AN: At last I can start the ninth arc. Planning things out, I may have this arc go up to 11 chapters, considering the content I'll be covering. I do know mostly what will happen from this point forward. I suspect I'll have one more chapter before this year ends, maybe two. Please read and review!
This tragedy arose from the hypocrisy born from human hearts.
To protect one's way of life, they take up arms and enter the battlefield.
They may slaughter hundreds, all in the name of peace and harmony.
Yet what is harmonious about turning one's blade on another man?
That question still remains, tormenting the two-faced one.
In the name of upholding the peace, an entire city joined forces.
Brutality dominated their hearts, disguised as righteous indignation.
They destroyed an entire culture, for illusionary profane acts.
Yet even centuries after the fact, that culture's voice returned from the shadows,
and now commands the same city that exiled them into the afterlife.
Humanity can learn from mistakes. That I know for sure.
The world changes every single day, sometimes for worse, sometimes for better.
Even so, I place my faith in the progress of mankind, for them to reach a perfect existence.
Yet the darkness of the heart is not so easily vanquished. Left unchecked,
It shall envelope the world, destroying mankind – and itself.
This cannot happen. And now is the time to make our stand.
Those who have grasped the power of their inner self, and nurtured it, must now understand.
The dual nature of humanity leads to both miracles and abominations.
Yet if it ends, only pure nothingness remains.
I have no choice but to observe. Will I see the end of days? Or a new beginning?
Arc IX: Colliding Worlds
Chapter 86: Road to Dusk
|December 20th|Aeternus HQ – Meeting Room|12:00 pm|
Nihane sauntered into the dreary meeting room, the first to arrive. The day of judgement was almost here, he could feel it in his fingertips. Thanks to his realisation, he knew what had to be done. All the plans to create other Divine Sparks were meaningless now – the true answer was right here, beneath the giant buildings that composed these ominous headquarters.
Janus. It has been a pleasure. Yet from tomorrow onward, the world will change. I will no longer have any need for you, or this power. For the first time in my life, I will be sad to part with someone.
Indeed. We have grown very attached to you, master. Alas, we always knew this time would come, at the end of the long road. Soon, we will fade from your memory, and thus no one will ever know our efforts to bring them their new paradise.
Have no fear. You are part of me. You can watch the new age of Amurdad with my eyes. Just you and me. My fellows will be here soon, however. Allow me to hold the final meeting.
Master, it is not too late to include all of them in your schemes. The choice is yours, but we will accept either outcome.
I made up my mind a long time ago, Janus. Neither one of them has a cause that compares to mine. So why should I waste precious time and energy on giving them the world they want? They can fade away with everyone else. By the time they know how expendable they really are, it will be too late to turn on me again.
The doors opened, and the rest of the Ater Vox – also Keisha and Kaman – entered, and sat down. All was quiet for a moment, as they waited for Nihane to speak. Yet he just smiled, feigning a restraint to jump up and down with excitement.
"...Someone's happy." Pierre said. His skin looked paler than before, and Nihane was the only one who knew why. The others believed he had escaped from the tower's explosion, but in truth his second body had been disintegrated. Once more, Nihane took his soul, removed any troublesome memories, and forged another homunculus.
"Indeed. I shall waste no more of your time. This will be the last meeting!" Nihane said, standing up swiftly. He held out his arms, his voice booming. "Everyone! The Eternal Road begins tomorrow!"
"...What?" Nina said. "Are you sure?!"
"Yes, Nina! You know by now that I live and breathe to bring about the Divine Spark. If anyone will know in advance, it will be ME!" Nihane exclaimed. Ridiculous. Having to act so out of character. I am delighted, of course. But this enthusiasm is so child-like. Even so, it should convince the others...the simpletons that they are.
"December 21st, 2012...the same date the Mayans predicted the world would end." Carlos said, anxious. "I wonder if they had any idea it would be like this?"
"No, Carlos. They didn't predict the end of the world." Josephine said. "It's supposed to mark the perceived end of an age, as humanity moves into another. That, I think, is a much better description of our goals."
"Nihane, this is wonderful!" Nina said, cheerfully. "Everything is finally coming together! The perfect family life...it's nearly here! I can't believe it!"
"Oh, you will." Nihane said, smiling as obnoxiously as possible. "When it happens, you'll know it's the real deal."
"How did you manage it?" Archibald asked, scratching his chin. "You said something else must happen between the six Divine Sparks and the Eternal Road. Was it all just a waiting game?"
"...Not entirely." Nihane said, smirking. "The truth is, there was no middle step. Just that one of them needed to be done properly. Once I figured that out, it was a simple matter of creating a precise plan. That, my friends, is what we need to follow."
"Oh?" Josephine asked. "Then let's begin."
Nihane displayed a document on everyone's screens. Kaman and Keisha, however, were not privileged enough to receive their own display, and had to stare at others.
"An interesting plan, to be sure." Pierre said. "So we're pulling out the stops. Using every single Trauma Shadow. But what purpose does placing the Mummy in Inanis have?"
"I'm glad you asked." Nihane replied. "The Mummy is beyond the other twelve. No matter how hard they try, or how much they grow in strength, it is an unwritten law in the fabric of their existence. Neither is allowed to surpass it. It may have been in a weakened state when Lucille Crossman and Shirley Evens dispatched it, but...it had endured hundreds of battles before then, without ever replenishing it's energy. Now that it has reborn, it can truly rise as the indomitable champion of its kin."
"I see." Archibald asked. "...So you're going to have it suck up all the energy of Inanis, to add to the strength of the Eternal Road."
"Exactly. My one regret, however, is that I still do not understand the origin of the Trauma Shadows." Nihane said, pretending to sigh out of annoyance. While he wasn't lying, he didn't mind the lack of knowledge. As long as the Shadows were useful to him, he could use them as he saw fit.
"Right. We better get to work." Nina said, rubbing her palms together. "It says here two people have to tether to the Pegasus Stallion and the Fearless Rider. May I take the Stallion?"
"If so, then I'll take the Rider." Carlos said. "This shouldn't be difficult. Unlike Keisha and Kaman, we're experienced with controlling Shadows...they're not likely to turn on us."
"You're the boss, man." Kaman said, laughing off the hidden insult.
"Right. Well, we have a lot of preparations to make. First, we'll arrange the televised event for tonight. Ensure that everyone can see it, online or on TV. Use any outdoor equipment that is available." Nihane said, standing up. "Then, we take the Diva to Apocrypha Tower."
"Ah...our personal generator." Keisha said. "Perks, I suppose."
Apocrypha Tower functioned much like Lorean, except solely for the Aeternus Compound. Ordinarily, it consumed Shadows in a similar manner to it's counterpart, but far more – the HQ and the external buildings (the external lab, the telecommunications building, and the Ornatu Legion dormitory) demanded an abhorrent amount of energy. Nihane, however, wanted even more. Therefore, he would tether the Altruistic Diva to the Generator itself as well, amplifying it's output.
"This should be easy." Josephine said. "I hope you and Kaman don't lose your nerve. This is your chance to get your lives back. Sentimental thoughts towards your old friends will be your downfall."
"As if I'd try and curry their favour." Kaman said, shrugging. "Just like your Arthur, I want nothing more than to see my Maria's face again. And when we're back together, I'll fix everything! Her family will accept our love. She'll be the best teacher ever, and I'll have the hottest bar in town!"
"At this point, while your competence is in question, your loyalty is not. Let this be your crowning moment of glory. Keisha, you ache to have your old friends and family back, yes?" Carlos asked. "Now is your time to show them how much you yearn for them!"
"Right..." Keisha said. "Brad, Nick...they're counting on me. I'll make sure that in my new world, Tomas was never born! And my parents are still around. It'll be great..."
"Hmm." Archibald said, looking out the window. "I imagine Tomas is spinning in his grave. The notion his research helped us must be anathema. Haha..."
"Are we done talking?" Nihane asked, tapping the ground with his foot. "We've got work to be getting on with. Once we're done with the live broadcast and the other items for today, we'll have a banquet. This is a cause for celebration, after all. And it's nice to share such events...with my dearest friends."
Hearing you say that to them is unsettling. Are you looking forward to dashing their hopes?
Janus, my friend, I'm ecstatic. When we first met, I did feel some care for them. Then I grew and changed, into my true self. These people were mere peons to me, until this day. If they were of Amurdad, I may have embraced their dreadful friendship, but they are outsiders, like the ones who razed my homeland. In truth, they are in the same lot as the rebels. When they find that out, Janus, I'll make their last expressions of horror.
So be it. Their calls for mercy shall echo endlessly in the darkness. How fitting for the Ater Vox.
The meeting was adjourned, with all eight members making their move. Eight fantasies were still alive today, but only one had a chance of becoming reality. However, it would not be unopposed, not by a long shot.
Just as Nihane planned.
|Takanawa – Miyazaki Sushi|18:21 am|
"This stuff is the best!" Richard cheered, shoving more salmon roe down his mouth. "Is this sashimi or sushi?"
"Sashimi is just the raw fish, sliced thinly – to perfection here." Kazuya's father Koetsu said, putting out more sauces. "Sushi, on the other hand, is raw fish with special rice flavoured with vinegar – again, to perfection here."
"And, of course, we serve both maki-sushi and charkin-sushi. Perfect, as you might expect." Reiko, Kazuya's mother, said, serving the two types respectively. Maki-sushi was wrapped with seaweed, while charkin came with slices of omelette.
"Thank god you cleared that up. Or I might have had egg on my face." Richard said, reaching for the charkin and messily eating it as well. Bianca groaned, politely eating hers with chopsticks.
"Oh, don't give him a hard time. We hardly ever get to eat this well. And it's good education for him." Kazuya said. "My parents boast about their food for good reason. Glad you came out with us, Aimee?"
"Yes!" Aimee said, happily. "Thank you for the wonderful food, Mr and Mrs Miyazaki!"
"You're welcome." Koetsu said. "Technically, if my son returns here, we're supposed to contact Aeternus immediately and turn him in. Perhaps it might be best not to make this a regular occurrence...for your sake."
"I understand." Alastair said, calmly. "We don't want to make any trouble. Rest assured, we will not fall into their clutches ever again."
"By the way..." Kazuya said. "Mother, could you turn on the TV? There was something on the news today about Aeternus airing a live broadcast tonight."
"If you wish. I wonder if it works?" Reiko walked over to the old CRT TV on the wall, a Panasonic. It was covered in dust, as the only television regularly shown these days were scrolling text announcements about Shadows in the city. The Miyazakis preferred to use the internet to get their news, so left it off. However, Reiko switched it on anyway, and despite the blurry screen, the news could be seen scrolling down as ever.
"Let's see...more apologies about the Gold Coin being closed for maintenance. A pity, I wanted to try my luck there once more." Kazuya said. "...Just once, darling."
"Hmmph." Reiko frowned, and went to pour some more soda for their guests.
"Wait! There it is!" Kazuya asked. There was now a big flashing notice in bright white letters, in Verdana font.
LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS IN: 00:05 seconds
The countdown may have been five seconds, but it felt like hours to everyone else. They watched the screen with bated breath, anxious. What news were Aeternus to broadcast to the city tonight?
The notice vanished, and with some flickering, the screen changed to what appeared to be a giant red curtain, with six gold podiums in front of it.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" A female off-screen announcer said, as the camera moved backwards. "This is an urgent message from the Ater Vox, leaders of Aeternus! In the past, they connected people with their powerful internet technology, and now they unite us all with a message of hope!"
"Hope?" Reiko asked, confused. "They've been saying that since 2002. How many more speeches can they possibly give?"
"Hang on. This might be important." Koetsu said, eyeing the blurry screen carefully.
From behind the camera, a live orchestra started to play the triumphant trumpet fanfare that began the New Motus City anthem, New Motion. A choir began to sing the defiant, bold lyrics, climbing an octave.
"...This is making me sick. They have no right to sing this!" Kazuya shouted, his fists shaking.
"Please, stay calm..." Bianca said, holding his hand. "They must be doing this on purpose to get on our nerves. We can handle such petty tactics by now, can't we?"
"Exactly." Alastair said. "Even so, hearing a choir sing that song in honour of them is offensive."
"Wait! Something's happening!" Aimee said, pointing to the right side of the screen.
Same hearts...new motion. See us to...a new horizon.
The choir finished, and the lights were switched on fully. From the right side of the stage, all six members of the Ater Vox walked on, proudly marching upright. Nihane put on his least evil face – and Aimee shuddered. The sheer falsity of his demeanour was disgusting to see.
"Ladies and gentlemen." Nihane began, after clearing his throat. "I thank you for your complete and undivided attention. These last ten years have been agonising, haven't they? Especially this one. Destruction and chaos wherever the Shadows go. Yet now we can put everyone's fear at rest at last."
"...At last?" Aimee muttered.
"Tomorrow – December 21st – marks the true end of this ordeal! That is correct, you have not heard be incorrectly! Tomorrow is when every last Shadow shall vanish from this world. The barrier around us will be gone! And thus, we can begin laying down the new road for us." Nihane said.
Everyone stared, eyes wide open, completely speechless. All over the city, this message was being broadcast. No doubt the other rebels were watching as well, eyes glued to the screen.
"We of the Ater Vox have been hard at work developing new weapons against the Shadows." Archibald said. "And now, we have completed the piece de resistance! The ultimate weapon!"
"Ultimate weapon?" Koetsu said, scratching his balding head. "Just what are they saying? Not an ICBM? This city prohibits all nuclear items!"
"They're in charge now, so they can ignore that..." Reiko said, shaking her head.
"I'm afraid we cannot tell you, dear viewers, the details of the weapon." Nina said. "For if we did, our rebel enemies may act rashly, and delay it's deployment. And if that were to happen, this city – no, the world – would fall into ruin!"
"...That's not- what is she talking about?!" Aimee demanded, slamming her palm on the table.
"Rest assured, dear citizens, that the ultimate weapon will not endanger you. We have sworn to protect as many civilians as possible, for the purpose of one day restoring order." Carlos said, standing tall.
"And that day has come at last!" Josephine said, twinkling her eyes. "We may have lost several allies this year, our most turbulent. But now your misery is almost at an end!"
"The best news is, this weapon can attract faraway Shadows. So little by little, the Shadows will leave the districts for our headquarters, unaware of their impending extinction!" Pierre said, happily.
"The six of us have been proud to have led the city through this decade. No more will you need to hire our soldiers to get from one place to another! Nor will you depend on us for food and medicine! The world outside will hail our success." Nihane said, almost on the verge of laughter. "Our victory will go down in history for eternity. Tonight, you may rest easy. The weapon we have created will avenge all your losses! That is all, my friends."
With that, the Ater Vox bowed, walked off stage, as an instrumental version of New Motion played. The announcer was so overcome with glee, he could not even form any words.
"What a load of shit." Alastair said, glaring at the screen with scorn. "Whatever their weapon is, it's not going to save anyone."
"Right." Kazuya said. "We have to stop it. Aimee, you know what that means."
"You're gonna do something about it, ain't cha?" Richard asked.
"They said tomorrow was the true end, right?" Aimee asked. "Let's make it theirs." She clenched her fists, standing up.
"Mother, father..." Kazuya said, glancing to his fear-stricken parents. "I'll come back alive. And once I do, there won't be any need to report my whereabouts."
Reiko shed some tears, and her husband held her close. "Please...defeat them, for everyone's sake!"
"Eat up, everyone. You can't wage war on an empty stomach, especially when your opponents are touting weapons of destruction." Koetsu said.
The Holy Cross, together with Aimee, readily ate more and more sushi. They could only hope that they'd have the chance to return, with a lively atmosphere once again.
|December 21st|Farawell – Outside Warehouse|19:30 pm|
Amara and the group had arrived from the mall, having had a big meal at Bar Seoul. While there was no more employee discount, at least the group had a chance to reminisce about the early days of their adventure. It had been a great meal, even if the waiters weren't too happy to see Blaine back again.
Now, however, the time for relaxation had ended. Today was the date of the supposed Mayan apocalypse, after all. For most civilians, it was just another day, with four left until Christmas. But Amara knew today would be anything but normal. This might just be the day of judgement they had heard about.
"...Are you okay?" Karl asked.
"Yes. Thank you, Karl." Amara said. "Tonight may be our last journey into the other world. If that's the case..." She looked over the streets of Farawell, melancholic. "I want all of us to be ready. No regrets, everyone."
"Well...I'm ready." Serena said. "To be honest...I'm scared...Nihane's a lot stronger than us...but if I stayed home tonight, I'd never forgive myself."
"Ever since I wound up in there, I've wanted to save that other world." Nathan said. "The opposition may be terrifyingly powerful, but I don't back down."
"Yeah, Nihane's tough. But he has to pay for what he did! I don't care if he is a tough bastard, he's going down! I'll break him in half!" Blaine roared.
"My sister has been fighting a war for a decade. My little sister...she needs me, even now. I can't let her go alone." Karl said, hand on his heart. "And there's someone else we have to fight for, too."
"...Yeah." Amara said, her lips trembling. "He wanted me to win...so I have to. That's all there is to it. And for Tomas and my father, too." She opened the warehouse door, and held it open. "Everyone, we can do this. All we have to do is give it our all!"
The group rushed up the stairs, and went through the portal. The fuse of battle had been lit, ready to ignite into full-scale warfare.
|Secret Base|19:35 pm|
As soon as Amara stepped inside, she saw the entire rebel force in front of her, expectant. She blinked, worried. What was going to happen?
"Thank god you're here." Aimee said, walking up to them. "You know what today is, right?"
"The so-called end of the world." Nathan said. "It's been all over the media. Not many people back home are taking it seriously, though."
"Well..." Kyle said, biting his lip. "They're the lucky ones. I'll keep it brief. Aeternus held a live conference yesterday evening, and told everyone the Shadows will disappear today!"
"...Eh?!" Serena exclaimed, disturbed. "They're not giving up that easy, are they?"
"If only they were." Other Serena said. "They said...they had an ultimate weapon they were going to use on the Shadows. And that if the rebels knew what it was really like, we'd try and destroy it."
Ultimate weapon...what the hell is that? There can't be another Divine Spark coming...
"There's more." Roger began. "The Shadows apparently are being lured to this apparently super special awesome weapon. We've checked. The city's almost completely free of them! And all the Necromancers have been shipped back to HQ. They don't waste time, those fuckers."
"No kidding." Other Blaine said, angry. "So there's only one thing to do."
"...We get to HQ." Amara said. "We find out exactly what this weapon is, and stop it. No, we'll stop Aeternus completely! Tonight has to be the night!"
"I agree." Other Amara said. "They might have uncovered something else Tomas built...I can't let any more of his projects become reality! For my dad's sake!" She clutched her ankh tightly, her eyes watering. "Aimee, is it time to start our plan?"
"...Yes." Aimee said. "We obviously can't just warp inside, like before. And the barrier around the HQ won't be easily broken down. We'll need a lot more power. So..."
"That's where I come in!" Dan said, punching his fist into the air. "We grab that Obliterator, charge it up, and ram it into that barrier! It'll make a big hole, and we can just waltz in there!"
"Sounds risky..." Nathan said.
"Sounds fun!" Blaine said, cheered up. "With all of us powering up that bus, it'll tear down that fucking big wall! This is going to be the best joyride I've ever been on!"
"Well...at least you're excited." Serena said, sighing. "Should we get going, then?"
"Yes." Aimee said. "Sooner, rather than later -"
Suddenly, Kyle's computer switched off. He wheeled himself over, and tried booting it up, to no avail.
"What the -" Roger tried to assist, but it was no good. Suddenly, the light above went out, and the NDD turned off.
"Shit. I thought I had set up our power correctly?" Kyle said. "I'd been working on it for ages! It should have been perfect!"
"Relax, we can fix it later, right?" Other Serena said. "Anyway, we should-"
"Everyone!" Seraphina screamed, holding her head in pain. "We have to evacuate!"
"Why? What's the matter?" Priscilla exclaimed. "Have we been sabotaged?"
"Yes..." Seraphina uttered. "I can sense it...the traitors arrived here after midnight..."
"Kaman..." Tara grumbled.
"Keisha..." Matthew muttered.
"The NDD is out of action. We must - for the first time in years - use the proper exit!" Seraphina gasped, pale.
"Aimee, where is this exit?" Karen asked.
"Up here!" Aimee said, going to a locked door. Quickly, she undid the lock, revealing a grimy staircase. "Seraphina, how much time do we have?!"
"Seconds! Please, run!" Seraphina begged.
Without further comment, the group marched up the stairs, anxiety flowing through their veins. Amara saw the night sky ahead, and around here was the ruined entrance of a familiar place.
Golden Gate Cinema.
|Outside NILC|19:39 pm|
The rebels reached as far as the New Interitus Legion Compound, panting for breath. Amara turned around, anxiously. Then, as soon as she turned around, there was a stunning flash of bright light, and a deafening boom. She put her hands over her eyes, and shut her eyes, feeling the ground shake beneath her.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and lowered her hands. Before her eyes now was a gaping hole in the ground, with pieces of burning wood and metal falling into the pit. Flames were raging from below, no doubt destroying anything lucky enough to have survived the initial blast.
"A bomb..." Other Blaine muttered. Then, he stomped the ground, fists clenched. "Fuck! They just had to flush us out, didn't they?!"
"No! My data!" Kyle wailed. "Everything I've worked on...gone!"
"My goodness..." Priscilla said, stunned. "Had we been any slower...no, I can't say it." Nathan wrapped his arms around her, staring at their ruined base together.
"I don't suppose...the other base is safe, is it?" Bianca asked.
Seraphina nodded, tears trickling down her eyes.
"If only I had sensed the bombs sooner...we could have rescued our belongings." She said, regretfully.
"...Doesn't matter." Other Amara said. "We owe our lives to you."
Seraphina shook her head, gazing despondently at the fiery abyss. The home of the rebels, destroyed completely. And the one elsewhere was no doubt in the same situation, destroying precious items from people's happier days.
"This is..." Alastair murmured.
"Horrible." Bianca finished. "We can't allow this to go unpunished! Dan, how do we get to the garage from here?"
"It's at the south end of Nova Albion. We'll have to walk a few blocks to get to an NDD." Dan said, adjusting his cap. "Most of the Shadows are gone from here, so it shouldn't take long...but people might get antsy. They'll be ringing Aeternus, complaining about the old cinema burning up. And they might blame us for all of this, too."
"Then we go." Aimee said. "Everyone, stay strong! We're all still alive! And as long as I can help it, we'll stay that way. Onward!"
Amara stared at the burning pit once again, shaking. Any delay would have been fatal for the group, and now they had to make their move. Now was no time to be reckless. She turned around, never looking back again.
That base might have been a dingy basement, with barely any decoration, but it was like a second home. Now that it was gone, she felt a burning heat in her heart. She had made many valuable friends there. Good memories had come from there – such as celebrating Aimee's birthday. And it felt nice to relax, eating one of her confections, with the sound of Kyle rapidly typing in the background. Priscilla would regale the group with stories of Nathan, and Dan would be nursing a hangover, trying to stay awake.
Just how much more do you think you can take away from us, Nihane? This is the last. Now it's time I took from you. Get ready.
|Nova Albion – Motus First Bus Depot|19:51 pm|
"Thank god, we made it..." Shirley said, holding Lucy's hand. "Everywhere I look, there are people screaming at us from the windows!"
"It's scary..." Lucy said, shivering. "Can we hurry up? I don't want to get torn to pieces by an angry mob!"
Other Blaine laid his hand on her shoulder, and leaned in close. "It'll be alright. You're safe with me. Just remember, I'm not leaving you behind."
"Thank you...I'll be by your side, too. I won't be a damsel in distress, not again!" Lucy said, weakly smiling.
Dan hurried to where the Obliterator was, and waited for the group to embark. Kyle had to go near the back, due to his wheelchair, and both Serenas sat to his left, Matthew and Tara to his right. The others took seats nearer the back as well, and Dan fired up the engine.
"Giddy up, you beauty! You better not break down on us!" He yelled, tightly clutching the wheel. "We're outta here!"
The bus slowly drove out of the depot, gaining more and more speed. However, there was another working vehicle in the darkest corner. It, too, was far from ordinary. It quickly took off, blurring through the streets.
|Obliterator|19:56 pm|
"Okay...we've got a bit of time until we get there. Be ready for the arrival." Aimee said. She sat down on her seat, next to Karl. "I...wish I could have saved our base..."
"You got us out of there safely." Karl said, holding her hand. "That's a lot more important."
"Yeah. You might have left some important things back there, but we're all still with you." Amara said, sitting in front of them.
"I know...and I'm grateful. If I had let just one of us get caught up in that blast, I'd never forgive myself. But now we don't have a home to go back." Aimee said, glancing out of the window.
"Home is where the heart is." Seraphina said, calmer now "Remember that well."
"...Thanks." Aimee said. "I ought to prepare myself for the coming battle. We can't stop Nihane if I'm moping about that old basement."
"Atta girl." Blaine said, smiling. "Can't believe it...we're really going to thrash that pale bastard!"
"Revenge for what happened at the university, too." Nathan said, as he shuddered. "Now that will be sweet."
The group chatting quietly among themselves, each one trying to ease the tension. Suddenly, there was a large banging outside. Something heavy had smashed into the back of the bus.
"Huh?!" Dan shouted. "Lemme see - holy shit!"
"What?!" Kyle screamed. He looked behind, through the window, and gulped. "Oh no! A Shadow!"
"Now?!" Other Serena moaned. She went to take a look. "Dammit! It's that damn motorbike one!"
"The Rider and Stallion?" Matthew shouted. "But we killed them!"
"Trauma Shadows can come back, kid!" Roger hollered. "All of them do! I just figured we'd come to them! Some folks can't wait to die!"
Outside, following the bus closely, was the motorcycle Shadow, the Pegasus Stallion. The wheels seemed to be made out of reinforced steel, burning with bright blue flames, and the motorcycle itself was pure white, with spikes protruding everywhere. In place of a licence plate was its Arcana, and above it was a mighty lance-like horn.
The vehicle was being steered by the tenacious Fearless Rider, a large humanoid Shadow at least seven feet tall. He wore jet black leather jeans and padded coat, with spiked shoulders, gloves, and an Arcana mask covering his face. He had long dirty blonde hair, that was flowing behind him in the wind, and in his right hand was a sawed-off shot gun, emitting a fearsome glow.
"Fuck." Blaine said. "I never saw anything like this in my biker nights."
"They must have planned all of this. Dirty cowards." Kazuya said. "Everyone! We have to beat this thing!"
"How are we going to do that?" Richard asked. "Can we really fight from inside here? Or are we going to get off?"
"We have to hurry up and get inside Aeternus..." Matthew said, grimacing. "Dan! We need to get the weapons on here ready!"
"Gotcha." Dan said. "Never thought we'd be fighting like this..." He pressed a button, and several screens came down from the ceiling, showing the back of the bus. Both Shadows were in hot pursuit, literally burning rubber. "Okay...how this works is, this thing has something called a Persona Sync Interface connected to every seat. You can use it to charge up a weapon with some magic to make it even stronger!"
"This might be dangerous...but I'll give it a try!" Aimee said. She held her arm rests, channelling Concordia into her PSI. "It's working!"
"Good!" Amara said. "What weapons can we use?"
"Hold on..." Dan said, rapidly pushing buttons. "We've got bombs that roll out from underneath. Aimee, go ahead with that! Just use a fire attack!"
"Right! Then...Shadow Flare!"
The flames of the spell flew right into the armrest, sending power down beneath the bus. On the screens, she saw a large bomb roll out and collide with the Stallion, knocking it over. However, it almost instantly regained balance, and picked up speed as they turned around a corner.
"I'll go next." Karen said, focusing with Daena. "Bufudyne!"
The Obliterator's Mist Releaser activated, and set forth a Freezing Mist – chilling the Rider to the bone, and cooling down the flames of the Stallion. They seemed to slow down slightly, as well.
"Look out!" Kyle said, bracing himself. The Rider had aimed his shotgun, and fired a red bullet – which transformed itself into a mighty Agidyne upon contact.
"Argh!" Aimee cried. "Can this thing survive?!"
"Course it can. It was designed to fight Shadows, after all. Maybe not ones as tough as these bastards, but we're a cut above too." Other Blaine said.
The Stallion shone brightly, then unleashed the energy of Matarukaja. Now both foes were even stronger, meaning they would hit harder. If the bus was destroyed, everyone's lives would be in jeopardy...
"Let me see how this works. Cu Chulainn!" Nathan summoned his Persona, syncing up with the Obliterator's weaponry. A blueprint of something called a 'Wind Gun' appeared on his screen. "Perfect. Garudyne!"
The Wind Gun fused with the spell, and shot out four Jet Shots – piercing winds, faster than those of a wind tunnel. The Stallion and Rider were sent backwards from the shots, but they persevered and caught up.
"You're not getting near us!" Bianca shouted. "Gabriel! Aquadyne!"
She and Gabriel synced with a similar weapon, the Water Gun – and powered up, it became the tremendous Aqua Cannon. It hit the Rider right in his face, drenching him, and the Stallion wobbled from the impact.
"Great!" Richard said. "Pretty soon, he'll look like what he sees."
"...Ha." Kazuya said, flatly.
The Fearless Rider took aim, and fired another shot – this time, it was an icy bullet, that hit the bus with the freezing cold of Bufudyne. Amara felt herself shiver all over, and the overhead lights momentarily flickered.
"What's going on?!" Lucy demanded, frantic.
"This thing's getting beat up bad..." Other Blaine said. "Stay calm, Lu...looks like we're out of Nova Albion now."
"Yeah, I think this is the outskirts of Legarte." Shirley said. "Let's see, our route should be...passing through Legarte and Saragel. Dan! No matter what, keep driving!"
"That's the plan, sweetcheeks! ...Did I just say that?" Dan said, in disbelief. "Ah, whatever. Gotta keep us all safe..."
The Stallion had plenty more fuel to burn. It revved its metaphysical engine, and did a wheelie. The front wheel seemed to burn noticeably brighter, and rotated horizontally – then it fired off at high speeds, leaving behind a trail of smoke and fire. The wheel, or Burning Throne, struck the bus on the roof, striking it with a burst of flame. Then, it returned, in a boomerang fashion.
"What the?!" Priscilla, looking pained, drooped a little in her seat. "Ouch..."
"Are you okay?" Other Nathan asked, holding her hand. "Don't panic. I'll be right here."
Tara looked up, and gasped. There was a crack in the roof, from where the wheel of the Stallion had struck. Anxious, she fired up the PSI with Chehooit.
"Diarahan!"
An image appeared on her screen, claiming that the 'Auto-Repair Unit' had been activated. Above, a strange blue gel appeared , going into the cracks, and filling them.
"Whoa. I wasn't expecting that!" Matthew said, surprised. "We really should have practised using this thing before today..."
"Now is no time for regrets." Seraphina said, concentrating. "Sophia! Megidolaon!"
A compartment on the top of the bus opened, revealing a heavy missile launcher. The mystic forces of Megidolaon were fuelling it, so much it was shaking. Then, it launched it's Void Missile, now a Valkyrie Sabre, which homed in on its target – creating a gigantic explosion.
"What the -" Other Amara uttered. "We've got missiles? Now this is great!"
"These missiles grow stronger if one uses Almighty magic to empower them. Therefore, leave them to me." Seraphina said.
Out of the smoke, the Stallion raced forward, still driven by it's Rider. He was furious, and hastily cast Marakukaja on himself and his bike. Next, he pulled out a rusted spanner from his pocket, and it charged with a bright blue light as he began to repair his vehicle, via Grease Monkey – effectively, a Diarama.
The Stallion gathered strength into its body, no doubt preparing a fatal strike. It charged through an old phone booth, melting the receiving via the sheer heat of its 'wheels'.
"Damn! He can heal as well?!" Shirley moaned.
"This is not good." Alastair said. "We need to up the ante a little."
"Gotcha." Blaine said, syncing himself up. "Quetzalcoatl! Ziodyne!"
All the energy from Ziodyne was sucked into the Obliterator's powerful Lightning Laser weapon. Thus, it released a devastating Electro Ray, that Blaine was able to direct towards both Stallion and Rider – shocking them both.
"Not bad!" Kyle said. "Now if only we could take this bus to fight Nihane!"
"I doubt he made the hallways large enough for that..." Other Serena said, laughing. "Still, we have them on the ropes now! Right? How much more punishment can they take?"
"I'm not sure. But I'll find that out." Kyle said. He, using Vulcanus, chose to sync to an intriguing weapon – named the Quake Effector. With the Persona's grand strength, this weapon's function was boosted dramatically, and right behind it, the ground began to shake. Slabs of heavy earth emerged from beneath the Stallion.
It swerved as much as it could, but it was not nimble enough to evade them all. Eventually, the shockwaves sent it to the ground, and the rock crumbled on top of him.
"Yes!" Kyle cheered. "Look! We're going right past the river! That means..."
"Yeah. We're going to cross the bridge, then get onto Saragel. We might be here a while..." Dan said, sweating, as he continued to steer his bus. It was second nature to him – perhaps a benefit of the leaked memories.
Without warning, however, a lightning bolt hit the bus overhead, causing most of the screens and lights to go off for a split second. Serena gasped, shuddering. However, soon afterwards a large blast of wind hit the vehicle, shaking it from left to right.
"Holy cow!" She shouted, holding on as hard as she could. "They're still after us!?"
"They don't give up." Amara said. "Remember what Matthew told us about the Temptress? They don't give up, not until they help their 'kinsman'. They'll do anything for Nihane."
The worst part is, there are still three left even if we kill these ones. Can we survive? We've gone this long, I'm sure we can do it...
"Come on, as long as we keep heading towards Kanaloa, we'll make it – argh!"
A large heavy crash shook the bus, hurtling it forward. Then, it happened again, and Dan struggled to stay on course. The Stallion was ramming into the bus as hard as it could – on a Highway To Hell. The dreaded collisions happened a total of five times, each occasion sending chills down Amara's spine. Thank goodness for the seatbelts, she thought.
I don't want to die...I don't want to die! For god's sake, someone kill this thing!
"Is everyone okay?!" Aimee cried, staring behind. Her pale, shocked companions nodded, yet they were dazed by the onslaught. "Hang on. We need to keep attacking. Seraphina, please! Use another missile!"
"Aimee, I need to point out that there are only two of those left." Seraphina stated. "...Of course, this will most likely be our only battle riding on a bus. There is no sense in hoarding ammo. Sophia! Once more, Megidolaon!"
The deadly missile was launched again, its strength exponentially stronger thanks to Seraphina's almighty magic. It landed right by the two Shadows, creating a disturbingly dark purplish explosion. No doubt any civilians watching would be out of their minds, racing to contact Aeternus about the damage to their streets.
"Please...let no one get hurt in this fight..." Bianca said, praying silently. Kazuya looked at her, then joined her. If this battle was killing innocent people, then it would be hard to feel joy even if they won. Amara found herself praying too.
"Hey cool." Karl said, checking out other weapons. "We've got machine guns! Check this out!"
Deep within the bus, the guns moved towards the back end, then protruded from the sides. Karl summoned Aeneas, grinning with glee.
"Alright! Always wanted to try this out! Aeneas, go! Gallant Gladius!"
The spray of machine gun fire was far faster than any other, and with even greater Bravado. They pierced through the road, surrounding walls, and shot right through the Fearless Rider's body. Blood trickled down his leather outfit, leaving a gruesome trail all over the road. 'Oil' was spluttering from the Pegasus Stallion as well. This fight was making its mark on the city's streets, that was for certain.
"Guys! We're almost out of Saragel!" Dan shouted. The buildings blurred past Amara's eyes too fast to tell, but she had a feeling he was right. The bus turned around a corner, a rather tight one – how he managed it, she would never know.
"Look out!" Priscilla screamed. Out of nowhere, another Burning Throne had come to wreak havoc. This time, it hit the side of the Obliterator, and Amara gasped. It was right to her side, burning with intense heat. Karen cried in pain as it hit, and it seemed to have made rather nasty dents in the armour. Not to mention some painful burns.
"This is insane..." Roger said, holding Karen close to him. "Wait – what's it doing?!"
The Fearless Rider had a brutal demeanour now. He did not even hold the handlebars, not that he needed to. Instead, it took its gun, held it firmly with both hands, and fired – with Primal Force.
"Oh no!" Other Nathan moaned, ducking. The force of the attack had not only sent the bus off balance – nearly tipping over – but it had exposed some of the internal workings. If this continued, the Shadows would be able to disable every weapon.
"We're in trouble..." Karl said. "Someone, fire up that repair thing!"
"Got it!" Richard heartily summoned Raphael Vita, and energised the ARU with a potent Diarahan. While some of the damage was repaired – mainly the internal electrical work – most of the outer armour could not be fixed. "Darn..."
"It's alright." Aimee said. "As long as we make use of that, we'll be okay!"
This statement, however, felt ironic after what happened next. Once again, the Stallion was ramming into the bus repeatedly, and as fast as Dan drove, he couldn't evade the ambush. Large chunks of the outer armour were being dislodged, falling onto the ground.
"I'm not...so sure about that..." Alastair said, looking extremely nauseous. "If we don't destroy them now, they won't stop hounding us!"
"Wait. The Rider's up to something." Aimee said. "I know what to do! Someone, use a defence spell!"
"Oh, I see now." Kyle said. Using his PSI, he managed to sync Vulcanus with an 'Energy Shield'. This, aided by a Tetrakarn or Makarakarn, could become an Aegis Sphere. Vulcanus' Tetrakarn did just that, and the entire bus became covered by a large blue spherical barrier.
"...Why didn't we test this thing out? Knowing what features this thing has would have helped us!" Lucy moaned.
"Perhaps. But this shield ought to protect us. We've still got a little bit until we're at Kanaloa, remember?" Shirley said. "You'll be just fine."
"Here it comes. Everyone brace yourself!" Other Blaine yelled. "Dan! You too!"
Dan nodded, but when he looked at the screen, he gulped. The Fearless Rider had begun his 'Bullet Train' – basically, reloading his gun. Doing so seemed to make him and his bike a little faster, as well. They went straight through an old newspaper stand, and several wooden benches.
However, the Rider was not content with a mere reload. Rather, he began affixing strange and ominous parts to his gun – and by the time he was done, it was more like a Gatling gun. Now, it could arrive at its Final Terminus.
He aimed his new artillery high in the sky, and pulled the trigger – and a hailstorm of fierce dark bullets rained down on the shield. It held up for a short time, but finally the bullets pierced, raining down on the steel roof – and breaking through. The bullets hit everybody – but thankfully, their Personas lessened their killing edge. Sadly, they did not dull the pain.
"...Mediarahan!" Aimee cried. Instead of syncing with the PSI, she used it on everybody. It soothed Amara's shaken nerves, but her heart was still filled with dread. These Shadows were not giving up, and if they kept up their assault, the bus would wind up a burning heap of scrap metal.
"That is it!" Seraphina announced. "I will put an end to this once and for all. Sophia! This is our last chance to utilise our best weapon. Please, prevail!"
The third and final Terror Torpedo, despite damage to the missile launcher, was unleashed. This time, however, it had even more power, and greater speed. The Rider panicked, and tried to swerve around it, but it was no good – the blast's radius was too large to escape. All Amara could see was a gigantic purple explosion, that sent plumes of dark smoke into the sky.
The missile's detonation had finally sent the Rider off his bike, careering onto the tarmacked, pockmarked road. After all the assault, he was as far from braggart as possible. He was bleeding rather profusely, staining the road with black ooze, and his bones were broken and jutting out of his body. In fact, his right arm was hanging off by a thread. He pulled himself up from the ground, gazing pleadingly to his vehicle.
"The rider's disappeared..." Priscilla said, anxious. "Is it dead? Please, let it be so!"
"Not so sure I'm having fun anymore..." Blaine said, face pale. "Every time it hits, I feel like I'm gonna hurl. We ain't got sick bags, huh?"
"Wait! The Stallion's turning around!" Dan said, glaring. "This bus is pretty damaged. We better get to the HQ fast! If it comes back, we throw everything we got at it!"
However, the moment of levity ended abruptly, as the Stallion came back into view. Hastily, it bashed into the heavily dented back of the Obliterator, shaking it left and right.
"Argh!" Seraphina cried, aggravated. "It...it has consumed the life force of it's rider, as before. Truly, symbiosis in it's darkest hour."
"Uh...yeah." Other Serena said. "This is annoying me now. We have to hurry up and get rid of it!"
Amara looked at her feet, her heart pounding in her ears. This fight was no doubt terrifying the public. Karen, on her own initiative, synced with the Energy Shield again – the Aegis Sphere was back to protect them all. Aimee made it her task to use the Auto-Repair Unit, although it's effectiveness was getting limited.
"Michael, Hamaon!" Alastair cried, syncing with something called the 'Equinox Engine'. Perhaps named after Nihane's tremendous attack, the one that had almost killed Amara and friends. This released a blinding flash of light, the Herald's Expel. This holy gleam of light hit the Stallion rather badly, sending it swaying left and right.
"Ceridwen, you can do it! Mudoon!" Shirley synced with the same device as Alastair, yet for a different effect. Fittingly, it could use both Light and Dark energies. It created a dark pentagram, that flew beneath the Stallion's burning wheels, and engulfed it with a dark mist – the 'Tyrant's Curse'.
"Yes!" Amara shouted, watching it fall over. "It must be nearly finished by now!"
"Thank goodness! Soon, we can get into HQ and wrap this up!" Other Amara said, cheerfully.
"Don't be so sure..." Nathan said, looking closely. "Damn! It's returning!"
It's tenacity was something to be commended, even if it desired their painful demise. It had a strategy in its first incarnation that had been absolutely brutal, and now it was about to repeat it. It managed to use its last pittance of spirit energy to cast Balzac on itself – completely berserking it.
"Just like before!" Other Serena said. "I hope the shield holds..."
The Pegasus Stallion, however, was no longer able to think straight. It drove straight at the barrier, yet it set it hurtling back through the air, crashing onto the road.
"Yes!" Kyle and Matthew cheered.
Amara would have joined in their delight, but she heard something rattling beneath her, and gulped. The weapons were getting weaker...
|Aeternus HQ – Maintenance Bridge|21:04 pm|
The bridge on the HQ's 5th floor was connected to a massive power generating facility named Aeterna Virtus. It worked much like Lorean Tower, except it generated over twice as much power – the HQ's power demands outmatched the rest of the city considerably. It continuously emitted a dark aura, no doubt from the endless amount of Shadows tortured for their energy. The building itself was mostly square, with a large white tower at the top that dealt with 'recycling' – speeding up the process of Shadows becoming reborn. Many large wires and cables, shielded, connected the building to the underground network that comprised the HQ.
Returning to HQ were Kaman, Keisha and Josephine, having returned from observing the major change to the generator. In place of many weak Shadows, one strong one dedicated to helping their cause had been permanently tethered to the generator. Archibald had stayed behind to ensure everything was operating exactly as it should.
"Interesting. Using a Trauma Shadow to power an entire generator never seemed feasible until now." Josephine said, leading the way. "Yet she seems quite eager to help. Perhaps too eager..."
"Nihane really has thought everything through. This better work." Kaman said, looking tired.
She laughed, running a hand through her glossy hair. "Of course it will. Did you expect your leader to make mistakes? Or are you telling me you regret your sabotage last night?"
"N-No!" Keisha protested, shaking her head. "That base was an eyesore! Blowing it up did them a favour! Right, Kaman? It got them out of that place, and into our trap!"
"You don't have to deny any nostalgic feelings to me." Josephine said, in a mocking tone of compassion. "It'd be natural to feel guilty towards former friends. Especially when they gave you, Kaman, a place to stay after your bar was destroyed."
"Please, I'd rather have stayed at the bar than that shitty place." Kaman said. "Here's where I was meant to be. It's the only to see her -"
"Yes yes, I understand! The dead wife that you never shut up about! How could we possibly forget?" Josephine said, chuckling. "Perhaps once she's back to life, you'll stop being a nuisance. Now then, you have your next orders. Get ready." She quickly marched down the bridge, and went through the automatic doors.
"...It's official. I hate her." Keisha said, grinding her teeth.
"That goes for me, too. But you know our orders, right? Let's not...waste time." Kaman said. He walked ahead, while an anxious Keisha followed. The Aeterna Virtus's aura expanded further, casting a grim shadow over the bridge, and Archibald's laughter echoed throughout the entire area.
|Saragel|21:20 pm|
The Pressure Gun and Quake Effector had fallen off the bus, due to the constant battering the Stallion deliver to the bus. At this point, most of the armour had been broken off, exposing delicate components. The Bombs had been spent as well, yet neither had met their target and just made burning holes in the road.
"Oh come on!" Lucy screamed. "Are we nearly there yet?!"
"Just about..." Shirley said. "Wait – oh crap! Someone, use that shield again!"
"I can't! It's damaged!" Kyle cried. "Of all the times..."
The Pegasus Stallion had begun levitating, still insane with rage. The wheels continued to turn, digging into the concrete road. Then, they flew up from the sky, and their flames grew dark blue and even hotter. These had become the Demon's Wheels.
"No!" Seraphina wailed. "Everyone, get down!"
One wheel shot out in front of the bus, the other behind. Dan winced, but managed to put up a wind shield guard. With the help of the screens by his side, he could still see where he was going. The wheel hit below, however, and with its infernal heat, melted off the front grill. The other wheel smashed through the back window, shattering shards of glass everywhere.
"Argh!" Kyle cried. "Everyone, stay calm!"
"Kyle..." Other Serena said. "I don't think we can make it!"
"Don't say that!" Serena replied. "This is...nothing we can't handle!"
The Obliterator was a hardy vehicle, but at this point, another attack would surely send it down. The wheels returned to the Stallion, where it continued its furious trail.
"SHIT!" Dan cried. In his distraction, he noticed he was heading straight towards a skyscaper. It took a great turn to avoid it, and get back onto the main road. "Phew..."
"We have to be there soon..." Aimee said. "I can't take anymore of this!"
"Quit yapping! I see it!" Dan shouted. "Everybody, charge up the bus as hard as you can! We're breaking through!"
"What?!" Priscilla gasped, eyeing the screen. The Stallion's life was ebbing away, but its fury was still scarlet hot. "Will this work?!"
"It has to!" Dan exclaimed. "This is the only chance we got. So we can't waste it!"
Amara looked out of her window, and gasped. The barrier around the Aeternus HQ – It was seconds away. Desperately, she summoned Isis, as did everyone else around her with their Persona. The room was completely blue from the aurora of blue energy, and it shone outside as well. The Stallion was agitated, even more than usual, and drove closer. It then swerved to the right, driving alongside the bus.
"What's it doing?!" Matthew asked. "What the hell do we do?"
"It's trying to get in front of us!" Roger shouted. "Damn, that punk is fast. Dan, if we crash, we'll-
"Die? No way that's happening!" Dan said. "We only get one shot at this. It's do or die!"
"What?!" Karen eyed the maniac on the road, nearing the front. "But we'll crash!"
"These aren't normal vehicles...anything could happen." Aimee said. "Dan, I really think we should reconsider -"
"Too late!" Kyle hollerred. "Here it comes!"
Amara gasped in fright, as the Obliterator's massive aurora grew larger and larger. The Stallion zipped towards the barrier, and turned around. It was preparing a final assault, and in a split second, it shot forward – just as the bus made it's collision.
There was a massive shaking, unlike anything Amara had ever felt before. She could only see white all around her, and the sound outside was a mixture of huge explosions and thousands of voices screaming in unison. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw parts of a motorcycle disintegrating into black nothingness.
|?|
"There you are. I've been waiting for you."
Everything went quiet. All she could feel was her floating away, but her other self was next to her. Yet in front of them was another person. They were completely in silhouette, but there was something familiar about their shape and posture.
"I wanted to thank you at last. Through you, I saw my best days - and some of my worst."
Their colour emerged, slowly. It was Ethan Walters, with those innocent blue eyes that had peered into her soul as a child. Around them was a still and monochrome Aurelia Park. It looked like the day she had lost her ankh, and he had located it for her.
You aren't Nihane? What is going on? You're not glaring at me, or mocking me...but Ethan changed all of those years ago. It can't be you anymore.
The park suddenly changed to an image of Ethan as a young child, staring outside, tears streaming down his eyes. Then she saw him in the cafeteria, looking up at Archibald in awe. Next, was the day he and the rest of the group met in the secret project room. Afterwards, him chatting with Carlos and Pierre, and also him walking home with Nina. Finally, the last image she saw was of him surrounded by blue smoke, crowbar in hand, staring down the Maya Shadow that had just emerged from the computer.
"I wanted to remember who I was...not what I became. Yet for all this time, all I could see was my new name's misdeeds. Meeting you managed to stir up these memories. When you remembered my name, I was so happy. Thank you, Amara Furaha. Yet there is no time left. You must hurry."
Ethan turned around, walking into the distance. Both Amaras instinctively ran after him, but try as they might, they could not catch up, nor did their legs take them any further in the park. Then, it faded from view, as Ethan vanished in a blur of blue smoke.
|Aeternus Compound|21:25 pm|
Soon, everything came into view again. The Obliterator accelerated at full speed, despite the extensive damage sustained from the battle. Then it slowed to a crawl, and stopped dead. One by one, everyone looked out of the window, hesitant to look.
Behind them was a trail of shards of metal, as well as broken pieces from the Obliterator. The Equinox Engine had fallen off completely, shooting off sparks everywhere, and the Electro Laser had been sliced in half by the explosion. Surrounding them was the Aeternus Barrier – or rather, what was left of it. The hole made by the bus was gigantic – and was beginning a chain reaction. Slowly, the barrier cracked completely open, the once-formidable, impenetrable wall collapsing into nothing but scrap metal.
"We...did it!" Serena shouted. "We're inside! It worked!"
"I can't believe it...we're actually inside the Aeternus Compound." Aimee said, in awe. The group left their seats, and left the bus.
By now, there was nothing at all blocking the area from the rest of the city. All that remained was the larger barrier around the entire city, concealing the hidden truth – this city was airborne, leaving Inanis in its place.
"Overkill, wouldn't you say?" Roger said, looking around him. "I almost feel sorry for that bike."
Amara looked back on the Obliterator, and gulped. The explosion had not been kind to it. Now, it would never move again. Nor would the world's most talented engineers be able to fix it.
"So..." Amara said, taking in the area. The ground beneath them was eerily pitch black, but it felt like walking on stone. To the northeast of where they were, was the remains of the external lab.
Tomas...Dad...I'll make Nihane pay for what he did to us.
"That's where..." Other Amara trailed off, shaking her head. "No good going there anymore."
The entire group looked up at the massive, monolithic building in the center of this cesspool of despair. Floor after floor, lined with bulletproof glass windows, with shining white sloped walls around the lower floors. A short staircase led to the main doors, leading to a tremendous reception area, furnished with black leather sofas and revolving chairs, computers, televisions, and above the main desk, a giant Aeternus logo, complete with their slogan.
Aeternus. Connecting People.
"This is it." Matthew said. "This is our last mission! We've been fighting for so long to take down Nihane and his cronies, and now we get that chance! I want you all to promise me – no, each other, that you won't waste this opportunity! We risked our lives just to get here, so we can't stop now!"
"Yeah!" Tara cried. "This is for the future! We'll put an end to our people's worries. Not to mention the entire world's! Nihane Kronos doesn't scare me one bit! He can't take this world and do whatever he wants, not if we're around. So let's get through those doors, and tear him a new one!"
Amara nodded, her heart pounding. She and the others climbed the steps, and with her in front, and her other self right beside her, she stood in front of the building. The doors automatically opened, to her surprise. Perhaps with the giant barrier in place, there was no need to guard the front door as well.
All of the Ater Vox are waiting for us. Keisha and Kaman, too. Every single plan they've made...it started here. And now it ends.
"You ready?" Amara said.
"I'm always ready." Other Amara said.
Smiling together, they took their first steps towards the fight. All was quiet, but that would soon change. There would be no going back from here. Yet no one dared to retreat. Their wills were ironclad.