Chapter 5

A perfect storm. That was the only way to describe Charon Fairchild as she grabbed Varen by the throat and threw him backwards rolling along the ground. He had crossed weapons against some of the strongest Pandora in the world. Survived not one, but two Nova attacks, one of which he directly destroyed. Over the last couple years, he had been burned, electrocuted, impaled, shot at, and walked away from an Interceptor crash. As terrifying as each of those events were, none compared to the fear he felt as Charon walked towards him kicking him hard in the midsection with her armored greaves. He landed in a heap some distance away struggling to draw breath.

He had only heard the stories of what Chiffon was truly capable of. The closest thing he had seen to her truly unleashed was the night they tried to save Amelia in Spireach. Alone she eliminated numerous Chevalier Pandora. Some of which she literally tore apart. Right now, Charon was no different than Chiffon was that night. Each time his sword connected with her katana it sent a wave of vibrations through his body that threatened to tear the blade from his hands.

He clawed his way to his feet in time to bring his weapon down to slap her katana aside. The strength behind her blow spun him around and he barely managed to level his sword high enough above his head to intercept her downward chop. He fell to a knee under the weight of swing and pressed his left hand against the blade of his sword as Charon continued to push down bringing her katana closer to his face. Charon's faceplate dissolved revealing her face once more streaked with blood.

"I don't understand! I'm offering you the very things you desire!" She shouted pressing down on her katana while Varen fought to keep his sword between him and her weapon.

"No, you are offering me vengeance at the expense of more bloodshed! You would trade one dictatorship for another!" He answered.

"I'm offering you a chance to make this world be however you want it to be! I'm offering your friends lives, why are you denying it?" She snapped back raising a boot and kicking his arm. It loosened his grip on the sword sending it flying away. In one swift motion she retracted her katana and then thrust it through his shoulder. The force of it sent him down onto his back and she fell atop him driving the blade through his body and into the ground below him. Varen grabbed the blade of her katana with his hand slicing into his skin as he tried to pull it up and out of his shoulder.

"I know what you're capable of! You're no less guilty of killing Attia and everyone at West Genetics than your sister! I see through your lies!" He answered gritting his teeth through the pain lancing through his shoulder and chest where her katana was buried.

"I…never…lie!" She screamed putting all her weight onto the katana until it dug into the ground under Varen. The handguard hit his shoulder stopping it from going any further and he closed his eyes trying not to scream out from the pain. He tried again to close off the stigmata connection that was holding him here, but the same resistance presented itself proving that his will was nothing compared to Charon Fairchild.

"Ack!" He cried out as she twisted the katana and drove her knee into his stomach.

"You are going to die for nothing! All because you won't let your precious pride go and take my hand! A world without Chevalier where you and I can reset this world into something magnificent! No more living in fear for what they might do to you! How can you not see that I am offering you the world!" She brought her face close to his and shouted at him.

"You're not even human…you couldn't possibly understand anything that we've been through. You're just a fake of Chiffon, nothing more." Varen choked out. Charon's face softened and for a moment he thought he saw a genuine look of sadness on her face.

"I didn't choose to be brought into this world in the way I was. I was never given the choice to be a normal girl like my sister Chiffon was. Claire and I were made in mother's image for one purpose and trained to perform our job from the moment we could walk." Charon explained.

"To kill." Varen spat and she nodded slowly.

"Yes, to kill. You say I can't understand what you humans have endured, but are you capable of understanding what we, the Novaborn, have lived through? Do you know what it's like to be experimented on since birth? Your innocence stripped away leaving nothing, but a hollow fragment of what could have been? That is humanity…a murderous cult of beings bent on elevating themselves regardless of who they step on as they climb to the top." Charon answered holding his gaze.

"So your solution is to simply wipe us out? Or enslave us to your will? How does Chevalier feel about your ambitions?" Varen asked. Charon shook her head slowly, her black hair shifting with her movements.

"Mankind must be brought to heel. Your destructive ways will lead to a world of flames like the very one we now look at. I have waited many years for the chance to seek my own vengeance against those who have wronged me. Make no mistake Justicar, with or without you Chevalier will fall. The only possibilities are whether or not you will be beside me when it happens or die meaninglessly here and now." She responded.

"There are good people." He argued and a smile spread across the girl's lips.

"Yes, but the good always tend to be the first to suffer or die. The armies of Chevalier must be destroyed and if you and the genetics Pandora will not join me, then you must fall first. Then, my attention will fall to Chevalier. Claire and I will no longer be the Ebony and Ivory Princesses. We will be queens." Charon said.

"You would murder those just trying to survive for your own gains!" Varen shouted.

"You risked their lives when you chose to save a girl that Chevalier used for nothing more than experimentation! You endangered all genetics students around world for the sake of one girl! I am no different than her! Just another Chevalier used for their own ambitions! Where was my prince to come save me?" She screamed. Charon tore the katana free from his shoulder sending a spray of blood out of the wound. Varen gasped as she removed the blade trying to keep his breath steady.

"It doesn't excuse killing my friends!" Varen challenged.

"Nor did your killing of Chevalier Pandora who were simply following orders. Your hands are no cleaner than mine. You have been so sure that you were doing the right thing without care for who you hurt along the way. How many lives have been destroyed by your hand? I accept my sin Varen Askiligar. It's time you did the same and realize that you aren't the great defender of Pandora the blind would make you out to be. You are a reaper, and only death follows in your wake." She answered and Varen tried to shove her off of his body.

"Get off of me!" He screamed, but an armored gauntlet smashed against his jaw putting him back on the ground. She sat atop him on her knees holding the katana in one hand staring down at him.

"I have been more than merciful to you. More than patient and accommodating. Take my hand and let's put this nightmare behind us. No more undeserving innocents need to die. Your friends will live and can continue to live their lives however they see fit. Together we will see Chevalier fall. Standing beside me as that happens is more than enough to win my heart and I swear to you I will be yours forever. You and I are Novaborn, we are meant for more than this. Please…save me." Charon said, but her tone almost sounded as if she were pleading with him. The pain in Varen's shoulder subsided enough as he looked upon the face of a girl who for once looked innocent and desperate. He swallowed and reached up. Her eyes widened slightly and she placed her hand on his feeling his fingers wrap around hers.

"One day I will pay for my sins, and for the pain I brought to those in this world. Before that day, I will see you and all of Chevalier dead for what you've done." He answered coldly. Charon closed her eyes and let her breath out squeezing his hand back.

"I see…I admire your bravery and dedication to your friends. I understand now why my sister loved you so much. I'm sure I would have fallen for you too if I had been given the chance." She said sadly while smiling bitterly. Her other hand brought the katana above his chest aiming the tip towards his heart.

"You could never understand the depth of Chiffon's heart. Not when you don't possess one yourself." Varen said. She leaned down and kissed his hand that she held and positioned herself with her hand on the katana touching the tip to his chest.

"Then die Varen Askiligar. Die for nothing." She said raising the katana high.

"Acceleration!" The katana tumbled through the air lost from Charon's grip as she was knocked off of Varen's body. Two people rolled across the dirt before coming to a stop with a furious red head straddling Charon's body. Arnette balled her fists and sent them into Charon's face repeatedly before she could react.

"You!" Charon yelled disappearing from under Arnette and reappearing behind her. She grabbed Arnette by the hair bending her backwards while calling her katana back into her main hand. Arnette opened her mouth to scream as the katana plunged down towards her chest. Varen dove forward slapping her katana aside with his own sword and shoved Charon back forcing her to release her grip on Arnette's hair. She stood slowly calling her scythe into her hands and stood beside Varen facing Charon.

"How?" He asked.

"I'm your Pandora. I knew something was wrong and found you slumped over near the graves. You wouldn't wake up, and you were bleeding heavily. I activated the Ereinbar Set and was pulled in." Arnette explained.

"I can't close the connection. She's blocking it." Varen said.

"Good, makes it easier to kill her then." Arnette said drawing a smirk from Charon.

"Pleasure to meet you Crimson Queen. Glad you could join us." The girl said bowing slightly.

"It's not easy controlling this connection while equally trying to focus on combat is it? I bet it's sucking away every last bit of your energy." Arnette smiled rolling the staff of her scythe until it was leveled behind her.

"Hmph." Charon scoffed and dashed forward swinging the katana towards the red head. Varen ran forward with Arnette thrusting his sword towards Charon who twisted away. Her katana connected with Arnette's scythe pushing it aside cleanly. Continuing to twist her body into a spin she rapidly swatted away Varen and Arnette's strikes with the blade of the katana.

It was only now that Varen understood what Arnette had said. Charon was still strong, but there was a noticeable difference in her strength now compared to when they first crossed blades. Even her speed seemed slower. Forcing the connection to this world to remain active while blocking Varen's ability to sever it was taking its toll. Hope began to fill his mind as he renewed his efforts battering against Charon who could only defend against the simultaneous barrage of attacks coming from Arnette and him. He allowed himself to believe in a single thought.

They could win.