One way or another, you’ve found yourself desperately in love with Ceres Fauna, Speaker of Nature, and a literal goddess to boot. One of 5 equally powerful beings, she has shown consistent affection towards you, far more so than the other four, and today you two are on a scenic woodland walk near her forest home. You have never felt closer to anyone else in your life, even having known Fauna for a mere few months. This is all in spite of your initial interest being in her companion-turned-rival, Ouro Kronii, whose tendency for oversleeping and missing your planned dates caused you to cut her off suddenly and painfully. Kronii has been bitter about the whole ordeal ever since, though you rarely hear from her nowadays. Fauna meanwhile has been much more punctual, but you are always a little concerned about Kronii’s potential jealously considering her alleged tendency for sadism. Still, you haven’t seen Kronii for weeks, and Fauna seems so protective - like a mother almost - what harm could the warden of time possibly do?
“Enjoying the walk, anon?” Fauna’s lovely, reassuring voice breaks through the afternoon birdsong, and you of course respond with a resounding yes. “Good, I’m so glad we can spend this time together~” she giggles, maintaining a tight grip of your hand as she lightly paces through the grass. She’s as pretty and delicate as any rare flower, and yet she enjoys spending time with you of all people. You’ve never felt happier in your life, so it would seem. The myriad beech trees around you are in full leaf, and a carpet of bluebells mixed with grass flanks your path, scenting it pleasantly and joined by the hum of bumblebees. At the end of the path you approach an old, gnarled oak tree. It’s clearly one that’s weathered many centuries judging by its dog-leg branches and many cracks, holes and crevices, yet it’s still very much alive.
In front of this veteran of the forest, you two pause, still holding hands, before Fauna looks longingly at the tree and then back to you. “You know…this old tree was once my favourite little sapling. I raised it and made it big and strong, and it’s always been there for me since.” She sighs for a moment before she continues. “But…I think I’ve found a new favourite, riiight next to me” she turns to face you, blushing cutely and strongly. “You love nature, don’t you?” She asks, placing a hand on your cheek and looking at you with puppy eyes. You nod, for how could you not love nature when someone so beautiful is responsible for it? “So take me in your arms and kiss me~” You embrace the Kirin gladly, pulling her close, and she brings her lips to yours as you kiss for what feels like an eternity. Her welcoming arms are wrapped around you in return, and your worries and woes melt away in an instant. No one, nothing, can stop your love for Fauna now, and you feel you two could be together forever from this one moment.
Or so you think.
Fauna pulls away, still standing in front of you, and smiles beautifully, looking elegant and serene in this forest of hers. Time feels slowed down, and you are back to holding hands, looking each other in the eyes - when you hear the distinctive sound of a clock rapidly winding down. In a split second your bliss and serenity is violently shattered, as a long, powerful blade pierces through the unsuspecting kirin’s back. It pokes all the way through her, showering and staining both of you with blood. As quickly as it went in, the sword is withdrawn, and the light fades from the Kirin’s eyes. All she can do is let out a feeble “A-anon, I-“ before she falls backward with a slump, revealing the culprit. None other than Ouro Kronii.
The warden stands over her former friend, holding one of her trademark swords, coated in blood and now pointed at you. You are filled with shock and disbelief, and apparently so is the surrounding forest, for the leaves seem to be falling off the trees and losing their green colour in mere moments. Kronii at last speaks through the surreal silence. “I will not let her have you. I’ve seen enough timelines where she gets her way, and I’m not gonna stand for it. You belong to me” Kronii walks threateningly towards you and you instinctively back away as her blade tip remains inches from your throat. Inadvertently you end up against that old tree, which seems to audibly groan and creak as if in mourning for the death of its progenitor. The birdsong seems to have halted as well, and the once wonderful woods are eerily calm.
“You really think I’d just fucking forgive you for walking out like that, huh? For leaving me in the dark whilst you frolic off in the forest?” Pure hatred fuels the enraged clock maiden’s voice, and it seems as if she has slowed the time around her. All the better to emphasise her anger and draw out your pain. She looms over you, dangerously close to pinning you to the tree with those blades, as you struggle to remain standing. “You’re lucky I love you so much, I came to rescue you from her and set the timelines right. Now you can spend your time with me….” Her eyes glow dark blue in a strange mix of love and hatred, and in a vain attempt to seduce you. Your fight or flight response finally triggers with all this emotional shock, and you frantically run through your pockets, desperate to find something to help.
One of the other girls, Mumei, had gifted you a smaller version of her trademark hunting knife for self defence, and this was as good a time as any. You unsheath it and attempt to stab the warden’s vulnerable breasts only to be stopped in your tracks. She effortlessly, almost thoughtlessly deflects the blade. In the same movement she wrests it from your hands, pinning you to the tree with her sword as she does so. The thin yet sharp blade is right up against your throat, and you can feel the warm Kirin blood dripping mockingly from its tip. Time seems to skip ahead for a moment and you feel sharp pains in your legs, as if Kronii paused time to cut them open.
“Really anon? You’re really going to try and fight me? Don’t you know nothing can resist the onslaught of time?” declares Kronii, in a gloating tone. You wince as you prepare for a slow and painful demise, when suddenly Kronii recoils at roots wrapping around her leg. "Leave…him…alone…” a weak, raspy voice shows Fauna still has some fight left in her. Desperately she raises her head and a single hand to cast some last ditch form of ancient Druidic magic. It’s not enough, though - Kronii angrily breaks free and storms over to the helpless Kirin and places a foot on her back to subdue her. Unarmed and weak, you frantically try to run after Kronii, but you are not fast enough. You attempt to knock the lanky warden over, but are yourself pushed to the floor by a kick from Kronii's free leg. She stands atop both of you, keeping you on the floor and unable to resist. As you flail and struggle to lift yourself up from the grass you are just in time to witness Kronii about to plunge Mumei's blade through the back of Fauna’s neck. Kronii flashes an evil grin at you, and at once sinks in the blade, twisting it and dragging downward. The Kirin lets out a final, pained yelp before all is over for her. Now both your blade and Kronii's are baptised in the blood of your former lover, and you can do nothing but lie on the ground and await the judgement of the Warden.
Kronii discards your bloodied knife to free her hand and grabs you by the neck to pull you back up. You desperately try to shove her away, but the second your hand touches her it is cut right off. Blood spills everywhere as Kronii decides to throw you against the tree. “You’ve left me no choice, anon. If I can’t have you…no one can.” She closes her hand around your neck to choke you, and your kicks and struggles are completely ineffective. Trying to push her away with your remaining hand and bleeding stump just gets the other hand cut off. You are rapidly showered in a mix of Fauna’s left over blood and your own, as the warden closes in on her prey. She draws her other sword now, with you unable to do anything to stop or delay her.
“I’ll kill you just the same way I killed her, since you wanted to be together so much. Kroyasumi, anon. See you in another timeline.” Sure enough she’s true to her word. One blade pierces right through your chest, straight into your heart and through the dying bark of the tree. Through bloodshot and teary eyes you can see this ancient forest dies with its mistress, having lost its green the moment she lost her life. The other sword, a mere moment later, pierces through your neck, twisting and turning as Kronii displays an expression of pure and utter hatred. All fades to black for you, and your final thoughts remain with that moment of bliss with Fauna. Kronii withdraws her swords and your body slumps to the floor, abandoned in the dying forest just like that of Fauna, left face down in the withering grass. The sadistic warden shows no regret for her actions, walking away well aware that she will be exiled and condemned by the Council for killing one of their own. Though should it come to it, her powers are more than enough to reign them in, and kill the rest if required.
Perhaps in another timeline anon would learn to remain loyal to her, she thinks to herself, before leaving the two of you to rest in the forest together for eternity.