Chapter. 17
A chopper flew through the sky to the sunken grid. When it arrived Lance leaped out, fallowed by Alisa and the future Gods Eaters.
The warriors watched the chopper leave and Torri turned to her father. "Is the caligula here?"
"The reports said it likes to hunt in this region. The aragami should be close by." Stated Alisa.
"It's not. I don't sense it anywhere." Lance relaxed as everyone fallowed.
"Then we have time to prepare." Leo waved to Vale and Torri to come closer. "I've got some snare traps, we need plant them in key spots."
"Then we'll just have to wait for it to show up, then we'll be the hunters!" Vale was hopping from foot to the other.
"Calm down, or you'll be tired before we even fight it." Comment Torri.
"I'll be fine sis. I can fight with the best of them!" Leo then let out a sigh. "You got something to say bro?"
"Nothing you'll listen too."
"Can you just once let me have some fun?"
"This isn't fun brother. It's dangerous work."
"At least I can have fun. The fact that you got a girlfriend is amazing."
"It not like that Vale."
"Stop it, both of you!" Torri stepped in between the twins pushing them back with her god arcs. "Don't make me have to separate you two!"
"Yes sister." The twin hung their heads and stepped back.
As the future Gods Eaters talked Lance glanced to Alisa who was looking down at her god arc. "You okay love?"
"I'm fine Lan." Lance tilted his head, causing Alisa to lower her gaze. "I"m not okay."
"What's eating you?"
"I just feel like I'm losing my usefulness. Look at them, and Ren, and you. All with two god arcs, then there's me, with only one."
"Is that what's bothering you? Aly it's normal for then next generation to be better, when the first gen Gods Eaters were being replaced with the now old types, did they not feel the same? Did the old types not feel the same when we new types came into the picture?" Lance throw his arm over Alisa. "But I know how you feel. With more people with two god arcs it makes me feel less special."
Lance lowered his arm to pull Alisa close. "Come on, you're not useless. Far from it. This one arc you can aim with both hands, making your shots more accurate, and your hits with your blade are stronger with both hands then with one."
"So even you feel like your being replaced?"
"Hell no! I'm not about to be shoved out of the fight by these upstarts. I've still got some tricks and moves show that I'm not done yet."
Alisa smiled up at Lance. "You're right, and I feel the same way!"
"That's my girl! Now let's show this kids that we're not done yet!" Lance took a step then sensed something familiar. He quickly turned to where it was and saw Shio in a cloud of black smoke. "Shio?"
The others heard Lance and looked to Shio as well. "Who's that?" Asked Vale. Torri clinched her chest and was having trouble breathing. "Sis what is it?"
"It's, it's calling to me."
"What?" Alisa glanced over to see Lance put down his right arc to hold his head. "Lan?"
Shio looks at everyone then turns to walk away. "Hey wait!" Vale ran up to Shio and grabbed her arm.
The world around the Gods Eaters when black as their armlets shined, each other them was given a vision of the nova blanketing the world, fallowed by images of Shio in different areas of the far east.
When the visions stopped the world was restored and Shio vanished in black smoke.
"What was that?!" Asked Alisa.
"What just happened?!" Vale shook his hand as the black mist faded away.
"Tell me everyone saw that!"
Leo shook his head to clear his mind. "Yes. It was a resonance, but only Vale touched that thing. How did we see other images?"
"The aragami are mysteries beings." Stated Lance. "We study them but we still don't know a thing about them."
"So that was Shio..." Torri held up her hand. "That was the thing I was spawned from..."
Alisa give the singularly a nod. "Yes Torri. Shio is the soul of the nova and you were born from a fragment of it. In a way Shio would be your mother."
"No!" Torri quickly went to Alisa's side and hugged her. "Even if that was what bore me. You're still my true mother!"
Alisa started to feel choked up and returned the hug. "Thank you Torri."
Lance smiled at the sight. "Guess having a family won't be so bad after all." Lance then sense the aragami they were after coming in fast. "The beast is coming."
"Really?! About time!"
Vale walked to Lance's side but stopped when Lance held up his god arc to block his way. "Everyone stay out of this. I'll kill this aragami."
"Father you can't be serous!"
"Lan you're not-"
"Four times."
"What?" Everyone gathered around Lance.
"Four times I used my inner aragami, the caligula. Each time I almost lost myself." Lance tightened his grip on his weapons. "This aragami haunts me, taunts me. Losing Ally, saving Lindow, stopping Damien. Every time, I give myself over to that beast when something important to me needs to happen. Never my own strength! That's why I have to fight it alone. I need to prove to myself that it can't, it won't control me."
Alisa stood in front of Lance and slapped him across the face, to the shock of everyone. "That's a selfish idea. In the time I've known you, you've never fought for just yourself. It's what you do, what and who you live for that makes you human."
"Aly..."
"You do such reckless things because you everyone else to be safe. You can't keep thinking you're the only one who can fight to protect!"
Torri stood in front of Lance, beside Alisa. "Please father, don't push us away and let us help."
Leo stood behind Lance and placed his hand on his shoulder. "We're a family dad. We fight together."
Lance looked around to see everyone with him, he closed his eyes and smiled. "You're right. I'm sorry." Lance's eyes shot open as he stood ready to fight. "It's here!"
Climbing out of the pipe work the caligula jumped out and stood before the Gods Eaters.
"Alright everyone, we bring this dragon down together. As a family." Lance noticed everyone glancing to him. "Leo you take the left side, Vale you take the right. Torri you're with Vale until he's in position then get behind it. Aly you're cover fire. Jump to anyone then needs help."
"What will you do?" Asked Vale.
"I'll hold it's attention, lure it to Leo's traps. Any questions?" The Gods Eaters gave their leader a confirming nod and Lance looks to the caligula once more. "This ends today. I'll break your hold over me!"
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