Villain Retirement

"Save me!"

Familiar words instantly bombarded Riley's ears as soon as he stepped inside the portal, making him slightly confused. He just got here, and yet people were already asking for help — but then, he quickly realized that the people were not actually running from him, but from a monster Riley had never seen before.

It was large, large enough that its entire body started to fade into the clouds. Its silhouette was instantly recognizable, however, as it looked like a fat starfish with perhaps more than a thousand tentacles — each of its tentacles, just the width of a lamp post making them look more like hair due to the monster's sheer size.

And these tentacles, currently, were rampaging through an already ruined street; completely unfamiliar to Riley as much as the people, whose skin was entirely green. Aside from that, however, they look just like humans.

"Help…" One of the people running could not help but close his mouth as he saw Riley. He did not stop running, but his eyes were completely locked onto Riley even as he passed by him — and of course, Riley, being the master of reading people's faces, quickly recognized the confusion on the man's face.

Riley did not really do anything, however, as he also just stared at the confused and perplexed man as he passed by him. Riley did not, however, do the same for the several others that came after. He just let them pass as he started walking toward the colossal alien starfish. Before he could get near, however, a smile crawled on his face as his eyes started reflecting something red beaming from afar.

Riley then watched as the colossal starfish was just finely sliced in half; like a sponge cake going through a vibrating blade, it did not even offer a single hint of resistance. Before it could completely split and fall to the ground to crush anyone and anything near it, however, a small dot caught both halves and lifted them up in the air — throwing them far into the sky until they could no longer be seen.

"..."

The small dot's job seemed to not be done, however, as the blood that showered from the starfish monster's body started to form smaller monsters similar to their… mother. And as soon as they completed their forms, these starfish quickly razed through the streets once more.

And there, Riley watched as the small dot disappeared from its spot, and what followed was a barrage of monsters all being thrown into the air almost at the same time. But with each blood that falls from their bodies, smaller and smaller monsters are born; some even the size of a coin, but still as deadly.

Riley watched as the small dot in the sky stopped. But it wasn't for long, as after just seemingly catching her breath… Aerith once again rummaged through the monsters and tried to save people.

And while she was busy doing this, Riley just stood there; the smile on his face became a chuckle as he shook his head. And then, with a small whisper escaping his lips that only he could hear, Riley snapped his fingers… causing all the starfish monsters, whether they were the size of a car or a coin, stop and very slowly float up.

He then snapped his fingers again, causing all the starfish to gather in one spot and compress. And with another snap, they all flew into the sky at a speed enough to cause a ripple to clear the clouds above.

And with the monsters suddenly gone, another boom echoed in the air, and the small dot from afar became larger and larger until she was just suddenly floating right in front of Riley.

"We will leave as soon as I know these people are safe." And without even waiting for Riley to say anything, Aerith's feet landed on the ground and she started walking; lifting up debris near him and saving all the green people trapped beneath with a smile on her face.

"And are they not safe yet, Aerith?" Riley raised a finger, also raising all the rubble from a mile radius and floating the people who needed help out of danger.

"...No," Aerith turned to look at all the people being carried to safety, before letting out a sigh and shaking her head, "They…

…will never be safe."

***

The way the universe Aerith was thrown to was ending was quite unique, perhaps even more so than Caitlain's world of a million cherbis. The planet they were on was another version of Earth, and these green people were indeed the humans of this universe… and they were the last on it. The other civilizations and planets have already fallen due to a weird plague, or perhaps a play of god.

Every 18 Earth hours, a random person in the universe gets transformed into a random monster — and by all means, Earth should have already been wiped out just from a single monster alone. But they were lucky — as when it was their turn in the death lottery, Aerith appeared. The other planets, however, weren't.

"Interesting, is it some sort of virus?"

"How would I know?"

Riley and Aerith were now standing on the roof of a building at the center of the city, where all the refugees they could save were resting. Like Riley's Earth, the people of this world ultimately gathered around Aerith. Why would they not, when as soon as she arrived less than a year ago, she started rescuing and pushing away any monsters that emerged without pause.

Anywhere on the planet, as long as someone turns, she would be there to stop it.

"The only thing I know is that these people need my help, and I am not going to stop."

"Until there is no one left?" Riley blinked a couple of times as he turned to look at Aerith; both their hairs, being swept by the wind, "You can't save these people, Aerith. They will all eventually turn into monsters and die."

"It doesn't matter," Aerith shook her head as she looked into the horizon of a ruined city, "I just want there to be a single ray of hope in the midst of their calamity."

"A false hope."

"Hope nonetheless."

"A dangerous hope."

"Hope nonetheless," Aerith let out a small chuckle as she sat on the edge of the building, "These people are not fools, Riley. They know they are going to die eventually, and yet they fight still."

"It is more like they were running and crying, Aerith."

"Running is fighting. That means they haven't given up."

"Or they are just scared of being trampled violently to death, Aerith."

"Everything has to be so dark with you, huh?" Aerith turned to look at Riley as she raised her knee and rested her head on it, "Riley Ross, Darkday, the most evil being in the entire universe. Although, I suppose King is taking that title now."

"You are going to save more people if you are not in this universe, Aerith."

"Let's not kid ourselves, Riley," Aerith closed her eyes, "Like the plague that is ending this world, you are eventually going to kill all of us. And I'll be there to stop you, of course — even though I know doing so is futile."

"Hm?" Riley also tilted his head to the side so that he and Aerith's face could line up.

"You have become too strong, Riley," Aerith opened her eyes, only to see Riley looking closely at her, "I remember it like yesterday when you just flew away when I first tried to approach you. But now, you're just… there."

"..."

"Remember when I told you that the universe might need someone like you in the future? Maybe even more than me?" Aerith once again let out a small chuckle as a tear just casually fell from her eye, "I was so naive back then, even now."

"But you were right, Aerith. The universe does need me… to end it."

"Hm…" Aerith just let out a small hum as she once again looked onto the horizon, resting her chin on her knee, "You know, all the time I've been trapped here. The only thing I've actually thought about was… you, us. I mean, what even are we, Riley?"

"I am your lover, Aerith."

"..." Aerith just glanced at Riley, smiling at him before focusing on the horizon and shaking her head, "It's time you grow up from that."

"I did, I have spent the better half of eternity growing up from it, Aerith."

"Hm?" Aerith blinked a couple of times as Riley leaned closer to her.

"And right at the moment my last memory of you started to fade…" Riley looked Aerith in the eyes, "...Do you know the last thing I remember about you, Aerith?"

"...What are you even saying—"

"Is that I truly am in love with you," Riley very gently brushed Aerith's hair and tucked it between her ear, "And I can tell you the real reason why, Aerith."

"Riley…?" Aerith looked back and forth between Riley's eyes.

"Because all this time while people are trying to find ways to kill me," a small tear also started to fall onto Riley's cheek as he looked Aerith in the eyes, 

"You have been trying to save me."

"..." Aerith could really only soften her face as she saw the gentle smile growing on Riley's face.

"Even when you say that you can't forgive me, or that you have given up on me," Riley whispered, "You will always, always, still find a way to save me from the dark. And that is when I realize that in order for me to do what I need to do…

…I must kill you first."

"!!!"