"In the beginning, life existed without meaning, without purpose and without desire. Mankind, a mere pup, slowly began to evolve itself into what they know themselves as now.

Even now, that's why they exist. Due to this sudden spark of evolution, things exist that should not exist, people have become what they shouldn't have and events that should have never transpired have occurred. The world is slowly heading to ruin. But for what reason? What reason is there for fighting a struggle against fate? Against the world? Against the laws that govern our world?

There is a reason. That reason may be something as simple as hope. Hope for a new tomorrow. I hope to see this struggle an end, brae warrior. Your existence, your fight, and most importantly, this war."

Episode 05:

~Rise of the Mechanical Gods!~

Part 01: Demon's Bane

"Whatever it is, it's big."

Aika felt the chaotic impact as his vision blurred. His head was sent flying backwards into the cockpit's seat. Blood rolled from his mouth into his vision. "Gragh!"

"Pilot's heart rate is reaching critical levels. Alert: Pilot's heart rate is approaching critical levels." Lights flashed as Aika struggled to get up. He clutched his controllers at his side and attempted to stare ahead. What he saw shook him to his very core.

"No…way." He muttered underneath his breath in utter disbelief. Standing before Saver Guardian was a black machine as dark as the night as itself. That wasn't what shocked Aika however.

What truly shocked him was the man standing on the machine. The man's skin was as pale as freshly fallen snow, his eyes as black as evil itself and his pose staring into Aika's very soul. Standing beside the man was young scarlet haired girl. She wore a black dress, with patches of white near the collar.

"Master…Therion, of the Black Lodge. I've heard the rumours but I didn't think he actually existed." Aika cursed his horrible luck The man standing before him had single handly, with no assistance from his mecha, knocked Saver Guardian off balance.

"Alert: High Energy output detected in enemy. Recommend evasive action immediately!"

A flash of brilliant white light splashed against Saver Guardian's body as it was once again knocked down. This time, however, it had come from the right palm of black giant.

"Aika!" Kryska's voice came over the communicator, frantic as ever. "Why aren't you running? You can't find that thing! Shinobu, Aoi and Natsuki should be on their way! Just get out of there and left them handle it! Saver's not equipped for actual combat yet!"

"Shut up!" Aika clutched his trigger's tightly. "I can at least put up a fight! If I can just hold out until help arrives…"

Aika overheard the sound of books, clipboards and other assorted materials drop onto the floor. "I'm authorizing the use of the Trinity Impact. It's highly volatile and still in the experimental testing phase but it should work. Only, and I mean only, use it as a last resort."

"Kryska…Remind me, I need to make it up to you sometime." Aika forced Saver Guardian's cold metal body up once again. Drawing the sword from the ground where it had fallen after the super robot had been knocked down, it faced its opponent. The pale man smirked.

The two giants put forth a great battle, however it was clear from the beginning who the victor was. Even though Aika countered the black giant's moves, it would always counter with another one, one that Aika was not expecting. First came the bow then the punch. What finally concluded it was not an action from the mech itself. Rather, the pale man said a single word and Saver Guardian was knocked into the ground.

"No matter what I do, I can't beat this guy." Aika rolled his tongue. All he could taste was blood. ""Its like he's reading my moves. I can't even get a hint on them."

"Aika, may I suggest trying a different tactic? Perhaps not engaging in close combat?" Chroma spoke as the view screen opened a small weapon information screen in the bottom corner. "Perhaps Chest Blazer?"

"Let's give it a try." Saver Guardian trusted backwards, trying to put distance between itself and the black giant. "Systems all green. WHS Lock, release! CRC Links, all connected! Supports, engaged! Rerouting engines! Chest Blazer, FIRE!"

It all functioned according to plan. The chest area where Saver Guardian's sword had been installed glowed a bright red orange. Slowly, it opened up. Inside was a bright, pulsing orange flame. It pulsed forward like a dragon hunting its pray. It burned through the sky. When it reached its target, however, everything came to a screeching halt.

"It vanished?" Aika was stunned. "No matter what I do, no matter I try, I can't do anything!"

"I've analyzed the data. Chest Blazer has proved ineffective due to the fact that it was frozen. The enemy possesses an ability to reduce anything to the absolute zero point."

"I grow tired of these petty games." Master Therion's voice boomed, not even coming through Aika's communicator or com systems. "Tell me, boy. Where is the one who usurps my rule? I am not interested in you. Tell me, where is the one I seek? Where is the Necronomicon?"

"Necro-what?" Aika forced his way through the weapon information screen again. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" He yelled before returning to a whisper, "Chroma, what's the exact timing for Trinity Impact to take effect?"

"Five minutes until charge is completed. I have my doubts about this but it seems that you have a plan."

"May my Liber Legis send you into the vast dark space of the void then!"

Everything came into a stand still as the black giant, the Liber Legis, plummeted a gigantic cross downwards towards Saver Guardian. It was at the moment that Aika saw something faint before he heard the scream.

"ATLANTIS….STRIKE!"

Another giant crashed itself from the clouds itself. It was black, gray and wielded assorted patches of green all over its body. Two large knee guards protruded from the giant's body. Its face was similar to Saver Guardian's except for the fact it had two green eyes, complete with pupils and no mouth.

"Kurou, watch it! We don't know if he still has a trick up his sleeve!" It was a young voice that spoke, interrupting Aika's com. It was female, no doubt in Aika's mind.

"Got it!" Two large guns materialized from the giant's hands. It quickly fired them into the downed Liber Legis.

"Kurou? Kurou Daijuuji? Mr. Daijuuji! It's me, Aika!" Unbeknownst to Aika, the Liber Legis had vanished, due to his words.

"Aika? You know this guy, Kurou?" The female voice rang out over the com. "It can't be a coincidence."

"I'll explain it later, Al."

"Geez! The least you could have done was prevent excess damage but no!" Kryska was in a rage as she saw the damage that had been to the Gaia alone. "Next time, please."

"I know. Its not as if I was expecting that guy of all people. Besides," Aika moved his gaze over to the next area of the hanger, "If it wasn't thanks to Mr. Daijuuji and that girl, I would've been dead. I guess I really suck."

"Oh yeah." Kryska followed Aika's towards the strange people on the other side of the hanger, "What's the story between you two?"

"Huh? There's no story." Aika sighed. "I just worked for his detective agency for a bit. Rarely got any work because of it. That's beside the point. I don't know the girl he's with. It's only been two weeks since I left too."

"Aika…"

"What do you mean you can't fix it?" Kurou's voice rang out over Aika's and Kryska's conversation. "If you could just have just the Lemuria Impact like you said you could, we would've have had him there!"

"I would have if I could!" The white girl was getting angry, her voice fuming. "If it wasn't due to the fact that the Princess locked it away and won't give us the code to use it, I would've had him! We could've ended everything with one blow!"

Aika and Kryska looked at each and nodded in unison. Aika began to walk towards the arguing pair. "Umm…" He muttered, choosing his words carefully. "It is Mr. Daijuuji, right? It's me, Kazuma. Resolute. I worked for you back in Arkham City for a while."

The young black haired detective sighed. "Just one I thought things couldn't any worse." Kurou Daijuuji, despite his initial appearance being rather typical for someone from Arkham, was a pessimist and down-under-luck kind of character.

"Who is this? I thought you said you were going to tell me what the story was." The white haired girl spoke up. Her hair was as white as snow as was her clothing. Her hair was wrapped into long strands, tied with a red bow at the end. She stood at half the size of Kurou.

"Yes. This is Aika. He worked for me when I ran the detective business in Arkham." Kurou scratched his head, still stunned at the turn of events. "I thought he died when the plane vanished."

"Vanished?" Aika was the one perplexed now. "It didn't vanish though. We just crashed, didn't we?" Aika's head pinged as he tried to recall the events of two weeks prior. "I…I can't remember. It's as if that entire part of memory's gone."

"Oh, yeah. About that too.." It was Kryska who spoke now, placing her white scientist uniform's arm on Aika's shoulder. "That's another thing. You seem to have willingly locked out all memories of the last week as well. What have you found yourself involved in, Aika?"

"I…I don't know." Aika found himself grasping at his head. "I don't what the hell's going on. What am..I?"Tears began rolling down Aika's cheeks. "I don't even know I am anymore!"

"Aika…what happened that day?" Kurou had knelt down onto one day. "What the hell happened to you?"

"There was blood. Claws. Tentacles. Everybody on the plane died but me. I…I can hear the screams in my ears. There was something evil outside. I..I was frozen, I couldn't move. That's when I heard the voice inside of my head. Chroma saved me."

"That's impossible. Chroma wasn't…" Kryska's eyes darted from Aika to Saver Guardian in an instant. "If that's right," she muttered as she tapped her chin, "this is something much larger than I thought. If your memory loss is indeed connected to Chroma, what you saw that day and the golden giant, there might be more to that project than meets the eye."

Kryska had left Aika to Kuro Daijuuji's and the girl's, Al Azif, care. She headed furiously to the Command Room. She held the papers tightly in her hands and made sure that she had properly holstered the small pistol in her back pocket.

When she arrived, she made sure to act normal. She placed the papers on the desk. Tanaka emerged from one of the numerous entrances and exits that littered the large opened space. "Ahh, Mrs. Kryska. It's been a while since we've talked. Would you sit down and have a cup of coffee with me?" The man casually spoke as if nothing was wrong.

Kryska wished that were the case. She remained silent and reached around towards her back holster. She clutched the pistol tightly, slowly moving her finger towards the area where the trigger should have been located. "Tell me, Tanaka, what do you know of the Hyperion Project?"

"You're interested in that as well? I don't know much about that project, aside from a few meek details. If you really want to know, however,"

"Stop with the lies!" Kryska pulled the pistol out in front of her and aimed it at Tanaka's head. "I only agreed to take up your offer here because of my father's work! I thought I could use the technology to truly discover something that my father had perhaps missed! There was no way my father could have missed anything unless something was purposely hidden away from him!"

Tanaka smiled, his eye movements invisible due to the red tint of his glasses. "Extra-terrestrial life forms."

"Aliens?" Kryska's hand was shaking, her finger vibrating over the trigger. "Don't you be screwing with me, Tanaka!"

"That was the original intention of the Hyperion Project. A defence mechanism against extra-terrestrial life forms. 'Aliens' as you put it. We received warning roughly fifty years ago from one of our planet's satellites stationed around Pluto Something had triggered one of the sensors."

"Fifty years ago? That would put us roughly around 2050, AD. If that's true then…"

"Yes, indeed. It was roughly 2050 when we first received warning that perhaps we were not alone in the universe, after all. We began to construct mobile weapons to defend ourselves as well as space colonies in case the Earth became uninhabitable. War struck, however, plunging our world into darkness."

"The Neo Zeon Wars…" Kryska's eyes widened, "Then the Dancougars…"

"Yes, indeed." It was a new voice that interrupted Kryska. One that she, who had been working here for the past few years, did not recognize. It was a heavy, thick and resounding voice. One that commanded the utmost respect. "Dancougar was originally created to combat these alien life forms."

The virtual globe in the center of the room swirled into the center and transformed itself into a floating pale, blue head. "The wars mankind has fought have only prepared it for this coming battle."

"It's been a while, WILL." Tanaka smiled as the floating virtual head examined Kryska. It was clear that the two knew each other.

"What does this have to do with Aika's forced amnesia and the plane he was on? Answer me!" Kryska's hands were shaking much more violent now. Her fingers could easily slip and pull the trigger.

"That is one of the questions I do not have the answer for. All I know is that it was created for a purpose completely different from the Dancougars. Rather, its purpose was different. Now, I fear that things have changed…outside…of what should have happened."

"What do you mean, 'was?' What do you mean things have changed?"

"I feel as if some outside force, some demonic force, is manipulating the world into its own twisted vision. If this is true, then the Hyperion, no, the Saver Guardian may be our hope. You need a team for the coming battle."

"I-I need a team?" Kryksa was taken aback by WILL's words. "You're give me command of this operation? I don't think that's wise."

"It is." Tanaka smiled and worked for directly towards Kryska, who was still holding the gun in her hands. "It was your father's wish for you to live an ordinary life. It seems I won't be able to make that promise a reality after all." Tanaka held out a small key-like object in his hands.

"Is this a key?" Kryska pulled the key away from Tanaka. "What's it for?"

"That neither of us know." WILL spoke up again. "It was left with us for safe-keeping. When the time comes, it will reveal the purpose it was meant to fulfill. For now, though, go find the organization that is next on your list. You will need financial support to further your operations after all."

"You two… Maybe I was wrong after all." Kryska clenched her new key in between her hands. "I'll do this. For my father's sake. I'm off then to Shibuya then."

As Kryska exited the room, Tanaka's smile cracked into a grin. "She's gone."

"Good," A third voice entered the fray. This time, it was rather dry and cracking. Between the communicator receiver and wherever it was coming from. "Tanaka, I assume you told what she needed to know and only that? Don't answer that question. We're moving up to Phase 02 of the plan. Start the preparations."

"Phase 02, sir? Now? We only recently got the key. We can't possibly be moving this fast with so little time." Tanaka was growing frantic by the second. "If we move up to Phase 02 without the proper procedures, we'll…"

"Tanaka!" The newcomer had grown impatient. "Prepare for Phase 02. They are on the move. We can't afford to waste anymore time. We have to act now or lose our advantage. We need that team assembled now."

"F.S, sir. We may have a little problem with that. We still haven't fully unlocked the weapon's full systems yet. They've been locked, sir. From the outside."

"Interesting, indeed. What are you thoughts on that situation, WILL?"

"I believe it may be the Artificial Intelligence on board the unit. I am unable to access any information regarding the machine, the pilot, nor the AI. The encryption is highly exceptional. It would takes me years to even unlock the lock."

"Interesting. Is it possible that the AI has begun to function on its own? I do believe that may be the case. Keep an eye on the unit. Also; I've alerted our associates to begun the operation. Be warned: I have no knowledge for the operation times."

"I'm assuming we're headed to a new location?" Shinobu perked up, leaning forward into the center of the small cramped space. "Couldn't hurt to get some rest on the way."

"Yes. From what I've heard of the orders, we're headed to Shibuya." Sara added. "Masato, you've been. What's it like nowadays?"

Masato, the youngest of the CBF, had taken the spot of the group's information index for the global metropolitan centers. "Well, it hasn't changed much. Aside from the Katou Organization's random attacks now and again, it's still the same old Shibuya."

"I'm assuming the law enforcement still doesn't do anything?" Ryo added in. "Can't say I'm surprised."

"What can they do?" Sakuya sighed. "It's not like the cops do anything to protect the people to begin with, let alone those without homes."

"Its true. The Katou Organization is pretty fierce. I managed to do a little digging with my old's connections. Apparently, the police have tried to arrest a few key members of the organization. Most of the people would wind up dead, their bodies slashed in half." Kurara muttered underneath her breath, "They're definitely a pleasant group to deal with."

"I've read about that. 'Mysterious Swordsman Strikes Fear into The Hearts of Japan.' They can't catch the killer either. He just vanishes without a trace of ever being there, leaving just the body." Johnny pulled out a page from one of the few magazines he had sitting beside seat.

"I'm so glad I left." Aoi sighed, as she flipped through the magazine before tossing it aside. "It was a pretty crowded city. Though the shopping was good."

"Shopping?" One of the two girls at the far end of the truck perked up. "What was it like? You know, being rich and all." The girl's orange hair stood out, amongst the rest of the awkward hair styles and colors. "Eh… I mean, if it's not all that trouble."

"Mai, just quiet down!" Natsuki pulled her friend's shirt in an attempt to get her to be quiet. "We're on a job right now!"

"Okay, folks. Enough chit-chat." Kryska stood up, "We're doing this right the first time. Our mission is to defeat the Katou Organization's primary forces at this point. If we let them progress, Shibuya will fall into their hands. We don't want that. Don't worry though! We won't be going in alone. We'll be receiving support from a special operations group."

"Who?" It was Aika's time to ask a question.

"A certain company known as JUDA. Most of you will probably know them as the world's leading manufacturer of pharmaceuticals. In reality, they have possession of four Machina units."

"Machina? As in Deus Machina?!" Kurou jumped, banging his head off of the ceiling in the process.

"No, you fool! Machina does not equal Deus Machina!" Al Azif spoke, banging her partner on his head with her spare hand. "Machina have to have factors, people who manipulate them like a Magus and a Deus Machina."

"Okay, folks. Let's do this!" Kryska raised her hand into the air.

"Wait a minute," Aoi and Shinobu stared and spoke in unison, "That was my line!"

PART 01:

END

NEXT PART:

Rise of the Machine Gods-

Part 02: Linebarrel, ACTIVATION!