The red sky above crackled with an unnatural energy as Tatsuya's sword gleamed in the dim light, its ice-cold blade reflecting the chaotic storm that raged around them. The weight of the moment pressed heavily on his chest. He knew the cost of their actions—what they risked by standing firm against the Queen of the Void, the woman who had created Himawari and now sought to tear her from them.
Himawari's golden eyes burned brightly, her small form trembling with raw, uncontrolled power. She stood at the center of a gathering storm, her hands lifted as though reaching for the very heavens themselves.
"No," Misaki whispered from beside Tatsuya, her voice steady but filled with anguish. "She's not just a child anymore. The power inside her—she can't control it."
Tatsuya glanced at Misaki, his heart torn. They had raised Himawari from a frightened little girl, with no knowledge of her origins, and now they were facing the horrific truth: she was not just any child, but a living rift between worlds, a creature born of destruction, capable of unraveling entire realms.
And yet, as he looked at her, trembling but determined, Tatsuya refused to accept that she was their enemy. She was family. She was theirs to protect.
"Stay close to her, Misaki," he murmured, his voice low but filled with resolve. "I'll stop this."
Misaki shook her head fiercely. "No, Tatsuya. We fight together. We do not let her face this alone. We raised her to be strong—strong enough to fight this power."
Tatsuya took a deep breath and turned to face Himawari. Her golden eyes met his, a silent understanding passing between them. Despite the storm within her, despite the terrifying force she was becoming, she was still his daughter—the one they had found in the forest all those years ago.
"Papa," she whispered, her voice strained. "I don't know how much longer I can hold on. The power inside me... it's growing. If I lose control, everything—everything will be destroyed."
Tatsuya stepped forward, his heart breaking at the sight of her pain. "You're stronger than you know, Himawari. You're not alone in this. We will help you control it. Together."
Behind them, the Queen of the Void raised her hand, and the ground beneath their feet trembled. Her dark figure loomed over them, cold and unyielding. "You are too late," she intoned. "The power of the void is already awakening in her. She cannot be saved, Tatsuya Raikiri. She was never meant to be a part of this world. You cannot change what she was born to be."
Tatsuya's grip tightened on his sword, the blade humming with a cold, furious energy. "You're wrong," he said, his voice steely. "Himawari is not a weapon. She's a person. And we will protect her—no matter the cost."
With a sudden, violent motion, the Queen of the Void unleashed a burst of destructive energy, sending a shockwave of black flames toward them. The air shimmered with the force of it, and Tatsuya barely had time to raise his sword to block the attack. The impact sent him staggering back, his feet digging into the cracked earth. Misaki and Himawari were thrown off balance, but they quickly regained their footing.
"I won't let you take her!" Misaki shouted, her eyes burning with determination.
The Queen of the Void sneered, her eyes glinting with dark amusement. "You think you can stop me, child? You do not even understand the true nature of your power."
Tatsuya, his chest heaving with effort, raised his sword once more, the ice magic swirling around it, forming a barrier of frozen energy between them and the Queen's next strike. The air around them grew colder, the atmosphere thick with the pressure of impending destruction.
"Himawari!" Tatsuya called. "You can do this. You've always had the strength to control it. You're not just a weapon. You are our family, and we're with you."
Tears welled in Himawari's eyes as she looked at her father. "But the power... I can feel it slipping away from me, Papa. What if I hurt you? What if I destroy everything?"
"You won't," Misaki said firmly, stepping forward to stand beside Tatsuya. "We'll fight it together, all of us. Trust us."
Himawari nodded, her small hands trembling as she raised them once more, her golden eyes glowing brighter. The energy around her pulsed with raw, untamed power—earth-shattering, universe-bending energy that threatened to rip the world apart. But in that moment, Tatsuya saw something in her eyes—resolve. She was willing to fight. She was willing to control it, for them.
"I will," she whispered, her voice steady, despite the storm raging inside her. "For you, Papa. For you, Misaki."
The Queen of the Void snarled, stepping forward with terrifying grace. "Then you will die with them, child. You do not belong here."
With a roar, the Queen conjured a swirling vortex of void magic, a storm of black flames and shattered light that tore toward them like a spear of darkness. Tatsuya raised his sword, prepared to defend them all with his life. But before he could strike, Himawari stepped forward, her body glowing with golden energy.
"No!" Tatsuya shouted, reaching out to stop her.
But it was too late. Himawari's golden energy surged outward, a massive wave of radiant light that collided with the Queen's dark magic. The force of the explosion sent shockwaves across the realm, the ground cracking and breaking apart beneath them. Tatsuya and Misaki were thrown back, the force of the blast knocking them to the ground.
When the dust settled, Himawari stood at the center of a glowing crater, her body shining with an otherworldly light. The Queen of the Void was no longer there—reduced to nothing but smoldering ashes.
Tatsuya rose to his feet, rushing to Himawari's side. "Himawari!" he shouted, his voice full of fear.
Himawari's golden eyes fluttered open, the light fading from her body. She looked up at him, her face pale but calm. "Papa… I did it. I controlled it."
Tatsuya knelt beside her, pulling her into his arms. "You did. You're safe. We're all safe."
Misaki rushed to their side, her expression filled with relief and pride. "You did it, Himawari. You're stronger than we could have ever imagined."
But as Tatsuya held her, a deep sense of foreboding gripped his heart. The Queen of the Void was gone, but the rift between worlds had not yet closed. And in the distance, he felt a new presence—a powerful force growing stronger by the second.
"There's still more," Tatsuya said, his voice heavy with dread.
Misaki turned toward him, her face pale. "Ryouma?"
Tatsuya nodded grimly. "He's coming. And this time, we may not be able to stop him."