Chapter 15: Gundam Seed Destiny

A/N: This story is drawing to its close. This will be the last full chapter (epilogue and appendix to come). I'm ending this pretty soon, as I think I will be concentrating on my other stories and I thought that it would be about this long anyway.

Anyways, it has been real encouraging reading all your reviews and I have to say that I throughly enjoyed writing this. Sorry for the lateness in updating but I have had a major writer's blockin a part of this chapter. Anyway, read and review! And Thanks Again.

KiraLacus forever, Chaos Dragon: No new Gundams for Kira and Athrun cos' it was rather late to put them in without a major re-write.

LodisLord: Thanks again

Fuji: Thanks as well, Dearka x Milli forever!

Tandiien: Yes, I actually realised it, whoops. Japanese R and L sound very much alike...

RVD, Asga: Thanks heaps for reviews. Sorry for the late late update.

As ZAFT forces stood at a standstill, mulling over the conflicting orders from the Dullindal and the Council which had declared that he was a traitor, the forces of the Clyne Alliance continued to fight against the LOGOS troops under Dullindal's direction. The LOGOS forces continued to launch Rick-Doms, Windams as fast as the Clyne Alliance forces were destroying them, if not faster. The battle was starting to take its toll, and all of them knew that the FAITH fleet had yet to launch.

"Two Gundams detected, Abyss and Chaos," Miriallia said, over the comm. to the Clyne Alliance forces. The Endymion turned to engage the Chaos, releasing its weapons pods, to match the Chaos's. An intense light show began as Mwu began firing. He saw the Murasame slash over the Chaos first weapons pod, firing its cannons. He redoubled his efforts as he fired his beam rifle at the Chaos, simultaneously piloting his weapons pods to engage the Chaos's second.

Cagalli launched herself into the battle, taking on the Abyss, firing her beam rifle as she dodged, using the IWSP's full arsenal; she launched missiles at the Abyss which fired back with its cannon. Cagalli dodged downwards as she saw the Assassin suddenly materialize in behind the Abyss and bring its beam sabre crashing down through the Abyss's cockpit. She looped the Strike Rouge around and turned around to give help to Clyne Alliance Murasames and Zakus which were engaged in a running laser-beam fight against the LOGOS troops.

The Archangel fired its Gottfried cannons and Lohengrin cannons at the LOGOS fleet, as the Eternal peppered the other enemy ships with missiles. LOGOS ships blew up as they were obliterated by the sustained barrage of the Clyne Alliance capital ships. The Archangel rocked as it was hit by enemy Windams, the CIWS systems were not coping with the sheer amount of enemy troops, the Eternal seemed to be in a similar predicament. Murrue shouted, "Fire the Helldart missiles, and evade to port." The Archangel swung towards port, as they saw a squadron of Clyne Alliance Murasame's led by Andy swing past relieving the pressure from the Archangel by destroying the enemy mobile suits, as they transformed from jet form to form a screen around the Archangel.

On the Eternal, Lacus and Da Costa saw that Clyne Alliance Zakus had formed a similar screen around the Eternal. The Eternal continued its stubborn defence of Heliopolis 2 knowing that that LOGOS troops were just the first wave of Dullindal's troops, there was still FAITH troops and the remaining ZAFT troops, which may or may not attack them.

Meanwhile, the Cgue Deep Arms docked on the Eternal, dropping Yzak off, who was greeted by Lacus. Shiho waved Yzak goodbye as she launched back out to help the Clyne Alliance forces. Lacus motioned for Yzak to follow her and they struck up a conversation, "So you decided to help us out, Yzak."

"Well, my mother is giving the orders that Dullindal is to be deposed and that he is a traitor to PLANT and so I have to help in any way I can," Yzak replied, as walked down the corridors of the Eternal.

Lacus led Yzak to the deep storage area of the Eternal where she unveiled the Slayer, "This is for you, Yzak, I believe you will find this much to your liking," Lacus smiled as she waved him onboard.

"Prepare the Slayer for launching," she commed from the deep storage area, as the Slayer rose to launching position. Yzak, inside the cockpit familiarised himself with the controls and weaponry as the bay of the Eternal opened.

On the Minerva, Talia wondered about the new orders, over her past with Gil. It was time to decide and live with the consequences. Years ago, she had walked away from him to marry and have a child, but she had never really let go of their love, now it was time to let go of the past and live for the future. "Arthur advance on the LOGOS fleet, prepare the Tristan and Isolde, Fire on my mark," she ordered, as she committed the Minerva to the side of the Clyne Alliance. "Launch the Zaku's as soon as we get into range, with the order to attack LOGOS forces and then FAITH forces when they arrive. The remaining ZAFT fleet followed the Minerva towards the LOGOS fleet, intent on helping the Clyne Alliance force a victory.

The Endymion continued its battle with Chaos. Mwu continued to fire, at the Chaos, keeping it occupied, while his manoeuvred his weapons pods into place for a final attack. Dropping his beam rifle, he drew the beam saber and charged. In response, he saw the Chaos draw its own beam saber and close in. He watched the numbers scroll down on the proximity monitor, he activated his weapons pods, sending fire aimed beneath the Chaos forcing it to dodge upwards, as he dived downwards, flipped and fired the Endymion's plasma and rail cannons into the Chaos's back, causing it to overload and explode in a cascade of green parts. He allowed himself a small sigh of relief and a sad feeling crept up on him, having killed someone who was like a child to him. He brought the Endymion around to finish off the LOGOS forces attacking the Archangel, firing the rail cannons.

"Yzak Jule, Slayer, launching," Yzak said, as the blue coloured close-combat specialist Gundam launched into the battle, joined quickly by Shiho's unit, as they cut into the LOGOS forces.

With the combined power of the numerous Gundams, the battle began to turn the Clyne Alliance's way. The arrival of the small ZAFT contingent had significantly boosted the firepower of the small fleet. LOGOS troops were quickly being decimated by the fresher ZAFT pilots. Onboard the Archangel, Miriallia reported, "FAITH fleet closing into firing range in approximately one minute." As the status of the FAITH fleet was transmitted to all Clyne Alliance ships, Murrue ordered the Archangel to turn and engage.

FAITH forces launched out Goufs as they engaged the Archangel and its supporters. Kira's Freedom and Athrun's Saviour continued to fight desperately as Dullindal prepared his trump card. The Providence 2 slowly launched from the bay of the FAITH flagship.

Destiny, Gaia, Freedom, Saviour, Slayer and Deep Arms moved in to engage the FAITH fleet, as it launched its troops. Yzak and Shiho worked in tandem moving in towards the Raww (a/n: FAITH flagship), intent on taking Dullindal down. The sensors beeped as they detected the Providence 2. "Looks like they have a Gundam of their own, registering as the Providence 2 on the IFF, Athrun and I will take it down, the rest of you destroy their flagship," Kira said, as he and Athrun turned to engage the Providence 2. Yzak and Shiho led the charge on the Raww, followed by Shinn and Stellar.

Kira activated the Freedom's HIMAT system and fired at the Providence 2, as Athrun fired the Saviour's plasma cannon, producing a scintillating light show, aimed right at the Providence 2. However, the pilot of the Providence 2 dodged, and launched his gunbarrels, as they fired at Kira and Athrun, Kira could almost feel the insanity of Raww again. He vowed that he would not let the Providence 2 prevail, as he returned fire with the Freedom's beam rifle, trying to pick off the enemy gunbarrels. Saviour in that time, had transformed into mobile suit mode and similarly tried to pick off the gunbarrels while dodging the fire from the main body.

The Providence 2 blasted forward, towards the mobile suits assaulting the Raww. Stellar continued to fire her beam rifle at the incoming FAITH Goufs. Destiny flashed by as it vivisected an enemy capital ship. The Providence 2 centred in on the Gaia and the Destiny as they continued the attack, leaving the Saviour and the Freedom behind.

The Endymion, Assassin, Murasame, and Strike Rouge continued their assault on the enemy FAITH forces. Each leading a squadron of Orb and PLANT troops, they cut swathes through the Dullindal's fleet, as they utilised superior tactics and skill. Cagalli fired the IWSP pack weapons, as her squadron bounced the squadron engaging Andy's squadron, catching them unawares. As the battle co-ordinator on the Eternal issued orders to the respective squadrons under its command, Mwu's squadron slashed across another FAITH squadron, causing them to pursue and fall into the trap as Dearka's squadron of Gunner Zaku Warriors' fired their long-range cannons, space lit up with explosions of FAITH Goufs. "Good job, keep it up," Da Costa's voice came through the Alliance channels.

Meanwhile, the Gaia now engaged Providence 2 as it launched its DRAGOON units, the Destiny moved to intercept as it drew its Arondight anti-ship sword. Shinn threw his all at the pilot of the Providence 2 as its DRAGOONs moved to trap him and Stellar, to push them away from the Raww, and the vanguard of the FAITH fleet. As the DRAGOONs kept Shinn busy, the Providence 2 drew its beam lance and engaged the Gaia in close combat. Stellar threw the engine into reverse thrusting away, while firing with her beam rifle, as the Providence 2 came closer. As the Providence 2 closed within close combat range, she drew the Gaia's beam saber and charged. The beam lance and the beam saber clashed in a spectacular light show, as they each pushed at each other. Meanwhile, Shinn was starting to gain the upper hand against the gunbarrels, as he figured out the firing pattern.

The Freedom and the Saviour were quickly catching up, both Kira and Athrun knew that the Providence 2 would have to be defeated quickly, before it could kill anyone. However, FAITH forces rose to block them, and even though they disabled them quickly, they were still quite far from the main battle. However, their appearance created an opening for Yzak and Shiho to quickly slip through a hole in the FAITH defence net. Hopefully, they were going to finish Dullindal quickly, so that this pointless waste of lives would be over.

The Providence 2 continued to fight the Gaia in close, combat, but suddenly, it thrust backwards and charged its beam rifle, catching Stellar by surprise, it shot, damaging the Gaia greatly, causing it to drift. As the Gaia went critical, Shinn saw that the Gaia had taken a direct hit. Stellar, I'm coming. He activated the wings of light to deflect the gunbarrel beams as best as possible while he charged straight towards the battle between the Gaia and the Providence 2. The Providence's gunbarrels were unrelenting scoring direct hits which chipped away at the Destiny's armour, he saw the Providence 2 go in for the finishing blow, as he realised that Stellar was escaping, he saw the Providence 2 stab into Gaia's cockpit, just as Stellar had started to get away, and then it exploded. The flash from the explosion was blinding and then Stellar was gone. Shinn screamed, his primal innocence shattered beyond recovery, as he found the rage, the calm at the center, activating the SEED, he no longer cared about anything, but taking down the pilot who in his mind had killed Stellar. Everything else faded away, as it was replaced with a single purpose, a clarity, emotionless, a bottomless black hole from which he would swallow the Providence 2. He charged.

Yzak charged towards the Raww, his anti-ship sword held above the Slayer's shoulder reading for a crowning blow. Shiho's CGUE cleared the path, destroying all the enemy mobile suits in the way as the Slayer charged. Dullindal looked out the viewport as he saw the Slayer approach, his eyes widened in a state of shock, as the Slayer brought its sword crashing down through the bridge. The viewport-glass seemed to stand still for a second and then shattered, sending a blast of air out into space. The bridge of the Raww exploded as the Slayer withdrew its anti-ship sword, the concussion of the blast driving it backwards. As he died, Dullindal thought, so they are fated after all. The FAITH fleet was in disarray as the Raww was destroyed, it found itself outgunned and surrounded by the Clyne Alliance fleet. The remaining FAITH fleet had no choice but to surrender.

Meanwhile, the Destiny, Freedom and Saviour were still engaged in battle against the Providence 2. The Providence gunbarrels were troubling as they scored hits on the Freedom and Saviour. The Providence gunbarrels continued to fire hitting the Freedom on the leg, near the engines, taking it out of the fight. The Saviour suffered a similar hit to the engines, stopping it dead in space.

Only Shinn could stand up against the Providence 2 as he engaged the main body itself. In SEED mode, Shinn dodged the concentrated gunbarrel fire as he charged towards the Providence which drew its own beam saber and moved to engage. The Destiny and the Providence 2 met in a shower of sparks as their weapons hit each other on at close range. The Destiny moved upwards slashing the Providence's left arm off, the Providence's beam saber hacked Destiny's left arm off, as Shinn brought the Destiny around, kicking the Providence with its leg. He charged again, as the Providence 2 drew its beam rifle, he hacked through it, destroying it. The Providence 2 quickly drew its beam saber again and charged again as Shinn bought its palm beam cannons to bear, the Providence 2 dodged and slashed at the other arm.

Shinn had no weapons left, but the Providence 2 had to be taken out. There's only one way left, I've got nothing left to live for. Stellar, Mayu and my family are all gone. It is time to join them. Shinn activated his thrusters as the Destiny wrapped its arms around the Providence 2, and began to glow bright gold as the power of SEED combined itself with Shinn's last intent, the Destiny began its countdown sequence to destruction.

"Noooo, Shinn, don't," Kira and Athrun both exclaimed, as he saw the Destiny wrap itself around the second Destroy. The Destiny's wings of light started to glow, red at first then gold and then white and blue, until it cycled through all the colours, the Destiny itself, started to glow bright, the light blinding. Desperately, the pilot of the Providence 2 tried to escape, but Shinn fought his every move, keeping the Destiny wrapped tightly around the Providence 2. Shinn was prepared to die, to save the world. Once Dullindal was gone, there would be no more Mayu's. Finally, he would join his family, Colonel Todaka, Stellar in the afterlife.

Everyone was glued to the ever-glowing Destiny wrapped around the gigantic Providence 2, as it glowed brighter and brighter until it was too painful to look at for everyone's eyes. Everyone on Earth and PLANT were glued to their screens, watching the broadcast. The intensity of the light forced everyone to turn away The light kept expanding and then contracted, blowing the Freedom and the Saviour back. When the light faded, there was nothing but the darkness of space where the Destiny and Providence 2 had been, not even fragments or wreckage.

Onboard, the Minerva, Captain Gladys led the whole crew in a salute to the bravery of Shinn who gave his life so that the world could finally live in peace. All over the world, on the videoscreens broadcasting the war, people dropped everything they were doing and stood in silent salute. And then a cheer erupted, as Lacus started to speak, declaring the end of the war and that peace would be reached, "remember Shinn's brave sacrifice, for his sake and everyone else's, no matter what, no matter who, we are people and we must work together for a better future for all mankind." The impromptu parties in the street went on all night, as people celebrated what would hopefully be the last war for many generations.