User blog:Seieireppa/God Eater:Universitas, chapter 60: Family

At once, the surroundings were bathed in a brilliant, shifting blue light, like sunlight filtered through the walls of an aquarium. The flashy display bathed all in its glow, heralding the opening of a portal above them.

This one, however, was not of the variety they had seen previously; it was not the kind of shifting, purple portal used by those with Horizon powers to travel through time.

No, this one’s interior was black, a deeper black than should be possible, save for a single line of brilliant blue spanning the width of the portal.

“The… Horizon?”  Idenn’s words were barely audible over the sound of something emerging from the portal, one bladed arm pushing outwards at the portal’s edge. Another similar arm emerged, the portal being stretched apart as whatever was inside slowly made its way out.

A massive being unlike anything any of them had ever seen, the thing that emerged appeared to be made entirely of metal, with bladed arms joined to a mechanical body that sported similarly bladed legs, as if the creature walked on swords. Clicking sounds could be heard from within the thing’s body as various body sections appeared to calibrate themselves at regular intervals, certain portions shifting ever so slightly as the creature stood.

But what stood out the most was…

“Are those… God Arcs?”

Idenn’s words were not unfounded, for upon closer inspection, the thing’s entire body could be seen to consist entirely of God Arcs. Its arms, its legs, every part of it seemed to be made of some kind of God Arc.  There was a long blade here, a variant scythe there…

“Is it… an Aragami?” Blake spoke, preparing his God Arc.

“I…” Jack began, completely awestruck at the sight before him. “I don’t think you could call that thing an Aragami. But wait… is that a face?”

Sure enough, where the creature’s head should be could be found the only part of its body that was not mechanical.

It had a face, a human face—and it was a face that was all too familiar to everyone there.

“Is…” Idenn began, “is that… me?”

Indeed, the Aragami-like creature’s face resembled Idenn’s almost perfectly. A few years older, perhaps, but the resemblance was almost identical.

But what did this mean?

“I’m sorry we took so long,” the Aragami Idenn spoke. “We had to get a few things ready before we could mobilize our forces. The rest of us should be along shortly, but for now…”

With speed and dexterity that should have been impossible, the Aragami Idenn made a move, dashing towards the two Boundary Aragami that stood before the task force members. In a single movement, reminiscent of the scenes in old samurai movies where the hero unsheathes and re-sheathes his sword in an instant, the heads of his enemies separating simultaneously after the fact, the Aragami Idenn flicked her bladed arms ever so subtly. Instantly, the Boundary Hannibal and Boundary Susano’o both separated into countless pieces like a log of firewood, their fragments falling to the ground in one large pile.

Feldman was stricken with what could only be described from looking at him as pure fear. Whatever this thing was, it was more powerful than anything he could create—and it was coming for him.

“No… no!” he shouted, reaching out behind him and generating another portal. “I will not be defeated here! I still have yet to accomplish my goal… and I will not die until I do! Farewell!”  And with that, Feldman fell backwards through the portal…

…yet this time, like no other instance prior, the portal remained. It did not close after Feldman passed through; rather, it remained open, as though inviting them to pass through its threshold.

“What are we waiting for?!” exclaimed Blake, readying his God Arc. “Let’s chase after him!”  But before he could make a move for the portal, he was stopped—by the Aragami Idenn’s voice.

“Please, wait.”  Her voice rang out pure and clear across the tunnels. “I have… so much to say to you all… but first, it would behoove us to gather everyone together.”

At once, the Aragami Idenn tapped her bladed leg on the ground, opening up a massive rift in front of her, a rift that deposited the remaining task force members onto the ground before them.

“What the…” spoke Beo, taking a moment to take stock of his surroundings. “Where are we?”

“From the looks of things,” came Ken’s reply, “we’re in the God Arc Soldier storage facility of Friar… or at least in its vicinity. But how…?”

“I brought you here,” answered the Aragami Idenn, causing the newly-arrived God Eaters to gasp out of surprise. “Be not alarmed; I am on your side. I called you all here to prepare for the coming battle ahead. We will need all of our strength to pursue Feldman and end his life at his ultimate destination… but first, there is someone I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for.”

At those words, one more portal opened up behind the Aragami Idenn—

—but the one who stepped through was no Aragami, no Feldman, but someone all too familiar.

“Sigma!?” Nanako shouted out, as she ran to greet the newly-returned Sigma. His tanned skin and silver hair were unmistakable… but there was something about his demeanor, something about the way he carried himself, that suggested that he had been through lifetimes of struggles since his disappearance.

“Well…” he began, surveying everyone around him, “…I’m back. Nanako, I trust everything held up well enough in my absence?”

Nanako nodded. “The operation was carried out flawlessly,” she replied. “Feldman’s been driven into a corner at last, and it’s all thanks to the synchronized efforts of everyone here. We’re ready to pursue him at your word.”

“Good,” came Sigma’s reply, “but there’s one thing we still need to do before we go. One person has yet to arrive.”

And as if on cue, a set of footsteps could be heard as one more figure emerged from the portal that had discharged Sigma. His brown hair and gray eyes were foreign to all present… but somehow, Idenn felt a familial vibe from him.

It was here that Sigma spoke up.

“It’s so good of you to join us… Willard.”

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