False Gods

Book XI Finale

Chapter LXXXIV
 
     "Do you think you're ready?" Serena asked me.
 
     "Judging by the World Tree's sudden change, I'm willing to bet we don't have much more prep time," I responded. "So I guess it doesn't really matter one way or the other. All we can do now is put our best foot forward and fight with everything we have left."
 
     "You could always ignore it. If you fail, the world will be gone anyway. Doesn't a good half of the world reject you and blade-kind anyways? I don't see the point in risking your life over it," she pointed out.
 
     "I'm hoping it's something we can change afterwards, but if we can't, then I'd rather die knowing I did everything I could rather than dying knowing I did nothing."
 
     She let out an aggravated sigh. "You Aegis drivers are all the same."
 
     "Thanks? I guess?" I said with a chuckle.
 
     "Well, what are you waiting for? It's time to go. Wake up!" she ordered.
 
     I did exactly that, and in only a few hours we were loaded up on the Monoceros.
 
     "I can take you there myself, you know," Azurda offered, but I shot him down.
 
     "Thanks Azurda, but please, just rest. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself over us," I said simply.
 
     He let out what I assumed was a groan. "I'm not that old...," he whined, but soon cleared his throat. "Very well, I wish you good luck. And remember... the Aegis' power is not to be taken lightly, you must give yourself to her, just as she will give herself to you."
 
     "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," I stated as we got on board and took off towards the unknown.

...................................

     "It's not happening to me....," he quoted to himself, a line he hadn't said in years.
 
     "It's not happening to me, it's not happening to me, it's not happening to me, IT ISN'T HAPPENING TO ME!"
 
     "Wake up," a voice interrupted. "They're coming. If you want your freedom, earn it."

     "I'll kill them, but not for you," he replied.
 
     "Whatever," she responded cynically. "I don't care why you do it; I only care that you do. After all, you really are just a scared child, aren't you?"
 
     "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
 
     After a brief moment of him jerking himself into consciousness, he sighed.
 
     "I won't let you down, Father."

...................................

     "This place makes me sad every time I see it," Mythra pointed out as we began flying over Morytha.
 
     No one could really respond, as we all silently agreed. In all honesty, we were lost for words. This whole world, a place with boundless technology, and it was all destroyed in the blink of an eye. It was honestly a miracle anyone survived. Galea, Waylon, and Klaus, was it really the will of the Conduit?
 
     Our thoughts were interrupted as one of the crumpled, deteriorating skyscrapers ignited in a brilliant blaze.

     "Danger up ahead, responding appropriately," KOS-MOS stated as she steered the ship away from the fire.
 
     "What just happened?!" Gabriel questioned. "Was it by happenstance?"
 
     "No," Acacia cautioned. "That was a warning, we need to land now."
 
     I glanced over at Pyra, who was now trembling.
 
     "That's him, if we wait any longer, he'll hit us next," she warned.
 
     "KOS-MOS, GET US OUT OF THE AIR, WE'RE SITTING DUCKS!" T-Elos shouted.
 
     "Acknowledged," KOS-MOS stated as the ship immediately began descending.
 
     "What wrong?" Rafi questioned. "Rafi don't understand, how can Adonis hit us when we are way high up in the sky?"
 
     "He's not to be taken lightly," I explained. "Even though his power paled in comparison to what Adamas was, he's more than enough to take us on as we are now."
 
     "Damn it all!" Acacia exclaimed as she turned to Malos. "Are you ready?"
 
     He shook his head. "If I'm being honest, we've got no chance in hell. I'm faster than Mythra is, but between her and I, we're your only life lines."
 
     Mythra sighed. "Siren will make up for my inefficiencies, but other than that, there's no way we can keep up with him."
 
     "So the only thing that could turn the tides is...," I said, thinking aloud as my eyes fell on Pyra.
 
     "D-Don't make me fight... please! I... I don't want to see him, I'm so scared. I'll do anything but ple-" she started but I cut her off.
 
      "Pyra, I'm your driver, but I'm also your friend. I'd never make you do something you felt uncomfortable doing, especially this. We're just going to have to give it everything we've got!" I stated.
 
     Gabriel laughed. "I feel so helpless, but I owe it to Canaan to not take this lying down. You want my blade, you've got it."
 
     Poppi changed into her Q-TCE Finale form, "Lila sacrificed everything so Poppi could be stronger, so Poppi will use that strength!"
 
     "And Rafi is much stronger with Poppi! Silas can count on us!" Rafi agreed.
 
     "I don't know how much help we're really going to be," Sheba thought aloud.
 
     "...But I'd rather die than spend time hiding while knowing my darling driver's in danger!" Azami finished.
 
     Acacia looked at KOS-MOS and T-Elos, "You two wouldn't happen to have that power you used against Malos, would you?"
 
     "Negative," KOS-MOS replied.
 
     "Yeah, that was a one-time thing," T-Elos continued. "But I'd be more than happy to pound this bastard's face in with the heel of my boot... for Violet's sake and for yours."
 
     "Aren't you guys scared?" Pyra asked. "Why... Why are you putting on this brave face when you all know you can't win!"
 
      I put my hand on her shoulder. "Because that's what it means to have something you want to fight for. I won't blame you for staying behind, but I will ask that you find what you want."
 
      "I...," she started to reply, but she was interrupted as the ship lurched to the side and was torn in half.
 
      Luckily, we had only been a few feet from the ground, but the ship itself began to ignite and we had all had to jump to the ground.
 
      I looked up, feeling a fierce wind blow all around us. We now stood on what appeared to be a vess parking lot. We were surrounded by the remains of the last civilization and the Monoceros was burning in the background.
 
      As we all stood up, we looked to the other side, to hear a deep voice cackling to himself maniacally.
 
      "The sky is lifeless, the buildings are destroyed, civilization died a long time ago, and now I'll get to watch the flame of life extinguish itself in your eyes as I leave you with the rest of the decay. How fitting that you should die here, where no one will remember you. I am looking forward to taking back what is mine!" Adonis spoke as his teal sword began flickering and turning to a blood red. His face no longer looked the same as it had before, his skin was blue, and his hair was white.
 
     "The last living Indoline," Malos stated. "Son of my first driver, General Adonis of the BCC."
 
     "So, you do know who I am," Adonis said as his face contorted into his sinister grin. "Praetor was always such a worthless title. No, I spent my time learning about this ruined world. Do you know what one of the strongest military civilizations to ever exist on the face of this world called their highest-ranking officers? The very same title that I gave myself. 'General'."
 
     Malos chuckled. "Ironic, we're called Aegises for a similar reason."
 
     "Yes, yes, I've heard the story, but I'm tired of stories. I'd much prefer to write my own," Adonis replied. "Now, boy," he said, turning to me, "Come show me what you can do without your precious god."
 
     "I don't need a god to beat you, Adonis," I said simply. "I feel like a god has plenty of better things to do than to play with insignificant insects, so I'll use the wisdom and knowledge he left me to show you what real power is."
 
     "Stop!" Pyra pleaded as she grabbed my arm. "Don't leave me! I don't want you to go! I... I can't lose you!" she said as she started crying.
 
     I pulled Mythra's sword as I began stepping forward. "Stay back Pyra, this is a fight I can't ignore. Remember what I said, find what you want to live for, find the purpose in your life that you'd give your very life to protect."