
The others quickly helped Erica off. Emma grabbed Aragorn by the shoulders.
“Please Dad, we have to go! I saw it!”
“What do you mean she saw it-”
“I,” Tago interrupted them. Everyone turned to her, “Think she’s experiencing something similar to Buddy.”
“Visions,” Buddy interjected.
“It’s from the medallion Dad,” Emma explained, “Now we have to go.”
Aragorn thought, and then nodded.
“So be it. Let’s get to Jay. He’ll create a portal for us to go to.”
~
Andrew began his assault on Drain with his light arrows, but Drain’s body modifications had already grown too strong. Drain merely flicked his wings, deflecting the arrows away. Andrew noticed the shadow had almost completely overtaken the light now, and Andrew could feel himself growing weaker and weaker each time he shot an arrow at him.
“Your light is nearly faded, Herald of Light,” Drain cackled, “The balance will soon shift in evil’s favor, and I shall rule supreme.”
The crashing waves of the Genesis sea nearby seemed to be growing more and more intense as their fight continued. Drain shot another concentrated laser at Andrew, who barely managed to dodge it. Andrew looked down upon his body. By now, only a fourth of his body was composed of light, and he was growing slower and slower by the second.
“Are you prepared to die now?” Drain asked, flapping his wings carelessly and playfully. Andrew felt his head start to hurt. Drain was digging through his memories. Andrew tried pushing him out, but it was futile. A grin grew on Drain’s face.
“It’ll be just like your precious dog Reuben.”
Andrew didn’t know how to feel after what he just said. He felt his fists clench. The light was fizzling out, but Andrew was too blinded by pain to realize. Horrible, traumatic memories flew by his eyes, memories he wished he could let go. He witnessed Reuben being kicked, and then torn apart by a Corrupted Raptor. He witnessed his parents closing the cryostasis chamber shut on him, barely holding back tears. He witnessed the burial of Reuben.
It was all too much. By then, all of the light had faded from Andrew’s body, leaving only his TEK bow and arrows. He let out a cry. A cry of anger. Hatred. Pain, and guilt. Energy arrows shot out at Drain, but each string he let go of, and each arrow that hit Drain, only seemed to make him more powerful. Drain’s body grew, his hide thickened, and the armor hardened. The darkness slowly began to swallow the sky whole, a gluttonous beast of its own. Clouds were torn apart. Thunder boomed. Screams echoed.
Drain chuckled, flying circles above him, like a hawk eyeing its prey.
“It’s too late Andrew,” Drain exclaimed softly, “You’re too filled with rage and hatred to stop me.”
“You’ve failed your friends.”
Andrew could hear Sylas, Erica, and Freya’s words whisper in his ears, shunning him and disgracing him for failing to defeat Drain.
“You’ve failed this world.”
Andrew could feel the dead soil of the Shadowkeep pull him in, as if marking an early grave.
“And you’ve failed your past.”
Andrew could taste the blood of his failures on his tongue.
“さようなら、 Andrew.”
Drain flapped his wings hard. The mist of darkness culminated into familiar beings. Raptors, lashing out and slowly opening their mouths, floating down toward Andrew. More shadowy mists manifested in the shape of Andrew’s friends and allies, reaching down to take his life. Andrew closed his eyes, accepting defeat.
A blue portal manifested in the corner of his eye.
~
“Andrew’s about to die!” Jay cried out as his medallion glowed and the portal continued swirling round and round. Aragorn immediately pushed past Jay and was about to rush out into the portal when Drake held him back.
“Damn it Aragorn, what do you think you’re doing?! You’ll die if you go out there, it should be me!” Drake shouted.
“You’re all the children will have left if their Princess Purple can’t survive!”
Emerald walked up to the front of the portal.
“I have nobody left, allow me-”
“Now don’t try anything rash!” Darkhide shouted, shoving Emerald to the side. Lieutenant Felswand walked up.
“I must atone for my crimes-”
“No one’s atoning for anything!” Erica shouted, “If anything it should be me.”
“I’ll go,” Moonbeam offered, “I’m quick, I can get him-”
“No you won’t!” Orbit roughly barked.
Before anyone could decide, the human Nova stepped through the portal and out to the other side of the Shadowkeep.
“Wait!” Bear shouted.
“Sorry, you all,” Nova waved her hand at them, “Now, Jay.”
Jay shut the portal off.
“Jay! Reopen the portal right this instant!” Aragorn ordered him.
Jay shook his head.
“I have to protect you Dad. You’ve spent your whole life protecting us, it’s time I return your favor,” Jay turned to the rest of them, “That goes for the rest of you.”
“Jay, you have to reopen that portal,” Emma told her brother, “All of us have to go.”
“She expected something LÍKE THIS to happen,” Jay explained, “She told me to wait a minute before reopening it.”
(Author’s Note: I WANTED TO RANT BECAUSE WHY IS IT THAT SAYING THAT AUTOMATICALLY PREVENTS POSTING IT SMH COME ON BRO I SPENT 30 MINUTES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY I COULDN'T POST THIS PART OF THE CHAPTER).
“But she’ll die! We won’t be able to help her,” Moonhigh protested.
~
“That’s not the point,” human Nova thought as she rushed forward, grabbing Andrew and hauling him onto her back. Nova looked at Andrew’s face. He looked so much like Samuel. She felt her armor crack at the thought of her best friend.
“This isn’t about protecting others.”
“Obtaining ultimate power and control,”
“Or even redeeming yourself.”
“This is just…” Nova whispered, as she whispered into Andrew’s ear, “An act of survival.”
Still, as Nova ran as fast as she could, she couldn’t help but feel it was anything but that.
Nova felt the mist grab onto her. Nova shut her eyes. She needed to remember.
~
The day was sunny. The day was bright. There were no clouds in sight. All that filled the skies was the light that poured in from the sun. It seemed like the perfect day. After all, for dear Nova, it would be her last day at the wondrous and most interesting place of her life. Terran High. The last day she’d spend in this rollercoaster of emotions, drama, and heartache.
Nova was standing amongst a crowd, along with many other waiting graduates, each one wearing a black gown and graduation cap. They were watching the stage with anticipation, eager for the big moment. Nova noticed a figure in the crowd that stood out from the others. Her best friend, Samuel. Nova walked up to him and blurted,
“Are you excited?”
The memory continued on, as it did, Nova realized what was happening to her.
Her life was flashing before her eyes.
Nova sighed as the memory continued. So be it. The Samuel she knew was long gone already. What was the point in living? At the very least, she could sacrifice herself and let the others live.
She knew that Andrew’s abilities were empowered by their hopes and dreams. This was the only way Andrew could be saved, and for all the light to return back to its original state. She’d have to die, relive her greatest memories, and pass it on to Andrew.
The next seven minutes felt peaceful. She and Samuel just enjoying the sunny day of their graduation, and the countdown by Mr. Mo began.
Nova sighed, as her life came to an end. This was it.
“TEN! NINE! EIGHT!”
“SEVEN! SIX! FIVE!”
“FOUR! THREE! TWO!”
“ONE!”
A blast of light hit her in the head, and it was then she felt her life fade from her body.
~
Andrew could feel a beam of light wash over his body, and a wave of memories that weren’t his. As he did, another blue portal manifested in the distance. Drain’s eyes widened as the beam of light seemed to tear a hole in the darkness that overwhelmed the skies.
“WHAT?! HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?!” Drain shook his head, “No matter, I’ll just end you here and now!”
As the light cleared away, it revealed Andrew, floating up into the sky once again, his entire body covered in and emitting light beams. Andrew looked down at the dead woman. Nova’s death wouldn’t be in vain. This had to end. Now.
Drain began flapping his wings frantically. The black mist emitted from his wing began to cloud up, but as Andrew continued to float up into the air, something strange was happening.
All sorts of vibrant colors were being reflected off of Andrew’s body, seemingly connected as strands to something. Drain looked at the source, and that was when he noticed all of Andrew’s allies, no, his friends standing in unison, projecting all of their hopes and dreams onto him. Even those who had been unfrozen were there to help him. The power of Andrew’s rejuvenation had been enough to free them from their stone fetters.
“This, this can’t be!” Drain shouted, his power growing weaker. The armor plates began to fall off of his wings, and the scales were being tipped once more, this time, against the darkness, “THIS CAN’T BE! I won’t let you win, no I won’t!”
Drain opened his mouth and unleashed a concentrated laser at Andrew. Andrew quickly jolted his head back, his eyes still visible. He seemed to be looking up at the skies, which were finally clearing away with the darkness.
“I’m sorry, Nova, for being unable to save you and Samuel,” Andrew whispered, “I’m sorry, Reuben, for being unable to protect you from those monsters.”
“And I’m sorry, Rue, for never saying goodbye.”
The flames burning the forest down suddenly froze in place, leaving the trees unaffected, while off in the distance the fires ravaging the City tripled in intensity. Petals of flowers floated in the wind, by his face and into the nothing. Birds chirped and sang.
“I’m not even angry over any of you right now.”
Drain tried, desperately, to hit Andrew with any of his attacks, but Andrew just kept dodging, and floating there, one with the wind.
“I bear no grudges against anyone.”
Andrew outstretched his hands.
“This peace, this hope, these dreams,” Andrew sighed in ecstasy, “This world… just feels so, so wonderful right now.”
Millions of memories cascaded within Andrew, both good and bad, both his and not his, yet he couldn’t help but appreciate the balance of it all. Life certainly wouldn’t be as beautiful without the challenges they faced. No matter if the world was against them, the friends they made and the laughs they shared would always overpower any evil.
Andrew pointed his finger at Drain, who could only help but watch. It came to Andrew like it was always a part of him. It was true, after all. He was the most pure out of both humans and creatures alike.
“Good, and evil,” Andrew recited, “Light, and darkness. Order, and anarchy. Life, and death. Creation, and destruction. Yin, and Yang.”
A ginormous ball of hopes and dreams was carefully crafted in Andrew’s hand.
“Totality.”
POW!
The ball of light was sent flying at Drain. It was too quick, and it was then Drain accepted his fate. The ball of light hit Drain, but it didn’t kill him, nor did it hurt him. It didn’t heal him, or revive him.
The ball of light merely wiped away Drain’s armor, and the hate riddled in his bones. For a moment, the two felt true balance. They felt neither hatred nor love toward one another. Just solitude.
Andrew looked upon his own body and realized the light had already rid from his limbs, the only part left of him that suggested he had ever been the Herald of Light being his white hair. He slowly floated back down to the ground, as did Drain. As the two dropped to the ground, both the White Obelisk and Black Obelisk shot beams of light and darkness into the sky, coating the blue and red with a mixture of white and black. Both the Mansion and Shadowkeep rumbled, the Obelisks both hissing. Neither seemed to be pulsating. Neither positive nor negative emotions could be felt. Just overflowing memories.
For a moment, everyone just enjoyed the view. The stars and night were pouring in the darkness the Black Obelisk spewed, while the clouds were manifesting in the light the White Obelisk created. Even Drain seemed at peace with the conclusion, despite his supposed loss.
“It’s beautiful,” Drain whispered to himself, his ugly wyvern beast form still a part of him.
“It is.”
Drain turned to Andrew.
“So what now? Are you going to kill me?” Drain asked, disdain in his voice, “Perhaps lock me away in the dark Obelisk?"
Andrew shook his head.
“No. That’s not true balance. And by killing you, I’d only create the darkness we strive to keep at bay,” Andrew softly explained, “I hope it stays this way for as long as we must stay here.”
Drain thought for a moment, then spoke.
“My whole life, I have sought power. Look where it got me, heh,” Drain almost chuckled. He continued, “Killed, and brought back, only to lose when I’ve finally secured the power I so dearly lusted. Only now I realize there’s something better than power, not love, what a ridiculous concept… but peace. Peace is far better than the hate and greed I’ve felt, both my life back home in Pandora, and here in this world.”
With that, Drain took off to the skies. He nodded his head at Andrew, almost in respect, before flying off.
Drain was true to his word. There were no winners of war. Only widows. Andrew looked to see Nova’s body had already disappeared, decomposed into the dead soil of the Shadowkeep. Flowers began to grow from the dirt. Off in the distance, the Mansion was crumbling, the City in ruins and flames.
Andrew sighed.
He was unsure how long he would have to stay here, but he didn’t mind it at all. Something told him that this world wasn’t done with him yet.
~
Jethezzar and Zeer were flying through the air. After the poor Yi Ling had transformed into that… thing, they were flying as far away as they could. Zeer seemed to be looking back, wondering if that Yi Ling would give chase.
“What was that?” Jethezzar asked.
“No clue,” Zeer sighed.
Suddenly, the sky exploded in an array of white and black. The two looked up at the sight. It was beautiful.
“Woah,” Zeer gasped. Jethezzar didn’t show any expression at the sight, but he certainly admitted it was indeed pretty.
In the stars, Jethezzar could see the shape of a Basilisk in the constellations, beckoning at him. Did Peeri forgive him for what he did? Jethezzar shook his head. He proved them wrong.
He looked at the rune in his hand. It was a dim red. He could have sworn it was a different color, but he decided it must have just been his imagination.
Eventually, they passed over the Shadowkeep. Jethezzar could see a hideous beast down there, along with many humans and creatures. Jethezzar’s former allies must have been obliterated.
Zeer ignored them. But a part of Jethezzar’s mind wanted to swoop down and pick off a few of them. Jethezzar shook his head. What was that thought all about? That felt out of character for him.
Unbeknownst to him, some of Jethezzar’s scales were flickering from bronze, to dark blue. And the rune, from dim red to green. Before Jethezzar could notice, the glitching stopped.
The two wyverns looked out into the wilderness. A familiar land was setting upon them. Albeit not theirs, it was a place they called home.
Fjordur.
~
Drain flapped his wings slowly, and softly.
He too, was returning to a place he could call home.
Pandora.
Eventually, the Desmodus made it to the top of the floating isle. He sat atop the peak, staring down onto the rest of the Omega Timeline. Even though he could not defeat the Herald of Light, and even though he had ‘lost’, looking at the sight was more than enough to please him. For now, at least.
In a way, it was all his to rule anyway.
The King of the Timeline sat there, brooding, a small smile on his face.
In the end, he felt as if this was a victory.
And thus, concluded a tale of this Omega Timeline. A tale that foretold the battle and balance between good and evil, heroes and villains.
~
CREDITS
Throughout the heavens,
The Arks: Over Heaven - by Ben
And the earth down below,
The Riddles of the Phoenixes - by SunnyFox57
A tale of heroes and villains is waiting to be told,
Pandora Chronicles - by Wyvernian
With an ultimate battle, and tears jolting through my eyes,
Ultimus - by PrimalApex
The hopes and dreams echo throughout my body in a jubilant cry,
Hope’s Cry - by MrGhostGamer
She seeks to live in peace, he seeks to rule in chaos,
Queen of Aberration - by Sylveevee
While I’m just trying to find my way home,
The Obelisk / Rune - by Moon
Pandora - by Moon
Clans - by Moon
Journey - by PrimalApex
Let a lesson be told,
The Omega Timeline - by Ben, SunnyFox57, Wyvernian, PrimalApex, MrGhostGamer, Sylveevee, Moon
In light, and in darkness,
Original Final Battle Concept - by Wyvernian
Balance will always find its way to the surface.
Thank you for reading (and/or writing) all the way to the end. What an incredible journey of The Omega Timeline. I cannot expect the graciousness I feel to be here, writing with you. There were ups, and downs, but we finished it.
The first arc of The Omega Timeline.
This isn’t over.
~
“When is Omi going to come back? It’s been ages dude,” a Raptor named Burr asked.
“I dunno. Hopefully soon though. I’m getting hungry,” a Hyaenodon named Axel complained.
“You’re always hungry,” another Hyaenodon named Zora rolled her eyes.
“Can you all shut up? I’m trying to concentrate here,” a human named Mars groaned.
Clay (Direwolf): You are all weird.
“Says the one who’s apparently part of a prophecy,” Mars rolled his eyes, “Prophecies aren’t real.”
Clay: Yeah they are. I know they are. My parents said I’m destined to be-
“I dunno, this place is weird they might as well be,” Axel’s stomach rumbled, “Okay now I’m hungry.”
“Be patient, Omi will probably be…” Zora paused as they looked out the cave entrance. An Yi Ling was just standing there, like some sort of zombie.
“Back.”
“Oh finally, she’s back!” Burr rushed up to her, “Where’ve you been? We’ve been worried.”
Clay: We really weren’t.
“Shut up Clay,” Mars shouted.
“Uhhhh, Omi? Are you okay? You’ve just been standing there- AGHHHHH!”
Burr let out a cry of pain as Omi bit down onto Burr’s neck. Everyone immediately stood up and backed away, letting out gasps. Burr’s bones began to crack, and then its neck snapped back, its head looking at them.
“W-Wait, Burr, it’s us!” Axel pleaded, “Please don’t-”
Their screams rang out into the air as the wind whistled by.
A zombie apocalypse was on the rise.