89 EXT. FIFTH CITY - SQUARE - DAY

The CLOCK is finally almost at zero. Joseph is escorted by a squad of Warpriests into the open space, a small crowd beginning to form around the site, murmuring with a general air of confusion and anxiety. Solomon is present, standing in chains as a witness with a pair of Warpriests either side of him. Sophia, heading the squad, turns to Joseph.

SOPHIA

I have no intention to be present for the moment you die. I will not hear any last requests from you. Let it be known that the thief who tried to steal our redemption from us failed. On the moment that the final Star arrives, you will be sacrificed for your sins. We will not meet again.

She turns to go, heading towards the edge of the city in the complete opposite direction to the Tower.

WARPRIEST #1

Holiness?

SOPHIA

I have more important things to do. You know your mark.

She departs. The CLOCK counts down to two minutes remaining as the Warpriests stand in silence. They raise their guns, preparing to execute their target.

JOSEPH

Solomon.

Solomon makes eye contact with him.

JOSEPH

Tell Aether I'm sorry.

SOLOMON

Tell her yourself.

Joseph chuckles.

JOSEPH

You finally do jokes?

Solomon pulls his arms apart, and his chains snap. Joseph stares in shock as Solomon dispatches the Warpriests by his side immediately. The crowd screams, beginning to flee. The executioners turn on Solomon, opening fire, but he has already picked up one of the guards to use their body armour as a shield. Grabbing a gun that his human shield dropped, he makes short work of the entire firing squad. Silence falls on the scene. Joseph is dumbstruck.

JOSEPH

Okay then. Taking that as a no.

SOLOMON

I hope you really did want to talk to Aether.

JOSEPH

Yeah. You could say that.

SOLOMON

Good. Well, if you're set on storming the most heavily guarded building on the planet right now, you're going to need one of these.

He picks up a second machine gun from the other guard, tossing it over. Now armed, resolve fills Joseph's body.

JOSEPH

How long have we got?

He takes a look at the clock - the time is zero. The clouds burst. A blindingly bright light shines on the city as the Last Star touches the tip of the Shrine. The divine patterns fill the sky.

The End is here.

The bodies of the dying Warpriests lying on the ground around them slowly begin to turn into motes of light, gradually dissolving into the sky.

JOSEPH

Is that...?

SOLOMON

She's saving them, is she?

BEAT. The two watch the display for a few seconds.

SOLOMON

I'm not slowing down for you.

JOSEPH

You'd better not.

The two sprint at full speed towards the Tower.

90 INT. FIFTH TOWER - INNER SHRINE - DAY

Aether is alone in the heart of the Shrine. She is on her knees, hands clasped together. Her entire body is shining as the light of the Last Star begins to enter her. Any regrets she may have had are drowned out by here and now. The tremendous energy entering her body lights up the entire chamber in divine patterns, and she begins to scream. What comes out is not a cry of pain, but a godly hymn.

91 INT. FIFTH TOWER - ENTRANCE - DAY

The entrance to the Fifth Tower is enormous, as grand as anyone would expect from the ultimate temple. Warpriests line the antechamber, loading their weapons to the sound of gunfire outside. Their bodies are glowing, already beginning to fade away, but they keep their weapons trained on the entrance. Solomon and Joseph take cover at either side of the doorway, avoiding the onslaught of lead that erupts from inside.

JOSEPH

What's happening to them?

SOLOMON

I don't know. It's probably the nature of the Fifth God.

JOSEPH

But we're fine!

SOLOMON

Of course we are. At a time like this, Aether would want to talk to you.

Solomon takes a few potshots, and Joseph tries the same.

92 EXT. FIFTH CITY - STREETS - DAY

The populace of the city are staring up at the divine patterns and the falling Star, paralysed by sheer awe. Those inside begin to step out of shops and their homes to see the light above. A child looks at their hands as they begin to transform slowly into motes of light. The people are starting to dissolve and disappear, and they joyfully accept their fates. People start to cheer and weep with happiness. Friends and family embrace each other. The sources of the motes cannot be told apart as they float away into the divine patterns.

93 INT. FIFTH TOWER - ENTRANCE - DAY

The Warpriests have dissolved to the point that they can no longer fight. Even those who are still alive no longer have arms. Solomon and Joseph are intact, hurrying further in. Solomon stops, raising his rifle, and Joseph follows suit. Saul - holding his jar - and Photine are walking down the corridor toward them.

SAUL

Good day, Solomon. And you must be Aether's friend.

SOLOMON

What are you doing here?

JOSEPH

Who's this?

SAUL

Relax. I was just going for an afternoon stroll, since I have no work left to do.

PHOTINE

Where's Sophia?

JOSEPH

She started walking toward the hills.

Photine sprints past the pair, headed for the exit.

SAUL

She's unusually motivated. Well, it's a big day.

SOLOMON

(to Joseph)

Come on.

The two hurry past him as he continues to walk.

SAUL

Solomon.

Solomon briefly stops.

SOLOMON

Father. I've already changed my mind.

SAUL

I know. I just wanted to say that you shouldn't go out with any regrets.

SOLOMON

I won't.

With that, Solomon gets moving again, catching up to Joseph and disappearing around a corner. Saul keeps walking, stepping into the sunlight at the entrance. Turning to light, he holds up the jar, only to see that the foetus is not reacting to The End at all - it remains dead flesh, unchanging. Saul manages a wistful smile, and the jar falls to the stone steps, shattering to pieces as the hands holding it vanish.