The Last Message of December 21st

December 21st, 2025. The end of the world, as predicted by the Mayan calendar, had passed without incident. But in the parallel timeline of their reality, the end of the world was not a myth—it was a reality. And the message, broadcasted by a time traveler named Okabe Rintarou, was their last hope.

The group of friends—Mayuri Shiina, Itaru Hashida, Daru Asakura, and Kurisu Makise—gathered in a small, dimly lit room in a university lab. The walls were lined with half-finished experiments and the air was thick with the scent of chemicals. This was their sanctuary, their haven from the chaos outside.

"Listen up, everyone," Okabe said, his voice tinged with urgency. "We have received a message from the future. It's a message from myself, but not the me you know. It's from a version of me that doesn't exist in this timeline."

The room fell silent as Okabe pressed a button on a makeshift device. The screen flickered to life, showing a video of him from a year into the future. The Rintarou on screen was a changed man, his face gaunt, eyes hollowed, and clothes worn and tattered.

"This is a parallel timeline," the future Rintarou said. "We have failed to prevent the world from ending. The only way to save this world is to create a new timeline where we can all live together."

The room was a whirlwind of emotions. "How?" Daru asked, his voice trembling.

"The message," Okabe continued, "is from a point in time where we have succeeded. But it comes with a cost. We have to make a sacrifice. A very big sacrifice."

Kurisu, who had been quiet, leaned forward. "What kind of sacrifice?"

"The sacrifice is you," the video Rintarou said. "If you die on this day, we can create a new timeline where the world is saved, and all of us can live on."

The room erupted in protest. "No!" Daru shouted. "This is crazy! You can't just ask someone to die for everyone else!"

But Okabe remained calm. "I know it's a hard thing to ask. But we don't have a choice. This is the only way to save everyone."

The days that followed were a blur of preparations. The group worked tirelessly, setting up the final experiment that would either save their world or end it once and for all. Kurisu, the most skeptical, was the one who volunteered to make the ultimate sacrifice.

As December 21st approached, the group spent their final hours in the lab, surrounded by equations and graphs. Okabe's eyes were fixed on the clock, counting down the seconds until the experiment would begin.

Finally, the time came. Kurisu stood at the center of the room, a countdown timer visible on the screen. She took a deep breath and looked at her friends. "I'm ready," she said.

"Stay with us, Kurisu," Okabe whispered.

The timer hit zero, and the experiment began. The room filled with a blinding light, and the air was filled with a symphony of crackling and buzzing sounds. When the light faded, Kurisu was gone, replaced by a strange, otherworldly entity.

The group rushed to her side, but it was too late. Kurisu was no more. The entity, however, spoke to them. "I am Kurisu Makise, from a parallel timeline. I am the sacrifice that created this new world. I am here to thank you for giving me the chance to live."

The room fell silent as the truth settled in. The sacrifice had been successful. The world was saved, and they were all part of a new beginning.

In the days that followed, the group learned to live in the new world. They had become heroes, their names etched in history. But the memory of Kurisu, the one who made it all possible, remained etched in their hearts.

As the years passed, they would sometimes gather in the lab, their eyes fixed on the clock, counting down the seconds to the day they would all meet again. They knew that Kurisu was watching over them, her spirit guiding them through the new world they had created together.

The Last Message of December 21st was a tale of sacrifice, love, and hope. It was a story that would be told for generations, a reminder that sometimes, to save the world, one must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.