CHAPTER 45

SIEGFRIED'S CALLING

Flying Tusk's vehicle over the eastern forest, Ange and Momoka saw the beach where Cal had told them to fly to. But what were they supposed to do now? "Lady Angelise behind us!" Momoka suddenly warned. Ange looked over her shoulder and saw eight lights in the sky behind them closing in fast. "Who do you think they are?"

"I don't know but I'm not taking any more chances." Ange decided. Even if Cal and Hilda were with these people, she had been betrayed and lied far too many times to count and wasn't about to drop her guard now. Within seconds, eight aircraft identical to Tusk's surrounded Ange and Momoka as one pulled in closer piloted by a man built like on ox.

"Follow us to the beach. We have only a minute to spare!" The tall passenger riding on the back called out, his navy-blue hair barely hiding the long ugly scar across his face.

"Over my dead body!" Ange took aim with the rifle Cal had given her. "I'm not going anywhere with you people!"

"Hey, lower that gun now or there'll be trouble!" He angrily warned.

"Lucas cool it!" A young woman urged as she pulled up beside him. Sporting the same color hair, she looked like she could be his twin. Behind the navy haired woman Ange spotted dyed violet hair dancing in the wind.

"For once 'Princess', stop arguing and do as you're told!" Hilda yelled impatiently as her face peeped around the young woman's back.

"Ange it's okay they're on our side!" Ange snapped her head to the left as another vehicle pulled up next to her. To her and Momoka's joy and relief, they saw Cal riding behind a dark-skinned young man with glasses. "If you don't trust them trust me at least." The reassurance from her closest ally was enough to persuade Ange to at least give these people the benefit of a doubt and follow them down to the beach. Once on the sand and they all dismounted, Ange leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Cal's neck.

"Thank you." She whispered as Momoka dabbed at her eyes. "I really thought this time I was a goner."

"Dolton make it quick. We only got half a minute to spare." Lucas ordered as the spectacled man lit his palm with the light of Mana and a large boulder rolled to the side, revealing a trailer of some sort stationed inside a small grotto. "Get inside and get some rest. There are fresh clothes inside the seat compartments." Lucas told Ange as he turned to Cal and Hilda. "You two get in there as well. I'll deal with both of you later.

"Now hang on a minute!" Hilda yelled in outrage.

"If it weren't for us Tusk, Ange and Momoka could have been killed." Cal tried to argue.

"May I remind you that Team 1 was closer to their position and are more highly trained for this than you. Not to mention the Skyhooks were almost discovered by the enemy because you both disobeyed my orders! Now get in or I'll drag you both inside!" Ange saw the anger rise in Cal's face and stepped forward until he was right in Lucas's face. "Go on give me an excuse, you little punk!" Lucas dared.

"Lucas that's enough!"

"Cal don't, he's not worth it." Hilda and Lucas's twin put themselves between the two and without further argument, Cal and Hilda did as they were told, Cal having to drag Tusk inside while Lucas addressed his twin sister, the muscular man and Dolton.

"Lucia keep close to the trailer with me. Finn, stay at the back. Dolton, I'll take your skyhook. Take Tusk's and hook it up to the trailer. The quicker we get them to Arzenal the better." Just before the hatch doors closed, Ange caught the vicious glare Lucas directed at Cal.

"What's that guy's problem?" Ange asked.

"Let's just say me and him don't see eye to eye." Cal groaned as he placed Tusk on the floor. They all buckled up as they felt Dolton hook Tusk's vehicle to the trailer and lift off the sand. Through the shuttered window, Ange watched Lucas and Lucia flying alongside them as they glided over the surf and out to sea, the five other skyhooks scattering in different directions. With team G.H.O.S.T's relief the rescue mission had been successful, not one of them noticed a small flying disc like object plant itself underneath the trailer, its green light now blinking as it transmitted the signal.


With Misurugi far behind them Ange changed out of the filthy rag and into one of Tusk's spare white shirts. Cal and Hilda collapsed exhausted onto the bench, and to Ange's surprise they weren't bickering. Momoka meanwhile wrapped a blanket around her and began to tremble and sob. "I'm so sorry that happened to you milady."

"Don't be sorry. I feel a lot better now." Ange said as she shook her head. "I finally see it now, there's nothing left for me back there." Ange sighed in resignation, the only thing she could do was make things right with those back at Arzenel, the only place she truly belonged in this world. "Hey Hilda? Thanks for helping me back there."

"Well, you looked rather pathetic so I couldn't help but feel sorry for you." Hilda simply shrugged with a smirk on her face. "Plus, I do owe you one for stopping Corporal gorilla from dragging me off the plane back when we escaped."

"Oh yeah, did you manage to find your mom?"

"Yeah." Hilda frowned and looked away. It was all Ange needed to know.

"Okay," Cal suddenly spoke up. "According to Dolton we should arrive at Arzenal around morning. As he removed his chartreuse colored eye contacts, Cal wiped his face with a cloth and removed a considerable amount of makeup. As he did, Ange and Momoka both gasped in shock at the many cuts and bruises all over his face.

"Sir Cal what happened to you?" Momoka worried as she approached him. "It looks bad, let me help."

"It's nothing." Cal waved Momoka away. "Besides Mana doesn't work on me remember?"

"Who did this to you?" Ange questioned.

"We took on a whole squadron of soldiers." Hilda boasted.

"Bullshit." Ange laughed then hissed from the searing lashes over her body.

"Here take this, it'll help with the pain." Cal handed Ange his water canteen and once the peppery blackcurrant medicine hit her throat, Ange spat it all over the unconscious Tusk. "Yeah that was my reaction as well." Cal chuckled as Tusk began to stir.

"Wh…where…Ange…" With her eye twitching Ange knelt down and lifted Tusk by the collar of his poncho before delivering a whip cracking slap across his face.

"Wake up!" she snapped as Tusk yelped and flailed from the shock.

"Ange?" He looked over at everyone else. "Cal, Hilda? Wait we made it out?" Her annoyance already at its limit Ange ground her knuckles against Tusk's skull. "Hey! ow, ow, ow, ow!"

"Just what the hell is wrong with you?" Ange growled as she drove her knuckles deeper. "Why are so compelled to consistently throw your face in my crotch? I've slept in the same bed with a man-whore who kept his face to himself so what's your excuse? Are you sick or just deranged?!"

"I'm sorry it was an accident I swear!" Ow, ow, ow, ow!

"There's no way that was accidental." Hilda commented.

"Man-whore!" Cal blustered in an affronted tone.

"Um Lady Angelise?" Momoka asked. "Who is this person and what exactly is your relationship?"

Tusk laughed nervously. "Well, it's gotten somewhat serious."

"What!" Ange cried out.

"So that's why you didn't kiss Sir Cal! Even after sharing the same bed!" Momoka's face lit up. "The way you risked your life to save her, it couldn't be more obvious. Your heart was longing for him all this time!"

"Was not!" Ange yelled and hammered her fist on top of Tusk's head.

"Hang on a minute when did you two kiss and sleep together!?" Hilda demanded from Cal. "It took you almost over a year to almost kiss me!"

"Hey she tried to kiss me and we only slept in the same bed because there was no room for Momoka!" Cal explained with hands raised in defense. "Why do you think I moved out and started bunking with Salia and Ersha? Besides why are you so bothered who I kiss or sleep with?" Hilda realized what she had said and went even redder. Ange remembered Hilda's bet about whoever got the most kills would sleep with Cal first and wondered just what the two of them were up to while she was rotting in that cell?

"How come you two are even here?" Ange demanded, getting back to the topic at hand. "How did you find me and who are those people out there?"

"Well, Jill sent us." Tusk spoke up rubbing his head and Ange looked at Cal.

"Right after you escaped and knocked me out cold, she ordered me and Tusk to get you both back to Arzenal." He confirmed.

"Wait, the Commander is involved in this?" Ange asked.

"Both me and Cal were ordered to get you back safely to Arzenal. But Cal went to find Hilda first knowing it would make the Commander angry since you're the main priority." Tusk revealed.

"So what am I chopped liver?" Hilda asked.

"Once you were captured, we had to get outside help." Tusk continued. "So the Commander allowed them to help us out in rescuing you."

"Well, that's a relief." Ange admitted. Cal, seeing an opportunity, slipped Ange's ring into Tusk's hand without her noticing. Tusk turned to Cal who winked with a playful smile and Tusk opened Ange's hand to place her ring in her palm.

"Here I think this belongs to you. It's important right?" Ange was overcome with joy as she placed her mother's ring back on her finger.

"Thank you." Ange's ruby red eyes sparkled with happy tears. "But still, who are you exactly? You told me before you're not a male Norma so how come you can't use Mana. And how do you and those people know the Commander?" Tusk and Cal looked at each other suspiciously as an awkward silence filled the trailer.

"Well it's complicated." said Tusk. "But I'm not the only one who can't use Mana either, though me and the others aren't male Norma like Cal."

"How is that possible? Momoka asked.

"Yeah." Hilda added. "Why can't you, Lucas, Lucia and a small few of the other back the harbor can't use Mana if you're not Norma?"

"I think It's best if you wait until we get back to Arzenal." Tusk told them. "The Commander has all the answers you need."

"I think we all need some rest." Cal agreed. "It's been a long couple of days." Ange grumbled in frustration but let it go.

"Fine. I'll ask Jill when we get back."

"In the meantime, can I ask you something? Tusk asked.

"What?"

"Your hair," he smiled. "How is it such a beautiful shade of gold?" Ange blushed in surprise, Hilda stared at them with a raised eyebrow, and Cal simply looked at Tusk and smiled.

"Um...well..." she stammered curling her fingers shyly in her golden locks. "What's it to you?"

"And the carpet matches…"

"Alright you asked for it PERVERT!" Ange yelled as she unleashed her fury on Tusk.

"Lady Angelise!" Momoka squeaked.

"Watch it!" Hilda shouted.

"You're gonna knock us over!" Cal yelled.

"Hey take it easy back there!" warned Dolton trying to fly straight as the trailer violently rocked back and forth over the water. "Yeesh I've heard Arzenal girls like it rough but give over!"


As if Lucas wasn't in a foul enough mood, they had barely gotten halfway to the rendezvous when a sudden squall broke out. Even with his poncho hood pulled tight over his head, it wasn't long before all of them were soaked to the bone. While he, Lucia, and Finn, had opted to escort the Norma back to Arzenal; the rest of team G.H.O.S.T had spread out into a perimeter a few miles out. That way, even if the NMB sent pursuit after them, they'd have plenty of warning. Apart from a sudden disturbance that rocked the trailer back and forth, 2 hours had passed without incident.

"We've got another 300 miles before we reach the extraction point." Dolton told them. "We should get there before sunrise."

"I hope so, my ass is starting to go numb back here and I'm freezing." Finn complained. "What do you say to a nice fish breakfast once we get to the extraction point. My treat."

"You read my mind." said Lucia delightfully. "I just hope the island we're going to first has an onsen."

"Keep focus, we're not there yet." Lucas ordered, wincing from his several slash wounds that still throbbed and burned.

"Lucas how are you holding up?" Lucia worried.

"I'm fine Lucia. Just a couple scratches." Lucas assured her. His wound did sting, but what really hurt was knowing his father's sword was in the hands of that bastard. 'Damn it. If those two had just stayed in position, none of this would have happened.' Lucas fumed to himself. Then there was what his father's killer had said. 'What does that guy want with the male Norma? How did he know Gaz and who is he?' Gazing over at the trailer, Lucas had a sneaking suspicion Cal knew a lot more than he let one, and once they arrived at the extraction point, Cal would either tell him or Lucas would beat it out of him.

"Lieutenant…do you…copy…over…" A voice buzzed over the radio.

"Gared, is that you? What's wrong? Your coms are off?"

"There's…unknown…aircraft…close…position…something…causing…scanners…weaken…" Suddenly, the line went dead. Lucas checked his Skyhook's own scanners and saw that whatever was glitching out Gared's radio was starting to affect their systems as well. Even still, through the pouring rain and whatever the source of the interference was, he could make out a large red dot homing in behind them. And it was coming fast.


"That's amazing! You're both lucky to be alive!" Momoka gasped after Cal and Hilda recounted the story of their narrow escape from Dutch Villson and how a group of renegade humans assisted them.

"So that guy is the reason your home is gone and…" Ange realized.

"Yes, he killed Gramps." Cal said in a low voice as he stared out the window to the night sky. "He's the same guy who's killed so many Norma and the few humans who don't hate us."

"It's one of the reasons we've kept a low profile for so long." Tusk said, his face bruised and swollen from Ange's beating. Though she had calmed down, Tusk still made sure to give her a wide berth in case she was still mad at him. "But ever since Cal reactivated Siegfried, we got back in touch, and it looks like things are picking up."

"I never would have thought humans and Norma would actually live together." Ange sighed. "Let alone have children. And the Commander knows about these people?"

"Yes, but as I've said if you want all the answers, you best ask Jill." Cal repeated. "At least now Arzenal and them, we all have something in common. Ridding the world of that murderous bastard who's hunting us all. And I'll be the one to do it." Ange, Momoka and Hilda looked at each other in worry. Though they could understand Cal's anger, the look in his eyes was so alien that he almost seemed a different person.

"Hey, just don't do anything stupid." Ange told him.

"Just drop it." He replied flatly. "I'm fine." Ange was about to speak up when Hilda suddenly stood up and walked over to Cal.

"Cal?" she asked.

"Yeah what?" Before he knew it, Hilda had grabbed his nose between her knuckles and was tugging his face up. "Ow ow ow ow ow!"

"Do you remember what almost happened in the forest?!" she scolded him. "You almost got killed because you lost your cool and tried to fight that guy and his entire army by yourself. And let's not forget how you almost blew our cover back there. Don't think that I'm just going sit back and coddle you like Ersha or Salia would. Take a chance like that again and I won't hesitate to smack some sense back into you. Got it?!"

"Ogay ogay I ged id!" Cal flailed. Hilda released him and returned to her seat. Cal meanwhile, rubbed his nose and stared out the window when a disturbing realization occurred to him. It was only vague but during Ange's execution, he recalled having no control over his own mind and body. Almost as if someone had flipped a switch and shifted control to someone else. Just like that time he came face to face with Trager. 'Why, is this happening to me? Is there something wrong with me.' Cal thought.

"Say Ange." Tusk finally spoke. "Who was that woman with your brother, the one with the silver hair?" Ange glowered a stoney glare at him and Tusk flinched, as she leaned back in her seat with her arms and legs crossed so tightly it seemed unlikely she would unravel them for several years.

"Her name is Riza." She explained. "She was as appointed as Captain of the royal imperial guard by my father." Ange paused as she bristled with realization and anger. "And I bet she had something to do with assisting my so-called brother for exposing me as a Norma on my baptism."

"Well, just add her name to the list then," Cal supposed. "In any case, we should get some sleep. It's been a long day and I wouldn't like to think what the Commander, Inspector and Corporal piggy will do to two you for escaping."

"I'd like to see the Inspector and her pet boar try." Ange scoffed. "The Commander. She's more involved than she lets on. What else does she know? What exactly are you involved in with her?" Cal opened his mouth to tell them the tale Jill had told him about the Ancient Folk, their allegiance with the Norma, and about Libertus. But he couldn't utter a single word when a sound like an explosion erupted right behind them.

"What the hell!?" Hilda cried just before something massive hit the back of the tailer with enough force to send everyone lurching to the floor just as another equal blow hit them as the sides and roof that dented inwards.

"What's happening?" Momoka whimpered as they felt the trailer rise higher into the air. Something large was lifting the trailer up from the surface of the sea.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME, SUBJECT ALPHA!" A hard iron voice echoed from outside the trailer as white hot anger licked Cal's insides at the sound of THAT voice.

"It's HIM!" Hilda panicked. The next second a sudden eruption of gunfire broke out and whatever it was Dutch was piloting caused him to let go of the trailer which dipped and began to plunge downward before leveling out.

"Dolton what's happening out there?!" Cal yelled through his earpiece. "Dolton are you there?!"

"Hold on tight everyone!" Dolton shouted before the trailer gave a horrible lurch and their speed picked up significantly. Once Ange had adjusted to the sudden boost of speed, she stood up to peek out one of the right-side windows. In the darkness over the sea, a gigantic robust black unit with bat like wings and shining with the Light of Mana was arcing over the sea. Around it, Lucas and the others were swarming around it, strafing the Mana shields it projected over its arms with their Skyhooks' machine guns.

"What the hell is that?" Ange gasped. Tusk peered out beside her, and his face went white with shock.

"It's…it's HIM. The one who annihilated our home Xeon. The Ragnarök!"

"Damn it!" Hilda cursed. "He not only has his own Para-mail, but it can use Mana as well?" As they watched helplessly while the battle rescinded into the distance, the Ragnarök aimed its huge rifle cannon and fired. One Skyhook wasn't fast enough to dodge and it was incinerated in a ball of fire and black smoke.

"Dolton, stop! We've got to go back!" Cal yelled through the hatch. He was not going to allow anyone else to die to keep him safe. But when he tried to open it Cal but found that Dolton had locked it. "Dolton, OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"

"There's nothing we can do Cal!" bellowed Dolton, accelerating faster as a burst of orange flamed energy zoomed past them and hit the water ahead. "All we can do is get away while we can!"

"Stop…STOP!" Cal shouted. "They'll all die if we don't help them! STOP!"


With one eye on their glitching screens; Luca and the others kept a lookout for whatever it was that was rapidly closing in on them. The sky above them was devoid of any craft so where could it be coming from? Lucas checked the screen, saw that it was now right on top of them, and his heart dropped into his stomach. "IT'S BENEATH US!" he yelled, just before a column of water exploded around them, drenching them in saltwater as something large collided with the back of the trailer. Screams, a blaze of green light, the world spinning around him, Lucas fought against the shock and managed to right his skyhook and turn it back to the trailer, just in time to see a familiar bat winged shaped unit clinging onto the back of the trailer.

"He's back!" Lucia shouted over the radio.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME, SUBJECT ALPHA!" That familiar harsh voice roared while Dolton struggled to pull free.

"What going on back there?!" Dolton panicked as the Ragnarök reached out with one free hand to rip Dolton and his skyhook off the trailer.

"He's after Cal and the others. Keep him away at all costs!" Lucas bellowed. "Everyone, OPEN FIRE!" He and Lucia darted towards the enemy, raining gunfire upon the bulky Para-mail while Finn staffed at him from underneath. The bullets did little more than scratch the armor, but it at least succeeded in making the Ragnarök let go of the cargo.

"Lieutenant hold on! We're coming!" Gared broadcast. In the distance, the running lights of the other five skyhooks shone in the dark and the Ragnarök zoomed upwards to get a better angle on its attackers.

"Dolton get them out of here. We'll hold him off!" Lucas ordered as Dolton managed to straighten back out and fly off as fast as he could. "Everyone keep this bastard away from them. Give everything you got and put this bastard down for good! FOR XEON!"

"FOR XEON!" Everyone howled as they closed out.

"Stay out of way you filthy vermin!" Dutch snarled through the radio feed as they all swarmed around him. Dutch jigged back and forth to avoid the relentless barrage until he managed to widen the distance enough to form two mana shields across his machine's forearms, the bullets now bouncing harmlessly off them.

"Everyone dive!" Lucia shrieked as the Ragnarök raised its large black cannon rifle to fire bursts of orange energy towards them.

"You Ancient Apes can't dodge forever?!" Dutch cackled. Everyone scattered in different directions, helpless to do anything except try and keep the enemy from establishing a lock. Two blasts flew past Lucas and in his left mirror, Gared and Kiren were taken out in a ball of fire and smoke. With no time to grieve or even curse, Lucas checked his peripheral and saw that Dolton and the trailer had barely made any progress. Dutch saw it as well and he broke through the blockade and raced after the trailer once again.

"Oh no you don't!" Lucas heard Frenzy voice shout as he and the Norma Futaba zoomed in front of the Ragnarök. From the back of the seat, Frenzy lit off a roman candle and sprayed the face and hull of the cockpit of the Ragnarok, successfully making it halt from the blinded sensors.

"Great job Frenzy!" Lucas cheered. "Everyone now's our chance! Fire missiles!" From the bottom of the Skyhooks just behind the machinegun, a single missile fired from the launchers mounted on the ventral hardpoint. Exhaust trails streaked across the sky and the enemy unit was consumed by a series of explosions.

"He wasn't so tough!" Frenzy cheered, until a dozen homing missiles suddenly shot out from the black cloud.

"Look out!" Lucas yelled. In a rush of dark armor and the Light of Mana, the Ragnarök charged forward and swung out its arm, swatting the skyhook Frenzy and Futaba were on like a fly. The tremendous impact knocked Frenzy from behind Futaba and sent him falling like a rag doll. Lucas tried to go after him but was cut off by two homing missiles that streaked towards him from behind.

"Frenzy, hold on I'm coming!" Finn yelled out of the darkness. The big man dove his vehicle towards the youth and managed to grab on to Frenzy's collar to pull him on behind him. Overhead, Futaba was struggling to maintain her flight as one of her skyhook's engines was smoking and disabled.

"Futaba jump!" Lucas tried to get underneath her but was too late. The last thing Lucas saw was her terrified face before the Ragnarök fired and her Skyhook was consumed by fire.

"No Futaba!" Frenzy cried as he clutched Finn's thick back.

"Now this takes me back!" Dutch laughed. "Shooting down you primitives and razing your little settlement to the ground! But I've got bigger fish to fry so get out of my way and maybe you'll live a little longer!"

"Whoa our RPGs didn't even scratch it." Finn panted.

"He's too strong!" Lucia gasped. "At this rate we'll all be killed! Lucas what'll we do!" Lucas gritted his teeth and knew there was only one option. If all else failed, he could at least try a suicide run and take the bastard with him. Flattening himself against the handlebars, he sped off towards Dutch. "Lucas what the hell are you doing?"

"Lucia, you and the others get back to Dolton. I'll lead him away!"

"What, Lucas no!" Lucia screamed. Lucas cut the radio so he wouldn't be distracted and peppered the Ragnarök's back with machinegun fire.

"Hey asshole! Think third time is your charm?!" he taunted.

"Fine, this time I'll squash you for good!" Dutch snarled as he bolted after Lucas.


Out of breath and his shoulder throbbing from trying to ram the hatch open, Cal could only watch helplessly as their allies were overwhelmed by Dutch's machine. But no matter how much he rammed, kicked, pushed and pulled at the hatch or screamed for Dolton to stop, the metal hatch wouldn't budge.

"Sir Cal please, you have to calm down!" Momoka begged as Tusk and Hilda grabbed on to him.

"Will you get a grip!" Hilda yelled. "There's nothing you can do for them!" With a cry of frustration, Cal fell to his knees. It was like Gramps sacrificing his life for him all over again. And all he could do was run away.

"Shit, everyone get ready!" Dolton suddenly called from outside. "Looks like we've got another guest incoming." Tusk moved to the window and pulled a pair of binoculars from his vest pocket.

"Can you see what it is?" Ange asked.

"It looks like another Para-mail." He answered. "One of Arzenal's. But I can't see who's piloting it."

Something throbbed on Cal's wrist, and he looked down to see the red gem in Siegfried's bracelet starting to glint and pulse. 'No way.' He thought. 'It couldn't be.' Picking himself off the deck, Cal wedged himself between Tusk and Ange and beckoned for the binoculars. Out over the water, a dim red shape, almost translucent in form, was closing in on them.

"Who are you? State your business." They heard Dolton broadcast over the radio. No reply was given but now it was close enough that Cal could make out the design details. And his heart leapt as he recognized the weaponry and the four engine wings.

"It's Siegfried!"

"What?!" Ange gasped. "But how's that possible?" As the ghostly Para-mail closed the distance, the gem on Cal's bracelet began to pulse even brighter and hotter until it filled the entire cabin.

"Lady Angelise what's going on?" Momoka whispered in awe.

"Cal how the hell are you…?" Hilda demanded.

"I don't know." Cal admitted. "But this isn't the first time Siegfried's done the impossible. Remember Miranda and the Bighorn?" Staring down at the gemmed ruby at his wrist that seemed to pulse in tune with the beating of his own heart, Cal knew what he had to do and banged on the hatch. "Dolton open the door. I can help them!"

"Cal, I don't think that a good idea."

"Dammit Dolton if you don't open this fucking door, I promise that as soon as you land, I'll make sure you'll need new pair of glasses!"

"Why you gotta make it personal?" Dolton's voice quivered as he unlocked the hatch.

"Cal wait, what are you going to do?" HIlda demanded. "You're not seriously going out there are you?"

"Damn right I am." Cal answered. "I'm going to end this, once and for all."

"You can't be serious!" Ange cried. "That thing can use the Light of Mana and who knows what else. I don't like it either but running is…"

"I'm done running!" Cal yelled. "I'm sick of hiding and being afraid just because some human says I shouldn't exist. Gramps, my mother, Naomi, Zola, Coco; they're all dead because of people like him. No more! It's my life and I'm going to fight for it!"

"But sir Cal…" Momoka begged when Tusk cut her off.

"He's right." Tusk said. "Too many people have died. Cal's the Knight of Villkiss. Siegfried has chosen him to be its wielder. If we're going to strike back, then now's the time." Glad that at least one among them understood, Cal opened the hatch and just stuck his head out into the pouring rain when someone grabbed his wrist.

"Cal wait!" Hilda pleaded.

"Hilda I don't…"and Cal was cut off when Hilda grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a kiss, Cal's eyes bulging from shock as Hilda's soft tongue forced its way into his mouth. When she finally pulled away, despite the tears in her eyes, she managed a smile.

"Just come back alive and in one piece." She told him. "Now go kick that bastard's ass."

"Yes Ma'am." Cal saluted. Along the frontal hull, a ladder ran up beside the hatch and Cal climbed up to the trailer's top, the wind and rain lashing him from all sides as he stood up. 'Here goes nothing.' He thought as he punched his arm into the air.

"SIEGFRIED!"

The bracelet flashed like crimson lightning and the trailer shook from a sudden thrum as the empty air next to it rippled and Siegfried materialized as if by magic. No longer ghostly but its familiar Navy blue while it's red stripes flared in sync with the bracelet.

"Holy…" Cal heard Dolton swore. Without a moment to spare, Cal leapt from the trailer into the cockpit. Even without the flight suit or a Plenum chamber cord to connect, it felt as if he and the machine were of one mind, and it wanted to fight just as badly as he did.

"Dolton, get the others to Arzenal. Don't stop for anything!"

"Got it. Good luck." Cal's gaze shifted to the trailer, and he gave one final salute to the people inside before gunning the throttle and racing back to the battle at full speed. According to the sensors, it looked like one of the Skyhooks was trying to lead Dutch's machine away from the main group.


From inside the trailer. Hilda watched Cal fly off with mixed feelings. She knew he was a good pilot, that Siegfried was one hell of a machine, and that Cal was right. Dutch would never stop chasing him. If Cal didn't settle this now, he'd never be able to move forward. But still, the thought that he was off to fight the man who had nearly killed him back on his home island and in the forest and all she could do was watch made her heart feel like it was being crushed. 'Cal will come back.' She told herself. 'He knows that if he dies, I'll chase him all the way to hell and beat the shit out of him.' Turning away, Hilda was taken aback by the bemused stare Ange was giving her. "Is there something I can help you with 'Princess'?"

"Since when did you two get so lovey dovey?" Ange asked.

"It's nothing like that!" Hilda cried as she flushed. "He saved my life remember so I was just paying him back!"

"I think you two make a cute couple." Tusk admitted. "And here I was worried Ange was the one falling for Cal." Both girls shot him cold glares and Tusk wisely shut up.


With Dutch rapidly closing in on him, Lucas knew it was time. 'I'm sorry Lucia,' he thought. 'Please understand that I do this for you and all of our people." Spinning around, Lucas revved the engine and charged straight at the Ragnarök. The armored behemoth fired another salvo of missiles to which Lucas responded with the last of his ammo. The warheads detonated, creating a smokescreen that completely obscured both their visions. It was now or never.

"Go to hell!" he shouted as he plunged through, aiming for where he had last seen the cockpit positioned. But as he plunged through, to his shock the Ragnarök was gone. Lucas frantically checked his scanners for any trace when suddenly, his Skyhook broke to a halt hard enough to nearly throw him off. His face smacked into the console and pain shot through Lucas's head as his nose broke and a tooth cracked.

"Did you really think that would work?!" Dutch mocked and through his clouded vision, Lucas saw to his horror that the enemy unit had grabbed onto the Skyhook's rear engines. The backwash sprayed the armored hull but a Mana shield deflected and kept the cockpit from being roasted. "I'll give you credit for courage boy but I'm through wasting energy on you."

"We're coming Lucas just hang on!" Finn's voice echoed over the radio.

"Lucas get out of there!" Lucia begged. With his head still throbbing and his vision a whirlpool of sparks and haze, Lucas stared up into the face of the Ragnarök as it shifted its grip. With one hand on the rear and second on the nose, metal began to creak and crunch under the pressure exerted within the machine's grip.

"Let my brother go!" Lucia screamed as she desperately fired at the enemy.

"On second thought let's kill two birds with one stone." Dutch sneered and pulled the unit's arms up. He positioned Lucas as if he was a basketball and Lucas knew what he was planning.

"Lucia get back. GET AWAY!" Lucas begged as he flattened himself into the seat, hugging it for dear life.

"GOODBYE YOU ANCIENT MAGGOTS!" The Ragnarök's eyes blazed emerald green and prepared to throw when something smashed into it from behind. The impact sent Lucas flying off his Skyhook, a feeling of weightlessness overtaking him before he began to fall. His wet plastered hair whipped back from his face, spinning out of control until suddenly he came to a cushioned halt in midair. Lucas looked up and found himself held by a gigantic metal hand. His heart almost leapt out of his chest at the sight of the unit that had saved him was Siegfried. Istvan's machine.

"Lucas are you okay?!" Lucia gasped as she flew up to and hovered beside Siegfried. She too was in a state of shock by their unexpected rescuer.

"Lucia." A familiar voice called from the speakers. "Take your brother and get everyone to safety."

"Cal!?" Lucia gasped in disbelief. "How…when…?"

"Siegfried came to me." He told them. "It heard me call and came to help me fight." Meanwhile, the Ragnarök had been sent hurtling across the sky form Cal's surprise tackle but had now regained its bearings and was hurtling towards them.

"Cal wait!" Lucia begged. "You're not really going to…"

"Just go! This is between me and him." Cal ordered as he placed Lucas onto the back of her seat.

"YOU!" Dutch roared as he floated overhead. "WHO ARE YOU!? WHERE DID YOU GET THAT MACHINE!?"

"Who do you think?" Cal asked back. The sky was silent before they heard a dry, harsh laugh echo from the enemy unit.

"Perfect. I almost thought you had slipped through my fingers again but now you come right to the slaughter." Cal positioned himself between Dutch and his allies and rose up into the sky.

"Get going!" he ordered.

"Alright." Lucia nodded. "You be sure to win." With a blast of exhaust, Lucia turned her skyhook and sped off at top speed. As he held onto his sister's waist, Lucas cast a glare back at his father's killer, and the machine that he had dreamed of piloting for so long.

'Why Siegfied?' he demanded. 'How could you choose him?'


With everyone now out of immediate danger and Dutch's attention now on Siegfried, the two machines stared each other across the sky.

"So you managed to get your fancy hunk of junk to even the odds." Dutch mocked. "Not that it will make a difference. I fought against the original pilot of that machine. As much of an ape as he was, you aren't half the pilot as him. And once I take care of you once and for all, I'll go after the Princess next. And then, I'm going to drag every Norma at Arzenal who so much as smiled at you back to the mainland so they can die long and slow."

"You won't be killing anyone else anymore Villson." Cal warned. "My Gramps once told me to never give in to hate but you are the one person I will never forgive."

"Bah!" Dutch grunted. "You don't know the first thing about Gaz. He was not only a traitor to humanity but a weak-minded fool! Do you know why he took you in. Because his daughter was a Norma and they put her down the way you should have been put down the moment you were born!"

"Is that all you have?" Cal asked. "I already know all about Gramps and why he saved me. So what? So what if I was a failed experiment! So what if I was a replacement for his real child! He still was ten times the man you could ever be! And now, I'm going to reach into your chest and RIP OUT YOUR HEART!" Cal's gave a feral like roar that was answered by a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning as if the heavens itself reflected his burning rage towards the man. "Just like you did to me when you killed Gramps!"

"My heart was ripped out a long time ago boy, on the day when Gaz betrayed me and my brother." Dutch snarled. "I don't know what my Master wants with you but so long as I bring back the Princess, I doubt he'll be too upset with me."

Master? So there was someone even higher than Dutch? Cal then recalled how when he had spied on Trager, the doctor was speaking to someone in a green suit whom he also referred as 'master.' Well whoever it was they could wait. Right now, the enemy in front of him right now was his top priority. One way or another it was going to end this here and now.

"Bring it on then…DUTCH VILLSON!" Cal gunned the engines and Siegfried shot forward. Dutch charged in as well, the Ragnarök's double headed axe pulled to meet Siegfried's dual blades head on in a clash of sparks.


Once they had managed to put enough distance between them and the battle, Team G.H.O.S.T and their passengers stopped to watch. Inside the trailer Ange and the others pressed their faces against the windows as Cal and the Mana using Para-mailed clashed against each other. No sooner had the first strike been dealt Cal made another, only to harmlessly deflect off Dutch's Mana shield. Still, in doing so he had left his midsection open, allowing Cal to kick the robust unit hard enough to send it plunging towards a stone reef jutting out of the sea below. Unfortunately, Dutch recovered and used his Mana to rip off a jagged chunk of the reef and hurl it like a javelin. Cal barely dodged in time as Dutch shot back upwards and shoulder rammed Cal had enough to drive him back into the clouds and out of sight.

"I hope Sir Cal will be okay." Momoka preyed.

"He'll be fine." Hilda said, her nails digging into the backrest of the seat. Outside, Lucas and Lucia had both turned white with shock. After tuning their radio to Siegfried's channel and they had heard Cal and Dutch's entire conversation.

"It can't be." Lucas whispered his lip quivering with anger.

"I thought Gaz told us he died in the fire." Lucia said. Meanwhile, the two units broke out of the clouds, ramming into each other like charging bulls. Sparks flew from their blades as both struck hard and fast, low and high, right and left; until the impacts drowned out even the occasional thunderbolt. Moving at such speed everyone else bellow could only distinguish the two units by the auras of emerald green and scarlet red.

"Have you ever seen him fight like that?" Ange asked in amazment. "He's so fast."

"Just once." Hilda admitted. "It was against the First Of that killed Naomi just before you arrived."

"He's holding his own." Tusk noted. Under Cal's constant assault, Dutch seemed to be struggling. "He's pushing him back." No sooner had he said that then an overextension on Cal's thrust allowed Dutch to push him back. Now it was HIS turn to go on the offensive. His huge axe spinning like a propeller, Dutch chased after Cal, hammering blow upon blow on his swords. To their horror, one blow managed to land right on Siegfried's right flank, triggering an eruption of smoke and blue sparks. Cal faltered and Dutch redirected the momentum to take off Siegfried's arms off, but Cal shifted sideways just in time and uppercut beneath the Ragnarök's chin to knock Dutch back. Cal advanced and flashed his blades, only to harmlessly bounce off the Mana shields Dutch raised in defense.

"He can't keep this up!" Hilda realized. "So long as Dutch is defending, he can't attack but it's only a matter of time until Cal tires out." As if to confirm this, the Ragnarök suddenly shifted and drove its bulky leg into Siegfried's damaged flank. With some distance put between them, Dutch drew his cannon rifle and fired only for Cal to once more retreat back into the clouds with his enemy in hot pursuit.

"You're right!" Ange agreed as she popped out of the trailer hatch door to shout at the others. "What the hell are you people doing!? Get your asses in gear and help him!"

"And what the hell do you expect us to do!?" Dolton shot back. "Our guns can't even scratch that thing!"

"Hey just take it easy!" Frenzy said. "Cal's got this!"

"That's not the point!" Hilda yelled. "That bastard killed his guardian and he'll kill him too!"

"Wait you knew who that guy is?" Lucia said in a hurt voice. "You lied to me!"

"Lucia don't be so hard on her!" Dolton tried to explain. "They were ordered by Major and Captain Jacob to keep it secret until he would tell you in person."

"So you knew about him too?" Lucas snapped. "How fucking dare, you Dolton!" Before they could argue further, a sudden burst of gunfire and orange plasma erupted from the clouds as Cal and Dutch erupted in a spinning maelstrom of weapons fire.

"Lieutenant they're right" Finn asked. "We can't just sit by and do nothing."

"Yeah he needs help!"

"We have more of a chance with Siegfried here!"

"Yeah let's end this bastard!"

"Screw it!" Lucas decided. "Team G.H.O.S.T, move in to assist Cal. Dolton stay here with the girls and Tusk."


"I'll rip you out of that machine you little maggot!" Dutch snarled as his and Cal's units grappled against each other, leaving a spiraling trail of red and green. Cal grit his teeth against the strain of the G-forces, using all his strength to push Dutch back but his machine barely budged. "You can't keep this up forever." Dutch laughed. "You'll run out of ammo or fuel soon but my Mana is infinite! I can do this all day but you're on your last leg!" Suddenly, a rain of bullets began strafing the left side of the Ragnarök as Lucia and the others flew past. The distraction was enough for Cal to drive his blade through one of the Ragnarök's bat like wings and force him back. "Damn you!" He yelled.

"Get away!" Cal tried to warn as Dutch began to fire at Team G.H.O.S.T. "I told you he's mine!" Blinded by the interference and fearful that Dutch would escape once again, Cal shot towards Dutch who without warning swung his axe up and Siegfried was shaken by a loud bang that threw Cal against the side of the cockpit. Another swing of the axe triggered a second tremor, and Siegfried's console warned that both the right leg and primary wing had been severed.

"Cal look out!" He heard Lucia yell before Dutch launched into the air before diving down, planting both feet into Siegfried's abdomen. The impact sent Cal flying back, hitting his head hard as the falling sky in front of him turned into a blur of stars and flashes of rain until he came to a shuddering crash. Cold water flowed into the cockpit as Siegfried began to sink, snapping Cal back to his senses as it filled his shoes and rapidly began to rise.

'No.' He panicked. 'No! Not again!' Cal struggled with the controls but Siegfried failed to respond. Within seconds, he was completely submerged, and he could feel Siegfried start to sink even further beneath the surface. 'I'm sorry Gramps.' He thought as the frigid water made him turn numb. 'I wanted to avenge you, but I failed.' Cal's grip relaxed as his lungs began to burn from the lack of air. 'At least now I can see you again. And Coco. And Zola. And Naomi.'

'Just come back alive and in one piece. Now go kick that bastard's ass.'

Cal's eyes snapped opened as he remembered the warmth of Hilda's kiss. She was waiting for him up above along with Ange, Momoka, and Tusk. And so were the other people at Arzenal. Jasmine, Commander Jill, Maggie, Scarlett, Miranda, Salia, Ersha, Chris, Rosalie, Vivian. He couldn't die. Too many people needed him. And Dutch wouldn't stop with him. Cal fought back against his lungs that ached for air and the creeping cold darkness closing in around him as he grasped the controls and Siegfried's bracelet shone even hotter and brighter.

'I can't die! I WON'T DIE!'


"Cal is down, I repeat Cal is down!" Lucas shouted over Tusk's radio. From beneath the waves, Hilda and the others watched in horror as the light of Siegfried faded and began to disappear.

"SIR CAL!" Momoka cried.

"No! NO! CAL!" Hilda screamed.

"Somebody do something!" Ange panicked.

"Dolton get over there quick before he gets too deep!" Tusk ordered. 'Come on Cal don't you dare die.' But just before Dolton could swing around, a red light began to pulse brighter and brighter beneath the waves. Before their eyes, the sea erupted in a flash of crimson lighting before something erupted in a geyser of blazing energy. The Ragnarök turned with its attention back to the Skyhooks, was caught off guard when the pillar hit it full force and sent it flying. As the red light stopped, everyone else's jaw dropped in shock. Siegfried had changed. It's armor no longer dark blue but now a dazzling race yellow. Even more incredible, its severed wing and leg were growing back along with the axe wound to its flank.

"Wha…what the hell?" Ange gasped.

"The red lightening." Hilda remembered. "It's just like that day when he saved Miranda."

"He did it." Tusk whispered as he began to laugh. "He actually unlocked it!"

"Unlocked what?" Momoka asked.

"The Valkyrie system!" Tusk explained. "Siegfried responds to the will of its rider. And Cal just unlocked the Geirönul form! There's no way that guy will keep up with him now!" Across the sky, Lucia and the others watched I similar astonishment.

"That is so cool!" Frenzy squealed.

"That kid really is something!" Finn laughed.

"My god he actually did it." Lucia half laughed half cheered. "He's achieved the Geirönul form, just like Istvan!" Lucas on the other hand, stared in a mix of denial and stupefied awe. It had taken his sensei Istvan years to unlock those abilities for Siegfried. 'How is he doing this? He's only had that machine for only a few months, he shouldn't be nowhere near this level of power.' Could it be that he was wrong about Cal, Lucas wondered in confliction.


Dutch barked in triumph. Subject Alpha was down, and he had beaten the Ancient Folk's machine. Now to just mop up was what left. Some of the Skyhooks were diving down to try and rescue Subject Alpha, but Dutch fired his beam rifle and forced them to pull away. "I never get tired of eradicating vermin." He sneered as he gave chase. And once he had eliminated them, he could go after the Princess. The Skyhooks attempted to retreat and Dutch when something began to pulse from below the surf.

"What the hell?" No sooner had he spoke than an eruption of red lighting and a pillar of light burst forth from the sea. Something within the light collided with the Ragnarök and sent it hurtling out of control, spinning and tumbling over before he managed to straighten out. Shaking his head clear, Dutch's eyes bulged at the horrifying sight before him. "No. No it can't be!" Before him was Subject Alpha, his machine's armor changed to a bright yellow and trails of lighting sparked out of its booster wings. Before his eyes, the damage Dutch had inflicted began to regenerate and he knew he had to strike fast. Aiming his beam rifle, Dutch fired but Siegfried dodged out of the way, leaving an afterimage that the bolt passed through harmlessly.

"You're dead Dutch Villson!" Cal swore. In desperation, Dutch tried to flank him, but Siegfried launched forwards so fast Dutch didn't even realize it until the Ragnarök was kicked back. Before he could even regain himself, Cal had already dashed behind him. Dutch tried to raise a Mana shield but the red aura surrounding Siegfried coated Cal's dual blades and he effortlessly slashed through them, taking off one of the Ragnarök's arms with the same motion. Dutch flew back to gain some distance and opened fire, but just like before Siegfried moved around too fast to land a hit. One moment it was on his right. In another millisecond it was on his left. 'I won't let this happen.' Dutch swore through his panic. 'I won't be beaten by some freak like you!'


It was better than Cal ever dreamed. Siegfried now turned with the lightest touch, almost as if it was responding to his thoughts rather than his hands. Outside the cockpit, the world slowed to a crawl as Dutch fired. But at the pace Cal was going, he could see where each bolt was going and had plenty of time to move out of the way. And in between, he would dash in and cut across the enemy machine; shearing off pieces of armor and cutting through them like soft cheese.

"What's wrong old man?!" Cal yelled. "Where'd all your confidence go?" Slashing his blades 50 times in the span of 10 seconds, Dutch only managed to block not even half of Cal's attacks before he turned tail and fled into the clouds. He must be planning an ambush. Hoping to take Cal by surprise under the cover of darkness. That actually gave Cal an idea.


It was sickening that he would have to hide like this from a Norma of all things, but whatever Subject Alpha had done to the ancient folk's machine, Dutch knew he couldn't beat him head on. His only chance was to seek cover and then strike before his enemy could retaliate. And with that glow of his, Dutch would see him coming long before Subject Alpha did.

"That's right." He dared as a ball of light began to approach through the haze. "Come and find me. Just a little bit closer." Now was his chance. In the Ragnarök's remaining arm, Dutch raised his battle-axe and charged forward only to cleave through empty air. Now the ball of light was racing around him. 'What the hell is he doing?" The glowing ball continued to circle him, moving so fast that it was like Dutch was surrounded by a ring of fire. Now it was like the whole world was spinning. Or rather the clouds around him were.

"No!" Dutch yelled. "You can't be serious!" Too late Dutch realized what Cal was planning and tried to launch himself skyward. But it was too late. The slipstream from the Ancient Folk's machine was creating a cyclone right around him. The Ragnarök was battered and spun in the vortex, its weapons ripped from its arms and what little armor it retained peeled off like a cast-off skin. Inside, Dutch felt as if the G-force were going to flatten him against the back of the cockpit when suddenly, a flash of green and something struck the Ragnarök hard enough to blast it clear out of the cyclone. His console screens flashed alarms and the temperature in the cockpit dropped to freezing. When his optic camera finally came back on, Dutch saw to his horror that the entire lower half of his unit had been blown clear off while shards of ice covered what was left.

"It's over Dutch." He heard the male Norma say as out of the clouds, Subject Alpha's machine appeared. Its armor was shifting back to its usual dark blue color and in its hand, he held some sort of crossbow like weapon, the magazine of which was loaded with projectiles Dutch recognized as the Freeze Bullet's used by the Arzenal Para-mail.

"How?" he demanded. "How did you do that?"

"What do you fight for?" he asked back.

"Excuse me?"

"What do you fight for Dutch Villson? Do you have people waiting for you wherever you come from? Because I do. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe. So I can see them smile when I get back." Was he being serious? Did the little freak think he was some kind of hero in a crappy anime?

"Just get it over with." He dared. "You've taken everything from me so spare me the bullshit and kill me. I'm not going to give a Norma the satisfaction of watching me beg." Subject Alpha returned his weapon to its hardpoint and despite the cockpit concealing his face, Dutch could tell the little freak was smiling.

"You know." he said. "Part of me wants to let you live so you can suffer in your failure. But another part knows that doing so would just cause me more trouble later." Cal drew his blades and Dutch prepared himself. 'I'm sorry Donny.'

"Go to hell!" Cal yelled as he charged forward. The blades closed in on the cockpit, ready to skewer both the machine and the pilot when from out of nowhere, a diamond shaped shield of glowing energy appeared to block the attack. Shooting back in alarm, Cal jumped back to better get his bearings on what had just happened.

In front of Dutch's broken-down unit was a large black silhouette with azure blue stripes that glinted in the moon light. A chill that had nothing to do with the ice-cold water was stealing through Cal's chest and spine, something he had only felt when… 'No it's not real, it can't be.' Cal realized, his heart racing from a foreboding dread.


It was over. Cal had won. Ange and the others cheered as Cal moved in to end Dutch once and for all until in a flash, something black had teleported in front of Dutch and blocked Cal's attack with a pink energy shield.

"Woah! What happened?" Tusk wondered in shock.

"It looks like another Para-mail." Hilda answered.

"Oh come on they have another one!?" Ange groaned. Whoever it was she doubted it was friendly since it had deliberately saved Dutch from Cal's attack. 'Come to think of it, it kind of looks like Villkiss.' She thought. Unlike Villkiss though, it had four wings like Siegfried. And atop it's head it sported a long gold horn.

"Do you think they're here to help?" Momoka wondered.

"No." said Tusk abruptly who looked very worried. "That's not a para-mail. It's a Ragna-mail!"


Cal waited and prepared himself to counter in case the newcomer attacked. Instead, the black Para-mail turned to face Dutch. "You disappoint me Mr Villson." A cold emotionless voice spoke. "But I suppose age catches up to us all in time."

"You!" Dutch's voice carried over his broken speakers. "Why are you here?"

"That's a rather ungrateful way to thank me since now I've saved your life twice Mr Villson." the unknown pilot said softly. "You should have been honest and loyal instead of plotting behind our master's back."

"Shut up you freak!" Dutch growled. "I know who you are Blackadder. So, either help me kill this Bastard or piss off!"

"Took you long enough." The voice chuckled. "But you are in no position to give me orders anymore. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with my brother." 'Brother!' Cal repeated. With one hand, the black unit grabbed on to Dutch's machine and tossed it aside, sending it plummeting onto the many stone reefs below. As he turned back to him, Cal raised Siegfried's rifle. Whoever this Blackadder guy was he was dangerous.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Blackadder warned. "I'm not here to fight you Cal. Rather, I felt it was time you came to terms with the truth and with me." The black para-mail's cockpit opened and out stepped out a slender young man. Skinny as a pencil, his pale face shone through the darkness while long white hair emitted a pearly glow, contrasting with the black sunglasses he wore over his eyes.

"Who are you, what do you want?!" Cal demanded as he felt his whole body become colder. All around him it was as though the clouds themselves had turned into an icy mist. It was just like in his dreams but now it was real. "You…you're the one I've been seeing in my dreams. Your voice in my head…it's you." Cal shuddered a lump forming in his cold throat.

"That's right Cal. You're not as stupid as Mr Villson and other humans presume you Norma to be. But you can be so much more. Together we can be so much more." Cal didn't answer and Blackadder chuckled. "I've been waiting for a long time to finally meet you in person brother. Though to be honest I feel as if I'm the better looking one."

"Who are you?" Cal demanded. In response, Blackadder's left gloved hand lifted his dark sunglasses and what Cal saw made his heart stand still. He wanted to scream but nothing came out as he was now face to face with the same eyes that had haunted his dreams for months. Gleaming sky-blue eyes identical to his own, but with jet black sclera and vertical pupils.

"My name is Blackadder. But you can call me…Subject BETA."

TO BE CONTINUED…

ARTHOR'S NOTES

I wanted to take the time to thank you all who have stuck by and continued to read this crazy story. It's almost been 3 years and I made promise I would see this work till the end. But I couldn't of done it without your support for this story and my art and especially Eric Michael Kline, who's helped me out every step of the way since the beginning.

I overjoyed I've finally got to this moment in the story that has been planned since the start and if any of you managed to find out who Subject Beta was then have a cookie. Dosen't mean you'll get one off me but go out and get yourself a 'chip ahoy!' if you managed to guess right. Now things will start to unravel and only much more hardships and struggles will be facing these characters.

Always, take care guys and girls and I'll see you all next chapter.