~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bury me softly in this womb
I give this part of me for you
Sand rains down and here I sit
Holding rare flowers in a tomb
In bloom
Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved
See my heart I decorate it like a grave
You don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be
Look at me now I'm a man who won't let himself be
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied
Down in a hole and they've put all the stones in their place
I've eaten the sun so my tongue has been burned of the taste
I have been guilty of kicking myself in the teeth
I will speak no more of my feelings beneath
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied
Bury me softly in this womb (Oh, I want to be inside if you)
I give this part of me for you (Oh, I want to be inside if you)
Sand rains down and here I sit (Oh, I want to be inside if you)
Holding rare flowers in a tomb... in bloom
(Oh, I want to be inside)
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, losin' my soul
Down in a hole, feelin' so small
Down in a hole, out of control
I'd like to fly
But my wings have been so denied
~ 'Down In A Hole', Alice in Chains
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chronicle Five - Genesis & Revelation (a face of a Tainted Mirror)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Lieutenant Hennig, you do realize that you're going to have to face
some sort of punishment for attacking Protocol without orders, don't
you?"
Terry nodded, his hands pressed into his hips. Even now, when Beatrix
was telling him what was what for disobeying orders, he felt like a
little kid being scolded by his/her own guardian. It wasn't such a
distant memory that Terry recalled himself being saved by this woman.
The young blonde man had returned to the Leviathan as soon as the
Asmodeus had fled. Once he returned to it in the Bishamon M-2, the
field/engineering team went to work on repairing it for the next battle
Thankfully the damage that Terry's suit sustained whilst fighting the
Baal Marionettes wasn't too extensive in any way. Nothing that couldn't
be taken care of. And now he had come back, Terry was prepared to face
the consequences of his action. It wasn't desertion, but launching a
single-handed attack on Ix Nos Babel was an arbitrary act of
recklessness that could have gotten him killed. That alone was enough
to incur the wrath of Beatrix.
But hostility wasn't quite what Terry got.
The Lieutenant stood on the rising platform of the bridge of the
Leviathan, alongside Colonel Beatrix and Major Mariette. Beatrix crossed
her arms and sighed, watching her subordinate "...But for now, I'm just
glad that you haven't been killed."
"...Colonel...?"
"...Terry..." Beatrix said, ignoring rank, "have more respect for the
life that I saved, huh?"
Sophia pulled a smile at her lover as did Terry himself. People might
not have believed it but women like Beatrix could show kinder sides to
themselves when needed. Just as the Major and Lieutenant had thought all
along. But now there was no time for such things. Chrysalis was going
for a collision with the power-base of Protocol Because there was just
no better time than now. Beatrix looked out over the railing of the
platform to the giant video screen on the front of the room. On the
screen was the not-so-distant image of Ix Nos Babel, out in the snow and
snowfall. Yumi and the Oriax were somewhere inside that tower.
Major Mariette spoke for her. "...You're probably wondering why we are
here in the first place, Lieutenant. Father Bartholomeus has given us
orders to retrieve Yumi and the Oriax before Protocol can use her to
'resurrect' their God."
"How many troops do we have?" Terry questioned.
"570 soldiers, 352 Meta Suits," Sophia said, "we would have brought more
suits but the Leviathan couldn't take anymore than that. We've been
pushing it up till now as it is. But we just need to retrieve Yumi and
the Oriax. The military forces of the Divine Blade are tight, and
they've been stationed in Ix Nos Babel... but we don't have any other
choice. And now that the three Defensive Lines have been destroyed it's
only a matter of time before they take action too."
Terry nodded. "I gotcha. So what about reinforcements?"
"Don't expect any. No ships are running yet from the Mouth of the
Shenlong. So I seriously doubt anything like that will occur. If we drop
below a certain amount of Meta Suits then we'll be forced to pull out.
Right now we need every able fighter on the battlefield. And that's what
the situation is."
Beatrix pressed her hands into the metal railing. "...It's a sad fact.
We are outnumbered on this occasion... as well as on their territory,
but.... I don't think there's a better chance than now to get Yumi back
from them. So our hands are... tied. Launch all Meta Suits!"
The four men and women at the helm all yelled 'Roger!' back at their
commander, then began giving those orders to the soldiers in the suit
hangers of the Leviathan. Terry smiled, strangely happy to have his
allies with him now. He then turned to Sophia and said, "Hey, Major,
you're a bit of hacker, right?"
"Yes... why?" She asked.
"I need a favour..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Main Control Room of Ix Nos Babel was big. Very big, in fact. It was
a large hexagonal shaped hall. Surrounding the three upper walls of it
were a long line of analytical data collectors. Each of the nineteen
data collectors were sitting before their own terminal from which to
follow orders, carry out defensive weapons commands, relay orders to
others from the leaders, and analyse the Qi readings they got from Meta
Suit pilots. Both those of their own forces and of enemy forces. In some
respects this was the nerve centre of Protocol. In the centre of that
arc of data collectors was a white stone platform not unlike the one on
the bridge of the Leviathan. From the far door of the hall were the
automatic doors. They opened swiftly and Commander Celaph, as well as
his subordinate and consort, Chizu Yagata, walked into the room They
strode up to the platform and stopped there, overlooking the thin paling
to the wide screen on the far wall. It showed a visual picture of the
outside. In the distance was the Leviathan. The hanger doors on the
underside of it opened and Meta Suits came pouring out in the dozens
(which looked tiny compared to the Leviathan).
"Commander!" One of the data collector yelled, "a very large enemy
battleship is operational and stationary 0.3 miles southwest of Ix Nos
Babel!"
Celaph crossed his arms. "...I see. It's the Leviathan. Which means
Chrysalis... and Beatrix. So. My old friend has challenged us on our
playing field. One can't help but respect that. But what about the
defensive lines? Aren't there any remaining suits or marionettes?"
"No sir," The second replied, "they've all be completely decimated. An
unknown custom-model Meta Suit was the one to destroy the first two. It
was then that the Asmodeus attacked and obliterated the final one."
Celaph's light eyes widened. "...The Asmodeus? Is it working in
conjunction with Chrysalis...?"
The fourth data collector answered that one. "We have no idea, sir! But
it seems the Asmodeus has fled Kyoga. If that is an indication of
anything then I highly doubt it!"
Chizu looked up at her future husband. "Commander...? Do you think that
General Naam is aware of this?"
"Probably not..." The Englishman commented, "But it does not matter in
this. He made his choices. As did we. There is only one thing we need to
think of. Defending Ix Nos Babel and its interests from Chrysalis'
attack. Deploy all able Meta Suits of the Divine Blade! It's time
Beatrix and I dealt with our rivalry in direction. Lets see what they've
got."
The fourth of the data collectors nodded to that from his seat,
adjusting his head set. "Roger, sir! Informing the Divine Blade now, as
ordered!"
Then the fifth yelled to the commander with urgency. "Commander, I'm
receiving a message from the Triad of the Inquisition!"
Celaph sighed once again. "...It must be with regards to the failure of
the Reunion. Patch them through for me."
The fifth data collector nodded and tapped a few keys on his control
panel. A smaller video screen, one connected to the ceiling above the
main video screen, switched itself on. And the three hooded leaders of
Protocol, the Triad of the Inquisition, appeared on screen. Celaph
looked up with humility.
"Greetings, honourable sirs," He said, "...I am truly regretful for the
failure of our plans. I was as certain as anyone that bloodline had
finally been rendered pure, but... it seems that is not the case."
Ein was the first to speak. "...The bloodline has failed us. A perfect
God will not arise now. What we must be concerned with is the fate of
this planet."
"I agree, sirs." Celaph admitted.
"The very stagnation of humankind," Karahi started, "is this planet's
mortal bane, Commander Celaph. Our plans to save the world by unifying
humanity before its divisions tore it apart has failed. A trade of
emotion now would be sufficient."
Neither Celaph nor Chizu liked where this was going. Though Celaph was
the only one there with enough authority to question the Triad of the
Inquisition. "...What do you mean by that...?"
Aherg replied. "Resurrection is not possible without death. Protocol may
have a system of control over the global political sphere... but we
control a world that is tainted by the festering wounds of the past. The
Great War did much to devalue everything we own before we were even able
to regard them as possessions. If the Novus Deus cannot bring about our
salvation then we shall emancipate the world ourselves. Activate the
Anti-Matter Cannon."
Everyone, including the data collectors, gasped at that. The Anti-Matter
Cannon? It was a huge mortar built in Protocol's only footing in space,
the Moon-based compound called the Lunar Station. It ran on a specific
form of crystallized Qi. That physical Qi material gave the cannon power
to disrupt the very atoms of matter. Destroying (...or at the very
least, distorting) the fabric of the target, causing its collapse. The
beam itself wasn't the destructive thing but rather the waves it
produced after hitting the target. A shot from the Anti-Matter Cannon
could demolish a skyscraper that was miles away from the blast point.
Its blast radius could be expanded at a rate of three miles every time
the force of the beam increased by 1%. Which meant that its maximum
blast radius was little under 300 miles. Which also meant that it had an
area of effect that covered an estimated 1200 miles (at full power).
That was more than enough firepower to wipe out a major city. The
Anti-Matter Cannon was to the 22nd Century what A-Bombs were to the 20th
Century. Which perhaps made it easier to understand why it had never
been used before. Its very existence was top secret. Below the Triad of
the Inquisition, only Celaph and the Upper Council had the authority to
use it.
"...The AM-Cannon?!" Celaph said in disbelief, "...But-"
Karahi spoke next, instantly silencing Celaph. "Did you not hear us,
Commander William Ank Celaph? Your targets are the Meta Cities of Meta
London, Meta Cape Town and Meta Tokyo. You will give the order to fire
at maximum capacity Once we see success of the attack we will give you
further orders. Is that clear?"
The Englishman lowered his head, his fist shaking at his side. One of
the targets of the AM-Cannon was Meta London. His home amongst homes.
The Triad knew that perfectly well. They had probably put the city on
the list as a test of Celaph's resolve. Chizu stared with worry at her
lover, but he answered soon enough, still looking downwards.
"...Affirmative."
The dark image of the Triad of the Inquisition vanished off screen.
Leaving a very quiet room behind. Because they all knew what the
prospects of successful fire would be. If the AM-Cannon was fired then
none of the people living in those cities would survive. There was no
doubt about it. Even their allies would be killed. Before they even knew
what had hit them. Chizu turned to Celaph.
"William," She said, dropping formalities, "...we can't..."
The Commander struggled to harden himself. "...We can. And we w-will I
maybe the current commander of operations... but I'm still a soldier at
h-heart. And soldiers do not question the orders that are given to them.
We fight only to follow and accomplish those orders. How long will it
take to charge the AM-Cannon for three consecutive blasts?"
The sixth data collector answered. "Uh... I... about 900 seconds, sir."
"Fifteen minutes, huh? Fine then. Begin charging the cannon."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Who... am I...?)
WHO ARE YOU
(What... am I...?)
WHAT ARE YOU
(...I am...)
...YOU ARE...
***********
"...Yumi... Mishima..."
**********
It was dark. Dark again. Where she found herself. Dark and... cold. Cold
like the ice of the arctic. But it wasn't the location... it was
herself. The girl breathed out into the darkness. A puff of chilled air
leaving her lips. She cuddled herself moments later. Running her hands
up and down her arms, crossed over her chest. Which was when she
realized her own nakedness. Yumi shivered at both the thought and the
cold aura around her When her eyes adjusted she looked out into the
distance. A short few paces ahead of her, under a spotlight in the
middle of the darkness, was a child version of herself. That same Child
Yumi that had been haunting her for years. The Child Yumi that cried
incessantly. Her teddy bear hanging from her loose grip. Her lips
occasionally whispering the word 'Daddy'. Her frilly dress covered in so
much blood.
Yumi looked down at the child version of herself. "...Who are you?"
She sobbed and sniffled before replying. "...Y-Yumi M-Mishima..."
"...What are you?" Asked the taller one.
"...I...I'm..." Child Yumi gazed upwards with tearful eyes, "...you."
The two facets of the tainted mirror stared at each other. The naked
older version staring into the big innocent eyes of the bloodied younger
version. Neither of them understanding the significance of the other.
Adult Yumi and Child Yumi remained that way. Staring at each other. Not
understanding the reason for this. Nor what their meeting meant It was
not the first time... but it would be the most important
Two edges of the same coin...
...the two hearts of Yumi Mishima.
**********
"WHAT AM I?"
**********
* What is all this? Who is that girl?
**********
...yumi mishima...
**********
* She is you.
**********
"WHAT AM I?"
**********
* That girl is the same as me?
**********
...Yumi Mishima...
**********
* Yes
**********
"WHAT AM I?"
**********
* Why is she covered in blood?
**********
...YUMI MISHIMA...
**********
* Why do you still carry her scars?
**********
"WHAT AM I?"
**********
* Her scars?
**********
...yUMI mISHIMA...
**********
* Her pain. Her sadness.
**********
"WHAT AM I?"
**********
* I don't want it.
**********
...iMUY aMIHSIM...
**********
* Yet you still have it.
**********
"WHAT AM I?"
**********
* Is this all my fault?
**********
...aMIHSIM iMUY...
**********
* No
**********
"WHO AM I?"
**********
* So why must I go through this?
**********
...mISHIMA yUMI...
**********
* It's up to you.
**********
"WHO AM I?"
**********
* Me?
**********
...MISHIMA YUMI...
**********
* Yes
**********
"WHO AM I?"
**********
* Why me?
**********
...Mishima Yumi...
**********
* You are special.
**********
"WHO AM I?"
**********
* What's so special about me?
**********
...mishima yumi...
**********
* You are the one God chose, Yumi Mishima. Thus you must...
**********
"...OPEN THE DOOR..."
**********
Adult Yumi broke her gaze with Child Yumi when the sound of a creaking
door was heard up ahead. A short distance behind Child Yumi was a door.
An ordinary-seeming door made of wood. But it stood out in the darkness.
Attached to no wall. Simply standing in the middle of the bleak and
lifeless void. Yet despite its simple nature, voices came from it. The
voices of a young girl and an older man laughing together. Adult Yumi
could not place the laughter of the older man, but she knew the giggles
of the young girl to be the infrequent giggles of her younger self. It
was a door to the past. A past that had been closed off in her mind for
more than eleven years And she was compelled to discover what lay behind
it. The spectral body of Child Yumi vanished into thin air. Leaving
Adult Yumi and the door behind. The white-haired hacker stepped
forwards, one bare foot after the other. When Yumi came to the door she
stopped. She pressed her hand against it. It was warm. Much unlike the
rest of this place. With one hard push... the door was opened
And Yumi walked into it.
...or rather, into the past.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The numerous Meta Suit hangers of Ix Nos Babel. The rumours of an attack
had been confirmed over the intercom. One of the many data collectors in
the Main Control Room had given all available pilots orders to board
their Meta Suits and launch. Hundreds of pilots were now doing that. All
members of the Divine Blade came down to one of the Meta Suit hangers,
the ones that held their own personal, mass-produced mecha. Though
Divine Blade members were scrambling to get to their Meta Suits, none of
them were surprised about the command to launch or the idea of attack.
It was unlikely that they would have been commissioned to such a degree
if there was no chance of combat. These was the thing they had been
brought to Ix Nos Babel for
They all came down through the lifts and stairwells to the hangers,
boarded their suits, then made a few adjustments to the computer systems
that operated the suits. On each level that those 440+ members of the
Divine Blade waited, in time for the hanger doors to open. One after the
other, the thin steel doors standing before each available exit opened
up by means of the tower's giant super computer, Behemoth. Then soon
afterwards all of the Divine Blade suits were launched from them. Meta
Suit after Meta Suit flew out of the many gateways of the hangers (which
all looked like miniscule specs compared to the height of the tower
itself) and darted into the cold skies of Kyoga Island, their suit's
armour chilled over by the freezing cold winds and snowy downpour. Those
440+ mechas all joined in flight together, headed by none other than the
Bahamut. The red knight Meta Suit piloted by the leader of the Divine
Blade, General Naam. He was closely followed by the newly promoted
Captain Kraepelin, who was grinning deviously from the cockpit of his
new custom-model Meta Suit, the Eon. In the close distance they could
see one thing. A thin but elongated cloud of Chrysalis Meta Suits. The
two armies; the Chrysalis paramilitaries numbering at 350, consisting of
Uvalls, Gusions and patched up Halphas suits; and the Divine Blade
battalion, at a number of 455, made up heavily of Amons and Zagan-type
suits. Along with the Zagans and Amons were a new type of Meta Suit. One
not built for high-speed aerial battles, but assistance to such battles
from below, on the terrain. Those were the slow, ambling Allocer-type
Meta Suits. Heavy and clunky in design With thick stumpy legs and a
complicated targeting system. But on their shoulders was a very powerful
beam cannon. Those rifles could only fire one round at a time but their
force was twice as powerful as a blast from a standard Baal Marionette
hand-rifle. The Allocer pilots, numbering at only 35, were not in any
way a cavalry for the Divine Blade. Only a support force that was used
in important battles. They would be doing their jobs today.
The two armies flew at each other high above the snowy build up of the
island, over the ruins of the Third Defensive Line. Then began the
exchange of fire. The Uvalls at the head of the Chrysalis army lifted
their beam cannons up and fired the lasers straight at their targets.
The Divine Blade's frontal Amons did the same thing. The mix of lights
of colour throbbed around what was now the morning chill of Kyoga
Island. Thereafter began the explosions. Meta Suits from both sides
began to fall to the gunfire of the other. When the two armies met each
other in the skies, the clashes took off.
The Bahamut flew into the lines of Gusions. One of them, Gusion #224,
came at Naam's Meta Suit from the front. It lifted its hand cannon and
fired, attempting to blow the Bahamut out of the sky. The Bahamut swung
itself around whilst moving to one side. Dodging the blasts, it then
slashed its large broadsword. The gigantic weapon hacked through the
steel of the Gusion #224. It blew up brusquely with the Bahamut flying
through the cloud of its remains. It zoomed towards three other suits
for Chrysalis. Gusion #108, Uvall #89, and Gusion #202. The Bahamut flew
right into the face of Gusion #108 and extended its free hand. That hand
grabbed the head of the mecha, preventing it from moving anywhere. The
red knight suit then re-gripped his broadsword and thrust it into
stomach of the Gusion-model. The metal titan exploded shortly
afterwards, spitting its oil and remains over the Bahamut's armour.
The pilot of Gusion #202 sneered from his cockpit. "...Bastard!"
That same Gusion lifted its hand cannon and fired repeatedly. As did
Uvall #89. The Bahamut leapt even higher into the air to avoid the
blasts and turned back down in an arc It came down at Uvall #89 from
above. Then slashed downwards in a straight vertical cut. The Uvall was
destroyed instantly, Bahamut's sword cutting through its main engine.
Naam's mecha then rushed at Gusion #202. It then whacked the head off in
one clean stroke, the head of the Gusion falling out of the air. While
the rest of the body was swallowed up in fire. Bahamut bolted off from
that point and went on to take up its fight with other mecha. And just
thirty metres away in that new battlefield of the sky, the Eon (or
rather its pilot, Kraepelin) was cutting down its own targets. Gusion
#109 and Uvall #12 came at it from the left and right. The Eon extended
both arms outwards. The wrist compartment of the left arm opened up,
unleashing its gatling. The Eon fired the gatling and buried dozens of
bullets into the attacking Uvall #12. It exploded once bullets pierced
its engine. Then Eon focused on the Gusion coming from the right. But
its right arm was the one that had that new flamethrower rifle. Seconds
after the Eon turned its head the rifle spewed out a blazing cloud of
flames at Gusion #109. The Gusion was engulfed in fire. And it took only
brief moments for the thing to find itself incinerated from the strength
of that fire. When the Eon ceased its attack and lowered its arm, Gusion
#109 was nothing more than a molten clump of metal. Smoky and burned,
the pilot already dead. It fell out of the sky battlefield.
"Ah!" Kraepelin said with a smirk, "This was what I have been waiting
for! A powerful suit. Aria, Ry, Steed. This one's for you. I'll rise up
in rank even further with this Meta Suit. I will become the new leader
of the Divine Blade. Just you watch me!"
The video screen in the cockpit of the Eon could see the battle. But
Kraepelin's interest was not the battle, but rather the colossal thing
behind it. His sensors focused on the Leviathan. "Destroying such a
large and magnificent beast would make me legendary, would it not, Eon?
Let us go and demolish it!"
The Eon continued its advance, activating its thrusters. The mecha of
the Swiss Captain pulled up its right arm and fired the flamethrower at
the Gusions that came its way. Kraepelin had no time for them. He was
looking towards only one thing. Leviathan
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"How goes the battle so far?" Asked Beatrix.
One of the four men and women surrounding the frontal terminals of the
Leviathan's bridge pressed the keys on her panel. Which brought up a
separate set of readings on her mini-screen about the current details of
the battle. Those that the Leviathan had been able to pick up on.
The data collector replied with, "Twenty Chrysalis suits destroyed, six
of them Uvalls and the other fourteen being Gusions. While twelve enemy
Meta Suits have been downed. Four Amons, seven Zagans and one Allocer."
Beatrix gripped the rails of her platform. "Hmm. It seems that Celaph
isn't holding back this time. What have you got up your sleeve this
time, old friend?"
Across from the platform at which Beatrix observed the battle, to the
side of the bridge, was a computer terminal that Sophia had gotten
herself to. The young woman exchanged swift keystrokes with periodical
adjustments to her glasses. All the while Terry leaned over her
shoulder, watching the data go by. Sophia was a hacker just like Yumi
was. And though she didn't have Yumi's overall skill in the art, what
she did have was the ability to surpass Protocol's quick and
regenerative Security Demons without use of a Security Demon Wall.
Eventually she got inside the database of Protocol. And onward to the
files concerning the Holy Protocol Army. A particular thing of notice
was the Army's registration. It contained highly top secret data. Like
the head count of the H. P. A (31.2 Million) and the military bases that
each of those men operated from primarily. But her chief concern (more
Terry's) was for a data file on General Naam. Sophia typed his name into
the searching-software of her own making (plugged into this terminal).
One file came up concerning him. Sophia opened it.
And it read..
- GENERAL NAAM -
NAME: WALTRECH NAAM HENNIG
DATE OF BIRTH: 24TH AUGUST 2110
AGE: 43
SEX: MALE
WEIGHT: 168 LBS
HEIGHT: 6' 1"
NATIONALITY: GERMAN
CURRENT RANK: GENERAL
PAST RANKS: PRIVATE, LIEUTENANT, CAPTAIN & MAJOR
ACCOLADES: IRON CROSS, BRONZE CROSS, GOLD CROSS
- NOTES -
CURRENT LEADER OF THE DIVINE BLADE FORCES OF THE HOLY PROTOCOL ARMY.
JOINED THE PROTOCOL ORGANIZATION IN 2130 AND ROSE UP IN RANK SWIFTLY TO
BECOME GENERAL IN 2150 AS A CONSEQUENCE OF HIS EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS IN THE
PILOTING OF META SUITS. HIS CURRENT SUIT IS THE BAHAMUT CUSTOM MODEL,
4TH MOST POWERFUL SUIT OF CUSTOM CREATION IN THE HOLY PROTOCOL ARMY'S
ANALOGUES. HE HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLES OF ROME, SHIRATOO'I, ST.
HELENA, KYOTO, AND EDEN A FIRM PART OF THE ASMODEUS PRODUCTION.
Terry blinked, staring at the part of the document that referenced
Asmodeus. "Hold up. Major, could you click on that Asmodeus thing for
me?"
"No problem."
And thus more information arose on screen...
ELEVEN YEARS AGO (2142) HE PARTICIPATED IN A TRAINING SESSION OF HIS OWN
SUGGESTION AT A VILLAGE CALLED EBERBACH. THE TEST CAUSED NUMEROUS DEATHS
AT AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 300. CONTROVERSY WAS CAUSED WHEN IT WAS
CONFIRMED THAT HIS META SUIT HAD BEEN THE ONE TO FIRE THE FIRST SHOT AT
A CIVILIAN. THAT CIVILIAN WAS THOUGHT TO BE HEINRICH HENNIG, BROTHER OF
GENERAL NAAM. THE CHILD OF THIS MAN, TERRY HENNIG, IS ALSO THOUGHT TO
HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE MOTHER OF THE CHILD, WIFE OF THE BROTHER, AN
AMERICAN IMMIGRANT; LILITH HENNIG, WAS INJURED MORTALLY IN THE SESSION.
NAAM LEFT WITH HER BODY AND BROUGHT HER TO IX NOS BABEL FOR TREATMENT AS
A REWARD FOR HIS BRILLIANT LINE OF SERVICE TO THE HOLY PROTOCOL ARMY.
HER BODY WAS REVIVED BUT COULD NOT SUSTAIN ITSELF. THEREFORE LILITH
HENNIG HAD HER BODY INCORPORATED INTO 'PROJECT A'. THE TEST SUBJECT WAS
ATTACHED TO A LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM BUILT INTO THE MOST POWERFUL CUSTOM
MODEL META SUIT IN EXISTENCE, THE ASMODEUS A MONTH LATER THE ASMODEUS
ESCAPED FROM IX NOS BABEL AND HAS BEEN MISSING IN ACTION EVER SINCE. THE
FACT OF GENERAL NAAM'S ENGAGEMENT IN THIS SCENARIO HAS BEEN DEBATED BY
THE UPPER COUNCIL AMID CALLS FOR HIS RESIGNATION AS GENERAL NOTHING CAME
OF THEM.
Terry looked up from the screen with a stunned expression on his face.
Now everything fit into place. Everything made sense. General Naam, or
rather, Waltrech Hennig, was his uncle. The brother of his father and
the brother in law of Lilith. He had used Eberbach on purpose. And
killed Terry's dad in cold blood Then before his mother died, her body
was fixed by experimentation into the suit known as Asmodeus. That
winged black Meta Suit that had saved him out there in the cold, was the
Asmodeus. That suit... was his mother.
Sophia looked up at him. "Does that help you at all, Lieutenant?"
"...Yeah..." Terry said, in a downcast tone, "...Thanks, Major."
Terry stepped back and looked downwards. He finally had all the answers
to his questions Now he knew the truth. But he couldn't say that he felt
some great jubilation from it. Since his youth he had thought that his
mother and father were dead. Although his father had ascended to heaven,
his mother had not. Thanks to Naam she was trapped inside that
horrendously powerful Meta Suit, the Asmodeus If she tried to leave it,
she would die. All thanks to that Naam. But Terry felt little anger now.
Only the resolve to end this chapter of the Hennig family. He had to
know why Naam had chosen to virtually attack Eberbach Village... and why
he took his mother away to Ix Nos Babel. If he could find that out and
defeat Naam... it would close this book of the Hennig legacy once and
for all. Terry jerked his head, tossing his ponytail over his shoulder,
then turned back to Sophia.
"Hey Major," He said, "I need another favour."
Sophia nudged her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "I keep giving
you all these... favours. So what is it?"
"I need permission to head out onto the battlefield with Bishamon. I
know that I broke orders by attacking the tower without permission but I
could really use this chance. It might be my only opportunity to settle
things with that guy So can I?"
Sophia sighed in defeat. "...Fine. You and I are friends, after all. The
repairs should be complete by now. So I'll take responsibility for it.
Just remember that you owe me one, Terry."
Terry pulled a smile. "Thanks... Sophia."
He then ran for the far door, opened it, and left. Out into the corridor
and down it toward the lift. Terry tapped a few keys on the control
panel and it opened for him. He ambled inside, the door closed behind
him. And it took him all the way down to the Meta Suit hanger. The doors
opened for him and he ran out across the upper metal railing that
spanned across an empty hanger. Empty except for one suit. The Bishamon
M-2. Terry ran up to the section that had his Meta Suit and climbed down
its ladder. Some of the young engineers who were patching up some of the
damage were still at work, but scattered when they saw Terry climb down
to the secondary railing. He opened the stomach-area door which showed
the cockpit. Terry jumped in and sat down on the seat, setting the
operating system online. Everything was operational. Just as Sophia said
it would be.
The door into the cockpit automatically closed when Terry settled down.
He pressed his hands into the controls, gripping the control sticks,
while the hanger doors began to open up beneath the feet of the
Bishamon.
"...Stay strong for me, old friend," Terry remarked, "we've just got one
last battle to fight..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The meanings of dreams for Yumi were often hidden.
- ASSIMILATION -
This world that Yumi found herself in, this world within her own mind,
seemed somewhat abstract Up until now. The door had been opened. And now
the faces of her memories started to reappear to her knowledge. The
faces of the mirror that had been buried deep in her subconscious, so
many years ago. Yumi found herself as a spectral wisp. Her dress and
body transparent. She was hovering over a certain scene. It was a
compact but well stocked laboratory. Full of beakers, Bunsen burners,
tripods, mats, chemicals and scalpels. As well as many computers around
the room. Above the door was a crest. A shield and lion. One of the
three crests of the Protocol Organization This place, wherever it was,
was being funded by Protocol. There were three people inside that small
lab. Not including the spectral image of Yumi watching it all One of
three was just a random white coat with glasses, standing over the
keyboard of a side computer typing in certain codes. His name was Shugo
Yamamoto. The other was much more significant. A tall man of about 45
years of age. His long dark hair had been tied into a ponytail which
flowed down his white-coat back. His name was Katsuragi Mishima. Though
his birth name was Kazuo Mishima, everyone had nicknamed him 'Katsuragi'
because of a famous Japanese doctor of the same name. One that Dr.
Mishima greatly respected, and based most of this physiological theories
and scientific methodology on. And the good doctor stood in front of a
large beaker. Large enough to contain the body of a 'human' baby. A
child that looked to be no more than a year of age. Even now she had a
small mop of white hair. And that baby... was Yumi. The third person in
that small laboratory. Floating in a vat of liquid that seemed to be
oxygenated. Enough to allow the child to breathe in her stasis.
Katsuragi looked at his assistant by the computer. "...Yamamoto Do you
have the readings yet? What do they say about the Eros?"
"She's amazing..." Yamamoto claimed, "...she's actually as strong as the
Thanatos. Her Qi-level is well over 500 right now. That's more than 50
times the level of a normal child of this age. And every hour it rises
by a few more points. Just imagine what she could do if she were to
synchronize with a Meta Suit."
"She is still a child," Katsuragi said, "nobody should be thinking about
synchronizing her with a Meta Suit right now. And yet the Shinrai
Complex has already begun work on the Raum and Oriax Meta Suits. I can't
believe that the Triad of the Inquisition entrusted the DNA of the last
Vulnus Deus to those maniacs."
"You don't think highly of them, do you?"
Katsuragi chuckled with amusement, looking into the watery jar with
little Baby Yumi inside of it. "...Not really. But how could I really
hold them to scorn? Look at this girl. Ignorant. Unknowing. Completely
unaware of her destiny She will give birth to God. But to do that... we
will have to imprison her here for the next seventeen years. How can I
look this child in the face when she matures? Knowing that I stole her
childhood from her? It's things like that that make me question
Protocol's methods. And yet I feel guilty for even thinking that about
the benefactors of my research. I am much too weak and pathetic to pass
judgement on the Ochiai Research Team."
"Don't sell yourself short, sir. We are working toward a new genesis for
mankind, remember? A new beginning within the grace of God. It will come
whether we are involved or not. At least with us this girl won't be
treated like some sort of pawn."
Katsuragi crossed his arms. "I'm suppose that's one thing that Yumi can
be thankful for. I know I made the right choice in taking over her
guardianship."
Yamamoto's eyes widened. "...Yumi? So you've named Eros after your
biological daughter, have you?"
"Yes," Replied the elder scientist, "...I was never there for my other
daughter. I was too busy in Ix Nos Babel preparing the Asmodeus with the
other engineers. So when both she and my wife Mariko died in the fire...
I wasn't notified until the funerals. I will never forget that feeling.
And I want to do right by this child now. I hope that making a success
of parental guardianship over my adoptive daughter will appease the
spirit of my biological one."
Yamamoto shook his head. "This might sound odd coming from your
subordinate, sir... but you don't sound like a scientist right now. We
can't let our personal feelings enter into this"
"Hmph," Katsuragi scoffed with a smile, "you youngsters are far too prim
and proper. We're not machines, you know. Forsaking our emotions is
necessary for certain situations... but to live out a life of
indifference to the suffering of others is truly a vile practice. Once
Yumi gives birth to a new Novus Deus... all such evils and all rituals
that lead to them will be extinguished"
Yamamoto smiled. "...Well I think that's at least one thing all we
scientists share. Romanticism. But whatever God this child creates... I
can't see it changing the world so radically. Mankind's future lays in
machinery and science God need only guide us. That's what I believe."
"I suppose we'll never agree on the subject," Said Katsuragi, "but what
we can agree on is the importance of Yumi to the world. We have to make
sure that we do our best. Both for her and for ourselves. The greater
data we collect the less chance of her being shipped to the Shinrai
Complex or Ix Nos Babel itself."
The floating image of the adult Yumi watched this conversation between
Yamamoto and Katsuragi Mishima. Who Yumi now knew was her adoptive
father. She kept watching until the setting changed around her.
- PROCESS -
Time and space shifted ahead before her eyes. So much so that when she
was laying her eyes upon a stable image of the world, it was a
completely different setting. She was floating above a canteen of the
same white background as before. This was obviously another part of the
research facility that Katsuragi and Yamamoto were based in Katsuragi
sat by one of the many tables in that empty canteen with a bowl of ramen
before him. Sitting next to him was little Yumi. Dressed in the same
cream/yellow dress that spectral Yumi had seen before. But this one
didn't have any bloodstains on it. The child Yumi, who was now around
seven or eight years in development, slowly sucked on the straw of a
carton of apple juice, while her other hand held onto her plush teddy
bear.
"Finally," Katsuragi expressed, "...I can get some time away from the
lab. I've been working far too hard. And nobody has found it more taxing
than you, have they, Yumi?"
The cute little girl pulled a wide smile and shook her head from side to
side. Katsuragi smiled back and pressed his hand into her flourishing
tresses of snow white hair "That's a good girl."
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
Yumi kicked her legs under the table. "...What's the outside like?"
"...Where is this coming from?" Katsuragi asked.
"Uncle Yamamoto said that a girl as sweet as me should see the outside
world once. What'd he mean, Daddy?"
Katsuragi put his hands together. He'd surely chew Yamamoto for stirring
this up later on. "...He meant that you are a special girl. And because
you're a special girl... you should be able do to special things... that
not many other 'special girls' can do."
Yumi gave Katsuragi another bright smile. "...I'm special!"
"...Yes, you are," Katsuragi said softly, a brief hint of nostalgia in
his voice, "...yes you are..."
- REACTION -
Once again the scene that the spectral entity of Yumi saw changed. Time
shifted at a lesser pace forwards. Until a new setting had been staged
for her. It was a long white corridor in that same research complex that
Katsuragi and Yumi had been living in. It was the same corridor that
Yumi had seen endlessly in her dreams but had done nothing to
understand. Not that she ever would have until now. In that corridor was
Child Yumi. Who had only aged by a few months at this time. She stood
behind the leg of the taller Katsuragi, who guarded her along the path
of that long corridor He guarded her from three other men. All of them
were dressed in dark black suits Not unlike the two men who had harassed
Yumi and Chizuru/Chizu in the real world They all had unsheathed guns in
their hands. Aimed not at Yumi but rather at Katsuragi
The doctor spread out his arms and sneered. "I should have known that
the Shinrai Complex would have tried something like this! What business
do you have here?!"
The first of the men in black smiled at him, aiming. "We want you to
hand over the girl. She will be placed in our care. And we will take her
to Ix Nos Babel for the time being. Unlike the Thanatos... her powers
are not completely stable. And we feel that you are not quite capable of
maintaining the role of her guardianship."
"What are you talking about?!" Dr. Mishima yelled, "I was the one who
placed the biological lock on Yumi to keep her powers under control! I
have already assured the Ochiai Research Team of it!"
The second suit sneered. "Don't be ridiculous. These orders come
directly from the Triad of the Inquisition. Your feelings for this child
have grown beyond simple test subject and researcher. Can you honestly
say to us that you don't think of the Eros as your own daughter?
Sentimentality has no business in this line of work, Doctor Mishima. For
someone of your high scientific stature to make this mistake is...
troubling"
Yumi wrapped her arms around the older man, still clinging to her teddy
bear. "Daddy... are they gonna take me away? I don't wanna go away! I
wanna be with you!"
"...You heard the child..." Katsuragi said, "leave at once...!"
The third rogue grinned. "...I'm afraid that neither you nor the Eros
have a choice in the matter. And since you are obstructing a direct
order from our leaders... I am afraid I have no choice Goodbye, Dr.
Mishima."
The third man pulled the trigger. Off went the sound and out went the
bullet. Straight into the skull of the good doctor. Blood splattered
over Yumi's face as the force of the bullet burst open the back of the
scientist's head. He was knocked back by the sudden shot, briefly
whispering 'Y-Yumi...' right before collapsing to the ground. Dead.
Young Yumi kneeled down to his side frantically, screaming 'Daddy,
Daddy!' over and over again. But it was no use. He was dead. And Yumi
was old enough now to understand death. And understand the fact that the
dead would never come back. The three suited men slotted their guns into
the sleeves of their blazers. They were not ordered to kill Katsuragi,
but it was necessary if he planned to interfere with the plans of their
masters They all smiled with victory. But their smiles ended when they
heard the crackling of Qi-flames. It was Yumi. Her body was surrounded
in bright silver spirit energy Far stronger than anything they had ever
seen before. Even at that age, Yumi's powers were ferocious. And her
reaction to her father's death was utterly appropriate. Though she had
no control over herself during that moment.
"AAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHH!" She bellowed furiously.
The silver fire, the silver fire that was so deeply cold, flashed from
her torso and was thrown ahead in three powerful arc-shaped waves. Those
waves sliced through the torsos of her Father's killer and his cohorts.
Their blood and internal organs were ripped from their backs and it was
all sprayed across the thin walls of that white corridor. The pureed
remains of the three suits oozed down the walls and the pools of blood
around their mutilated bodies spread outwardly. Yumi's body was
surrounded by that blazing/freezing silver fire. And it began to effect
everything around her. The walls started to darken from the singeing
effect that her Qi Force had. The upper light rods that brightened the
corridor exploded from the cold energy that was generated from the girl.
One after the other The glass from those exploded light lamps fell to
the ground in a trail. While the security cameras that had monitored the
whole thing also exploded. The shards of their metal were thrown across
the corridor along with the glass of the lights Whilst Yumi's force
circulated against no restraint.
...Other than her conscience.
The cold silver fire around her body started to regress. As did the
dilation of her eyes Her pure white hair fell back into place. And the
hem of her dress stopped flocking with the winds generated from her Qi.
When she calmed down... she caught sight of what she had done. And what
had been done to her father. Blood was everywhere. All over her dress
and her teddy bear (which she had not let go of) as well as the walls
and the corpses of the three men she had just killed. Not to mention her
father. It was frightening and horrifying to her. Not only to know that
someone had killed her father but to know that she had killed them, too
Yumi closed her eyes and sobbed, standing in welling pools of blood and
surrounded by bloodstained walls, the floor of the corridor tainted with
shot and dissected corpses. Then all of a sudden... that energy inside
of her returned. And the young child vanished into thin air. It was
Qi-Force controlled teleportation. Leaving that bloody corridor and the
anonymous research facility it had been built in; behind.
- RESULT -
Spectral Yumi was closed her eyes for a moment. She was finally
understanding the meaning of herself in that bloody corridor as a child.
When she opened her eyes again she was looking into a whole new setting.
It was alike a hospital. But less intensive A line of beds were against
a windowless wall. A ceiling fan span monotonously up above. The third
bed down contained a certain girl. That girl was Yumi. But no longer as
a child. She was a teenager of thirteen years. Yumi Mishima had grown
beyond the frightened girl in the corridor at this time. But her eyes
were closed And they had been for some time now. Spectral Yumi watched
from above as two people walked up to the unconscious Yumi's bed. One of
them was a nurse. The other seemed to be some kind of dignitary from
Protocol.
The nurse adjusted Yumi's feeding tube whilst addressing the Protocolian
dignitary. "...Is this the one? Our little Jane Doe?"
The man nodded to the nurse. "This is the one. Her name is Yumi Mishima
Where exactly did you find her?"
"She's been comatose for at least five years," The nurse said, "long
before I started working here. Her previous doctor told me that she had
been found in the forests just outside the city when she was no more
than a little tyke of eight. And she was brought here soon afterwards.
She's been assessed time after time, but we've found nothing physically
wrong with her. We guessed that the thing maintaining her coma is some
sort of psychological trauma."
The delegate crossed his arms. "Hm. Protocol should be able to handle
this We have better resources than this place. I'm taking this girl into
my custody. If you have any reservations then I shall give you the legal
affidavit when the arrangements are made."
...It was then that Yumi Mishima's eyes flashed open after five years of
deep sleep. And the Spectral Yumi could remember everything from that
point on. That was when her current memory began. Now Yumi understood
everything. All her past. Why it was that she could not remember
anything from before the age of thirteen, why she always pictured
herself as a little girl surrounded in blood. It all had come to this.
The memories of that hospice faded away into the annals of her mind.
Unlocked but still dormant. Yumi had all that she needed now. Which was
when her physical body started to react to the developments in her mind.
The girl was deep inside the energy of her own Qi after giving birth to
the failed Vulnus Deus. But her body was surrounded by more of her
silvery cold flames and teleported from its innards directly into
another compartment. That of the Oriax. Her body landed into the seat of
the cockpit. Gone was her look of sadness, misery and fear That was now
replaced with a stern glance that beamed with all new awareness and
power. Power that was making its mark on the Oriax itself.
Higher above in Ix Nos Babel, inside the Main Control Room, Celaph and
Chizu observed the battle with quiet expressions. Neither of them were
thinking about Chrysalis But rather the impending destruction of their
home Meta Cities. Until one of the nineteen data collectors got new
readings on his console.
"Commander Celaph!" He cried, "I'm getting life signs from inside the
Oriax! Someone is inside its cockpit!"
"What?" Expressed Celaph.
Chizu uncrossed her arms. "...Is it Miss Mishima?"
The data collector nodded. "It has to be! The Qi-anomaly inside her room
has vanished! But that's not the least of it! Mishima's Qi-readings are
off the charts!"
A second one confirmed that. "He's right, sir! The current Qi-level is
reading at 14,000 and rising! ...15,000... 17,000... 21,000... 29,000!
Aaah!"
The console that that particular data collected suddenly exploded,
causing everyone to judder with shock. The Qi-readings of Yumi inside
the Oriax had risen so fast that it broke down the computer just trying
to keep up with it. At this rate she was probably well over 30,000 in
Qi-level. All that destructive force in one person, the idea was just...
incredible. Celaph watched as some of the workers ran to the flaming
computer and put out the fire with cool gusts from fire extinguishers
Yumi had somehow unlocked her true power... but... just what she plan on
doing with it?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Bahamut zoomed up to Gusion #25 in the sky battlefield above the
snowy island of Kyoga. Leading with his broadsword, he stabbed it
straight through the torso of the metal titan. The sword reappeared from
the back of Gusion #25, covered in a thick build up of oil. The Bahamut
ripped the sword out of the Gusion and zoomed backwards, escaping the
vicinity of the subsequent explosion. It turned around while backing up
to strike down an Uvall that was coming his way. Uvall #19. The Bahamut
pulled back its sword to strike as it came close to mecha. Until some
bullets were fired rapidly in its direction. The Bahamut jetted to the
left to avoid the bullets of that attack. And it didn't come from the
Uvall.
They came from the Bishamon M-2.
The Bahamut and the Uvall #19 looked back to the south, a short distance
from them in the air Waiting there, surrounded by the sounds and sights
of a Meta Suit Battle, was the Bishamon. With its shoulder gatlings
unhidden. Inside the cockpit of the Bahamut, General Naam was smiling
vigorously. It was the one he had fought in EDEN, alright
Terry opened communications with the pilot on Uvall #19. "Hey man. You
let me handle this one, while you go and back up the other troops
against the Divine Blade."
"Yes sir, Lieutenant Hennig!" The pilot yelled, right before his Meta
Suit flew out to continue the battle elsewhere. The Bishamon and the
Bahamut turned to face each other. It had been a good three weeks since
they had last met on the battlefield. But much had changed. Both in what
the pilots knew and how they now saw each other.
Naam called out to Terry. "Ah. You must be the nephew of mine that I
defeated on EDEN. Terry Hennig. Or am I mistaken?"
"I know everything now," Terry replied, "I know that you're my uncle. I
know that you killed my Dad, your brother. And I also know that you were
the one who put my mom inside that Asmodeus Meta Suit. So I don't wanna
hear any of this 'or am I mistaken' bullshit. Tell me. Why did you do
it? Why?"
General Naam sniggered. "...Curious. Just like Lilith is. She was the
most beautiful creature on Earth, you know. She might have been nothing
more than an undignified American... but there was no mistaking her
beauty or her kindness. I would have done ANYTHING to have such a
beautiful flower in my possession. When she married Heinrich... it was
the last straw. I left Eberbach to seek out the power I needed to take
my revenge And so I did. I didn't intend for your mother to be caught up
in the crossfire. But she loved that pompous brother of mine. I took her
away to beg those at Ix Nos Babel to heal her wounds. It was a
success... but not in the way I wanted. Lilith became that unstoppable
mecha, Asmodeus I lost the one thing I wanted above all else. And every
time I hear your voice... I hear the voice of Heinrich. Chastising me
about it all. Once I take care of you... I'll be free of it!"
Terry snarled angrily. "...You that's why you let them put my Mom in
that damn contraption. Fine! Lets do this! I'll avenge my father once
and for all!"
The Bahamut swung its massive sword to one side then advanced. Then
Bishamon retracted its shoulder gatlings and reached behind its back. It
unsheathed the katana from its scabbard then charged ahead in the exact
same way as the Bahamut did. The two mechas came hurtling towards each
other, both pilots exchanging fearsome battle cries while closing the
gap of distance between them. The Bahamut swung its sword around in a
horizontal position that hacked around in an arc. The Bishamon focused
its power into its blade and repelled that strike in one hard, powerful
motion.
Naam blinked at the readings he was getting from Terry's mecha. "What?!
His Qi-level, it's..."
The moment that the blade of the Bahamut was repelled, Bishamon flashed
forwards and span around in tandem, shifting behind Naam's meta suit,
back to back. The Bishamon turned its energy katana backwards and thrust
it behind. It impaled the solid armour of the red knight suit. Slashing
right through the stomach of the Bahamut. Oil ran of its tip like blood.
The Bishamon then withdrew its blade from the body of the beast. Then
flew from it, placing some distance between the two. General Naam
grinned with defeat. The sensors in his cockpit were now flashing red.
For alert. Terry had struck the engine of his mecha in one move. This
was his end. By the hands of the son of his brother. Almost like the
ghosts of his past had come back to life. "...So. The Revolving Slash...
I suppose that Lilith taught you that one."
Terry replied, his face serious. "She taught me a lot of things back
then. You wouldn't understand."
"...I suppose not. Heh. I'll tell Heinrich you said... 'hello'"
The Bahamut then blew up into a flaming cloud of smoke and fire. Its
remains were spat into the cold air of the arctic, the corpse of the
pilot unable to be seen. That was the end of General Naam. And it was
hopefully the end of that phase in the Hennig Family's saga. The young
blonde man looked up to the readings of his own performance from one of
the mini-screens in the cockpit of the Bishamon "...A Qi-level of 7,300?
Not bad at all. Thanks for believing in me... Mom."
At that point there was a huge explosion. One so loud and vicious that
everyone on the battlefield and everyone on the bridge of the Leviathan
could hear and see it. That explosion came from Ix Nos Babel. The tower
itself was around half a mile high. But that explosion came from a far
closer position to the bottom of Ix Nos Babel About 1/9 of the way up. A
large cloud of smoke surrounded the large hole that had been created
from that explosion.
Then a quick blur of white and blue came screaming out of that cloud of
smoke. It flew out into the battlefield above the island. That blur then
set its targets on the Amons, Zagans and Allocers. The troops and
machinery of the Divine Blade. The white and blue blur flew right past
three Zagans and three Amons without looking to have done anything.
Seconds later, all six mecha separated into two even halves that
exploded into nothingness. The blur then began doing the same thing to
other mecha for the Divine Blade. As it moved forwards through the
battlefield in lightning-fast strides, all the machines in its path were
reduced to pieces of metal that were surrounded in flame and smoke.
Terry became worried when the blur started heading his way. The Bishamon
pulled put its sword into a defensive stance, to await the attack. But
it never came. Once the blur stopped moving, the true image revealed
itself. It was a Meta Suit, alright.
The Oriax
But in this form... the correct term was... Meta Oriax.
Terry's smiled widened. "...The Oriax...? Yumi!"
She was piloting it. But she was different now. And so too was the Meta
Oriax. The suit had changed slightly. His sheen was still intact but
there were streaks of green, lightning-like Qi energy running up and
down it. From its back extended a pair of angelic, feathered wings. They
were formatted from Qi, obviously, but they looked completely organic.
The aura of the mecha had changed now. It looked more like a Machine God
rather than just a human tool for warfare. And Yumi had changed too In
the alternate dimension of a cockpit, her expression had changed from
one of eternal fear and confusion to one of resolve and determination.
She had been beaten, betrayed, abused, kidnapped, raped and broken. But
her mind had come through it all. And a new chapter, a new awareness,
had been awakened inside of her. The last of the biological lock that
had been placed on her by Katsuragi Mishima ten years ago was gone. All
of her power was now at her disposal. But she had full control over it.
Yumi opened a com-link with Terry. "...Terry, are you alright?"
"...I'm fine," The young man blushed, "Man, this is a switch. We all
came here to rescue you... but it seems like you're the one who's
rescuing us, huh?"
Yumi blinked "You came to rescue me?"
"Well, yeah. You didn't think we'd leave you in the lurch, did you?"
Yumi was going to answer that, until her new senses, as well as the
sensors of the Meta Oriax, caught onto something moving near the
Leviathan. Something with enough firepower to level it if its
flamethrower was aimed in the right place. The Meta Oriax extended its
wings to their full wingspan and then bolted forwards, diving through
the crowds of the battle. It dashed from point to point in a blurred
rush of movement, inching ahead until it drew closer to the Meta Suit it
had its eyes on. The Eon.
In the cockpit of the Eon was Kraepelin. Who had his heart set on the
destruction of the Leviathan. Until that blurred image of the Meta Oriax
flashed into his way. It stopped like a bolt of lightning and remained
there. Kraepelin sneered when he realized what suit this was.
"The Oriax, huh?" He remarked, "I don't how you escaped Ix Nos Babel and
I don't know how you took the time to remodel your suit. But if you
stand in my way... know this... you will fall! I'll never lose to the
bitch that killed my only friends!"
Yumi, her face hard as stone, responded. "...I'm sorry for what I did to
your friends. I've never wanted to kill or be killed. But I've learned
something throughout all this. Things won't change until someone takes a
stand against people like you. And if it means controlling my own
feelings of remorse and guilt on the battlefield I will do that. I will
be the soldier of the unspoken. And I'll build a peaceful new world by
taking down the one force that prevents such a world from taking shape.
Protocol."
"...Silence!" The Eon lifted its rifle arm and then pointed its long
flamethrower at the Meta Oriax. The flames were spouted from the tip and
burned outwards in huge gusts. The Meta Oriax didn't move from that
point, it only flapped its wings and leaned forwards slightly. The
Wave/Anti-Wave Generator inside it was now going to be used. There was a
loud, throbbing sonic blast fired from the mouthpiece of the Meta Oriax.
It moved in an invisible pattern of outwardly radiating decibels that
disrupted the cold air that it moved through. It sounded like the shriek
of an animal. Those sonic waves bombarded the flames of the Eon's rifle
and nullified them. The pillar of fire was scattered into loose embers.
Kraepelin gasped, then looked at the Qi-reading he was getting his
sensors in regards to the Oriax. "...Impossible! A Meta Suit with a
Qi-level of 32,000!? That just can't be! It can't be!"
"...You're nothing to me..." Yumi chided, "...death is not my way. But a
man like you knows no other way... does he?"
The powerful, curved energy of the Gauntlet Blade had been active since
the Meta Oriax had broken out of Ix Nos Babel. It charged forward at the
Eon and swept its arm to one side The Eon was chopped into two halves.
It then burst into flames. The two pieces of the Eon fell out of the air
with Kraepelin inside, falling to what would inevitably be his death.
Yumi dissolved her Gauntlet Blade and sighed.
Just then, a transmission came in from the Leviathan to all suits
connected to Chrysalis, which included the Meta Oriax. "This is Major
Mariette! All of you be alert! We have just detected a large mass of
energy being charged on the Lunar Station! It could be being aimed at
the battlefield so watch out for yourselves!"
Yumi closed her eyes and searched her senses. "...It's a cannon. A very
powerful one. Aimed at the Earth. It will not be easy... but..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Rejoice, O nations,
with his people,
for he will avenge the blood
of his servants;
he will take vengeance
on his enemies
and make atonement for his land
and people."
Deuteronomy 32: 18 'The Song of Moses'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Meta Oriax began crackling with energy. Yumi was about to do
something. The Meta Suit programmed with the DNA of the 40th Vulnus Deus
vaulted into the air and vanished. Not unlike the same teleportation of
Yumi's normal powers. High above, not on Earth but in space; something
was proceeding. On the space base built into the surface of the moon.
One of the 279 vault doors on the steel complex opened gradually,
without the backdrop supplement of sound to indicate that it was
happening. The slow-moving metal of those gates unbolted part of the way
to create an aperture. Then a very large cannon head poked out of it.
The AM-Cannon of the Lunar Station. It was a one of a kind make.
Completely unstoppable in any normal circumstances. And energy was
boiling inside of it. Fully charged The darkness of the inner part of
the cannon disappeared when the cannon began the firing process. Then
came the soundless bang that broke the silence of space A GIGANTIC
white-coloured blast of anti material power was thrown straight into the
direction of the Earth sphere. Slicing through the darkness and
stillness of the cosmos. That blast was then followed by two more, shot
from the AM-Cannon Each of them aimed for a certain city on Earth.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Great and marvellous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the ages.
Who will not fear you, O Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been
revealed"
Revelation 15:3 - "Seven Angels with Seven Plagues"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Down in the streets of Meta Tokyo, things were as normal as ever. People
shopped, talked, walked around, sold things, bought things. No one
expected anything out of the ordinary to happen. Until the skies began
to brighten much more than usual. A light that transcended that of the
sun came down towards the city from the heavens. People covered their
eyes and looked up into the sky at the newfound brightness. Their gasps
were those of awe and esteem. But those gasps of amazement changed into
those of fear when they saw that that light was not ordinary. And it was
coming their way. The Light of God was moments away from swallowing up
the entire city of Meta Tokyo in destruction. Until the Meta Oriax
teleported directly in front of it. The Meta Suit extended its hand and
pushed forwards. Its Qi Barrier materialized around it. But then it did
something unusual. The barrier unravelled itself from behind like the
peel of an orange. Then the shield extended outwardly until it became a
circular one rather than a spherical. The wideness of that circle
increased until it grew enough in size to accommodate the width of the
first blast of the Anti-Matter Cannon. The blast then crashed fiercely
into the defensive force of the Meta Oriax's shield. Yumi grunted at the
weight of the Qi it took to repel such an attack. But she stood her own.
And held off that titanic beam of energy, one that was strong enough to
destroy millions of lives. Then the energy of that blast shattered into
tiny fragments. The blast dissolved away, unable to break the wall of
force that the Meta Oriax had shielded Meta Tokyo with. Once the threat
of danger to Meta Tokyo was over, Yumi teleported the Meta Oriax out of
the air. Meta Oriax reappeared over the skies of Meta Cape Town. The
second Anti-Matter blast descended towards the city like the first had
done at Meta Tokyo Meta Oriax expanded its shield again and resisted the
second blast. Once the energy of that vanished, Meta Oriax teleported to
the air above Meta London.
And for the final time, she resisted the Anti-Matter blasts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the Main Control Room of Ix Nos Babel, three monitors had been turned
on to see the outcome of the Anti-Matter Cannon's attacks. Each of them
had been deflected. And now on the main screen, there was the image of
Meta Oriax, standing triumphantly at the defeat of the force of the
AM-Cannon. Deep down there was a sigh of relief from most of the people
on the bridge. Disaster had been averted by the enemy... but who there
could begrudge that? Certainly not the majority of the data collectors.
Chizu was stunned, staring at the image on screen. "...Yumi...?"
One of the data collectors yelled out to Commander Celaph from his seat.
"Commander, all three shots from the Anti-Matter Cannon of the Lunar
Station have been nullified by the Qi Barrier of the Oriax. Should we...
make a second attempt?"
Celaph crossed his arms seriously, ruffling his cape. "Absolutely not!
Cancel any further attacks!"
"But, Commander!" Cried one of the data collectors, "We were given
strict orders from the Triad of the Inquisition to..."
"I'm overriding those orders. That girl just risked her life to save a
world that has done nothing but abuse and dehumanise her. We have to at
least be as brave as she was. I'd rather die with self-respect than live
in constant guilt. Tell the lunar base to cancel any further attacks
with the AM-Cannon. Then sent out commands for the withdrawal of the
Divine Blade."
Chizu blinked. "...Commander...?"
"This battle has no meaning to it now," He answered, "it would be
foolish to continue fighting. Carrying on would only waste more lives.
If being human means betraying the will of the soldier, then, I have no
right to be called such. Now all of you! Send out the order!"
Three of the data collectors confirmed that. "Yes sir!"
Celaph sighed, knowing that he would incur the wrath of the Triad of the
Inquisition for this. "...For the children of today... those who are the
soldiers of tomorrow..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been four days since the battle at Ix Nos Babel.
The events of that day seemed so long and inescapable. Somehow Yumi had
managed to get through it. And change herself. Many things were changing
now, though. Celaph had taken full command over the Holy Protocol Army.
And one of his first acts (after the pull out from the battle at Kyoga)
was to lift the occupation of EDEN. Which was where Yumi was now. The
girl stood out, leaning over one of the metal railings of a balcony. Her
arms dangled from it. And she looked down at the waters surrounding the
many pillars that kept the city afloat. She had thought at one point
that she would never see EDEN again. But Yumi was happy that she did.
She didn't feel scared or frightened anymore for some reason. After
learning the truth about her father, she was finally able to put that
all behind her. Without those ghosts hanging over her shoulder... Yumi
Mishima could finally move forward in her life. Whilst looking out into
the distant sea, a second person came up from the door leading back
inside. It was Terry. Fully dressed in his Chrysalis uniform. The
half-German, half-American youth strode up to the balcony railing and
smiled.
"How come you're not dressed in your uniform yet?" Asked Terry, "We're
meeting up with Celaph to get these ceasefire talks up and running. Even
a 'young soldier' can push for peace when his rump lands on the thin
end of the bush."
"It'll be tough seeing Chizuru again..." Yumi stated.
"Yeah," Terry said, thinking of her, "who'd have thought that such a
pretty girl was a Protocolian spy? Still... she and Celaph are making an
effort Father Bartholomeus is excited about it... I can't get in the way
of that."
Yumi nodded "I know."
"...I know that Protocol screwed around with you pretty badly. But I
don't want you to think that..."
"Don't worry, Terry..." Yumi answered, "...I don't hold it against any
of you. I joined Chrysalis of my own free will, didn't I? Peace is our
main objective. And that's what I came here to bring about. If that
means dealing with Protocol I'm prepared to do it. Because there are
still so many things on the Earth... that I want to protect."
It was hard for Terry to believe that such a comment would come from
Yumi after everything she'd been through. "...Oh yeah? Like what?"
Yumi smiled at the blonde youth. "...You. We're friends, aren't we?"
"Yeah," Terry smiled back at her, as the two of them were bathed in the
light of the high sun above them, "that we are."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Far, far away in locations that very few men had ever seen, was the
great hall of darkness that the Triad of the Inquisition; Aherg, Karahi
and Ein resided in. Three hooded wise men stood quietly in a circle in
the middle of that unknown chamber. The air around them was grim. Grim
with the weight of the events that were unfolding in the Earth Sphere.
"It is hard to overlook the past when the future seems so dismal. Is
that why Celaph has done this?" Aherg wondered.
Ein sneered (though it could not be seen). "...Celaph has betrayed us.
He possesses far too much influence in the Protocol Organization to be
overthrown with any form of ease."
"Yes..." Answered Karahi, "...it seems that way. But the seeds of
failure sometimes bare fruits of success when plucked from the tree at
the right time, do they not?"
Aherg nodded to that. "...The Qi anomaly that formed around the Eros
after the Reunion somehow allowed her to evolve to the next level. She
is more significant than we gave her credit for. I didn't think that
anything other than the Vulnus Deus could achieve symbiosis with the
Heart of the Astaroth. Especially not a mere human. And that power even
provoked the evolution of the Oriax into its second form. If it evolves
again it will assume its true form. That is something none of us could
have expected. But life is not something you can easily predict.
Besides. We possess our own avatar, is that not so... Freeman Ronove?"
A short distance behind Aherg was Freeman, father to the 41st Vulnus
Deus, owner of the Raum Meta Suit. His body sizzled with a smouldering
purple flame aura. He kneeled down before the Triad of the Inquisition,
his dark and evil grin spreading across his cunning face. "...Yes, sirs.
My body is yours"
Aherg chuckled and looked upwards. "...The new world that we seek to
create... the new beginning that we presume to deliver... that shall be
our only focus. That shall be our divine purpose Even if we must free
ourselves into the bosom of the Enemy of God itself..."
In the far darkness of that hall was a large, intimidating and anonymous
presence. A Meta Suit. One that glowed with a bleak amethyst aura that
resonated tremendously with that of Freeman. But it was not the Raum. It
was something...
...far more sinister.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
END OF MESSIAH: AC CAUSA HIC NOVO MUNDUS
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