Mental Realm

What is happening?!

Lindow's footsteps echoed against the walls, thundering across the ground like a singular stampede. His lungs ached and his limbs burned, yet no amount of gasping or gulping would fill them with oxygen. It was like he was trapped in an endless spiral, tumbling ever downward with no end in sight. But that was perfectly. If staying still was the alternative, then he would happily run forever. Nothing was worse than what he had left behind.

Lindow had experienced many horrors in his twenty-some odd years of life. He had witnessed cities fall and buildings burn to the ground, often with people inside of them. Some were trapped. Others stayed by choice; for they would rather burn than end in the jaws of an Aragami. He had seen monsters devour people alive, men, women, and children alike. He had seen people die by the hands of other humans, fighting over resources. He had seen even more die by injury, infection, or starvation. And some, he had seen perish by their own hand; unable to find the strength to live on.

But nothing he had ever seen in his life had prepared him for this. For the nightmares he had seen at the hands of the people he called comrades. He had always known that Fenrir's tendencies leaned towards manipulative, deceitful, and tyrannical. It was part of what had driven him to investigation. What he saw within those walls was nothing short of diabolical. It was heinous. Nay, it was horrendous. No.

There was no word in the English language to describe what he had witnessed. What he had, albeit briefly, experienced. And the worst part was, he could no longer tell how much of it was dream versus reality. The walls crumbled around him, the scientists' images fading and shifting from human form. He could feel the snow against his feet, yet he remained inside. He could hear the roar of an Ouroboros intertwining with the high-pitched frequency of an electrical collar. It was as though a multitude of worlds were collapsing; merging into one, and he was somehow caught in the middle of it.

He had no idea how long he had been trapped in his twilight state. How much of what he had seen and felt had been real? How much of it had been a dream? How much of it had been the hallucinations of a delusional mind? Were they nightmares or memories? Dreams or reality? He didn't know. When was the last time he had held a God Arc, or battled in the open field? When was the last time he had even felt his own human hands, seen his own human feet, or heard his own human voice? He didn't know.

"Hah…" His footsteps finally slowed to a crawl. They no longer had the strength to carry him. Perhaps he had finally escaped. Where he was now was a mystery, lost in a foggy haze. Leaning back, he slid to the floor, back resting against a stone wall. At least, that's what he thought it was. Lindow couldn't tell. He couldn't see anything but white and dull grey. But that didn't bother him, not anymore. He was happy just happy to finally reach an end. An end to it all.

Images of his old comrades flashed through his mind, God Arcs at the ready, pleading him to return to them. He wanted to, more than anything. But Lindow knew better than to hope. Not anymore. Instead, he would pray that they had heeded his warning or had the common sense to flee. To run away to safety. Or maybe they hadn't. Maybe they had engaged him in battle or were already doing so at that very moment. Or perhaps, they had slain him after all… and what he was experiencing was the beginning of the end.

He didn't know.

Lindow's head slumped forward, lulling against his chest as he finally gave in. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes. He could hear nothing but the sound of his own breathing, and the gentle breeze against hard surface… and footsteps. A pair of footsteps slowly approaching.

. . .

Neo shielded her eyes, hissing at the violent intrusion as a blinding light took over them. Moments ago, the world around them had been crashing down and quite literally falling apart. The ground had split open, and the skies rent, the howling wind replaced by something indescribable. Then, there was nothing. Nothing but white. Nothing but… nothingness.

She could feel the hard ground beneath her feet, but she couldn't see it. She couldn't see anything. Yet somehow, she knew she wasn't alone. Ren was with her… and so was someone else. When the light finally faded, Neo lowered her hand, cautiously cracking her lids to risk a glimpse at the world around her.

The space had transformed once more. No longer were they running along the countryside, searching for the way home. No longer did the winds howl and the heavy raindrops whip against their face. Instead, they were standing in a familiar church, with collapsing stone walls and fallen pillars. And lying against the wall on the other side was the man she had been searching for. Though somehow, he looked even worse than she felt. Which was saying something. At least he was human… assuming he was alive at all.

Ren was the first to recover, slowly moving toward him with a look of awe. "This is it. I can't believe we made it this far." Neo carefully followed after him and eyed their surroundings. "All this time, every moment, Lindow has been battling that Aragami inside of him."

Neo gave a silent nod of acknowledgement at his statement. That was something she understood all too well. To battle the inner demon, always vying for control. The same demon she had lost against, yet somehow, Lindow defeated, if only for a moment. Shaking her head, she forced the thoughts from her mind. They were trapped in a manifested mental dream world. The last thing they needed was for errant thoughts to materialize and make their situation worse.

Ren stopped before him, kneeling at Lindow's side. His head hung forward, eyes shut, rising and falling with every tired breath. Lifting a hand, he gently moved his face, taking a closer look at him, as if to confirm his greatest fears. "Only now is he losing strength. His consciousness fades, and his heartbeat slows."

"Huh?"

Neo jumped, taken aback by the sudden reaction. It seemed that Lindow wasn't as restful as she thought. She watched the Corporal slowly lift his head, gaze fixing on the young man before him. She lowered her God Arc, hanging back from the pair to give them space. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, so she presumed this was the moment for their joyful reunion. Two friends brought together after so many months, or even years, apart. She was ready for the relieved smiles. She was ready for the confusion and questioning of sanity; where they were and how did they get there. She was ready to defend them at a moment's notice should something appear to crash their party. What she was not ready for was Lindow's befuddled reaction.

"Who… who are you?"

'Huh?' Neo blinked, her own expression mirroring his own. Lindow looked as confused as she was… but not for long. Within moments, he screamed in agony, grabbing his right arm violently, squeezing the limb as though his life depended on it. It was strange to her, since as far as she could tell, it was as normal as her own. Was this another side effect of the twilight realm? Was he experiencing phantom pains from a distant memory? Her brow furrowed with concern.

Ren, however, was not amused. "That is cold to spoil our reunion with such words. No matter. I forgive you." He rose to his feet, unperturbed by both Lindow's reaction and his following outburst.

'What the hell is going on…' Neo stepped forward, eyes narrowing in suspicion at the other New Type. She had never fully trusted Ren, especially following his discovery of her biology. Now, she was on guard. There was clearly something he wasn't telling the her — or Lindow for that matter — and she had no intention of waiting around to find out. But Ren seemed to sense her apprehension, turning to look directly at her.

Neo tensed as he approached her, adjusting her grip on the handle of her scythe. But he remained undeterred, stopping a few feet from her. "This will be the last I ask of you." It seemed that he was not above requesting favors, even now in such a predicament. Of course, there was little else she could do but comply. He seemed to know far more about the realm than she did, and it would be unwise to provoke him. So, instead, she nodded her head in acknowledgment, urging him to speak his mind.

"Know that it won't be easy. Return his strength. I need you to bring him back. To make him fight."

"Make him fight…? Just how am I supposed to —" Neo's sarcastic quip ended in a startled yelp.

Ren lowered his head and closed his eyes in concentration. Just as she did when she was channeling her Oracle cells. She quickly took a step back, eyes blowing wide with alarm as his entire body began to glow a vibrant gold. Before she could create further distance, the other New Type disappeared into thin air, vanishing from sight…

… and in his place, resting in her left hand, was Lindow's God Arc, sharp and crimson as the day she first saw him wield it.

"What the hell?!" Neo nearly shouted, all but dropping the weapon to the floor. She was not prepared for this. She wasn't prepared for any of this. Just what kind of twisted realm was this? First, he demands that she end Lindow's life. Then, he aids her escape to help her do so. After failing the mission, he followed her inside of a dream world where there with was only a veil between thoughts and reality. And now, he abandoned her, leaving her with nothing more than Lindow's —

Like a ton of bricks, it finally hit her. Neo finally understood. Her eyes somehow opened even wider, her mouth falling open as memories from the past few weeks came flooding back to her. Once insignificant, all was now crystal clear.

She saw Ren standing beside the other two recruits in the main lobby, waiting patiently for Major Amamiya's introduction. She never gave one; not for him. She saw herself standing beside him in the weapon's hangar, listening to him recount stories of their adventures together. They had been in a few combat situations together. That was what he told her. She remembered him leaning against the soda machine laughing joyfully about their first mission together. He had referenced Ogretails and the Captain's inability to count.

He was knowledgeable. He was cunning. He knew information that he wasn't supposed to know. No, he knew information that he couldn't possibly know. Lindow's mission with her predated his arrival in the Far East Branch. And his arrival in the branch followed Lindow's disappearance. There was no way that Lindow could have contacted Ren without someone finding out about it. And considering Sakuya's reaction, even she was unaware of the New Type's existence in their lives. The last flickering memory solidified it all.

"And look what you have become. A free spirit, released from the chains that bound you."

He couldn't possibly have known about her brainwashing. Not unless Lindow knew. And Lindow couldn't have known because he had no knowledge of her life prior to her arrival. Unless, of course, someone had told him… Or someone had mentioned it around him. Someone like Ichiro, Soma, or Alisa. Someone who frequented the weapons hangar during inactive hours, long after Licca had drifted off to sleep.

"Yes. A God Arc is a weapon, it's true. But it is important to remember that it is a living organism. It is a mechanical tool, infused with Oracle cells, in short, an Aragami itself."

Ren didn't have to ask Neo about her biology. He didn't have to question her Oracle cells or her hidden power. He could feel it. Because Ren was…

"It… can't be…" Neo's legs nearly gave out from utter shock as the realization washed over her. How could she not have noticed before? His inconsistent presence, always absent until she needed him. His incessant knowledge regarding everything involving Lindow. The fact that no one in the Den besides herself seemed to be familiar with him; treated him almost as if he didn't exist. The fact that his own appearance had directly followed one of the most dangerous stunts of her life. Her eyes drifted downward to the black pulsating mass embedded in her hand. Of course, no one understood Ren's existence. Of course, no one ever noticed him.

She was the only one who could.

"Was that… was that who I think it was?" Lindow's voice brought her back to the present. It seemed that she wasn't the only one floored by this new discovery. Slowly, he climbed to his feet, eyeing her with surprise. "Heh… I didn't expect to see you here. You came a long way to find me. Damn."

"You didn't make it easy. There wasn't exactly a roadmap," she muttered.

At that, Lindow froze. His eyes blew even wider than her own, his face the perfect depiction of utter astonishment. For a moment, Neo raised an eyebrow at his reaction, seeing it as a bit excessive. Then, she remembered.

"I… You… You can…"

"Yes," she stated simply. There was little more she could do than that.

"…So, it wasn't a dream. I can hardly even believe it. I heard you. I heard you calling to me, Rook." Lindow paused, eyeing her quirked brow and shook his head. Then, he laughed nervously and scratched his head. An interesting habit that he shared with her guardian, she noticed. "Er... sorry. Old habits, I guess. You're no rookie anymore, are you, Reaper?"

Neo's brow raised even further. He still referred to her by her old name. Of course, he did. He didn't know her by anything else. There were a lot of things he didn't know about her. She was about to correct him, when she took note of his facial expression. It had changed from one of surprise to one of seriousness. In fact, she had never seen such a dark expression on the Corporal's face. She could almost feel his eyes boring into her as he eyed with her cold, strained eyes. But he didn't look angry. He looked... pained?

"Don't run away from living... Heh. I needed to learn that lesson. Couldn't make up my damn mind," he muttered, eyeing the woman cautiously. It was something he had desperately needed to be told... and he knew he wasn't the only one. "Listen, Reaper... I saw some things that —"

Neo's eyes shifted away from him, eyeing the far wall. They weren't alone. She could feel it. Lindow noticed her reaction, immediately, following her gaze. Within moments, their intruder made its presence known, leaping into the open window and blocking out the sun's rays. The monster inside of him. Both Neo's, and his, adversary. The Corrosive Hannibal. Neo turned, thrusting the God Arc toward him in a silent message.

Lindow took the hint, gently taking the weapon, formerly Ren, from her grasp. "Ah, great. Well, if we're gonna do this… better do it right. Time for one last brutal stand." Turning his head, he smirked at the New Type. "Reaper… you're with me, yeah?"

Neo slowly nodded her head. "Until the end."

Raising it in a defensive stance, he locked eyes with the monster. But the monster, strangely, wasn't looking at him. Its eyes drifted, falling on Neo, who bristled in response. He couldn't even begin to explain how, but it almost seemed like the two were communicating. They were on the same wavelength; speaking to one another in a language that he couldn't understand. Then, as her grip shifted, his eyes fell to her clawed fingers.

The Hannibal roared, claws cracking the stone beneath its fingers in preparation for battle. And to Lindow's surprise, Neo responded in kind. A violent hiss left her throat, echoing off the walls and reverberating in his ears. It was a foreign sound unlike any he had ever heard from any human... or animal for that matter. But he didn't have long to ponder it.

The Hannibal launched from its perch toward them, tail whipping back and forth in a threatening display. It was a formidable for, but this time, she was ready for it. She had fought it once before and now she was prepared and uninhibited. Trapped in a dream world, she had no subconscious concerns about prying eyes. No worries about communication trouble with her electrical fields. No. It was only her, Lindow, and their opponent.

Using her weapon as a pole vault, she leapt over its strike. Her body twisted through the air as she passed over, delivering a counter in response. She felt the satisfying rake of her claws as they passed over the Hannibal's neck, leaving four thin lines in their wake. It seemed her power was unrestricted here. Excellent.

The Hannibal whipped around, fist poised for a counterattack. It didn't get the chance.

From behind, Lindow appeared, God Arc in hand. A heavy swipe of his blade across its long tail startled it, splitting its focus. The momentary distraction proved detrimental, offering Neo a brief moment of concentration. Turning its head back towards its original target, the Hannibal found itself staring into a bright yellow light. Sparks flew as the bolt detonated, erupting and shocking the unsuspecting creature right in the face. Lindow's mouth nearly fell open at the sight, only snapping shut as the Aragami reared back toward him, giving an opening.

A loud squelch echoed through the crumbling halls as the Long Sword dug into the monster's leg. It stumbled to the side, trying to distance itself and readjust its eyes, but Neo was ready. Still on the offensive, she followed after it, leaping from the ground and placing a well-aimed strike at its flailing arm, tearing into the armguard.

The Hannibal had enough.

With a furious roar, the creature erupted, spinning full circle with reckless abandon. Startled by the sudden shift, Lindow was caught up by the fist full force and sent flying back towards the opposite wall. Neo, suspended in air, was similarly vulnerable. Her body was tossed away with a yelp as the tail connected with her abdomen and sent her back in the opposite direction. She hit the wall with a loud crack, dropping her scythe and falling to the ground in a heap. Her body scrambled, climbing to her feet and diving just in time to avoid another incoming fist as the Hannibal followed after her. Falling to all fours, Neo bounded away, twisting and maneuvering around the pink circles rising from the ground.

On the other side, Lindow recovered, lifting an eyebrow at the display. Neo was moving at alarming speed, dodging in between bolts of purple lightning. But it was her body's movements, so cat-like and precise that caught his attention. There were many questions to be ha when this was over. Lifting his blade, he rushed forward, taking control of the situation. With its focus on the moving target, it was standing still, providing a perfect opportunity.

With the final bolt missed, the Hannibal crouched, ready bound after its prey. It took two steps before toppling over, a large blade sweeping its limps from the floor. Its body rolled three times before righting itself, glowing eyes refocusing on its new target. "W-Whoa!" Lindow lifted his weapon, shield deploying just quickly enough to block an incoming swipe. This thing was fast.

From behind, Neo made a U-turn, skidding across the ground and rushing back toward them. She concentrated, calling forth her Oracle cells to her aid. A familiar light radiated from her scarf, filling with energy and electrical currents. Lindow was pinned down, but still standing. Reaching full charge, she leapt from the ground, fingers curling into little hooks for her landing. Grabbing the creature, she latched onto the back of its head and discharged.

Sparks erupted from her body, surging into the Hannibal with full force. She could feel its body convulsing beneath her, giving a smirk of satisfaction before she dropped to the floor. Running between its legs, she slid beneath Lindow's blade as he swung upwards, tearing a jagged line across its chest.

"Move!" Neo warned. Running toward the wall, she grabbed her scythe from the ground and made a quick turn, sprinting from the glowing creature behind her. Lindow followed, lot looking back as a bright purple light exploded behind them. How was it still standing? Lindow spun around at the sound of heavy footsteps, lifting his shield to guard against an incoming projectile.

"I'm just about sick of this."

"That makes two of us." Neo replied, shifting her weapon into gun form. At this point, they were unlikely to win the battle. Zipping around the battlefield was burning energy, and the Hannibal showed no signs of slowing down. It was only a matter of time before either one or both of them would succumb to exhaustion. Needling the monster with ongoing attacks wasn't going to work. It was time to change tactics. "I have an idea… think you can keep up?"

"I'm right behind you, rook."

Neo shook her head, disregarding the name and turning her attention forward. The Hannibal stared them down, slowly lowering onto all fours. Crimson oozed from multiple wounds, but it didn't seem to care. It charged, sending the pair scattering in opposite directions. Faced with two opponents, their target chose the larger threat, focusing on the small woman behind it. Lindow had no intention of letting that happen. He went on full offense, swiping across its back legs and forcing its attention. Which was precisely what Neo needed.

When it turned, Neo took aim, needling the creature's back with multiple spark bullets. The Hannibal was stuck between two threats. Rotating around it, the two stayed either side, forcing it on the defensive to alternate between the two. Their plan appeared to be working. As the Hannibal's greatest asset was its speed, their strategy effectively kept it immobilized in place. All they needed now was an opening. For their opponent to slip up and lower its guard for just a moment. It was wishful thinking.

The ground beneath them began to tremble, bright purple light radiating from its body. Then, it wrapped its arms and curled in on itself. Neo recognized that motion well. "Guard!"

Lindow had only a moment to react, lifting his shield in preparation for the incoming blast. Within a moment, the creature roared, unleashing a massive wave of divine power in every direction. His shield strained, pushing to its very limit to absorb the shock. Neo, in gun form, was not so lucky. She shrieked, feeling the power burn against her skin, launching her backward. It felt like hot irons pressing against every inch of her body. And it didn't end there.

The feeling was quickly replaced by a new sensation as the Hannibal followed after her, arm raised. It drove its fist into her full force, not even allowing her to reach the ground. The next thing she felt was impact as her body collided, tore through, and disappeared in a pile of rubble. Its threat eliminated, the creature turned its attention to Lindow, overloaded shield deactivating.

"Rook!" He lifted his blade, parrying a swipe from the Hannibal as it descended upon him. "Damn it!" Neo hadn't emerged. She was down for the count. Every motion mattered now. He was on his own.

Beneath the rocks, Neo groaned. Technicolored dots danced behind her eyes list and dust filled her lungs with every inhale. Her body wouldn't move, and, for a moment, the New Type wondered if her neck was broken. After a few seconds, her concerns were assuaged as she felt the nerves in her limbs reigniting. Each one felt like a big lead weight, and she wanted nothing more than to give in to her exhaustion. But she knew she couldn't. She could hear the sounds of battle raging on the outside and from the sound of it, Lindow wouldn't last much longer on her own. The entire situation felt like déjà vu as she was left immobilized, her teammate on his own. In fact…

It was almost exactly like her previous battle with this foe. And she had used her pain then to turn the tide. What if she could do it again? It was a risky endeavor, she knew. Unlike Ren, Lindow couldn't heal her, and she was far too weak to draw the fight out any longer. One wrong move, and the Hannibal could end her. Her body was near its limit, and her Oracle cells knew it. Which was exactly what she was counting on. Focusing her energy into God Arc, Neo slowly climbed from her stone prison. 'Please let this work…'

"Gah!" Lindow grunted, meeting he wall for the third time that battle. He was slowing down. He was tired, and the Hannibal seemed to be growing even stronger. And, as far as he knew, Reaper was finished. What was it going to take to stop this thing? Lifting his shield, he glared into the monster's eyes, swearing that he saw the creature smirk. Sick creature. "Alright, you bastard… come on."

The Hannibal stepped forward, smoke escaping its mouth with every breath. Its movements were slow and precise. It was savoring the kill. And then…

"Hey, asshole."

A voice caught his attention, tearing his focus from the Aragami before him. It tugged at his senses, beckoning him forward like a moth to a flame. 'What the hell…?' Lindow squinted his eyes, trying to regain his focus. What was wrong with him? Thankfully, he wasn't the only one. The Hannibal had turned completely, spinning to face the woman crouching behind it. Neo was on the ground, looking two inches from death, with her barrel aimed upward. But something was different. It was extended, glowing with Oracle power as its wielder braced with every inch of her body. It the following moment, he understood why.

When she pulled the trigger, her rifle sounded off like a cannon, sending an empowered blast right through the Hannibal's body. The recoil sent her tumbling backward as the monster roared, falling to the ground with a wet thump. He didn't have time to be astonished by what had transpired. Reaper wasn't moving. Standing to his feet, rushed toward her, crouching at her side. "Damn, rook… you've learned some new tricks while I was gone, huh…"

Neo gave a weak smirk, gripping Lindow's arms as he helped her to her feet. Her body didn't feel like her own, wobbling silently as her teammate did… something. She wasn't sure what he was doing, tending to her wounds, or injecting her with Health Pills. Whatever he was up to, she could barely feel it. It was a few minutes before feeling began to return to her.

"You alright?" Lindow asked. Neo nodded her head in silence. Slowly bending down to retrieve her God Arc. She didn't dare to speak in her current state. Not until her body stopped throbbing. Shifting back into her scythe, she simply sighed. The Hannibal was gone. The biggest threat had been eliminated. Now, they just had to figure out how to return home…

"What the…"

Neo turned at the sound of Lindow's voice, eyes blowing wide as a black mass began to spread across the ground. They backed away, watching in horror as the mass grew, opening up like an abyssal maw. And emerging from it was the Hannibal. Not only had it recovered… it had grown even stronger. And larger. The New Type gave an aggravated sigh, gripping her weapon as it erupted from the ground with angry roar. To her side, Lindow grumbled through gritted teeth.

"Alright… it was all fun and games. Now it's starting to piss me off… This beast does not wanna let me go."

Neo gave a small shrug. "Yeah… They're like that."

Lindow lifted a brow at her nonchalant response. He wasn't sure whether to be disturbed or concerned by how calm she was about the situation. Of course, panicking wouldn't serve them any good. There was only one thing they could do. "You ordered me not to run away, so you're with me, aren't you? Until the bitter end."

Neo nodded, focusing her eyes back on the Hannibal. A small pang of sadness gripped her chest. What more could she do? She had made a promise to him, and she intended to keep it. After all, this was the end for her. Whether they emerged victorious or they failed, Neo was dead to rights when she returned to Headquarters. She had known that from the moment she planned her escape. There was no going back.

"Okay, rook… are you ready?"

The New Type only smirked, nodding her head and lifting her scythe. "…It's Neo."

The Hannibal roared, lifting his mighty fists. Then, it thrust them together, poised to smash them to pieces. Both God Eaters lifted their shields, blocking the strike with all of their strength. Their bodies trembled with strain, using every muscle in their body to hold them at bay. But it wasn't enough. The Hannibal had them right where it wanted them. Neo frowned, watching the purple light radiating from the monster's maw. This was it. They had lost.

But Lindow wasn't ready to accept defeat.

Summoning her own determination, Lindow looked the creature dead in the eyes and spoke. "No… I'm not done… I'm going home. Alive. No matter what happens!"

The moments that followed were unimaginable. Neo had no words. She couldn't watch as his God Arc radiated a golden hue, lifting into the air… and blocking the monster's strike. In its place was no longer a blade, but Ren, engulfed in divine light.

"If that is your wish… Lindow…"

"You… You really are my…" Her comrade was as surprised as she was, jaw falling open. His God Arc.

"So, we finally get a moment to speak. From my voice to yours. I always wanted to do this. To speak to you. There are so many things I'd hoped to say. But most important I think, is that I remember it all. Every moment. Every feeling. Every change. I remember your fear on your first day. Your grief at the loss of friends. I remember the twist of your heart when you told your allies to go. When you saved them. I have been so proud, in every moment, to serve as your God Arc, Lindow."

Neo didn't know what to do. Time had come to a standstill. She could only watch as Lindow shook his head, rebooting his stunned mind long enough to speak.

"And I'm proud to have you. I could not have survived a day without you at my side. You… I cannot thank you enough."

"But you have. Already you have. Your presence was reward enough for a lifetime. Your love, Lindow."

Then, the Hannibal was gone. In a brilliant light, the creature vanished, leaving the three of them standing alone in the fallen church. Her arms loosened, scythe falling to her side as her arms gave out. Ren smiled.

"I owe you thanks. Every experience I've had is yours. From the bottom of my heart." Neo only nodded and remained silent. Ren had something to say, and she would let him say it. After all, it was likely he wouldn't get another chance. "I was happy to have any moment alongside you. Happy to fight with you. It was… it was fun! Even after I'd broken into this new form, I knew… I knew it would be okay. I'd be glad to live on as your God Arc. And I owe you thanks as well."

"Hm?" Neo tilted her head as Ren turned to her, his smile growing even wider at her obvious confusion. "And I owe you thanks as well. That juice, it was delicious. Certainly far better than any Aragami. And believe me, I've had my share, Hehehe…" Neo found herself smiling back at him, despite herself. Ren bowed his head in thanks, a gesture which she returned.

"This chance means the world to me… This meeting… My friend… I wish we had a world enough, and time… I wish we could talk for days… We would fill every hour. It makes me so warm to speak with you. To smile and laugh with you. I love it." Ren sighed and looked down at his hands, taking note of their fading hue. "Still, I think I must go. I think that choice has been made. Goodbye. Well, not quite. I will see you soon."

Neo nodded, watching her comrade step forward. Lindow reached out his hand, taking Ren's in his own. "Thank you. Thank you, my partner. You're not gone. I'll see you again. I'll see you real soon. I swear it."

They were out of time.

Neo closed her eyes, shielding them from the lightning light as it slowly engulfed them. Within moments they were consumed entirely golden rays. The world crumbled around them, walls falling away and vanishing into space. They were floating, drifting along once again in nothingness. But Neo wasn't afraid. For she new when they awakened, they would finally be back home.