Chapter IX
Hello everyone, time for Final Reign's newest chapter. Not much to say here, really. Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and like the new things I unveiled, like Albedo being a Dragon Slayer. I'd like to thank my coauthor Bakuto Masaki as usual. Not many reviews yet, but a couple. So on to reviewer responses.
YumishinaChan: Thank you for your praise of the chapter. This one was a little harder to write than some others. Glad you liked it and hope you like this one, too.
Bakuto Masaki: Glad you liked it, I figured that being the twist would be awesome. Probably not many. Most readers in RTTPD L2 hadn't even heard of the Einst before. I did.
Well, that's about it so on to the actual chapter I suppose.
Aboard the Dawn Under Heaven, Del Rio stood on the bridge as the ship had exited slip-space and was refueling at an Anchor station.
As he stood there, a strange man with short, combed back black hair, which was graying on the sides, a trimmed graying beard, amber eyes, a UNSC officer's uniform, and small square glasses walked up to him. The man spoke with a southern accent to Del Rio. "Captain, I have a request to make of you."
Del Rio turned to the man incredulously. "Director Church, your requests always come with baggage. I'll hear this one, but just know you'll need to convince me of how good an idea it is."
Church nodded and adjusted his glasses. "I understand your trepidation, Captain, but I assure you, you will be most enticed by this request. I understand you are heading out into this unknown area of space commanded by this 'Galactic Federation Government', I also understand we know little to nothing about this area. So are you certain that just those six Spartans you're taking with you are enough?"
Del Rio narrowed his eyes. "Stop beating around the bush Director, I don't have time for this."
Church nodded with a sigh. "I understand, Captain. My point is this: my project, the Spartan-III group that has been given the title Freelancer, I believe they could use actual combat experience. So far, all they've received is combat training, simulation battles, and spars against one another. I've seen the reports Master Sergeant Manase submitted, these 'Gnosis' seem like a rather formidable opponent. Couldn't you use the extra firepower?"
Del Rio raised a curious eyebrow. "You want to send the entire group with Noble Team?"
"Out of the question," a new voice added.
Church and Del Rio turned as Carter walked up.
"Do you have a problem with the Freelancers, Commander?" Church asked snidely.
Carter looked at Church suspiciously. "That's not necessarily my reason. It's mainly the number. I've got enough trouble keeping my own team in line. Emil and Jun weren't happy about Kat being added in, so I've still got that to deal with. I don't have time to babysit your Spartans as well."
Church leered at Carter's comments before Del Rio cut in. "I understand your opinion Carter, and would much rather leave this matter to just Noble Team."
Carter turned to Del Rio with a light smirk, Church frowned in disappointment.
"However, I've seen the video and reports that Alister sent in, if we do encounter these Gnosis things, we'll need every Spartan we can get. Besides, Texas and Washington were taken with Alister's team before, though they came back after the mission changed. I may have my own...misgivings, about Director Church's project, but for now I'll put that aside. And don't worry about the chain of command, Freelancer and Noble Team will be separate but equal. I will be in command of both groups, and both groups will act independently. How does that sit with you?"
Carter frowned for a moment before saluting. "Yes, sir."
Del Rio then turned to Church. "Director?"
Church nodded. "That is perfectly acceptable for me. I have twelve members in particular that I believe would do well to go with you. If you don't mind, Captain."
Del Rio nodded stiffly. "Very well. The Dawn will be ready to move out in about three hours. Can you have them here and ready by then?"
"Of course, Captain."
As Church exited the room, Carter sneered at him. "Captain Del Rio-."
Del Rio put a hand up. "Save it. You can already take it as read that I agree with you. But what I said before still stands, Noble Team will need assistance on this op."
Carter nodded in begrudging understanding and then left the bridge.
.Alister, John, Salcito, Murasaki, Homura, Erza, Mirajane, Shion, Jr., Ziggy, MOMO, chaos, and Allen stood in a dark hospital room where they were face to face with a massive red Gnosis, intent on killing them.
John didn't waste a second pulling out his assault rifle and fire on it.
The creature merely growled angrily and swung at him.
John ducked and then jumped up, attempting to slam his fist into it. However, the fist on its back swung up and slammed into him, sending him through the wall.
Allen turned to Shion and the others frantically. "Chief! Jr.! Alister! Wake up!"
Shion was the first to realize what was happening and fell back, into Alister, knocking him down.
Alister groaned before waking up and seeing the monster. He stood up and looked at it, growling angrily. He helped Shion up and kicked Jr. away as the monster slammed its fist down.
"W-what is that…?" Shion asked horrified.
Alister stood up angrily at the beast. "I…don't know what it is, but…but it seems to be…"
"…Made of our memories…" Jr. finished.
Alister nodded and stood up beside Shion. He then pulled out Cerberus and fired at it, the creature was unphased at it swung its arm down at him.
Erza jumped in the way and blocked the strike with her sword and pushed its arm back with force. She turned around to Alister and Shion. "You need to wake up, we'll need your help to beat this thing."
Alister grit his teeth and nodded. "Yeah, but this thing seems resistant to everything we do."
The creature reared its arms up and swung down at the group again.
They dodged to the strike, before Alister noticed something strange, the glowing orb in the center of its chest. He aimed Cerberus and fired at it.
The creature howled and slid back before swinging at Alister again.
He ducked under the attack and shouted to the others, "The orb on its chest!"
They nodded and Salcito and John proceeded to unload their guns at the creature.
However, they realized something strange as a result. It wasn't being affected.
"Well…" Jr. trailed off, "…that's not good."
The creature then spun to one side, raised its arm in the air and slammed it down on the ground.
The shockwave knocked everyone to the ground as it moved to strike Shion who had fallen nearby.
As it attempted to slam its fist down on her she raised a hand and shouted, "Noo!" As she did that, a small blast of golden energy shot from her palm and hit the beast's hand and sent it back against the wall. Shion looked up from her prone position perplexed and confused. "How did I…?"
Alister shook off his fatigue and then helped her up. "I don't know but somehow you just hit that thing with what looked like magic."
"M-magic?! But…that's impossible."
Alister shook his head and turned to the creature as it stood up. "No…it's not. One thing my grandmother told me was that a person discovers their magic in a time of emotional distress. And I assume that if you've been seeing anything close to what I've been hallucinating…then this counts as that."
Shion lowered her head some as the thoughts in her head became clearer, the images of the strange creatures in the hospital room, slaughtering those within. She shook her head clear and then looked at Alister and nodded assuredly.
Alister then turned back to the monster as it swung at them and raised his fist, pulsing it with lightning, shirking the attack off.
Jr. shook his head and looked ahead. 'If they both saw something that turned into this monster then it must mean...only the three of us can kill it.' Jr. nodded to himself and then pulled out his pistols and aimed at the monster, firing a series of shots at the jewel on its chest.
The monster howled as the bullets hit it with force.
Alister looked at Jr. and smirked, before charging his hands and rushing at the creature, jumping over its head, and then coming down with a powerful lightning filled fist.
Jr. ducked as one of the arms tried to hit him and then grunted when the other landed a blow, sending him crashing against the wall.
"Jr.!" Alister shouted as the creature turned to the downed gunslinger.
Jr. clenched his fists angrily and looked at the creature, images of Albedo flashing into his mind. "You...son of a...!" His body was then covered in red flowing energy before he kicked off the corner of the wall and up into the air. He then acted on instinct, pulling his arm back, flowing his energy into it and slamming his fist down, shouting, "Red Spirit Dragon Iron Fist!"
The creature howled as the floor below it cracked from the force of the blow.
Alister smirked as Jr. landed next to him. "Nice moves."
Jr. grinned proudly. "Thanks. Problem is, even after all that it still hasn't gone down."
Alister nodded. "Yeah...this...thing, it's using our memories. It's trying to beat us with them."
Shion narrowed her eyes and then nodded to herself. "Then...maybe we need to do what Nephilim suggested..."
Alister sighed and then looked at the monster as it stood back up. "Maybe...but right now the only thing we need to worry about is killing this thing." As the creature stood back up, it raised both its hands in front of the jewel on its chest as energy began to collect. Alister widened his eyes and then grit his teeth. "This is bad." He turned to the rest of their group and ordered, "Back up!"
John and Ziggy stuck out their arms to push the others back as the energy continued collecting.
Alister clenched his fists as he tried to think of a way to counter its attack. He then had an idea. "Shion, can you shoot that blast of energy again?"
Shion looked at him puzzled and then raised her hand and concentrated, seeing small flickering lights flow from her palm. She then looked at him and nodded. "I think so."
Alister then turned to Jr.
Jr. tightened his fists as he was covered in red energy.
Alister nodded and turned to the creature. "Then we attack all at once."
The others nodded in agreement.
Jr. spread his arms and then clenched his fists, slamming them together and placed them in front of his mouth, one over the other.
Alister closed his eyes and took a breath before unconsciously doing the same as Shion raised her hands in front of her, grasping her right hand with her left. Alister then snapped his eyes open. "Now!"
The energy blast fired from the monster as the trio fired a blast of their own, red energy and bright yellow lightning from Jr. and Alister and yellow energy from Shion. "Roar of the Heavenly Lightning Spirit!" they shouted in unison as the energy converged into one powerful blast of energy and then met the monster's, resulting in shockwaves of pressure and energy to flash out in all directions as the room was torn to pieces from the two beams of energy colliding.
Jr., Alister, and Shion grimaced as theirs was being pushed back.
The others watched in worry as the beast seemed to be winning. Chaos watched and then lightly raised one hand, a small ambient light emanating from his palm.
The beam the three were using suddenly glowed brighter before surging forward and blasting straight through the monster and the wall, tearing both into pieces as the monster wavered and vanished.
However, as it did, its body turned into multiple purple lights that streaked around the area, encircling the group.
The lights then began to circle and centralize on Alister, Shion, and Jr. Shion ducked and shouted as the lights circled faster and faster.
Alister and Jr. snarled as they sped up. Jr. and Alister then began to shout in agony.
"Hey, what's wrong!?" Erza shouted.
One of the lights in each group then slammed straight into each of them.
Shion, Alister, Jr., chaos, Ziggy, Allen, MOMO, Murasaki, Homura, Erza, Mirajane, John, and Salcito then found themselves in a strange place. A small, hilly field with a large tree in the center. Nephilim and Febronia stood next to the group as they observed two young girls running and playing around the tree. Another Febronia sitting at the base of the tree as the two girls played.
The Febronia by the group then turned to Shion apologetically. "I am sorry, Shion...I know it was hard for you...But..."
Shion turned to her and observed, "There are..."
"Two of you..." Alister finished.
Febronia answered, "The woman sitting over there isn't me. It's just an image created for the girls. An illusion. This is their world...created solely for Cecily and Cathe. I am using KOS-MOS' Encephalon construction abilities to show it to all of you."
"But..." Alister mumbled, "they seem...so happy."
"Would you say that...if you were to see this?"
The world then shifted, the grass disappeared and the ground turned white, the sky turned black, and the tree turned black and rotted, the fake Febronia lying on the ground motionless, the girls still running around the tree with no changes in their actions.
Alister's eyes widened as he and the others looked around and saw that there were now pieces and chunks of buildings lying in the ground around them.
Febronia explained, "This is...just an illusion that traps them here...a binding spell created by mankind to control the Zohar. But..as far as they know, this world is reality. I want you...to release my sisters...please, for the future of the Realians as well..."
"The future of the Realians...?" Shion asked, perplexed.
"Not just for their future..." Nephilim began, "but for the future of humans, non-humans, and all matter of living consciousness...Feb and I can only exist in this world of consciousness. We can only come into contact with the real world for a short time. That is why I called for all of you...so that the future may be changed."
"Change...the future?"
Nephilim pointed the sky and motioned, "Look."
As she did that, the group was suddenly transported to the depths of space, no other place in sight.
Everyone looked around puzzled before a planet appeared in the sky in front of them, bright blue with multiple large lights all over its body.
"Miltia..." Shion said sadly.
They watched as KOS-MOS suddenly flew towards the planet, strange equipment on her body as she approached the planet.
"That's..." Shion observed puzzled, "KOS-MOS?!"
The planet below her then began to pules and glow as it changed to a deep, crimson red color. Energy began to collect in one spot before surging out towards KOS-MOS in a stream.
"Hey!" Alister shouted reactively.
Cannons on her shoulders began to glow and collect energy before a beam of her own fired at the other one.
The two beams collided in a bright explosion of energy.
The collision resulted in a chain reaction seen from the edges of the galaxy as it was all annihilated by the reaction of the two beams colliding.
The group watched as the light expanded outward from the collision.
Nephilim then explained, "That stream of energy...is the consciousness known as U-DO."
"What?" Jr. responded in shock, "U-DO?!"
"U-DO was the source of the space-time anomaly that engulfed Miltia fourteen years ago. What you just saw was a vision of the future, where U-DO encounters KOS-MOS in the form in which she was meant to be."
The others listened as they watched the light begin to recede, everything within its radius vanished.
"U-DO will awaken soon. He feeds upon the consciousness of those who intend to awaken him, as well as those who wish to seek him..."
Jr. grit his teeth as he listened to Nephilim. "It's gonna wake up...soon...?"
"The future you just saw is but one of an infinite set of potential phenomena. But that does not mean the future is already set. Even the smallest of waves can spread throughout the whole. Phenomena change with every moment, just like a drifting wave."
Shion then turned to Nephilim. "Are you saying...that we're that wave?"
"Yet, before it all begins...I wanted you to...face your pasts. But...I see you are not ready yet."
Alister growled at the young looking girl. "Not ready?! We just killed a giant super-Gnosis!"
Nephilim seemed to ignore him as she continued. "I am sorry."
"But..." Shion began puzzled, "why us?"
"Shion...you were once touched by a Gnosis. Despite that, you remain unchanged, the same as before. That is why..."
"That's why...?"
"There will be a time when I can discuss why. If you go back to Miltia...the place where it all began...then you will see..."
Shion shook her head in denial as Febronia and Nephilim faded away. She reached out to them in a futile attempt. "Wait!"
Alister ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "You...have got to be kidding me. Does anybody else know what that was about?"
Everyone merely stood silently before a strange door phased into existence.
Shion, without waiting for an explanation from anyone, walked towards the door. The others walked up behind her.
As they approached, Alister felt something strange and turned around as they reached the door. He raised an eyebrow as a strange machine with a large spear and what appeared to be an oversized hand appeared behind the group. "Wh-what the...?"
Erza turned and noticed this. "What is..." She then tensed and urged everyone towards the door as she ran over to Alister.
Alister grumbled as the machine floated over to them. "Agh, what now?!"
Erza pulled out her Connection Gear and pointed it forward. "We should be able to hold that A.M.W.S. off."
Alister looked at her flatly. "I can't bring mine here."
Erza smirked. "Haruka uses the same transport code for all of her A.M.W.S." She pressed a button on her Connection Gear as two lights came out, forming into the Vysaga and Delta Plus."
Alister raised an eyebrow and then shrugged, jumping towards his new A.M.W.S. and getting in the cockpit.
Erza also entered hers.
Shion turned as she heard the noise. "Hey, what're you two doing?!"
Alister turned back to the group and waved them on. "We'll handle this thing, go!"
Shion looked at him concerned before John grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door.
Alister turned towards the strange A.M.W.S. and got into a battle stance. "I don't know who you are or how you got here, but you're done here."
The pilot remained silent as the machine waved its hand and the individual segments on the oversized hand split and flew off.
"F-funnels! Crap!" Alister dodged the flying weapons as they attempted to shoot his A.M.W.S.
The unknown A.M.W.S. raced towards Alister and attempted to stab him with its spear. He pulled out his A.M.W.S.' blue beam saber and blocked the enemy's strike.
Alister smirked in response. "Sorry, but it'll take more than that."
The enemy turned and dashed away as Erza came from behind with a sword and tried to slice at it.
The enemy sent more of its funnels at the duo, shooting energy beams at both of them.
Alister blocked them with his shield and then pointed his shield at the unknown A.M.W.S. "Heh, let's try this out, shall we?!" His Delta Plus spun around before pieces and sections moved around, resulting in the Delta Plus turning into a jet mode, the shield forming the nose with several beam cannons on the front. "Now, try this!" He rushed forward at high speeds.
The unknown A.M.W.S. flinched before its funnels formed an energy shield to block him.
Alister turned back into A.M.W.S. mode, planted his feet on the barrier, flipped over the top, and then drop-kicked the unknown A.M.W.S.
Erza came in from the side with dual swords at the enemy.
The unknown A.M.W.S. barely managed to backflip as Erza swung at it, before kicking her Vysaga away and attempting to pierce the center of her A.M.W.S.
"Crap!" Alister shouted. He turned into jet mode and soared towards Erza's Vysaga, slamming into it roughly but knocking it out of the way. "Gah!" Alister grunted as the spear pierced the middle of his A.M.W.S.
The unknown A.M.W.S. flinched momentarily before being punched by Erza. It looked at the two of them puzzled as Alister turned back into A.M.W.S. mode and reassembled its funnels. A woman's voice was then heard from inside the machine as Erza supported Alister's damaged Delta Plus. "...Why...?" A moment later the machine vanished without a trace.
Alister sighed in relief as it did. "Damn...that was harder than I expected."
"It seems like a new model. I don't recognize it," Erza remarked.
Alister nodded as Erza sent his and her A.M.W.S. away. "Come on, we should join up with the others."
Erza nodded in return as the two of them headed through the strange door nearby.
Alister and Erza walked through the door to find themselves inside of a long, strange cave, the others looking at the door worriedly.
Murasaki ran up to Alister and held his hand in hers. She smiled lightly at him happily.
Alister raised an eyebrow and then smirked. "You guys waited?"
Shion nodded. "Yeah...I wanted to make sure you two were okay." She then glanced at John derisively. "However someone wouldn't let me go back through the door."
Alister just chuckled. "I see, good work John."
John nodded silently.
Alister then looked past the group and saw KOS-MOS hanging from a cross, a series of thick wires and cords holding her to it. "So...what about her? Isn't she why we came here?"
Shion nodded. "Yes, but I didn't want to do anything in case it stranded you two here."
Alister smiled and nodded. "Well...thanks for not leaving us here to be trapped in a video game."
"Video game...?" Shion asked confused.
Alister sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "Don't ask. Let's just do what we need to do."
Shion nodded and then turned to KOS-MOS. She then walked up to her and placed a hand on the side of her face. "KOS-MOS...so, this is your..."
KOS-MOS' body then began to glow with bright light.
The others watched in confusion as Shion nodded and swiped her hand through the air. "Ye shall be as gods..."
KOS-MOS then responded monotonously, "Disarming subconscious domain protection."
A bright light then emanated from her body and filled the room, blinding everyone.
A few moments later and the whole group found themselves back inside KOS-MOS' maintenance room in the Elsa.
Shion herself came to slowly and removed her Dive goggles. She looked around and saw everyone standing in the room as well.
A few lights blinked on KOS-MOS' pod before it opened up. KOS-MOS herself awakened and then stepped out of the pod.
Shion stood up and looked at KOS-MOS with a small smile. "Morning...KOS-MOS..."
KOS-MOS turned to Shion and responded, "Good morning, Shion." KOS-MOS then looked around the room, as if just then realizing everyone was there.
Chaos looked around the room with a smile. "Well, looks like we all managed to make it back."
"Chief!" Allen shouted before running over to her.
However, as soon as he was within hugging range, Alister just so happened to step in front of him and put a hand on her shoulder.
Allen stopped mid-run and grumbled quietly.
Alister looked at Shion concerned. "You alright? If the things you saw were half as fucked up as what I saw..."
Shion nodded weakly. "Yes...it's nothing."
Alister just sighed and shook his head. "Whatever..."
After that, the group made their way to the Durandal's bridge.
Roman, who was on the bridge with Mary, Shelley, and Gaignun, turned as the group entered the bridge, a few security Realians guarding them.
Shion walked up to Roman with a disc in her hand, giving it to the woman. "I present to you the memory bank data from the Anti-Gnosis Humanoid Weapon System KP-X, KOS-MOS. Protection Level AAA, with no possibility of alteration."
Roman saluted as she took the disc from Shion. "Memory bank data accepted. Please remain within the Miltian star system until you're cleared of all charges."
After handing the data over to Roman and waiting for her to leave to report to the rest of the Federation, the group decided to stay on the bridge for a few moments to cool down.
"Phew," Mary moaned excitedly, "well I am sure glad that escapade's over and done with!"
Shelley then looked at Jr. and said, "You don't look very happy. Did something happen?"
"Huh?" he responded mindlessly. "Yeah. You could say that...I still can't believe it..."
MOMO crossed her arms as she remembered what had happened, looking down at the floor uncomfortably.
Mary and Shelley looked at the two curiously.
Roman then reappeared on the bridge with someone else in tow. "We've got another friend of yours to release, too."
Gaignun stood between Roman and several security Realians as he entered the bridge.
"Oh...!" Mary gasped happily.
"Master Gaignun!" Mary and Shelley exclaimed happily. They immediately ran up to and hugged the man happy to see him again.
Alister looked at him flatly. "Lucky bastard."
Shion lightly elbowed him in the gut.
"Ow...what was that for?"
"Hmph."
Gaignun embraced the two women before turning to Jr.
"Hey," the young redhead said plainly.
"You've done well..." Gaignun praised flatly.
"Ahh, no big deal...but...it sure brought back a lot of bad memories..." Jr. then turned to Shion. "Hey, Shion...that girl...she called herself Nephilim, right?"
Shion responded clumsily, "Uh...right."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, but..."
"Hmm..."
"What's...wrong...?"
"Well...if that girl is somehow connected to what I'm thinking of...then things are gonna get real busy, real soon..."
Sometime later, Allen, Alister, and chaos were sitting in the Durandal's observation park, sitting on one of the benches.
Allen leant over on his knees as he thought about what had happened in the Encephalon. "...She was crying, wasn't she?"
Alister ran a hand through his hair as he looked out at the stars. "...Yeah...I'd say so. I saw enough to know that."
As they spoke, Allen thought back to shortly after the incident when the original KOS-MOS went haywire, when he visited Kevin's grave with Shion. "I think that's only the second time I've ever seen her cry...no matter what happens, she never shares her pain with anyone..."
Alister listened and then sighed. "I actually know what that's like."
Allen turned to him curiously and mildly insulted. "How could you-?" he began harshly before Alister interrupted.
"I know what it's like to have to hide behind walls like that. She's a leader, right? How would it look to those who follow her, to those who weren't there, to she Shion as a broken down mess?"
"Well I-," Allen stammered.
"She needs to pretend to be strong as long as possible to lead the people under her, to get them to trust and believe her."
"I didn't mean-!"
"So don't go getting all philosophical about her actions, about hiding her emotions when it's the only way she can lead the mindless chickens under her!"
"Alright, alright! I get it!" Allen shouted, standing up in frustration.
Chaos merely observed them as they spoke.
"I wasn't trying to insult you or anything, I just...!"
Alister stood up and stared Allen down frustrated. "You just...what?!"
Chaos then stepped between the two and pushed them aside lightly. "You two shouldn't be fighting like this, not after you got through something like that so recently."
"What?! Him?!" Alister accused. "Near as I can tell all he did was stand around shouting encouragement!"
Allen glared the UNSC pilot down. "What was that?! You weren't there when we had to fight through a bunch of Gnosis just to get to that church!"
"That so?! And what'd you do, stand around cheerleading while Shion and chaos took care of the real work?!"
"At least I'm not some meathead who goes around shooting anything that moves!"
Alister looked at Allen surprised and then chuckled. "Heh, heh, so...you do have a few teeth in that gob of yours." His expression then flattened as he clenched his fists. "Let me knock them out for you."
"No!" chaos shouted as he stepped in the way of Alister's swing.
Alister raised an eyebrow, stopping just short of slugging the dark-skinned pacifist. He then sighed and stepped back. "Damn..."
Chaos then looked between Allen and Alister. "Now...the two of you should really stop fighting." He then turned to Allen. "I wasn't there to see but I'm certain Alister had his own trials based on events from his past to face, just like Shion and Jr."
Allen frowned and looked at Alister. "Ah...well...I...sorry..."
Alister just huffed.
Chaos then turned his attention to Alister himself. "And while Allen may not have had much combat effectiveness, he helped us get through those packs of Gnosis in his own way."
Alister just frowned in defeat. "Er...shit..."
Allen then turned to chaos pathetically. "You know chaos...you're too nice."
Chaos merely smiled lightly. "Kindness...sometimes it binds us...but still..."
Outside the Foundation, the Federation ships continued to encircle the structure prohibitively.
Meanwhile, within the Foundation, Gaignun sat in his office speaking to Helmer while Mary and Shelley were lying on the bed, Jr. sitting on the edge of the bed listening to Gaignun and Helmer's conversation.
As Gaignun sat and listened, Helmer reported, "They've completed their review of KOS-MOS' subconscious domain records today, and the Federation fleet is preparing to leave the area. The charges against Second Miltia and the Kukai Foundation will be officially dropped tomorrow. That's quite a job you pulled off there."
Gaignun nodded appreciatively. "We couldn't have done it without you. You have my thanks." Gaignun then turned momentarily to observe the sleeping forms of Mary and Shelley nearby. "So, Mizrahi's 100-Series...seems to be quite important."
Helmer nodded in affirmation. "Yes. I doubt they'll stand by and let her go that easily. You'd better be careful."
"Right. Now...I wonder what they're going to try next..."
Shion lied on her bed in her room on the Durandal after the events in the Encephalon and involving the Federation had finally seemed to pass. "I can't believe I just handed over top-secret company info to the Federation without permission...I am SO fired..." After realizing that particular situation Shion then thought about something that had happened right after returning from the Encephalon while on the bridge. She remembered seeing MOMO slowly walk despondently towards the lift before exiting the bridge. "MOMO...she looked so sad..." She also remembered Allen asking her for dinner earlier and refusing him for feeling poorly. "Guess I'm not quite myself, either..." She spent a few moments tossing uneasily on her bed before rolling on her side and looking out into the projection of Second Miltia in front of her as she thought. "Nephilim...Febronia...and her sisters...what does she mean...'release them'? And KOS-MOS and U-DO...? All this facing the past stuff...what...what am I supposed to do...? Ugh, I don't understand any of it..."
In another area of the galaxy, Albedo sat in a large, dark, nearly empty chamber, sitting on a throne-like seat, Kirsch standing meekly next to him. In his hands was a Connection Gear he was using to communicate to Margulis.
"The vermin have eluded the trap..." Margulis told the insane man frustrated. "Prepare yourselves..."
Albedo cackled maniacally in response as he stroked the motionless body of a Kirschwasser he held in his arms, Kirsch wincing at the sight. "So, we'll finally hear it...the Song!" He then tossed the motionless Realian down. He then turned to Kirsch and lightly stroked her cheek with his fingers. "Isn't it a glorious moment?"
Kirsch merely did her best to resist pulling away as he touched her face, trembling slightly.
"I can't wait...for that wonderful Song!"
Zellex merely huffed at Albedo's cackling. "You should consider calming yourself. We don't need you losing control before we even get started."
Albedo finished his chortling with a chuckle and turned to Zellex with a grin. "Me...? Calm...? You must be joking. I'm always happy and excited," he then turned to Kirsch with a sadistic smirk, "isn't that right 'Kirsch'?"
On the Elsa, chaos sat on the bridge with the others, working on the large console to the side. However, as he worked he stopped when he heard a strange sound drifting through the air.
Jr. and Gaignun sat in Gaignun's office, Gaignun at his desk and Jr. on a pool table, as they too heard the sound, calling their attention towards a random spot in space.
As he looked upward, Jr. said, "Hey, Gaignun...that's..."
Gaignun tensed as he heard the sound as well. "It can't be...the Song of Nephilim...?"
Back on the Elsa, chaos suddenly stood up and shouted, "No!"
Hammer and Tony turned to him in confusion.
"chaos...?" Matthews asked confused.
Chaos seemed to ignore him as he demanded, "That Song. They mustn't allow it to play..."
Inside Wilhelm's office, the building began to shake heavily.
The man in red looked up from the chess game he and Wilhelm were playing. "The Song..."
"So it begins," Wilhelm observed.
Alister sat in his room on the Durandal when he too began to hear the strange song. He sat up puzzled and looked around. "What is...that?" Alister shook his head and pinched his nose, thinking he was hearing things, and then turned his attention to where it almost seemed the song was coming from.
Outside the Foundation, the Federation ships were making their move to leave the area, when a large blast of amber energy came down and struck one of the ships, causing it to explode.
As the ship exploded and fell to pieces, its debris slammed into other vessels, destroying them in the process.
More of the blasts of energy began raining down on the fleet at that moment.
On the Durandal's bridge, the 100-Series Realians manning the bridge suddenly began frantically giving out reports. "Large-scale gate-out. Repeat, large-scale gate-out. The U.M.N. geodesic structure is being forcibly replaced!"
Jr. and the others ran on to the bridge and looked out into the space around the Foundation.
"The Gnosis!" Jr. exclaimed in shock.
"Jr., the Federation ships…!" MOMO pleaded.
As they looked up into the space outside, they saw a large number of Gnosis gathering around the Foundation, destroying the Federation fleet, with more and more Gnosis gating out into the area.
Shion, Alister, and the rest finally made their way to the bridge to see what the commotion was about.
"The Gnosis are closing in! Four minutes to contact with the Foundation!" one the 100-Series reported.
"The civilians!" Shelley realized. "Start evacuating them immediately! If all else fails, we may have to abandon the Foundation. Is that acceptable?"
Jr. looked at her in thought for a moment before turning back to the Gnosis outside. "I'll leave it to you. Evacuate all civilians into the Durandal!"
"Acknowledged. I'll make the announcement."
As the alarm around the Foundation began to sound, Alister stood at the back of the bridge and began to feel a strange sensation in the back of his mind. He narrowed his eyes in thought. 'This…feeling. Is it this Song…? No…this is…something else.' Without saying another word, Alister used the list and left the bridge, making his way to the hangar.
As Alister did that, the Foundation's alarms blared and civilians began clamoring onto the shuttles going to and from the Durandal and the Foundation in droves.
On the bridge, Shion turned to Allen and demanded, "Where's KOS-MOS!? If we activate the Hilbert Effect, it could buy us some time for the evacuation!"
At that exact moment, KOS-MOS arrived on the lift. "Shion. Did you call for me?"
Shion turned to the android as she approached. "KOS-MOS, are you ready?"
"Yes. I am ready."
Alister made his way towards the hangar, multiple workers there already.
One of them turned to him. "Hey, what're you doing?"
Alister looked at the man sternly. "I'm sortieing, don't try and stop me!"
"What?! You can't do that!"
Alister shook the man's arm off and stared him down. "And what will you do about it?"
"He, will do nothing," a new voice challenged.
Alister turned as he saw Clair stand in front of him. He looked at her seriously. "Not now, Clair. There's something out there, and I need to find it."
"You're right, there is. Gnosis. And lots of them. If you go out there now, you will die. And more than that, you will destroy one of our best A.M.W.S."
Alister sighed as he raised a hand, lightning sparking on it. "Seriously…don't get in my way."
Clair narrowed her eyes and pulled out her gunblade, unfolding it into its sword form. "If you really want to get out there, you'll have to get by me."
Alister hissed in annoyance and then charged with an electrified fist.
Clair flipped over his punch and landed behind him, swing her blade.
However, her blade was countered with Alister's own, his HF Blade. He pushed her off and then unsheathed the sword. He then adopted a confident smirk as he pressed the switch on the handle. "I've been waiting to try this out."
Clair watched as the blade began to vibrate at high speeds before beginning to glow in a vibrant orange color. She huffed and then changed her gunblade to its gun mode and fired several shots at Alister.
He ducked to the side, kipped back up and then rushed at Clair's legs with his blade.
Clair took a moment as he passed by and looked Alister straight in the eyes, and saw that he was determined to take his A.M.W.S. out and find the source of what he was feeling. It was also at that moment that Clair made no attempt to dodge when Alister kicked her away with his foot before turning and running towards the Delta Plus.
As he ran by, one of the crew attempted to stop him.
"Leave him be," Clair ordered as she folded her weapon into its holster.
"B-but, ma'am."
Clair turned to watch Alister leave. "Give it up, none of you will stop him."
The worker looked at Clair puzzled. "Er…ma'am…are you…smiling…?"
Clair frowned before turning to him. She then walked away after slugging the man on the back of the head. "Get back to work!"
Back on the Durandal's bridge, the 100-Series Realians continued to give out reports. "Reports of Gnosis sighted in colony precinct thirty-two!"
Another shouted, "They've also penetrated precincts eighteen and twenty-seven!"
"What!?" Jr. shouted in shock.
Shion turned to KOS-MOS and ordered, "The Hilbert Effect."
KOS-MOS nodded in response. "Affirmative. Activating Hilbert Effect." The camera visor folded down over her face as the massive pulses of energy erupted from her body outwards into the entirety of the space around the Foundation.
Shion observed the event assuredly. "This should keep them from materializing inside the colony."
Chaos added, "In any case, we have to hurry up and get everyone onboard. If we don't do something, the Gnosis are going to take over the entire Metropolis."
"I'll help with the evacuation!" MOMO offered.
Ziggy also volunteered. "I'll go as well."
John nodded in agreement. "I was built to fight monsters."
Salcito nodded as well. "If you don't mind, I'm going to head down to the hangar and take the fight to the Gnosis outside."
Jr. nodded in response. "Right, we'll do what we can in here."
Shion turned to KOS-MOS in thought, remembering the images she had been shown by Nephilim. She then walked up to KOS-MOS and entreated, "KOS-MOS…we're counting on you."
KOS-MOS nodded in return. "I am happy to be of service."
"Good."
The Federation continued its battle against the Gnosis, as they did, Alister dove through the battle in his Delta Plus, looking around the area.
"Where is it…what is this feeling?"
In another area of the battle, a flash of light occurred as the Simeon appeared on the battlefield. "Kukuku…looks like the fun's just getting started, eh, Zellex?"
Nearby, Zellex flew up in the Banshee, with Galdin, Malos, and Marianna with him.
Zellex looked around at the battle below them. "How pathetic. These vermin don't even realize we're here."
Malos sneered as he agreed with the observation. "What do you expect? They're nothing more than pathetic fleshlings, after all."
Galdin merely chuckled. "Heh, heh. This is looking like it'll be fun."
Marianna merely frowned. "I hope we can end this quickly."
Zellex turned to her some and then looked back at the Federation forces.
Several of the A.M.W.S. in the group turned as they noticed the small group of outsiders in the area.
Albedo chortled happily. "Hoho, looks like we get to have some fun!"
Zellex sneered in annoyance. "I'd rather not deal with these weaklings, but I suppose our hands are tied on the matter. Galdin, Malos, Marianna, fan out and eliminate these flies."
"Right!" they responded before spreading out.
Albedo chortled before the wings on his Simeon lit up and he charged at the group of A.M.W.S. "White Spirit Dragon Sword Horn!" He slammed through the group of machines, a white streak in the sky, and tore them to pieces.
Marianna rose up high above the group as the Freedom's wings spread out and its plasma cannons folded over its shoulders. "Freedom, eliminating the target." Two massive beams of white and red energy streamed from the cannons and obliterated more than a dozen Federation A.M.W.S. in its path.
Galdin flew to one side of the group and raised the rail guns in his Gundam's hands and then combined them into one large cannon. "Take this!" A gigantic beam of yellow energy exploded from the rifles and the Federation fleet felt the impact as more than twenty A.M.W.S. were destroyed along with one frigate.
Malos landed atop one of the Federation ships and then aimed his shoulder mounted cannon down and fired three shots, turned to face a group of A.M.W.S. and fired a barrage of missiles, and then fired two rifle shots at a group of fighter jets. The entire group then exploded in a display of fire and debris.
Zellex approached a Federation ship with only his Banshee's arm extended. Blue energy collected around it before he threw his arm out to the side.
The ship was encased in the same energy and then tossed to the side as if struck, and slammed into a nearby, smaller vessel, causing both and the A.M.W.S. caught in between to explode.
The admiral of the Federation fleet could only look on in horror. "T-that's…im…possible…our…entire regiment was just…annihilated by…five machines."
A crewman reported, "A-admiral, we've received a report of thirty percent loss of A.M.W.S. and A.G.W.S. forces. The Audhumla, Mahadra, and Kusanari have been destroyed."
"What…are they…?"
Albedo floated above another group of ships, the admiral's ship being right in the center, and he cackled. "Heheheh…bye-bye, admiral…" The Simeon raised its fists and then slammed them together, a magic circle appearing in the air before it raised its fists in front of its face, one in front of the other. "White Spirit Dragon-gah!"
Albedo's attack was interrupted when a blue machine suddenly came in from the side and slammed into him.
Albedo flew off to one side before managing to correct himself and looking at his attacker, the Delta Plus.
Inside the Delta Plus, Alister was glowering at Albedo. "You…you're what I was sensing."
"Ohh…?" Albedo murmured. "Me? I feel so lucky. Here, have a taste of this!" He raised his arms in the air as white energy collected around them, then extended outward resembling wings. "White Spirit Dragon Wing Attack!" He swept his arms down and out to the side.
"What the…?!" Alister barely managed to dodge to the side and fire a few shots from the beam cannons on his shield.
The Simeon's wings lit up as golden energy formed around it, deflecting the blasts. "Hahah! Weak! You're so very weak!" He then rushed towards Alister with his beam sabers out.
Alister sneered as he aimed his rifle at the Simeon. "I've got a much stronger suit than last time, asshole! Screw you!" He fired several shots at Albedo.
The energy again collected around the Simeon forming a barrier.
"Damn!"
Albedo swung with his beam sabers, Alister dodging over them before pulling out his own.
The two were then locked in a beam saber dual as they slashed, sliced, and hacked, attempting to hit the other but equally blocking at every swing.
Zellex noticed the battle between the two and turned his attention away, to the Foundation and flew towards it. "Margulis said he wanted that Realian…I suppose it would be in bad taste to blow a hole in the Foundation then…what a pain in the ass."
Back on the Foundation, the group left the transport to head out into the Foundation to help the stranded and injured civilians.
As they stepped out on the platform, John stretched his neck. "Alright, I will go alone, the rest of you split into teams of three."
KOS-MOS nodded. "That would be the most advantageous course of action."
Shion nodded as well. "Alright, chaos and I will go with KOS-MOS, is that alright chaos?"
The quiet young man merely nodded.
Jr. nodded as well. "Right, then puts me, MOMO, and Ziggy on the other team."
With that decided the three groups split off and went to different areas of the Foundation.
John made his way to an industrial sector where there were many Gnosis crawling around the area, though there were few people.
He then heard a communication from Mary. "John, John, can ya hear me?"
"Affirmative."
"We got a few dock workers stuck in there. Think you can get rid of those Gnosis and get'em out?"
"Clearing hot zones is what I do best."
"Good to hear."
Without wasting another moment he burst out from his cover and began firing on the groups of Gnosis.
He took out three with his first few shots as several Skyfish dove down at him. He ducked under the first one, grabbed the second one by the tail, and then used the second to hit the third one out of the sky and killed them both. After that, he turned and then made his way towards the main area of the industrial complex to find the stranded workers.
Salcito made his way into the hangar area where the A.M.W.S. and mobile suits were, only to find Clair in his way. "You're not going to try and stop me, are you?"
Clair shook her head. "No, at this point the situation has gotten direr. I'll be going as well, I'll show you to where your machine has been taken."
Salcito nodded in understanding.
A new voice then added, "We will be going as well."
Salcito and Clair turned to see Erza and Mira walking up to them. Salcito nodded. "Right."
Mira nodded back. "I'm also a little worried about Alister. After what happened back in the Encephalon, I'm not sure he's entirely focused."
"I wouldn't worry, Alister's not a Spartan like John or myself, but he can kick as much ass as most Spartans."
Mira smiled lightly. "Right, all the same, let's get out there and start giving the Foundation a hand."
Another Gnosis fell down and burst as KOS-MOS killed it.
Three Gremlins flew towards the group from the side.
Shion raised her hand and sent three blasts of energy at the incoming Gnosis, injuring them before KOS-MOS put them down for good.
A moment later, chaos came out of the building behind them with an older man hanging in his shoulder.
As he came out, an older woman and a young man ran up to him.
The man set the older man down. "Dad, are you alright?"
The older man nodded weakly. "Yes, a little banged up though."
Shion smiled happily. "I'm glad you're all reunited, now you need to get to the Durandal and get to safety."
The three nodded before turning and leaving for the port.
After they left chaos nodded assertively. "We should try to find the rest of the people who need help."
"Right," Shion added in agreement.
Jr. peered around a corner as he saw several large, blue Gnosis attempting to smash through a wall.
He turned back to MOMO and Ziggy.
The cyborg nodded and equipped his arm blade.
Jr. paused for a moment and then nodded as well, he and Ziggy bursting out from the corner and making their way towards the Gnosis. Jr. fired a series of shots and killed one of the large Gnosis.
The others turned and saw the duo approaching.
Jr. ran up to one of the Gnosis, slid under it firing his pistols and then kept running past them.
Ziggy came up beside the group and slashed one in half before running past as well.
The Gnosis roared in anger and pursued the two.
Jr. turned back to MOMO behind the corner and grinned.
MOMO caught his signal and nodded, running out towards the building the Gnosis were attacking.
She ducked inside the building and looked around to try and find any civilians that were trapped. She heard voices from the rooms upstairs and went to investigate.
Alister was continuing his fight against Albedo, when the insane pilot suddenly flew back, kicking Alister's Delta Plus away.
Alister was puzzled before he turned to the side and saw the reason.
The Freedom was aiming its plasma cannons at him.
His eyes widened as the cannons lit up before firing. "Crap!"
However, the moment the blast was about to hit it was deflected around him.
"W-what…?" He looked around and saw several, flying, blue guns forming a pyramid of energy around him. "What is this?"
"Hohoho, like my Beam Barrier?"
Alister turned as the Beam Barrier dispersed as the guns, which turned out to be funnels, flew back to their source, Haruka and her Akatsuki Corleone.
He also saw Erza in the Vysaga, Mirajane in the Epyon, Clair in the Justice Gundam and Salcito in the Sinanju behind her.
Alister chuckled as the group gathered around him. "Heheh, 'bout time you guys decided to get off your asses."
Salcito sneered in annoyance. "I hope you have a good reason for coming out here on your own."
"It's…kinda hard to explain. Doesn't matter now," as he paused, Zellex and his group gathered around Albedo, "we need to take these guys down."
Salcito looked at Zellex and snarled. "You…you're the same enemy that attacked Reach."
Zellex huffed. "So you remembered me, how sweet." He raised one arm of his Banshee and the two long panels on the right arm unfolded and pointed forward as energy collected before bursting out.
"Scatter!"
The group scattered as the energy flew past them.
Salcito growled before charging at Zellex. He swung his arm-mounted beam saber in an attempt to bisect the black Gundam.
Zellex turned and flew off in the other direction.
"Get back here!" Salcito shouted before chasing after him.
"Well…" Alister deadpanned, "so much for sticking with the team. At least the a-hole's capable." He then turned back to the rest of the group. "So…divide and conquer?"
"Sounds good to me," Clair responded before flying forward at the Freedom. "I owe you for last time."
Marianna frowned before backing away from the group, Clair following her.
Galdin watched as the two left and then chuckled to himself, "How 'bout I get some fun, too?!" As he rushed forward he aimed his rifles ahead and was about to fire only to roll to the side as a flash of orange flew by him.
Mira in her Epyon attempted to hit him with the Heat Rod and then refocused her attack.
Galdin blocked and then combined his rifles and fired at Mira.
She rolled into the transformation to flight mode and dodged his attack.
Galdin snickered in amusement. "You can transform too, eh? This should be fun." The Wing Zero spun around before turning into Neo-Bird Mode and chasing after Mirajane in the transformed Epyon.
Alister watched them leave and then looked at the last two remaining. "Think you two can handle the blue guy? That white machine is mine."
Erza and Haruka looked at him in disbelief.
Erza rebutted, "You can't be serious. You really intend to fight him on your own."
Alister responded after a pause, "Yeah…I do."
Erza looked at him for a moment before sighing. "Haruka, let's go."
Haruka nodded and then both machines lunged for Malos' Duel Gundam.
Albedo made no attempt to stop them as the three flew off. "Heh, heh, now…we get to have some real fun. Isn't that right…Kirsch?"
Alister's eyes widened.
Inside the Simeon, the girl frowned sadly at Albedo's obvious taunt.
Alister grit his teeth before aiming the beam cannons on his shield at Albedo. "Screw you!"
Albedo snickered as he dodge the shots, one grazing right over the cockpit.
"Ah!" Kirsch instinctively shrieked in fear.
Hearing that caused Alister to freeze.
Albedo just cackled lightly. "Oh, my bad? Did I leave my speaker on? Well, you heard her, be careful where you shoot, otherwise my cockpit will go BOOM!"
Alister tensed his grip on his controls in anger. "You bastard!"
"Ahahahahahah!"
Zellex stopped in his flee from Salcito as the Spartan pilot did as well. Zellex turned around to look at Salcito. "This should be far enough."
"Far enough? For what?" Salcito demanded.
"For us to dance without interruption." Zellex aimed his cannons at Salcito again and fired.
"You'll need to be better than that!" Salcito naturally dodged the shot easily with his Sinanju's intense speed and zipped around the Banshee.
As Salcito came up behind the Banshee, Zellex spun, slapped the Sinanju's right arm down, punched the Sinanju in the face, grabbed the suit by its shoulders, jumped overtop the mobile suit, and then flipped and tossed the Sinanju away at a nearby asteroid.
"Uugghh…" Salcito moaned as the disorientation cleared. Right when it did he had to boost to the side to avoid a beam saber stab from the Banshee. Salcito kipped up and then skid to a stop as the Banshee stood up with both beam sabers flipped out. Zellex then assumed a combat stance with his machine, both blades pointed towards the ground. When Zellex did that, something seemed to click in Salcito's mind. "T-…that's…"
"So…do you remember now…Lieutenant?"
Galdin continued racing through the area around the Foundation as he was chased by Mira, eventually he came to a sudden stop and transformed, Mira unintentionally flying past him. "Boom!" He fired a shot from his buster rifles at her.
Mira transformed as well and spun out of the way before sending her heat rod at his Wing Zero, wrapping it around the leg and using it as a hook to slam him into a nearby asteroid.
"Hoohoo…you're not half bad," Galdin remarked amusedly as he stood back up.
Mira looked at him calmly. "I have to agree." She then rushed towards him and equipped the Epyon's large beam sword and attempted to slice his A.M.W.S. in two.
Galdin merely rolled under the attack and stowed his two buster rifles on the shield before equipping his duel beam sabers and blocked her next swing. He paused for a moment before pushing her back. "Now…we get to be nice and close."
Mira sneered at him before he rushed in with his sabers and slashed at her with one arm. She easily blocked it, seemingly leaving herself open for the other arm to hit. This proved false as she easily kicked the arm down and then used her free arm to whip her heat rod at Galdin.
The overconfident man grunted as he rushed back. However, a long, diagonal slash was left in his machine's chest. "You…you damaged my Wing Zero!"
A burst of light erupted as Clair and Marianna clashed beam sabers before Clair backed off and fired several shots from her beam rifle.
Marianna dodged to the side and fired several shots from her own rifle.
Clair blocked the shots and then charged forward, pulling out and swinging one of her beam sabers.
Marianna raised her shield, equipped one of her own beam sabers, and then stabber at Clair.
Clair dodged to the side and attempted to slash at Marianna but the Freedom back flipped too swiftly and then spun, kicking Clair away. Clair used the thrust from her backpack to stop her movement and then raised her backpack up to bring the cannons on it to bear, and then fired two, large, green blasts of energy at the Freedom.
The Freedom's own cannons folded out before they fired streams of plasma.
To Clair's dismay, the Freedom's cannons overpowered hers and nearly hit, but she detached her backpack and descended, her backpack flying off on its own out of the way.
Marianna raised an eyebrow as the backpack and the Justice flanked her from top and bottom, firing blasts of energy at her. Again, Marianna easily dodge this.
However, Clair had counted on that, as only one of the backpack's cannons was firing at Marianna, the other was aimed at where she predicted Marianna would go.
"No!" Marianna shouted as she brought up her shield.
Malos floated opposite Erza and Haruka amusedly. "I see. Must be my lucky day. My opponents are mere women. This should be easy."
"Hah!" Haruka taunted, "That's big talk coming from someone that sounds like a toddler."
Malos chuckled in response. "Say what you like about me, I don't care for the opinions of maggots."
Erza froze at that insult. "M-…maggot…?"
Haruka could only turn to her impromptu partner weakly. "Ah…"
Erza then raised the right arm of her Vysaga and multiple kunai launched and barreled towards Malos.
The overconfident pilot merely sneered in response. His shoulder-mounted cannon repositioned a few times and then fired several consecutive shots, destroying Erza's kunai. "Hm?" Malos then flipped up as Haruka attempted to slash at him with her beam sword. Malos snickered insultingly. "Did you honestly think that would work?" To drive his point home he aimed his beam rifle beside him and fired, destroying the funnel Haruka had set up as an ambush. "You can't win."
Erza attempted to get behind him and attack but Malos merely ducked before kicking up at her A.M.W.S., using the attack to kick off and away from Haruka's assault.
"Damn…" Erza cursed in frustration. "He keeps dodging everything we throw at him."
Haruka nodded in begrudging agreement. "This…could be a lot harder than we anticipated."
MOMO ran out of the building with the civilians behind her as Jr. finished off the last of the assaulting group of Gnosis.
Jr. sighed as he wiped sweat from his forehead. "Phew…that was tough." He then looked up as he saw MOMO running towards the port with the civilians behind her. "Well, at least she got them out safely."
Ziggy nodded in agreement as he looked up. "There seem to be more of them."
"What?" Jr. also looked up. "Ah crap."
KOS-MOS vaulted over a large green Gnosis as she shot its head several times before Shion finished it with a shot from her M.W.S. Shion sighed as the Gnosis fell and dispersed.
The three of them, Shion, KOS-MOS, and chaos, were in one of the main City Sectors helping to evacuate the people there through the crowded streets. They managed to get halfway through the area before finding themselves caged in by a large number of Gnosis.
As chaos looked around he sighed in frustration. "This isn't good. We can't get out to reach the rest of the people."
KOS-MOS fired a barrage of shots from her miniguns before turning to chaos. "While it is true rescuing the civilians is a high priority, I believe our highest priority should be securing an escape route for ourselves from this sector. Otherwise we will be overrun with Gnosis."
As Shion sighed while she replaced an energy cartridge in her M.W.S. she turned to chaos. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think KOS-MOS might be right. But…that doesn't mean we need to give up. We just need to get out of this building."
The other two nodded as they continued trying to push their way out through the Gnosis.
John groaned in annoyance as he pulled his fist out another Gnosis before it exploded. He lazily pointed his rifle to the side to kill a Gremlin before approaching a large sealed door. Looking at it curiously he tapped on the door a few times.
A tremulous voice from within asked wearily, "Wh-wh-who's…th-th-there…?"
John nodded to himself and answered, "My name is John, I'm here to provide you escort to the Durandal and out of this area."
"J-just you…?"
"I got my own ass here, didn't I?"
"Erm…good point. Alright, back up, we're opening the door."
"Understood." John took a few steps back before turning around to look at the Gnosis gathering around the building. After a few more seconds he turned to the door. "How much longer?"
"Uhh…just a few more…seconds. The lock's not working. This could…take a minute."
"We don't have a minute," John urged.
"Well then you'll need to give it to us! It's not like we can rip the door off its-!"
The man stopped as John forcefully grabbed the door and yanked it out before tossing it down.
"…Hinges…uhm…door's open."
"It is." John motioned behind himself with his thumb. "Now let's go before these things converge again."
"Uh, right, big guy."
John nodded and then turned to head out ahead of them. "I'll take the lead, try to keep a certain distance away from me without getting too far." He then looked back at them. "I wouldn't want to shoot you by accident."
The man just looked at John in disbelief.
One of the other workers tapped his shoulder. "Erm, are you sure it's okay to follow this guy?"
The man just shrugged. "Do we really have a choice?"
"…Good point…"
Alister and Albedo continued a slashing dance in the sky as the two resorted to just beam sabers to fight with, Alister so he wouldn't destroy the cockpit and Albedo out of sport.
As the two clashed blades and closed the gap, Albedo cackled madly. "Isn't this fun!? The two of us merely swinging our blades randomly, hoping against hope to hit something, blindly trying to impale the other! It's a true clash of wills!"
Alister grit his teeth before pushing back. "…No…it's…not! You're just an insane asshole!"
Albedo paused for a moment before giving a verbal shrug. "That's also a possibility."
Alister rushed towards Albedo to slash at him again but the insane E.S. pilot backed away at the same speed Alister charged. Alister paused his charge and Albedo stopped his retreat. "Grr…enough games dammit!" Alister charged again, Albedo keeping a perfect distance from him. "Shit…he's too far away to hit with my saber…but he's too close for me to have time to switch to my rifle. I could try my Vulcans…" images of the cockpit exploding flowed into his mind, forcing him to grip the controls, "dammit…I can't do that."
"Ooh, waky waky, eggs and baky!"
"What…?!" was all Alister got out before Albedo closed the distance with his right foot cocked back and glowing with white energy.
"White Spirit Dragon Claw!"
The slashing attack hit Alister's Delta Plus head-on and put a large gash on the chest and sent him flying back against an asteroid, kicking up dust and stones as he crashed. "Uugghh…that hurt…" Alister slowly made his way to a sitting position when he noticed Albedo in front of him with his arms raised and energy collecting around his fists before extending out. "Crap!"
Albedo flung his arms down and forward in a swinging motion, like wings, and shouted, "White Spirit Dragon Wing Attack!"
Alister barely got out of the way when the two large wings of energy slashed through the asteroid and destroyed it. He acted on instinct and turned, firing several shots from his shield.
Albedo splayed out his hands as several of his small funnels launched and flew out, creating a large shield ahead of him before dispersing and returning to their slots. Albedo shot forward with his boosters and fired a beam of energy from the Simeon's eye.
Alister raised his shield to block the attack, however the beam was strong enough to leave a large diagonal gash across the shield.
Albedo flew up over his shield with his beam saber raised above his head and swung it down.
Alister moved to the side but got a portion of the Delta Plus' shield hacked off the top. "Grrr, damn you!" He spun and swiftly kicked the Simeon's torso and sent it flying.
Kirsch bit her lip so she didn't shriek from the impact.
Albedo noticed this and cackled. "What's this? Holding your tongue so you don't worry him!? How sweet! Maybe I should let you both perish in the vacuum of space!"
Alister happened to overhear Albedo's insults and raged. "You son of a bitch! She's your copilot dammit!"
"My copilot?! Hahahah! She's nothing more," Albedo paused with a grunt as he kicked the back of Kirsch's head, "than an imitation doll, a relic left over by Mizrahi. The fact that you've formed some sort of emotional attachment to this plaything is comedic gold!"
Alister clenched his fists angrily until electricity sparked around his hands.
Albedo raised an eyebrow as he noticed small streams of electricity pulsing around the Delta Plus.
At the edge of the battle, mischievous blue eyes watched curiously before a figure moved through the debris.
Salcito and Zellex stood, frozen, opposite each other. Salcito was still in shock at a sudden realization. "N-no…it…can't be. Commander…Braun?"
Zellex huffed dismissively. "So…Salcito. You've finally realized."
"…That's…impossible. You were killed by that Covenant transport three years ago, I remember it. I couldn't ever forget that day."
Zellex moaned in annoyance. "You mean because of the death of that woman? I can't even remember her name."
"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Manase."
"Ah…yes, that one. I remember you and she were quite close, were you not?"
"What's the point?"
"Of what?"
"Of asking this? And how are you still alive to begin with?"
Zellex sighed in exasperation. "So you believed the lies the UNSC told you? I was not killed on that mission."
"That's not possible…I saw that Phantom land directly on top of you and explode. You're shields had been depleted."
"You're right…it did crash on to me and my shields were down. However, the one point I will give to that den of lies is that they build good hardware."
"What do you mean?" Salcito asked with growing frustration.
"My armor took the brunt of the hit. I lost an arm in the blast, but the rest of me survived. You see, I was perfectly alive, beaten and bruised, but alive. However, the UNSC's property, my Spartan armor, had been mostly destroyed. So they saw no purpose in collecting me and left me to die. Fortunately, they found me."
Marianna coughed as she righted herself. The blast she took from Clair's backpack had been blocked by her shield but at the expense of leaving her shield heavily damaged.
Clair rushed at the downed Marianna from in front as he backpack came in from the side, the head having folded down to reveal a plasma cannon that fired at her as Clair fired several shots from her beam rifle.
Marianna gasped before aiming her plasma cannons behind her and firing, destroying the asteroid she had crashed on and the force sending her flying forward at Clair, her twin beam sabers combined into a single, double-ended, beam saber.
Clair snapped the ends of her beam sabers together and did the same, the two charging at each other before clashing in a duel of blades, one swing up and the other spinning their blade around to block before coming in from the side, the first swing down to deflect it and continuing this back and forth for several seconds before Marianna suddenly split her beam sabers back into two, blocked Clair's dual sword with one saber and then stabbing through the head of the Justice with the other.
"No!" Clair shouted as Marianna kicked her away. Clair attempted to get vision back in her cockpit frantically.
Marianna unfolded her wings, plasma cannons, and railguns all at once and aimed them all at Clair. "I must apologize, this is my mission."
That's it for the chapter, so make sure to tell me what you guys think of it in a review.