The word hung in the void, as fragile as a breath—yet it carried the weight of everything Steven had ever fought for. No.
It wasn't a spell. It wasn't a command. It was more than that. It was a declaration of his defiance, his refusal to succumb to the Black Author's narrative.
The Black Author froze. For a split second, his form flickered, as if he too were caught in the impossibility of the moment.
"What… what have you done?" His voice echoed, disjointed and wavering.
Steven took a step forward, his body radiating with a power that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. It wasn't just the Codex. It wasn't just magic. It was something deeper, something that resonated with the very fabric of existence.
"I'm not a pawn in your story," Steven said, his voice unwavering. "You may think you can control fate, rewrite reality. But there's one thing you overlooked. The story is never finished until the reader chooses the last page."
The Black Author snarled, his form shifting and distorting like a nightmare made flesh. "You can't escape this. I am the end. I am the one who decides what exists and what is erased. You are nothing but ink on a forgotten page."
Steven's grip tightened on his staff, his eyes glowing with determination. He raised the Arc of Null, channeling every bit of power into the blade. The world around him shimmered, the edges of the void twisting as though his very will was warping the narrative itself.
"You might be the one who erases," Steven said, stepping forward. "But I'm the one who rewrites."
In a single, devastating arc, he slashed through the void. The Black Author screamed as the fabric of reality split open before him, the words of his existence unraveling.
The void shattered.
Suddenly, they were back in the Library—no longer a dark, crumbling place, but a vibrant, living world of endless knowledge. The books had returned to their shelves, and the light was warm.
But Steven knew the battle wasn't over.
The Black Author's form reappeared, his shadowy outline flickering like a failing signal. His voice was barely a whisper.
"This isn't the end. You can't defeat me, Starcaster. You're not even supposed to exist."
Steven smiled, his staff glowing brighter. "You're wrong. I'm exactly who I'm supposed to be."
With one final motion, he unleashed the full force of his magic, combining the power of the Codex, the Arc of Null, and his own will. The explosion of energy rippled through the Library, shattering the Black Author's presence once and for all.
The last thing Steven heard before everything went white was the echo of a sin
gle word:
"No."
---
To be continued…