User blog:Seieireppa/God Eater ∑: Avatar of the Aragami, chapter 3 (final chapter)


 * SIDE:NANAKO::


 * SEVEN YEARS LATER::


 * MAY 15TH, 2074::

“So you’re really leaving us, then?”

A voice came from behind Nanako as she stepped onto the extended bridge that led onto the boat that would take her to her destination. Over the past seven years, what later became known as the Gehenna Incident found its way into the legends told among Fenrir and its members, the grand tale of two people who together fought and vanquished the greatest threat humanity had ever known and likely would ever know. Only the people of the Glasgow Branch knew the truth, of course, but since then Nanako had grown into someone who was more than capable of living up to the legends that existed about her.

And on this day, the twenty-first anniversary of her birth, Nanako Kawashima was preparing to take the next step in her journey of life. Once she boarded this ship, she would be on her way to return to Japan, the land of her birth, to do what Cyrus Casterfield had wanted her to do all those years ago – she would join the Fenrir Far East Branch and finally take the God Arc compatibility exam to become a God Eater. This, she knew, would truly make her parents proud… and, hey, maybe she’d see them again, should she find them at the Far East Branch.

Nanako put aside her stray thoughts and turned to face the crowd that had accompanied her to the pier.

“I sincerely thank all of you for raising me these past twelve years, especially in Cyrus’ absence. You are all like family to me, and I will miss you dearly. But now, I leave to start a new chapter in my life. I will return to the land of my birth and enlist on the front lines as a God Eater to fight the Aragami.

“The Gehenna Incident seven years ago taught me something – if we want to fight for humanity’s future, we have to do it ourselves. Sure, we can make more weapons like the Gigantes to drive off Aragami, but what worth is a future won at the cost of human life? This is what I learned from Cyrus… and from you, Sigma. You taught me that if I want to make a difference, that difference has to start with me.”

Nanako smiled, wiping back tears. “Farewell, my dear, dear friends. I pray you find yourselves well down the line!”

And with that, she stepped onto the ship that would take her over the seas to Japan…

It had been a number of days since Nanako had left port at Glasgow. The journey had been fairly easygoing, and they had been fortunate enough not to come under attack from any Aragami.

On this bright morning in May, Nanako stood at the bow of the ship, feeling the wind in her hair and relishing the smell of the salty spray.

This was it, she thought. She was finally on her way to become the Nanako she always knew she could be. And not just her – she knew that Cyrus would be behind her every step of the way were he still alive.

That last thought suddenly felt off as Nanako heard a familiar voice from behind her.

“So, you’re finally on the way, eh?”

Nanako whirled around and came face-to-face with the very image of her late adoptive father.

“Cyrus…” Nanako began, before the phatasmal image before her cut her off.

“No need to say anything,” came Cyrus’ reply. “You’re a big girl now, and you don’t need me to support you anymore.”

“But everything I’ve done was all to make you proud,” Nanako replied.

“Hey now, you know that’s not true,” responded Cyrus. “You’re on your way to become a God Eater because of your own inner strength and your desire to become who you were always meant to be. So pick yourself up and dust yourself off, because here comes a brand new Nanako Kawashima.”

Cyrus smiled, prompting tears to form in Nanako’s eyes.

“Let go of yourself, Nanako,” continued Cyrus. “Let go of your past, let go of what’s holding you back. You don’t need to live your life for me anymore. Live your life for no one but yourself, you hear me? I’ll always be watching over you.”

The image of Cyrus before Nanako walked over and took her in its embrace, before smiling once more and fading into the air, merely a figment of Nanako’s imagination. She would never see him again, for she was strong enough now to live for no one’s sake but her own. Today marked the death of the old Nanako, and the birth of a new Nanako Kawashima who would one day rend the very heavens themselves.

“Goodbye… father,” Nanako spoke, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“…and thank you.”

And with that, the ship sailed ever onwards, towards Japan and towards a new future for Nanako and for all of humanity.


 * SIDE:SIGMA::

Cold.

Cold and dark.

This, and not much else, described the world in which the boy currently lived.

His parents had left months ago. On a business trip, they had said, but the boy was sure the Aragami had gotten to them by now. The boy, however, was left all alone, and the food stores, which had lasted a month or two, had run out. The water still worked, at the very least, but the boy’s hunger had reached a point where it subsumed the boy’s very existence.

And so he hungered. And hungered.

All the boy wanted was a single bite of something to eat – anything, anything at all, would do. And yet, even the dog food which the boy had resorted to eating had run out, with not a single kibble remaining. What he wouldn’t give for just one bite to eat…

And that was when he heard it.

The sound of another life form within the rubble of his abandoned home, amidst the wreckage of the latest Aragami attack. Something else was alive in there.

Driven by his ravenous hunger, the boy followed the sound to its source, finding at his destination something he did not expect –

– an Aragami. No larger than a bowling ball, it floated in the air, its large eyes and toothed maw complementing its spikes and fins. As far as Aragami went, this one looked weak enough. It would likely feed him for a few weeks if he rationed it.

And so he crept, and crept, and crept, keeping out of sight and making sure not to make a sound. The sound of broken glass, however, alerted the Aragami to the boy’s presence –

– but by then, it was too late. The boy leapt at the Aragami, grabbing it and sinking his teeth into it before it could react. He reached around and snapped its jaw before bashing it against a sharp piece of broken wood, impaling it and killing it instantly.

He had done it. His first hunt. The adrenaline high mixed with the delectable taste of his prize and instilled in the boy a feeling he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Over the next few days, however, the boy could feel a change coming over him. If he had to describe it, it would be the feeling of a shiver starting from deep within, the energy spreading outwards gradually until his entire body felt suffused with it. After a while, he always felt in peak form – he no longer felt hungry, he was resistant to injury, and any injuries he did sustain healed within short order.

Perhaps this was a new beginning in his life, the boy thought. Perhaps it was God rewarding him for his suffering.

Of course, as for what this truly signified, the boy would not find out until much later…


 * EPILOGUE::


 * SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2076::

It had been well over two years since Nanako had last set foot here.

The familiar walls of the Glasgow Branch had opened readily before her, their inhabitants welcoming her with open arms. Since the final defeat of Rachel Claudius and the rescue of Julius Visconti, Nanako had remained at the Far East Branch for a while before setting out on her own, wandering the world and slaying any Aragami she came across while aiding those in need of assistance. The day came, however, when the familiar pangs of nostalgia set in, prompting Nanako to return to the place where she had spent twelve years of her life.

Her time with the members of the Glasgow Branch had brought her nothing but joy. Memories of her time at the Branch came flooding back as she conversed with the R&D team. After her departure, she learned, the team had doubled up on its efforts and production now that both Cyrus and Nanako were no longer with them. It made Nanako proud to see how they’d carried on in her absence.

Following her trip down memory lane, Nanako strode over to the massive lift used to transport large items and structures to the roof. Nine years ago, Nanako and Sigma had used this lift to bring the Gigantes to the surface so that they could lay low the Gehenna, the colossal Aragami that awakened to bring a swift and decisive end to all of humanity. Following this, Sigma had departed to parts unknown, and seven years hence, Nanako had returned to Japan, the land of her birth, to become a God Eater and embark on a new chapter in her life.

As the lift breached the ceiling and brought Nanako out into the open, she stepped over to the balcony and surveyed the landscape. The massive blast crater formed by the Sigma’s final attack had at last begun to show signs of life – grass was growing again, and Nanako could even see a flower here and there. Even in the wake of terrible destruction, she realized, there was potential for new life. Just like her own circumstances, she supposed.

She turned to make her way back to the lift, but something caught her eye. There, embedded at the edge of the balcony, was something that definitely had not been there before – a massive blade, colored crimson and black. Nanako moved towards this blade, wondering who had put it there… but deep down, she knew the answer.

As she placed her hand upon its hilt, her suspicions were confirmed, as she could feel the faint lingering will of someone distantly familiar. He must have been looking out for her, she thought, as she removed the blade from its resting place and carried it with her towards the lift.

She did not know where her life would take her from here on out… but wherever it did, Nanako knew that Sigma would be watching over here every step of the way.


 * THE END::

I hope you all enjoyed reading GE∑. This was the culmination of my desire to tell the story of both of my characters in an engaging way, while setting up background to explain their motivations convincingly.

I had originally planned for Sigma to have met with Rachel Claudius years ago and have had her make him into an Aragami, but I figured that this would have been too contrived and forced.

His name, ∑, is a mathematical symbol representing a sum. Sigma is the sum of many things – his own experiences, the people he has met, and the Aragami he has consumed to make himself stronger. For these reasons, I felt that the name Sigma was appropriate.

With that out of the way, though, please do look forward to God Eater ∑: The Maxim of Possibility. I will be rather busy this week, and Zenkaicon is this weekend, so I'll try and get chapter 1 out by Sunday at the latest.