And so the wolf shall rain down the Divine punishment on the sinners of man.
Chapter 27
Heading to Aegis Island the eerie voice rang louder in my head. It kept screaming how it wanted to eat. It felt like it was trying to crack my skull open, but now was not the time to show weakness. I am the alpha of my pact, I have to remain strong for them.
The place looked like a battle arena and the inside of a body at the same time.
"This is so..."
"Huge." Kota said finishing off Sakuya's sentence. Was that a ship? It looked more like a human statue... that looked an awfully lot like Soma's mother. But there was something on the center of its forehead... Oh dear God, Shio!
"Shio!" Soma cried out as we ran toward her, but she wasn't responding. The Director was on a crane looking up at her.
"'The tears you offer are all that I crave'... Huh? Soma... it appears you are quite fond of this Aragami. And that can only be seen as a foolish choice, my son.
"He's not the only one. And she has a name you sneaky cad!" I cried out.
"Shut up! I never thought of you as my father." Soma... you have no idea how cruel your words are. Regardless of what he's done. He still loves you... Enough where your opinion of him matters, even if he hardly shows it. "Let Shio go!"
A glowing light came from Shio that lit up the whole ship. I could see the sadness crack into the Director's smile, even if Soma wasn't looking.
"Very well. Now that I've obtained the Singularity... I have no use for the 'vessel'..." Shio detached from the ship and falling from a high drop.
"Grab her Soma!" I cried out as Soma dashed to reach her in time. But as Soma reached out to catch her... Her head made contact with the floor, letting out a sickening crack that rang out throughout the whole area.
Soma held her in his hands... but it was too late. She was gone.
"Damn you Director! You will pay for taking one of my pact's pup!" I said in a teary rage.
"So long... such a long road road to get here... Nurturing Nova's base through many years of managed devouring... Scouring the entire world for visible spaceships to add to my fleet... The process of transporting the 'Chosen 1000'... now at last! It's about to come to fruition!"
Behind him we saw many spaceships take flight in a blazing glory that we are running out of time to stop. Ah, it feels like my head is cracking!
"And now, victory is mine! Doctor... You're there aren't you, Paylor?"
From behind us Saki approached us. "Just as I thought, it's too late..."
"Even as we speak, we are still on the brink of extinction! The destruction by the Aragami, reported daily around the world is nothing compared to this... Nova, the planet devouring Aragami... Should Nova appear and then explode... the world as we know it will end. When exactly will this happen? In a few centuries? A few hours? Aegis is doomed to fall... And I refuse to hide in such a place and wait for the Apocalypse! Precisely because it is an inevitable fate, we must control it... and make sure the chosen survive into the next generation! What you yourself was trying to accomplish by using the Singularity was nothing but an attempt to stave off the Apocalypse. Am I wrong about that, Doctor?"
"I don't know about that." We all stopped to look at him.
"What in the world... is he talking about, Doctor?" Sakuya asked Saki.
"You see... I wanted to preserve the world... by creating a group of human-like Aragami... I tried to prolong the critical state just before the Devouring Apocalypse, by nurturing Aragami that were totally autonomous from the rest... and able to control their predator instincts. And towards the end, I used you all, as well as Shio... forgive me." So in the end, Saki used us too. So the world is truly gray.
"Co-existence with the Aragami? You haven't changed... for a scientist, you are far too much of a romantic. All you have to do is observe human behavior. A truly autonomous person, his desires and instincts suppressed? Never have such beings existed in the history of humankind!"
"You may be right... But even if you believe that, wouldn't you say you've been too pessimistic toward the human race?"
"I'm afraid that's not quite true Doctor. Granted, I did lose hope for humankind itself, long ago. But there's one thing I know. That despite it all, humans still strive to live intelligently. Our instincts, our insatiable desire are no different from that of Aragami or Nova. But beyond that, there is a future carved out for humans!"
"I can see now that our different views will never mesh... But that aside, now that you've extracted Shio's core, the Singularity for the Devouring Apocalypse... there's nothing really more that I can do."
"You even sent me to Europe to try and buy some time. But by then, the outcome had already been determined."
"So you knew about that after all? I guess time was on your side."
"Doctor.. do not grieve so. As a shinning guide to the next world, this Singularity will point this planet toward its new Providence. This is the cycle of planets bound by fate..." Something like a shinning egg was lifted up onto the platform next to the Director. I could hear its heartbeat as my skull was being smashed to its timing. "In other words, it is divine Providence. Furthermore... who should we find at the pinnacle of that Providence? Even in the imminent new world, it should be we humans... That's right! Humans are... no! We ourselves are God Eaters now!"
The egg opened up to a human-like female Aragami, with a Fenrir wolf-like male counterpart behind it. The Director approached it and jumped into the counterpart. Ironic for a man who just said co-existence wasn't possible and yet he willingly fused himself with an Aragami.
"Will a human turn into a god, or a god into a human? This battle really piqued my interest, but I'll concede defeat for now. You're no different than an Aragami now... But... I'm sure you're well aware of that. Ironic that a scientist will turn to faith... But now I'm going to believe in you... In you God Eaters." With that Saki left for safer grounds as we prepared to face this new adversaries.
"Soma! Get up! We have to fight!" I called out to him. He looked up to the image of his mother then gently put down Shio. Grabbing his God Arc, he joined us.
"I... All this time, I've been waiting for someone to create a haven for my family and friends could be safe. But now I realized that it's such an easy thing to accomplish. I just have to become that haven myself. And I'm ready to fight... to create it!"
"That's right!"
"Me too... thanks to you all, I've finally realized something. That even someone like me can protect someone else."
"Enough with the chit-chat... You guys... back me up!" Soma said getting ready.
"Right. Let's begin." Sakuya went to protect Saki.
"Not even torrents of rain... can stop this overflowing of Spring of redemption... there's only one plank afloat in this stormy sea, and it shall be grasped by one man alone... I, von Schicksal!"
"Then why is your grasp so weak?" I asked the Director as we charged into battle.
"You fool!" The female Aragami and the Director yelled at the same time.
As the fight commenced we took caution into it, not underestimating this new form of Aragami. Which landed to our favor since the female Aragami would release devastating beams of light along with the Director's Aragami. The first I saw to was destroying the Aragami's Halo since that was were the energy was coming from.
"That was for my herd." I said as it enraged. The attacks were strong and damaging towards the others, I had to keep firing recovery bullets and team-bullets all alike. When I had enough I dropped a flash grenade and destroyed her hair.
"That was for all the lives lost due to your folly."
This time I kept mercilessly striking at her feet, only shielding myself when she surrounded herself with her damaging light, but never backing down. Her counterpart kept blocking her from my strikes, but not once did I deliberately strike him. Regardless of him being an Aragami trying to destroy us, it was still the Director in there, he still had the right to be saved. The others still went after him, but at least that kept the female Aragami open.
I broke her legs making her fall to her feet. Surprisingly making the Director fall to his 'knees' too. They must have been connected in some way. But I didn't relent.
"That was for Shio!" I struck my God Arc on the ground. "And this..." I pulled out my spear, pulling it back to build up energy. "Is for our future!" I plunged my spear into her chest. As she cried out and fell the Director fell with her, unable to move. With a quick swish of my spear to clean off her blood, I placed it back on my back and pulled out my God Arc. I devoured her core, but not the Director's. In the end, we were his judgement.
"I-impossible... how could I... How could I be defeated by such fools as these, who have turned there backs on human power..."
"Says the man who willing fused an Aragami," I said. But Nova still seemed to be moving.
"Damn that monstrosity... we can't stop it!" Kota said out of breath.
"What on earth can we do?" Not good, Alisa was losing hope and the noise in the back of my head was making my blood lust rise.
"Don't give up! I'm sure... there's got to be a way!" It isn't working Sakuya.
The Director started to laugh drawing our attention to him. But he sounded tired as if he'd given up, with a spirit like that he wasn't ready for another round.
"It's no use. Nova has awoken and cannot be stopped..."
"For once, I'll be assertive. It's impossible." Saki said coming back with Sakuya.
"Isn't there anything we can do Doc?" Soma asked.
"I'm sorry, but it's just as the Director said. The overflowing spring... Nova... can't be stopped."
"But no!" Sakuya has lost hope...
"The Aragami's destination, the rebirth of stars... we can't fight this system after all." No, not Saki too. God, my head!
"Don't give me that! That's not... that's not what I signed up for!"
"Don't you dare!... Not you too Soma... Don't you dare give up. No giving up! We've got a planet counting on us!"
"Okami! It's too late we can't fight they system!" Saki insisted.
"Fuck the system!" This shocked everyone, no one there knew how I learned such vulgar language, they sure didn't teach me it.
"Yes... that's right. Soma, you and your comrades... must hurry... to the Ark!" So the Director's finally showing his true colors.
"Director... are... are you?" Sakuya said worriedly, with just cause. The Director sounded like he was at his last breaths.
"No need... to worry about me... There was never a place for me on that boat..."
"What?" Sakuya and the others were shocked. But I knew all along... he was the type to go down with the ship. He laughed at their shock.
"After all, I forced all this sacrifice on the world.. I have no right to see the next world..."
"I told you your grip on the plank was loose."
"Ha, yes. You caught on to me, didn't you 'Beast'? I knew you'd be the one to give me my divine punishment. At least I've achieved what I set out to do... Now... it's up to you to finish it... Heh heh, who could do a better job?"
"Dad..." At least Soma gave his father happiness in the end with that one word.
"Aisha, forgive us... in the end, we could only search for answers after waging such a terrible war. Would you say that... Perhaps... we've atoned for what happened to you."
"Mom... Nazomi... I'm so sorry, I couldn't keep my promise." It was like everyone was already grieving their own funerals.
Suddenly Shio started to glow with her marks.
"Shio!" Soma cried out noticing her changes. Suddenly it all stopped... the movement... the light... the noise... it was all gone.
Then a blue gentle light took it's place. "Thank you." Shio?
"What?!" Took the words right out of my mouth Sakuya.
"Thanks everyone..." She spoke again.
"Could this be..."
"Is it you, Shio?" Soma finished for Sakuya.
"Impossible... how can she retain her sense of humanity... after becoming the nova singularity."
Nova started to move. "It is rising... bit by bit?" Sakuya's right, it's moving up!
"Shio... what did you do?"
"Beyond the sky... that round thing..." The moon? "Heh heh... Since that one looks like a rice cake... looks more delicious!"
"Don't tell me... you're taking Nova with you... to the moon?"
"Shio! She's still alive isn't she?! Sakaki!" Kota panicked.
"I have no idea either! It's just that... how is that possible?"
"I understand. For the first time, I understand. What all of you taught me..." Her real body began to root to the ground. "What a true human being really is."
"Shio..."
"The act of eating... the act... of living for someone... The act... of dying for someone... The act... of forgiving someone... You see... no matter how those actions are shaped. Each one of you are connected to someone else."
"What are you talking about? Come back here!" Kota pleaded with her.
"I... I want to be with all of you too. That's why... I'm saying goodbye today. Because I love the shape you've all taken. Good job?"
Alisa was on the floor crying. "No, you didn't do a good job... at all!"
"Heh heh heh... for real? I'm sorry. I've got to... go now. That's why even though I liked it very much... please... please eat it. You see my shape there... it doesn't want to say goodbye."
"But there's no way... we could ever do that!" Kota's right, such a cruel request to ask of us. It's like my mother all over again.
"Soma... sorry if it doesn't taste good."
"Who do you think you are, acting on your own like that..."
"But please... we'll always be together, even if we're apart."
I looked to Soma, hoping to get his understanding. There's was no way she could return to that body, it was broken. Trying would only hurt her, we had to let her go. Somehow, he understood. Being the closest to her, the job fell to him. He approached her body, silently giving her one last goodbye, then he devoured it. Forever cutting the ties from Nova to her body. His God Arc turned gleaming white... like her. I guess she would always be with us, if anything with Soma.
"Thank you, all of you." With that, Shio and Nova launched into the sky toward the Moon. Showing the world with snow flakes of warm light. Soma took off his hood and let the flakes fall on him as he caught one in his hand.
"There's no need to grieve." I said drawing their attention to me. "She's not dead... just far away." Then I looked from the flake in my hand to them. "Man once had the intelligence to make it to the Moon. If we did it once we can do it again... I believe, we'll see Shio again... This isn't a goodbye... just a see you later."
Ah it felt so good with that voice in the back of my head gone, I feel so at peace. "Come on, let's go home." And so we walked to the base, with a new hope in our hearts.
I must have been tired, cause when we walked out of the elevator to the Entrance I tripped. Falling to the floor I caught myself with my hands, but as I looked up to rise to my fleet. I saw that they all turned to me with a smile as Alisa reached out her hand to me just like I did for her. Smiling at the action I took her hand and rose to my feet. We were greeted by Hibari and Licca as Alisa ran into their hugs overjoyed at still being alive. True to her word Licca treated us to dinner before me and Kota left to check on our families. Both survived and were alright, Sakuya spent time with Lindow's God Arc and Soma continued on doing missions. Slowly everything went back to normal... only with Shio watching over us on the Moon.