Chapter 8: Edel Garden

As Rowen pilots the plane towards Edel Garden, smoke comes out of the turbine engine.

"I'm almost there, Ren. I'll be there, shortly." Cou says.

Suddenly, the engine explodes, causing the passengers to freak out as the plane is about to make a crash landing. Cou opens the cockpit before he throws his hook upward to a cliff.

"Hold on!" Cou exclaims when Rowen and Kuea grabs Cou as Takeshi holds Mizuki and the plane drops down below Edel Garden.

"That was a close call." Rowen says after he sighs in relief.

"Yeah." Kuea agrees.

"Y-you guys are heavy, we're going to fall!" Cou says and they climb up the cliff of Edel Garden.

When they reach to the top, Cou takes a few steps forward looking at the landscape before him.

"So this is it. This is Edel Garden." He says as the others look out and see that there is barely anything on Edel Garden.

"Look!" Takeshi points out to the white buildings away from them.

"Could I be that Ren is over there?" Mizuki wonders.

"Only one way to find out is to go over there." Kuea says.

"Yeah." Cou agrees and they start to go to the buildings.

When they reach there, they see the buildings are all destroyed and desolate.

"How come? This looks like an abandoned town." Kuea says.

"Is this really Edel Garden? It's where the enemy's headquarters are, right?" Cou asks.

"My guess is they hardly have any military force left." Rowen says.

"Are you saying those Edel Raids we fought against below are all they've got?" Kuea asks.

"I can't be sure."

"This is too cruel." Takeshi says and Mizuki nods in agreement.

Cou then spots a small harp on the ground before he picks it up and plucks a string.

"It's no different from the towns we live in." Cou says.

"Cou." Kuea calls.

"Nothing, let's hurry and find Ren." Cou says when they feel a tremor and see a few buildings coming down.

"Is Edel Garden destroying itself?" Mizuki questions.

"Mizuki…" Takeshi calls.

Once the tremor stops, they continue to look at the space where the buildings used to stand.

"Let's keep going and find Ren." Takeshi says and they continue their way.

The group continues to look around to find the place where Ren is held when Cou spots someone walking from the corner of his eyes.

"Who was that?!" Cou exclaims and about to follow the person.

"Cou?!" Rowen calls out.

"Someone was here! It could be Ren!" Cou says and runs off.

"Wait! Cou!" Mizuki calls out and follow him as Rowen, Kuea, and Takeshi behind her. Once they reach to a cliff, they see Cou looking around.

"Cou!" Rowen calls out and they stop in front of the boy. "Did you find Ren?"

"No, that wasn't Ren. Just now… there was an Edel Raid here." Cou explains.

"An Edel Raid?" Takeshi repeats.

"Yeah."

"Anyways, we should continue to find Ren-chan." Rowen says and they walk away from the cliff before they exit out of the desolate town and sees a castle near them.

"I think we can safely assume that's the queen's castle." Kuea says.

"Is that where we'll find Ren?" Cou asks.

"I don't know. We'll have to check the place out and see." Rowen says.

"That sounds a good plan." Takeshi says.

The group run towards the castle and go through the gate, and stops before they look around the castle plaza and spots the castle doors.

"Over there!" Cou points out before he goes to the doors but Rowen stops him.

"Looks like they've come to greet us." Kuea says.

Cou looks up and sees Jilltail and Aljenna on the edge of the wall.

"Long time no see!" Aljenna says. "I would love to play with you, but I don't have the time today."

"Cou Van Giruet! We've come for your life!" Jilltail says.

"What?!" Cou questions and suddenly more Sting Raids appear surrounding them.

"Cou, go ahead with Takeshi and Mizuki!" Rowen tells him.

"Not so easy!" Jilltail shouts as she drop-kicks at them, separating Cou, Mizuki, and Takeshi and Rowen and Kuea.

"Engulfing great wisdom with a strong heart, this contract is hereby entered." Both Rowen and Kuea chants as Kuea transforms into her weapon form before Rowen throws a blade at Jilltail. However, Jilltail throws her wipe at Rowen before he jumps away and hitting one of the Sting Raids.

"Is that the only way you know how to fight?!" Rowen questions and all of the sudden something is shot on Rowen's back causing him to topple over.

"She's not alone today." Aljenna says with a cannon ready on her hand.

"Rowen!" Cou calls out as Mizuki holds Cou's wrist.

"Never mind us, go!" Rowen shouts at him.

"For the sake of everyone fighting below us, you must go and get Ren back!" Kuea says making Cou to grit his teeth.

"Let's go! Cou!" Takeshi says.

"Cou!" Mizuki calls and Cou made up with his minds and continue towards the door as the three open it before entering the castle.

"Ren, hang in there!" Cou thought as he, Takeshi, and Mizuki run through the hallway and ended up in an open area of the castle.

"Welcome." Orfus voice echoes out as they stop and look up to see Orfus. "To the Holy Land of Edel Garden."

"It's you! Where's Ren?!" Cou questions.

"Reverie Metherlence-sama is seated on the throne. In order to become our queen."

"What?!" Cou says and Orfus jumps down and lands in front of the three.

"I must express my thanks to you, Cou Van Giruet."

"I can't think of a single reason why you should thank me!" Cou retorts.

"There's significant reason. We thank you because by being with you, Reverie Metherlence-sama has developed certain strengths appropriate for a queen."

"What?"

"What do you mean by that?" Mizuki questions.

"Thanks to you, we have the ability to win against the Guardians. It is the least I can do to thank you."

"Shut up!" Cou shouts as he throws his hook at Orfus but she blocks his hook by a book in her hand and Cou brings his hook back. Cou then rushes towards Orfus as he yells out. Then Orfus hits him making Cou to fly outward and lands on his back.

"Fools." Orfus says and opens her book. "Given our mutual feelings that this world is a bitter, deplorable place to live…" Jilltail and Aljenna land behind Orfus from their fight with Rowen. "The three of us shall combine our souls into one." Jilltail and Aljenna turn into a cannon as one side is blue and the other is pink before Orfus points the cannon at Cou and electricity begins to build up.

"Cou!" Takeshi calls out and then looks at Mizuki. "Mizuki!"

"Yep!" Mizuki replies and begins to chant. "The pure water that flows, let thy purify the corrupted soul and cleanse them from their wrongdoing. Like the blue gem with the water surface, I will engrave my bond with yours."

Immediately, Mizuki transforms into her weapon form in Takeshi's hand before he gets in front of Cou.

"Aquos Tide!" Takeshi swings his sword, creating a water barrier around himself and Cou quickly before Orfus shoots the ball of electricity at them creating an explosion.

As the smoke clear, in hope that Cou died from the blast, Takeshi has his right knee on the ground and has his sword in a defensive position as Mizuki dissolves the React but Cou is not behind him. Orfus widens her eyes but spots Cou landing on the roof and leaps behind her.

"I'm taking Ren with me!" Cou says as he looks back at her before he rushes to the door.

"There's no use trying." Orfus says and all of the sudden, six tentacles grow out from the gear on her back as they grab Cou.

"What the…?!" Cou questions as the tentacles lift him up and Orfus turns to him. "Damn!"

Cou!" Takeshi and Mizuki call out and Orfus points the cannon at the boy.

"You shall rest in peace." Orfus tells him.

"Shut up! I promised that I'd be together with Ren! At all times… Forever… Forever!" Cou exclaims as Orfus begins to charge the electricity. "That's why I'm staying with Ren. With Ren! With Ren!"

"Thank you. Our new queen is about to be born."

"STOP!" Mizuki shouts, but Orfus shoots the electrical blast at Cou, causing Takeshi, Mizuki, and the newly arrived Rowen, Kuea, and Cisqua to widen their eyes.

"No way." Kuea says.

"Cou." Rowen mutters.

"That can't be… Cou-san." Cisqua calls.

"I… will be… by… Ren's side…" Cou manage to say as he lifts his hand up, but suddenly drops down.

"Cou!" Mizuki calls as she rushes to him with Takeshi behind her. As soon as she reaches to the boy, Mizuki begins to heal the wound.

"Oi Cou! You can't just die on us!" Takeshi exclaims "Open your eyes!"

Just then, cracks begin to appear on the ground around them before it gives in, dropping the three down the hole.

"A–H!" Takeshi and Mizuki shout.

"Cou-san…" Cisqua calls.

"Takeshi! Mizuki!" Rowen calls out.

Down the hole, Cou's body is lying on the ground as Mizuki and Takeshi are beside him unconscious. Then Mizuki begins to stir and sits up before she looks around.

"Where are we?" Mizuki questions and spots Takeshi beside Cou. "Takeshi!"

After Mizuki calls him, he begins to stir and opens his eyes.

"Mizuki." He says and sits up. "Where are we?"

"I don't know."

Both of them then look down seeing Cou's body lying. "Cou!" Mizuki and Takeshi move closer to the boy and Takeshi look at Mizuki.

"Mizuki."

"I know." She replies as she puts her hand on the wound and begins to heal it.

Then Takeshi hears footsteps coming closer to them and sees an older version of Ren but her gelade is blue.

"Who are you?" Takeshi questions and Mizuki looks up. The woman then sits across from Mizuki and looks at her before Mizuki stops healing. The woman continues to stare at Mizuki before she nods and folds her hands together.

(nemuri no kuni)

potsuri to ukabu mikazuki
hirotta garasu no kakera
chiisana hikari sagashi atsumete
sotto anata ni ageru

Mizuki's body begins to glow as Takeshi looks at her in awe.

sora ga mienai ame no hi wa
danro no hi ga kage wo tsukuru
tsumetai karada wo atatametara
anata wo nemuri no kuni e sasou no

Then Cou's body begins to glow in response to Mizuki's singing.

me wo tojita makkurayami ni
daiji ni shimatta hikari wo narabete
hoshi yori akaruku yoru yori nagaku
terashimashou

anata no kokoro ga

fukai yume no naka demo

maigo ni naranai you negate

shizuka na shizuka na nemuri no kuni

itsudemo anata wo matsu deshou

(samishiku yasashii sekai de)

When Mizuki stops singing, their bodies stop glowing as Cou's wounds are all healed. Then the woman folds her hands together and begins to chant.

"Loveable young man, whose soul floats… Leaving only the body here… You must not enter the world for the dead. Those who still care about you are in need of you. My wish are as follows… I will give my life for you… So please hurry back to this world."

As soon as she finishes the chant, the woman collapse on Cou's body.

"Oi!" Takeshi calls at the woman as Mizuki checks on Cou which makes her to widen her eyes.

"No way…" She says causing Takeshi to look at her.

"Mizuki?"

"She used the very last of her strength to bring back Cou. And now…" She says as tears fall from her face and Takeshi widens her eyes.

Just then Cou abruptly opens his eyes and sits up as he looks up at the hole in the ceiling.

"Where am I? What did I just see?" Cou questions and looks to his right side to see Mizuki crying. "Mizuki?"

"Cou…" Takeshi calls and Cou looks to his left and sees Takeshi.

"Takeshi?" Cou calls. "What happened to me?" Takeshi looking down at the woman which cause Cou to widen his eyes. "H-hey! Wake up!"

The woman opens her eyes and looks at the boy. "Cou. This is the least I can do to…" Suddenly, her gelade breaks as her body begins to glow.

"You've given me your life?" Cou asks and the woman nods and then points at the stairway across from them.

"Climb up those stairs. That's where you'll find Ren-san." She says and Cou makes a sound. "Go."

"But…"

"Save Ren-san… The person most important to you. And…" She says and her body disappear into particles and fly up as their eyes follow them. "Never let go of her.

"Why is it? Why?" Cou questions and closes his eyes. "Why do we keep encountering such sorrow?!" He then looks at the stair case. "I'm going to put an end to such things, no matter what!" Cou shouts and rushes towards the stairs.

"Cou, wait!" Mizuki shouts as she and Takeshi run up to him. As they run up the stair case, they enter the throne room.

"Is this…" Cou says.

"Ah. Cou look there!" Mizuki points at the throne which they see Cisqua, Rowen, and Kuea.

"They're…"

"Could it be that Ren is over there?" Takeshi guesses.

"What?!" Cou says and rushes up the stairs with Mizuki and Takeshi behind him. Once they reach the top of the stairs Cou shouts, "REN!" Cisqua, Rowen, and Kuea turn around and see them especially at Cou with their eyes widen in shock.

"Cou-san?" Cisqua calls at what she sees and Cou quickly takes a few steps next to Cisqua.

"I'll be right there, Ren! I'm here to save you!" Cou says.

"Cou-san, I-I thought you died."

"Yeah."

"Then why?"

"Eve brought me back to life."

"Eh?"

"That sounds like something she'd do, how foolish." Orfus mocks and Cou glares at the three Chaos Choir leaders.

"Bastards! You've been taking advantage of Eve's powers all along without her consent! And now that Eve has lost her strength, now you're trying to take advantage of Ren! There's no way I'm going to let you do that!" Cou declares and he looks at Ren. "Can you hear me, Ren?! Don't let these guys boss you around!" Cou then rushes towards Ren.

"Cou!" Rowen calls out.

"Cou-san!" Cisqua calls out.

When Jilltail and Aljenna gets ready to attack him, Cou jumps over the three and lands before he continues to run towards Ren. "REN!"

Before he could reach her, Cou collides with a barrier around Ren causing him to bounce off back to the others.

"Cou!" Rowen, Kuea, Takeshi, and Mizuki call.

"Cou-san!" Cisqua calls out as she rushes to him.

"Wh-why?" Cou questions as his eyes are still on Ren. "Ren!"

"Reverie Metherlence-sama is now the Queen of Edel Garden." Orfus says. "She cannot hear a word you say."

"What?"

"You died once. At that moment, the Edel Raid Pleasure relationship between you two was dissolved. In other words, for you and Reverie Metherlence-sama there is no longer any connection."

"That can't be."

"Cou-san." Cisqua calls and shows a seal talisman in her hand.

"What's this?"

"A sealing device." Cisqua replies causing Cou to widen his eyes. "Use this to contain Ren-san."

Cou then stands up as he looks at Cisqua. "You're asking me to contain Ren with a seal!"

"It's the only choice we have! Are you willing to let Chaos Choir control Ren as they wish?!" Cou taken aback at Cisqua words as she is right and Cisqua passes the seal to him. Cou hesitates grabs the seal and looks at it. "You're the only one who broke her seal. It's only the right that you're the only one to replace it."

Cou closes his eyes and clutches the seal in his hand. "I… I won't do it!" He shouts and throws the seal to the ground.

"Cou-san!"

"How can we justify taking advantage of her, or controlling her as WE wish?!" Ren is Ren!" Cou shouts and rushes to Ren again as Orfus and the other watch him.

"It's useless." Orfus says.

"Ren!" Cou shouts out and hits the barrier but instead of bouncing off, Cou stands there and pushes the barrier. "Ren! Ren! Wake up! Ren! I'll save you, I'm going to save you no matter what!"

"Cou-san." Cisqua calls.

"Cou is being serious." Mizuki says as the three looks at her. "Orfus!" She calls. "You said that both Ren's and Cou's connection have severed, correct?"

"Yes."

"But who could say that the Edel Raid Pleasure connection is the only bond?"

"What?"

"The time we shared together and the memories we have together… those are proofs that those two are still connected!"

Meanwhile, Cou continues to push the barrier as he gets closer to Ren. "Ren!"

Once he reaches to the throne, the three Chaos Choir leaders turn around at them.

"What?!" Jilltail and Aljenna question.

"Cou-san!" Cisqua calls.

"Cou!" Rowen and Kuea call.

"Ren." Cou calls and puts his hands on her shoulders. "Please wake up." Ren stirs and opens her eyes. "Try and remember, think about me. Think about, Cisqua, Rowen, Kuea, Takeshi, and Mizuki. About Rasati. Lillia. Viro, and Eve. Try and remember all the people we met along our journey." Ren clutches her eyes in pain. "Is this why we came to Edel Garden? Is this what you wanted?" Ren opens her eyes again staring into Cou's eyes.

"Reverie Metherlence-sama. You are the Queen of Edel Garden." Orfus says.

"That's your story!" Cou retorts. "This is something Ren must decide for herself! Hey Ren, what do you want to do?"

"I… I…" Ren speaks.

"I want to be together with you, Ren. I want to live our live helping each other out!"

"Me too, Cou."

"Do not let him make you doubt yourself! Please give us the strength needed to create a world where Edel Raids rule!"

Ren narrows her eyes at Orfus requests and close them. "NO–!"

A gust of wind appears from Ren's cry as everyone in the room cover their faces.

"Ren! Ren!" Cou calls out and hugs her as the wind pushes the five from the throne. Once the wind died down, they get up from the floor.

"Senpai, are you all right?" Rowen asks.

"Yes." Cisqua says. "W-where are we?"

"It seems that the strong winds a moment ago have blown us down here to the bottom."

"Where are Cou-san and Ren-san?"

At the throne, Cou continues hugging Ren and he separate himself with her.

"Ren." He calls and Ren opens her eyes.

"Cou." She calls.

"Come with me."

"If you still insist on getting in our way, then we have no choice." Orfus says and Cou looks back. "Jilltail! Aljenna!" She calls and both of them stand up before Orfus opens her book. "Given our mutual feeling that this world… is a bitter, deplorable place to live… The three of us shall combine our soul into one."

Both Jilltail and Aljenna becomes their cannon form on Orfus' body. Then Cou turns around in front of Ren to guard her.

"Our queen, please enter a contract with all Edel Raids… And lend us your powers." Orfus lifts the cannon in the air as they chant. "Our Goddess!"

Orfus shoots a beam of light shoots at Ren as Cou turns to her.

"What the…?!" Cou says and the beam hit Ren. "Ren!" Then Cou is pushed back by the light away from the throne as down below, the five see Cou pushed off. Just then, Cou fix himself in mid-air throws his hook at a nearby crystal and lands in front of them.

"Cou-san!" Cisqua calls out.

"Are you all right?!" Cou asks.

Yes!"

"Ren!" Cou calls as he turns around when all of them see Ren's figure in the light but something is different as they are awestruck at what they are seeing.