Darkness…
I found myself surrounded in darkness, lying facedown on an unseen floor, with barely any visible light in sight, or any clear sounds for me to hear.
I felt so tired, like I'd been subjected to a deep sleep. Or maybe…
No…. my body was hurting too much for me to be dead. I must still be alive…
Still alive?
That's right…. I remembered.
I was in Proto Merkabah, with Jr and the others, and we were battling Albedo. I remembered watching him cast some sort of Ether spell that resembled a fire bird, but that was it. Did that last attack knock me out? Could this mean that I was still in Proto Merkabah?
I tried to move, but the injuries inflicted upon my body became apparent, as I felt searing burn marks all over me, along with a numbness surrounding my legs that render them functionless for now. But despite all that, my injuries didn't appear to be as bad as I imagined, considering the force of that last attack. Could it be that I managed to avoid enough of the blast to survive?
In any event, my eyesight was starting to return, as small bits of light started to form around me, slowly but surely appearing as blurred shapes. Within seconds, the shapes became clear enough for me to clarify. The first image within my line of sight was Proto Merkabah's reactor, still giving off a reverberating hum, indicating that, thankfully, it has not been drained of it's energy, so the cannons have not yet fired on Second Miltia yet. Turning my head slowly to the right, I could see Ziggy and Jr, both kneeling on the floor, yet fully conscious. Ziggy had one knee and both arms lying on the ground, with some minor burns shown around his chest area. Jr looked to be in much worse shape, with his free arm supporting his broken one, and his face full of bruises and cuts. But still, it's very assuring to know that they've survived. But I still had to account for chaos, KOS-MOS, and MOMO.
But before I decided to look around for them, I found myself more concerned with the expressions on Jr and Ziggy's faces. Both of them were looking toward something with shock and anger outlining their expressions. Jr's eyes were burning with rage, and he was frantically shouting, yet my hearing hadn't fully returned, leaving his ranting as garbled shouts. Ziggy, though still looking as calm and collected as usual had a certain uneasiness in his eyes, almost resembling despair.
I turned my head slowly to the left, to the source of their visual torment. I winced a little, as I slowly slid my injured body about a half circle to the side. I tilted my head up slowly, and the first visible object in my line of sight was a pair of feet clad in black-laced boots. Raising my head a bit higher, I traced the boots to a figure clad in a black colored bodysuit, complimented with white sleeves and a cape. It was Albedo. Looking even further up, I was expecting to see his deadly gaze peering down on me, mocking me, like before. But instead, his eyes were focused elsewhere, looking straight ahead. Despite the increasing pain in my body, I decided to move my head in the direction that Albedo was looking at. It was then that I noticed that his left arm was stretched straight into the air, just a couple of inches above his head. I also noticed that he was holding something in his hand, but my vision was still partially blurry, so I couldn't make out what he was holding. Closing my eyes, I pressed my eyelids as tightly as possible, in an attempt to shake off the dizziness still looming in my head. I opened my eyes again, and my vision became much clearer now. The object Albedo was holding was…. a person.
The figure was small, much smaller than he was, and was wearing a black outfit, stopping just below the waist, leaving the person's legs bare, save for knee-high socks and a small pair of shoes.
"No…" the word barely escaped my lips, too small to count as a whisper. I couldn't accept what I was seeing. I refused to accept it. "No…!" But it was true. My denial became shock, and my shock immediately shifted into fear.
"MOMO!!" The name burst through my lungs, escaping from my lips, along with my denial. The person in Albedo's grasp was unmistakably MOMO. His fingers were wrapped around her strands of hair, and were the only things keeping her from falling. Her arms hung limply in the air, lifeless. Below her feet was her battle scepter, discarded on the ground like a piece of trash.
And her face…her face was covered in bruises. Her young eyes were closed, perhaps because she was unconscious. Her rosy cheeks were adorned with bruises and cuts, the most serious being a small trace of blood dripping from her mouth, and a mid sized wound protruding from her forehead.
I have never felt so much anger toward someone before. My insides were burning with greater intensity than Albedo's last attack. My eyes were becoming moist, and filling with tears. My teeth were grinding against each other, and my fingers were so tightly clenched, I could feel my fingernails tearing through my skin.
How could he do such a thing? How could he continue to torment this poor child? She has done nothing wrong! And how could I have allowed him to do this?
Suddenly, I wondered...where was my anger focused on? Albedo, for his psychotic mannerisms, or myself, for not being able to protect MOMO, yet again? Without bothering to contemplate this further, I suddenly took notice of Albedo's free hand, which was hovering in the air, slithering around like a snake. His entire right arm was emanating a milky colored glow, with waves of energy pulsing from the tips of his fingers. It was an eerie display, but it also seemed familiar to me. In a matter of seconds, I recalled where I have seen this. It was at the Song of Nephilim, when he-
…No, surely he wouldn't! Didn't he already retrieve the Y data hidden within MOMO's body? What reason could he have to do this to her again? Was he so twisted that he would intrude on her subconscious again, while in front of us?
"Stop it! Please stop, Albedo! You don't need her anymore, I surrender!" The pleading came from Jr, who despite all the anger he felt, still tried to reason with his sworn enemy, in a desperate attempt to sway Albedo's attention away from MOMO. "You've won! I'm at your mercy!"
The monster turned his head, peering down into Jr's nearly broken form. He stared at the boy, unsmiling. After what seemed like an eternity scanning Jr's beseeching eyes, another inhuman smile appeared from Albedo's face.
"Oh, yes, you certainly are." Albedo responded, sounding very content by Jr's pleading. "It really pleases me to hear you say that, Rubedo, it truly does." He then turned his head to face MOMO again, who was still unconscious. "But…it's rare for me to get a chance like this with ma pêche. I just can't pass up the opportunity." As he spoke, his shoulders started to shift rapidly, and a small chuckle began to build up around him. "Too bad, but you should have begged harder! That proves that you still need to be punished, and since you're too pathetic to stand up and receive it, this poor girl's going to have to take your place!!"
His right hand started to shift closer to MOMO's unmoving body, stopping just a few inches from making contact with her abdomen. His arm then began to slink again from side to side, like a hungry predator waiting to consume its prey.
"What will you do now, Rubedo?" Albedo mocked, his face still focused on MOMO. "With this much power unleashed, her mind will belong to me forever, and you will never be able to restore it." He stopped to build up his laughter once again, his breath becoming more erratic, and his head violently twitching. "Of course, that's only if she even survives afterward! Perhaps you should pray that she does die, if only to serve as a release from my enslavement!"
The entire room echoed with Albedo's insane laughter. The mind numbing laughter etched itself into my brain, sapping away my thoughts, driving me mad, and further fueling my hatred toward this monstrosity.
"Stop it!" I yelled. "Just stop it!! Leave her alone, damn you! You horrible man, you.." I briefly paused, frantically searching for the right word to brand Albedo with. Instantly, I recalled the ideal title for this madman.
"You demon!!"
The laughter then came to a sudden stop. Albedo's body regained some composure, and his head turned slowly around. His eyes then locked into mine, but despite his dead silence, his ever-sickening grin remained.
"Demon, you say?" Albedo responded. He then turned his head slightly away, staring off across the room. After a brief pause, he returned his sights to me, chuckling slightly, as if he just came to a realization.
"Not necessity, not desire. No, the love of power is the demon of men." Albedo answered, his tone straightforward and clear, almost as if he were reciting a quote. "Let them have everything. Health, food, a place to live, entertainment." His entire body began to twitch again, and small chuckled sounds began pumping out of his mouth like violent coughs. "They are, and remain, unhappy and low spirited," he continued in between cackled breaths. "For the demon waits and waits, and will be satisfied!!"
Once again Albedo tormented us with his indescribable laughter, only now it appeared like he was truly losing control, as the laughing came at us even louder, and the lunatic started to shake about wildly and violently, looking like he might drop MOMO during his mental breakdown.
I tried to stand with all my might, trying to block out the pain coursing through my legs, trying desperately to stop Albedo. My legs began to vibrate, and my back began to go numb, but I refused to give up. I pushed myself up as hard as I could, grinding my teeth and holding back my screams of anguish. But my arms gave out as well, and I soon dropped back into the ground, the hard floor bruising my chin.
I broke into tears, cursing myself for my mortality, and for letting MOMO down. I closed my eyes tight, dreading the inevitable, yet praying, even now, for a miracle to occur.
I heard them; the moaning, struggling sounds of someone forced against their will, enduring great pain. At first, I wept softly, eyes still shut, imagining the suffering that poor girl must be going through. But then, my sadness soon faded, and turned into confusion. Yes, there were sounds of a person groaning in pain, but they sounded nothing like MOMO's voice…
They sounded more like Albedo's…
I slowly opened my eyes, and looked upwards once again. I saw MOMO, who was still hanging lifelessly from Albedo's grasp. I turned to look at the monster himself, but this time his devilish smile was replaced with an uncomfortable expression, his eyes looking like they were going to pop out of their sockets, and his mouth clenched tight with anger. On further inspection, I discovered the source of Albedo's sudden discomfort. There was an arm wrapped around his throat! The arm was wrapped firmly around his neck, with the unseen attacker's elbow clearly visible under Albedo's chin. Before I could make out who's arm might match the one strangling Albedo, I then noticed another arm wrapped around his right hand, pulled a safe distance away from MOMO, and no longer emitting the bizarre glow. Just like before with Jr, Albedo started to twist and turn like an animal, desperately trying to shake off the two arms chaining him from his target. During his struggle, the previously unseen attacker's face finally appears, right behind Albedo's right shoulder.
Ever since I began my journey, way back when the Woglinde was attacked by Gnosis, I have bared witness to many shocking discoveries and events. Even so, one would think that I would have gotten used to the occasional surprise by now. But even after everything I've been through, I still found myself stunned with disbelief, no matter how many times she managed to surprise me.
"KOS-MOS!!"
Yes, it was definitely KOS-MOS who was keeping Albedo pinned down. No matter how much the monster struggled, Albedo could not break free from KOS-MOS' bounds. As I watched KOS-MOS' face, unflustered by Albedo's wild struggle, I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy as I looked into her large, artificial eyes. I've studied KOS-MOS' face many times before, always hoping to see any sign of emotion, no matter how small or insignificant. Now, in this situation, I couldn't help but feel; despite my weariness and astonishment, that for the first time ever, hidden deep within KOS-MOS' deep red eyes, lied a twinge of light within them, very closely resembling emotion. Was it determination? Anger? Fear? Was it even there at all? Was it MOMO that brought along this spark of humanity in KOS-MOS, just as she once caused her to feel empathy?
Judging from the increasing garbled noises coming from Albedo, it seemed that KOS-MOS was tightening her hold around him. She then started bending Albedo's right arm even further, causing his elbow joints to give out sounds of overpressure. A split second later, a stomach-turning crack signaled the breaking of Albedo's arm. Rather than expressing his pain like Jr, however, the monster simply let out a groan that resembled annoyance instead.
And yet, despite the ineffectiveness of that attack, it now appeared that KOS-MOS' real intention was to force Albedo to lose his grip on MOMO, as his fingers suddenly lost their hold on the injured Realien's hair, causing her body to drop to the ground! Before I could react, KOS-MOS suddenly shifted all her weight backward, and effortlessly tossed Albedo right over her shoulder! The madman flew helplessly in the air, offering a sense of poetic justice. Yet upon reaching the surface, Albedo's body suddenly flipped around, guiding his feet to the ground. He immediately landed on the floor like a cat, his back facing all of us. Without turning, Albedo began to repair his broken arm, as the joints began to twist and turn back into their original position.
I decided to take this brief moment to try and reach MOMO, who was lying face down on the ground, still unconscious. I tried to move my right leg first, but a sudden jolt of pain punished me for my premature attempt. It seems that I still haven't recovered from the last attack, but I had to try and reach MOMO! I only had mere seconds before Albedo went on the move again…
But it turned out that I had less time than that, because a sudden roar filled the room, and the moment I lifted my head up, I could see the demon zooming at an incredible speed, right toward us. But KOS-MOS was standing a couple of feet away, arms reaching out, as if ready to catch Albedo like a speeding bullet. Just before the two forces were about to make impact, I closed my eyes, unable to watch the potentially violent collision. The resulting sound was an incredibly large crash, far louder than I had imagined. Unable to contain my fears any longer, I opened my eyes, and almost screamed in shock, as the two grappling fighters were just mere inches away from MOMO's body, with KOS-MOS' boots close enough to crush the fallen girl's head.
KOS-MOS and Albedo's hands were clasped together, both trying to push each other back, like a tug of war game. But despite the force Albedo was applying to KOS-MOS, she managed to stand her ground, not moving a single inch backward. However, her footing constantly moved about, coming dangerously close to stepping on MOMO. Almost sensing my concern, KOS-MOS turned her head slightly, and looked right at me. As my eyes came into contact with hers, a sudden rush of uneasiness filled my body.
As I lied here on the gap between life and death, and in an injured state, I could swear that for the first time ever, I could see a shift in KOS-MOS' eyes, a small but genuine reflection of light gleaming from her artificial lenses that almost resembled…warmth. Emotion. And despite my surprise in witnessing this tiny miracle, I immediately knew what she was trying to tell me. That I had to reach MOMO and move her away from the line of battle, because KOS-MOS was using all of her strength just to keep Albedo at bay.
And so I attempted to move again, trying with all my might to ignore the searing pain coursing through my legs. I didn't care if I only made my injuries worse. This was my only chance! Both MOMO's and KOS-MOS' lives were on the line! This was no time to give in to my human limitations! I had to think outside the boundaries of flesh and blood, just as she would!
"I can't…damn it, I can't!!" I shared my frustration with the world around me. I wondered how everyone must think of me now, seeing me as a wounded, crying wreck, who couldn't even save one Realien girl. Just how I couldn't save anyone onboard the Woglinde. Just how I couldn't save my mom and dad…or Kevin.
But just as I lay drenched in a puddle of hopelessness, a savior named chaos appeared from nowhere, and swiftly retrieved MOMO from the ground, racing toward my side.
As chaos gently lowered the wounded child in front of me, KOS-MOS confirmed her safety, and immediately released her hands from Albedo's. Before the villain could register her sudden change in battle tactics, KOS-MOS delivered a prompt kick to his face, with a roaring thud following her attack. Albedo turned his head away, showing signs of injury for the first time, but immediately brought his fists up for a counterattack.
"Shion...!" Before I could witness Albedo's counterassault on my prized creation, chaos snapped me back to reality. I had to focus on MOMO for now. chaos had already positioned her as comfortable as possible, face up and arms folded across her stomach. She almost appeared like she was sleeping, but the blood and cuts across her face outlined the harsh truth of her situation. Without further hesitation, I clasped my hands together and began to cast my strongest healing Ether. Waves of tranquil blue energy flowed from my hands and surrounded MOMO's body, making her appear even more restful. I could already see some of the minor scrapes sewing back into her skin, so I decided to glance at the ensuing conflict between KOS-MOS and Albedo.
The sudden spectacle playing before me nearly caused me to lose my Ether concentration. Words or logic couldn't begin to describe the astonishing clash of energy occurring between the two forces. Darting across one side of the room was a bluish streak of energy that could be KOS-MOS, while a whitish, yet darker feeling blur spun across the other side, undoubtedly Albedo. In brief periodic bursts, the two forces would collide into each other, and I could momentarily catch a shot of both of them, each one fixed on a single position. In one glimpse, KOS-MOS was shown driving an elbow into Albedo's forehead. In another shot, Albedo could be seen delivering a head butt to KOS-MOS. In most of the bursts, both fighters' limbs connected together, thus canceling each other out. With each collision, a deep reverberating thud echoed across the room, even causing small tremors, which would send shockwaves toward my spine.
I have never seen KOS-MOS unleash so much power, not even during her battles with the gnosis. And Albedo was clearly toying with the rest of us before. Even now, a horrible grin laid plastered across his face, no matter how much punishment KOS-MOS was giving him. But something was different about his eyes. His eyes didn't share the same arrogance as his smile. They showed signs of frustration, struggle…perhaps even fear. If none of our attacks proved successful before, I remained confident that KOS-MOS was definitely causing discomfort to the monster now.
Feeling that enough time had passed, I ceased my Ether casting on MOMO, feeling even more tired than before. Upon close examination, I felt a sense of relief when I discovered that all of her wounds had vanished. But that relief soon faded into concern when I noticed that MOMO had not opened her eyes, or even moved an inch. There was no sign of life in her.
I tried to repress my panic, and slowly moved my hands around her shoulders, softly stirring her body, praying that she only needed to regain consciousness. "MOMO." I called out softly, as if trying to wake her from a deep slumber. "MOMO..." I called out again, a little louder, though not nearly as loud as the screaming traveling inside my head.
Slowly, she stirred, letting out a small groan. Absolute relief filled my body, but I tried to hold back my joy. Slowly, I lifted her head up, just a few inches from the ground. Her eyes began shuddering, but remained closed. Afterward, trails of tears began to escape from her closed lids, and small bursts of sniffling followed from her mouth. Sniffling a bit myself, I brought MOMO's face close to my chest, and wrapped my arms around her back, holding her in a loving embrace. I could feel her tears flowing down my neck, and I tried my best not to cry along with her.
"I'll go and help the others. Stay with her." chaos quickly uttered, then departed.
"Mommy…" a single word passed through the weeping girl's lips, small yet clearly audible. My eyes opened in surprise, and soon excreted the sadness I was trying to keep hidden. I pressed my face against MOMO's cheek, brushing her ruffled hair slightly with my right hand. It was strange, really. I never found myself real fond of kids. I always thought they would be a handful to raise, full of too much energy, most of it used for temper tantrums and overall spoiled behavior. But MOMO didn't share any of those negative traits. She was without a doubt the kindest, most gentle person I have ever met. I sometimes wondered if her unselfish behavior only further outlined her artificiality?
No, I had no right to be so hypocritical, considering my previous attempts in creating a flawless, faux child. Regardless of her past and race, MOMO had become one of the most important people in my life, like the little sister I never had, and I would gladly take in all of her pain and hardship, if it would guarantee her a happy life. The life I couldn't have as a child.
"I'm here MOMO..." I spoke to her gently, "I'll always be here for you." Her sobbing soon quieted down, and her tears began to cease as well.
Ziggy appeared to my right, casting a large shadow over both of us. "Is she alright?" He asked, with a hint of general human concern in his voice. I turned my neck, briefly examining him. Aside from a few chest wounds that would have proven serious to a normal human, Ziggy seemed to be in better shape than the rest of us.
"She'll be alright." I assured him. "I managed to heal all her wounds."
Ziggy stood there silently, giving off a rather unsatisfied expression. "Why is she crying?"
"She's scared, Ziggy." I responded, slightly annoyed by his insensitive question.
Before he could respond, a huge explosion filled the room, catching all of us by surprise. Hastily, I threw my arms around MOMO's face, shielding her as much as I could from the blast. Around the same time, Ziggy threw himself on top of me, in order to shield both of us. Large amounts of dust, wind, and debris tore through us like a typhoon, and the deafening rumble rang through our ears like a siren. After a few seconds passed, Ziggy slowly rose, confirming that the blast had stopped. I soon followed by getting up to a kneeling position, with MOMO still wrapped around my arms. Gently lifting her face from my grasp, I observed her for a moment. Thankfully, she didn't appear hurt by the blast, but her eyes still remained shut.
A startling scream now filled the room. The yell sounded almost as loud as the previous blast, but was far more terrifying. It was a loud, piercing shout of absolute pain. At first, I shuddered, immediately thinking of KOS-MOS, but the source of the howling seemed noticeably male. Slowly, I turned my eyes to the center of the room.
There stood Albedo, screaming in agony, and with his entire body covered with injuries. His right hand was stretched out above him, severed down to the tip of his elbow. Several holes were found across his entire body, with smoke escaping through each opening. He literally looked like a broken doll. Any other living being, human or Realien, would not have survived with such massive wounds. But to a demon like Albedo, they became his first taste of agony, atonement for his evil longevity. I can't say that I felt sorry for him. In fact, I almost felt glad that he was finally experiencing the suffering that he has caused others. Though I wondered if my joy came from vengeance, or relief, knowing that he was capable of experiencing pain after all…
Standing a couple of feet from him was KOS-MOS, who hardly had a scratch on her! How did she manage to injure him so deeply? Could KOS-MOS be even more powerful than Albedo? The howling continued as KOS-MOS stared mercilessly at the madman, but the screams suddenly began to change in their tone, forming into a new kind of sound, one that almost sounded…euphoric.
Without waiting for his body to completely heal, Albedo immediately delivered a swipe at KOS-MOS with his half-restored arm, taking the android by complete surprise. KOS-MOS nearly lost her balance from the blow, but managed to keep her footing. But Albedo met her with yet another blow, and soon a barrage of attacks rained upon KOS-MOS, giving her little time to react. It was as if that last malicious attack actually sparked Albedo's fury, and now he intended to finish KOS-MOS without delay!
Sensing my sudden apprehension, Ziggy looked to me. "I'll go help her. Stay here." He left before I could object.
"I'm…I'm going too…!" said a faint voice. Looking to my left, I could see Jr, who was standing…no, more like staggering, on his feet. His entire body was laced with serious wounds, and his torn shirt was soaking up most of the blood dripping from his face and chest. Before I could get a better look at him, he already started to limp toward the center of the room, with his free arm supporting his broken one.
"Jr, wait!" I shouted in concern. "You need to be treated first!" Indeed, it was obvious to anyone that Jr had suffered the most injuries from Albedo. He was in no shape to continue fighting.
Without turning, Jr let out a reply. "I'm fine. I can…still fight." Considering how much he was struggling just to speak, Jr only further proved the seriousness of his wounds to us. Suddenly, he let out a gasp, and slowly sank to the floor. Before I could even register the thought of running over to help him, chaos had beaten me to it, catching Jr just before he hit the floor. The two of them engaged in a brief conversation, which lead to Jr giving a nod to chaos' quiet plea. Slowly moving Jr to the floor, chaos began his Ether treatment to the injured boy. It was fortunate that his pride didn't cause him to refuse chaos' help, since it nearly caused him to get killed…
Looking back at the battle, my heart began racing again, as the situation was not improving for KOS-MOS. Albedo was attacking the android with much greater intensity, and KOS-MOS was barely even avoiding the attacks. Albedo's body had also completely restored, and his face once again returned to a hideous display of enjoyment. The situation was beginning to shift into hopelessness once again. I wondered if we ever stood a chance to begin with?
Just as it looked like KOS-MOS could no longer defend herself, Ziggy suddenly appeared and delivered a surprise kick to the back of Albedo's head. The force of the metal foot caused Albedo's neck to shatter upon impact. The sight of his head bobbing around like a yo-yo nearly caused me to vomit in disgust. It was a good thing that MOMO's eyes were still closed. Despite the gruesome display, I managed to take advantage of this opportunity, and quickly called out to KOS-MOS. Hearing my command, she rushed over to meet with us. After taking a few seconds to observe Albedo a little more, Ziggy soon followed.
Albedo's head still remained lopsided, but he still kept his gaze on all of us, watching us from upside down. Despite the sheer horror of watching Albedo like this, I couldn't help but notice the anger in his eyes. Perhaps we've all become a greater challenge than he imagined? I also noticed that was taking longer than usual for him to regenerate. Perhaps he could no longer heal himself in rapid succession? Maybe he was actually getting weaker from our attacks.
The head finally returned to its original position, and the demon began to walk toward our direction. All of us were gathered together, just as we were when we first arrived here. Ziggy was standing right in front of me, while KOS-MOS and chaos were both behind me. MOMO was still lying weakly in my arms, which I tightened around her as the monster drew closer to us. He'd have to kill me this time if he wanted to lay another hand on her.
But it seemed that I wasn't the only one with these feelings. Jr, despite still showing signs of fatigue, started walking ahead of us, meeting Albedo about halfway through. They both stopped and looked intently at each other, just as they did in the beginning of this battle. Although Jr seemed far more exhausted, breathing heavily and hunching over, there was something in Albedo's look that told me that he was starting to feel the fatigue of this battle as well. His eyes, though still wicked, did not possess the same fire that he showed before. And though he still carried a putrid grin, it didn't appear to outline the excitement and twisted enjoyment he showed during our agony. He looked like the fight was taken out of him. If he really was as weak as I theorized, perhaps we could put a little more effort to finish him off once and for all. Though I wouldn't dare make that suggestion, as I could only guess how the rest of us must be feeling now.
MOMO was definitely unfit to fight, though I wouldn't allow it even if she was. Ziggy seemed to be in the best shape, though he might hold back in order to protect MOMO. I couldn't tell how much damage KOS-MOS sustained during her solo match against Albedo, and Jr would only end up sacrificing himself at this point. Myself? Surprisingly, the pain in my legs seems to have vanished, along with my tiredness. How did I recover so fully? Perhaps it was chaos. I did recall chaos standing above me as I was healing MOMO. Maybe he used his lesser healing Ether to cure me…
Come to think of it, I don't think I've noticed a single scratch on chaos' body. Considering the direct blow from Albedo, as well as being right in the middle of that fire bird attack, he should have at least a couple of wounds. Of course I was glad that he was all right, yet I couldn't help but wonder how he was so intact, considering that his Ether healing was less as powerful as mine, or even MOMO's. And he certainly wasn't a Realien, or a cyborg like Ziggy, or even a URTV like Jr (even though I didn't entirely know what a URTV was). He was just a boy.
Wasn't he?
"Answer me! Why are you doing this?!" demanded Jr, who was struggling just to speak. "There's absolutely nothing you can hope to gain out of this." If Jr was trying to reason with this monster now, then I guess he too had lost the will to continue fighting.
"Au contraire." Albedo responded softly, closing his eyes as he spoke. "I…am doing all this…for your sake, Rubedo."
"For…my sake…?" Jr asked, no clearer in Albedo's nonsense than I was.
"Have you forgotten, Rubedo?" He continued. "That fateful day, fourteen years ago…have you forgotten what you did to us?!
This message seemed to have sparked surprise in Jr, as his whole body started to tremble. Fourteen years ago? The Miltian Conflict?
"It's all because of you…because you closed yourself off from us, our mental link was broken, and one after another, we succumbed to the power of the Song. Left behind in that horror, did we have any choice but to submit to it?" Albedo's voice grew in anger as he continued speaking. Whatever he was referring to, it was causing him just as much emotional torment as Jr was feeling. "Remember what happened…and repent for your sins!"
Jr's trembling grew even more frantic, looking to be in far worse shape than before. To think that mere words could cause more damage than physical attacks…"It's true…I mean…" he stuttered.
Albedo's twisted laughter suddenly broke the momentary silence. "So you finally admit to it, you coward!"
"All right, damn it!" Jr snapped. "I couldn't control my fear!"
"Jr…?" The name escaped my lips, as my concern for his sanity grew. Was there actually some truth to Albedo's claims? Regardless, Jr mustn't let Albedo overcome him in this battle of wits.
"Yes!" Albedo exclaimed. "And therefore, you must atone for your sins, atone for your life! I am the executor for all those who were destroyed! Although…I am actually grateful to you, Rubedo." The madman continued, his tone returning to its usual sneering quality. "Thanks to you, I alone was able to find the way…the way to a whole new world." He began to take a few steps backward.
"What do you mean, a whole new world?" Jr responded, anger growing in his voice.
"That's all that I seek…" Albedo immediately retorted, further amused by Jr's bewilderment. "It's quite simple. Don't you think?"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Jr shouted back, his patience wearing thin.
Instead of responding, Albedo unexpectedly leaped straight into the air, flying backwards, and toward the reactor. Flipping several times in mid air, he smoothly landed on top of the pulsing machine, the very same spot were he first revealed himself. He then cocked his head back and briefly engaged in more of his senseless laughter.
"At first I wasn't sure if I should believe…" the demon continued. "But then I experienced something a moment ago that confirmed it…" His eyes began moving around us, stopping suddenly. What was he looking at? "And this ought to verify that experience for me." More of his maniacal laughing seeped through. "Entertain me, if you will!"
In another unexpected move, the ground began to shake rapidly, and warning lights started to flash across the room. As everyone began to look around in confusion, I slowly helped MOMO stand on her feet along with myself. Both of us looked to the center of disturbance, the reactor itself. The safety latches surrounding the mechanism began to release violently, one by one. Power grids began to flash a crimson red, and electrical energy scattered around the reactor. Then, in another surprising turn, the reactor itself began to open. The protective layers surrounding the core slowly opened, a huge gust of secluded air bursting out, passing right through us. I kept a free arm around MOMO's shoulder as a precaution. After the wind died down, I could see the core of the reactor, the very 'heart' of Proto Merkabah, hovering before me. Why would Albedo allow us a glimpse of the core, risking his plans to destroy Second Miltia? Upon further inspection, the reason for Albedo's action became shockingly apparent.
Surrounding the core was a huge monstrosity, misshapen in form and massive in size. There was no mistake in identifying this creature before us; it was a Gnosis, and it was like none I have ever encountered before. This type of gnosis was an abomination in design, even when compared to the other hideous versions of it's kind. This one seemed more of a mutation, with its large, bloated girth, it's lack of distinguishable limbs, and a gigantic maw that most certainly was its mouth. But what was truly disturbing about this horror that Albedo unleashed was the object contained inside the creature itself; the core of Proto Merkabah.
"Damn…" spouted Jr. "You fused the Gnosis…with the reactor…?!"
As I feared, the 'heart' of Proto Merkabah had now become the 'heart' of the Gnosis itself. By twisted innovation, Albedo had made our target of destruction a living weapon, designed to destroy us instead.
"You must first destroy this in order to stop Proto Merkabah." Albedo shouted, determined to torment us further, even as his creation moved to life. "You do realize that…Oh, almost forgot the time!" He said hastily, as if running short on time. "Hmmm, not much left nooow…" He continued regardless, cooing like a deranged child. "I'd say five minutes, at best. I wonder how far you'll get in your current condition?"
The villain engaged in his devilish laughter yet again, even after he had admitted that time was running short. I briefly turned to look at Jr, who was clearly at Albedo's mercy once again. I didn't dare imagine the despair he must have been feeling right now, to once again fall under this monster's trap.
"He's so cruel…" MOMO whispered softly, an obvious hint of sadness found in her frail voice. "He's tormenting Jr just for fun…" I lightly tightened my grip around her shoulder, in a feeble attempt to consol her. How horrible that these two children must endure the most suffering out of all of us, all because of this madman.
"Farewell." Albedo mocked. "I'm sure we'll meet again, if you survive…" He paused for a split second, his face shifting to a heated gaze, noticeable even from this distance.
"Rubedo, my other half." With a flap of his cape, Albedo disappeared into the shadows.
"Albedo!!" Jr exclaimed in absolute anger. Without a moment's hesitation, he began to run towards Albedo's direction. Even after all the anguish he suffered at his hands, Jr knew that letting Albedo escape with the opportunity to return another day would be far more agonizing. But at this point, it was hopeless, since we now had a new threat to worry about.
"Jr, look out!" MOMO yelled, in her loudest tone since she arrived here. Hearing her warning, Jr stopped in his tracks and looked above the form of his surprise attacker. The large Gnosis emitted an equally large wave of energy in Jr's direction. But fortunately, Jr had cast his own barrier, far smaller in comparison, but effective in protecting him nonetheless.
The Gnosis ceased its attack on Jr, and started to take action. All the remaining restraints on the reactor and the creature separated, and the alien began to arch itself upward, revealing it's impressive stature to all of us. Fully upright, the Gnosis instantly towered over all of us, two lumbering limbs swaying from side to side, and the core of the former reactor occasionally visible as the creature's mouth hung open.
"Damn it…" Jr hissed. "We have to destroy this thing, first."
"Shion." MOMO quietly called to me. I looked down on her in response. "Let me help you. I can still fight."
I looked at her large eyes, perplexed. "Are you sure, MOMO?"
"Yes." The young girl nodded. "I'm all right. I'm not scared." A smile suddenly formed across her tiny face. "After all, you'll always be there for me, right?"
A smile formed across my face as well, and my eyes became a little misty. Despite having to endure Albedo's wrath a second time, my words have managed to keep hope alive in MOMO's heart. I could see the glimmer in her eyes restored to their former sparkle. I wrapped both arms around her shoulders, tenderly caressing her.
"Be careful, everyone!" chaos shouted. "That's no longer just a machine!"
It was strange to feel this content, despite the visible hopelessness of our situation. Most of us had yet to recover from Albedo's assault, and now we had to do battle with the largest Gnosis yet, all within five minutes. And yet, I didn't feel nearly as worried as I did when fighting that demon. Ironic that a single man could instill more fear than a colossal alien. But now I remained convinced that we will prove victorious. And I knew who to thank for my renewed confidence. She just didn't know it.
"All right!" I shouted. "Let's do it, KOS-MOS!"
Shion's Chapter: The EndAuthor's Note: Let me apologize greatly for the delay between chapters. I was away from vacation for a week, and I had to cope with a cold for an additional week. I don't want those who have read the first chapter to think that I will leave this story unfinished, or that I refuse to put any more effort into it. I guarantee you that I will finish all the POVs of each character.
But also know that I pride myself in making sure that each chapter does not reach submission unless I have made absolutely sure that it has received all the polish and perfection that I can muster. I refuse to turn in any rush jobs. I want my work to be noted for it's excellent quality and writing. I want it to be regarded for years as one of the best, if not THE best, Xenosaga fan fictions ever written.
So I won't make any promises on the scheduling between chapters, except that the delay between this one and the next won't be nearly as long. I have some great ideas mapped in my head, and I feel that my writing and quality will only improve by the next chapter, since it will be dealing with a personal favorite, as well as someone who is much easier to interpret. I hope you all continue reading my work, and I humbly accept any reviews you wish to contribute, both positive and negative. I hope I have accurately portrayed and perhaps enhanced your vision of Xenosaga, and the wonderful characters contained within.
