The dizzying spell flooded the boy’s heads, as they slowly opened their eyes to the bright blotches hanging over them. Struggling, they got up off the ground of the familiar greenery that spread throughout the previous strange world they were pulled into.
“Ugh…” Takuya grunted, clutching his forehead. He looked over to see the club president doing the same, the movement of his mouth in deep inhale and exhale. “Prez…!”
“Hideyoshi, you’re okay. No, we’re okay. But what about-?” The giant man grumbled as he shuddered himself. The two of them looked around and saw where the giant, crimson grotesque geyser once stood, it dissipated into thin air and standing in place of it was a familiar figure of a young girl.
“Takatora!!” The president called out to her with excitement, both boys fumbling to their feet.
Ryuuko who heard his voice, turned her head around to them.
“Everyone…” She said with a wonderous smile, before suddenly collapsing.
“Takatora!!”
Rushing over, Takuya caught her right as she fell and carefully held her in his arms.
“Don’t worry, I got you.” He reassured.
“H-Hideyoshi…” Ryuuko’s voice cracked, slowly opened her eyes to his face. “You’re okay…”
“Yeah, I’m fine. It was really nothing to worry about.” He replied with a big smile.
“Ah…I’m so glad.”
“Whoa!”
Throwing her arm around him, Ryuuko hugged him tightly. Takuya, taken by surprise, kept his arms up and away from her as she sobbed, feeling the wetness of her tears on his sleeves.
“Umm…err…” He stuttered, not sure what to do or how to respond. In his mind, it was telling him to return the same affection and even his arms were instinctively trying to move and wrap around her, but he fought the terrible temptation and struggled to keep himself together as he felt his body burning up from embarrassment.
“Aw, how lucky you are Takuya. Hey Ryuuko, how about a hug for us too? HA HA HA!” Suddenly came Juntaro’s voice. His jeering laughter immediately snapped Ryuuko back to her senses as she promptly released him and jumped away.
“Ah!…Umm..umm..I’m so s-s-sorry!” She stammered; her face completely flustered.
“Ha…ha…it’s f-fine. Err…I’m glad y-you’re okay too.” Takuya replied, scratching his head as his face also turning bright red. An awkward silence hung in the air between the two as they sat there, shyly looking away from each other’s eyes.
“HA HA HA! Oh you two kids! You’re both killing me!” Juntaro laughed even harder at the hilarious sight of the two, who were completely flushed with red.
“S-S-SENPAI! STOP IT!” Ryuuko cried out, her cheeks puffed out in frustration.
“Senpai?! God dammit, what is that meta-data asshole saying right now?!”
“HA HA HA HA!!”
“Takatora, I’m glad you’re okay.” Kenjirou said as he went over to where the two sat. He extended his right hand out to her and helped her up from the ground, giving a slight smile of relief.
“President…thank you.” Ryuuko replied happily as she looked over to the rest of the boys. “Thank you everyone. You all saved me again. It’s all because of you, that I…I don’t know how I can repay you.”
“No need for any of that Ryuuko! You’re one of us, so of course we’ll do everything we can to help! Although, if you are suggesting, I do have a sudden craving for double mint chocolate chip ice cream…” Juntaro said boastfully.
“Good grief, senpai. You didn’t do squat! Except maybe setting yourself to blow up which, looks to me, like you’ve already turned your timer off. Coward.” Takuya scoffed.
“Why you obnoxious little-“
“ENOUGH!!” Kenjirou immediately leapt in, his booming voice breaking the two up. Seeing the familiar display of dispute between her clubmates, Ryuuko found herself laughing. As she laughed, she felt a soothing sense of relief that wholly enveloped her.
She was happy. She was very happy, as she thought about how lucky she was to be together with everyone. To have friends like them, and that she is not alone.
As she continued to laugh, the other boys looked over at her and joined in as well, the sounds of joy filled the area.
CRAAAASSSH
“AHHHHHH!”
A sudden noise, akin to an explosion of shattering glass, and a spine-chilling scream immediately broke the group’s short respite. Everyone turned to the direction of the sound and watched as a disembodied figure was thrown to their location.
BOOM
“Kyaah!”
“Ughh!!”
The group stepped back as an enormous dust cloud was blown from where the figure landed, just a little further away from them. The entire area shook from the incredible impact, nearly knocking them off their feet as they struggled to keep themselves steady.
“That’s-“ Ryuuko gasped as the dust cleared away. A small crater was formed and in the center laid the broken body of the silver haired being. Missing their lower portions and most of their right arm, lights flooded out from the cracks that spread all over their destroyed body.
There was no blood, except for the redness that stained their cheeks. The right side of their face was split opened, revealing a brilliant yet empty shell of glimmer, as with the rest of their hollowed body. Slowly crumbling away, their appearance was that of a broken doll made of porcelain, their fragile body showing no distinguishable trace of human physiques, no organs or innards, despite the grievous injury.
“Alma!”
“STAY BACK! DON’T COME NEAR ME!” They demanded, struggling to get up. Following was a sound of sniggering, along with the crumbling noise of broken glass that dropped from them as they floated from the ground and turned towards her. The hole where their right eye was revealed an unsettling void of glitters, like specks of lights in a space of darkness. “Heh…heh heh *cough*…my, my, my, how wonderful it is to see that you’re alive, Takatora Ryuuko. Yes, I can see it clearly. You have subdued her, the one who had hoped to mercilessly devoured the “you” that currently exist. Excellent…excellent indeed. Truly you are fit to be called my “friend”. But more than that,”
Alma turned their head to the looks of the boys as a sinister grin curved through their distorted face, the movement of it caused even more pieces of them to fall off from their already fragmented figure.
“Well, well, well, you boys have once again exceeded my expectations. Splendid. Simply splendid. I can see now, though you are all worms; even worms can have its use within the Garden. Well done, children of sin. You have perfectly passed all my tests, heh heh heh…ugh…” Alma coughed violently as they recoiled back to the ground and gasped for air.
“This bastard…how are you still able to talk so much crap looking like this?! How the hell are you even alive?!” Juntaro exclaimed.
“Why, I am touched by your concern, child trapped in noncorporeal. But do not worry about me. Tis but a scratched. This is nothing more than minor inconvenience to my vessel, an empty shell that I had chosen to simply contain my splendor and meet with you all. If I were you, I’d be more worried about “her”.” Alma replied smugly as they moved their crumbling left arm and directed it to the distance. The group immediately turned around, a powerful feeling of dread suddenly running through their bodies as they looked to where Alma was pointing.
At the base of the great “tree”, the colossal figure of the Savior of Mercy began to stir again. Large amount of steam emitted from its immense body. What was once a radiant and silvery knight-like regal, its armor that now covered its body was blackened as if burnt, and all the moss and foliage that clung across it were dead and gently crumbled away, blowing along with the unnatural smog. The spear it wielded, along with its right hand, melted to a single elongated lance of blazing white flame that burned with the intensity of the sun itself, its structure madly fluctuating as if intangible yet was densely formed as it singe the area around it.
The shield it held on its right hand was now a dullen yet still brilliant plate of darkened and unidentifiable metal. Instead of reflecting the gleaming lights that shone down, it was as now sucking in everything to create a sheen of impregnable dark glamour. Where the second, humanoid body that laid crossed on its chest that was once ghastly white was now also blackened. Completely devoid of any signs of life it hung like a corpse, absorbed into its colossal body, vanishing from the outer area completely leaving behind only strange strands of muscle fiber and veins. The veins that attached to it and the singular giant eyeball in the center of its chest was wildly pulsating, as it peeled back to reveal a blacked sclera and blood red iris that darted and flickered wildly like a high shuttered camera.
Taking a step, the needle-like appendages of its legs bored into the ground and, like corrosive poison, it instantly disintegrated all that it touched. It moved its top “head” toward the blinding skies and let out an almost animalistic cry, filled pain and sorrow, as its horns extended and curved. The floating crown of light that wrapped around, yet did not touched; its light dimmed. All four of the wings that was once tightly bound to it was now fully released and letting out a dulled yet eerie glow of myriad colors. From its back emerged a powerful burst of angelic flames. A halo once made of pure light, now was an intense corona of dark silvery blaze.
The wildly fluttering eyeball finally stopped its movement as it seemed to have found its targets; staring directly at the group that stood a far distance from it. There was no light from its bloodied eye; no signs of intelligent life nor sense of reasoning. Instead, it only emitted a powerful force of menace that could be felt even from where the A.R.C. stood. Turning its head to them Armadat let out another bloodied roar, a dreadful cry as if proclaiming its hostility and killing intent to them all.
“H-H-H-HOLY CRAP!! DID…DID THAT THING JUST SOMEHOW GOTTEN STRONGER?!” Juntaro spluttered as his eyes met with the monster’s. Even through his screen he could feel the danger. Like an icy cold premonition, it gripped his entire electronical body with fear and he could not stop shaking.
“Heh…hahaha…very observant of you, child trapped in noncorporeal. You are both wise, and very lucky, to have deactivated your scanner. Armadat…dear sister Amia…how cruel. How terribly cruel, for you have sung your swan song. Whatever was left, is now truly gone. My friend…my cherished friend. I have failed you…*cough*…as I have failed everyone else.” Alma said. Although there was no emotion in their voice nor face, their words were conveying a deep sorrow as they gazed up into the skies, before turning back to the group. “Takatora Ryuuko…Eve, children of sin; it might be best to savor your last moments.”
“What the heck are you saying?! We just got out an annoying situation and now you’re speaking as if we’re done for? So that ”thing” looks different, but it’s not as if its unkillable, right? Tch! Let’s go then! Round two! This time I’ll make sure to kill it right!” Takuya exclaimed as he pulled out his weapons and turned to face the towering creature.
“Hold it! Don’t do anything stupid.” Kenjirou immediately placed a hand out to stop him. As Takuya looked into his furrowed brows, he saw the president shook his head. “I won’t let you.”
“Haa…damn you.” Takuya let out a heavy sigh, as if he had been holding his breath. Despite his bravado, his entire body was trembling uncontrollably.
Kenjirou turned back to Alma, a look of disgust on his broad face. “So what are we supposed to do now? You can’t expect us to give up and die, not after all that we’ve went through.”
“No, I expect not “president”. But you don’t really have any other options, do you? Before when you went up against Armadat, you weren’t even enough as a distraction. She never took you serious, not even for a moment. You were no more than the dirt that was meant to be stepped across. But now that she has become like this, having…lost what little was left of her…” Alma was quiet as they spoke, almost as if in lamentation. They stared into the distance and met with the gaze of the monster from afar. “Ah, what a tragic turn of events. Children of sin; if you have any last prayers left, do tell. Even if it won’t reach the ears of “God”, I will be here to hear them. Worry not, for you shall find peace…ha ha ha…”
“But there must be something we can do! We can’t just…there’s no way we can just lay down and let it kill us!” Takuya exclaimed, his brows furrowing in anger. “I refuse to just die! Not without a fight!”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. The three of you really are fools. I was correct on the assessment that you are all seeking, no…craving secretly for your own horrid demise. Speak to me your sins, impure ones. Allow me to comfort you in your final moments. It is the least I can offer to you, a reward for making it so far.” Alma said slyly as they extended their hand out to the group yet kept away from them.
“You can take your reward and go fu-“
“Alma! What do you mean by, “having lost what little was left of her”?” Ryuuko’s loud voice jumped in and interrupted Juntaro’s. Everyone turned to her in surprise as she stared deeply into Alma’s eye, a strong and intense gaze as she asked them with a tone of utmost seriousness.
Alma, who stared back, gave a wry smirk as more bits of their face crumbled away.
“Amia…She was the only other one who had retained much of her original self. Compared to the others…yet still, she meticulously fulfilled the duty she was enslaved to. My dear friend…when I held her back, she allowed the last of herself to be consumed. I wonder, was it because she could not find it in herself to harm me, mercy still despite all that has happened. Even in her last moments, she was perhaps thinking of me…”
“She’s very important to you, isn’t she?” Ryuuko asked quietly. “You too, spoke of how you did not want to fight her, despite your demand that we kill her. I do not understand. Just who or what is she? You said she was human, that she was a shell of someone you once cared for, but that must have been a lie. She’s…she’s still the same person. Your friend, isn’t she?”
“…Yes…perhaps I was wrong in what I said. But that does not matter anymore. She is truly gone, and now is nothing more than a dangerous beast.”
“You said she allowed herself to be “consumed”. Then, was it something similar to how I was? Your friend, is she the same as us? As me?”
A small look of amusement arise on Alma’s face from hearing those words.
“No, but you are not completely wrong. Amia’s condition is similar but not the same as yours. Do not trouble yourself with such thoughts. All you need to know that everything…everything is lost.” Alma said as they quietly closed their eye. “I have failed in what I had set out to accomplish. How unfortunate.”
“That’s not true.”
“Hmm?”
“Your friend, your precious friend; she is still there. I can feel her.” Ryuuko said as she carefully placed her hand on her chest.
“C-could it be…?! Takatora Ryuuko, you-“ Alma gasped. A sinister smile spread across their cheeks as their face was suddenly filled with a creepy sense of excitement.
“It’s excruciating. Ever since I stepped foot back onto this place, I could feel them. I’m hearing voices, cries of pain and despair are flooding my mind. I don’t know who they are or where they’re coming from, it’s all so sad and terrible. But most of all, I could feel a particularly strong one. It is begging, crying…” Ryuuko said as she tightly clutched her chest, her eyes filling with tears. “Your friend, I’m sure that’s her. She is pleading for help. Not only her, I could also feel another. I could feel your emotions as well, Alma. And they are the most pained of them all.”
“Heh…hahaha…of course you can. We are connected, you and I, Takatora Ryuuko. Pathetic, isn’t it? For my weakened self to leak out like so. My apologies.” Alma gave a dry chuckle, before hiding their face away face as if in shame. Their eye, blank and emotionless as they peeked out from their crumbling fingers, gazed into Ryuuko’s teary eyes. “So what are you expecting to do, Takatora Ryuuko?”
“I…I want to help her. I want to help all of those who are calling to me.” Ryuuko answered boldly as she wiped away the tears. “And I want to help you.”
“…Foolish girl. What do you hope to achieve? If you stand before the Savior of Mercy right now, you will be shown absolutely no mercy.” Alma said without emotion. Their words were serious, without a hint of mockery.
“Even so, I will save her. I will save your friend. I will save everyone.” Ryuuko declared, fully resolved as she turned to the direction of the roaring monster.
“Takatora wait-ugh!” Kenjirou called to her but his entire body froze. Not just his, hearing similar grunts from Takuya and Juntaro as they too suddenly could not move.
“This…this again?! You jerk!!” Takuya screamed.
“God dammit my systems! You sonova-you hacked me again?! AAARGHH!!”
“Alma! What are you doing?!” She demanded.
“You do not need the distractions right now, do you Takatora Ryuuko? Hmmhmm…you really are such a fool. But…” A soft smile appeared on Alma’s face. The look was different from their usual show of mockery and condescendence. While it lacked normal human emotions, the smile; was a genuine smile directed at her. “I will be counting on you.”
Without saying another word, Ryuuko only nodded her head in compliance.
“Ryuuko, don’t! You don’t have to do this!”
“Please! Takatora stop!”
“No! Takatora!! Gaaah!!”
Came protest from the boys as they struggled to break free from the mysterious force that held them tightly in place. But Ryuuko only smiled as she turned her head back to them.
“It’ll be okay everyone. Please trust me!” She beamed. “Let me try this first, on my own.”
The boys stopped struggling the moment they heard her words and were quiet. They were hesitant, but as they looked into her eyes filled with determination, they eased themselves.
“Hmph…alright. We won’t get in your way. But know that we’re still here if anything happens, not that we can move right now.” Kenjirou grunted, looking over to the smirking Alma before letting out a deep sigh of resignation.
“Thank you, president.”
“Kenjirou, what the hell?! Are you seriously going to let her go?!” Juntaro continued to strongly protest.
“Oh be quiet, senpai. Takatora will be fine.” Takuya smirked. “Isn’t that right? You’ve been trained by me, who is the best in terms of weapon and combat skills. Not to mention, you are my “student” and you no doubt know what you’re doing, yes?”
“Of course, teacher.”
“But…!” Juntaro tried to rebuke but seeing the confident look on Ryuuko’s face, he too stopped himself. “Bah! Whatever then, I’ll just focus on fixing myself first! Hey, you silvered haired asshole! Do you really think I can’t break your hold on my system?! I’ll show you! Ryuuko, it’s going to take a bit of time but once I’m done I’m coming to help you one way or another!”
“Of course. You’re the best, senpai!”
The three boys watched as Ryuuko turned away from them and bravely walked towards the direction of where Armadat was. Her every step, the flowers that had wilted underneath once again sprouted, leaving a trail of red foliage that was strongly pulsating with a strange sensation of life.
–
Ryuuko stood before the enormous alien being, its figure completely overshadowing her. The bloodied eye that was protruding from its chest narrowed as it locked at her. Letting out a piercing shriek that echoed to even the far reach of the world, it took an immediate stance as the burning of the halo on its back intensified and a powerful aura of enmity rushed out from like a gust of malevolent wind, blow back all that it touches.
But Ryuuko was calm, even as she stared up towards the giant beast that was readying to attack at any moment. Her body stood firmly, yet she was relaxed. More relaxed than she has ever been before.
She was not scared. No, instead there was something else; she only felt sympathy as she gazed into the creature’s singular penetrating eye. She felt an ache in her heart, looking at the imposing being and hearing its wails. Gently placing her hand across her chest, she shook her head and spoke softly;
“I can hear your voice, Savior of Mercy. You are in great pain, aren’t you? I know that you have finally lost yourself, but I also know you can still hear my voice.”
The monster froze. A low growl came from its maws but it did not lower its weapons, instead the grip on its shield tighten and the wave of bloodlust intensified.
“You are…the same as me. For so long, you have suffered yourself. You have been struggling, fighting for something you did not believe in yet had no choice but to adhere to. Captured…trapped…locked away; your true self, it cries out in agony. You don’t want any of this, yet you are unable to break away from the chains that binds you so fiercely. I do not know who was so cruel to do such a thing to you, but please know that I want to help you. More than anything, I want to save you! That’s why…that’s why, please…”
Letting out a maddening roar that shattered the air around it, the creature raised its shield high into the sky. Throbbing with tremendous power, the shield began to rapidly absorb the lights from its surroundings and released a blinding flash.
Watching Armadat’s reaction, Ryuuko gave a sadden look and shook her head once again in disappointment. Although reluctant, she understood what she must do.
“I’m sorry that it must come to this. But even so; I will still save you.”
Taking a deep breath, Ryuuko closed her eyes as she moved her left arm to her right shoulder and squeezed it tightly.
–
Watching from a far, the boys were completely baffled as to what was happening.
“What’s going on? Why is she just standing there? That thing is readying to attack isn’t it?!” Takuya exclaimed. He once again struggled to move but was still completely paralyzed, his body held so tightly that there was no possibility of escape.
“I’m picking up a high energy reading! Wait…the air…something is going on with the air around it! It’s as if its being changed to something else! A huge trace of volatile chemical is being formed from its shield?! What the hell is going on?! There’s so much…it’s dangerous!! Ryuuko!”
“Kuh…that pose! That move! It’s…” Kenjirou growled, a dreadful feeling coming to his mind as he quickly recognized what was happening. “It’s the same thing it did to defeat us! NO!”
“Indeed. It’s Armadat’s ultimate attack.” Answered a mocking voice as Alma floated in front of them and looked to the exasperated faces of the three boys with glee. “We are within her domain, her garden; where she can control every blade of grass, every single flower and every spark of life in the vegetation that was granted to her. And in this atrocious form of hers, she also has the ability to alter the molecular structure of anything and everything that she comes in contact with and through her shield, she is able to convert them into a deadly power.”
“Yes, this time she won’t be holding back. Rather, she cannot. The instant her shield is brought to the ground below, it will cause an overload to the fields and everything connected to it will die in a burst of untold proportion. There will be no escape, not for any of us as she will no doubt spread it to the entirety of Kardea. Not for me, nor you boys. Heh heh…how exciting.” Alma giggled madly. “Have you boys prepared the last of your prayers yet?”
“Dammit! Takatora!! What are you doing?! Takatora!!” Takuya screamed with all his might.
“It is pointless. Everything is about to end.” Alma said in a mocking tone of voice as they turned their eye back to Ryuuko.
“TAKATORA! YOU HAVE TO MOVE!! GET AWAY FROM THERE” Kenjirou roared.
“Takatora Ryuuko…, what did you hope to accomplish? What was your plan? How foolish you are. But still…I am grateful for your efforts.” Alma gave a weak sigh and a little smile, as they too closed their eyes. “Thank you…”
“RYUUKOOO!!!”
They all called out desperately to the girl, who didn’t react and instead was completely still even as the giant shield was brought down. In an instant everything flashed white and a thunderous detonation enveloped them all.
DOOOOOOM
The entire world broke apart as everything was ingulfed in searing white flames, burning and was destroyed. The outburst was so loud, it became silent as if even the air that was caught within the incredible explosion was annihilated. Every signal of life within the land came to a halt, then withered away and disintegrated into nonexistence.
Gradually opening their eyes, their minds spinning fiercely and bright spots plaguing their visions, the boys were in an absolute daze as they struggled to shake off the catastrophe.
Kenjirou’s ears was ringing. He heard muffled sounds of coughing from Takuya who was next to him but still unable to move his head as his body stayed immobilized. His eyes widen when he saw that they were all okay, although slightly battered from the shock that blew through them.
“P-prez?! We’re…we’re alive?! Wha-wha-…how?!” Takuya hacked and coughed as he furious darted his eyes around, trying to make out the disasters around him.
The entire area was wrapped in a thick cover of smoke, slowly dissipating to show the now desolated land. What was once green and lush was nothing but rubbles and scorched grounds, except for one small area where they stood. The blast that devastated the landscape, as it came to where they were, had been blocked or pushed away. Left behind was an unnatural field of red fauna that danced gently from the aftermath.
“This…how is it possible…? Takatora!” Kenjirou snapped himself out of his confusion as he finally realized what might have happened. “Mitsuhide, where is Takatora!? Don’t tell me she-!”
“I don’t know! My sensors were knocked offline from the blast and…!” Juntaro stopped short as the heavy dust blew away to reveal an unbelievable sight.
In the distant where the giant monster launched its attack, Armadat was on its knees. A giant gash was torn across its blackened body, strange liquid of sparkling lights gushed from its gaping injury, as it was slowly struggling to mend itself. It clutched its chest in terrible pain. Like a wounded animal, it let out a furious roar before immediately jumping backwards, as if instinctively trying to escape from danger. Trying to escape from where Ryuuko stood tall; completely unfazed from its previous actions like nothing had happened.
Her eyes were still closed and her breath was calm, breathing gently, she continued to tightly grasp her shoulder. A strange stream of crimson liquid were oozing from the stump of where her right arm once used to be, dripping out and stretching to forming tendrils that squirmed and flailed about like a bunch of lively worms.
Placed before her was a strange object, its appearance of that of a massive blade, wedged deeply into the splintered grounds in front of her. It stood like a giant pillar between where the blast had occurred; splitting apart the thinly spread area of the destroyed grounds and the area behind her that was perfectly undisturbed and still vibrantly pulsing with life.
“R…R….Ryuuko!?!”
The three boys gawked at the baffling turn of events, speechless as they heard a high pitch sound of laughter suddenly erupted from where they were. The deranged appearance of the broken silver haired being was laughing madly, their eye fixed right on where Ryuuko stood and a maniacal grin spread across their cracked face.
“Yes! YES!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!! YEEES! She’s done it! SHE’S REALLY DONE IT!” Alma’s shrill voice echoed throughout the now barren fields, their fragmented hand clutching their face as they threw their head back and howled with demented jubilation.
“Eve…Eve…ah, my wonderful, beloved Eve. You’re finally here. You’re finally mine! Oh how I had waited for this day for so very, very long. My weapon. My absolute vengeance! Yes…yes yes yes yes…!! HAHAHAHAAA!!”
Alma’s squealing ceased as they regain their composure, their hand still frantically running through their messily silver hair with a chilling look of ecstasy, their body shaking violently and looked as if they were about to completely shatter at any moment.
“Sister! Oh dear sisters, do you see it!? The destroyer…The one who shall free us! Our long-awaited redemption!! IT IS FINALLY HERE! False god!! Oh false god, do you feel it?! The moment of your reckoning! Fear it! Dread it! Cower from it, oh great deceiver! Cower from it from the position you have so cruelly plundered from all of us!!”
Alma hollered as they directed their crazed self towards the skies, as if proclaiming their words to another; to someone or something far beyond the heavens.
–
The sound of numerous heartbeats could be heard as she closed her eyes. Hundreds…thousands…maybe even millions. All beating wildly and loudly, like an orchestra of countless drums.
BABUMP
Yet, though the count was immeasurable, the heartbeats were all beating in sync. As if despite the millions…perhaps even billions, that reverberated throughout her mind and body they were all throbbing as one, along with her own.
BABUMP BABUMP
It was a soothing sound. A magnificent melody. An exuberant ensemble. A heavenly feeling as if she was one of the many, and the many was one with her; all of them connected to her and she was connected to them.
BABUMP BABUMP BABUMP
She could feel it. It was a very familiar sensation that she has experienced before. When her body was on the verge of death, the appearance of the “her” that was released and ran wild. However, this time it was different. The feeling of running wild was there, but there was a stilled feeling of control that folded around her tightly like a wrapped blanket. A feeling of unity between her and the other “her” deep within.
And from the feeling of unity, she could feel the surge of emotions that came together with the beating of the many hearts. Before, she could only feel their pain. Their sorrows that cried out to her, begging for help. But now, what she felt was different;
Anger. Fury. Wrath.
Those feelings were so strong. They were burning inside of her like a great fire. It was raging violently within her, blazing almost endlessly. But despite its intensity, it did not overtake her. Instead she was composed and calm, for it felt more like a support. Like an arm that held tightly along with hers, holding her hand and guiding her towards enlightenment.
“Yes…an arm. My right arm…” The thoughts swam through Ryuuko’s cleared mind as she focused herself to her right side. A phantom pain; the feeling of her lost limb that had so eerily cling to her, despite its absence.
“Perhaps, it was never lost. It has always been there with me all along.”
With that belief in mind, she moved “it”. The red tendrils that squirmed and poured from the stump of her right arm began to intensified as each of them started layering on top of each other. Together they continuously wrapped and coiled, twisted and teemed; strengthening itself and transforming into a vaguely recognizable shape.
Opening her mouth, Ryuuko began to speak. Her voice was powerful, overwhelming and commanding as she announced herself to the entirety of this world she stood upon.
“I am scourge.”
The newly formed crimson arm writhed and squirmed aggressively, before finally hardening and turned black as it connected to Ryuuko’s body, fully becoming a part of her. Its movement became one with her thoughts, moving perfectly at her command. Even with her eyes closed, Ryuuko did not need to see to feel its power as she clasped her fist and felt the flexing of the muscles in her “arm”.
“I am wrath.”
Her right arm reached out to where the strange object had been stabbed into the ground. Standing at least her height, it was a blade of absurd proportion whose weight itself seemed to almost pressed down on the world it was thrusted into. Yet as her arm grabbed the handle, she pulled it out from its confinement with ease like that of a sword in a stone. It was weightless, handling so well that it almost felt like an extension of her arm and herself. As she gripped tightly onto its handle, red veins extended from her arm towards the back of the enormous blade and plugged themselves into the weapon, injecting and turned it “on”.
The edge of the blade extended and hummed with power, a high frequency singing like that of a chainsaw . The main body of the blade itself throbbed and pulsated, as if alive. Rhythmic pounding of the weapon synchronized with the that of her own heart, creating a resonance as the girl and her equipment both beat as one. More veins appeared from her right arm as they dug into her shoulder and moved towards her neck, reaching up to her mouth, and stitched together her lips. A powerful surge of energy began to pump into her, a familiar feeling but this time it was under her control, with each pump bringing a bout of enormous strength as she swung her armament with ease.
“I am destroyer.”
She finally opened her eyes. From her right eye, her vision was red. It was through that eye she was able to distinguish the true nature of the world she was standing in. What was the illusionary appearance of a paradise, of was what suppose to be a garden of green and plenty, was instead revealed to her a hellscape.
Tortured streams of energy that continuously moved about was spun into a single thin thread that converged to the center of where the great “tree” resided, and was pulled away towards the heavens above. The land were soaked deep with desecrations of rotting flesh and festering blood, the vegetation that once littered throughout the area were in actuality, shattered corpses, too broken to be identified. Yet emitting from those corpses were the same essence; its trails being dragged towards the tree, indicating that there was still semblance of life and emotions within being cruelly and slowly stolen away.
Seeing the hellish scenery, Ryuuko should have no doubt felt mortified but instead she was still calm. She was indeed disgusted at the revelation before her, but through the quiet voices that flowed within her were words of reassurance. The numerous voices were bringing her comfort as they each recognized her and her purpose. The corpses that made up the grounds were carefully supporting her up.
Taking a step forward, she moved her gaze towards the monster that had backed away from her in caution. The previous wound that was inflicted upon it has fully closed and it was readying itself for a counterattack, letting out a frenzied shriek of malice as it rushed towards her.
But Ryuuko did not fear. She did not panic, as she too prepared herself. Taking a deep breath, she gripped the handle of her weapon. The upper parts of her blade’s cover opened up and ignited like the thrusters of a rocket as she launched herself towards her charging adversary.
“I am Eve!” She announced out as she instantly appeared before the creature, taking it by surprise with her astounding speed, and brought her giant blade towards it with incredible force.
CLASH
The powerful sound of impact exploded as her blade met with the shield of the Savior of Mercy’s, sending out immense shockwaves that blew out to the corners of the world. The weight of her weapon brought down upon her target immediately overwhelmed it and forced Armadat to defend itself.
“And I SHALL save you!” Ryuuko declared, her strength increasing and crushed down on her opponent. Once again, Armadat was brought to its knees as the ground below it split apart from Ryuuko’s wrath.
