Prologue
'And hence came fire and destruction;
Rebirth of all that there was and will be;
Shout of life and whisper of knowledge;
Under the red sky of the new millenium'
The Dead Sea Scrolls, First Choir, 13th Stanza.
1004 A.I.
The dying scream of another soldier echoed on her eardrums. Her sword was not fast enough to fulfill the task of protecting her comrades from slaughter, her undying oath to all children of Lilith looking more unattainable by the second.
The screeching cherubin, skin white as ash and savage face hidden behind the avian mask, charged at her with a raised red spear and every intention of making her its second victim. She easily deflected the weapon with a twist of her blade, followed by a swift and precise slash that sent the creature's head flying towards the thick of battle, being stomped by the feets of the thousands of allied and enemy soldiers that surrounded her.
The woman adjusted her helm by its single horn, her vision through the small eye holes now giving complete sight over the entire battlefield: the hordes of cherubins, wearing little to no armor but compensating it with savagery; her soldiers under the banner of the red fig screaming and fighting for their lives; montruous aberrations taking out dozens of men with a single hit of their crude but overwhelming weaponry; flying terrors swarming the skies in a mockery of a flock of birds; battalions of Magi burning the fleeting souls of the children of Adam with their magic, both awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time.
And above them, the red blood sky of the second millenium, hanging over them for the last four years since the Second Impact. Four years of war, of bloodshed, of desperate battles, of hope and despair in equal measures. Four years of companionship, of hate, of love, of laughter and crying, ever since the day a God had awakened.
'All of that will end today', she thought, gripping Shogoki with her right hand, the accumulated blood dripping on the ground beneath her. 'One way or the other.'
"Ikari! Behind you!", a familiar voice called out to her, making the woman turn back with the purple sword in hand, cursing herself for being distracted.
Before the cherubin could cut her head off, his own got cut off by a brutally applied downwards slash that left a red afterimage on its passing. The creature's spine was also chopped in half in the process, his body falling to the ground only to reveal the person that had saved Yui Ikari's life, making her smile with the sight.
Clad in red armor filled with detailed high reliefs of golden lions and wieding Nigoki, the woman known as the Red Demon had a frown below the crimson manes that constituted her hair, undoubtedly angry at Yui's carelessness. She swiped the blood off the legendary axe, pointing an accusatory finger towards Yui.
"I'm not your babysitter, Ikari. Pay attention!", she angrily demanded, nonchalantly raising the axe again towards another approaching enemy and ripping his arm, not even taking her eyes away from Yui. "Maybe you should pass Shogoki to me after all, since you're so occupied admiring the afternoon sky!"
Yui found within herself enough humor to laugh at her friend's jab, meanwhile piercing another cherubin in the chest, his gurgling blood spilling on her dark blue armor.
"Forgive me for my distraction, your Majesty", she threw back. "It is a lovely shade of red today, isn't it? Clashes perfectly with your armor."
"Of all the times to start being a smartass, you picked the worst possible one!", the red head groaned, stepping on an enemy's leg and striking his chest with a clean hit. "Now shut up and follow me! Fuyutsuki called for us!"
Yui raised a brow, stepping besides the lioness as the two started a retreat. "What for? Is there any news?"
"Only the Goddess knows", she replied, walking backwards as she pushed a cherubin away. An allied soldier managed to strike the creature on his chest, making her bark with laughter. "Good one, maggot! Maybe you gehirnians aren't so worthless after all!"
"Kyoko, what do you mean?!", Yui demanded, curious about the sudden call. The western front needed all the help it could get, and Kyoko's presence here meant that the eastern one was now without support. "Wait… you don't think that…?"
"I don't know! But I sure hope it is: that fucker took its sweet time to show up", Kyoko grunted, turning away from the battle to look at Yui. "Now come on! Even if I preferred to stay here and slash some Dominions, duty calls!"
With red hair flailing in the wind, Kyoko turned back and began to run uphill with impressive speed, Yui hesitating for only a few moments before following her. Distancing themselves from the thick of battle, they passed through dozens of lines of soldiers from the reserve, all looking up in awe at them.
"Lady Ikari and Empress Soryu! Praise be to the Goddess!", a choir could soon be heard, with Yui throwing the battalion a warm smile while Kyoko ignored them completely. "Praise be their Evangelions!"
Yui's smile faltered for a bit: the weight of Shogoki, usually heavy with burden, became even worse upon seeing the hope and trust all those men and women put on her and the Evangelion wielders. It was hard to shake out the impression that they were walking demi-gods from the common people, but some (like Kyoko) insisted that such an impression was a good thing.
Up until they failed in their task, Yui grimly considered. Then there would be no one left to have wrong impressions.
They reached the rear of the army, stacked with tents filled with wounded soldiers and magi specialized in the healing arts, Yui throwing a sympathetic glance towards them. There would be many more of them by the end of the day, even being optimistic.
Finally, the command tent became visible, both not even looking at the standing guards as they entered it. The air was thick with the smoke from the brasiers, adding to the looming atmosphere inside: a small council circled a round table filled with maps and small figurines that symbolized their available battalions. How strange it was: to see it all like dolls placed on a wooden surface instead of men and women fighting for their lives.
"Ah, here they are. Welcome, Lady Ikari, your Majesty", general Tarsias greeted them, bowing without any difficulty even with the plated armor. The entire table followed his gesture. "We have been waiting for you."
"My Lords, good afternoon. Father", Yui greeted all of them, including her father and regent-in-duty of the Kingdom of Gehirnia, Kenji Ikari. The man nodded his head, not wanting to waste time with sentimentality.
"Alammania is a long way from here, general, and so is the Lion's Throne and my husband", Kyoko grunted, approaching the table and leaning Nigoki on it. The axe shimmered with red smoke, undoubtedly calling for more fighting. "Here, I'm just another soldier, one that would rather be supporting the right flank right now instead of being in this cozy tent. Now, where is the greyhead?"
"Ahem, right here", they turned to see Grand Mago Fuyutsuki, accompanied by his apprentice Naoko, bowing his head in greeting. Wearing black robes and with a head of brown hair speckled with white strands, Kyoko's nickname could be considered quite the exaggeration. "Forgive me for interrupting your fighting, your Majesty: we have news that may interest the both of you."
"Is it what I think it is?", Yui perked up, speaking for the first time. She held Shogoki on her sheath, tapping its hilt with impatience.
A weight pressed down on the room's inhabitants, confirming Yui's suspicions. She gripped the hilt of her sword and gritted her teeth, waiting for her old friend and mentor to continue.
"...yes, it seems the time has finally come. The scouts have brought a report from beyond enemy lines", Fuyutsuki lowered his head and took a deep breath, before raising it again and looking at Yui. "The Avatar of Adam has shown himself. He marches for battle."
Coldness gripped Yui's heart while Kyoko's seemed to flare with anger instead. "Where is he?! Just point the direction and we'll go chop his head off!", the warrior Empress demanded, a fist hitting the table.
"Your Majesty, calm down", asked general Tarsias, trying to appease his liege. "We cannot act hastily and without preparation. We cannot lose you unnecessarily!"
"To hell with preparation!", the woman barked. "Four years we waited! Four years since he devastated our realms and our world! This ends today!", she picked up her axe in preparation, but Yui interrupted her with a waving hand.
"Kyoko, wait", the brown haired woman spoke in a low voice, raising her head with angry determination in her eyes. "We need to make sure of everything before we mount an offensive. Where is Illustria?"
Kyoko huffed but stayed quiet, listening to Fuyutsuki's reply.
"She is leading her troops from Albion beyond the river, so contacting her may take a while", he explained, making Yui grimace: the presence of the woman and Gogoki's powerful arrows would be worth gold in such a fight. "You two are the only Evangelion wielders we have available: even with years of searching, we haven't found any trace of the other weapons."
The two women kept quiet for a moment, before Kyoko branded Nigoki and snarled.
"Very well, we are more than enough to take him down", she boasted, nudging Yui with the axe's hilt. "Isn't that right?"
Yui sighed and opened her mouth to voice her concerns, but was interrupted by the sudden entrance of a hurried guard.
"My Lords, t-the…", the man tried to say, shaking on his boot and armor. "The enemy leader has been spotted!"
The small council froze in place, looking at each other with worried glances. Regent Kenji stepped over to the soldier wearing the red fig on his armor.
"Where from? Is he engaged in combat?", he demanded to know.
The soldier swallowed a lump and gave his report: "H-He approached from behind enemy lines, the spawn of Adam opening a path for him. At the moment, no regiment has gathered enough courage to face him head on, but he's just… standing there. He hasn't attacked anyone or given any orders, as far as we can tell."
Yui and Kyoko glanced at each other warily, before turning back to the council.
"He's waiting for us", Yui explained, adjusting Shogoki on her hip. "He wants to duel one of us directly."
"He will have his duel, if I have any say in the matter", Kyoko huffed, gripping Nigoki. "It's our only option: only the Evangelions have any chance of striking him down."
"It's too dangerous", protested Fuyutsuki, approaching the duo. "We should wait for Illustria and Gendo's reinforcements before we attack him directly."
Hearing her husband's name added some weight on Yui's heart: she had insisted that they were separated during the battle, with Yui leading from the frontlines while Gendo led a cavalry regiment to flank the enemy.
"Any news from Gendo? Is he alright?", she asked with worry. She noticed Naoko Akagi, the Mago apprentice, twist her mouth at her words, but didn't comment on it.
"As far as we know, he is still alive", her father answered, not hiding the contempt for the man in his voice. Her marriage had been met with heavy resistance from many parties, but the authority of an Evangelion wielder overruled all complaints: she married the man that she loved, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. "The flanking maneuver may have been delayed, but there have been no reports of his regiment being discovered by the enemy."
"How long before he arrives?"
"That I cannot say. Perhaps an hour or more", her father replied, shrugging.
"Way too long. The Avatar may want a duel, but I won't trust his patience", Kyoko grunted, turning towards her general. "Tarsias, gather the 7th and 9th regiment and form a shieldwall on both sides of the battle. I don't single one of those freaks breaching our line, understand?"
"Understood, your Majesty", the general bowed, exiting the tent in a hurry.
"Yui, we'll need the bulk of Gehirnia's army to clear a path towards the Avatar. Think they can make it?", the Empress turned to ask her friend and fellow Evangelion wielder. Yui raised a brow at that.
"What are you planning?"
"Simple: they open a path as far as they can through the enemy line. After that, we take our remaining cavalry toward the gap and try our best to reach the Avatar. It's simple, but it should work."
"This is madness!", shouted Kenji. "We can't sacrifice our troops on a suicide charge!"
"What other options do we have, regent?", growled Kyoko, all her imperial authority and fire being shown in her shining azure eyes. "If we don't strike him down, everything we've done will be for nothing. All the lives we have lost will be meaningless: our soldiers will understand. They will gather behind us."
The regent grumbled under his breath, turning to Yui with a questioning look.
"Ika… Yui, do you approve of this strategy?"
Yui looked down and let out a defeated sigh: she knew that many lives would be lost in the charge, many more than were needed. She swore she would protect all men and women under their banner, a promise that, by now, had come to have a muddled meaning. Kyoko was right, after all: if they didn't strike down the Avatar of Adam, all their fight would be for nothing. He was the link that brought all the spawn of the Outer God under a single united force, and to destroy that link would mean absolute victory.
If such victory could even be achieved.
"I agree, father", she finally relented, raising her head with a determined look. "We need to destroy him, and by doing so, end this damn war once and for all. All we need is this final push."
The man deflated, taking a seat at the nearest chair and placing a hand on his head.
"Very well. You may organize your offensive: I'll give you full command of the rest of our cavalry", he sighed, glancing at her with a worried look. "May Mother Lilith protect you, my daughter."
"May she protect us all, father", she nodded, before turning to her friend. "Kyoko, what about your griffons?"
"Impossible: there are too many Seraphims in the air today. We would be sitting ducks in the sky", the woman explained. "Whatever we do, it must be done from the ground."
Yui grimaced, but nodded. "Kozo, what about the Magi regiments?", she asked the man, making him perk up from his worried musings.
"They are tired from the battle, but they still have some fight in them. What do you plan to do?"
"Have them extend their terror fields as long as they can to protect our charge. Don't overdo it: we only need so many sacrifices today, no need to add unnecessary ones", she explained. Fuyutsuki gritted his teeth, but nodded. "Very well, we should make our preparations. Kyoko, can I speak with you for a moment?"
The woman nodded, both exiting the tent but being caught up by Fuyutsuki. The worried look on his face elicited a warm smile from the brunette.
"Yui, are you sure about this?", he questioned, fumbling with his robe. His apprentice had stayed behind, understanding that the conversation would become private. "We can't have you throw your life away like this, there must be another-"
"Hush, Kozo", she laughed, placing a hand on her old friend's shoulder. She felt his muscles tense under her touch. "If we don't do this now, Goddess knows how long we'll have to wait before another opportunity arrives."
"Relax, old man: I'll keep your dear pupil safe", Kyoko grinned, nudging Yui with an elbow. "She can be pretty stupid sometimes, but I can deal with stupid."
Yui giggled and nudged back, before turning back to Fuyutsuki.
"Kozo, we knew that the risks would be high. We always did", she explained, her smile turning sad. "I'll do everything I can to come back to all of you, but if I don't…"
She paused, biting her lip.
"... tell Gendo to take care of Shinji. To grow him into a fine man, a man that will stand on his own two feet. Can you promise me that?"
Fuyutsuki stared at her for a long moment, eyes wide and a gripping pain on his chest. After a while, he swallowed the lump on his throat and nodded.
"Thank you, Kozo", Yui answered, stepping forward and hugging him, to the older man's surprise. He didn't hesitate to hug her back. "Get your Magi ready, and be safe."
"You as well, Yui", he wished back, his voice cracking.
They parted ways, Yui and Kyoko towards the panoramic view of the battle and Fuyutsuki towards his regiment. The man stopped for a moment, glancing at the armored back of his apprentice with a feeling of longing, before turning towards his duties.
"He likes you, you know", Kyoko chirped as they made their way through the tents. Yui raised a brow at her words.
"Who? Kozo?", she asked, laughing at the suggestion. "Don't be silly: he's just my mentor, and my friend."
"Urgh, as expected: you're stupid in matters of love, same as with everything else", Kyoko threw her hands upwards. "That's the only explanation possible. I mean, what did you even see in-"
"Kyoko", Yui warned.
"But I'm right! You could've been married to any man you wanted, but you just had to go and choose a thug like Rokubungi!"
"He's not a thug!", Yui protested. "He's very sweet, actually. Most people just don't see it."
Kyoko pretended to gag and puke, a gesture far from dignified for the Empress of the Alammanian Empire to make, eliciting a laughter from Yui.
"Stop that! You're lucky you dismissed your personal guard: the capital would be in uproar if they learned of how their Empress behaved herself around here."
"The capital can shove it", Kyoko sticked her tongue out in mockery. "I'm here to protect them from the end of the world: if they don't like how I act, it's their problem."
For a moment they walked in silence, finally reaching the uphill and being gifted with a sight of the entire battlefield: the hordes of cherubins pouring from the forest, the brave stand being held by their soldiers, and the chaos of magic and monstrosities that littered the field and sky. The wind had picked up, making her dark blue cape and Kyoko's fur coat flutter in the air.
Kyoko stared at the battle, biting her lower lip. "If it was just me, I would've stayed in there, chopping some heads'', she admitted, clutching a small doll below her clothes and armor. "Unfortunately, that's not how it is anymore."
"No, it isn't", Yui sighed, remembering their younger days, before their day-to-day lives became cluttered with war and death. "How is little Asuka? Is she safe?"
"She is. She's with Langley, back in the summer palace", Kyoko answered, suddenly feeling regret: she could be living her last moments right now, and she wouldn't even be able to say goodbye to her daughter. "Little spitfire, that one. She'll be worse than me when she grows up."
"I dread just thinking about it", Yui commented, earning a punch on her armored shoulder.
"What about Shinji?", Kyoko asked. "Where have you sent him?"
"A cousin of mine and his wife own a farm in the south. Minor nobles, but they should be able to give him a place to live until this is done."
"Why not send him to the summer palace as well? She could keep Asuka company, and he would be safer there."
"Well, too late for that now", Yui sighed. "Besides, Goddess knows what Asuka would do to my little boy. He would be traumatized."
"Hey, only I can talk about her like that!", Kyoko playfully protested. "And hell, maybe the two of them could become friends, maybe something more in the future."
"You sound like an old woman, you know? Pairing off children like that."
"It's only natural, Ikari. You see, when a boy and girl love eachother very much…"
"Oh, quiet you!", Yui laughed. "I don't want my grandchildren inheriting those berserk genes of yours, Soryu!"
"Bah, spoilsport", Kyoko grunted, before the two of them fell into a comfortable silence.
They waited for the preparations to be done, watching the fight for the fate of the world unfurl below them. They could spot a few of Adam's generals in the midst of the enemy: the blue octahedral eldritch horror that they faced many times before; the towering form of Shamshel and its slashing limbs; the glowing snake that they had failed to destroy time and time again; among many others.
But in the distance, behind enemy lines, they could see the glimmer of golden armor reflecting the sun. The sigh made them shudder, years of expectation piling up.
"He really is here, isn't he", Kyoko mused, gripping Nigoki with her unnatural strength. "It's been a long time coming."
Yui agreed, staying silent for a moment.
"Do you think we can defeat him?", she suddenly asked, throwing Kyoko into confusion.
"Of course we can. We prepared ourselves for years, and I know what we are capable of", she shrugged, not that worried about the fight. She trusted her skills enough, the only speck of fear directed not towards her own life, but her daughter's.
"I know, Kyoko", she replied in a low voice. "But perhaps we are not strong enough. That's why I wanted to talk to you privately."
Kyoko's eyes widened, and she turned her head to stare towards Yui's serious expression.
"There's no need for that, Yui!", she exclaimed. "We'll defeat him with our own strength! We promised that it would be a last resort, only if everything else failed!"
"And what if we do fail?", Yui asked, a sad smile forming on her lips. "There is a possibility, Kyoko: we have to be prepared."
"I know", Kyoko sighed in frustration, looking down to her feet. "It's just that…"
"You don't want to leave Asuka alone", Yui finished, and Kyoko nodded. "I feel the same way: I'll fight until the end, even if there's just a small chance that I can see Shinji grow up… but I'll gladly give my life for his, and I think you would do the same for Asuka."
Yui placed a hand on Kyoko's shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance.
"But even if we do die, we will never abandon them. We made sure of that", she said, raising the expertly crafted and shining Shogoki, a purple glow shimmering in the blade. "We will always be with them. You know that, don't you?"
Kyoko didn't answer for a few moments, gazing down towards the battlefield. When she spoke, she did so with a heavy sigh.
"I know. You're right", she conceded, glancing sideways towards her friend. "Did you tell the other matriarchs?"
"I did. They know it's a possibility, and they are ready."
"Very well", Kyoko sighed again, picking up her axe. "I just hope it doesn't come to that. Come on, preparations must be ready by now. We shouldn't keep the bastard waiting."
Yui smiled, releasing her grip on Kyoko's shoulder.
"That we don't."
"... and I'll tell you this: ladies and gentlemen, this is the end", Kyoko was finishing one of her elaborated speeches, something that Yui was already accustomed to. "But it won't be the end for us: no, it will be the end of the scourge that tried to destroy all that we hold dear in our hearts! The end of their reign of terror and death!
"We will fight for our countries, for our families, and for this world! We will send them back into the void they should've never stepped out of! We are the Children of Lilith, and this is our age! The age of Lilin!"
The roars and cheers from the mounted soldiers threatened to deafen Yui, so loud they were in their bravery and determination. Kyoko placed her helmet on, the object beautifully crafted to look like a lion's head, and Yui did the same with her demonic horned one.
The Empress raised her axe, red light glimmering from it as it stood against the red sun, and pointed it forward.
"The Mother has bled for us! It is only fair that we bleed for her as well!", she screamed, and Yui adjusted herself above her horse in preparation. She would not easily admit it, but she craved blood the way her friend did. "Charge, Lilin! Let none of Adam's spawn live!"
And with another deafening roar, all hell broke loose as the cavalry charge descended the hill towards the enemy.
Kyoko's footmen had already done their part of the job, which was to open the way for the charge, meaning that the mounted soldiers had a clear path towards the horde of cherubins and their more monstrous nephilim brothers. With spear and sword, they struck against the mass of white flesh and pointed teeth, the creatures screaming and waving their weapons against the might of the gehirnian charge. Soon, Yui and Kyoko found themselves in a familiar scenery: blood splattering in gushes around them, limbs flying, heads being stomped into a pulp, screams of death and destruction, the clash of steel against steel echoing among them.
Spears and hexagonal shields of light came from above them, protecting the more fortunate soldiers and disintegrating the more unfortunate spawns of Adam in a flash of light. Fuyutsuki had said that his company of Magi was tired, but Yui had learned a long time ago that even a tired Mago was more dangerous than the biggest of predators. She smiled, mentally thanking his old mentor as a dozen of cherubins burned from the precise strike of a terror spear.
She didn't know how long they were inside the chaotic skirmish after they lost their horses, their worlds belonging only to the bloodshed. They ripped and tore, the purple sword piercing enemy after enemy and the red axe slashing away several cherubins with a single swoop, their screams mixing themselves with their soldier's in a dance of death and joy that would decide the fate of humanity.
They opened a path through flesh and metal, sometimes encountering one or another nephilim: their towering grotesque avian appearance enough to scare most men, coupled with its primitive instincts and massive war clubs. But to Yui and Kyoko, they were nothing more than an obstacle: with a precise slash on his tendons, the black and white giant fell to the ground flapping its strangely shaped limbs, and Kyoko's axe quickly found its way inside its skull. Stepping above the massive corpse, Yui could see from her point of advantage that their objective was getting nearer: he could see the speck of white hair and the shine of the golden armor. She gritted her teeth not only at the sight, but from the memories as well.
"We are almost there, Kyoko!", she yelled, calling the redhead's attention. "Let's press onwards!"
Kyoko nodded, and soon the two directed their massacre towards their enemy's direction, the only enemy that mattered. Even with blood soaking her armor and her helmet, the vision in front of her was like a tunnel: she could see him in the distance, just standing there, leaning on the red twirling spear he used as a weapon. The anxiety was becoming unbearable, each step harder than the one before.
Suddenly, she raised her sword arm ready to strike the nearest unlucky enemy, only to find them backing away from the two and looking towards the sky with fear in their bodies, forming a wide circle around them. Their gargles became whimpers, and their screams turned to hisses.
Before any of them could lift their heads, a tremor hit the ground behind them, sending the two flying in a gust of wind. Their heels slided on the mud and dirt, both using their terror fields to adjust themselves in the air and not willing to fall to the ground in such a dangerous place.
They looked back at the source of the impact, and Kyoko sucked her teeth at the sight. "Shit."
In front of them stood the source of many nightmares among the Lilin, the terror that had destroyed dozens of cities and villages, the colossus that was always in the forefront Adam's offensives: three times their size, the humanoid creature seemed to wear a strange type of armor that fused itself in the white flesh, making it hard to tell where body and tool started or ended. His black shoulders were as large as a city's gate, his head sticking out almost at chest level and covered by a snarling white mask where no mouth or eyes could be discerned: only darkness.
His armor flayed around like rags, twisting and squirming as if they had life of their own, and its muscular arms held the largest warhammer Yui had ever seen in her life.
"Not one step forward, Childe of Lilith", the monster growled in a deep guttural voice. "I am Zeruel, mightiest of Angels. It was foolish of you to come here willingly. For a long time I have wished to destroy your flesh and souls, and now you present the opportunity yourselves."
Kyoko raised her axe in defiance, growling back. "Big words from someone so stupid-looking. Get out of the way, whelp, before I chop your legs off", she threatened.
Yui gritted her teeth in annoyance: she didn't have time for such a distraction. She needed to reach the Avatar now.
"Step aside, Zeruel. Our quarrel is with your master, not you", she tried, knowing nothing she could say would convince the angel.
"A quarrel with Father is a quarrel with me, Lilin", the creature snarled, placing his warhammer in front of his body. "Your mere presence here disgusts me to no end: you aren't even worthy of standing in the same world as our brethren."
He suddenly raised his weapon in the air, a movement so swift it could be considered impossible, judging by the sheer mass of it.
"Time to die", the Angel proclaimed, his muscles tensing as he started to bring the hammer down. In those milliseconds, Yui and Kyoko prepared themselves for a dodge, their minds already conjuring dozens of strategies that could lead them to victory.
There was no need, though, as a soft voice echoed on the field and stopped Bardiel's arms mid attack.
"Be calm, my son. There is no need for such rudeness", the voice, almost a whisper in their minds, commanded. The Angel lowered the hammer, staring at the two of them before kneeling on the ground. "Yui: you may come. Alone."
Kyoko was brought back from her confused gaze by the voice's words. "What?! No way! It's a trap!"
"Calm down, Kyoko", Yui whispered, looking over the fields behind Bardiel, the place she knew the voice had come from. A blinding light now revolved the Avatar, making it impossible to discern his features. "It's okay."
"How is this okay?!", Kyoko demanded, axe still in hand. "You can't go in there by yourself! That's stupid!"
Yui raised a hand and smiled towards her friend. "He wants a one on one fight, Kyoko: I can't refuse", she explained. "Otherwise he can just cast his entire army upon us. It's our best chance."
"Father, what about the other Lilin?", Zeruel suddenly asked, to Kyoko's surprise.
"You may dispose of her as you wish."
"Very well", the Angel grunted, stepping out of the way. "Father will bless you with his presence. It must be good: dying with his presence as a last memory."
Yui ignored his words and gripped Kyoko's shoulder, the Empress doing the same to her. "I'll be back. One way or the other."
Kyoko nodded, taking a deep breath and staring at her old friend's dark eyes. "One way or the other", she repeated. "Good luck, Ikari. See you in the legends."
She extended her hand, but Yui gripped her arm and hugged her old friend and comrade in arms.
"I'll be there, right beside you", Yui replied, removing herself from Kyoko. The two glanced at each other one last time and smiled, before Yui stepped ahead into the light behind Zeruel.
Now alone and surrounded by thousands of cherubins, nephilims and other monstrosities, not to mention Zeruel himself, Kyoko couldn't help but chuckle.
"So, what now, big guy?", she mocked, leaning Nigoki on the mudded ground. "Gonna order your goons to rip me apart? I can take all of them with my eyes closed."
Zeruel looked at her with eyes hidden behind the white mask, his massive being lifting from the kneeling position it had assumed before.
"Such arrogance coming from an insignificant creature", Zeruel snarled, grabbing the hilt of his warhammer, the weapon alone being two times taller than Kyoko. "I shall dispose of you myself. You vermin may not know such concepts like honor: I shall be your teacher."
Kyoko grinned, raising Nigoki and planting her feet on the ground, her stance ready to attack.
"I look forward to your guidance, then", she grinned savagely.
Step by step, Yui approached the blinding light with sword in hand and eyes forward. The brightness didn't bother her: it was a product of magic and, therefore, unable to pierce the light of her own powerful soul.
Eventually she was able to make out the figure that awaited her at the end of the road, the road she had walked for many years: he was sitting on the trunk of a tree, leaning his body on the long reddish form of Soragoki, a spear that twisted itself until it ended in two separate tips, both sharp and deadly as any weapon could ever hope to be.
What she had seen as gold in his glistening armor was instead white steel reflecting the sunlight, the piece expertly crafted by his Apostles in whatever hellhole they hid themselves in. Above all that, a head of white hair covered an old and wrinkled face that showed her a friendly smile, with red eyes so sharp they could pierce her very soul. The air around him shimmered with his presence, such was the power wielded by the vessel of the Outer God.
Yui stopped at a good distance, taking in the setting red sun behind the man and the warm wind ruffling the grass. There was a knot on her stomach as she finally laid her eyes on that face, so familiar and strange at the same time.
"Yui", he greeted her, smiling tiredly. "It's been a long time."
Yui held her tears. "It has, Lord Katsuragi", she greeted back, her voice cracking. "Four years, if I recall correctly."
The man who was once her friend chuckled without mirth, looking down to his feet.
"That is not my name anymore, Yui. I assumed you would've accepted it by now."
"I did. Ever since that day, I accepted that you were dead", she replied, not moving a muscle. "At least, the true you."
"The true me?", 'Katsuragi' repeated, with humour in his terrifying red eyes. "No, no, Yui: the true me has never died. I was only presented with another option, that's all."
"Really?", asked Yui, gritting her teeth. "Would the true you do the things you have done? Would he have killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people? Would he abandon all that he held dear in his heart? Would he abandon his daughter?"
The Avatar that once was Katsuragi didn't reply for some time, instead looking at the ground. Suddenly, he pointed a finger towards the dirt.
"Look: an ant. Do you see it?"
Yui frowned at his words, trying to figure out their meaning. "What? What are you talking about?"
He smirked, looking back at Yui.
"An ant is a form of life like any other, a complex one at that. It has objectives, cycles, duties, it eats and reproduces: like any other form of life", he explained, opening his arms. "But if such forms of life were to disrupt the natural order of things, they should be disposed of. And if you were to do it, to destroy an anthill, would you feel bad about doing it?"
Yui snarled at his analogy. "We are not insects, Hideaki. We have emotions, dreams and lives. We love and comfort each other, we have aspirations. We work towards something", she ranted. "You worked towards something: you always wanted to give your daughter a good life, even with all the difficulties. You loved her, Hideaki, and now she is cuddled up in some castle wondering why her father isn't coming home!"
He smiled sadly at her words, something that made her even angrier.
"I must admit it saddens me: that I will never see her again", he confessed, rubbing the hilt of Soragoki, pensive. "But in the end, this sacrifice will be nothing but a footnote on the history of creation. I must do what I have to do."
"But why?", Yui asked in anger, Shogoki in hand. "Why did you do all of that? If there is some part of you that still remembers, small as it is, how could it let you keep going in this mad quest to destroy the world?!"
"Your question contains the error in your logic, Yui", he raised a finger, almost like a teacher berating a student. "I do not intend to destroy the world: I simply intend to reform it, as it was meant to be."
He opened his arms, as if pointing towards the entirety of creation.
"We were never meant to be here, Yui. We are usurpers. The true inhabitants of this world are the children of Adam, and our own existence is simply an error of logistics", he explained, before looking at her expectantly. "Surely a seeker of knowledge like you would understand!"
Yui stared at the ground for a while, digesting his mad words. She swallowed a lump, her free hand lifting towards the hilt of Shogoki. She stared at Katsuragi, defiance in eyes.
"Perhaps", she admitted. "But the Lilin, the woman, the mother that I am, would never accept such a thing. I don't know if these are your words or the Outer God's, Hideaki, but I will accept them no longer.
"Stand and fight, if you are even a tenth of the man I once knew."
The man sighed in disappointment, shaking his head. "There are no such things as 'were' or 'was', Yui", he spoke, lifting himself from the tree trunk and removing Soragoki from the ground. The spear let out a sharp noise, as if cutting the air itself. "I am the one you call Adam, same as I am Hideaki Katsuragi. The two are one and the same now."
"I doubt it", she snarled and poised herself for battle, Shogoki pointed towards her enemy. "But if there really is a part of Lord Katsuragi lingering inside you, I'll be glad to send it to the Goddess side."
He smiled. "Perhaps it would be glad as well", he said, pointing the spear towards her. "Show me what the Lilin are capable of."
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Katsuragi disappeared.
Yui had a single millisecond to twist her body and deflect the red spear's thrust, coming face to face with Katsuragi's grinning expression.
"You became faster. The first time we fought, you couldn't even see my movements", he said admiringly.
"Quiet", she snarled, bringing down Shogoki towards his arm but hitting air instead. "The first time we fought, I believed I was fighting a friend. Now, all I can see is a hollow husk."
Now catching up with his speed, Yui parried and deflected a flurry of strikes as she searched for an opening. Hideaki, even with the heavy armor, moved like a dancer in the field, thrusting and slashing without breaking a single sweat.
"I truly wish you could see things the way I do", he lamented, Soragoki coming only millimeters from her neck. "I never believed that ignorance was a blessing."
"If it is, perhaps you really are most Holy", Yui jabbed, grabbing the spear with her left hand and pulling Katsuragi's body towards her blade. The man gritted his teeth for the first time that day, using her overwhelming strength to lift the spear and throw Yui away, her body rolling on the ground.
"Give up, Yui", he pleaded. "All this suffering can end in a single moment. Existence shall no longer be a burden."
"Never", she replied, lifting herself up and running alongside him in an attempt of flanking. "I'll never stop, none of us will. Even in death, we will have our revenge."
A slash directed towards his torso, swiftly deflected by the spear's hilt. The sound of metal against metal lingered in the air.
"Foolish woman", he snarled, his face becoming full of veins against the pale skin and his eyes glowing red. "I offer completion and you throw it away. Your kind shall receive no mercy."
Yui stopped and smiled, panting from all the effort. "Ah, you finally show your true colors. Greetings, Outer One: Mother Lilith sends her regards."
The man-shaped God snarled and threw himself towards her in a mad thrust of his spear. The speed in which he did so was overwhelmingly faster than before, and on instinct, Yui extended the light of her soul forward.
The hexagon stopped the lance in midair, cracks and sparks coming out of the point of contact. The God grinned.
"So the whore of Babylon truly blessed you, didn't she?", he mocked, planting his feet on the ground and lifting his free hand. "Let us see if the help of the usurper is enough."
From his hand, a lance of light came forward, piercing her terror field with monstrous strength. Yui gritted her teeth as the power dented her soul's shield, at each second threatening to overwhelm her and destroy her existence in a fell swoop. She raised Shogoki, thrusting it towards the lance on the other side of the golden surface and making contact with it midway.
"Your kind is not worthy of wielding such weapons. They were forged in stars long dead by our forefathers. Even your touch taints it with sin", he growled, his face transforming into a mess of veins and muscles twisting and shifting.
"We learned their uses, and we took them as our own", she panted, the effort of holding the terror field and her blade making every cell on her body scream. "The same way we made this world our own. You have no right over it, you never did!"
"Meddling insect. I shall teach you the meaning of pain!", he screamed, and pushed both Soragoki and the spear of light towards her terror field, cracks forming on its surface.
Yui felt her muscles give out, the sheer strength of the God finally proving too much for her. She felt the urge to laugh: for overstepping her own strength, for doubting Kozo's warnings, for promising Kyoko that she would come back alive to live another day in a new world free of war. Gendo came to her mind, a sweet smile reserved only for her, and in his arms he held Shinji, her dear Shinji. The light of her life, the one who would make any sacrifice worth it.
As she felt the bone on her right arm break, she looked towards Shogoki, the purple blade that served her faithfully for many years. Forged in the stars and handed to her in a twist of fate, she couldn't help but wonder if all things were connected, be it by chance or the Goddess' will.
Staring at the red orb that was lodged in the sword's hilt, she brushed off unnecessary thoughts, focusing on what she knew she had to do.
'Evangelion, light of creation and slayer of primordials: I give myself to thee. Grant me strength, one last time, and I shall become one with you, as will all of my sisters. Let our will be made manifest through our blood, and the ones who carry it. Let the light of creation banish our enemies, both now and when our blood once again touches your infinite power.
'Awaken, Shogoki.'
Yui's terror field cracked and the spear thrusted forward without resistance, piercing her heart and impaling the warrior in one single hit. Katsuragi snarled in pleasure, satisfied.
"It seems even her blessings have their limits", he mocked, lifting Yui's limp body above his head. "It's over, you foolish woman. Completion will be attained, once and for all."
He chuckled for a moment, before something unimaginable happened right before his eyes: Yui Ikari lifted her head, eyes glowing in purple fire. She stared at him with indifference, making the God frown.
"What…?", he began to ask, before the translucent arm of a giant came from Yui's body and grabbed Soragoki's hilt with an iron grip.
The God snarled and tried to strike against the unknown force with his bare hands, only managing to burn his fingers. He screamed in pain, pain that should be impossible for the likes of him. The purple hand twisted the spear, making it crack under the pressure and eventually break in half. Distracted, the God only noticed the broken lance piercing his chest when it was too late, the strike being powered by Yui's weight.
Once again he screamed in agony, having his own holy weapon turned against him. He turned his head to snarl at that damned woman, only to see her defiantly staring back, her body sliding on the lance towards his own.
"Mother Lilith: hear me as I wield Soragoki, seal of sinners", she spoke with a voice not her own, sounding ancient and familiar to the God. "The flesh of Life shall be locked away until the time of completion comes again, along with the flesh of Knowledge that wields your power.
"Accept the ignorant souls that held your gifts. Accept us as your guardians and wardens. One last time, accept the wishes of the blood of Knowledge.'
Yui Ikari raised Shogoki's blade towards her own chest, still staring at the agonizing God stuck on the ground. He trashed and fumbled against the power of the Evangelion, but was unable to attain freedom.
"You fool! You are only delaying the inevitable!", he pleaded against the madness that consumed the woman. "I shall return, and your sacrifice will be meaningless!"
The woman stared at him with dead eyes for a moment, her blood dripping on his face, before she smiled wickedly.
'Give us a chance of casting the snake from Eden, oh Mother Lilith. Give us a chance of attaining paradise, once and for all.
'As you were, it shall always be.'
And then, Yui plunged Shogoki into her own chest, and the God's scream lost itself in the explosion of light and power, an explosion that engulfed both of their beings instantly.
On that last moment, that last millisecond, Yui felt her son's small hands touching her face, the toddler laughing a cristaline giggle.
She smiled, and her being ceased to exist as it did until that point, absorbed by the small red orb on the hilt of Shogoki.
A hundred meters from there, Kyoko Langley Soryu smiled through the pain of her smashed arm, her mangled body laying on the ground as Zeruel readied his hammer to end her life in a single strike.
But the Angel was engulfed in a bright light, and Kyoko felt her own essence vanish and Nigoki shimmered on her hand.
'Ah, Asuka. I wish-', she thought, before she ceased to be.
In the forest, a few miles from where the battle raged, the regiment of wildmen from Albion stopped as their leader came to a sudden halt.
The woman, with braided brown hair and marked face, turned to her soldiers with a sad smile, before collapsing on the ground.
They never noticed Gogoki, the legendary bow, tremble in the ground as its red orb fluttered with light.
When Fuyutsuki woke up, he saw many things he didn't expect to see. First of all, the sky was no longer colored a dark shade of red, instead being dominated by the purple and blue colors of the sunset.
He walked through the battlefield, full of wounded and confused soldiers, and noticed that all traces of the Angels, the cherubins and nephilims were completely gone: only ashes where they once stood. Some soldiers cheered and screamed in joy, seeing that the enemy had been defeated and, inexplicably, the effects of Second Impact reverted.
Then he heard the cry, a miserable and desperate cry that felt somewhat familiar to him.
He walked towards its source and slowly approached the form of Gendo Ikari, clad in black armor, as he screamed in agony and pain. The body he held was so fragile and hollow that Fuyutsuki had difficulty identifying, but when he did so, his entire world fell to the ground.
He didn't notice when a weeping Gendo walked away carrying his wife's body, he didn't notice when Naoko approached him to try and comfort him, he didn't notice General Tarsias weeping over the mangled body of Empress Kyoko Langley Soryu, a procession of soldiers carrying their warrior queen away from the bloodied field where the destiny of humanity had been decided. He didn't notice anything, up until the last specks of light of the sun were long gone.
Then he looked upwards towards the sky littered with stars, and wondered if they even had the right to have the chance to fight another day.
If her sacrifice would even be worthy in this brave new world they had just stepped in.
The second millenium begins at last.
It will be an age of bloodshed and struggle, an age unheard of.
In this new beginning, the burdens of the world shall fall on the most improbable of shoulders.
The fate of destruction is also the joy of rebirth.
Let us find our own paradise, once and for all.
A/N: This is a story that has been on my mind for a while, a dark fantasy AU featuring the characters from NGE. It is not a crossover by any means, but is heavily inspired by Dragon Age/Warhammer Fantasy Battles. It will be updated casually, as I have SUBSTACE to update as well, but I think it's good to try new stuff sometimes, get a fresh perspective on your own writing.
I hope you enjoy this adventure.