Chapter. 25

Ren held up his new type arc with its shield deployed as he circled around Lance. Lance stood still with his eyes shut, Ren slowly went around Lance until he was behind him. Ren pointed his old type god arc at Lance but he didn't move.

Ren was starting to get nervous. He took a step back but lance still didn't move. Ren took a step forward but Lance again didn't move. "You think your tricks will work?! You think this act will make me back down?!"

"Who's acting?"

"I'm pointing a weapon at you!"

"So? I have no reason to fight you... yet."

"You think I'm scared of you?!"

"If you weren't you'd have attacked by now." Lance opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder to Ren. "Then again, what would a coward know?"

Ren gritted his teeth as he switched his new type arc to gun mode and fired both weapons. "I'll show you a coward!"

Lance backflipped over the shots and threw his left arc at Ren. Ren stepped back and the arc impaled the ground in front of him. A vine connect the arc to Lance's armlet, Lance pulled himself towards Ren and swung his right god arc.

Ren dove out of the way and changed his new type arc back to sword mode. Ren held up his arc's shield to block Lance's shots. When the gunfire stopped Ren lowered his shield and fired his own arc.

Lance side stepped the beam and rushed to Ren as he switched his arcs to sword mode. Lance's swords clashed against Ren's, he swung his gun arc and struke Lance in the head, sending him rolling to the ground.

Ren fired at Lance who rolled out of the way and to get back on his feet, Lance and held up his blades to catch Ren's. Ren swung his gun arc again but this time Lance's tail wrapped around the gun barrel and pulled it away. Lance lead back and headbutted Ren to daze him. Lance fallowed up with a kick to Ren's chest, he spun his arc then raised them over his head.

Ren held up his arc and deployed his shield. Lance struke down on the shield with his arcs as sparks flew off the metal. Ren held up his shield against each attack, His eyes glanced to hus gun arc. Lance's tail wrapped around Ren's leg and dragged him out from under his shield then hurled him across the church.

Ren fell to the ground with a loud thud. He looked up to see Lance walking towards him through blurry vision. Ren noticed something long and grey next to him, Ren grabbed it and pointed it at Lance his vision cleared to reveal it was his gun arc. Ren fired at Lance who only side stepped the shot.

Ren pushed himself up and charged at Lance. The sound of their steel echoed through the night in the city of mercy, in the church two Gods Eaters clashed their blades then leaped back. Ren fired at Lance who barely dodged each laser beam. "Stop this!" Lance reached his target and swung both of his god arcs from the left.

Ren lowered his gun god arc and raised his second arc, deploying it's shield to block. "I can't stop now, I have to save what I have left."

"And what about my family? You're just going to let them die so you can have your world back?!"

"You have no family, they weren't meant to exist!" Lance shoved Ren away and slammed both of his god arcs on the ground to make his opponent back away. "What you have is a lie. I have to make it right, I have to fix the mess I made." Ren blocked both of the blades with his shield and pointed his second arc at his enemy's chest.

Lance spun to evade the laser shot and struke Ren in the head with his elbow. Both Gods Eaters backed away, Lance changed his left arc to gun mode as they both pointed their weapons to each other then opened fire.

Ren fired a spark laser while fired a large divine sphere. The spark beam pierced through the divine attack but didn't stop it. Lance sidestepped the beam as Ren held up his shield which held off most of the attack but some of the divine energy washed over Ren and burned his arms.

Ren lowered his shield to See Lance hold his right arc in a reverse grip and strike Ren with the weapon's shield. Lance struke Ren's god arc then hit it with his second arc to knock it out of Ren's hand then kicked him in the chest. Ren was sent fling back and crashed into the church wall, he sank to the ground and dropped his other weapon. Lance kicked it aside and pointed his arc at Ren.

Ren shook his head and looked up to see the gun barrel. "Liar. you held back."

"Did you want to die?"

"It's fitting for a traitor to be executed." A wind blew through the church, Lance lowered his god arc and turned to walk away. "Why?"

"I refuse to kill another Gods Eater." Lance reached to church opening. "He's all yours Lindow." As Lance left the church Lindow walked in.

"Hey son!" Lindow waved as he approached. Ren lowered his gaze to the ground. "Hey come on now. Don't looks down." Lindow kneeled down to Ren. "I understand where you're coming from but you can't save anyone on your own."

"I have to save my future, each time another Gods Eater come here the future gets worse."

"But the present gets better."

Ren's eyes widened as he looked up to Lindow. "What?"

"Each time someone comes from the future our team gets that much stronger."

"But the nova... Leo and Vale. They know Nifa, that means the future didn't change. We're gonna fail if we fight the nova."

"Are you sure about that? Think about it, when did the future change?"

"When I told you all about the virus. Then again when Torri stopped Lance's death, why?"

"You and Torri did something, that's how the future changed. Leo and Vale didn't do what they came back to do."

"I don't see what that has to..."

Lindow grinned as he patted Ren's arm. "See? There's still hope."

"Hope." Ren shook his head. "What is hope?"

"It's what keeps us going. It's what gives us the courage to push on." Lindow stood up and held out his hand. "Now get up and fight for your future. I know I didn't raise a quitter."

"You never raised me."

"Oh yeah. So, will you fight with us?" Ren turned to stare at the stained glass window. "Okay, okay. I'll leave you think. Just don't take too long, it'll be sun up in a couple of hours."

As Lindow walked away laid back on the wall and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry mom. I failed."

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