.hack/EVA: Catharsis: Battle Requiem

Disclaimer: In this universe in the quantum foam, I do not own or in any way shape or form hold a claim to the .hack series or Neon Genesis Evangelion (or of course, any other GAINAX series I might reference here).

" " denotes speech

'italics' denotes thought

'bold' denotes location names

'bold italics' denotes skill use

Roof, Morganna's Apartment Building

Upon the roof of one of Tokyo-3's finer apartment buildings stood a tall woman with flowing tresses the purple-black color of night, clad in a flowing black and purple gown. She gazed out upon the lights of the city as they flickered on, one after another, a rolling cascade of illumination that banished darkness from small enclosures and oft-used streets. A certain few still walked the streets at night, but for the most part, the denizens of the Fortress City were either still working or else had retreated to their dwellings, as humanity did so abhor the darkness.

'It is to be expected, as darkness is the reflection of that ultimate unknown within the human heart, something they have feared as it is linked with cessation,' the fallen goddess mused, thinking ahead to the upcoming fight between the avatars of chaos and freedom. 'One bound by fear to remain in stasis, believing herself to be the best…a scared little girl huddled in the corner of her mind, seeing monsters around every corner and using force to run away from her truth. The other is not scared but scarred, running not away but towards the indefinable. Because to know freedom, one must know both order and chaos, joining the armies of light and dark.'

She herself was rather partial to darkness, but then, in The World, Morganna had been Goddess of the Dusk, just as Aura was the Goddess of the Dawn. Two powers whose nature was ultimately the same, but who had worked towards different ends, opposing and ultimately destroying one another in the cycle of death and rebirth, as daybreak came at last.

'This city, this world as it is now is in the stage of dusk, as well as the other, struggling through the fall…as Aina watches dreaming within the room of Harald, waiting for the spring,' she sighed inside her head. 'Both triggered in the end by human hands, though the Angelic wave has yet to strike the shore. Fate here is not in programming code but inscribed within history, yet is hidden all the same, within a tangle of lies and false mirages, diversions.'

One of the phases associated with Morganna (and indeed her mythical counterpart, Morrígna) was that of prophecy, and not for the first time, she wondered as to what that meant. To what extent were prophecies to be trusted in a place where the source code could not be read, where consequences were often distanced from simple cause and effect?

'But perhaps it is not so different, after all…a world written not in certainties but conditionals, as it was the actions of those most afflicted with terror who stole the power of the divine, in their ignorance causing massive destruction, executing a program that had lain long dormant, antibodies to humanity designed to reclaim the stolen key of twilight, using it to destroy in their turn.'

However, when it came down to it, even this world could be understood through the patterns that had been left behind by various cultures, echoing on in human thought and deed to this day. The most important of these: the rule of three, the rule of names…and the rule of will.

'Rules reflected in the design of The World…with the rule of will being a somewhat external factor unless one wields a measure of the power of Twilight. And rules in general are not easily subverted…as those who fight the Angels are discovering in their time. Nevertheless, it is possible to break the chain of fate and end the cycle, as Aura did at last…a miracle with an equivalent sacrifice. Even if one desires salvation, there is always a price to be paid.'

Two shadows deeper than the usual grey crept onwards through the night, moving from patch to patch of light cast by the sparsely dotted streetlamps. Dothackers both, they approached Morganna's residence with a firm and steady stride, resigned to end this struggle one way or another.

"Wave soars and shrouds the eyes," Morganna recited from the Epitaph, "No means to fight an omnipresent force, the shadowless ones just grieve…"


Morganna's Apartment

Finding the door to their teacher's apartment open, dothackers Hikari Horaki and Shinji Ikari entered cautiously, hesitant to intrude when they were uncertain if anyone was there. Granted, Helba had all but ordered them to that location for their Arena battle, and Aranami-sensei had readily agreed, but why? After all, they were perfectly capable of accessing The World from home…though Shinji supposed that he could understand.

'It's just like piloting EVA…we have to free ourselves of any possible distractions, especially for this battle, where everything is at stake,' the brown-haired boy thought to himself, face grim with determination. 'I can't think of Asuka as human right now, or worry for her sake, because no matter what, I cannot allow myself to lose this fight.'

He looked over at the pigtailed girl standing beside him, only to find that she was looking around the apartment, an expression of wonderment on her face. Then again, it was understandable, as this was the Class Rep's first time visiting Morganna's residence (while he had been over a couple times before—with one of those being a notable unfamiliar ceiling incident), and it was not a typical place even by the standards of the Fortress City.

'I guess Aranami-sensei really does love The World…well, that and books,' Hikari noted, her eyes taking in the little stuffed grunties that sat along the wall, as well the pictures and paintings that hung on the wall, depicting the past Root Towns, as well as the "family" of Morganna, Harald Hoerwick, and Emma Wielant looking over their "progeny." 'She must have really enjoyed her job at CyberConnect Corporation before she left to come teach at our school…I wonder why she quit. Maybe it's because of her connection with Helba? And…is that Emma Wielant, together with Reimeiki-san, Aranami-sensei, and…Aura? What an interesting family…'

All in all, it was a rather interesting place, one much more spacious and elegant than the pigtailed girl would have expected from an apartment—though it was what she expected from Aranami-sensei, based on her demeanor and poise.

'It is probably a good thing we were asked to come here,' the brown-haired girl reflected with a frown. 'Because if anything happens to me, I don't want Nozomi or Kodama to find me laying there like I found Rei. No one deserves to have to go through something like that…and here I can focus only on the upcoming battle, with no interruptions, remembering why I fight. This isn't just a normal match…this is a fight which one of us might not come back from. I learned that the hard way when first Rei, then Reimeiki fell to AIDA…'

She swallowed audibly and looked down, as the air around her seemed to cool and congeal, shivers going down her spine as the harsh reality of today sunk in.

'Death may be Ikari-kun's companion as an EVA Pilot, but until now, it has not been mine. I don't want to admit it, but—''

"Are you ok, Hikari-san?" Shinji asked gently, raising her head so their eyes met blue to brown, the compassion in his soothing some of the fear in hers. "It can be the most terrifying the world to go into battle, but that's a part of the path we've chosen, and part of our duty. To know what can happen, to face our fears, and fight on in spite of them."

"Was it like this the first time you got into EVA?" Hikari questioned, trembling at his touch.

The brown-haired boy laughed weakly, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"It's like this every time I pilot EVA," he sighed, looking away. "Knowing that each time I take to the field, I could die, like I almost did with this last Angel. But still, I choose to go on, to not run away. Because if not now, when? If not us, who? This is something only we can do, ok, Unyielding Shadow?"

"OK…Dark Evangel," she whispered, taking hold of his hand momentarily for support—though she let go the instant she realized what she was doing. "Let's do this. Let's win and bring back the Lost Ones…together."

"I'll hold you to it," the Third Child replied, his expression kind yet cold at the same time.

'He looks a little bit like Rei-san used to, when she first came to the school…'

Down the hall, another door lay open, and from this one issued a voice.

"As much as I hate to interrupt this touching scene," came the wry tones of Aranami-sensei, "we don't have much time. Please, come in."

So they went, with Hikari Horaki and Shinji Ikari walking into the inner sanctum of Morganna…and stopping cold at the sight of the virtual room. They could have sworn that they were standing in the middle of Net Slum Tartarga, as the apartment's wave synthesis devices, video walls, and embedded computer cores were all working overtime. Around them, they could see The World unfolding beneath them, as if they were gods of a sort looking over their domain…exactly the feeling Morganna wanted to convey, for fairly obvious reasons.

"I would say 'Welcome to The World', but that greeting must be quite worn out for the two of you by now, Dark Evangel, Unyielding Shadow," came a voice from behind them, as Yumi Aranami emerged from the shadows. "But rather, I say to you 'welcome to my home,' dothackers. There was a time years ago when those of that group were less than welcome in my domain, but times change, don't they?"

"That they do," the Third Child acknowledged with a small nod, though curiosity brewed in him now. "Hmm…this place looks a little like the virtual room at NERV."

"Of course," responded the mysterious Morganna, former goddess of The World. "Though I should tell you, this is the original one…NERV's is only based on this one."

"Wait…so if this was the original, how did NERV come up with—"

"The Queen of the Dark thought it might be useful for your training, so she passed the information onto them," the commanding woman answered. "Otherwise, you'd just be sitting in a simulator where you center a target and pull the switch, or at sync tests all day, isn't that right?"

"So why did you ask us to come here, specifically?" asked Hikari, curious as to this particular choice of location. "I can understand not wanting to be interrupted, and the need to eliminate distractions, but…was it because of this room?"

"In a word, yes," Morganna said simply, holding out her hands to the two to reveal in each a sleek headset…and a pair of very familiar interface devices. "That, and aside from NERV Headquarters, this building has perhaps the most sophisticated network setup in all of Tokyo-3. But moving on…Dark Evangel, do you recognize these?"

"A10 nerve clips…" the brown-haired boy breathed in surprise. "And are those…the advanced M3D neurogoggle system? So we're going to sync with our characters in The World directly? Isn't that somewhat dangerous with the threat of AIDA?"

"The threat of infection isn't any greater, for even if you didn't use the clips, the technology involved in The World already induces a sort of sync as you fight," the former goddess explained. "An AIDA-PC has a more direct link to The World than a standard player, so enhancing their strength, speed, and endurance, on top of AIDA's native abilities. Thus, since you have the power to combat AIDA, forging a more direct link with these advanced systems counters their other advantage, increasing your combat effectiveness by speeding up your in-world reaction time, among other things."

'And of course, the strength you may gain from the shadow within you, bound only by your will and the power of the Twilight Bracelet…'

"I'll do it," the Third Child said almost immediately. "If AIDA is a threat either way, then I might as well use what weapons I can to oppose it and give myself an edge. Hikari-san, will you use it too?"

The pigtailed girl was silent for a few moments as if mulling it over, but then she nodded, taking the clips and from Morganna.

"…I will," she whispered, putting on the clips and the new neurogoggle interface as Aranami-sensei bid.

"Very well then, you two," the goddess of dusk voiced approvingly. "Now I would highly suggest you sit down, as it is improbable that you will remain standing once you sync."

And so the two lowered themselves to the floor, sitting back to back with one another as they made their final preparations.

"Ikari-kun…I'll see you in The World."

"The same to you…Unyielding Shadow."

Beside them, Morganna smiled wearily, activating the sync protocols for the wireless interface system that would allow direct neural input/output, linking both of them more closely with The World than they had ever thought possible.

'And so it begins…'


Ω Warring City State Lumina Cloth

There was something to be said for watching skilled combatants come at each other with no holds barred, witnessing titans clashing in a designated isle of battle, while the self was far removed from danger. From a distance, anyone could still feel the thrill of the fight, the rush of a duel to the death, vicariously experiencing the potency of battle without any of the risks.

It was that feeling that fans of the Arena lived for, imagining themselves battling alongside the most feared and powerful players in The World, for a moment identifying with them and their endless struggle as they walked unto a field of blades. And perhaps one day, they imagined, the watchers would become the watched, taking their place among the legend of The World.

Then there were those who watched not because of the thrill, but for the knowledge to be gained in studying a potential enemy's attack patterns…or because a combatant in the Arena was in some sense their friend or servant, and they had a vested interest in who won.

Two of the latter stood beside the Chaos Gate of the Warring City State, waiting for a certain team's arrival. The relationship between them was an interesting one, wrapped in mystery and enigma, a bind that extended through both worlds. A blue and silver-haired boy and a mysterious swordswoman in red robes, weapon at her side, they regarded the gate impassively as they remained in place. Soon, the champions of darkness would arrive, and the Queen of the Dark intended to bequeath to them a boon.

They were not to be disappointed, as before their eyes, rings of azure light shimmered into existence and vanished with a chime, leaving behind the forms of Skari the Dark Evangel, and Tomoyami the Unyielding Shadow, two of strongest warriors of The World.

"Greetings, my allies," spoke the red-clad Mistress of Net Slum. "And welcome to the city of strife, where the fate of the Lost is soon to be decided, little ones. It is truly an impressive feat for you to have made it this far, coming at last to this battle for the title of Emperor. Skari, Tomoyami, you know what you must do, so there is little for me to say but this: Good Luck. You shall need it."

Then the little boy in white stepped forward, snapping his fingers as an orb of smoky light materialized in the aether, crashing into the ground with a swirl of flame to reveal an Edge Punisher in white leather armor, one that looked suspiciously like Dr. Akagi, but with a strange sort of sensual grace that reminded others of Eris in her uncorrupted form. This was Casper of the Obsidian Knights, one of the "Eyes of Helba" as another called them long ago.

"Based on the data we have been tracking, the corrupted Knight Melchior did not fall at Sif Berg, and is likely to be fighting alongside the Bringer of Strife," the heir to Net Slum voiced quietly. "As even the Dark Queen had trouble against her, Casper will fill out the third and last slot in your team to as to counter the rogue AIDA-AI."

Upon hearing that, the Obsidian Knight spoke for the first time in the Dark Evangel's memory.

"By the order of the Queen, and by my oaths as a Knight," Casper spoke with conviction, extending the hilt of her sword to the Adept Rogue. "I will swear this, Slayer of Angels: that I shall serve as your sword and defeat the enemy before me. No matter what, you will not fall by Melchior's hand."

"I gladly accept your aid in the battle to come," murmured Skari, touching the weapon and handing it back to the Edge Punisher in an ancient ritual of fealty. "And now we are three…the Shadow, the Void, and the keeper of knowledge."

"Indeed you are," acknowledged the Queen of the Dark, as she and her heir melted away into the ever present crowds of Lumina Cloth.

Given the upcoming match would decide not who would move on in the tournament but who would claim the coveted throne of Emperor, the streets were more packed than ever before, as newbies, Chaotic PKs, PKKs and hackers streamed into the Warring City State for this much anticipated duel.

For in spite of any taunting or ignorant dismissals the mention of either might inspire in public, the Bringer of Strife and the Dark Evangel were indeed two of the most feared players in all The World, the unstoppable force and the immovable object respectively—and when the two finally clashed, the result promised to be a battle that would rock the very foundations of The World itself. Any number of bets and wagers had been placed on the outcome of this duel, with some rare hunters and gamblers staking their entire horde of virtual wealth upon it, depending on their faction they were aligned with.

"Come, let us go," Tomoyami sighed, scythe at the ready as the trio moved towards the Arena looming in the distance, the masses parting before with an awed hush. "It would be a shame to miss our match, wouldn't it?"

'I'm coming for you Asuka…and soon you will know the true meaning of terror of death…'


Arena, Ω Warring City State Lumina Cloth

In the history of the three circuits of the Arena, there had only ever been one Emperor, a Blade Brandier by the name of Antares, who had swept through the ranks of the Demon Palace like the light of a star through the darkness of the void. His title match had been concluded only hours before, and now in this place where legends were born, the final match of the Holy Palace Tournament was about to take place, a second Emperor to be crowned.

History was in the making, as whatever happened here would be forever seared into the fabric of The World, echoing on from this place and time into eternity. Who would win the day? Whose sense of purpose and resolve would triumph? Which name would be spoken of in the months and years to come? That of the demonic Bringer of Strife, the feared Chaotic PK whose reign brought only terror and grief to The World? Or that of the Dark Evangel, the fallen warrior of light chasing an impossible dream of justice and mercy? The unstoppable force whose power had proved overwhelming in each encounter, or the immovable object upon which a thousand blades had been shattered?

Thus the more temperamental members of the audience had returned to the Arena, with newbies, dreamers, wanderers and those who only logged in occasionally sitting besides the rabblerousers and the diehard fanatics, as their champions vied for the hearts of The World. Even one of The World's old net poets was in the audience, holding tightly onto a dream of what this new world could be, one so fragile in this climate of rage that it could only be whispered lest it blow away.

In many ways this was not a fight between two players, as much as a fight between primal symbols and ideals, systems of belief. An individual player could be killed off or ignored, his or her concerns dismissed—but a symbol, a hero, could not. Somehow, through their words and deeds, Skari and Eris had come become more than just feared PKK or Chaotic PK, instead gaining the reputation of avatars of preservation and ruin, hope and despair. Now, both could be ruthless, but the case of one, it was to protect, and in the other, to destroy…and now these titans would clash in a battle only one could survive.

"The Alastor…the Dark Evangel who stands against the winds of plague," whispered one of those in the audience. "They say he fights for the sake of a girl, and for her he has turned himself into a weapon."

"He has never run away from even the fiercest of foes, letting their blades strike him as if his body was uncaring steel…only to use the opening his opponent makes in striking him to land a fatal blow," another murmured, citing the rumors she had heard.

"Yet the Bringer of Strife has slain the strongest of opponents in a single blow, instantly killing her enemies before they have a chance to strike," one of the skeptical ones (a Chaotic PK herself). "How will the Dark Evangel deal with that, I wonder, when the power of Eris is almost indescribable?"

"He'll find a way…I'll bet even the ultra rare Rainbow Scale accessory on it," spoke Natsume the Edgemaniac, who was watching from the stands beside a certain titan of gold.

"Heh…then I have something you'll find interesting," the other sneered. "These Dual Swords…the vaunted rare known as Spiral Edge."

"Spiral…Edge?" Natsume repeated slowly, her voice becoming deeper and quite a bit more menacing, causing the other PK to inch away.

"Yes…if the Dark Evangel wins, I will give them to you," the unknown Chaotic PK said quickly, before things could escalate into a full blown brawl.

"As you will then."

Then the Commentator rose to his feet and the crowds broke into a wild frenzy, cheering for the one they supported in this fight.

"Eris, the great Goddess of Discord! Skari, the dark Lightbringer!" his distinctive voice boomed out to the masses. "With their lightest of steps, the earth shakes and shocks resound throughout the Arena. Tonight we will find out the true weight of the word…Emperor! Chaotic PK or PKK - the all consuming fires of Chaos or the elusive shadow of Freedom? Who shall prevail and claim the Holy Palace throne?!"

At the sound of that word, there was absolute silence, as the buzzing of conversation, the sound of breathing, everything went still—save for the Commentator himself, as azure rings of light brought with them the first claimants for the throne…

"Here comes Team Dark Evangel!" he proclaimed, as the light faded to reveal an Adept Rogue, a Flick Reaper, and an Edge Punisher. "Having walked unto a field of blades, Skari stands tall, wearing a look of grim determination as he faces his greatest foe yet. Fighting by his side is a whole new lineup: the Unyielding Shadow, Tomoyami and the knight of shadow Casper! A Flick Reaper and an Edge Punisher…what an offensive lineup! Will Team Discord be nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter?"

Half of the audience leapt to their feet, cheering and jumping up and down, as from a dark corner of the observation deck, a black and silver clad Macabre Dancer only smirked, watching the proceedings with interest.

'No matter which way this ends, this shall work to my advantage…'

Once again, rings of azure light flared into existence, bringing to the center isle of battle three AIDA-PCs.

Eris' form was by now completely demonic, with her having given body and soul over to AIDA, eyes glowing with a sickly purple light, as from the rest of her erupted liquid shadow. Beside her stood Melchior, the fallen Knight in spiky black and grey plate armor shot through with veins of red, and a bulky bodybuilder of a man whose face was taut with pain even as shadow leaked from his form.

"What?!" Tomoyami whispered quietly, her scythe dropping as she looked upon the Tribal Grappler. "It…it can't be. That—that bitch...what did she do?!"

'And how do you expect me to—'

"You have to fight him, as you are the only one that can, for there are three AIDA-PCs here," Casper told the Flick Reaper quietly, her expression a mask of fortitude. "I will handle Melchior, as is my purpose for being here…for no human can match her alone. Eris will be focused on Skari, as he is her main target, and has been since the beginning—and this battle will end once she is defeated. Until then, you must hold off the corrupted Aruna, as even the Bearer of the Bracelet cannot take on several AIDA-PCs at once."

"But…but…" the Flick Reaper protested, though even as she did so, she realized the truth of the Obsidian Knight's words, and so snarled as she considered this latest crime of the redhead, the final straw. "Understood, I do what I must."

'So this is what happened to those two…Asuka Langley Soryu…you will pay for this with your life!'

Up came the scythe again, thirsty for the taste of a traitor's blood.

"And here comes their opponents, Team Discord!" the Commentator announced, taken aback on seeing them. "The figure of Eris gives off an unearthly vibe, and her teammates are pretty creepy themselves…the knight of darkness Melchior and…what's this, the Invincible Pervert Aruna! Could it be that Eris has somehow corrupted the Tribal Grappler with her dark magics?"

Stepping forward with an insane grin, the Bringer of Strife brandished her chainsaw broadsword, revving it up and licking her lips in anticipation of the blood to be spilled.

"HAHAHAHA…what will you do now, Dark Evangel?" the shadow demon taunted, having lost her last hold on reality. "How does it feel to lose everything, Angel?! To watch the world you so carefully built up crumble into nothing?!"

"Why?!" Skari roared, his bayonet Demon Slice in hand, a sphere of azure light already charged and ready to fire. "Why did you do this, Asuka Langley Soryu?!"

"Angel, you dare ask such a thing!" the Bringer of Strife screeched at the top of her lungs. "You betrayed everyone…you stole everything from me…and now…heheheh…now…you traitor to humanity…YOU'LLL DIE!!! Bone Crusher!"

"DUST BULLET!"

They loosed their skills and charged at one another, faster than the eye could see, the animosity and intent to kill hanging between them palpable even to those in the audience.

Crack! Crack! Whoosh!

The shots of Skari's bayonet struck true time and time again, but without effect, as the bolts of azure light were just absorbed into Eris' living shadow armor, not even slowing her charge.

"Is that the best you can do, weakling? You're nothing but a fraud! Shell Breaker!" the Edge Punisher howled, slashing down with all her might, a blow barely deflected in time by the Dark Evangel's bayonet.

Clang!

'Her strength is overwhelming…but still…she can't beat me, not after all this!'

"I…could…say the same of you!" the Adept Rogue bit back, tilting his gunblade to aim at the hand holding the broadsword, "Tempest Blast!"

The bolt of power struck Eris' unguarded hands at point blank range, blinding the Edge Punisher momentarily—as the Dark Evangel slashed her in the gut, following up with a kick to the face.

"AUUGHH! You…" she snarled, charging once more, her mind lost to rage.

Clang! Clash!

Meanwhile, Skari kept on opposing her…maybe he couldn't take the full force of her blows, but then, he didn't have to, instead using the power of her attacks to fuel his aerobatic maneuvers, leaping off the blade of her sword and landing behind her.

Squelch! Went the gunblade, as the Dark Evangel stabbed his enemy in the back, before flipping out of range of her counterstrike.

"Didn't I say don't take me lightly?" he taunted, as he launched himself once more into the air, unleashing a volley of azure light to provoke Eris into giving chase.

'If I can just protect break her…'

Back on the ground, however, things were not going so smoothly…

Two AIs clashed in a show of fearful symmetry, sparks flying as two knights warred for dominance in an almost purely physical struggle that allowed no room for spells or bullets, throwing into the fray every bit of skill and strength they had.

"Why do you oppose me, Casper?" the fallen Melchior inquired, pale gold eyes curiously peering out from a face framed with white-blonde hair. "You know you cannot beat me…as a scientist, you know that resistance is futile."

Dark Melchior lunged forward, swinging her gunblade once-twice-thrice-and a fourth time in an attempt to decapitate and disarm her more emotional sister. But the bayonet was caught in the teeth of a broadsword, as the brown-haired Casper countered with an armored fist to Melchior's face.

Pow!

"As I did not defeat you when Iruel infected you?" the leather-clad Obsidian Knight answered with a smile, the chainsword in her hand whirring most satisfyingly as she brought it down upon her counterpart's shoulder with every ounce of strength she had, to the tune a very satisfying crunch!

But the fallen Knight soon recovered, the shadows wrapping around her as she relentlessly struck at Obsidian Knight, with blade, with feet, with armored hands, and yet found herself warded off by her uninfected "sister."

"So your will as a woman is strong, clinging to irrational pride and hope of victory even now?" Melchior sneered. "That is why you killed yourself after killing the First Rei!"

The fallen one attacked with her lances of shadow, pouring the weight of contempt, anger, resentment into them to fuel her strikes, attacks without elegance that come smashing down remorselessly, executed only with brute strength. Elegance was the quality of a human…power of the scientist.

"There is no hope for you, Casper," the AIDA-infested Steam Gunner snarled, launching volley upon volley of shafts towards her hated foe…hated because it reminded her too much of herself! "At least, no hope of victory."

But the Obsidian Knight does not take the attacks idly, or maintain range, counterattacking, her broadsword cleaving apart the AIDA lances in midair as she spun about, whirling, slashing striking…there is no possibility of retreat.

"You are correct, Melchior…there is no hope…only certainty!" the Edge Punisher whispered as she struck, weapons crashing together in thrust, parry, riposte, remise, as Casper's defense endured, aided by the most powerful protections the Queen of the Dark could weave.

'I do hope that Tomoyami has found it in herself to fight…'

"Auughh! Palm Blast!" shrieked the possessed Aruna, face contorted with pain and regret as his character moved relentlessly forward, his fists slamming into—not the soft cloth and flesh of his intended target, but the razor sharp blade of her scythe.

'Even possessed by a power giving him great strength, he still doesn't think before he acts...'

Before the Tribal Grappler could react, an angry Tomoyami exploited the momentary opening to deliver a vicious kick to the groin, following up with an uppercut to the head when he staggered, a blow so powerful, it actually lifted the AIDA-PC into the air.

"When I told you be strong, this is not what I had in mind!" the Flick Reaper howled, her dress spinning out around her as she sprung forward, her scythe weaving through the air in complex patterns that promised the kiss of pain. "Stop this at once, Aruna! Or I'll have to teach you a lesson you'll never forget! Heavenly Wheel!"

Clunk! With an inhuman growl, the feral Tribal Grappler raised his arm, catching the scythe with contemptuous ease using one of his spiked gauntlets, while swinging himself towards her, his other fist wreathed in shadow.

"Shell Shock!"

The raw power in that blow sent the Unyielding Shadow sprawling to the floor, skidding across the Arena floor one way with her scythe spinning in the other.

'His stats…they're absurd! Is this AIDA's influence?!'

But there was really no time to think, as an AIDA infected Tribal Grappler was something else indeed, with the power of the virus bolstering their already high speed and attack strength…so Tomoyami simply withdrew another scythe from her inventory and exploded to her feet, invoking the most powerful of the combat arts she was granted.

"Reaper's Dance!"

It was an interesting irony that the ultimate attack in this case, proved instead to be an ultimate defense, as the unpredictably spinning weapon, twirled and struck, forcing Aruna to go on the defensive—if only for an instant, as the Tribal Grappler launched himself into the air, twisting his body to attack from above.

"King Hammer!"

If it struck, the Flick Reaper would have been knocked out, but…she had been anticipating a move like this, summoning a silent "Vak Don" and "Ani Zot" as she shoved herself away from the landing zone, leaving the hapless Aruna to be smote from the air with a flaming meteor, sending him right into the claws of darkness below, searing, tearing, rending his flesh without Aruna being able to retaliate.

'Though I will be the first to admit that there is something…ironic…about using shadow and flame to oppose an AIDA-PC, which essentially what those two bring.'

"Heavenly Wheel!"

"AUUGHHHH!" the berserk Aruna roared in pain, shadowed hands unsealing themselves from within, hurling themselves at the pigtailed girl who had dared to strike at him—only to be blocked by a determined Flick Reaper calling upon the power of darkness, the whirls and arcs of her scythe's path forming a shield of danger that kept the opponent back, slashing away the tendrils as they streamed towards her.

"Zan Rom!" she called out, summoning a tornado, a tempest that seized hold of Aruna's body and ensnared it, giving Tomoyami a moment's reprieve.

'Maybe I can beat him…maybe I can't…but at the very least, I will not lose!'

The battle raged on…

Swish! Crunch! Whirrr!

"Armor Break!" Eris howled, rushing like the wind to close the distance between herself and the irritating pest Skari. The angrier she became, the more AIDA gained control of her, but what of it? She knew that she had to beat the Angel here, for wasn't that her purpose as an EVA pilot, to slay the Angels? "You can't win, Third Child! Give it up! Or your precious Tomoyami will suffer the same fate as your other 'friends…' Wouldn't she look good lying on a hospital bed, a doll for you to play with and molest, you baka hentai?!"

Down came the broadsword, a killing blow to shatter the Adept Rogue's skull—

"Weapon Change! Ghost Falcon!"

—but Skari matched her blow for blow, leaping left, right, left, whirling his blades about in a spiral of death, countering the deadly edge of the AIDA enhanced broadsword, sparks flying as each warred momentarily for dominion—until the Adept Rogue flipped away.

"Don't you dare threaten anyone else! You…you will pay for this! BEAST AWAKENING!" he howled, as an aura of fiery light arose to enshroud all three members of his party, increasing their speed and attack power. 'If you're using the power of AIDA to help you…I'll just have to counter this any way I can…'

As an added bonus, during an awakening, he could strip his opponents of any equipment effects that might allow them to defend against the onslaught to come…

"Chaotic Strike!" he shouted, unleashing one of his most powerful combat arts against his foe, blades blurring as they sliced into her armor, as the nimble Adept Rogue snarled, sliding inside her reach and using all the speed and agility to use "Whirlwind!" and "Gale Blade!"

In the distance, Casper surged with a new influx of power as the Awakening bolstered her abilities, allowing her to match her dark twin in both speed and strength. With a fierce battle cry she hacked away the last of the shadow spears separating her from the traitor Melchior.

Swish! Crunch! Clang! Thwack!

But the Steam Gunner simply dodged out of the way, with no trace of fatigue or strain upon her face, only a dull sense of boredom. For the fallen Knight, this battle was just entertainment until she would at last be allowed to hunt her creator again—a match against a counterpart that had never truly been her equal, and would never have a chance to be.

"Is that all you've got, Casper?" taunted the rogue AI, summoning a weapon made of AIDA to counter her opponent's single weapon. It was a useful thing to be able to surpass the limits of the system, as no being stuck within it could defeat her. "Try matching this!"

The dark figure moved, closes in on the white-clad Obsidian Knight in an instant, thrusting her AIDA-infused gunblade and her AIDA weapon, only for Casper to block with a series of chops and flourishes.

"Your so-called blessing of AIDA is not much to speak of," Casper returned with a smile as she stuck, sweeping with her leg to throw the fallen one off balance, and simultaneously with her blade to cleave her foe in twain. "Twin Moons!"

But Melchior blocked the intended finishing blow is blocked with only her gunblade, pouring the power of numerous spears of darkness into her off-hand weapon and lunging forward, smashing through the layers of armor with sheer brute strength.

Contemptuously, the fallen knight stood above the one named Casper, blades held to her neck and chest as she smiled lustily.

"This is it, my sister," Melchor crowed in triumph, savoring the moment. "Do you finally understand that nothing you can do will be enough to defeat me? I who have your strength and the blessing of AIDA? As a scientist, I must say that your attempt to stall me was but an absurdity in the making. How like Naoko as a woman, to impulsively act without reason."

"Tiger Bite!"

Flick Reaper Tomoyami ducked low to avoid a fist aimed at her temple, but it had only been a feint, as her opponent anticipated this, striking towards her gut instead—which she countered by swinging the butt of her weapon upwards, bringing it into position for her to strike back.

"Lotus Flower!" she screamed, her Scythe whistling as it sliced the air—and continued on to rake the Tribal Grappler across the chest, the battle aura of Awakening granting her new strength.

Hissing, the AIDA-PC Aruna drew back, watching the gleaming blade of the scythe cautiously as it wavered back and forth. He swayed on his feet, following the motion—then exploded forward in a burst of rage inspired speed, shadow clutched within his palms again to melt the absurdly high resistance of the girl who had hurt him.

"I won't let you win!" the pigtailed girl whispered in a deathlike tone. "Do you really think you can beat me, a Chaotic PK?"

Gauntleted fists against Scythe they fought, their individual movements a blurring together as the battle raged onwards, their feet barely touching the floor as they flew at each other again and again, a complex dance of evasions, parries, blocks, and thrusts, empty rage against chilling logic hurling themselves against one another's attacks.

"King Hammer!"

Enhanced with the power of shadow, the AIDA-infected Aruna's fists shot forward in an attempt to score a knockout blow and finish his foe…or at least infect his opponent.

"Rue Kruz!"

But with the last wisps of power from the Beast Awakening, Tomoyami evaded, her deadly scythe screaming towards the Tribal Grappler as orbs of water sprung full formed from the aether, smashing one after another onto corrupted Aruna's form. He howled with pain and senseless rage, yet still stood his ground, grunting as the scythe impact flung him away.

'Like this, he's nothing more than an AIDA Monster—there's nothing of the real Aruna here…the only way to save him, is to stop him. And that AIDA…the way he's using it, its like some kind of curse, an oil that spills and spreads, and taints the ground—reacting only to swallow human minds and human bodies.'

"Tiger Blitz!" Eris invoked, once the Awakening had passed, raining a number of heavy blows down upon the impudent Adept Rogue, her chainsaw sword snarling out a grinding hiss in the amidst the clashes in the Arena as she struck with finality…with him miraculously managing to block the blow, and thinking quickly, used the momentum of the charge to spin the irate Edge Punisher around, bringing his other weapon across her gut so that she reeled back.

"You must know it by now," she taunted as she countered, returning to guard position, "You can't win! It's pointless to keep fighting. So, why, Dark Evangel? Why do you persist in the face of your doom?"

"Why?" the Adept Rogue asked sardonically, dual swords at the ready. "Because I choose to."

Slash, slash, clank, slash!

And once again, Skari demonstrated how he had grown since their first encounter, with blades blurring as he struck again and again, managing to use his superior speed and agility to get inside his opponent's reach and land a few blows—to no avail, as the Bringer of Strife simply threw back her head and laughed off the attack.

"You heartless bitch! I'll kill you...Asuka Langley Soryu!" Skari roared with fury, twin blades flashing up down left right, slashing, whirring, stabbing—all deflected with contemptuous ease as Eris kicked him viciously in the gut, smashing him in the head with the pommel of her sword, sending him sprawling.

With one sweeping feint then strike, she managed to break through his defenses, delivering a powerful blow that knocked him to the floor…and then she put away her weapon, intending to finish this match once and for all when—

"DATA DRAIN!"

The terrible light of The World's most powerful skill flared into existence as Skari lifted his hand, dropping her to her knees with the force of a thousand hooks digging into her very soul, the Bringer of Strife enduring terrible pain in both worlds as the divine magic leeched her strength away.

Of course, there was a minor complication in that had not been protect broken, and thus…though wounded…the AIDA possessing her had not been destroyed, only enraged.

"YOU…VERDAMMEN BAKA HENTAI! Divine Awakening: Hellfire Quake!" the Edge Punisher bellowed at the top of her lungs, as in her hands gathered a chaotic orb of dark fire, a swirling mass of untamed shadow and flame forged into a sword.

She laughed maniacally, hefting the greatsword, lifting it high above her head, then slashed it forward and down, unleashing a wave motion flamethrower that incinerated the surface of the battle isle, leaving it all in smoke, covering it all in smoke.

"Yes, it looks you've finally…no…no…THIS CANNOT BE!" the Bringer of Strife screeched, eyes widening in disbelief…for the blinding light of that attack had faded, and the Dark Evangel still stood…

'No…it won't end like this…not while I still breathe…'

Elsewhere on the field, Casper groaned as the flames of the Hellfire Quake washed over her, searing away all that remained of her armor, with Melchior gloating above her, gunblade raised to end the Obsidian Knight's wretched existence.

"You should have learned by now that can't defeat me while we are here in this domain," the fallen knight smirked. "And since you've suffered so much damage, you won't be able to regenerate, so I'll end this. You should thank me, sister. Consider it an act of mercy that I am willing to cut short your worthless existence."

Melchior's weapon stabbed down a final time, piercing Casper's heart—as the servant of Helba only smiled.

"It is finished," Casper acknowledged, clutching the AIDA-infused blade, while looking at the AIDA-PC and fallen knight beside her.

"What is? Your futile existence as an Eye of Helba?" Naoko Akagi as scientist inquired, always interested in facts.

"No. AIDA Data encryption has been nullified. Direct link has been established to rogue AI Melchior," the Edge Punisher recited tonelessly. "Activation of special rule 582 confirmed, overriding cancellation by two AIs. Reformatting of system folders on Melchior and Casper commencing, including erasure of backups involving system processes 'Obsidian Knights' and linked programs."

From the stands, Balthasar, the representation of Naoko Akagi as mother, watched this spectacle unfold.

"Confirmed. MAGI Balthasar executing requested actions now."

"Impossible…I have the blessing of AIDA," Melchior voiced in horror, a futile attempt to deny reality, for even as she spoke, code fragments evaporated from her cybernetic shell, her form being eaten away from both without and within, along with the AIDA infesting her.

"Indeed," responded Casper, with a last twinkle of laughter in her eyes, as the same process was occurring to her. "That is why I was forced to engage you and use my body as a vector for the reset program. The encryption was otherwise too much to breech."

"You…then…this was your plan all along?!" the fallen knight questioned as her body faded away. "Replacing your combat data with a infiltration and dissolution factor? That would explain why you seemed so weak…how can you die so easily?"

"Ah, Melchior...it is the way of things. Everything that has a beginning has an end, and I see the end coming. I see…death, and it is peace," Casper paused as she searched for a few last words. "Goodbye, sister…it has been…fun."

A moment later, both AIs vanished from the field, having found "The End" at last.

"ENOUGH OF YOUR TRICKS, SKARI! DIE ANGEL!" shrieked the Bringer of Strife, giving in to the power of darkness completely. With the might of rage and fear fueling the true power of AIDA, a wave of endless shadow shot forth from her, innumerable clawed hands lancing with deadly precision towards the being she most hated, the one who had stolen everything from her: Adept Rogue Skari.

The Dark Evangel leapt back, flipping away, dodging, slashing—but it was to no avail, as however many of the dark claws he hacked away, ten came to take their place, clanging into the ground around him, and trapping him in a cage.

Against their bounds he struggled, but they would not budge…leaving the blue-haired youth open to the final spear of AIDA that issued from Eris' hands—and pierced him through the gullet, as shadows swept over the entire isle of battle.

"This is it…you lose," Eris sang with a maniacal grin, waiting for the music to signal the end of the match. After all, to win in the Arena, one only really needed to defeat the enemy party leader…

'Even if he is an Angel, there's no way he can withstand the power of Al Fadel…'

Shadow lashed out and consumed the Adept Rogue, but he resisted, unwilling to surrender. And as the darkness encroached upon him, Skari heard a voice speak from inside his mind: his voice.

'Shinji…do you remember the choice you made? When you claimed the seed and the book? Come…let the darkness take you, and with your feelings, let slip the binds of reason and claim the power you seek!'

From his mouth issued a roar of defiance, as a column of fire shot from his body into the sky above the Arena, molten power ripping through the shadows of Eris' AIDA as if they were nothing but tissue paper, freeing him almost effortlessly, as he faced down the Bringer of Strife, his form changed, as the Second Child learned the meaning of fear.

'No…what in The World? This…this isn't…this isn't possible…its like that EVA…'

Sanity was nearly gone from Skari's eyes now, and the figure that crouched before her now was a snarling beast, pupil-less eyes wide and glowing red, body seemingly forged of fire and steel, a clawed, winged form of unholy terror, a literal Dark Evangel, inspiring in even a Chaotic PK the terror of death.

From her vantage point in the audience, Morganna raised an eyebrow, a softly musical laugh issuing from her lips.

"So… B-ST form…a Job Extend that defies the system parameters," the goddess of dusk noted. "A shift drawing on the power of the divine and the shadow…how appropriate for the Dark Evangel, for he who fights monsters inevitably becomes one."

With a keening wail that shook the Bringer of Strife to her core, the Dark Evangel stormed toward her location, leaping high into the air, and striking at her with only his claws. But the Chaotic PK was not about to give in, as Clang! went her broadsword swung with AIDA infused strength, batting him away from her.

But Skari's bestial form took no damage, simply using the momentum to land gracefully upon his feet, as he sprung at her again, this time requiring the efforts of the AIDA lances to knock him away, with Adept Rogue's B-ST form still taking no damage, only becoming more enraged.

'What is his body made of…swords?!'

"VAK DON!" Eris howled, calling down meteors of fire from the sky to strike her enemy—who upon being struck, flared with light, and blinked out of existence.

'Eh…where did he? GUHHHH!'

A blur slammed into the unprepared AIDA-PC from behind, sending her skidding across the Arena floor, as the fallen angel grinned.

"I'm not done yet!" the Edge Punisher screeched, rising to her feet and drawing her weapon Heine's Shadow…only to freeze in shock at the sight before her eyes.

Reaching behind him with a yowl of some indefinable emotion and a burst of light, the fallen angel drew into his hands two broadswords: Heine's Shadow. That alone would have shocked her, as Skari wasn't an Edge Punisher, and anyway it was impossible to dual wield broadswords. But what was worse was the behemoth rift of static that opened as he did so, from which were spawned a thousand blades floating in the air.

'Oh… SHEIßE…'

With a blur of motion, the Dark Evangel slammed both broadswords forward, and all the weapons within that gate of twilight shot forth in a continuous stream of blades, snaking through the air and slamming into the Bringer of Strife one after another, the sudden onslaught ripping her body to shreds with the Edge Punisher helpless to defend—for no normal player, no mere AIDA-PC could hope to defeat such an attack.

One after another they surged forward, impaling her body, lacerating, puncturing, carving deep furrows into her limbs, her gut, her chest, with one particularly large sword nearly severing her head from her body.

'What is this unlimited blade...AUUUGHHHH!'

A screech of agony, a burst of static, and her body melted into a lake of shadow, exploding outwards to change the battlefield into an expansive sea bounded by innumerable hexagons: Avatar Space.

In the place of Eris was now an amorphous mass, a seething bubbling gathering of gelatinous ectoplasm oozing and shifting itself into its final form: a giant transparent spider.

Artificially Intelligent Data Anomaly Oswald: The Entrapper.

But if the AIDA thought that revealing its true form would be enough to intimidate the Dark Evangel, it would not prove so, for a series of strange glyphs took shape around his body, as a guttural voice arose from the throat of the beast, a glimmer of sanity reemerging from the depths of madness.

"To break…the chains of fate…I am…right here!! Shadow!" Skari screamed, as light flared from his character

With an anguished moan, Skari was now floating in the expanse, enshrouded within the titanic form of an angel of light.

Artificially Intelligent Data Anomaly Victorian: The Conqueror.

"This is the end for you, Asuka Langley Soryu!" he intoned, facing down the great spider before him. "I'm coming for you!"

Lost to unstoppable rage, AIDA Oswald could not reply, save with a spray of "Kobold Bullets" as it hurled a gaggle of energy orbs towards its angelic foe.

But the angel of light dodged with the nimbleness one might expect from a celestial messenger, executing a "Royal Tackle" as it hurled itself bodily at the AIDA Oswald, crashing into it and smashing it backwards and forwards with its wings, as the spider careened away, spinning headlong towards the wall of the bounded space, pitching, yawing, tumbling uncontrollably until it was finally halted by a mighty crash, the shock of an unexpected inducing an unwanted paralysis.

Seeing a chance to add insult to injury, AIDA Victorian closed the distance before the wounded Oswald could recover, loosing an Excellent Ray attack, shooting dark bolts of energy from its maw as it charged, only pulling away enough to whip its wings, producing and unleashing an immense atom-like sphere of coruscating energy, the aptly named "Elegant Orb".

Oswald had just started to move again when the "Elegant Orb" made contact, slamming it deeper into Avatar Space. Not in the mood for much more abuse, AIDA Oswald took evasive action, dashing through the space hither and thither as Victorian chased after, its powerful forelegs pinwheeling to pull away from its opponent, no, to spin around and unleash "Arachno Trap", streams of silk issuing from its body to ensnare the winged annoyance within a woven cage.

Quickly, while its enemy was paralyzed, the oversized arachnid fired off a "Kobold Bullet" before slamming its foe with two overhead blows from its forelegs. In a matter of seconds, Victorian had freed itself, but by then, it was too late to counter the delayed effect of the homing orbs, all of which slammed into it.

Within Victorian's form, Skari grunted as the energy bullets made contact, making to answer with a overwhelming large volley of "Royal Bullets", homing in on the spider AIDA as it futilely attempted to block with webbing—and striking.

A tinkling sound was heard, as a shell of blue light shattered around the hideous monstrosity, with three words flashing above its head.

"Protect Break OK!"

The spider drifted through the space in an entirely predictable trajectory, turning to flee as the AIDA angel chasing it gave chase, with Skari lifting his hands to prepare his strongest attack, the sepals of the fully formed Twilight Bracelet unfolding before Victorian, hexagons of data clustering on its wings to surround the great Eye of Morganna made manifest.

"DRAIN HEART!"

The bolt of crackling data, the tracer round for the ultimate form of "Data Drain" launched outwards, impacting the spider AIDA and parasitically sucking away its vitality, ripping apart the very information that gave the creature shape as it howled and shook futilely, innumerable streams of data torn and shredded from its form, with the great orb of Data Drain growing smaller, smaller, smaller, and vanishing as Oswald screamed its last, leaving behind only the mangled form of Eris.

The Dark Evangel dismissed AIDA Victorian as Avatar Space dissolved.

There he stood upon the isle of battle, returned to his more normal form by the unsealing of the power within. Slowly, as Tomoyami and Aruna continued to duel in the distance, he strode towards the fallen form of Eris, tossing one of his dual swords at her before she could get up.

With a tinkling sound, Eris herself was protect broken, fully vulnerable to the effects of Data Drain.

'My other self said it best, Asuka…the only way to save you…is to destroy you.'

One last time, Skari raised his right hand, and three crimson petals formed from hexagons flickering into existence as a terrible light charged within the bracelet he bore. With a cry, it lanced through the Arena, utterly destroying Eris' form, dissolved like fog in the morning light.

Sounds of battle raged on for a few moments longer, then ended, as the Tribal Grappler Aruna leapt away from Tomoyami, halting his attack and warping out…just as the Arena's observation systems recognized the defeat of the leader of Team Discord, and the rock anthem of victory blared.

Hearing this, the crowds roared, struggling to see exactly what had happened, as they had not seen the duel continue into Avatar Space, though they marveled at the skills shown here. The Commentator, slightly confused himself, took a few moments to gather his thoughts before voicing his own remarks.

"Un-Unbelievable!!" he hollered to the crowds, confidently as ever. "I don't have the faintest idea what's happened, but anyway…the winner is Team Dark Evangel! Skari has become the first to take the throne of the Holy Palace…we are witnesses to history! The great Goddess of Discord has at last met her end at the hands of the dark Lightbringer!"

The reaction to this news was mixed, with about half the crowd now celebrating, and half extremely embittered, handing over what they had lost in bets and promises. Not included in either group was a certain black and silver clad Macabre Dancer, who smirked as his new servant drew near.

"Well done, Aruna."

In the center of the Arena, Skari and Tomoyami somehow found the energy to wave to the crowds, though after that fierce battle, they were leaning against one another for support.

"Are you ok, Tomoyami?" the Adept Rogue asked, the last of his berserker energy threatening to leave him

"Yeah…thanks to you finishing the match when you did," the Flick Reaper replied, voice almost non-existent. "I don't know how much longer I could have held off the infected Aruna."

The two looked at each other and shook their heads, simply glad the other had survived. Speaking of which...

"What happened to Casper?" Skari asked, curious as to where the Knight could have disappeared to.

"I don't know," answered Tomoyami with a sigh. "But something tells me this was only the beginning of a larger whole...lets just hope we managed to save the Lost Ones."

'Eris is beaten, but Aruna has been taken in exchange...'

Tokyo-3

Down in the Geofront, the door to a certain apartment was kicked open with a bang, asNERVSection 2 and Special Investigations personnel burst into the Second Child's apartment, weapons drawn. The Commander had mobilized them immediately upon finishing his review of the report and warrant of arrest from the World Network Council, muttering something about the child outliving her usefulness, and had categorized her as a threat to be presumed armed and dangerous—and likely to flee at first opportunity available.

So they had moved, gathering the nearest squads of individuals and forcibly entering her room…only to discover the Second Child was already…incapacitated. She was laying on the floor unconscious, as if she'd fallen from her chair, her M2D headset for playing The World still on her head—and worse, she wasn't breathing. It was something of an irony in that the squad sent to arrest her for crimes that would likely lead to the death sentence had needed to perform CPR on her and inform NERV Medical of an emergency, effectively saving her life, although she remained in an unwaking coma.

After medical personnel had taken charge of her, Ryoji Kaji had headed to the Second Child's room once again, in order to attempt to determine the cause of this collapse, with the only thing worth noting a computer, with the contents of the screen a major cause for concern.

An instance of The World: R2 was open but blacked out, with the words 'SYSTEM ERROR' in bold white across the screen.

'And now both the First and Second Children number among the Lost…'