Crack.

A skeletal hand radiating blue energy sprung into existence, clawing into the floorboards with its bony digits. Slowly, the rest of the skeletal arm began to grow into existence, bit by bit being reconstructed with the same blue energy it seemed to appear from. As more and more of the arm appeared, its pace of reconstruction sped up. The radius and the ulna connected to the humerus, and quickly sped forward to start forming the shoulder joint and blade.

Crack.

Another hand dug itself into the ground, as if to brace itself to keep it from being pulled back into the aether it had formed from. This arm crackled into existence like wildfire, racing to catch up to its partner. Once caught up, the skeleton formed the clavicle and connected to a freshly made sternum. From there the energy brancedh around from front to back in the shape of ribs, meeting together at the back to form the spine which would trail downwards rapidly outpacing the ribcage’s completion to begin work on the hips. As the final pair of ribs formed, the pelvis had been completed, and the skeleton expanded both upwards and downwards. Two long femurs sprouted from the appropriate sockets, and quickly grew outwards, sprouting a patella as it ended, spurring on twin growths of the tibia and fibula. Upwards the spine had expanded and was now working on piecing together the various plates of a skull. After a few moments a whole, glowing skeleton was poised on its hands and knees, illuminating the dark room.

“Rough mission I take it?” The question hung in the air, and the newly formed skeleton looked up to see a cloaked figure sitting on a simple wooden stool, staring at it. The glowing anomaly cocked its head to one side and looked at the speaker with empty eye sockets, cursing its lack of facial features at the moment.

“I guess you won’t be able to talk for a few more hours…” The speaker stopped and chuckled. “I guess it doesn’t matter, I was simply checking in to see how you were running things anyways…I don’t have time to stay long and wait for you to reform…” The skeleton clacked its teeth in an obnoxious manner and struggled to raise its arm to gesture for the speaker to stay. How it did so without a muscle system was a mystery.

“I can’t stay.” The woman spoke, a sigh escaping her lips. “Fate has called me elsewhere…” The skeleton clacked again, trying to raise itself to its feet. “Don’t give me lip.” She rose and waggled her finger at the “monster” before her. “You may be the Emperor now, but remember who forged you into that man…Vincent.” The woman turned around and strode off into the darkness. The Emperor struggled to rise to his feet, but the stress of rebirth had drained him. The woman stopped, completely obscured by the shadows and turned to look back at the pitiful glowing remains of Vincent Cain.

“I know it doesn’t mean much from a woman who’s abandoned you…but…” She paused for a moment. “I’m proud of the man you’ve become…and the way you’ve led the Tarot…” With that she turned away and simply walked off into the darkness, as if the shadows were some sort of portal.

“The future of this world shines brighter with men like you in it…”