AN: Shit is starting to go down! As always, enjoy the chapter!
Now, I don't usually do this, but I'll once again say that you shouldn't be afraid to review. I require the feedback to sustain my existence after all!
But in all seriousness, do say something.
Anyway, here, my newest offering.
-!-
The sweat dripped down Miku's brows as she finished the last repetition of punches against the punching bag in front of her. Stepping away, she took a moment to catch her breath, stretching her neck and shoulders as the tension began to fade from them.
"Very well done, Miku-kun," Genjuro said as he approached. "Your technique has improved dramatically. I dare say you're really becoming up to par with everyone else; your accuracy and power are really something else."
"But it's still not enough." She answered, still staring at the punching bag in front of her. It turned out Genjuro truly thought ahead in regards to the targets, as having a Symphogear empowered user deliver blows to a mere punching bag would obviously result in its destruction.
Just like this one.
The sand filling the punching bag once again began to fall out of its container through the small hole Miku made in it with her fists. Even if this time she was asked to hold back a bit, for the sake of the equipment and as part of the training, she still caused it damage without meaning to.
Well, what's a punching bag in the face of her goal.
"If you feel like it isn't, then we can keep going after a short break," He said with a huff, crossing his arms. A sudden ringing sound rose from his pocket, causing him to look down at it and retrieve his phone. "Excuse me." He said to her, and turned around, answering it.
While he was occupied with his call, Miku went to the rest table to refresh herself. She grabbed her water bottle forcefully and once again chugged it down, feeling the cool liquid sliding down her throat. Rubbing her lips with her arm, she too found herself lost in thought once again.
And then it hit her. It was as if a blaring red light suddenly lit up inside of her mind, and her eyes widened, darting about to and fro as she hurriedly looked for the source of that feeling.
Only to instantly realize what it was, as she knew it felt familiar. Her guts wrenched as her face scrunched up in concern, feeling the familiar anger rising inside of her, only to swallow it down as she tried to focus on the world once more.
RING RING RING
Until her own phone started ringing. She stared at the device, vibrating loudly against the table, watching as it moved across it from the force of its own vibrations. She had brought it here with her on a total whim, and had barely used it the entire time she trained. She had planned on ignoring it completely, but the alarm in her mind forced her hand forward, and she took hold of it quickly.
'Andou Kuriyo'
Her eyes narrowed, and with her curiosity peaked she answered. "Hello?"
"Hina! Thank god I managed to catch you!" The girl on the other hand panickingly said.
"Kuriyo? What's wrong?" She asked her, trying to understand what that gut feeling she had was. It was too much to be purely a coincidence, and deciding to humor the girl, she did not hang up on her.
For what she said next caused Miku's blood to go cold.
"I just saw Bikki!"
And then she understood. She knew about the connection the two concepts shared...and the fact that it happened now of all times confirmed to her exactly what caused it.
She felt her breath starting to quicken once more, and she tried to keep a hold of her composure. Swallowing once, she spoke up. "Where? Where did you see her go?"
"Ah, uhhhhh…" Kuriyo mumbled incoherently, trying to think on what a direction. "I think...the way she went was to the old concert hall! She just showed up when I was at Flower and that's where I saw her go!"
The concert hall?
The gears spun in Miku's head, leaving her speechless until Genjuro spoke.
"Miku-kun." He simply said, causing her to turn to him. His expression was serious and alert, and she realized he probably heard similar information from someone else.
"Kuriyo, I have to go." She said to her friend. Not bothering to wait for a response, she hung up the call and once more met his gaze. "We have to go."
"Yeah."
Leaving everything behind, the two turned to the door of the simulator and ran.
-!-
"The time has come, I see." Saint-Germain said to herself. Rising from her work table, she grabbed the bag containing the Alca-Noise crystals and holstered it around her waist. She took her gun, adorned with her Lapis, and the satchel containing various gems she knew she'd need.
Surveying over the room one last time, she hurried to the bridge, completely missing how one singular jewel amongst the many she had shone briefly before once more settling down.
-!-
"Activate the alarms and give me a status report!" Genjuro ordered upon entering the bridge, Miku right behind him. He thundered towards his console and slammed his hands down upon it, listening to and watching his subordinates as they worked frantically. Immediately afterwards the red lights flashed inside of headquarters as alert levels rose.
"I…" Aoi began, staring at her screen in confusion. "I'm not sure! But we've detected a very large curse cluster in the city!"
"A curse cluster?!" Genjuro asked in a yell. They found only curses? That doesn't make even a tiny bit of sense! "What about Aufwachen?! Divine power?! Anything else?!"
"Nothing else sir!" She responded. "Nothing but that! Everything else is completely silent!"
His mind raged. What does that mean then? Was this part of that total corruption Adam Weishaupt talked about?
At that moment everyone else arrived in the bridge. The door opened and the other wielders came rushing inside in their civilians clothes, and right behind them was Elfnein with Adam in her hands. She ran to her console quickly and sat down, placing Adam next to her as she booted up her system.
"Do we have visual?! Anything?!"
"No sir! We are still looking!"
At that moment Miku burst into their conversation loudly. "The old concert hall! Check there!"
Genjuro looked to her for a moment, then turned his head back. They all watched as the display zoomed in the location she said, Saint-Germain entering the bridge right at that moment.
And they saw her. Right there, under the humongous structure that housed the concert hall, she sat on the stairs. Her hands behind her, she leaned backwards and stared into the sky, and their image also showed the big smile she had plastered on her face.
Then she turned to them, her head tilting as she looked straight into the satellite's camera, and her smile only widened further.
There was total silence on the bridge as shocked filled them all as one. Swallowing nervously from the unnerving expression on her face, Genjuro gave out his next set of orders. "Sound the alarm in the city. Have everyone go underground immediatel-"
"No," Miku suddenly interrupted him. "The shelters won't be enough this time."
He looked to her with wide eyes as she continued. "This is different. Hiding won't save them; you have to evacuate the whole city."
Gasps were heard from the crew members at her blunt declaration. "Evacuate the entire city?! Are you sure?!"
"Yes, I'm sure," She said to him, nodding once. Her eyes not leaving the display for a moment, he watched as her brows furrowed in concentration. "We don't have much time. She's waiting for us, but she won't be patient forever. You have to do it right away and as fast as possible."
"She's waiting for us…" Maria murmured behind her, putting a finger on her chin in thought. No one responded to her as Genjuro contemplated his next action.
No, there was no point in contemplating anything. He grit his teeth in frustration. "Send an evacuation alert! Have it happen as soon as possible!" He ordered with a shout. "We're damn lucky there aren't a lot of people in the city anyway, but it will still take time."
"That's fine," Miku said. "Because we're heading out right now. We'll stall for time."
She clenched her fists and turned around to the door, her armored feet clanging against the steel floorboards. As she passed by her teammates, not a single one of them missed the sudden flaring of her spirit, nor the dreadful crimson aura that begun to rise from her as the thought of her enemy rose up in her mind, showing itself after a while of being gone.
"Any Noise signatures? Black beasts?" Genjuro asked his subordinates, causing Miku to stop before the doorway.
"Nothing sir, just her."
"They'll be coming," Miku announced. "Let's go."
And she left the bridge, heading to the outside. The other wielders and Saint-Germain followed after her, and Tsubasa threw one last glance to her uncle before she too headed out, mentally preparing herself for the coming grueling battle.
-!-
She stared into the sky, thinking of nothing in particular. Humming a melody to herself amongst the chaos that the city descended into, she drowned out the sounds of the sirens blaring loudly in the background. The city was being evacuated, she noticed, and that sat fine with her.
She wasn't here for those people after all.
No, she was waiting for a special few, and among them...a very unique one.
Hibiki swung her legs nonchalantly as she waited. "You're taking too long." She said, smiling towards a section in the sky again where she knew the satellite was, pointed right to her. Everything right now in her vision felt so...clear, like a veil of the world has been ripped away, and her heart was filled with such serenity she could not explain it. In fact, she was so calm she was giddy, and felt herself becoming impatient as she had to wait for them for more and more time.
The sun set on the horizon, the last vestiges of twilight beginning to fade from the sky. She figured maybe an hour passed, and now the city was much quieter than it has ever been. The evacuation must be done, or at least close to being done by now.
She had to give it to S.O.N.G, they really knew how to act fast when they wanted.
Well, not like it really mattered in the end.
Her legs came to a stop, and she finally lowered her gaze to stare ahead at the approaching group. Her disturbing smile grew wider as they came into her vision, the sight of the six Symphogear wielders with Saint-Germain in tow filling her with such strange joy she couldn't describe it.
When they finally got within around five meters of her, Hibiki finally spoke up. "Geez guys! It took you way too long to get here! Buuuuuuuut you're here now, and that's wonderful!"
"I wouldn't use the word 'wonderful' in that context, Hibiki," Tsubasa said with a careful, suspicious tone. "And unless you've forgotten, school is out of session."
Hibiki let out a laugh, and tugged at her school uniform sheepishly. "Oh this? Just a weird whim I had that's all, it's not actually important-"
"Stop speaking like that with her voice, demon." Miku growled out between clenched teeth, taking a step towards her.
But Hibiki simply put a finger against her cheek and tilted her head in what seemed like actual confusion and puzzlement. "Awww but Miku! It really is me! Can't you see? I'm right here! Silly Miku, you're always so worried all the time! It's adorable."
She tilted her head to the other side this time, her eyes shining. "I'll tell you a secret Miku: I've been dying to see you all this time! I'm sorry if I made you wait too long, but I'm here now. So come with me Miku; you don't need that thing. Let's go to a special, special world with just the two of us. Trust me, it will be...amazing."
The Shenshoujing wielder gave her absolutely no response, and only glared hatefully at the form of her best frien- no...the one she loved. The fact that the demon dared to masquerade as her right in her face was infuriating beyond belief, and the only thing holding her back from attacking straight away was the sheer oddity of the situation.
There was something more at play here she was not aware of. Hibiki- no, the demon had another trick up its sleeve if it could come here and speak so casually, when last time it was nothing like this.
"How is it possible there is no Aufwachen signal coming from her?" Genjuro asked in bewilderment over the comm.
"Because the possibility that Gungnir as we know it no longer exists," Saint-Germain answered, keeping her eyes locked on Hibiki as she raised her hand to her earpiece. "I can only assume that it was consumed by the curses at this point; its existence as a relic and a Symphogear must have been completely erased, and now...it's something else."
Hibiki completely ignored the chatter from the alchemist, deeming it worthless. No, in fact, all of the wielders in front of her now just seemed so absolutely worthless in her eyes.
All except for Miku, who shone so brightly it was blinding.
Just how she liked it.
"What do you say, Miku? It will be fun!" Hibiki said, clapping her hands together.
This time Miku responded, and she raised her fan at the demon, pointing the mirror at its end straight at it. "The only thing I'll be doing is ripping you to pieces," She declared, her voice containing a dangerous edge. "And take Hibiki back with me. YOU don't belong!"
Hibiki's face turned into a sad frown, and she raised a hand to clear away a non-existent tear. "Wahhhh, Miku hates me now! But that's okay, we fought before so it's nothing new! And we said we wouldn't hide secrets anymore either, so I'm not really sad! After making up our bond will become stronger, I know it!"
Chris clenched her fists in fury. "What the hell are you going on about you-"
"WHO THE FUCK SAID YOU COULD SPEAK?!"
And Hibiki waved her hand in front of her, a wave of darkness suddenly shooting forward towards the wielders. Recoiling from the sudden aggression, they were prepared to counterattack until Miku swung her fan and cut the wave in two, causing it to fade away harmlessly into the wind.
The sudden vulgar and earthshaking scream from Hibiki caught them off guard, but Miku stood steadfast before the demon.
She smiled again, putting her hands together. "Silly Chris-chan! You know you shouldn't talk without permission! I was speaking to Miku, so only when I call on you you're allowed to speak, okay?"
The Ichaival wielder's eyes widened in shock as she stared at her, and she was left speechless after the outburst.
And she clapped her hands again, smiling brightly. "Oh, that's right!" She suddenly said in a happy tone. "Miku, you won't believe it, but we have a child now!"
The group narrowed their eyes in a dumbfounded expression, her sudden announcement catching them completely flat footed. Only Miku remained with the glare on her face, not at all fazed by the words. Only a slightly raised eyebrow was any indication she acknowledged them at all.
"But she's a bit of a rowdy one, so how about we wait until everyone's done running away? I think it will be fun to have her come out and play!" She continued, standing up from the stairs, tilting her head left and right. "We can play house now Miku! I'll be the daddy, you be the mommy, and we have our little cutiepie now! Isn't that great?!"
Careful as to not anger the absolutely mad Hibiki in front of her, Kirika spoke in a low voice, speaking into Shirabe's ear. "What the heck is going on with her? This is too different from before!"
"Now now Kirika-chan! No whispering!" Hibiki suddenly said, causing Kirika to yelp in surprise. "We said no secrets after all! Silly Kirika-chan, I might actually have to punish you now!"
It sent shivers down the Ig-Alima user's spine, and Shirabe gazed at the corrupted wielder with the eyes of a hawk, studying her motions carefully.
"How much time will this take, geez!" Hibiki continued in her own strange temper tantrum. "I want to have fun already! Hurry up!"
Silence descended upon the courtyard as Hibiki began to pace to and fro in front of them, their eyes tracking her as she moved about. She put a finger to her chin in thought, thinking of things that were probably too outlandish for them to accept.
"Hmmm, she's a big child, so feeding her will be a problem…"
They saw as she suddenly had a sort of eureka moment, looking like she came up with some marvelous idea. "Oh, of course! Miku is the mommy after all so she can feed her! Hey Miku, think you could do that? I mean, I don't know anything about raising kids after all! You were always better than me at all the housework thing!"
"Shut up with all this nonsense, demon," Miku retorted angrily. "I'm not falling for your twisted and sick lies."
"But I'm not lying Miku, believe me!" Hibiki said, throwing her arms into the air. "She really does exist! Just give it a minute!"
'What could possibly happen once the evacuation finishes?' Tsubasa wondered to herself. 'We need to be ready for anything. I have a very bad feeling about this, as only those with a trump card can allow themselves to be so careless.'
But was it carelessness, or madness that drove this...Hibiki in front of her to such strange length and to spout such strange words?
There was once more silence, the tension in the air so high it could be cut with a knife, and the feeling that hell would descend upon them once it did would not leave their minds.
And then finally, the announcement came.
"Everyone...the evacuation is done." Genjuro said to them cautiously, as he was well aware just like them that something was very wrong.
And it was something that Hibiki could hear very well.
She once again clapped her hands together happily, and even jumped in joy at the news. "Yay! It can finally begin!" She said.
Maria swallowed, and asked the heavy question. "What can?"
Silence.
And then...Hibiki laughed. She threw her head back and laughed, and it was such a gut wrenching demonic and horrifying sound that they could not believe it was coming from Hibiki's throat. She laughed uproariously and without restraint, and even twirled in place in giddiness and joy, her skirt rising and falling with the wind.
When she finally stopped, she wheezed for a moment, and then stared right at them, her gaze piercing into them all sans Miku.
"Silly Maria-san, isn't it obvious?" She said.
The last light from the sun disappeared from the horizon.
She raised her arm to the sky, and pointed upwards.
"The child can finally come out and play, and…"
Her eyes once more took on that alien, disgusting green glowing shade.
"THE TIME FOR FINAL JUDGEMENT ARRIVES!"
THUMP!
THUMP!
THUMP!
The ground suddenly began shaking as the sound of something striking a surface filled their ears. The wielders balanced themselves quickly as the earth moved, and after a moment finally located the source of the sound, something that Miku already noticed.
'Something is coming!'
They looked up.
And up.
And up.
(Play: Fate/Grand Order OST - Advent Beast II)
Space shattered. As if a window was blown out of the sky itself, shards of reality exploded outwards in a rain of illusionary glass. Yet something within stirred, and that something did not stop with just that. The black void that had suddenly appeared in the sky was suddenly enlarged as more and more of the glass-like shards erupted, the trembling continuing non-stop as something attempted to come out into the world.
And then a hand. An absolutely gigantic hand, colored black and red emerged from the dark hole and pulled on the edges of reality, peeling it away like cardboard. And then another appeared, grasping the other side as it too tore the bits and pieces of the sky away, the shards raining down before disappearing into nothingness in the night.
It continued to tear, attempting to escape into the world proper. But as it continued to peel away reality, the rest of its form a mere silhouette in the darkness, the hands were withdrawn back into the void.
A beat passed.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
It happened all at once. Having lost its patience, the thing crashed against the confines of its prison, and it looked as if the sky itself had collapsed upon them. It was so gigantic it was incomprehensible, and as the wielders looked at it with wide eyes, their minds failed at understanding exactly what it was they were seeing.
With its shackles gone, and its way into reality now wide open, it finally made its true appearance.
The hands emerged once again, grasping at the edges of the doorway as it pulled itself out. A massive black and red leg stepped out, crashing down on the buildings around them as if they were mere bugs in its presence.
And then came the other leg, following after its other, the monster shaking the earth with just the two steps it took out of the void.
What followed it was something that caused the wielders to go into shock, and even Miku, who up until now stared with wide eyes, was caught in total disbelief.
With all its limbs now outside, the rest of its gigantic humanoid body followed, its form now completely visible to them all.
A titan. That was the only way it could possibly be described. Like the great beings that preceded even the gods of Olympus, it stood so tall that its entire height could not be captured without tilting their heads up all the way they could go. It towered above absolutely everything in the vicinity, including the Skytree, the elevated concert hall, and even the mountain range in the horizon.
Yet that was only part of what made it so unbelievable.
No, the biggest shock was the fact that the wielders knew what it was.
They had seen it before, for it was the other conclusion. This thing, this incomprehensible monster looked exactly like what Elfnein's original predictions said it would look like, the only real difference being the offset colors.
The eyeless being turned to the distance it made its final step into the world. Horns dotted out of its head in a twisted facsimile of its creator's hair, and the entire thing screamed Hibiki at them, its frame down to its proportions identical to the corrupted wielder's, only on a much more massive scale.
This was what Hibiki was supposed to have turned into, had things gone as they had assumed. This thing was what should have been, and now, it was truly here; a dangerous and cumbersome presence that bore down on them with its magnitude alone, and its form was altered and tainted beyond belief by the influence of mankind's grudges.
Tsubasa dared to tilt her head back down and look to Hibiki, and found herself at a loss once again.
She was staring up at it, a huge, maniacal smile on her face and her hands spread to the sides as the titan looked around, taking in its surroundings.
Only Chris found the ability to speak as she took fearful steps back, her eyes glued to the monster. "W...what…the fuck...is that…"
A being beyond normal conception, that's what their minds answered.
And Miku's glare filled to the brim with barely restrained fury as she realized that this tremendous presence was made of nothing more than pure, crystallized curses. A being so outrageous it broke the laws of the universe it resided in, and nothing reality had in store could possibly combat it.
The titan raised its head to the sky.
And ROARED.
The air itself shook from the sheer intensity of the soundwaves, its voice coming out in a singsong yet diabolical tone that redefined the meaning of sound itself.
And together with its child, the harbinger of All the Evils of this World laughed.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Two demonic sounds mixed together to form a hellish cacophony.
And in their wake, the very fabric of the universe trembled in terror.
-!-
Fear.
Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. Fear. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. FEEEEAAAAARRRRRRRRR.
Nothing but that one overwhelming emotion filled the hearts of the crew members of S.O.N.G as they clutched their heads in terror just from staring at the thing that had emerged. Some were even screaming, the sheer impossibility of the titan in front of them causing their minds to collapse in on themselves as they tried in vain to understand, yet they could not.
Genjuro's eyes were wide, and his mouth was agape as his brain tried to take in the sight of the astronomical monster. Every sound aside from his own heartbeat failed to reach his ears, and that same emotion began to fill his being too as he couldn't bring himself to even catch a glimpse of the truth that lies in that thing.
Somehow he managed to retain his wits, and could only shakily ask the following question. "H...H...H-how…?!"
"This...is very bad," Adam said, biting his lip. His eyes darted to the data on Elfnein's console, the homunculus having had shut down in shock at the sight of the monstrous impossibility. "I did not expect something even remotely close to this. How big is this thing?...450 Meters in height. Composition?...Unbelievable. Not a single trace of divine power is in this thing. It is truly a monster made out of nothing but condensed curses."
His own eyes widened in disbelief as well, as for the first time in his long life, Adam Weishaupt was now shocked beyond belief. "This...is All the Evils of this World. This is the true evil of humanity given form…"
He swallowed.
"This...is a creation of mankind, nothing less than that. This...won't go unnoticed. They'll come down here for sure, and when that happens...what will happen?" He continued in his mad ramblings, the horror is his voice audible to anyone still able to hear above their own terror. "This...might be the beginning of the end."
His usual haughty attitude vanished.
And he said the words.
"We...have lost. The final moments of humanity...are now at hand."
-!-
Tumbling down
There is no truth
Tumbling down
Impossibility.
Madness unfathomable.
DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE.
A woman screaming.
A madman laughing.
Flesh being pierced. The smell of a rotting corpse.
Sand flows between the finger tips.
Reality is torn asunder.
It all comes together
A force stronger than even the bonds that holds the universe together. An emotion so powerful it can rewrite existence itself, and it is unshackled, free to let loose upon the beings of its origin.
HATRED
It was worshipped, men and women of all periods of time bowing down to its presence in the cosmos, even if it was simply a figment of their own imagination.
WRATH
Human imagination. Human belief. Human greed. Human insanity. Human lust.
It was all a part of its being, for it was they that made it possible. It was not the child of one, but of all. All those who walk the earth have contributed their essence to it, thus letting it grow oh so powerful.
The harbinger only needed to light the spark of life for it to finally take form.
ALL IS MEANINGLESS
There is only one name that a being such as it could possibly receive, for it was now one among the many that existed in this world.
GOD
Holding within itself all that belonged to mankind, that was the title the being was endowed.
And with it, oblivion.
A GOD OF DESTRUCTION
"How do you like it?"
Their eyes and ears forcefully turned to the source of the voice, the demon speaking up in all its glory. Blackness flowed from it, tainting the ground around it; its eyes glimmered with an unprecedented and unfathomable shine, the feminine form that held it having become inconceivable.
"Isn't she a wonderful child?" Hibiki whispered, licking her lips and putting both of her hands on her cheeks in glee. She looked up at her handiwork, the titan towering above even her, as not a single one of them was even as big as its toe.
And she moaned, the sigh of pure pleasure escaping her lips freezing the blood in their veins. "Ahhhhh~~~...So great...so amazing...I love it. Look Miku, look. That is our sweet darling. Let's raise her together and let her grow. I'm sure she'll eventually be a wonderful daughter we can be proud of."
There was no response.
All the Hopes of this World raged within their container, unable to stand the insanity it saw through her eyes.
'ERASE IT!'
Just like that fateful battle in a little over a month ago, the Shenshoujing screamed, its own intense influence rising up to combat the threat it had sensed.
And yet, Miku would not allow it.
Smashing down on it with all her might, she took a step towards the demon. Rather than allow the raging concept to grab hold of her mind like it had intended, she turned it on itself. Grabbing it hold by the metaphorical throat, she forced her will on it, morphing it into what she wanted it to be.
And that thing was power.
With every step she took forward, the ground beneath shook, rubble rising into the air as gravity itself was subdued by her aura. A multi colored flame surrounded her form, and even her Symphogear itself began glowing, gale winds erupting from her center to cover the courtyard in its entirety.
The others could barely hold on to each other, trying to keep their feet on the ground. Everything that was happening around them was so impossible they were left completely speechless, but they could not miss how Miku thundered onwards, each one of her footsteps crashing down like lightning.
"This...is too much…"
Who was it that said that? Voices became indistinguishable in the storm. Saint-Germain clutched her bag of Alca-Noise crystals tightly, ready to unleash her army upon the enemy…
That has yet to show up. Until then, she can't do much against Hibiki...or the titan she has birthed.
Taking note of Miku's advance towards her, Hibiki tilted her head with the disturbing smile still on her face. "Oh my. Oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my oh my. Miku, do you want to play already? It's okay, I'm ready to play too~~~"
Her anger having reached its breaking point, Miku's next step crashed the ground beneath her into pieces. Lifting her fan at breakneck speeds, a burst of light exploded from it, aimed at the demon.
But Hibiki simply stared at the light, and just as it was about to hit her…
She disappeared.
No, she did not, Miku realized, narrowing her eyes. The moment the light was about to touch her, all of a sudden her entire form was enveloped by black smoke, dispersing from the area before the light could consume it. And Miku's eyes followed it, her sixth sense triggering once more as the smoke hung in the air momentarily before taking form again.
And as it dispersed once more, Hibiki appeared within it, still smiling.
"Awwww, Miku, I didn't say we can start yet!" She chirped. "But it's fine, I don't mind. In fact…"
And from within the black void the titan emerged from, gargantuan amounts of black smoke leaked from it, falling down to the ground in a dark blanket that washed over the area. And it continued to pour, filling up the city like a tidal waves, washing over the streets in its entirety.
The wielders and Saint-Germain raised their arms to cover their eyes, feeling the smoke whipping about around them like a typhoon. Miku was the only one to remain standing, her eyes now shining more brightly from the contrast, her gaze still locked onto the demonic Adaptor across from her.
Slowly, the smoke settled down.
And Saint-Germain's turn finally came.
If one would rise above the city and stare down at it, they would see something quite strange. It wouldn't be a pearl white paradise like they usually imagined, nor would it be a bustling metropolis that was filled with residents and tourists alike.
No, what they would see would be total darkness as the entirety of the city was now crawling to the brim with black beasts and Noise, their numbers absolutely mind boggling.
But that was not the end of it.
-!-
Genjuro thought that he knew the Noise pretty well by now. After all, in order to beat your enemy you must know them well, so he could say that he could easily distinguish them from each other and knew what each type of Noise was capable of. From the wielders' battle as well as his own, he was perhaps the only one amongst the crew of S.O.N.G that knew them as well as the wielders.
But absolutely nothing, and he meant nothing, could prepare him for what he was now seeing.
Because it seemed that even the Noise were not immune to the taint of All the Evils of this World. If before their colors were almost cartoonish in nature, the now almost diseased and black visages they sported were nerve-wracking beyond a shadow of a doubt.
And the worst part is, he also knew why. The Noise were after all weapons created by man to be used against man, and so the feelings that went into their creations were definitely not benevolent. No, the Noise embodied some of the worst of mankind, each type almost a representation of the seven deadly sins.
So it would make sense that the moment an influence as all-consuming as that would come in contact with them, they would be corrupted just like everything else.
"The Treasury of Babylon has been compromised," Adam swiftly announced upon seeing the blackened Noise. "That dimension has become nothing more than a breeding ground for these things."
The sound of Genjuro's fist striking the console caused the still sane operators to cringe, the metal bending even more under his blow. "Disconnect us from the port! We can't let them come on board! Head for the very middle of Tokyo Bay!" He bellowed, his orders being conveyed to all those on the bridge.
'Shit! Shit shit shit shit!' He cursed in his mind.
"Commander!" One exasperated officer yelled.
"What is it!?"
The operator swallowed as she stared into her console, her fingers hovering over the keyboard in horror. "...More Noise signals have been detected outside the city!"
His eyes widened in shock. "What?! Where?!"
Desperate to give her commander the answers he wanted she recomposed herself before bringing up a diagram of the world on the display on the screen.
Letting absolutely everyone see how bad things had gotten.
Both of his fists smashed into the console this time, sending sparks in all directions. "Holes are opening up all over the world?!" He yelled, noticing the black patches appearing on the hologram of the globe.
New York. Volgograd. Berlin. Buenos Aires. Brazilia. Providence. Chengdu. Pyongyang. Seoul. Khabarovsk. Tehran. Darwin.
Those were just some of the cities he recognized that were now being overwhelmed by the dark clouds representing the Noise and the black beasts. That did not take into account absolutely everything else, some of them even appearing smack dab in the heart of the Sahara or in the far reaches of the North Pole.
As the submarine began to submerge under the waves, diving down and away from the reach of the Noise and the beasts, everyone could only shake in fear and uncertainty as the patches continued to grow slowly, red alerts appearing all over the screen.
"Commander! Incoming transmission!"
'Shit, who's it now?"
"Patch it through!"
The moment he spoke, a screen displaying Yatsuhiro's face appeared, a scowl on his face. "Gen, what's the situation?"
The commander's fists clenched tightly as he spoke. "Hell, that's what's happening," He said, causing his brother's eyes to widen. "We have to mount some sort of defense. Aniki, contact the UN forces- no, contact absolutely every government you have contact with. We have to retaliate immediately!"
"I've already done so, Gen, but there have already been casualties," Yatsuhiro said, trying to keep his own composure. "And the numbers are only rising as we speak. I've even heard sources claim that weapons of mass destruction are being considered once more."
"Like that will help anyone!" Genjuro screamed, giving his brother pause. "They'll only accelerate the process! They have to evacuate the citizens first as far as they can go, preferably to some desolate mountain range or anything they have around them!"
"Gen, you know that's not possible so quickly-"
"If they don't then humanity is finished!" He screamed once more, his fists impacting the console so hard it exploded, sending metal shards all over the bridge and causing several crew members to yelp in fright. "Shit, having normal soldiers facing these things is already bad enough! But if we don't do something, then everyone will only die faster!"
When Saint-Germain had told him this would be the final battle, he did not believe it would be to this extent.
Hibiki had become not a simple demon...she had become a devil, and was now unleashing the forces of Hell upon the world's population.
And these forces weren't even actual demons or the screeching souls of the damned. No, they were her own god-damned copies and corrupted Noise. And of course, they could not possibly ignore the mind-bogglingly gigantic monster she had brought forth just to drive the knife deeper in.
How were the wielders supposed to handle such a great threat? How were they supposed to match up to something so daunting? Five weeks of training are 100% not enough to deal with such a burden.
"There is nothing left to be done," Adam said in a defeated tone. "Your wishes and my ambitions have now come to an end. Even if the Custodians come down, I'm not sure even they could surpass her; her entire army is composed of this hellish god-slaying power, and that will subdue them in but an instant. Death incarnate has come to the world, and it will now be consumed by the sins of its dominators."
All eyes looked to him in terror.
"There is nothing left to be found on this Earth...for now, it is Hell. Abandon all hope, ye who reside upon it."
-!-
"EVERYONE DISPERSE!"
The alchemist's yell shook the wielders out of their stupor, and they dodged wildly as the chaos that were the black beasts and the Noise came crashing down on them all at once. Buildings crumbled down from the sheer weight of them all, and the titan too began walking forward, shaking the earth with every cumbersome step it took.
"Our formation is useless now! Engage all enemies!"
It was obvious from the get-go, and it was like Genjuro had predicted. Hibiki truly turned out to be violently unpredictable, to the point that it was impossible to even begin to imagine what she might bring forward.
And what she brought was just far too much. Due to the fact that Genjuro had left the channel open on the comm, they all heard exactly what was said in the bridge of headquarters. What met their ears baffled them beyond anything they could believe, as the knowledge that it was not just Tokyo, but the entire world that was now in danger was incomprehensible.
This city was just where she chose to make her appearance, her avatar of destruction having made landfall here specifically first.
And nothing could stand in its way.
Total pandemonium erupted as the five Symphogear users began their desperate fight against the enemy forces, the sound of slashing and bullets firing intermixing between the guttural roars of the beasts and the insect like shuffling of the Noise. Meanwhile, Saint-Germain jumped up to the rooftop of the one of the few remaining buildings, staring down at the infested ground with narrowed eyes before tearing her bag of Alca-Noise crystals to pieces, the gems raining down to the ground.
A veritable explosion occurred as the hurriedly summoned Alca-Noise army burst forth from their containers, overflowing like a true wave over the city streets. There were so many of them that even Saint-Germain herself lost count of their true numbers, but the last time she checked they numbered over five hundred thousand, a vast increase over anything she had previously managed to create.
And it was definitely not enough.
'If we survive, I owe you for this, Tomosato Aoi.'
"ALL FORCES, CHARGE!"
Regiments? Platoons? Units? It didn't matter in the least. There was no time to plan something as elaborate as that.
Her vision was filled with war as the two opposing forces came into contact, the battle commencing around her in an instant.
But this time, the enemy Noise were retaliating, for some god-forsaken reason she did not understand. Flying Noise, both alchemical and corrupted began dogfighting in the skies, fireballs rising above the city and sending shockwaves with each one that was destroyed. Battleship-type Noise from both sides rained down reinforcements in all locations, turning the razed city into more of a hell than before, the once flourishing center of Japan becoming nothing more than a battlefield for the fate of the world.
Yet amidst it all, one location remained relatively peaceful. The veritable eye of the storm, centered around two specific individuals, remained without a shred of violence or even dirt coming into it path.
Because it was about to become the most chaotic of all.
Miku and Hibiki stood on opposite sides as everything raged around them. Miku, with her fan in hand, stared at her opponent with a hateful glare; Hibiki however was the complete opposite, relishing in the destruction and despair being instilled in the world throughout.
Somehow above all the noise, Miku heard her speak. "Isn't it just breathtaking, Miku? This is the fate of mankind now; to be consumed forever by hatred and greed. And then, only then...will we find true peace," She said, the demented smile on her face sending nothing but waves of fury throughout the Shenshoujing wielder's body. "But I know you don't approve, and that's fine with me; after all, we have just the way to solve this. Now come, Miku, and let's perform the final dance for all to see!"
Six black flames erupted behind the black haired girl as her allies entered Super Ignite mode. Wordlessly raising her own hand to the Divine Beast Mirror's pendant, she grasped the sides and clicked, releasing all of its power at once.
The black fire engulfed her too, hiding her from Hibiki's vision.
Until the blaze was dispersed, and in its place rose a white flame, the very core of the Ignite Module being purified by the concept held within its host relic, yet losing none of the massive power it granted in the process.
The end result was not a pure white Symphogear like Hibiki had expected, nor was it pitch black like the regular one. No, to her eyes it seemed like the Shenshoujing had evolved, the jagged, shark-teeth like visor replaced by a singular one hanging above her eyes, its colors white and purple and the previously dark purple knee guards, together with her gloves now sported a bright violet sheen.
All in all, the difference Hibiki noticed were almost purely color in nature, but they still screamed power at her, a vast difference over the unbridled rage the girl had sported with the previously all-black finish.
It was known that Symphogear change according to changes in their wielder's will, or every time they go through the process of ascending to X-Drive. However, this time was different, for it was not an upgrade born just out of sheer willpower, but also as a response of the concept dwelling within to the massive presence of its nemesis. If against the other wielders in training it didn't have much to react to other than glue her to her opponent, now it was truly letting itself be known.
But Miku shackled it down so it would not overtake her mind, and so it was not free to do as it wanted.
For if it did, destruction would surely come, and she knew this.
"Beautiful, yet so vile," Hibiki said upon finishing studying Miku's form, putting a hand on her cheek as she marveled, her tone taking on a connotation that nobody ever hear her take before. "I love it. In that case, let me meet you with my own dress, Miku."
Black smoke coalesced around her, converging upon her in all directions. It whirled around her like a tornado, sending gale winds that blew everything that even came close from their vicinity.
And little bit little it vanished, displaying Hibiki in her entirety.
On the outside, it wasn't much different from the previous form. What served as the corrupted Symphogear form of Gungnir remained intact, although Miku knew it wasn't the case. It was also completely black aside from the now angry vermillion glowing lines running over its frame, truly a representation of what Gungnir would have been like had it ever been used with the Super Ignite Module. And hanging just above her chest was the hated pendant, with the pulsating red lines originating from it.
Yet the pendant itself was no longer its normal vibrant crimson color. No, now it was simply a hollow, blackened shell, its true purpose consumed along with the spear of Odin and everything it entailed as a relic.
And within the HQ of S.O.N.G, the Aufwachen signal that Genjuro had wondered about finally appeared on their sensors.
But there was not much left of it in this state.
The orange flower that previously represented Gungnir was nowhere to be seen, for now it was but a black hole so deep nothing could escape from it, not even the invisible signals that signified the Symphogears. And next to it, the Aufwachen signal of Shenshoujing flared brightly, the veins of otherworldly colors shining.
The clash of the two forces would mark the start of the final battle. Left with no other option but to pray, the crew members of S.O.N.G placed their hopes on the wielders outside.
And in the girl clad with All the Hopes of this World, determined to rescue the prisoner of evil.
(Play: Nier Automata OST - Goliath II)
No more words were exchanged between the two. Slowly, they lifted off the ground, rising into the air. A storm came to life around them, surrounding them with razor sharp winds that allowed no entry from anyone else that desired to interfere.
And even if they did, they would achieve absolutely nothing, for they would become nothing but collateral.
Hanging in midair hundreds of meters above the ground, almost as high as the titan's head, Hibiki and Miku stared at each other, one with a smile and another with a determined gaze. A spear pitch black spear with an emerald glowing core materialized in the corrupted Adaptor's hand, aiming it towards her opponent. In response, Miku held her fan with two hands, ready for the inevitable clash.
The wind raged wildly.
And they charged, closing the distance in less than a second. Their weapons clashed loudly, and the tornado was blown away from them just from the pure force, revealing them to the others fighting below them.
But of course, neither of them cared about that.
The deadlock continued, sparks flying from the point of impact. And of course, moments later the spear began boiling, the curses lining it starting to give way for the light that engulfed Miku's fan.
Only for the Shenshoujing wielder to narrow her eyes further as she noticed that despite being shredded, the curses seemed to reform even under the might of her light. She lifted her gaze and met Hibiki's shining emerald eyes...only this time, the irises were a glowing vermillion, the sclera still sporting the light green shade.
"What, you didn't think I'd let that happen again, right?" Hibiki asked her nonchalantly. She brought her face closer, so close Miku could feel her breath on her lips. "This time, it will be much more interesting."
Miku grumbled to herself, and disengaged from the deadlock, putting some distance between them. She looked on with a curious gaze as the melted part of the spear quickly reformed without any indication of damage, a solid proof of how deep the curses reached.
In that case, she'll have to hit it harder, so hard they'll be blown away with nothing left.
She charged once more, and the two weapons clashed once again. She pushed Hibiki back with sheer power, moving away from the skies above the courtyard to fly above the destroyed rooftops.
Putting power in her arm, Hibiki pushed the fan away and struck forward, intent on impaling Miku on the end of her spear. But in a move that surprised her, the dark haired girl spun in mid her, smashing her open palm against the spear's flat side, avoiding it and sending it off course. She ended her spin with a downward slash, prompting Hibiki to back away from her range.
Only for a wave of light to erupt from the fan, a crescent wave flying towards the rogue wielder at blinding speeds and brilliance. Once more disappearing in a veil of black smoke, Hibiki reformed behind Miku, avoiding the light that continued onwards to slice through Noise and beasts alike, without regard to friend or foe. Smiling all the while, she struck down on her from above. But Miku once again blindsided her, sensing the spear's path behind her and spun once more, avoiding it and coming face to face with her opponent.
Her fist was like lightning, and struck Hibiki head on. Her eyes widened as she was sent flying back, feeling the strength of the hit in her stomach. It quickly went away, but it surprised her nonetheless. And Miku was relentless, chasing after her opponent through the skies, her fan wielded like sword. She struck with all her might, and realizing she has to take this seriously, Hibiki retaliated, crashing her spear against the fan repeatedly.
It was an exchange of blows that dwarfed any that came before it, shockwaves of pure power being sent all over the city, rumbling its foundations.
"You're always so full of surprises, Miku!" Hibiki yelled with a maniac grin and stare as their clash continued. Choosing to not answer her, the black haired girl parried away another lunge and entered her range, coming face to face with the demon wearing Hibiki's face. Her fist once again surged forward, but her opponent reacted just in time to catch her fist with its free hand, the blackened glove closing around it just like Genjuro had done.
Counterattacking, Hibiki swung her spear at the seemingly defenseless Miku, only for her strike to be interrupted as the Shenshoujing wielder grabbed her wrist, stopping any attempt at retaliation.
And so they hung in the air, both hands occupied by their opponent. Miku glared with all the might of a red giant, while Hibiki kept on looking on with glee.
They struggled against each other, a feat that Hibiki found to be quite pleasantly surprising. Having expected to overwhelm Miku with sheer force, she found she was unable to push her back, and her smile dropped as she bared her teeth, her opponent doing the same. Wild sparks and unshackled power raged around them, the war taking place just below them escalating with every passing moment.
And they continued to struggle against each other's hold, trying to overpower the other with brute strength. Still surprised, Hibiki's face upturned into a demented smile once again. "Amazing, Miku...you're so bright, so pure, so strong...that's right, only you and me can go into the new world."
The corrupted wielder tilted her head back slightly, an act that Miku immediately copied.
And with all the strength they could muster, smashed their heads into each, another shockwave rippling through the skies to gouge space around them. Pure power exploded around them as the struggle of force continued.
Yet, Hibiki's smile still did not drop. "...and there, we'll bring up something great…"
And in a move that caught Miku completely off guard, Hibiki moved her head a tiny bit closer…
And licked her upper lip.
Miku was stunned by the move, feeling the cold tongue over her lips for just a tiny moment. Her eyes widened in shock, her focus wavering for less than a second.
"Paradise."
The air screeched as something approached from the side. Still frozen in shock, Miku's grip loosened on Hibiki's arm, allowing the corrupted wielder to pull away just enough to put distance between herself and her opponent.
A giant shadow loomed, and Miku could only turn around in time to see the humongous red and black fist of the giant close in on her at supersonic speeds, breaking the laws of physics and reality with that single move.
And left petrified by what Hibiki did, she could not escape in time.
The titan's fist crashed into her with the force of a thousand explosions. The air itself imploded from the contact, and the Shenshoujing wielder was launched across the city's skyline at ridiculous speeds, the sheer might and weight behind the titan's punch causing her mind to short-out for a long, extended moment.
She streaked through the air, and a few seconds later crashed into the hillside of the elevated hills surrounding Tokyo. The ground caved in beneath her in a large cracked circle, and her entire body burned from the pain of the strike. She groaned as she tried to dislodge herself, finding the agony unbearable.
But it was not over yet.
As if her voice was carried on by the wind, Hibiki once again put a hand on her cheek and spoke. "But...I think I need to tear that thing off of you first," She said. She then turned to look at the titan, now staring at the location Miku had been cannonballed to with its power. "It won't do for mommy to wear such an ugly thing, right? Then let's take it off."
The titan opened its mouth.
And the roar that followed didn't sound anything like a roar. Rather than a bestial bellow, it was instead a mind-numbing amalgamation of many different horrific noises that could only truly be called the agonized screeching of the damned, the sound of Hell itself escaping the titan's throat as golden light began to gather in its open mouth.
All the humans in the area alike screamed as the sound pierced into their souls, causing their very being to tremble in horror and pain. Barely able to hold themselves together, Maria and Shirabe could only look up in pain at the titan, seeing exactly what was occurring at that moment.
And their eyes widened in horror.
The light exploded outwards in a blinding flash, a beam of pure destructive power, a physical, plasmafied song tearing through the air on its way to the hillside.
There was barely time for Miku to respond. Raising her fan up in front of her, it opened, becoming the circular mirror that was normally used as a method of attack.
For now, it will what make the difference between life and death.
Holding the mirror before her like a shield, Miku closed one eye and braced for impact.
At that moment, the hillside erupted as the beam struck.
No, it was more correct to say it was vaporized, the sheer heat of the golden blast tearing down the landscape down to its bare roots, altering the geography surrounding Tokyo with a single attack.
The fireball rose to the sky, and Hibiki looked on with a victorious grin.
-!-
"Chris! Support Saint-Germain!"
"On it!"
The Ichaival wielder leaped up to the rooftop the alchemist was on, her gun out and firing in all directions as she took aim at the enemy forces. Chris' entire arsenal lay bare as rockets, bullets, cannonballs, and arrows flew in her directions, piercing through everything that dared to get in her way.
Dozens of beasts jumped up to the rooftop, following after the white haired Symphogear wielder. They all charged simultaneously, and she grit her teeth as she turned her attention on the encircling creatures, all baring their teeth savagely. While their shape in on itself did not change in the least, now red lines ran over their form, giving them the appearance of half broken dolls that were hurriedly repaired.
But it seems the new look helped them out, because they were much stronger than before, and much more brutal. Stopping for absolutely nothing, Chris and Saint-Germain were forced to abandon their assault in order to dodge out of the way of their strikes, each missed blow crashing into the rooftop and caving in the concret they stood on.
"We have to move!" The alchemist yelled, and Chris nodded her head rapidly in acknowledgment. Waiting for the moment the beasts once again attempt to strike, the two jumped, avoiding them by a mere centimeter.
"Damn it!" Maria yelled as she weaved in between attacks of both Noise and beasts. Taking the opportunity, she impaled a beast on her dagger, embedding it into its core; but she was forced to let go of her weapon swiftly as it simply didn't die, sweeping its arm where her head was a moment before. "Why are they so much stronger?!"
"Don't leave them in one piece!" Tsubasa yelled to her, her blade slicing one of her targets in half horizontally. Even with its body in two pieces, somehow the beast was still able to try and claw at her, the two parts hitting the ground and dissipating into dust a moment later. The ground beneath her suddenly shattered as the titan began turning around slowly, its single step rumbling the foundations beneath her feet and nearly causing her to lose her balance.
A dozen humanoid blackened Noise took the opportunity to strike at her, and Tsubasa groaned as their blows connected, shooting pain up her spine. Clenching her teeth, she swung in a large circle around her, tearing them down with a single slash.
Or at least, that's what she had planned on. Halfway through her spin, she found her sword suddenly stuck in one of her targets, as it it had actual mass behind it. Her entire understanding of the Noise shattered in an instant as they suddenly seemed to have a physical existence, their bodies almost feeling fleshy as they attacked without end, their massive army continuously pouring out of the titan's hole in reality.
The affected Noise attacked, and Tsubasa too was forced to let go of her weapon before her face could be struck. She jumped back, sliding across the ground as beasts converged on her from all locations.
"Shirabe!" Kirika shouted in desperation, watching her partner be ganged upon by at least two dozen beasts at once. The Shul-Shagana user had opted out of trying to attack, as the maddened creatures wouldn't give her even a second to try and retaliate. Her giant buzzsaws were raised around her in a makeshift barrier, the claws striking against them and causing the relic-made steel to groan and screech as it barely held on against their repeated assault.
The Ig-Alima user jumped into the fray, slicing through targets in a frenzy as she attempted to reinforce Shirabe. She was immediately chased by both Noise and black beasts, gazing behind her with clenched teeth as she was forced to abandon her charge and strike back. Not holding back a thing, she swung, her scythe tearing through their ranks instantly and bisecting them through their waists instantly.
But they just kept on coming without end. Even the Alca-Noise, who were supposed to be their commandeered troops, were not able to hold back the tide of the enemy forces completely. Not only were they vastly outnumbered, their corrupted counterparts now seemed to be smart enough to actually retaliate against their now only partially effective strikes.
And with the black beasts still tearing through them, the Alca-Noise numbers were rapidly decreasing with every second, routing the S.O.N.G forces with every crazed assault they made.
The world rumbled once again as the titan took another step, sending waves through the city. "We have to stick together!" Maria yelled to her ground-bound comrades. "We can't use our normal tactics now! We have to cut down them quickly!"
"Easier said than done!" Kirika screamed back, being pushed back more and more.
And everything around them froze as the air suddenly shook, and they looked up to see the titan's fist strike Miku was unbridled force, sending her flying through the air. Their eyes widened as they screamed her name. "MIKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Unable to assist her, all they could do was hurriedly dodge and blocks the beasts' and the Noise's brutal blows that rained upon them from all directions. Carbon dust filled the air to the brim as more and more of everything dissolved, tinting the area in a violet mist that began to obscure their long-distance vision little by little.
Yet they could not miss the follow up screech that came from the titan, the very shockwaves of the sound dissipating the cloud that had begun to settle around them. Their ears rang, and as one they screamed from the vibrations that echoed in their heads to and fro, only throwing off their focus even more as the Noise and the beasts were completely unaffected and charged in at them with reckless abandon.
And their jaws only dropped lower as the sky lit up with light as a beam was fired from the titan's mouth and proceeded to raze the hillside it aimed at, a massive fireball rising into the sky in its wake.
"MIKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The despair however was not done yet.
Blood splashed as Maria's back was sliced by a beast that snuck up on her in her lack of attention, and she screamed in pain at the searing pain that followed.
"MARIA!"
Shirabe, pushing through the encirclement rushed to her elder's rescue, but was forced away from her objective as she was rushed from all sides.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" She yelled, losing her composure and letting anger take over. She charged forward as fast her feet allowed, and her giant buzzsaws only became larger as she sliced and diced her way through everything.
The Airgetlam user groaned and she too slashed away wildly, desperate to get the enemies off her back. "We have...we have to regroup…" She bit out through clenched teeth. "Everyone! We...we have to fall back! We need to get a grasp on our bearings!"
There was no vocal answer to give her. Finally making her way to her older sister figure, Shirabe quickly put an arm around her and jumped away, barely avoiding the follow up attack. Seeing her comrades starting to retreat, Kirika followed, abandoning any attempts at an offensive and jumping away and above the enemies' attacks.
Chris and Saint-Germain continued to leap from rooftop to rooftop, the enemy units hot on their tails as they tried to claw at them at every possible moment. A single blackened flying Noise suddenly dove into their path, and Chris had to bring up her arms in a hurry as she crashed into it. It felt like she hit a wall made of goo as she found herself bouncing back, right into the waiting arms of the pursuing beasts.
But luckily for her, Saint-Germain grabbed her leg in the last moment with her one hand, and with a strong heave threw her forward, right towards her retreating Symphogear comrades. Chris only had a moment to be surprised before she straightened herself in mid air and landed on another rooftop, following after them.
Left alone with the chasers on her back, Saint-Germain continued to run without stopping, feeling each and every building she stepped upon crash immediately after she leaped from it, sending rubble and debris in all directions.
'We have to get gather more information,' She said to herself, glancing back for a moment at the titan that had struck their only hope. 'If Kohinata Miku falls then this will all be over. We have to do something with this titan Tachibana Hibiki summoned.'
Of course, that thing was just one problem among the many they had to deal with. She could feel in the back of her mind as her Alca-Noise army continued to take casualties, their earnest efforts being rendered almost useless. It is only by the way of mutual kill that they managed to take an enemy Noise down with them, but that did not take into account the beasts, enemies which only the wielders and herself could possibly deal with.
But even they grew stronger. The sheer might of the curses and the influence of All the Evils of this World strengthened them beyond what they were before, and now even with the Super Ignite Module they gave them a very hard fight; that also did not take into account that their divine power core had been completely corrupted as well, making a one hit kill against them difficult unless they chopped them up into pieces.
And with so many enemies in so many directions, a killing blow was something that would take too much time to execute before they'd be overwhelmed in an instant.
Having reached the end of the block, the alchemist found herself at the last possible foothold she had to escape the pursuers. Fortunately for her however, one of her Giant Alca-Noise brought down its massive arm right in their path, blocking their attempt at chasing her further. Taking the opportunity, she leaped down from the roofs to join her allies, running after them.
Raising her voice, she screamed to them. "Don't stop for anything! We must find a location where we can regroup and work out a plan!"
Whether they received her instructions or not was unclear, as the group of five ahead of her continued to run with Tsubasa in the lead, slicing her way violently through any enemy unit that stood in their way. Reaching the end of the block, she took a hard left, turning in the general directions of Lydian.
Only for their path to be suddenly blocked when the Giant Alca-Noise from earlier was sent flying over their heads, its huge and shimmering form crashing into the middle of the street and forcing them to an immediate stop.
"Damn!" The Ame-no-Habakiri user exclaimed. "This is far too chaotic! We have to find a way to get through this siege!"
"Sorry, but that ain't happening."
The voice that suddenly appeared out of nowhere caused Tsubasa to freeze. As they looked back to the street they came from, a blast of wind tore through friendly and enemy units alike, sending them all flying in different directions and clearing the path ahead of them, filling it with a blanket of dust and smoke that obscured their vision.
That is, until something began to walk forward from within the cloud of dust.
Despite the total chaos and intrusive noise coming from all directions, somehow they could still hear the steps of the person approaching. They were metallic and heavy, and not unlike something they've heard before.
"...What?" Chris could only mutter. She hurriedly glanced up to the titan, spying that Hibiki was still floating in the air beside it. She turned her head back to the approaching silhouette, finding her eyes widening at the sheer strangeness of it all.
-!-
The bridge of S.O.N.G descended into complete disarray, Genjuro standing as still as a statue as he studied the displays in front of him. They were so useless in the battle at large that it was almost comical, having been forced to run away so the enemy forces could not get to them.
He looked at the overhead map with a worried expression, having caught Miku being blasted live on the screen. However, since the Aufwachen signal of Shenshoujing still remained, it was an indication that she had survived.
But in what condition? He didn't know.
A gasp from Aoi turned his eyes to her immediately, and he spoke up in alarm. "What is it Tomosato?!"
Her hands refused to move as she looked at her console, finding the reading she received completely impossible. "C-Commander...Auf-Aufwachen has been detected!"
"WHAT?!"
An Aufwachen signal?! Now?!
"That's impossible! All of the existing ones have already been identified!" He yelled back incredulously.
"I know! But there's another one!" She responded. Forcing herself to type again, she brought up the reading into the main display.
Letting Genjuro see exactly what she was talking about.
"What."
That was the only thing he could say in response to what he was seeing. Another impossibility appeared in front of his eyes, something that he knew that could not be real in any earthly manner. Yet no matter what he thought, and no matter how many times he blinked in order to try and see if he was hallucinating, the image in front of him would not go away.
It was indeed an Aufwachen signal…
But an old one, and one he had not seen for over three years. Even if a relic changes hands, the signal itself changes in several manners in order to differentiate the people who use it. The most egregious example he could give was Hibiki and Maria, both of them having used Gungnir in some point in time yet still had different Aufwachen signals.
Which is why he could not believe that this one had appeared before him.
For only one person in the world had ever held it.
And that person no longer existed.
"THAT'S GUNGNIR?!"
-!-
The dust began to settle down, an eerie, indescribable quiet falling upon the street as the figure started to enter their vision.
"Sorry, but I can't let you go any further." It said.
The voice ranged from only vaguely familiar to completely unknown to some of the members of the group.
However, for Tsubasa, the very moment it entered her ears her entire being simply ceased to function, and she looked ahead at the impossibility that started to become more coherent.
The first thing she saw was an orange and red spear, held in the figure's right hand as it walked. And as the dust settled more and more, she started to see the vestiges of a Symphogear armor, colored black, white and orange that accentuated the figure's tall stature.
But the one feature that stood out above it all...was a mane of red hair that fluttered in the wind, and with it, a pair of dark red eyes that the blue haired idol had not seen in over three years.
The cloud of dust disappeared.
And in its place stood a ghost of the past.
"It's been a while, Tsubasa."
A deep yet feminine voice entered the idol's ears, and all of her fighting spirit was snuffed out in an instant. The group stared ahead at the now familiar figure, their shock visible on their face as their mouths gaped at the impossibility.
Her eyes wide, her pupils dilated, and her voice shaking, Tsubasa muttered the name that she thought she'd never utter again.
"...Kanade…?"