Hey everyone! I'm sad but excited to announce this is final chapter of "A War I Did Not Start and Could Not End"! I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I think it's time this story ended so another can begin.

Before we begin the chapter I want to thank a whole ton of people. Of course I want to thank ALL of my readers. Whether you started reading and got tired of my story, read the story in silence, or read and reviewed I love you all! You have been there for me throughout one of the longest stories I've ever written and your critiques both negative and positive have been so helpful!

To everyone who has ever reviewed (in no particular order): girl-over-bored, Ruine, Althea17, CPV-Phantoms-CTFA, Niji-san, Ayakashi, July81, moma-chan, ., Wolven Spirits, KyoKat003, prettypriestess, CrypticAngel, Loony Dagda, Celestial, Celestial Kit, eee, Twilight's Aura, treekicker, orange sodap0p, baddaytoday, Phoenix Takaramono, Asura Mori, Liliath, Lost-Remembrance, Xelena, E-san, nlblake, iShiznitch, mikyu, Musal, Animestar73, R.T.M.S., Harry Draco Malfoy, Crazy_Bookworm, Prodigy Keyblade Wielder, Beniko-chan, Irene Sharda, Firey-Moonlight, LKLTB, JigokuShojo94, Meestyna, demonlifehealer, YaanKarasu, Trayn, Panthergirl, Shadow Priesstes, HyperChiMD, DazzleKitty, XxkogainugamixX, PrettyKunoichi3, dpbclover, , Kyra, Neozeka, Vampire of the Bloody Rose, KyoxSakiFan, SH Aerrow's Girl, hikaru_yoru, ThoughtfulWriter, Jeezabel, BlackCatTrain, Gabriella Silverwood, Still-Beating-Hearts, Silvergal, Ash4ever, yaoi-luva333, Tai-sensei, Taisean, Colette, ayamae1jaganshi, and yaoi-midnight-mistress,! I LOVE YOU ALL! Whether you've stuck with me or not your comments, encouragement, and critiques have been beyond helpful. I can't even BEGIN to tell you how grateful I am for all of you!!! It's because you that there will be a sequel that is now going to be officially rated M for reasons I think you all know (I decided this today hehe!) X3 !

I hope what you read in this final chapter won't upset you too much, but I felt it had to happen. Things may change in the sequel, who knows (well, I do!)? For all you Creed fans, don't fear, I can't write another story without him in some for or another. I hope this story was as good as your reviews made me feel. I enjoyed reading all your reviews, taking advice from you as to where the story should go, and writing all these chapters just for you guys! Thanks again and enjoy!

Train X3

A Cat's Loss

"What's going on?" I asked as I stepped up beside Sephiria.

"Eden's collapsing in on itself," Creed replied calmly, as if it didn't matter. "With no one to control it it's been taking in too much energy. It's overloading."

"Meaning what?" I asked as I grabbed the window frame.

"Meaning if we don't get out of here soon we'll be taken down with the monster." Sephiria replied, giving me a dark look.

"Then let's get out of here." Sven said urgently.

"Stand back." Creed motioned for us to move away from the window as he unsheathed his sword.

We moved back quickly, Chronos doing the same as we watched his sword grow before he slashed it downwards. A line appeared in the wall before it slid to the side and crashed to the floor only feet away from us.

We made our way through the cloud of dust that had risen around the wall, Creed helping us climb over the rubble.

I grabbed his arm as he helped me over last but I couldn't seem to let go, my fingers tangling into the fabric of his sleeve as I stood close to him, needing to feel something stable and sane.

He gave me a small smile, his hand sliding up to take mine. He gave it a comforting squeeze before looking up at the room around us as if he were listening to something.

I watched as Eve sprinted across the room and slammed into Sven, hugging him tightly as he held her close to him.

There was a strange rumbling that seemed to come from deep within Eden, reverberating through the walls and slamming into our eardrums.

"That's Eden," Creed replied calmly as my fingers tightened around his hand. "We have to move quickly."

"This way," I jerked my head towards the doors we had come through before, my hand slipping out of his as I made my way towards them. "We can go through here."

Chronos moved forward, passing through the doors followed by Sven and Eve as they sprinting into the darkness that waited beyond.

I turned to look at Creed, waiting for him to follow when I felt my heart stop.

Blood dripped to the ground as a silver beam of light ripped through skin and sinew, splattering blood across my face.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. This wasn't happening…this was not happening. I couldn't do this. I couldn't leave now. This couldn't be happening.

"NO!" I screamed hard as the blade yanked out of his stomach and he fell hard to his knees, his eyes watching me. "No, no, no!"

I ran forward and caught him as he fell forward, his weight hitting my arms like a ton of bricks. I fell to my knees as I pulled him against my chest, my hands shaking as I tried my best to wipe the blood from his pale skin.

"Creed…?" My voice faltered as I looked down into his lost eyes. "Creed?"

I shook my hard as his eyes wandered to my face before falling to the ground.

"No, Creed, NO!" I shook him harder, tears welling in my eyes. "Don't do this! Don't you dare die! You can't leave me!"

"How touching." I jerked my head up as the voice filled my ears followed by the sound of clapping.

I choked on my breath as the familiar figure of Mason walked towards me, his hands beating together as he gave me a sick smile.

"You…" I growled, my skin crawling at the sight of him. "But you were-"

"Yes, yes, I know," He scoffed with a wider smile. "I was dead. But you know Creed wasn't the only one to gain the power of God."

"What are you talking about?" I snapped as I held Creed tighter, trying with everything I had to keep the warmth he was losing inside his body.

"You know that there is only one other person who can kill a god, do you not?" He asked, moving closer.

I glared back at him, trying as hard as I could to keep myself from crying.

"And do you know who that person might be?" He asked nonchalantly before giving me a dark look. "A stronger god."

I felt my heart go cold as he raised the strange blade he had used to stab Creed, looking at it as if it were a toy.

"Creed maybe haven risen to godhood," He replied calmly as he looked at me through the glow of his blade. "But I have risen to the level of the almighty. There is no one that can stop me, not even your dying friend."

"He might not be able to stop you," I growled as I gently rested Creed on the floor and rose, pulling Hades from its holster. "And maybe I can't either, but I'm not going to die without trying."

"Very bold of you, Heartnet," He smirked as he pointed the long blade at me. "I was hoping you'd say that."

With a scream I threw myself forward just as he did, our weapons aimed with nothing but killing in our minds. One of us would die, that was obvious, but who it would be was left for fate to decide.

He sunk his blade deep into my chest before I could move, kicking me backwards until his blade sunk out and I fell backwards, my hand holding tightly to my bleeding wound.

He moved forward, his sword at the ready as I raised Hades with every intention of shooting him in the head.

"What will it be Heartnet?" He laughed as his sword glowed brighter. "Will you die fighting or will you fall pathetically like Creed?"

I tried to breathe through the pain as I held my gun steady, waiting for him to move.

He launched high into the air and spun towards me, my arm raising and following him as he did.

It was as if time had fallen into slow motion. I watched as he rose up high in front of me, my head following him upwards along with my gun. His sword swung to the side, aiming directly for my neck.

I pulled the trigger hard but…nothing. Nothing happened. My gun simply clicking and moved to the next slot in the barrel and that's when it hit me. Hades was empty. I hadn't reloaded after shooting the vile during the last fight. I had nothing to defend myself with.

I took in a deep breath before flipping backwards and landing hard on the ground, narrowly missing Mason's blade as it cut lethally through the air. I turned just in time for his hand to wrap around my neck and force the air out of my lungs.

"You will die, Heartnet," He growled as he moved in close, glaring down at me as his fingers tightened. "You will die and no one will ever know how pathetically you fought. You will simply disappear off the face of the earth just as your parents did."

He squeezed tighter before pushing down and forcing me to my knees, my fingers dropping Hades to the ground as they began to go numb.

"I know I shouldn't, but I'm willing to give you a proper execution." He pulled back, his fingers slipping away from my throat as he raised his sword high.

I looked to Creed who was lying where I hard left him, his sword covered in spots of blood and useless. I looked up to Mason who was tightening his grip on his swords hilt. He was right. I would die here where no one would see. I would simply vanish just as I had when I had left Chronos. No one would notice, and maybe that was the way it should be. Maybe it was simply my time.

I closed my eyes as I heard the whistle of wind as Mason's sword swung down towards my neck. It would be quick. It would be painless. It would all be over.

But it never came.

I opened my eye slowly to see Mason standing in front of me, his body unmoving as his sword hung only centimeters from my neck, his hands still wrapped around it. His eyes grew wide and that was when I realized what was happening.

The blade that I now saw protruding from the center of his forehead withdrew quickly, leaving a trail of blood that made its way down between his eyes and through the contours of his frozen face.

He faltered before falling hard to the side, his body collapsing loudly on the ground in front of me.

I looked up to see Creed standing there, his sword covered in blood as he studied Mason's body carefully as if he weren't quite sure of what he had just done. I watched him with wide eyes as he turned to look at me, his eyes filled with pain as I watched his knees grow weak.

I launched to my feet and caught him before he hit the ground, my legs lowering us both gently to the floor.

I studied his face as tears blurred my vision. He had saved me. In his last few moments of strength he had found everything in him and had used it to save me.

"We have to get you out of here." I said as I pulled him hard against me, the floor shaking beneath us as Eden rumbled again.

"No, Train," He whispered against my neck as his hand rose and pulled my face away so that we were looking at one another. "You have to get yourself out of here."

"I can't leave you," I shook my head pathetically. "You'll be fine; we just have to get help."

He smiled calmly as his fingers stroked the side of my face.

"You're too weak, Train," He said softly as he studied my eyes. "I've made you weak."

"No," I shook my head. "I just can't leave without you. I need you with me."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," He laughed quietly before wincing at the pain it caused him. "But I could never live with myself if I knew I was the reason you died."

"Dammit, Creed," I yelled, feeling like myself again. "What if I want you to be the reason I die?"

Silence fell around us as he stared up at me with a bewildered expression.

"What are you saying, Train?" He asked slowly.

I turned and looked away from him, trying to hide my tears…trying to hide everything.

"Just," I took in a deep breath. "Just let me save you."

"You already have," He took hold of my face and looked up at me with strong eyes. "Now it's time I saved you."

I shook my head as tears fell down my face, my strength gone as I realized what I was facing. I was losing him and for once there was nothing I could do about it.

"You'll be fine without me," He replied calmly. "You always have been."

"No." I shook my head pathetically.

"Promise me you'll keep on living," He asked suddenly. "Promise me."

I shook my head again, tears falling.

"Promise me." He urged and I could tell he needed to hear it.

"I…" I took in a deep breath, repressing a sob. "I promise."

He pulled me forward until our lips met, kissing me with more strength than he ever had. It was all he had left in him and he was giving it to me, just as he had always meant to.

I kissed him hard, pulling him against me as I felt his strength leaving him. I couldn't let him go. I couldn't live without him. I wouldn't be alright; I didn't care what he said. I needed him here and I was going to do my best to keep him with me as long as I could.

I pulled away as I felt his hand sliding from my face, his eyes falling empty as his head fell to the side.

I let out a choked sob as I pulled him against me, my heart racing against his empty chest.

"No," I cried as I rocked back and forth, my arms wrapped tightly around him. "No, please…no…"

I let out another strangled sob as I buried my face in his shoulder, my mind refusing to believe it. This couldn't be real. I was still in my own version of Eden and when I left Creed would be standing there waiting for me. He wasn't dead…he couldn't be.

I pulled away and looked down at his hollow face, his eyes staring up at the ceiling as if he were simply thinking.

Eden shook hard beneath us and let out a threatening rumble. Pieces of the ceiling crashed down around us, smashing into the floor only feet away as I stared down into his empty eyes.

I clenched my jaw as another sob fought to break free. I had to go. I had to get out of here if I wanted to live. I didn't want to live-not for now at least, but he did. He wanted me to escape this place and live my own life. I knew he did…

With all the strength I had in my I gently lay him on the floor, my lips finding his one more time before I stood and took a step backwards.

With each step I felt my heart tearing itself apart. I felt as though I would die, as if this simple act would kill me. I couldn't do this, but I had to.

With one last look I turned and ran, dodging pieces of the crumbling ceiling until I crossed through the doorway and found the stairs.

My heart screamed for me to turn around as I made my way up the stairs, my hands clinging to the railing as I forced myself upwards.

This was going to kill me. This was going to take everything in my and destroy it. I couldn't do this, I couldn't survive this.

"God…" I sobbed as I fell hard to my knees on the stairs, my hands hanging on to the railing. "I can't…"

Eden shook hard around me, the rhythm never ceasing now. She was dying just as I was. Maybe if I stayed here we could die together. Maybe I could see Creed again. Maybe I could hold on just a little longer.

I felt my heart race as Eden shook again and somewhere deep inside me the instinct to live was hammering at my mind. I could die here or I could live. I had two options. I wanted to die, but Creed wanted me to live.

I stood slowly and fought hard against my faltering mind. Right now it didn't matter what I wanted. The most important thing I could do right now was listen to Creed and do what he wanted and that was to live. I would live through this whether I wanted to or not.

I pulled myself upwards stair by stair. The pain was agonizing but it didn't matter. I had to make it out of here. I just had to hope that Chronos, Sven and Eve had waited for me and hadn't left yet.

By the time I pushed the hatch at the top of the stairs open and caught sight of the red sunlight I felt as though my heart would break. I was alive. I had made it to the top but I had done it alone. This wasn't how things were meant to be.

I pulled myself up and stepped out into the racing wind. I caught sight of Chronos helicopter waiting only feet away, all of its members sitting inside with Sven and Eve.

Sven motioned for me to come with the frantic wave of his hand and so I did. There was nothing left here for me and I had made the decision to leave this place and so I would.

I grabbed Sven's hand and climbed into the helicopter before falling into one of the seats.

"Where's Creed?" Sven called over the hum of the helicopter blades as they started the engine.

"He's not coming." I said quietly as I stared out the open door.

We lifted off through the harsh winds and moved away from Eden as she began her decent to what I now saw was the ocean below. At least she wouldn't kill anyone else out here, not that it mattered anymore.

I didn't move as Sven buckled my seatbelt around my waist, trying his best to keep me safe. I simply watched as Eden crashed hard into the waves below, sinking deeper and deeper as she drove herself downward.

I watched as everything I had come to care about vanished beneath the ocean surface. I had Sven and Eve, I knew that, but I was beginning to realize that the one person I had come to let my life revolve around for the past several months was now gone…forever and I would never get him back.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I stood on the beach as the ocean washed up around my feet. The wind rushed through my hair and swept along my skin as if it were saying hello and I couldn't help but smile.

I looked out over the soft waves as I listened to them crash around me. Over and over I had felt myself crashing throughout the past months. I had fallen, I had sworn I would never live again, but somehow I had made my way through it.

I was falling, but now I felt as if I might make it. When I stood here I could feel him. When I stood here he was standing beside me. It wasn't everything I wanted but it was the closest I was ever going to get.

I had realized somewhere along the way that he was everything I needed. He had come to be my entirety. He had become my whole heart and now it felt as though my heart were gone.

"I miss you," I whispered as I looked out over the calm sea, a tear sliding down my cheek. "It's not the same without you."

The waves washed up over my feet before pulling out again and somewhere in the distance a bird called. I closed my eyes and in that moment he was standing beside me, holding my hand and telling me how much he needed me. How much I meant to him.

I smiled and felt the tears roll down my face. It wasn't enough to have him in memories, but if I could at least have him in these fleeting moments I could survive.

The seasons had changed around me and the months had passed. The leaves were beginning to fall from the trees and it didn't feel right that they were falling without him here to see them.

How could the world turn without him? How could everyone else live with him missing? My world had stopped. My life had been put on pause, but I had promised him I would live and I would never break that promise.

I would live in a world without him. I would keep him in my memory and that would have to be good enough. Even when I felt I might die I would keep going because I had promised him I would live and so I would.