Extra's Descent

A post-process cleanup took place, prompting Brandon to explain the circumstances behind the situation. The group, apsea, for whom the concert in Britannia Dome was originally organized, had been asked a favor by Brandon to collaborate.

The management agreed, seeing it as an opportunity for branding and exposure, and perhaps, a surprise for their CEO, Lianna, knowing they had some sort of special relationship.

After all, there wasn’t a single person on the continent who didn’t know the name Brandon Locke. The man who had once been imprisoned, brought to trial, and fought for his innocence. The man who had exposed everything lurking beneath the surface and opened the eyes of the entire world.

“Have her autopsied,” Brandon suggested.

Autopsies required consent, of course. Yet Lianna had no relatives to speak of, therefore no one to give permission. Given the gravity of the situation, it was the only possible course of action to verify Brandon’s claims.

Naturally, the decision brought him to trial once again in the Sanctum of Trials.

“This is hearsay, Locke,” one of the elders declared. “We understand that you act with reason, but this… this is blatant murder.”

“If I may speak, Elders,” Field Marshal Bellion Van interrupted. “If anything, the responsibility must fall upon me. I enabled Brandon Locke to proceed with whatever operation he was planning, and this was the result. As per the authority vested in me, I hereby step down from my position and offer my head to the council should Brandon Locke’s claims prove false.”

“….”

“….”

The chamber fell silent. Brandon watched the colorful reaction on the elders’ faces. He could see their fear of what his findings might uncover once again.

“Bellion, you don’t—” Brandon began, but the seriousness in Bellion’s expression stopped him mid-sentence. It was clear the man had already made up his mind. He intended to stand with him.

“It’s Field Marshal to you.”

Brandon met his gaze. “…Yes.”

Bellion gave a small nod before turning back toward the elders. “My stance will not change. If Brandon Locke’s claims prove false, the punishment will fall upon me as well.”

The council exchanged uneasy glances. One of the elders leaned forward. “You understand what this means, Field Marshal Van. You are binding your fate to a man accused of murder.”

“I do,” Bellion replied. “But I’ve seen enough to know that Brandon Locke doesn’t act without purpose. If he claims there’s truth behind this, then there is. He’s already proven himself once. Not just to you, elders, but to the entire world. Will you remain blind to this boy who only wishes to avenge his teacher?’

Brandon felt a lump rise in his throat. For a moment, words failed him. Then, composing himself, he turned to face the elders, conviction in his eyes.

Naturally, as per protocol, Brandon was imprisoned once again. Days turned into weeks as the autopsy and investigation continued.

After another week, a guard entered and spoke curtly.

“Come out, Locke.”

Brandon rose from his seat and nodded. Unlike before, his treatment this time was different. There were no beatings, no chains cutting into his wrists, and no mockery from the guards. They spoke to him with restraint, perhaps even a hint of respect.

He walked through the corridor under watchful eyes, but the atmosphere was far from hostile. It was as though they all knew that this time, Brandon Locke might be proven right again.

“Brandon Locke,” one of the elders began. “Before we proceed, I’d like to ask. where did your suspicion toward Lianna Venice stem from?”

Brandon closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

“It was an arduous process…”

He recounted everything. From the first time he met Lianna, to the Christmas party held at his home, to Amelia’s private investigations while he was imprisoned, and every moment in between that had led him to uncover the truth.

“I see.” The Elders nodded.

The head of the council raised a gavel and struck the table firmly.

“Brandon Locke,” he declared. “You’re either a genius or a madman who follows leads without justification… but you are innocent.”

The words echoed throughout the sanctum. Brandon Locke was innocent.

The autopsy revealed traces of forbidden magic within Lianna’s body. Witness testimonies and confidential investigations conducted by Belle, Amelia, and Bellion all confirmed her suspicious activities.

The evidence was irrefutable.

Lianna Venice was, indeed, the Archbishop of Lust.

And the realization that such a being had infiltrated the heart of Britannia was nothing short of a humiliation. It was an insult to the very Defense Ministry that had sworn to protect the nation after the Calamity had occurred.

Just like that, Brandon walked out of the Sanctum of Trials a free man, and once more, had shocked the entire world.

Days passed as they hunted every confirmed suspicious individuals in cahoots with Lianna, or those who were affected by her charm. They had indeed captured one, but he was anything but a sane man.

“When I came to… it’s like I wasn’t myself anymore… like something was taken from me… like…”

Lianna Venice, the Archbishop of Lust, had long manipulated Britannia from the shadows.

In a matter of years, she rose through the top, utilizing her charm through the hearts and minds of powerful men.

Ministers, generals, and conglomerates alike fell under her spell. She had used her authority and allure to twist the very foundation of Britannia’s politics, bending it to her will piece by piece.

But that was all over.

Lianna Venice was dead, executed by Brandon in her homeground. He had turned her own tactics against her, mirroring the very methods she once used to manipulate others.

He lured her in, ensnared her, and deceived her until she fell into the same web she had spun for years.

It was ironic.

The Archbishop of Lust, who had built her power on seduction and control, met her end because of her own desire.

The woman who once charmed an empire was undone by the very sin she embodied.

When it was all over, Brandon finally returned home, hoping for a moment of rest.

But peace never came.

His mind remained restless as his thoughts spiraled. Deep down, he knew this was only the beginning. Lianna Venice was nothing more than a gatekeeper guarding the true entities that sought to bring chaos into the world.

“….”

As he thought back to his battle with the Archbishop of Greed, a chill ran down his spine. That creature… that boy… whatever it was… had been beyond him in every way.

He couldn’t even touch it. It was an existence that toyed with him and his friends as though they were nothing more than pieces in a game.

The realization dawned on him harder than any fight ever could. There were beings in this world that existed on levels beyond reach, powers that no amount of training or sacrifice could overcome.

The thought gnawed at him, burrowing deep into his mind until it became all he could think about.

Brandon found himself drowning in a haze of anxiety. At this point, he couldn’t bring himself to feel anger or disappointment anymore.

The failures of his past iterations were beyond his control. They were proof of something impossible to overcome.

“Brandon.”

A sudden warmth wrapped around him from behind, pulling him out of his thoughts. The familiar scent, the gentle pressure of her arms, it was enough to wash all the despair away.

“Amelia…”

It was her.

Amelia, the one person who had kept him grounded through every sleepless night. His anchor, his constant, the only one who never doubted him.

The entire operation would have been impossible without her.

She had conducted her own investigations even when he never asked her to. It was because of her findings that he’d managed to get close to Lianna at all.

And she had agreed to his reckless plan to stage a breakup, cutting all ties and contact under the public eye to make his infiltration into Lianna’s circle believable.

She had endured it all for him.

“It’s okay… you’ve worked hard,” Amelia whispered, gently running her fingers through his hair.

“…Yes.”

Brandon closed his eyes and sank deeper into her embrace, feeling her heartbeat against his. For the first time in what felt like forever, he let the walls around him fall.

Amelia held him tighter.

“You did what had to be done,” she murmured. “Miss Evelyn would be proud of you.”

The mention of Evelyn’s name made his chest tighten. Memories of his mentor, her belief in him, and the sacrifices she had made came flooding back.

He wanted to believe Amelia’s words, to think that Evelyn would have approved of the choices he made.

Brandon looked up, his head resting against the back of the couch as his eyes met Amelia’s clear blue gaze.

“Amelia.”

“Yes?” Amelia smiled, her expression gentle.

“Thank you.”

Their words hung for only a moment before they leaned in, and a soft kiss followed.

For that brief instant, the future trials Brandon intended to face no longer existed. Only the warmth of her touch remained which grounded him in the present.

When they parted, Amelia brushed a strand of hair from his face, her eyes filled with affection.

“You don’t need to thank me,” she whispered. “Just promise me you’ll keep going.”

Brandon nodded. “I will.”

“I love you, Brandon. I always will.”

He froze for a moment. Then he looked at her, really looked at her, the woman who had stayed with him throughout all this time.

“I love you too,” he said. “More than you’ll ever know.”

There were no such things as epilogues, but if there ever was one, Brandon was certain of one thing.

He would face whatever came next.

And he would not face it alone.

FIN.

*

*

[AN]

I want to apologize to all the readers for such an abrupt ending. Extra’s Descent was my very first novel, and though it may not be perfect, I wanted to give it the ending it deserved.

I know its flaws all too well, especially the rough edges in the early chapters, the pacing issues, and even the moments later on that didn’t turn out as I had hoped.

When I started this story, I was inexperienced and was still learning how to express the ideas and emotions I wanted to convey. Looking back, there are many things I wish I could have done better.

Yet, despite its imperfections, this novel was where everything began for me.

Without Extra’s Descent, I wouldn’t have gained the experiences, lessons, and growth that brought me here today.

To everyone who stayed, who read, who believed in this story despite its flaws, thank you. And to those who hoped for its continuation, I truly apologize. This is all I can offer for now. I can no longer find it in myself to continue writing this story, no matter how much I want to.

A rewrite might be possible someday. But for now, this is where Extra’s Descent ends.