Pinion of the Moon
"Ren-ai Desu Ne"
???
11:52 p.m., 3/25
---------------------------------------
Qastor's right laser blade scathed harmlessly against Qain's Ex- Barrier. Startled, Qastor slashed again, but to no avail.
"You cretin! You actually think you can-" Ark Omnis' left arm bolted forward, seizing Nova Omnis' face with a grinding clash and tossing the AC aside like a rag doll. "-scratch me with your toothpicks!?"
Nova Omnis stopped in mid-air, quickly facing Qain. Qastor charged in again, as did Qain. Ark Omnis' superior momentum was too much, and Qastor found himself being shoved right into the limestone cliff wall. Nova Omnis jarred violently from the impact, and Qastor noticed that Ark Omnis was still on him. His panoramic HUD restored itself, and he felt screaming shocks of pain in his torso, erupting one after another in rapid succession. Realizing that Qain was violently stabbing Nova Omnis, Qastor drew his own blades, but had his AC's arms torn right off by Ark Omnis. Qain threw one aside, clenched Nova Omnis' head, and tossed the AC aside once again, left to collide with the ground.
Inside the cockpit, Qastor's body was shaking from the neural pain and both of his arms trembled violently. His AC struggled to get up.
"I... I can't let you..." Qastor armed his twin devastators and returning orbital cannons. "LIIVVVE!!!" The combined synergy of the cannons thundered straight for Qain in the form of a blinding edifice of plasma. Nova Omnis was pushed back from the enormous recoil, scathing sparks against the metallic floor.
Qain charged forward, stopped, held Nova Omnis' dismembered right arm in the air, and released it to float precariously in the air. With a quick wave of Ark Omnis' hand toward the incoming stampede of energy, the dismembered arm's metal plates shredded into a tempest of armor fragments like paper. The rushing energy shot dispersed into a mist of radioactive particles. Qastor regained his senses, only to experience the world of pain all around his body. The fragments shrieked forward, gathering the dispersed energy particles, and tearing and bombarding Nova Omnis. Qastor's HUD shrilled and hazed as he screamed inside the cockpit. 'Omnis' blood splattered forth and stained Qain's Ex-Barrier like red paint splashed on an invisible slate of glass.
Ark Omnis rose into the air, dragging and choking Nova Omnis up with its left hand. A neural pressure exerted against Qastor's neck.
"I've had enough fun for now!" A black-red laserblade blasted out of Ark Omnis' right arm. "Hrrrraaaaggh--!!"
"Qain, that's enough."
He froze.
"You idiots dare interrupt me!?" His crimson AC was still inanimate.
"Angelus is dead. There's no more reason for you to carry on with your so-called 'destiny.'"
"...You're wrong... You're all wrong!! Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior!! All of you damn geezers are wrong!!"
"Ramble on as much as you like. You're now officially considered trash in the eyes of ARK. You no longer have a purpose."
"Damnit!! I'll murder you all!!"
"Do as you like... 'trash'..." The transmission ended, and Qain erupted in a hurricane of rage. He squeezed harder at Nova Omnis' neck, taking deep pleasure in hearing its metal and circuitry being crushed.
"I..."
"This is your last, my young Nevermore!!"
"I am..." All of a sudden, Nova Omnis grew white hot, shining like a noon sun. Qain's grasp was forced away and Ark Omnis was thrown against the floor, Qastor still frozen in the air.
Grounded, Qain shielded his eyes as his own panoramic HUD glared an ungodly gleam. Nova Omnis' hue fluctuated into an ominous black, a three- story shadow looming like an airborne Death. Finally, it revealed its true form, its undescribable, majestic, black-white form.
"D... Deus Ex... Machina!?" Something seized control of Qain, forcing him to charge right at the black-white AC. In response, 'Deus Ex Machina' unleashed an overwhelming mechanical roar. Qain found himself being engulfed in a white shockwave. His entire body stiffened as pain raged all over his body, invading his arteries and veins, only to be pumped throughout his entire self by his hysterically beating heart. He didn't scream. he just stared at the machine of unholy destruction as his AC was being incinerated.
_____________________________
Ark Omnis lied smoldering in the distance, on a molten road of steaming liquid metal. It was violently hot, so much that sections of the floor had evaporated into a metallic gas, only to congregate and solidify on anything it clung onto.
Qastor opened his eyes, finding himself laying upon the vastness of the former-hanger. A foul stench was about the air, which subsided quickly. Deus Ex Machina, Nova Omnis, and Xanthippius... All of them were gone. A seemingly dead Silvermoon whispered in the near distance.
Quickly, Qastor rushed over, forcing open the cockpit shutters. He dragged Iris out, letting her lay near the floor, supporting her by her head and shoulder.
"Iris... Iris! Are you okay...?"
"Q... Qastor..."
"You're not hurt, are you!?"
"I..." Iris took her cupped palms from her abdomen. What Qastor saw next was what he feared most would happen. "...I'm sorry..." It was a stab wound.
"...Iris... Don't die on me! You can't... you just... can't..."
"...Qastor... do you... remember our promise...?"
"Yes... of course I do..."
"Please... when this is all over... fulfill... our promise..."
"I will..." Qastor wiped his moist eyes. Iris wanted to smile...
"Don't cry... Everyone dies someday... I guess... my day came..."
"Iris, it doesn't have to be this way! I'll get you outta here, you'll be just fine! I'll quit being a Raven, so we could be together again..." Qastor's words were trembling with doubt. If only Nova Omnis was here... if only...
"It's... not that simple... anymore..."
"I... I know..." Qastor shook his head and bit his lip. Iris reached up her hand to touch his face, weakly wiping away his tears. He held it quickly.
"And... don't forget... who I am..."
"...I won't..."
"Qastor...?"
"Yes...?"
"I... I... lo..."
Realizing that she couldn't speak anymore, Iris gave her last smile... a barely visible, small, dying smile.
Her eyes closed...
"...No... Iris... Iris! Wake up! Iris!" Qastor shook her gently. "Iris, please! Don't leave me!" He noticed her pulse was gone. Her hand fell from his hold. He realized it then...
The high ceiling collapsed, the walls were crumbling.
Without a word, he wept, holding her close...
"Ren-ai Desu Ne"
???
11:52 p.m., 3/25
---------------------------------------
Qastor's right laser blade scathed harmlessly against Qain's Ex- Barrier. Startled, Qastor slashed again, but to no avail.
"You cretin! You actually think you can-" Ark Omnis' left arm bolted forward, seizing Nova Omnis' face with a grinding clash and tossing the AC aside like a rag doll. "-scratch me with your toothpicks!?"
Nova Omnis stopped in mid-air, quickly facing Qain. Qastor charged in again, as did Qain. Ark Omnis' superior momentum was too much, and Qastor found himself being shoved right into the limestone cliff wall. Nova Omnis jarred violently from the impact, and Qastor noticed that Ark Omnis was still on him. His panoramic HUD restored itself, and he felt screaming shocks of pain in his torso, erupting one after another in rapid succession. Realizing that Qain was violently stabbing Nova Omnis, Qastor drew his own blades, but had his AC's arms torn right off by Ark Omnis. Qain threw one aside, clenched Nova Omnis' head, and tossed the AC aside once again, left to collide with the ground.
Inside the cockpit, Qastor's body was shaking from the neural pain and both of his arms trembled violently. His AC struggled to get up.
"I... I can't let you..." Qastor armed his twin devastators and returning orbital cannons. "LIIVVVE!!!" The combined synergy of the cannons thundered straight for Qain in the form of a blinding edifice of plasma. Nova Omnis was pushed back from the enormous recoil, scathing sparks against the metallic floor.
Qain charged forward, stopped, held Nova Omnis' dismembered right arm in the air, and released it to float precariously in the air. With a quick wave of Ark Omnis' hand toward the incoming stampede of energy, the dismembered arm's metal plates shredded into a tempest of armor fragments like paper. The rushing energy shot dispersed into a mist of radioactive particles. Qastor regained his senses, only to experience the world of pain all around his body. The fragments shrieked forward, gathering the dispersed energy particles, and tearing and bombarding Nova Omnis. Qastor's HUD shrilled and hazed as he screamed inside the cockpit. 'Omnis' blood splattered forth and stained Qain's Ex-Barrier like red paint splashed on an invisible slate of glass.
Ark Omnis rose into the air, dragging and choking Nova Omnis up with its left hand. A neural pressure exerted against Qastor's neck.
"I've had enough fun for now!" A black-red laserblade blasted out of Ark Omnis' right arm. "Hrrrraaaaggh--!!"
"Qain, that's enough."
He froze.
"You idiots dare interrupt me!?" His crimson AC was still inanimate.
"Angelus is dead. There's no more reason for you to carry on with your so-called 'destiny.'"
"...You're wrong... You're all wrong!! Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior!! All of you damn geezers are wrong!!"
"Ramble on as much as you like. You're now officially considered trash in the eyes of ARK. You no longer have a purpose."
"Damnit!! I'll murder you all!!"
"Do as you like... 'trash'..." The transmission ended, and Qain erupted in a hurricane of rage. He squeezed harder at Nova Omnis' neck, taking deep pleasure in hearing its metal and circuitry being crushed.
"I..."
"This is your last, my young Nevermore!!"
"I am..." All of a sudden, Nova Omnis grew white hot, shining like a noon sun. Qain's grasp was forced away and Ark Omnis was thrown against the floor, Qastor still frozen in the air.
Grounded, Qain shielded his eyes as his own panoramic HUD glared an ungodly gleam. Nova Omnis' hue fluctuated into an ominous black, a three- story shadow looming like an airborne Death. Finally, it revealed its true form, its undescribable, majestic, black-white form.
"D... Deus Ex... Machina!?" Something seized control of Qain, forcing him to charge right at the black-white AC. In response, 'Deus Ex Machina' unleashed an overwhelming mechanical roar. Qain found himself being engulfed in a white shockwave. His entire body stiffened as pain raged all over his body, invading his arteries and veins, only to be pumped throughout his entire self by his hysterically beating heart. He didn't scream. he just stared at the machine of unholy destruction as his AC was being incinerated.
_____________________________
Ark Omnis lied smoldering in the distance, on a molten road of steaming liquid metal. It was violently hot, so much that sections of the floor had evaporated into a metallic gas, only to congregate and solidify on anything it clung onto.
Qastor opened his eyes, finding himself laying upon the vastness of the former-hanger. A foul stench was about the air, which subsided quickly. Deus Ex Machina, Nova Omnis, and Xanthippius... All of them were gone. A seemingly dead Silvermoon whispered in the near distance.
Quickly, Qastor rushed over, forcing open the cockpit shutters. He dragged Iris out, letting her lay near the floor, supporting her by her head and shoulder.
"Iris... Iris! Are you okay...?"
"Q... Qastor..."
"You're not hurt, are you!?"
"I..." Iris took her cupped palms from her abdomen. What Qastor saw next was what he feared most would happen. "...I'm sorry..." It was a stab wound.
"...Iris... Don't die on me! You can't... you just... can't..."
"...Qastor... do you... remember our promise...?"
"Yes... of course I do..."
"Please... when this is all over... fulfill... our promise..."
"I will..." Qastor wiped his moist eyes. Iris wanted to smile...
"Don't cry... Everyone dies someday... I guess... my day came..."
"Iris, it doesn't have to be this way! I'll get you outta here, you'll be just fine! I'll quit being a Raven, so we could be together again..." Qastor's words were trembling with doubt. If only Nova Omnis was here... if only...
"It's... not that simple... anymore..."
"I... I know..." Qastor shook his head and bit his lip. Iris reached up her hand to touch his face, weakly wiping away his tears. He held it quickly.
"And... don't forget... who I am..."
"...I won't..."
"Qastor...?"
"Yes...?"
"I... I... lo..."
Realizing that she couldn't speak anymore, Iris gave her last smile... a barely visible, small, dying smile.
Her eyes closed...
"...No... Iris... Iris! Wake up! Iris!" Qastor shook her gently. "Iris, please! Don't leave me!" He noticed her pulse was gone. Her hand fell from his hold. He realized it then...
The high ceiling collapsed, the walls were crumbling.
Without a word, he wept, holding her close...