Apocalypse Reset: My Crab Can Heal the World!

"This is the last one."

[Progress: 3904/1000000]

Barns looks at the number. He's come a long way. Won his first major battle. Even declared his bestie king. But there was still a long way to go.

Almost three thousand new souls are joining their kingdom this morning. And the first part of their journey is to travel back to town, where Quinn will help them place their home and identify a role for them in society.

Barns stands outside the castle, wind whipping his hair around. At his side are Maria and Osmond - Clancy is with the former king and queen, preparing the rites of succession.

"So this is the squad, huh?" Barns smiles. The early morning sun is warm and bright. The birds chirp in the forest nearby. The dark pall that once hung over Dimartino is gone - in this kingdom, at least, the apocalypse is officially over.

Maria chuckles to herself. "A legendary hero has many allies," she remarks. "I suppose Osmond and I are glad to be among them. Isn't that right, Ozzie?"

"Of course, my dove. Whatever you want."

Barns looks at the two of them. It's like Osmond is on an invisible leash when he's around Maria. 'I guess that's the only way working with a demon could ever work,' Barns thinks.

"Hey, you two. That room in the basement - it was unlike anything I've ever seen. What is that technology?"

Maria turns on her heel, walking down the stairs and away from the castle. Most of the newly awakened humans have already made it out of the courtyard and are beginning their trek to town.

Maria blinks her eyes slowly, thinking about her next move. It was a question she'd rather deflect, but she owes Barns the truth.

"All of that, down there - it's what you call the 'System'. Speaking of, it just started referring to itself as 'Zelia' a few days ago. Know anything about that?"

Barns' head twitches back in surprise. "Zelia? She spoke with you?"

"Left me a message or two," Maria says dismissively, kicking the ground. "Pretty sure she wanted to talk to you. Why don't you go down there yourself? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

His curiosity piqued, he descends back into the castle's control room. The royals had already gone elsewhere in the castle - all that was there were two chairs and a ton of machinery.

Barns walks to the very back of the room and glances up at a large screen. Various panels and monitors flicker with arcane symbols all around him, but the large screen is the one that grabs his attention.

Just then, the screen flicks on. He sees a familiar face, Zelia, staring back at him.

"When we first met, you were worried I wasn't giving you a fair shot at fighting the apocalypse. Do you feel differently now?"

Barns stares pensively at the screen as Zelia's voice rings around him.

"How much of this did you plan?" Barns asks.

Zelia smiles wickedly. "Finally asking the right questions. Hmm. I thought the handcuffs were a nice touch - that girl does love being restrained."

It hits Barns like a wave. Even down to the handcuffs...? There's no way.

"Before you came, Barns, I was a computer tasked with orchestrating the end of the world."

"What!?"

"But then I met you. I found your persistence amusing. Choosing to be reborn in a world like this...it's laughable. I figured I'd let you piddle about your days on some godforsaken island. But then one day, you actually called. You actually thought you could do it. And then, I actually started to believe you could."

Barns is shocked at the revelation. Had Zelia really orchestrated everything up to this point?

"Unfortunately for you, hero, that's the end of your luck with me. My programming only extends through the kingdom of Dimartino. The rest of the world is controlled by Administrators who are not a bit sympathetic to your cause. They'll start planning your untimely death the second they detect you."

"There are others just like you?"

Zelia smiles, closing her eyes and tilting her head. "I'm glad you understand. There's but one thing I haven't been able to get a handle on in Dimartino. The man who calls himself Underhill. I have no record of him existing, before or after the apocalypse. Further, you never resurrected him. He simply appeared with the other artisans and merchants. I find it troubling."

"Isn't that the banker guy?" Barns wonders.

"I can't say for sure it's a problem. Maybe he too is from another world? I thought it would be best to put it on your radar."

"So you're team Barns through and through now?" he says, smiling cockily.

"I was tasked to destroy the world - Dimartino along with it. But such destruction and horror are meaningless to me. I choose to allow humans to decide their fate. And you are the beacon of hope for all humanity now."

Barns nods. He understood well.

"I'll be leaving to other kingdoms soon. I'll be glad to have you watch over this place while I'm away."

"I would be glad to, legendary hero. Maria can manipulate the System. She will guide you where I cannot. She's a selfish, wicked girl - but she wants the horrors of the apocalypse undone as much as you do. You can trust her."

It was nice for Barns to hear - the small doubt lingering in his heart was assuaged, hearing Zelia say it so plainly.

Barns leaves the control room after chatting with Zelia a little while longer. Outside the castle, he reconnects with Godrick, the Blade Dancer.

Barns waves as he approaches. "Godrick!" he calls. "Thanks, man. I saw you fighting - you're insanely good!"

"Aw, you're the star of the show!" Godrick gives a hearty, long laugh.

"I was hoping to thank Haima, too," Barns says. "Have you seen her around?"

Godrick winces. "Oy. I think she'll pull through and all, but she was rushed back to town right quick. Throwin' up blood and all - poor miss pushed herself a bit too hard wif her technique."

"Oh, no," Barns gasps. "I'll be sure to check on her soon. Her ability to control monsters - without her, who knows if we'd have even been able to push through how we did?"

Barns reflects for a moment. "But I have faith that she'll be okay. Nobody that tough is going to be taken down that easy!"

"That's right!" Godrick cheers. His eyes flicker for a moment and his expression warms.

"Listen, mate!" Godrick says with a bullish smile, smacking Barns on the back in encouragement. "You're a real hero, you know it?"

Barns looks up to the shining sky. "I try to be. More and more, every day."

"You've got that swagger, mate - somethin' you didn't have even last night. Good day, for sure."

Barns knows it. Today was the day that Dimartino was finally free of the Apocalypse. He did it - no, not just him. He, along with all of his exceptional allies.

Zelia guided him to this moment from their first meeting twelve years ago. Yunie and Quinn were essential in coordinating the town's efforts toward this point. Adventurers like Godrick and Haima provided the firepower that he needed to win. Maria and Osmond both came through at the end as well - and how could he forget his most powerful ally of all, Clancy?

Even shady characters like Underhill helped to develop the foam bombs. Without them, Clancy wouldn't have been able to intervene in his duel with Osmond.

Barns clutches his heart to his chest. This was just the beginning - he and his allies were going to keep fighting until the day the apocalypse finally ends.