Sweet Song
By: Albedo XL

Chapter 1: I Remember the Days of Summer...

…Who am I?

The all-powerful consciousness thought as the red-orange, gas-like existence known as U-DO swirled around his fingers and, molecule by molecule, began to absorb his fingers into itself an began to vanish. His mind was already frayed and damaged, but that didn't stop him from thinking.

Was my existence futile? …no… not quite…although I am now truly free, the slavery that binds humans to premature death finally makes sense to me; aside from repayment for their inherent sin, death serves as their reason to live, to run away from it as long as they possibly can for fear of being wiped out completely from existence, for fear losing their hopes, fears, dreams, and memories and leaving them to be cast away into the wind-swept void. Being truly free though, as I am now, I no longer am afraid, but then again, I no longer have a hope which to pursue, which makes me an empty shell of what I used to be, and what I am no longer. What I have done with my life will one day make no difference in the future of the things to come, for it is the nature of humans to cover over sins and blemishes and to celebrate their miniscule triumphs. One day, I will be forgotten, all the things I've done, forgotten. Even I have not lived forever, but at least I will be able to rest now…

The U-DO that had been slowly absorbing his body was finally up to his neck, slowly eating his flesh…

"ALBEDO!!!!"

The cry of his name startled him, and a split-second after he realized who called him, he began to pull fragments of his body that U-DO had taken away back into himself, building up again the body that would never die. Upon hearing that frightened voice, all hope he had lost was restored as his body came alive and his face darkened with emotion and the determination to live and to keep escaping death. His eyes flashed dark violet as he broke free from U-DO's grasp and subconsciously called out to his E.S., Simeon, to find the way back to his dearest brother. As he climbed into Simeon's cockpit and took off toward the Durandal's coordinates, he felt the immense pain his brother's heart, feeling his racing heartbeat and the heavy tears he shed falling from his chin like drops of blood. At that moment, as he raced towards his destination, he remembered who he really was…

I am… Albedo!!!