[To Face the Looming Darkness]
Ritsuko's Lab
Ritsuko stood and turned as she heard a whoosh of air, and her eyes widened as she came face to face with the group that Daniel had just teleported in. Eleanor was slumped over beside the unmoving forms of Kaworu and Shinji as Hikari tended to them, and Toji and Asuka regarded unmoving limbs with no small amount of horror.
And Daniel… he was afraid. Openly so. What could scare him so much?
She walked towards them, concern growing in her expression. "Daniel? What's going on?"
Daniel said nothing, rushing to Eleanor's side. As he looked over her, his hand became wreathed in a starfield, and he turned her over, his hand slowly sinking in and pulling out a dark mass of Flux, encasing it in crystal.
Daniel looked back at the others, then at Ritsuko. "We've been attacked. And we need to ensure that Shinji and Kaworu don't die."
. . .
After a moment, and Maya's shock and concern at coming in to see such a mess, the Children were moved up to the Medical Center's most secure position under the utmost secrecy. After a moment, Kaworu and Shinji were under anesthetics, the EKGs beeping steadily as Hikari struggled to pull the remaining rounds from Kaworu, Rei by his side.
Asuka sat by Shinji, refusing treatment as she kept vigil on Shinji. Gendo sat opposite her, his hand on Shinji's shoulder and his face filled with worry. Toji sat on a chair to the side next to Misato and Kaji, a hollow look on his face as he tried again and again to move his arms, his leg, and was met with… nothing.
And Eleanor… she lay on a gurney, eyes closed, unmoving, as Daniel stood over her, the crystal that contained the Flux that had seemed to consume her core in his hand.
Hikari shook her head as she continued her ministrations on Kaworu. "Damn it!" she exclaimed, drawing startled looks from the Children who were still awake. "It's like trying to pull on something covered in grease trying to extract these bullets!"
Daniel looked up, blinking for a moment before making his way over to Hikari's side, pocketing the gemstone. "I'm not a Mender like Eleanor," he said quietly, "but I can at least dig the bullets out."
Misato looked at Daniel with no small amount of alarm. "Please be careful, Daniel." she said. "A lot of those looked like they landed near his spine."
Daniel nodded. "And Eleanor got most of them out from the most dangerous positions, thankfully." he said. "But there's still a few left…" he trailed off as he concentrated, his Sight activating and taking in the rounds, their positions marked by outlines of Flux.
Invisible to the naked eye, Frames began to extend from Daniel's hands towards one of the rounds. Daniel's gaze flicked up towards Kaworu's S2 organ, chugging away at clearing up the Flux present in his system. Its size prevented it from being as effective as any of the Angel's, but it did its work well nevertheless.
Daniel's focus returned to the bullet he had surrounded with his Frame. "Now, for Flux-infused weapons that get embedded in someone, you need to completely envelop it in order to pull it out, Hikari." he said quietly.
"And…" he said, slowly beginning to extract the bullet, "you just… take it slow… like… this…"
As he said the last word, the bullet fell into his open palm, and the skin sealed shut in its wake. He hefted the crimson round in his hand. "And there you have it. One Flux-infused bullet."
He paused for a moment, then turned to Ritsuko and Gendo, who stood over Shinji. "Now, call me crazy," he said, holding the bullet between his finger and thumb, "but does this round remind you of anything that would be able to pierce through an AT Field?"
After a moment of consideration, Ritsuko's eyes widened. "The Lance…" she whispered.
Daniel nodded. "That's what I thought." he regarded the bullet as Hikari continued to make progress in stabilizing Kaworu. "My bet is that SEELE has found a way to synthesize, in whole and in part, the power of the Lance of Longinus."
Gendo nodded. "It would make sense for the old men to have an interest in anti-AT Field weapons. Especially where it concerns the Lance as part of their plans for Instrumentality."
After a moment of silence in which Hikari successfully extracted another bullet from Kaworu, Kaji spoke up. "So, wait a minute," he said, "what's the difference between those and…" he looked over at Eleanor as he trailed off, and what little light was in Daniel's eyes left as he regarded the woman he loved.
"The difference is that, while these, and presumably by extension, the Lance, are physical objects infused with Flux, what the I-Breaker did to Eleanor is completely made of Flux." Daniel looked down at the gemstone in his hand as he said this, clear save for the thumb-sized lump of dark-colored Flux that seemed to swirl inside it.
"I-Breaker?" Asuka said, finally looking up from Shinji as he said this. "What does that mean?"
Daniel's voice was cold enough to send shivers through the entire room. "An Interface-Breaker. They are anti-Interfacer specialists. Able to use energized Flux to protect themselves from Interfacing, and weaponizing Flux to… to neutralize Interfacers."
Daniel shook his head. "They're rare, thankfully." he said as he walked up to Eleanor. "It takes time and effort to be able to energize and use Flux like they do. But it makes them deadly. Especially the ones that know how to make Flux Cysts."
Another shudder passed through the group as Daniel finally named what it seemed was in his hand. "And…" Misato said. "What are those?"
Daniel raised the gemstone in his hand, giving everyone a clear view of what was inside. "This is a Flux Cyst. It… it shatters the soul into dozens of pieces, and prevents them from coming back together by encasing them in hardened Flux."
He held the crystal in what was almost a death grip as he continued. "If that I-Breaker had gotten a hold of this, all he would have had to do was open a portal to the Worldsea and toss it through. And that… that is the closest we can ever get to truly dying." he said the last part in an almost strangled whisper.
Rei in particular shuddered as she took in the implications. To have one's soul shattered and separated permanently like that? It made what had happened to her seem… well, at least she had retained individuality while her soul was split. To face this…
"Is there anything we can do about it?" Hikari said, extracting yet another bullet.
Daniel shook his head. "Not here. We don't have the sort of tools on hand to crack a Flux Cyst. Or, at least…" he thought for a moment.
Asuka looked up as she began to connect the dots. "Wait a minute… the Val?"
Daniel nodded. "Exactly. The Val is a warship, built to be the Hollow Saint of War's personal vessel. It's a flag vessel, and it has the facilities for me, what was my personal guard, and the crew, even though it's able to be automated. It'll have the medical facilities for Eleanor to crack this cyst."
"So what're we waiting for?" Toji said, determination evident in his eyes.
Daniel shook his head. "We're going to make sure you all are patched up first. She'd want to make sure you're all okay before she gets any treatment."
It was silent, then everyone nodded. "Alright, then." Toji said.
Daniel smiled softly. "Don't worry, Toji. Shinji and Kaworu will be back on their feet in no time."
Maya, who had taken all of this in silently until now, nodded. "That much is obvious. Especially for Mr. Nagisa. I'm still not sure what to make of his soul. Is he part Angel, like Rei?"
Daniel regarded Maya silently for a moment, and all eyes turned to him as he regarded Rei, linking his soul to hers. "Do you want to tell them? It's your call."
Rei thought silently on it for a moment. "We will have to, at some point or another. It might as well be now."
A pause. "Allow me to tell them if you will."
Daniel nodded silently and severed his connection with Rei as she took a deep breath.
"Kaworu Nagisa… is the final Angel. The final part of Adam that needs to die."
A gasp went up among the Children and the adults that didn't seem to know as she raised a hand, looking pointedly at Misato, whose Grip had come into existence seemingly by instinct. "Or, at least, his soul is that of the final Angel's. After Arael's attack, Eleanor prevented the part of his soul that was based on his Angelic ancestry from… consuming the part of him that was human. He has no intention of harming us."
Misato regarded the unconscious Child like she would a live grenade. "And what if that part of him decides it wants to go through with what the rest of the Angels tried to do?"
"He will not. He is dedicated to preserving the world he has come to love, for the people that he loves." Rei said, with a look on her face that brooked no argument. "So I will not let anyone shoot him, Major Katsuragi. Not even you."
All eyes turned to look at her, then down at the pistol that her Grip had become. Misato looked down on it, almost startled at the fact that it existed. Silently, the pistol disappeared, and Misato sighed heavily. "Sorry. It's just… bad memories always come with the Angels."
Rei nodded understandingly. "Don't worry about it. The nature of the Call, for both of us, has changed. No longer does the part of us that is Angelic wish to destroy the world or rebuild it in another image. Instead, it wishes for something…" she couldn't keep herself from blushing slightly. "Different."
"Besides," she said quickly, "all we need to do is protect him from whatever happens next."
She looked down at Kaworu. "If we don't…" she trailed off, and a heavy silence fell upon the room.
Daniel sighed quietly, then nodded. "She's right. SEELE's likely getting desperate now if they are willing to attack so openly. They need all the Angels dead in order to initiate Instrumentality. So all we have to do is protect him. Simple as that."
"Even still," Gendo said, as Hikari moved over to Shinji, having extracted the last bullet from Kaworu, "SEELE has connections deep within NERV, being the parent organization. We must be constantly vigilant."
Daniel nodded. "He's right. We'll keep an eye on things, and make sure that no one from SEELE gets in here. Or that I-Breaker."
. . .
The I-Breaker watched on the screen as Daniel, his target, moved to assist one of the girls in performing first aid on one of the unconscious boys. He was careful with them and told the girl to take a break once they had extracted the round from the boy, everyone in the room visibly relaxing as it happened.
They stayed together, never going alone to get snacks or drinks from one of the machines. And his target never left, always by the side of the woman he had tagged with the Cyst. His wife, it seemed.
Old memories, terrible memories, flashed through his mind. But he stamped them out as quickly as he could. The money his clients were promising… it would be worth it. 'The money I get from this… it'll help someone who deserves it. Not any damn Interfacer."
. . .
The Next Day
The sun's rays reflected through the Geofront mirrors and into the small, rectangular windows of the hospital room inhabited by a still unconscious Shinji and Kaworu. They would live, now that the rounds were out of the way. Now, a fully rested Hikari, or at least, as fully rested as she could be kept in the hospital room overnight, could get to work mending everyone's Frames. Or, at least, the Frames that needed mending. Kaworu's was now whole, like he had never been attacked in the first place.
She started with Toji's leg and marveled at the clean cut that the I-Breaker's blade had made through Toji's Frame, simply leaving it without power. The fact that a thin wall of Flux now stood between the two Frames was the only obstacle that she faced. Even still, it would take time to clear the Flux out.
As Hikari finished on Toji's leg a few hours later, and Kaworu began to stir from his stupor, the door swished open, and a nurse came in with a cart, bags of saline fluid on top of a medical green cloth that covered the rest of the cart.
Ritsuko regarded the nurse with a wary eye. "Why are you here? Who told you there were patients in this room?"
The nurse stammered for a moment. "Well… well, I was just told that there were patients in here who needed saline, ma'am. That's all."
Ritsuko nodded. "Alright, then. Again, who told you?"
The nurse continued as if she hadn't heard, lifting the cloth that covered the cart as she crouched down. "I was told that there was one more thing that one of the patients needed."
Time seemed to slow as the nurse produced a pistol, a reverent, almost ecstatic look in her eyes. "The final piece to begin Complementation. Instru-"
She didn't get to finish her sentence as a pistol cracked, sending the nurse to the floor with a spray of blood from her head.
Gendo Ikari stood straight and tall, the barrel of his pistol smoking slightly as Kaji, Misato, and Daniel all put away their Grips.
Ritsuko shook her head at the nurse's body. Maya's eyes were wide, tears welling in them, and her face was nearly green as she held a hand to her mouth.
Ritsuko looked over at Maya, then crossed in front of her with a concerned look on her face, hugging her after a moment. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Maya." she said softly. "It's going to be okay."
Ritsuko continued to comfort Maya as Daniel stepped forward and regarded the nurse for a moment, then took the pistol from her hand, ejecting the magazine and catching the round in the chamber as he racked the slide.
He set the now safe pistol and magazine aside on one of the nightstands in the room and pushed the cart away before stretching out his hands as a constellation in the shape of an oval ring appeared between them, a ring surrounding the body mirroring the one in his hands.
As he energized the Frame in his hands, the Expression activated, and the body of the nurse tumbled into what seemed to be the void of space before the Expression snapped shut, leaving a clear, clean hospital floor.
Daniel shook his head. "We hardly knew ye." he said quietly.
Daniel turned back. "Is everyone okay?" he said with concern in his expression.
Maya gulped, then stepped back from Ritsuko's embrace. "I should be fine soon, Mr. Theisman." Maya said.
"Other than that," Gendo said quietly, "I was able to react before anyone was hurt."
Daniel nodded. "Good." he said equally quietly, then looked at Kaworu as he continued to stir, slowly putting a hand to his head.
Daniel walked towards Kaworu. "Are you okay? Hell of an alarm clock, hearing the firing of a gun."
Kaworu nodded slowly. "Yes. I should be fine." he said slowly. He looked around. "Was anyone hurt?"
Rei shook her head. "No. No one was hurt. Commander Ikari stopped the threat."
"I see." Kaworu said, looking around as the haze in his eyes from the anesthetics quickly cleared.
Daniel nodded, then looked over at Hikari, who had started on Toji's arm while giving a still somewhat queasy Maya practice on Mending. "Hikari," he said, pausing as she looked back at him, "how long would it take you to get Shinji up and running?"
She was silent for a moment as she looked at Shinji critically. "I think I can get him up and running in about a few hours after I rest. After this, though… I'll really need to rest."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Don't worry about rushing things. No need to get any Flux Daze, or exhaustion. We'll keep everyone safe."
Hikari nodded. "Thank you."
. . .
Lieutenant Faez walked down the Medical Center hallway with a clearly worried Captain Hyuga, their walk draped in the light of the setting sun. They had just received a call from Major Katsuragi, telling them that the Pilots, along with Commander Ikari, had been attacked. No one had been wounded badly, but they needed to talk, and talk privately and securely.
That call had mostly been for Captain Hyuga. He had made the decision to have her along. Which was all well and good. She'd needed to come along anyway. That he happened to like her would have made any persuasion that much easier.
So now, pistols in holsters on their sides, Hyuga opened the door, and the two of them stepped into the room. It was quiet, and everyone looked over at their arrival. Misato stood, regarding Faez. "I didn't tell you to bring company." she said conversationally, the look in her eyes betraying the caution that she surely felt.
"It's okay, Major." Hyuga said. "I trust her." he looked over at Faez as he said this, and Faez couldn't quite quash the little spark of joy she felt when he said that. It felt… good to be trusted by him, somehow.
But she still had a job to do, she thought, as Katsuragi and Hyuga went aside as much as they could and talked quietly.
She saw him. The boy with the pale hair and the red eyes. He talked with his friends, smiled slightly, chuckled softly with them at some joke or another. And her hand slowly went to the pistol at her side.
Visions of her squad, of the last family she had had, flashed through her mind. She tried her hardest to quash them. He was right there. All she had to do was pull the trigger, then… then she'd see her family again. She would know for sure that she would be loved again…
"Lieutenant."
Faez blinked as the voice calmly rang out, and turned to regard Captain Theisman, who regarded her intently, with no small amount of sad sympathy in his eyes. "Killing him won't bring them back."
Faez's eyes went wide as all eyes turned to look at her with shock and concern. More than a few pistols were now being aimed at her. But Captain Theisman stood, waving them down.
Anger bubbled into Faez as her brow furrowed. "I lost my family. Both of them. The only people I ever knew who loved me. What do you know about that?"
"More than anyone should ever have to, Lieutenant." he said softly.
Faez blinked. "And… how do you know it won't work like they say it will?" she said, her anger faltering for a moment as she unholstered her pistol.
Captain Theisman's jaw clenched slightly. "Because, Lieutenant, no matter how tender, no matter how exquisite… a lie will remain a lie."
He paused for a moment. "And because I've seen how it works."
Faez's eyes widened as Daniel continued. "Look into my eyes, Adira. Look, and see."
She looked. And she saw… the end. In an instant, understanding of the horror and beauty and hollowness of the end. She barely felt the pistol fall out of her hand as she sank to her knees, tears welling up in her eyes.
Daniel looked down at the now broken Lieutenant with no small amount of sympathy, then looked at a stunned Hyuga. "Give her comfort, Captain. She needs it now. From someone she trusts."
Hyuga looked at Daniel, then at Faez. His eyes set in resolve, and he looked back at Misato. "Major, I'm sure we'll be able to talk more later." he said quietly. He walked over to Faez, gently bringing her to her feet and walking her out of the room.
They didn't go far, Daniel saw, his Sight confirming that they stopped just down the hall, going into an empty room.
Misato looked over at Daniel. "What did you do to her?" she said quietly.
Daniel sighed. "I showed her the truth. The one thing SEELE never told her. The same truth I showed to Commander Lutenhahl. That they would only get an illusion. Nothing more."
He looked over at Misato. "That seems to be a common thread among those who SEELE recruits. And now…" he said, looking back to the room where Hyuga was busy consoling Faez, blinking as he watched shock and surprise from both of their souls bloom into acceptance and love, "We have another ally on our side. Maybe not one with access to as much knowledge as Karl did, but one we'll be able to vet nonetheless."
Misato followed Daniel's gaze, and only blushed slightly before looking back at Daniel. "I'm still keeping an eye on her." she said simply.
Daniel nodded. "I would expect no less." he turned to look at Hikari. "Are Shinji and Kaworu able to move?"
Hikari nodded. "Yes. All we need to do is get them off the machines."
Daniel nodded. "Good. Because now that everyone's ready to go…" he trailed off, and looked at his wife, looking to all the world like she was asleep. "We can go ahead and get her treated on the Val."
Eyes widened as Daniel continued. "It'll be the most secure place we can treat her and finish treating everyone else, along with having what we need to crack this Flux Cyst."
He walked over to an open wall, a key of crystal coming into existence in his hand as he looked back at Kaworu. "Would you mind covering our tracks quickly?"
Kaworu nodded as his AT Field flared invisibly. "Done."
. . .
The I-Breaker's screen went dark, and he shook his head. The Val, huh? It didn't surprise him that the Interfacer had a Seabreaker just sitting around. He had to get here somehow. Even still, following him and doing his job had just become a lot harder now that his bug had been fried.
The I-Breaker stood. He'd have to go back to his lodging that his client provided, near their chapel. There was some thinking that he needed to do. Thinking on subjects that were important now. The now more persistently nagging thoughts of the past would have to wait until this job was over.
. . .
The door to the Infinity Box opened, and Daniel looked back as Shinji and Kaworu got to their feet. "The Infinity Box is linked to the Val. All you need to do is call Amaya, and she'll lead you to the medical wing of the ship." he looked over at Gendo. "Commander Ikari, if you so wish, you can be dropped off elsewhere, and make your way back to your residence. I'm sure Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki is somewhat worried."
Gendo shook his head. "No, Captain. I want to make sure my son is safe. I'll be needed here later though, I'm sure."
Daniel nodded. "Very well." he turned to Misato and Kaji. "Misato, Kaji, if you can stay behind for a moment, guide Hyuga and Faez here. The door will stay open until then. They've gotten mixed up in this now, and leaving them in the dark will put them, and us, in an unnecessary amount of danger."
Misato nodded silently. "Will do, Daniel. We'll keep an eye on them." Kaji said.
Daniel took a deep breath. "Alright, then. Let's go aboard the Val."
. . .
Gwynevere's Valiant Daughter, Somewhere in the Oort Cloud
The Children, and the adults that accompanied them, looked around themselves with no small amount of wonder in their eyes. They had emerged into a long corridor that Amaya said was on the outer edge of the ship, continuing to ogle at the long, clean corridors.
They entered a decently sized, clean white room, with four receptacles for people to lay on. Amaya walked over to one of them, motioning for Daniel to lift Eleanor onto the table as four instruments on articulated arms extended from the wall.
"This one, the Energized Metos Cutter," Amaya said, motioning to one of the instruments as its outline glowed, "will have the sufficient power needed to crack a Flux Cyst. You'll need the Pneumaic Bridge to ensure you're cutting the Cyst where it needs to be cut, as the Cyst needs to be within the body in order to ensure a quick recovery." she said as another device, looking like a pane of slightly rippling transparent materiel suspended within a ring glowed slightly.
Daniel nodded, pulling the gemstone that held his wife's shattered soul from his pocket, his hand becoming a starfield as it closed around the gem. Slowly, carefully, he inserted his hand into Eleanor's chest, then pulled it out again, stepping away as the Pneumaic Bridge settled into place, and the Flux Cyst became visible to the naked eye as the Cutter gently floated over towards Hikari.
Daniel put a hand on Hikari's shoulder. "Don't worry too much about screwing up. The machine knows what it's doing. All you need to do is guide it and supply the Metos for it to cut the Flux with. It'll do the rest."
Hikari looked up at Daniel, a hint of fear in her eyes. "You're certain?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "Of course. Eleanor would be, too. Don't worry. You've got this."
Hikari nodded slowly after a moment, then approached the table, taking the Cutter in one hand. After a moment, the end glowed with a multihued light, then a beam shot down, rippling through the Pneumaic Bridge as it hit the Flux, the Flux beginning to glow brighter and brighter.
Daniel nodded. "I leave her in your care." he said softly. He turned to the others, as Shinji and Rei worked on Asuka's arm, Maya doing the same for Toji. Ritsuko scribbled down notes furiously, while Gendo simply took in the sights.
As he looked at all of them, Misato, Kaji, Hyuga, and Faez all stepped into the room. Hyuga and Faez had dazed looks on their faces, and they held a whispered conversation.
Daniel breathed deeply. He cared about these people. The ones that SEELE had put in danger. The ones the Scions had put in danger, he thought as he looked at Toji and Asuka flexing their arms again, opening and closing their hands.
He needed to stop them. Both of them. But SEELE was a massive, multinational conspiracy.
The Scions, on the other hand…
Daniel took another deep breath, then turned to Hikari. "Hikari." he said softly, and Hikari grunted in response. "I'll be going. Let me know when she wakes up."
The room fell mostly silent as the others regarded him. "Where are you going, Daniel?" Shinji said.
A determined look entered Daniel's eyes as he turned to look at Shinji. "I'm going to go take care of the Scions. When I got the plans that the Scions made for Arael, I also gained the location of their mission here in Tokyo-3. It's the only Scion mission here."
"So…" he said, making his way to the door. "I have a job to do." he said quietly.
. . .
Daniel breathed deeply as he entered his personal quarters. It had been a long time since he had been in here, but the automated maintenance made it so that the room barely showed it.
Along one wall stretched memories from days past. His original swordspear. The coiled sword. A laspistol and chainsword. A bolter, of all things.
And in one corner, his slim, advanced combat armor, retrieved from the Scion's trash heap before it had become vaporized. One of his last connections to the Worldstrider Corps.
He stepped towards it, putting a hand on one of the shoulders, the hologram bearing the Worldstrider Corps' insignia hovering on the upper arm.
It had been a good while since it had seen battle. Now, though… it would work. It always did.
He put a hand on the breastplate and concentrated. The armor seemed to turn into a fine mist, the combination of Interfacing and nanotechnology flowing onto his hand and compressing into two bracelets on each wrist.
As he opened the holographic diagnostic window on one of his bracelets, he heard a quiet "Wow…" from behind him.
He turned to see Asuka, Shinji, Rei, Kaworu, Misato, and Kaji, standing in the doorway and taking in the sights of the room. Daniel sighed quietly. "You're planning on trying to go with me, aren't you?" he said quietly.
Asuka's gaze focused on Daniel as she shook her head and stepped forward. "If you were planning on going into what I'm guessing is the Scion's home base alone, you'd be far more idiotic than I thought you were. We want payback as much as you do."
Daniel shook his head. "It isn't a matter of me wanting to take revenge, Asuka. It's a matter of keeping you all safe. Your skills as Eva pilots are going to be needed for what's coming, far more than anything else I've taught you as an Interfacer. You need to be able to deal with what SEELE's about to throw at us. So I need to make sure that the Scions won't throw any wrenches into the plans we make for then."
Misato stepped forward. "Even still, it's tactical suicide to do what you're about to do, and you and I both know it. Let us at least back you up. Please."
It was silent for a moment, then Daniel sighed quietly. "Alright, then. Follow me."
. . .
"Welcome to the Skeleton Closet." Daniel said as the others walked into the armory behind him.
It was unlike any armory they had ever seen, a tall, rectangular box of a room containing a glowing pillar connected to a console.
Daniel stepped up to the console, tapping some buttons and causing the inside of the pillar, composed of a multitude of rectangles, to rotate, a compartment next to Daniel receiving one of the rectangles as its transparent front slid open. The rectangle held six sets of bracelets, which Daniel plucked out of their holders as he handed them to the others.
"This is combat armor like the one I'm wearing right now." he said as the others put the bracelets on. "It'll have built-in Vent Frames, Frame-laminate armor, and a variable-power assisted movement package. Nice and simple. It'll stop most anything below a 10 millimeter dead in its tracks, and rifle caliber bullets will take a while to get through. It'll even stand up to Flux weaponry for a few hits."
Daniel turned back to the console, and the rectangle in the receptacle retreated, replaced by a rectangle holding three rifles. Daniel took two at a time and passed them to the others. "And these are standard pattern magnetic accelerator rifles. Due to the magic of objective Interfacing, they have a bottomless ammo count, so no need to count rounds."
Asuka regarded the rifle that she held with some confusion. "So, wait. Why use these instead of Interfacing?"
"Because in a combat situation, even in power armor like this, waste not, want not is the order of the day. Flux can fill up really fast when you're paying attention to someone else in combat. This keeps that to a minimum."
After they received their weapons, which dissolved into the bracelets of their stored armor, Daniel retrieved one last thing. He turned to the others, holding blister packs of pills. "Combat stims." he said, tearing the packets into single servings and giving one to each of them. "That way, you'll go into what's coming feeling like you've had three square meals and a full night of sleep."
As Misato and Kaji popped the pills without a second thought, Rei regarded the pills with some hesitation, and Shinji looked at Daniel with concern. "Aren't these just drugs?" Shinji said.
Daniel shook his head. "No. You have Interfacing to thank for that, once again. But these are quickly produced run-of-the-mill stims. You're still going to feel a hell of a crash once they run their course."
The group's expressions became serious as they considered fully the implications, the Children popping the pills in their mouths. "Well, then." Kaji said. "Let's not waste a good feeling."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
. . .
Outskirts of Tokyo-3
Daniel crouched at the wall of an empty warehouse, peeking out from behind it to look at the warehouse across from them. It was night, and the warehouse in front of them, the one that was a Scion mission, was the only one with a light on.
Daniel looked back at the others, stacked up behind him. Misato and Kaji were right behind him, and the Children right behind them. Rei kept a close watch on their rear, while Asuka and Shinji watched their side.
"Alright." Daniel said, gaining everyone's attention. "I'll go in first. Alone."
"And before you protest," he said as they all stiffened in surprise, "there's a good reason."
"When I got the location of this mission, I also gained access to the name of the leader of the mission. A Receptorist Jameson. Think of him as… sort of the equivalent to a pastor or head priest. And feelings of guilt concerning hiding… something from him. Call it gut instinct, but I think he'll be receptive to letting this get resolved without a fight."
"So," Daniel said, as the others slowly nodded, "I'll go in, and try to talk to Jameson. If shit hits the fan, you guys are more than welcome to barge in and back me up. Sounds good?"
"Alright then." Asuka said slowly. "But we'll be ready at the drop of a pin."
Daniel nodded. "I expect no less. So, stack up on the door after I go in. Misato and Kaji go in first from the left, then you four from the right. Got it?"
"Got it." they all said.
Daniel's helmet, a somewhat angled design with a roaring dragon on each side of the helmet, disappeared as he smiled slightly. "See you on the other side." he quietly straightened up, then casually made his way towards the door.
As Daniel approached it, his senses sharpened, and the dark became almost like day, as time seemed to slow. He made a conscious effort to keep a regular pace as he got to the door, then opened it and stepped inside.
. . .
There was a full crowd, it seemed, as all eyes turned to him. The Receptorist, an older man with perceptive grey eyes that stood out against his dark skin, a short, cropped head of white hair, and a similarly trimmed beard, regarded him with no small amount of suspicion as he shifted his grip on a staff that split apart into swirls of metal halfway down, then unified again at the top. "So," he said in a deep, resonant voice that was used to speaking to the back of any given room, "you must be the outsider that young brother Farhaven has spoken of."
Daniel nodded. "You would be correct, Receptorist." he said simply.
A gasp rippled through the crowd as Jameson took a step forward. "I will not allow you to harm the members of this gathering any further." he said and took off the shawl that was about his shoulders, exposing a muscled body that belied his apparent age.
Daniel shook his head. "And I have no plan to do so. I hold no malice in my heart for anyone in this room that has found a purpose, a new life for the better, in the Great Cause."
Jameson's expression hardened. "And yet, you wear armor into this holy house. You expect violence."
"Only because that is all I have been offered by the Unitists that I have met in this world. Especially one Tavis Farhaven and his friends. They seek to rob this world which I defend. Profit off of the harm of its greatest defenders."
Jameson shook his head. "I find that hard to believe, sir." he said. "What proof do you have?"
Daniel raised his arms to his sides. "That which is engraved upon my soul, Receptorist. See for yourself."
Daniel felt the tentative touch of the Receptorist's Frame as it reached out and brushed against his soul, seeming to test the waters. Then, it established the connection.
It was silent for a moment, the Receptorist's eyes scanning from right to left as if he were reading a book. Then, his eyes widened. Then they hardened, as he cut off the connection, and gave a withering glare at one of the congregation members in the middle of the rows of pews. "Farhaven." he said in a harsh voice that commanded respect. "We were supposed to be better than this."
Tavis stood, a look of defiance in his eyes. "And we are supposed to be better than this, Receptorist! We moved the Great Cause forward, he moved the Great Cause forward, by leaps and bounds in the days when we marched forth and brought the order Reality so needed! As one!"
"You do not remember the infighting, Farhaven. Not as I do." Jameson said, his face hard as stone. "You do not know the horror I, and many others felt, upon learning the truth of the Hollow Saints after we had thrown ourselves away at Tel. After we had alienated the rest of Worldsea from ever easily accepting the truth."
Tavis shook his head. "But you were the greatest among the soldiers, the warriors, of that conflict! Why do you shirk from such a thing now?" he said incredulously.
Jameson shook his head. "I was younger. I did not know what I do now. That wanton violence such as I was once a part of is not the solution to spreading the Cause abroad."
Farhaven shook his head. "Receptorist…"
"Enough." Jameson said, tapping his staff of office on the ground. An echo rebounded impossibly throughout the room, and a ring of pure white light encircled Farhaven.
"Sit down." Jameson said, his voice echoing similarly to his staff. Farhaven complied instantly, and even Daniel had to restrain himself somewhat from trying to find a seat.
Jameson looked at Daniel with sympathy in his eyes. "Now, son. What would you like to say?"
Daniel sighed. "I wish for you to leave this world. Take those who will go with you. I work actively to defend this world from the threat it poses to itself. To have those with the powers of the Worldsea at their disposal hindering that, possibly taking advantage of those who would suffer, would be a great burden."
Jameson nodded. "Very well. The Great Cause of Unity will come to fruition in all places, in time. And it will come in peace." he said this as he scanned the congregation. "We will leave this world, for now."
"Thank you, Receptorist." Daniel said, no small amount of relief evident in his voice.
Jameson nodded, then regarded his congregation. "Who will leave with us? Stand, if you would."
Most of the congregation stood, and Jameson nodded. "Then, prepare to board now." he raised his staff, the end of it lighting up and ringing softly. Similar lights appeared above the heads of those that stood, and they disappeared in a flash of light.
Tavis continued to sit, along with about two or three dozen others. Daniel's eyes widened as he found among them a head of familiar, blue hair.
"So," Jameson said, pulling Daniel's gaze back to him, "Daniel, is it?"
Daniel nodded, and Jameson smiled slightly. "You have a good heart, to defend this world so stoutly. I wish we could have met under better circumstances."
"Thank you. I simply wish to protect the ones I love, sir." Daniel said. "But," he said, looking at the back of Farhaven's head as he approached, "if Mr. Farhaven here wanted me, then he had to go through me. Not my wife, not my brothers and sisters, and daughter. Just me. And I would be more than happy to give up my life for them."
He came to a stop as he regarded Tavis face to face. The man stared back, a hard look in his eyes. "Alright, then." he said quietly. Then, the all too familiar mark glowed upon his brow. "Now!"
Daniel's helmet closed as bullets sparked off of it, and spun as he regarded his assailants. They stood, aiming machine guns at him. Then, one of them spun on Jameson, unloading a burst of fire at him.
It proved ineffectual, as a wall of light sprang up, the sparking of the bullets bouncing off it almost lost in the glow.
"Misato, Kaji! Lead the way!" Daniel said into his comms, and the door slammed open as Misato and Kaji burst in, leveling their rifles at the men who turned to face them, short bursts taking them in the head and chest.
Tavis stood up and burst his bonds, his Grip appearing in his hand as a stout blade of mist slashed at Daniel's back to little effect, causing him to spin around as his own Grip appeared in hand.
. . .
As the chaos erupted, four more armored soldiers entering the chapel, the I-Breaker considered things as he aimed down his scope from his vantage point on a catwalk above the room, keeping the dancing, ducking form of his target in his Cyst Rifle's sights.
After what he had said, the memories had gotten to him. He couldn't help but see… him. The man he loved. And the daughter that they had raised. She always did like him better.
He couldn't help but see him in his target now. Damn it all.
He stood. This was getting out of hand, anyway. His client was likely to be dead at the end of this. That was what he told himself as he faded from sight, and made his way towards the open door as discreetly as he could.
. . .
Shinji breathed as evenly as he could, the sound feeling weird in his helmet, enclosed as it was.
This was… different. Far removed from the combat he had participated in against the Angels within the confines of an Entry Plug. And yet… it was all too familiar, as he pumped rounds from his rifle, the bullets colliding with bricks of stone as he faced off against a tall, broad Interfacer with tan skin and a broad face with sea-green eyes that regarded him coolly.
Shinji shook his head, dispelling his rifle as his Grip flashed into his hand, and he lifted off of the ground slightly, a long lance extending from his Grip as he took the fuzzing, vibrating weapon in two hands, floating back slightly before flying forward.
Before his lance even hit the swirling rock that the Interfacer hastily put up as a defense, an octagon of familiar multihued light sprang into being, Shinji's lance colliding with it.
As he looked around in confusion he saw… Rei. Except, it couldn't be Rei. She wore street clothes in place of armor, and her brow was marked with two glowing hands holding up a simple diamond.
"Rei…" he said unconsciously.
"Yes, Shinji?" Rei said on his comms, causing him to blink and almost miss the boulder that was flying towards his face, causing him to fly back as he stammered into his comms. "You… I mean, not you, but…"
"Shinji, I can't understa…" Rei trailed off. "Another version of me? Did they somehow split off another part of Lilith's soul?"
"No time to ponder that now." Daniel said, interjecting with a cool, level voice that seemed out of place as he grappled with a man who seemed to make his weapons out of mist. "Someone needs to be on her, make sure she," he paused as he ducked a swipe, "doesn't get in the way."
Shinji sent a blast of sound at the stone Interfacer's head from behind him, and his eyes rattled as he clutched his head, Shinji barely noticing the sight as he turned to regard this new version of Rei.
Before he could make a move, a tall, dark man with a staff that had a ball of light glowing at the end of it strode towards the other Rei, swinging his weapon down, then pulling back and thrusting it forward as it hit a hastily erected AT Field.
Shinji took in the sight of the man, who must have been the Receptorist, as he slowly began to drive the other Rei back, flashes of light erupting from the ground, before he saw a flash of metal fly past his face, impacting the stone fist that was heading for his head, and looked towards its source.
Asuka was taking full advantage of the integrated Vent Frames, as dozens of metal spikes floated around and behind her, two spikes as shoulder pads of metal having grown on her armor to act as the Control Surfaces. "Shinji!" Asuka shouted. "Keep your eyes on him!"
She turned to face the Interfacer as she ran to Shinji's side, and they pressed their attack, sound and steel singing out together as they pressed the Interfacer's stout defenses.
. . .
'Man. South America has nothing on this.' Misato thought as she put another few rounds into those who must have been initiates, their assault rifles having little effect on her armor as she shot, punched, and kicked.
She felt alive, as her Frame glowing with energy as she sharpened her mind and body with the help of the combat stims. She dodged a massive falling blade of glass and fired off rounds at the Interfacer, a woman with distinctly pointed ears who raised a barrier of opaque glass in the nick of time, the bullets visible as they stopped inches into the glass.
As she and Kaji came to stand side by side, a lance of stained glass flew by them, crashing through a large portion of the barrier. Misato looked at Rei as she advanced, another lance of glass appeared above an outstretched arm, and she threw it forward, the lance shattering the barrier entirely as the Interfacer jumped out of the way, Rei in hot pursuit.
Misato nodded, then turned to see a sight she had been itching to pay back for what seemed like ages now.
Standing next to a slight, dark-skinned woman, the rippling, iridescent forms of the Revenants stood by, seeming keener to protect their master than join in the fray. But that didn't matter, she thought, as she advanced towards them, Kaji and, surprisingly, Kaworu, falling in by her side as their rifles disappeared, Grips flashing into existence in their place. Kaworu readied a two-handed grip on a spear, while Kaji settled for a short, stout sword.
Misato readied her grip on a large mace, and the Revenants charged to meet them.
. . .
Tavis flew back from a superpowered kick from Daniel and bit down a curse. Guides damn it all, this was the worst possible outcome! Now, he would lose everything. Except… he couldn't afford that. He needed an out.
He linked his soul with Ymris's, who was currently busy combating another Interfacer who used glass. "Ymris! Damn it all, we need to leave!" he bit out in utter annoyance.
"Alright!" she shouted, pausing as she ducked a swing of the Interfacer's sword. "Get this one off of me and I'll get on it!"
"Got it!" The connection closed, and he rolled out of the way of Daniel as he stabbed down with his swordspear, leaping to his feet and dashing past Daniel to fight the Interfacer, Daniel in hot pursuit.
Tavis's Grip became a massive sword, reminiscent of the feared koloss of the tales of his home, and swung down at the Interfacer as Ymris jumped back, the Interfacer blocking the blow with her comparatively small sword.
Tavis's sword shrank, and another blade appeared in his hand, as Daniel reached him, jabbing his swordspear at him as the other Interfacer pressed their attack on him.
He parried each of the blows, leading them away from Ymris as best he could. That was all he needed to do…
A strike parried barely in time caught him in his arm, and another sliced across his chest. 'Ymris… hurry…'
After what felt like too long, he felt the touch of her soul again. "Everyone, get ready!"
Tavis smiled grimly as he regarded Daniel and the other Interfacer, then disappeared.
. . .
The sound of crashing glass filled the air as Tavis disappeared in front of Daniel's eyes, his image shattering like glass.
He stumbled into a strike that had become overextended, then looked around.
All of the other enemy combatants were gone, leaving only them and Receptorist Jameson. The I-Breaker, Daniel realized with a blink, hadn't made an appearance tonight. Strange.
Daniel shook his head slightly as his helmet disappeared, and he made his way towards Receptorist Jameson.
The others converged on him, their own helmets disappearing as they came to stand beside him, regarding the Receptorist.
Jameson sighed and shook his head, and the group got a clear look at the mark on his head, a palm surrounded by five circles, with lines tapering towards the palm. "They have taken up the old mark of the Guides." he said wearily. "There was a reason I made a new one."
Jameson looked around at the group. "I offer my apologies. I wished simply to provide guidance to those that were lost on this world. It is saddening to see how many tell tales of lives shattered by the Second Impact and the Impact Wars that followed."
His eyes settled on Rei, and his brow arched. "And you, Ms. Ayanami, are… well, I was surprised to see your face among the congregation. It saddens me to think of what ill purposes young Farhaven has in store for her."
Rei nodded. "Yes. Her existence… complicates things." she said quietly.
Jameson nodded sympathetically. "I can only imagine." he looked over all of them again. "I wish you the best of luck for the coming trials that you face."
Jameson's gaze fixed itself on Daniel again, and he nodded as he placed a closed fist over the center of his chest. "May you be guided to a greater unity, son."
Daniel mirrored the motion. "And to you, the same."
Jameson smiled slightly. "Thank you. I'll take my leave. I have my congregation to take care of."
The end of his staff glowed again, and he disappeared, leaving the group alone in the now ruined chapel.
Daniel sighed after a quiet moment. "Alright then." he walked forward slightly, then turned to regard the others as his armor disappeared. "We'd better get going. Best to not look too suspicious, should we?"
The others nodded, their armor disappearing as they made their way to the open door.
As they passed through it, Daniel taking up the rear, and got a little ways away, Daniel felt a prickle on the back of his neck, and his eyes widened as he threw his arms wide almost on instinct, a barrier flashing into existence between the others and the building as it exploded with a thunderous roar, the warehouse disappearing in a flash of baleful light.
The others were thrown to the ground by the sudden light and sound, clutching at their ears as they rang.
After a moment, they all stood slowly, looking back at the fire with wide eyes, then down at the still form of Daniel, flat on his face.
Fear flashed through all of them as they ran to him, and that fear turned to horror as they saw his back, his shirt torn up as jagged pieces of metal stuck out of it, outlined by starfields.
"Daniel!" Shinji said, reaching for his shoulder, and hesitating as he saw the particularly large piece of metal that stuck out of it.
"Damn it…" Daniel said, his voice muffled by the ground. The others gasped slightly, amazed that he was still alive, let alone conscious. "Should have seen that coming…"
. . .
Misato's living room was dark and silent, the party decorations untouched from three days ago. Then, a flash of light presaged the group's arrival, Daniel still face down on the floor as the others surrounded him.
Daniel turned his head to the side to make his voice more clearly heard. "Alright, this needs to be carefully done, and without interruption. Asuka, get some coverage on the windows and the veranda doors. We don't know if SEELE's still watching this apartment."
Asuka nodded, then walked over to the veranda doors, holding her hands out as sheets of metal slowly began to rise from the floor.
"Shinji, go turn the light on. We'll need to be able to properly see. Then, get a large bowl, a bowl with some cold water, and a washcloth. We'll need to clean up this mess after we're done." Daniel said, keeping his voice as calm as possible.
Shinji nodded, running to the light switch and flipping it on, then dashing into the kitchen.
"Alright," he said, looking up as best he could at Misato and Kaji, and acknowledging Kaworu and Rei out of his line of sight, "the four of you are going to play battlefield surgeon. I was able to keep any shards of metal from hitting my spine and vital organs, but with the barrier and the teleportation, it's everything I've got to keep these from bleeding openly. So, you'll need to extract them slowly, starting with the ones that pose the most danger. For example, the particularly large one in my… left shoulder. That one's nicked an artery, and I can't heal it while the metal is still in the way."
Misato and Kaji nodded, and he presumed Kaworu and Rei did the same. "Alright." Daniel said as he heard the dull thump of an empty bowl. "One of you go ahead and get a grip on it, and extract it slowly. I'll heal it as it's on its way out."
Misato nodded, and extended her hands towards it, Frames beginning to grow from her soul as they latched on to the shard of metal, the unseen contact points beginning to glow iridescently.
"Alright. Now, slowly, like I said." Daniel said, and Misato clenched her jaw as she began to pull, the metal wiggling slightly as she pulled it out.
"Stop." Daniel said, and Misato ceased pulling the metal for a moment. "Alright. It's healed." Daniel said. "Go ahead and just pull it out."
Misato nodded, and the shard popped out, the flesh quickly sealing behind it with only a little blood escaping. Misato dropped the dripping metal into the bowl with a hollow clatter.
"Excellent, Misato." Daniel said, and a small, unsteady smile was all Misato could answer with. "Now, if you three sitting here want to follow her example, we'll be done fairly quickly. There are still some problematic pieces around my spine, so you might want to start with those first."
Asuka, finished with her task, knelt next to Shinji as Kaji, Rei, and Kaworu began their work. "Daniel…" she said. "How are you even still talking?"
"Most likely, a combination of Interfacing and the combat stims. Now, I'm going to go ahead and shut up, and let you get to work." Daniel said, and did so, as the operation began in earnest.
. . .
Eleanor gained consciousness again, then slowly opened her eyes. She was in a white room, medical tools around her pulling away as Hikari stepped back, a relieved look in her eyes.
The last thing she remembered was… the attack. The I-Breaker. A blade of fear drove itself into her heart as she turned to Hikari. "What happened? Where am I?"
Ritsuko stepped into view as she sat up. "You're onboard the Val. You were hit by what Daniel called a 'Flux Cyst', so we had to move you here after we fixed up Kaworu and Shinji."
She looked around. This would be the medical bay of a Seabreaker. She saw Toji and Maya as they talked to a wide-eyed Hyuga and Faez, who, she noted with distant amusement, were now holding hands. Gendo looked around at everything with what could only be described as wonder in his eyes. Shinji, Kaworu, and most especially Daniel, were absent. "Where are they?" Eleanor said. "Where's Daniel?"
Ritsuko's expression became one of concern. "He said he was going to go take care of the Scion mission. The other Children, Misato, and Kaji followed him."
The blade of fear that had embedded itself in her heart twisted as she reached out with her soul across the vast distances that separated them. "Daniel…"
. . .
The sun was rising. Or, at least, it should have been. The doors and windows were covered, and the only light came from the overhead lights, so they had no clue as to what the outside world looked like right now.
The group sat at the kitchen table silently, the combat stims having worn off now. On the table, a bowl with over three dozen shards of metal in various sizes and coverage in blood sat in the center.
They were tired. Three days of little sleep, little real sustenance, and coming out of combat did that, really.
Misato was especially tired, her vision blurring every once in a while before she focused it again. She jumped along with everyone else as she heard her alarm clock go off. 0730. The sun really was rising.
She looked around at the table. Shinji and Asuka were slumped over, holding each other's hands. Kaji held hers in a grip that was warm. That was good. Daniel was pale and a little jittery, but he was awake and sitting at the table with them. That was… a miracle.
And Rei quietly held hands with… Kaworu. The Angel.
A part of her mind that she had repressed, that she thought she had dealt with, roared back to life, filling her head with whispers as she blinked drearily. As she blinked, she saw… it. Him. Adam. the giant of light.
He was there. The thing that killed her father. And slowly, her Grip came into being, becoming a pistol. She could avenge him, now. She could…
"Misato."
She blinked, and Kaworu was Kaworu again, and she turned to look at Daniel, who regarded her as intently as he could with his tired, bloodshot eyes. "We need to keep him alive."
"Why?" she whispered. There was so much behind that simple question. "Shinji and Asuka, and you, for… for Adam. For the thing that killed my father. Why?"
"Because if he dies, then SEELE wins, Misato." Daniel said, leaning on the table. "Then Instrumentality happens and…"
"And what?" Misato said, leaning forward herself, her hand falling from Kaji's as it clenched. "Something might happen that you saw on a screen? Something that you've never experienced?" her voice began to rise as she continued. "You weren't there, Daniel. You might have seen Antarctica on a screen, but it didn't take your father. It didn't take everything you ever loved! You didn't live through this Instrumentality you keep warning us about, you just watched it happen!"
Daniel's fist slammed on the table, and his expression blazed with fire, causing Misato to pause and shrink back slightly. "No, Misato. I didn't just watch Instrumentality, just watch Third Impact. I lived it." he said, deathly quiet.
It was silent for a moment before Daniel continued, all eyes now on him. "How do you think I know my way around the Geofront so well? Around the city? How do you think I even got the skills to become head of Engineering for the Evas? I was here, Misato. In another Echo. I watched as Shinji, Asuka, you, all of you were broken. I watched as SEELE sent the JSSDF into the Geofront and slaughtered everyone that I had come to know!"
He was standing now. Misato caught the others on the edge of her vision, all of their eyes wide with shock. All except for Rei's. "I walked past you slumped dead by an elevator that you pushed Shinji into to protect him! I watched on a monitor as… as Unit-02, and Asuka got torn apart by the Mass Production Evas! I watched Lilith ascend into the sky, carrying the Geofront with her! I watched the souls of humanity fly away from me into the sky! I… I…"
He trailed off, slowly sitting down as his expression changed from anger to horror, his shaking hands slowly coming to clutch the sides of his face. "No. No, please." he whispered. "Not now. Not here."
Daniel's vision began to fuzz, and the world blurred around him as he dimly felt Shinji shake him by his shoulder. He heard Eleanor's voice, a muffled, distant thing, as his soul reached out on instinct, grabbing for whatever support it could. It found Eleanor. And Shinji. And Asuka, and Rei, and Kaworu, and Misato and Kaji and Ritsuko and Maya and…
'No, no, no, no, no, stop! Stop!' he frantically thought, as his surroundings grew dark. And the worst day of his life in recent years began again.
Senior Technician Daniel Theisman was in a dark bathroom, clutching one of his coworkers and trying his best to stay silent. They were here. The JSSDF. He had done everything he could to stop it. But here it was.
He had tried to help Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. But he was too far away from them, both in terms of location and position, to do much of anything but watch as they were slowly worn down and broken. He noted Kaji's passing, a kind man, even to him, who, as it turned out, didn't matter much in the way of things.
He had failed. He had failed and now, everyone was dying. Most of the maintenance crews for the Evas were dead now. People that he had come to know and care for. He had run past many of their bodies on the way here. And now, the last member of his section still alive, a woman named Nishiyama, did her best to stifle her sobs as they listened for the boots, heard the gunfire in the distance.
Then, a jolt of fear, as the door to the bathroom was kicked open, the glare of flashlights shining on the floors as they swept through, the other stall doors slamming open as the soldiers kicked them.
The two of them went silent. This was it. This was the end.
Then, Daniel blinked. It would be the end for Senior Technician Theisman, who could do no more than watch, now. But for Worldstrider Daniel… for the Hollow Saint…
The door slammed open, and a flashlight shined in his face as the light left his eyes.
The soldier didn't even get a chance to shout as a blade of obsidian decapitated him, his body falling to the ground as the blade darted out of sight, gunfire filling the bathroom for a terrible moment, then stilling as the last body hit the floor seconds later.
Daniel stood, and Nishiyama looked up in confusion and horror. "Mr. Theisman?" she said in a trembling voice. "What are you doing?"
The blade floated to his side as Daniel stepped out of the stall. "I'm going to go save the world." Daniel said in a toneless voice, as a bared sword blade glowed to life on his brow. "Whether they like it or not."
. . .
The next however long passed in a blur of shouting soldiers and falling bodies. Space bent the bullets away, and something similar to a black hole sucked away the flames that the flamethrowers flung at him. The blade of obsidian, now joined by three others, made mincemeat of the soldiers.
He passed a monitor, spattered with blood, that showed a view of the Geofront exterior. He paused for a moment as he watched the monitor, showing Unit-02, showing Asuka, a mangled plant bed for a grove of Lances, the white wings of the MP-Evas slowly circling like vultures… he moved on. He had to. Or he would collapse in on himself and simply die.
He walked to an elevator, tearing the doors open and beginning to float down the shaft until he got off, and began walking to the next one. He had one destination right now. Terminal Dogma.
As he arrived at the next elevator, he saw Misato. He saw the Major slumped dead against an elevator door as she lay surrounded by JSSDF soldiers. He paused to regard the body of someone whom he had talked to, who had been kind to him, enjoyed his company whenever Shinji had him over for dinner on those rare occasions, and a wall of stars flared to life as an explosion further down the corridor sent a wall of flame rushing towards them, stopping dead at the wall of stars.
His blades dissected the elevator doors next to Misato, then the bottom of the empty elevator car that waited there. He walked in, floating down. He had to get to Terminal Dogma.
He floated down, down, down, going as fast as he could while conserving his Flux creation. Even still, he had deployed all of his Vent Frames. Now, a set of horns, ridged and spreading out almost like antlers, crowned his head, the sword blade floating in the center.
He reached the door to Terminal Dogma. The one that Kaji and Misato had stood in front of. Without touching it, the doors blew inward, clattering to a stop as Daniel stepped through. Daniel looked up, and the first emotion that had crossed his face since he started was awe, followed by horror.
Lilith had come down from her cross, and the mask that had adorned her face now melted off, splashing into the LCL below, revealing the face of Rei.
Lilith looked down at Gendo, who laid on the floor clutching an arm with no hand, then her gaze lifted up, and landed on him.
He was pinned underneath that ancient gaze as it studied him, curiosity evident in her eyes for a passing moment. Then, Lilith looked up and began to rise towards the ceiling, passing through it without so much as a whisper.
Daniel fought to not sink to his knees. He was too late… no. No, he could not afford to think like that. He turned and began to walk to the elevator shaft.
"What the…" Gendo said, his voice strained with pain. "Who are you?"
Daniel turned and saw Gendo staring at him with confusion, even a little fear. "I'm the one trying to save the world, Commander." he turned away. "You have an upcoming date with your wife. I'm not one to interfere with such things." he said levelly.
Daniel walked back into the elevator shaft and began to rise again. Maybe if he made it to Central Dogma, he could do… something. Anything, to keep things together.
As he stepped out of the elevator shaft, his blood ran cold as he saw an apparition of Rei hanging over Misato who turned and regarded him with confusion and curiosity. 'It's already starting. Shinji… hang on. Please.'
He picked up his pace as ghostly Reis began to appear over everyone, NERV and JSSDF alike, and one even followed him as he desperately tried to ignore it. He knew what it was trying to do. He knew what would happen if he gave in.
A wave of pure force washed over his soul, and his Frame wavered for a moment, portions of his skin turning a translucent orange before he stabilized himself. The bodies around him began to pop like bubbles, becoming viscous orange LCL as the core of their souls, flickering like fireflies, flew through the roof and walls of the hallway he was in.
Daniel shook his head. He needed to get to the surface now. Central Dogma would be useless with only him inside it.
He turned into starlight, passing through the ceiling and dragging the specter of Rei along with him.
He reached the surface in seconds, finding himself on the shore of the artificial lake of the Geofront, a bubble of air coming into existence as he looked up, and saw the black sky of Earth's low orbit, as flickering souls flew past him and joined the wave-like, swirling mass of souls above him.
It had all happened so fast… Daniel looked around him in a daze. The gory remains of Unit-02 bled into the water of the opposite shore, and trees and water whipped around him as he turned to look at where Lilith would be.
There was nothing he could do.
No.
No, there was something he could do, as his gaze steeled in determination, and he became starlight again, flying towards the mass of souls' final destination. The Doors of Guf.
. . .
He passed through the Doors and entered a world of water, light playing off the bottom of the white floor from an indeterminate source above. Daniel looked around as best he could, using his Sight to try and find Shinji. He was the key to this, now.
He shook his head as he turned off the Sight after a moment. It was a riot of Frames and cores. He couldn't find anything like that.
"Shinji!" he shouted as best he could. "Shinji! Where are you?"
He did not know for how long he did this before a voice answered him. "You are not like the others."
Daniel spun around and found before him a pale young woman with bright blue hair and piercing red eyes. Rei. Lilith.
Daniel shook his head. "No, I'm not. Where's Shinji? I need to help him."
Lilith shook her head. "No. He will make his decision on his own."
Daniel stared at Lilith for a moment. "Shinji… Shinji is broken. Ready and willing to die. And you've put the fate of the entire human race into his hands." he said this almost incredulously.
Lilith didn't even move. "Yes. The part of me that was once Rei Ayanami trusts him."
Daniel sighed. "You can't let him choose now. He is hurt. He needs comfort. Not to have the fate of the world in his hands right now."
Lilith's voice was without inflection. "He will make the choice."
"He shouldn't." Daniel said in exasperation. "His mind needs to heal. He cannot represent humanity now. Not at this moment."
"I am humanity's creator." Lilith said, ignoring Daniel's words. "When Shinji makes his choice, I will honor his decision."
A dangerous light entered Daniel's eyes, and the stars in his Frames began to wink out as he slowly approached Lilith. "No. No, you may be their creator, but you are not their god. I am the only one that can even begin to lay claim to that title. And if I must use the power that grants me such a title to scatter your soul amongst the stars, and restore this world to the people I love, then I have stopped caring to hesitate."
Daniel blinked, and another figure appeared in front of him, a boy, pale like Lilith, but with ashen hair. Kaworu. Tabris. He spoke, and his voice rippled with power.
"You would threaten to disrupt this process. To overthrow the decision we have given the one that we love to make. And…"
Daniel felt the ripples of power shift as Tabris read his soul like an open book. "You would do nothing but pose a threat to the one we love."
Daniel's eyes widened as he realized what they saw. "No. No, that part of me is behind me. I hated that part."
"And yet, you have fallen back into it so easily." Lilith said emotionlessly.
Daniel blinked. Then, he sank to his knees wordlessly, the light leaving his eyes.
"You are an intruder. We will not allow you to interfere." Tabris said. "Begone."
Daniel did nothing as the power Tabris wielded swept him away, out of the Doors of Guf.
. . .
Daniel woke up on a white beach and looked up as Lilith left the world behind, fleeing into the dark as she clutched the Black Moon. The Mass Production Eva's, now seemingly turned to stone, arms wide as if they were crucified, crashed into the sea, throwing up waves of red water. After that, it was a silent night.
He looked around him. He recognized where he was. He looked down at his feet. They should have been here. He should have been here.
He began to pace. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. There was supposed to be hope here. There was supposed to be love, supposed to be possibility, however small and fragile and improbable it was. He was supposed to save the world. He was supposed to save the people he cared for. And he couldn't. A dozen thoughts whirled through his mind. 'If only I had done this a little sooner. If I hadn't bothered with some petty disguise. I could have stopped this from ever happening. I have the power to stop this. I have… I… I…'
He looked down at his hands, shaking and with Flux becoming motes of starlight that drifted away, and he could feel the mark on his brow seem to sear his forehead, as one thought shattered his mind as it entered it. 'What have I done?'
His scream was the scream of the knowingly damned. And the stone Evas, jutting above the red sea, were its only silent witnesses.
Finally, the vision began to fade, and after a moment, Daniel was back in Misato's apartment, clutching the sides of his face as tears streamed down from his eyes. He looked around the table, and there was no one else there without tears in their eyes as they regarded him. He scanned the room.
Eleanor was there, awake and worrying and right next to him. Ritsuko, Maya, Gendo, Hyuga, and Faez stood behind him, eyes full of shock and sadness. Hikari and Toji had gone to Shinji and Asuka's side.
He turned his eyes back to Misato and Kaji. To the Children. "I just don't want to see you die again. Please." he whispered.
He buried his face in his hands and wept silently, Eleanor comforting him as silent sobs heaved his body.
Next Time on Apotheosis Echo...
The beginning of the End. Now, the most important moves are made, and the world will see, in one way or another, what fate has in store. Blood will be shed, one way or the other. Next Episode: Precipice.