Chapter 7: Ren's Resolve

On the road

As Rowen drives the trailer, Ren looks down and Cou notice this.

"What's the matter, Ren?" He asks and Ren turns to him. "You seem under the weather. But, don't worry! We've come this far, and we're almost there. Let's make it to that finish line!"

Ren doesn't say anything as Takeshi and Mizuki watch the two.

"Ren." Mizuki mumbles.

"Thank you, Cou." Ren says.

"Wh-what's that for, all of a sudden?" Cou asks.

"I was able to make it this far because of you, Cou. If it weren't for you, I…"

"What are you saying? I made a promise to you that I would take you to Edel Garden."

Ren then grabs Cou's hand causing him to blush slightly. "I'm so glad I met you, Cou."

"Ren."

The two look at each other for the moment until Rowen suddenly stops driving.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" Cou exclaims at Rowen.

"Wh-what's going on?!" Rowen says and they get out of the trailer and watch the planes from Arc Aile are being destroyed. When one of the Arc Aile planes hit the cliff where they are, they cover their face from the smoke.

"Arce Aile and Chaos Choir!" Cou exclaims.

"Given the size of Arc Aile's fleet, it looks like they've got the entire Forces here." Rowen examines.

"They're serious about fighting it out with Chaos Choir." Kuea says.

"Well, we can't just stand here talking about it!" Cou shouts.

"Cou's right." Takeshi agrees and Mizuki nods in agreement. The group decides to enter the battle as the three Edel Raids React with their respected Pleasures.

On the battlefield

The Chaos Choir soldiers keep their march as the Arc Aile soldiers keep firing at them, but the bullets have no effect. Subsequently, one of the soldiers ram into a group of Arc Aile soldiers and the army march over them. Suddenly, a woman with an Edel Raid equipped on her right leg charges at the army causing them to dissolve their React with several Sting Raids. However, the soldiers themselves get up and more Sting Raids react to them, restoring the army to attack.

"I-I don't wanna die!" One of the Arc Aile soldiers' shouts and runs away with the others.

"H-hey!" The woman calls.

"Nee-san!" A girl's voice alarms the woman and sees one of the soldier is about to attack her, until a tornado shoots at the soldier saving the woman and Cou rushes towards her with the Reacted Ren on his arm.

"Rasati! What are you doing here?!" Cou questions.

"Cou?!" The woman, Rasati calls in shock.

"Ren!" A girl calls.

"Everyone, calm down! We need to reorganize our line of battle! Everyone!" Rowen shouts.

"Hey! Where are you guys going?!" Takeshi questions the Arc Aile soldiers.

"The enemy's right here!" Cou adds.

Then the Chaos Choir army march towards them and just the four of them charges at the army.

When the battle is over, the sun starts to set as the group helps the injured Arc Aile soldiers back to their camp, except for Cou and Ren. Ren dissolves the React and Cou takes a few steps as he realizes Ren is staring at the battleground.

"Ren?" He calls as Ren stares at the fallen soldiers on both sides and closes her eyes. Cou gets closer to her as he places his hand on her shoulder before hugging Ren to comfort her.

"Cou." Ren calls.

~Night~

Rasati is wandering around camp as the Arc Aile nurses tend the injured soldiers. Then Cou and Takeshi approach her.

"Rasati!" Cou calls and she sees them walking towards her.

"Cou. It's been awhile." Rasati says.

"Yeah. Rasati, this is Takeshi. He recently joined us with one other."

"Nice to meet you." Takeshi greets as he offers his hand to her.

"Same here." Rasati says and accepts his hand before shaking it.

"What's the situation here?" Takeshi asks.

"It couldn't be worse." Rasati replies. "Our entire Air Unit has been shot down and Chaos Choir has the advantage with ground battle as they're a lot more used to it. They clearly have the upper hand. Whether you're looking at skill or determination."

"What brought you guys here, Rasati?" Cou asks.

"When Arc Ail decided to send their entire forces, everyone with the ability to fight was ordered here. If possible, I'd rather not fight. But at the same time, I owe it to Arc Aile for providing us with protection."

"But you're risking your life fighting in this battle." Takeshi points out.

At the riverbed

Ren and Mizuki meet up with Rasati's sister, Lillia at the riverbed as she finished washing the clothes.

"If my sister's going to fight, then so will I. I figured, as long as I can be with nee-san, I could help too. However…" Lillia trails off. "I'm not comfortable with the idea of Edel Raids fighting each other. I also hate the way Chaos Choir is fighting. They're using Sting Raids like disposable goods. When Sting Raids lose their ability to fight, they're thrown away like garbage. That's why my sister could never forgive them. But the numbers of enemies we face is never ending. Everyone's reached his and her limit. What's going to happen to us, I wonder."

Ren looks at Lillia for the moment and looks down the river as Mizuki looks at Ren.

"Hey! Lillia!"

"Right away!" Lillia responds and picks up the basket as she stands up. "Later." She then walks back to the camp as the two look at her.

Ren then looks back at the water for the moment and quickly closes her eyes. "Cou, I…"

"Ren…" Mizuki mutters and suddenly hears a familiar voice.

"We have come for you, Reverie Metherlence-sama."

Both of them quickly turn and see Orfus, Jilltail, and Aljenna walking out of the shadow.

"Ren, run!" Mizuki tells her and Ren quickly runs away before Orfus speaks.

"Do you not want to put an end to this fighting?" She asks causing Ren to stop her place.

At the camp

"Eh? Ren and Mizuki-san?" Lillia asks to Cou and Takeshi.

"Yeah, we were wondering where they went." Takeshi says.

"I saw them a moment ago by the riverbed."

"Okay, thanks." Cou says and both of them walk to the riverbed.

Meanwhile

"You want to end this battle, don't you?" Aljenna asks.

"If you agree to come to us, everything will end." Orfus adds and walks towards her.

"We're you guys started with battle in the first place?!" Mizuki questions them as Ren remembers the fallen soldiers of both sides and Cou's smile.

On the trail, Cou and Takeshi walks down the trail as they see Orfus walking towards Ren and Mizuki.

"Ren/Mizuki!" Cou and Takeshi call before running down.

"If I go to Edel Garden…" Ren says causing Cou to stop as he gasps and Takeshi continues rushing towards the two girls. Ren then looks up from hearing Cou's voice and sees him. "Cou!"

"Mizuki!" Takeshi calls out making her to turn.

"Takeshi!" She calls back as Orfus opens her book.

"Our hearts shall communicate as you and I journey to the place in the sky. Relax your breathing and have a good sleep." Orfus chants as Ren's body begins to glow and covers her hears. "Free you're soul and make your way to my arms."

"Cou." Ren calls.

"Ren!" Cou shouts and jumps down the trail but before he could land, he was hurled in the air before crashing on the ground.

"Cou!" Takeshi calls as he and Mizuki rush to his side as Jilltail and Aljenna get in front of them. Before Ren collapse, Orfus catches Ren in her arms.

"Shall we go?" Orfus asks and Cou sits up.

"Ren. What have you guys done to Ren?!" Cou questions.

"You heard it yourself. Reverie Metherlence-sama has chosen to come with us."

"I don't believe you! Ren would never agree to that!"

"That's right!" Takeshi agrees.

"You're such a fool." Aljenna remarks as she readies her cannon at the three. "Bye-bye."

Suddenly, a red disk shoots towards the two Chaos Choir members causing both of them to jump back and Cou, Takeshi, and Mizuki look back to see a familiar Edel Raid hunter charges at Aljenna and Jilltail and attacks them.

"Wolx?!" Takeshi repeats as he and Mizuki remember when they met him.

Cou then spots Orfus walking away with the unconscious Ren "Give Ren back!" He shouts as Cou rushes to her.

"Anyone getting in my path shall immediately disappear!" Orfus chants as she sends a burst of air at Cou, which flings Cou on the ground.

"Cou!" Mizuki calls out and rushes to the boy.

"Cou!" Wolx calls out as Jilltail and Aljenna retreat into the canyon with Orfus. Just then, they are piloting one of Chaos Choir planes back to Edel Garden as the four watch them go with Ren.

"Ren." Cou says. "REN!"

"Cou…" Takeshi mutters.

~Later~
Back at the camp

Cou, Takeshi, and Mizuki came back to the camp as Wolx and his Edel Raid partner, Tilel, joined them and they tell the others of what happened as Wolx and Tilel are outside of the tent and Takeshi walks towards him with Mizuki.

"What are you doing here?" Takeshi questions.

"That's should be my question." Wolx says.

"We came here with Cou and the others."

"I see."

Just then, they see Cou running out of the tent with a frustrated look on his face.

"A Pleasure abandoned by his Edel Raid." Wolx says and Cou stops his track. "What a joke."

"How dare you!" Cou exclaims as he turns around and sees Tilel sticking her tongue out.

"Wolx is right! You look shameful being left behind!" Tilel points out.

"Sh-shut up!" Cou retorts.

"Who was it that said he wanted to be with her even if there was no need to fight?!"

Cou takes a back from hearing those words.

"If you're giving up on the Shichiko-hoju…" Wolx begins and stands up. "…then I'll help myself to her." He says and walks away.

"Bastard!" Cou shouts and about to punch Wolx but the Edel Hunter grabs Cou's fist and twists around to his back.

"If that upsets you, then try and protect her! From me, and from those guys!"

Wolx pushes Cou to the ground before he continues to walk away as Cou looks down.

"Wake up! You're not the only one suffering from this! Wolx also…" Tilel cuts off as Wolx goes back and picks her up.

"That's enough!" He scolds her.

"I-I'm sorry."

Wolx leaves Cou, Takeshi, and Mizuki there as Mizuki looks at the boy.

"Damn!" Cou curses as he punches the ground.

"Cou…" Mizuki mutters.

"I don't like that guy, but in this case, I agree with him." Rasati says and Cou looks up to her with Lillia by her side.

"Rasati." Cou calls and stands up.

"This isn't like you. The Cou Van Giruet I know would act before thinking about it."

Cou widens his eyes at this before he runs away.

"Cou!" Mizuki calls out.

"Leave him." Rasati tells her. "This is a problem that he needs to figure out."

Mizuki looks down as Takeshi puts his hand on her shoulder before the two walk away.

"Why?" Mizuki says catching Takeshi's attention. "Why did this war even started? If Edel Raids and humans understand each other, this wouldn't have happened."

"Isn't that why this war started?" Takeshi asks.

"Eh?"

"Even now, there are humans who are scared of Edel Raids because of their powers. That's why right now Edel Raids and humans need to get along. That's what I think."

"…Do you think that Cou and Ren are they key to end this?"

"Who knows."

Suddenly, they hear people screaming and see Chaos Choir soldiers coming.

"What's going on?!" Takeshi questions and he and Mizuki realize what is happening.

"Could it be!"

Where Cou is

Cou was at the riverbank looking down at his reflection which is replaced by Ren's face and suddenly a Chaos Choir flies towards him before it shoots at him. Subsequently, Cou runs away as the plane follows him continuing firing bullets at him. When he jumps out of the way, he turns around and sees Chaos Choir soldiers coming towards him.

"Damn." He says.

Just then, Rasati and Takeshi rush in with the Reacted Lillia on her leg and Reacted Mizuki in Takeshi's hand. As Rasati kicks around at the soldiers, Takeshi swings around the bladed Mizuki at them.

"Rasati! Lillia! Takeshi! Mizuki!" Cou calls.

"As I thought. Now that they have Ren, naturally the Pleasure is a nuisance to them." Rasati says.

"Yeah." Takeshi agrees as the soldiers attacks them before Rasati and Takeshi dodge it.

"Leave these guys to us, and get out of here!"

"But…!" Cou says but Rasati ignores as she continues attacking the soldiers. With being told, Cou turns around to run but more soldiers marching in front of him. That's when red disks flies and crash in front of the soldiers and Wolx comes in with the Reacted Tilel in his hands.

"The hunter's good news has been heard." He says.

"Wolx!" Cou calls and the hunter swings the hammer as the disk flies around to block the soldiers.

"I never knew hunters to fight for any reason other than money." Rasati remarks.

"I fight for myself, that's all." Wolx says before the both of them attacks the soldiers.

"Cou!" Rowen calls out and Cou turns around and sees Rowen and Takeshi running towards him with the Reacted Kuea and Mizuki on their respective Pleasure. "Are you okay, Cou?"

When Kuea dissolves the React, she stands next to him. "If you get killed here, what am I going to say to Ren?"

"But I'm glad that you're still all right." Mizuki says after she dissolves the React.

"Cou!" Rasati calls out as she reaches him.

"You certainly don't go down easily." Wolx says.

"Guys…" Cou calls and looks down before looking up with a determined expression. "I'm going! To where Ren is! And this time, I'm not letting her go until the very end!"

"Then, leave the rest to me." Rowen says.

"Eh?"

~The next day~

Rowen stands in front of the plane as he wears his Arc Aile uniform and the Reacted Kuea as Takeshi stands next to him with the Reacted Mizuki in his hand. The plane shoots at the two as they begin to run away from the firing range before jumping into a ditch as the plane flies over. Cou then throws his hook at the plane which it got caught as the rope beside him, Rowen, and Takeshi begins to unwind itself before it stops with the other end being tied up on the rock. As this happens, the plane crash lands on the ground and both Rowen and Kuea rush towards the plane with Cou, Takeshi, and Mizuki following them as both of them throws Chaos Choir members out of the pilot seat. Once they get on the plane, Rowen tries to start it.

"Will it fly?" Cou asks.

"It hit the ground pretty hard… but I think we'll be okay." Rowen says.

"AH!" Mizuki exclaims and they look up as they see Chaos Choir soldiers marching towards the plane and they point their lances at them. Just then, the plane starts up and begins to hover upward.

"Dodge it, Rowen!" Cou exclaims.

"I can't! The ship won't stabilize!" Rowen says.

The soldiers begin to charge their attack as Takeshi hugs Mizuki and Cou sits back.

"Damn it." He says.

Before the attack could reach them, Wolx spreads the disc out to block the attack and Rasati sends a whirlwind at the soldiers and hits them. Cou then gives a thumb up at the two as Rowen pilots the plane towards Edel Garden.