Sonata to Memento Mori
Chapter 25: Unfurled Wings: Memento Vivere
"Gagh… worst, flight, ever." Blaze let out a growl as the Barbatos landed, Hilda giving him a look as the cockpit opened, "What?! You kept shifting around! That was on purpose wasn't it?"
"Hey it was cramped!" Hilda replied, Blaze rolling his eyes as he unhooked the belts securing him to the seat, hopping out with Hilda, the other's still landing as the air began whipping around from the Aurora getting back into the air. "But, we've got more important manners to focus on."
"Yeah no shit." Blaze stated, clicking up his visor, eyes turning when the last ride to arrive was Salia's ragna-mail, eyes going wide when she stood up with an injured Jill hefted over her shoulders, blood marring the older woman's side, "Alektra?!"
"Get a stretcher!" Salia shouted, Jill waving her free arm to make Maggie stand down.
"It's useless." Jill muttered weakly, "Just… give me a smoke."
The hangar was silent after the bay doors had closed, everyone gathered around the weak Jill as Salia supported the woman. And the air around them was tense… everyone knew what was coming… but nobody wanted to accept it.
"Embryo… I tried to destroy his Ragna-mail, and he got away." Jill muttered, Maggie lighting the smoke for the weaker woman, "He's not anywhere I can reach."
"Wherever Embryo went… it's probably separate from this plane of reality… it's there, where all of this will end." Blaze muttered, off to the side a bit, keeping the statement to himself, but Jill gave a small chuckle as she picked up on it.
"I'm sorry… Alektra… I did something so stupid." Salia muttered, covering her face to hide her sobs, Blaze's right hand curling and uncurling from a fist and back.
"You really are just like me…" Jill weakly murmured, and they could already see the life starting to slip from her eyes, "You're like my little sister."
"Huh?!" Salia gasped at the statement, Blaze kneeling down himself.
"You're so serious, and such a crybaby… and so presumptuous." Jill murmured, then glancing at Blaze and giving a light chuckle, "Well, you have much better taste in men then I do… but, that's why… I didn't want you mixed up in this. I'm sorry… I took it out on you."
"Alektra…" Salia choked out, Jill weakly putting a hand on the girl's face, glancing around at all of the others.
"I'm glad that, in the end… I…" The words never finished as whatever light was left faded from the woman's eyes, her eyes closing and her head sagging, the smoke falling the ground, Salia's eyes widening as she felt the hand grasped in hers go cold.
"Alektra?" Salia muttered, then she broke again as it hit the woman was really gone, the girl sobbing as she clutched at the woman as the last warmth left her.
"Dammit… dammit Alektra… nobody was supposed to die today…" Blaze muttered, his teeth grating together as he fought back his own tears, just as everyone else was, though the moment of grief wasn't allowed to last as the ship was suddenly rocked.
"What the?!" Tusk gasped, the speaker beeping on.
"Merging at 98.5%!" Lizardia's voice came over the line, everyone bracing themselves as the ship continued to rock, though the sudden turbulence began stopping just as soon as they had even started.
"What the hell…" Blaze muttered, everyone picking themselves up off the floor.
"Between time and space…" A new voice spoke, one that echoed through both the air and in the minds of everyone present, "At the end of non-gauge space, in a sea of imaginary spaces. That's where Embryo is."
"Who are you?!" Hilda shouted, and to the side, Salamandinay and Ryuga's eyes widened, the DRAGONs looking at each other as they realized who was speaking.
"Aura!" The two gasped, Blaze blinking as he looked upwards, even if he couldn't see through the bay doors, he could feel the presence of the massive DRAGON outside of the ship.
"Between space and time… where the hell is that?!" Blaze asked, reasonably looking rather confused. "Lumiere?"
"I have no such data at my disposal. The quantum jump system may be of use to you however." Lumiere stated, Blaze clicking his tongue.
"Yeah but without coordinates we can't lock onto a place to jump to." Blaze grumbled, a hand over his eyes.
"So what, a rift between space and time?" Hilda added, Blaze shrugging.
"Yes, a place isolated from all universes, inaccessible from even a singularity." Aura replied, tense, troubled looks passing through everyone.
"Then how do we get there? Barbatos' quantum jump can't do crap without coordinates to lock onto over long distances… as I just said." Blaze mumbled, his hands on his hips, then a thought occurred to him, "Wait…"
"The Villkiss." Aura spoke the thought that occurred to Blaze, everyone looking to the now pilotless machine, Tusk looking at Ange's ring. "That machine has an activated space time jump system. And, it is something the G-Type machines can follow… AGH!" The ship rocked yet again, Aura giving a pant, "There isn't time. Hurry, while I'm holding back the space time merger."
"But Ange is the only one that can use the Villkiss!" Tusk stated.
"No." Aura replied, looks going around, "Ragna-mails were originally created to shed light on humanity's future. It will respond to a strong will, to a person's wishes. It will."
"A strong will…" Tusk murmured, yelping when Blaze grabbed his shoulders.
"Tusk, you're the person closest to Ange here, which means her connection to you is the strongest. You should be able to get the Villkiss moving if you want it to!" Blaze firmly stated, Tusk nodding, hopping up onto the Villkiss, looking at the ring again, anticipation surrounding everyone else as they looked at the machine.
"Let's hope this works." Naomi murmured, Blaze nodding.
"Yeah… who knows what Embryo is trying to do." Blaze muttered, his hand balling into a fist, Tusk giving a long breath.
"Please, Villkiss. Lend me your strength" Tusk murmured, the machine not activating as he tried to get it running, clutching the ring in his hands tightly, "Villkiss! Why? Why won't you move?! Villkiss!" Tusk growled as he slammed his hand down on the console, "You protected Ange all this time didn't you?! Do you really want her to be taken by that bastard?! Wake up, Villkiss! Lend me your strength!"
The ring in Tusk's hand then glowed brightly, Tusk gasping, everyone drawing in closer.
"I heard her." Tusk murmured, "I heard Ange's voice!"
The machine before them then began glowing, it's panel shining as it started up, the frame changing color from white and blue to black with red lines, Blaze letting out a cheer as he jumped to the ground, Ryuga pumping a fist.
"We must follow." Salamandinay stated, herself already moving to her Ryushinki.
"You heard her, everyone who's following mount up!" Blaze shouted, jumping up onto the Barbatos, Naomi and Salia dashing to their ragna-mails, Hilda hopping on Chris' while placing the ring on, everyone who wasn't going wishing the others good luck, Blaze letting out a breath as his cockpit closed, "Alright… Lumiere, lock onto the Villkiss!"
"Roger." Lumiere replied, Ryuga popping up on the line.
"It's about time… so, how is this going to be finished huh? We basically out number Embryo." Ryuga stated, Blaze nodding.
"Total and complete one sided fight… Embryo doesn't have a chance anymore." Blaze stated, all the machines that would be following starting up, Tusk kicking up the Villkiss.
"Fly, Villkiss!" Tusk shouted, a gleam showing in the air, a dome of light surrounding all seven machines that were ready to fly, the Barbatos and Ryuga's machine gleaming red, all seven machines blinking out of the hangar, and next all of them knew, they were in a space filled with every color they could imagine, everyone letting out gasps as they looked around.
"It's the gap between space and time…" Salia murmured.
"And Embryo is somewhere around here, same with Ange…" Blaze muttered, looking around, "Now how the hell do we find them?!"
The answer came when Salamandinay began singing, everyone steeling themselves and keeping an eye out as they looked around the rift for any sign, all of them gasping when Ange's familiar voice began joining in.
"Heh… found her!" Blaze chuckled.
"That's Ange! Salamandinay!" Tusk shouted, the DRAGON girl nodding and continuing the song, "It's time… isn't it?"
"Save it for once we get there Tusk… we've got plenty of payback to dish out!" Blaze replied, Tusk nodding to it, all of the machines veering off to the side, and coming into view was an island of all things within the rift, and once they neared it, the scenery changed from swirling colors to a bright sky of stars and planets, the flyers over the island, Tusk throwing off his helmet as they came in, Embryo jumping back from Ange as Tusk came flying in.
Tusk threw a few daggers to undo the binds on Ange, spinning the Villkiss around to catch her, Blaze letting out a laugh from his cockpit as yet again, Tusk found his face in Ange's crotch as they veered up.
"Well ain't that how you make an entrance!" Blaze chuckled, keeping it off the line to not ruin the obvious moment there, turning his attention forward, his machine switching modes and landing heavily on the ground, Embryo shooting a glare at the white mecha, a drawn sword in hand.
"How did you get in here?!" Embryo demanded, pointing the blade at the intruders, Tusk lowering the Villkiss and handing it off to Ange, jumping off with his knife drawn.
"We just got some advice is all." Blaze stated, the locks binding the Barbatos' mace released, the heavy weapon hitting the ground as the machine grabbed it, Salamandinay's machine opening from above at the same time.
"Tusk, here!" Salamandinay shouted, throwing her katana to Tusk, who nodded as he pulled it from it's sheathe to block Embryo's sword.
"Ange, get up in the air!" Blaze shouted, swing his weapon up and blocking to attack from Embryo's machine, looking back and smirking as the Villkiss rose up while it's color changed again, back to blue and white but retaining it's red marks, even including a new piloting suit for Ange in it. "And now we're cooking!"
Blaze shoved the opposing machine back and shot into the air, being chased up by the purple marked Ragna-mail, which was swiftly surrounding by the other machines present.
"Everyone, it's that Ragna-mail that's manipulating time. And Embryo is controlling it." Ange relayed, whilst down below, Tusk and Embryo clashed their blades together, Tusk stealing a brief glance up to the machines above, dodging the sword trying to gut him.
"Once and for all Embryo… we're going to finish it here!" Tusk shouted, Embryo scoffing.
"Hah! You truly think you have a chance?!" Embryo snapped, Tusk nodding.
"We just have to take down both!" Tusk replied.
"Or we can't save the world, right?" Salamandinay added, Ryuga chuckling.
"Considering the numbers we have here, I doubt that'll be a problem." Ryuga added, yelping when Blaze broke the formation and rammed Embryo's machine, driving the opposing force right into the mountain of the island, "EHHH?!"
"I'll handle this damned machine! Let's see who wins… the white demon or a black angel!" Blaze shouted, Embryo's voice coming from the machine in a growl.
"Foolish monkey… what hope do you think there is for you?!" Embryo shouted, a wave of the machines hand coming, the orange and yellow Ragna-mails appearing in form, as well as several copy like machines colored silver and black, one to match each of the others present.
"Heh, you're out of options so you throw out the last two machines you've got and some pointless drones… you're a rat caught in a cage Embryo!" Blaze yelled, the pinned machine forcing his back and launching at it with it's energy blade, the faster weapon trying to work past the slower mace, Blaze keeping up with blocks and swings of his own.
"You're foolish if you think trapping me in my domain means I've lost!" Embryo shouted, Blaze scoffing as he landed a blow, sending his enemy careening off.
"You're the fool for thinking we're inferior to you!" Blaze shouted, ramming the opposing machine, forcing it to the ground, the Barbatos grabbing one of the wings and gripping it, sparks flying as he began pulling, "The rest of you got those ones?!"
"Don't worry about us, we'll manage easy!" Ange shouted, the group maneuvering around the enemies attacking them, clashing blades and missed energy bolts flying through the air, Blaze nodding as he turned his attention back to the task at hand, the sound of metal grating in strain as the Barbatos continued pulling.
"Keh… what are you trying?!" Embryo snapped, shoving the Barbatos back and shooting into the air, being pursued within moments.
"Simple… I'm gonna rip those wings off and force you to the ground!" Blaze yelled, the clash between the two rekindling as they began shooting around amid the melee already happening in the air.
"I won't forgive you… not you!" Embryo (the one on the ground) snapped as he swung at Tusk wildly, the young man clicking his tongue as he deflected the blows.
"That's my line!" Tusk bit, knocking aside and strike and getting a hit in, a gash opening on Embryo's shoulder, the man jumping back in a short warp, but, the wound remained, "He's not switching his body in undefined space… So, you're the real Embryo!"
Tusk rushed forward to strike again, Embryo vanishing and reappearing with a revolver in hand, firing and warping around to attack, Tusk ducking and rolling to dodge the bullets.
"For the crime of tarnishing my wife… I'll kill you endlessly!" Embryo snapped, and his firing halted when the Barbatos brought his ragna-mail to the ground again, once more gripping the wings to pull them free, "YOU?!"
"Heh, surprised?! When it's one-on-one, Barbatos will win out any day!" Blaze snapped, and with a screeching scream, the wings on the ragna-mail came off in sparks and flying chunks of metal, the Barbatos tossing the wrecked wings aside as the opposing Ragna-mail moved out from under it and heavily stood, Embryo growling before dodging an attack from Tusk. "Now that you're grounded, how about I finish the job?!"
"Do not think it'll be that easy monkey!" Embryo shouted, the eyes of his machine gleaming, multiple green bolts then shooting down, the Barbatos pulling back, Blaze shooting around to see the three Ragna-mails on their side training their weapons at his, the struggling of their pilots coming through the communication lines as Blaze started avoiding their attacks.
"What the? What's happened to this thing?!" Hilda shouted, no control coming through for her.
"We can't control them… what the heck?!" Naomi grumbled, Blaze dodging the strike from her machines sword, his mace then smashing into the silver drone that tried to attack him next.
"God damn that guy…" Blaze muttered, swinging around and blocking the three simultaneous sword strikes with the handle of the mace, the handle breaking from it, the two shards flying off and slamming into the ground.
"How does it feel, worthless Ancient Human, to have the three women you care for attacking you like this?!" Embryo shouted, smug pride back in his voice, his machine pulling back when the Villkiss struck at it.
"Oh shut up! You're making them attack him! You're a damn idiot if you think that knucklehead is so easy to break!" Ange snapped, Embryo blocking her sword with his own.
"Ange, you're human too. You can't find happiness without my guidance." Embryo replied, Ryuga and Slamandinay scoffing over the line.
"That's all you've got Tuner? I'm frankly kind of disappointed." Ryuga scoffed, kicking aside the drone attacking him before blowing it away, engaging the yellow Ragna-mail next.
"So you abducted her and tried to control her with violence?" Salamandinay muttered, her machine rushing forward and slamming the orange Ragna-mail attacking her in turn, "Ryuga is right… what a disappointing man, Tuner."
"Can't find happiness without your guidance? What the hell kind of bull shit is that!?" Blaze snapped, rearing back from the attacks laying down on him, drawing his remaining melee weapon and rifle, "You still think you're in control here? Well, news for you Embryo, you never were!"
"Besides, Ange's not slutty enough to fall for a coward like you anyway!" Hilda shouted, still wrestling with her machines controls to try and make it work.
"You use people to your own ends… but that's why you're going to lose here, you can't use any of us!" Naomi shouted in turn, Ange nodding to everyone's words as she forcibly broke the blade lock.
"That's right!" Ange yelled, "I won't let myself be controlled by anyone!"
"Yeah… you're right." Salia stopped forcing for control of her machine, her gaze steeling, "Aura said Ragna-mails respond to people's wills. I'm me. I won't let anyone control me!"
"Me too. I won't let some shitheat guy have his way with me!" Hilda added.
"Like I'll let you make me fight my friends again! This is the final battle… like we're going to let the villain pull some lame trick!" Naomi shouted, and in turn, all three Ragna-mails gleamed, Salia's changing from black to blue, Hilda's to red, and Naomi's to both color, all three machines lining up with the Barbatos as it in turn gleaned it's own glow, Blaze chuckling as they were faced with a new slew of drones.
"Hehehe… hells fucking yeah!" Blaze cheered, "How's about that Embryo?! You think humans are just tools huh? Well, thank that human tenacity you hate so much, because that's what's kicking your ass!"
The five empowered machines shot forward and struck, the drones, not even getting attacks in as they were cut down, the Barbatos shooting through the crowd and blasting the ones he caught apart, flinging them off where Hilda swiped with her extended beam sword, bisecting multiple drones in turn, Salia and Naomi warping around as they finished the last of the drones off, the five machines silhouetted in the explosions that followed.
"Tch… damn those fools!" Embryo growled, avoiding Ange's attacks as they continued to clash on the ground, "Why Ange?! My infinite time and infinite love… Why won't you let me control you?!"
"Because I'm human!" Ange snapped, pushing the Ragna-mail away, "Anti-authoritarian, aggressive, rebellious misfits… that's what humans are!"
"That could not be any more correct!" Blaze snickered off on the side, the two remaining Ragna-mails ending up being slammed into each other, Salamandinay and Ryuga roaring as they charged, their blades impaling the machines clean through, both firing their rifles into them to finish the machines, "Now all that's left is Embryo!"
"Go get him Blaze! This one is for you and Ange!" Naomi said, Blaze nodding, looking to the others before shooting down, Embryo retreating as he and Ange attack in tandem and severed the arms from his machine.
"I understand now, why Normas were born! Human genes will not be controlled by the likes of you!" Ange snapped, Embryo growling, both the machine and the real one backed into a final corner, "Why are Normas all women? So they can bear to those they love, and so, reject the world!"
"Cheesy, but I'll take it." Blaze hummed. "But that's why we're here now… we reject everything about the world you made Embryo! We've got a good thousand years of payback do dish out… and that's for everyone who's suffered because of you!"
"That's why Mother handed down the ring and song to me." Ange murmured, her glare turning to Embryo's machine as the wings of Villkiss opened up, "So I could destroy this rotten world, made by rotten creator!"
"I waited a thousand years to choose you!" Embryo muttered, the him on the ground clutching a stomach wound as Tusk stood firmly in front of him, "I don't need a woman that won't understand my love!"
"Love my ass!" Ange shouted, the opposing Ragna-mail charging the cannons remaining from the last fragments of it's wings, "Always grinning behind your creepy hair, with no sense of style and always being cynical! You shameless narcissist! You don't even know how to treat a woman! I really don't want the genes of a dirty old man who hide himself away for a thousand years!"
"Well… Ange said any sarcastic remark I could." Blaze hummed, moving back as Ange finished charging her own weapon, "Heh… whaddya think roasted Ragna-mail smells like?"
"Let's find out!" Ange yelled, the cannons on Embryo's machine shorting out, Ange's fire engulfing the machine completely.
"Ange!" Embryo yelled, his machine grasping out through the torrent as it was torn to pieces.
"It's a thousand years too early for you to even try to hold me!" Ange yelled, the blast dissipated, leaving only a skeletal husk of the previous machine standing, Blaze shooting forward with sword drawn.
"Tusk!" Blaze yelled, Tusk nodding as he readied the sword in his hands while the real Embryo reeled back from the visage of his Ragna-mail in pieces.
"This is for the sorrow of my father, my mother, and all of my friends!" Tusk shouted, charging forward, he and Blaze in tandem as they slashed at both the body and machine.
"THIS IS FOR EVERYONE YOU'VE MADE SUFFER!" Both young men shouted as they slashed, bisecting both of their foes in tandem, the machine exploding while blood burst from Embryo's body, and as the Tuner final fell, the sky above them all opened up with bolts of lightning, everyone shutting their eyes as everything flashed white.
And once it passed, the sky was again blue, the quiet of the aftermath only accented by the sound of waves lapping against a cliff side, Blaze's eyes wide as he looked around from the view in his cockpit, opening it to stand, the sea breeze immediately hitting his face, and a smile broke out as he looked around, the others landing their own machines while Tusk cheered, Blaze slowly starting to laugh, sitting down again and covering an eye.
"We did it! We actually did it!" Blaze laughed, looking at the sky again from the open cockpit, standing up again and looking out, snickering as he saw Tusk and Ange bear hugging each other, smiling even wider as the Aurora landed in the water, waves kicking up as it crashed down, Blaze laughing again as he clambered down from his machine and ran to the edge of the cliff, waving as the Aurora began pulling into the dock of the island.
"Well, I don't think I've ever seen you smiling so much like an idiot before." Ryuga chuckled as he walked up, Blaze snickering as he shut an eye, "But… I'd say we've all earned it."
"Hehe, of course ya' polite bastard. We just beat Embryo and freed everyone… hell yeah I'm gonna be smiling like an idiot!" Blaze laughed, throwing a fist up, them looking down at those leaving the Aurora, a softer smile on, "Something that months ago, I don't think I'd ever dream of happening just did… I don't think I've ever felt happier!"
"True… but it does beg the question, where are we?" Ryuga asked, Blaze humming, looking around.
"Now that I look at it, this place reminds me of… Arzenal…" Blaze murmured, then looking up as Aura appeared in the sky with it's fellow DRAGONs flying around it, Ryuga folding his arms at the sight of their progenitor free as well.
"Welcome, to our world." Aura spoke, all eyes turning to the majestic beast, "The true earth."
"Hey! Aura! Where the heck are we?!" Blaze shouted, and he could've sworn the DRAGON let out a chuckle.
"Space-time was released, and everything was returned to it's proper place." Aura explained, "The space-time merger has stopped, and the world has been freed. The world has returned… and is now in your hands."
"It really is over." Blaze hummed, he and Ryuga walking back over to where Ange, Tusk, and Salamandinay were standing, "Well, you heard the DRAGON you two!"
"Yeah… Libertus is over." Ange murmured, Tusk nodding.
"So, what will you do now?" Salamandinay asked, eyes on her as she scanned the three humans, "There's no more reason for you to fight, nor for us to continue killing each other."
"I'll found a nation here!" Ange stated, Blaze and Tusk glancing at each other, then at the girl, "A nation just for us. No matter whether you're Norma, human, or DRAGON. A nation where we live by our own will, and where rough going is a given."
"Heh, I can get behind that." Blaze chuckled, looking at Ryuga when he tapped his shoulder, "Hmm?"
"Blaze, you might wanna brace yourself." Ryuga said, Blaze raising a brow, turning around, yelping when next he knew, he was getting tackled into the ground by at least five bodies, Ange and Tusk holding back laughs as a dazed Blaze made a sound from underneath Naomi, Ersha, Hilda, Salia, and even Vivian.
"Owwww…. Geez… we just got done with a big battle did you have to tackle me?!" Blaze shouted, managing to worm his way out, rubbing the back of his head, Naomi laughing as she moved and hugged him from the side.
"That's the point! We did it, we beat Embryo and got everyone free!" Naomi laughed, Blaze sighing, a smile coming to his face again, taking Hilda's hand to get some help up.
"Yeup. So let us have some fun alright pretty boy?" Hilda chuckled, Blaze rolling his eyes, then stumbling when Vivian jumped onto his back.
"Yeah! Let's all throw a big ol' party to celebrate!" Vivian cheered, Ersha laughing as she plucked Vivian off Blaze's shoulders.
"Well before that we need to sort things out as well." Ersha stated, Salia nodding.
"Yeah… we've got a lot of rebuilding to do." Salia stated, Ange clearing her throat.
"Hey! I'm glad you lot are having a good time, but what about what I said huh?" Ange asked, everyone chuckling.
"Hey, I said that I'm all on board. Hell… the lot of us will follow you the whole way Ange." Blaze stated, everyone else around them nodding. "Besides, we're all friends… having each other's backs is how it works, right?"
"And it's my job to follow you!" Momoka spoke up, moving in from the crowd, "Lady Angelise… what's going to become of the other Earth?"
"Not my problem." Ange replied after a moment of thought, Blaze not surprised by the casual way she said it, "Embryo's dead. No one will guide them anymore. They'll starve to death if they don't learn to live on their own."
"I suppose so." Momoka murmed, Blaze giving a hum.
"Yeah… well then, what're we waiting for, let's go!" Blaze chuckled, stepping ahead of the others, throwing his arms wide, "It's a new sky, a new world, and a new life, for every one of us! We've got an open road right ahead of us just waiting to be discovered, so let's go, with nobody telling us what to do or how to live! Our lives are finally our own, so let's live them to the fullest!"
"Yes sir!"
"Hehehehe." Blaze chuckled at the collective reply, hopping up into the Barbatos, "Then let's go! For everyone who didn't make it this far, for Alektra and all of our comrades who couldn't make it along with it, let's carve out a new world! Lumiere, what do you say pal?"
"I will assist this new nation with everything I can give. I believe the knowledge kept here will be beneficial to all of you." The AI stated, Blaze nodding, looking up at the sky, clear and blue, smiling at it again.
"Good… because I want to find out everything I can about this world, with everyone by my side!" Blaze looked at the others again, smiles all around, and he chuckled as he looked forward. Everything was open to them, the sky and the land.
At last… all of them were free to live.
"Memento Vivere! Remember to live!"
Sonata to Memento Mori, The End
A/N
Well, not quite the end just yet! I've got one more in store for you guys, an epilogue to wrap up this ride. But, thank you, all of you, for sticking through to the end! I never thought Sonata would get this far… but, heh, look at me, eating my own words. It was a fun ride, and I'm sad to see it go… but, I'm glad I was able to reach a happy end! Hehe, see you all in the epilogue, where this stiry will close, on a new one opening it's pages!
Next Chapter: Epilogue: New Life