Disclaimer: I do not own the Xenosaga series. Or the Warhammer 40,000 franchise.

'Thoughts'

"Words"

Xenosaga: Es Lasst Sich Nicht Lesen

Chapter 8: KOSMOS' Encephalon Dive Pt. 2

by: Nim Maj

Katsu was enjoying the power rush after turning into the Avatar of Khaine from his Warhammer 40000 figurine collection. 'That was quite the rare pleasure.' he thought as he basked in his sudden vacation as the hostilities wound down.

NONE SHALL ESCAPE MY WRATH!

Avatar Katsu stepped forward as the others slowly drew of to the sides of the room. Facing the beast he raised his sword so that the blade covered his right eye. Then he burst into a flurry of motion, shoulder charging with his left shoulder. Followed up by a backhanded blow with the same arm, the Tiamat reeled before being stabbed through the eye with the point of the burning blade. The monster shrieked somehow, to make it's pain felt.

Pulling the sword back out, Katsu then grabbed the monster with his left hand to keep it still, ignoring the monster's flails that struck his back. Giving a mighty roar, Katsu raised the sword and severed the left arm of the monster. Raising it again, this time he stabbed the beast by first reversing his grip on the sword and stabbing down into the top of the monster, through its upper body and jabbing into the lower half.

Finally letting go, he stepped back and grabbed the gaping eye socket again, this time with his right hand and pulled out the sword with his left. A smooth move later and the Tiamat was without both arms.

Now flailing madly, Katsu stepped back from the wounded monster as it raised its tail to strike. As it came down, Katsu parried with his blade and lashed out in a counter that scored the Tiamat's flesh. Stepping forward again in a charge, Katsu led with an arm and lifted up the upper half of the monster to slash at the thin spine that attached the beast's upper and lower halves, completely severing the two.

As its body collapsed, the tail flailing uselessly, Katsu grabbed the eye socket once more and moved the upper half to the side, and drove the sword through the middle once again, but this time pinning it into the ground. Moving around the body, he wrestled the tail into both of his hands and gripped it to his chest. After making sure it was nice and tight, he pulled the tail taut and began dragging the tail in a circular motion with the sword as the center. The Tiamat was not stabbed, sliced, cut or even impaled to death. No, it was gored. Imaginary flesh was pulped by the sword as the body offered but weak resistance to the burning blade. Fortunately for the manifestation of fear, it disappeared in a flash of light leaving the Avatar's victorious roars echoing in the ears of the shocked, and in some cases sickened, observers.

After defeating the beast, the world shattered to reveal a bright sunny day complete with blue skies and green fields. In front of them was a tree with two girls running around a tree playing while a Febronia watched.

"I am sorry Shion... I know it was hard for you but..." the Febronia beside them said as they watched the happy scene.

"There are... two of you..." Shion replied confused.

"The woman sitting over there isn't me. It's just an image created for the girls. An illusion." Febronia explained. "This is their world. Created solely for Cecily and Cathe. I am using KOSMOS' Encephalon construction abilities to show it to all of you."

"But... they seem to be so happy..." Allen commented.

"Would you say that... if you were to see this?" The scene quickly shifted to that of a dead world, with Cecily and Cathe still running around the dead tree as if nothing was wrong.

"This is... just an illusion that traps them here.... A binding spell created by mankind to control the Zohar. But, as far as they know, this is reality." Febronia paused a moment before continuing. "I want you… to release my sisters…. Please, for the future of the Realians as well.

"The future of the Realians…?"

"Not just for their future, but for the future of humans, non-humans, and all manner of living consciousness." The little girl with orange hair added. "Feb and I can only exist in this world of consciousness. We can only come into contact with the real world for a short time. That is why I called for all of you, so that the future may be changed."

"Change… the future?"

"Look."

The world faded out and was replaced with a view of space. Before them a world appeared viewed as if it was far away and they on a ship.

"Miltia…" Shion identified the planet. All of a sudden, Zooming in from the depths of space came a KOSMOS. This one was outfitted with energy wings and various other pieces of weaponry attached to her body.

"That's… KOSMOS?!"

Before them, the world was covered in an angry red aura. Focusing at one area, a stream of red energy lanced out to strike at KOSMOS. She countered with a blue stream from her shoulder mounted cannons. The two streams met and the resulting explosion engulfed a galaxy. Shion gasped in awe and surprise.

"That stream of energy… is the consciousness known as U-DO."

"What? U-DO…?!" asked a surprised Jr.

"U-Do was the source of the space-time anomaly that engulfed Miltia. 14 years ago." Nephilim continued as they watched the explosion finally die down. "What you just saw was a vision of the future where U-DO encounters KOSMOS in the form in which she was meant to be. U-DO will awaken soon. He feeds upon the consciousness of those who intend to awaken him, as well as those who seek him."

"It's gonna wake up… soon…?"

"The future you just saw is but one of an infinite set of potential phenomena. But that does not mean the future is already set. Even the smallest of waves can spread throughout the whole. Phenomena change with every moment, just like a drifting wave."

"Are you saying… that we're that wave?"

"Yet before it all begins, I wanted you to face your pasts. But, I see you are not ready yet. I am sorry."

"But, why us?"

"Shion, you were once touched by a Gnosis." she elaborated, eliciting a small gasp from Shion." Despite that, you remain unchanged, the same as before. That is why…"

"That's why…?"

"There will be a time when I can discuss why. If you go back to Miltia, the place where it all began, then, you will see…" with that, they faded out.

"Wait!" Shion cried out, but they were already gone. Where they stood, a door formed out of nothing, and the group passed through.

As the group passed through the door, Katsu took the time to revert to his usual body, and joined the rest on the other side. They entered a to find a cave with KOSMOS tied with cables to a lumpy cross.

Shion reached out to brush KOSMOS' face. "KOSMOS… so this is your…" she stopped as KOSMOS began to glow, causing the cave to dim. "Ye shall be as gods…" Shion said as her hand moved in a cross motion.

"Disarming subconscious domain protection." Were the last words everyone heard before they were engulfed in a blue light. Moments later, they opened their eyes in the real world. As their senses readjusted, KOSMOS maintenance bed opened up and she too opened her eyes and sat up. Getting up from her seat, Shion started with her usual, "Good morning… KOSMOS…"

"Good morning, Shion." Was KOSMOS' reply before she took in the people around her.

"Well, looks like we all managed to make it back." was Chaos' comment.

"Chief!" Allen cried out joyfully as he ran and hugged Shion. "I'm so relieved you're okay!"

"A… Allen?" was Shion's confused reply.

A/N

Sorry! Unfortunately, I don't think I can get to this story very often at the moment. I lost interest in it for a while followed by heavy school work. But I'm back! However, don't expect any updates for 3-4 weeks. Unless I feel really compelled.