User blog:Warden-Cypher/God Reaper Burst - Chapter 25 - A mistake

I can walk freely in the Den now. After satiating my hunger, i decide to loiter around, trying to figure out my previous fight.

Something didn't feel right.

First, it seemed i discovered for the first time that the Wailing Plains were sinister. Even though i battled a thousand time in this area. Not that i didn't see before the ruins of age long past or the danger lurking in the shadows. I was aware of it, but somehow, it now weights on my mind.

Every time i battled Aragamis, there was an urge inside me, a deep instinct that pushed me to strike it down, heedless to my own injuries. Any strike i would receive served only to fuel my determination.

Yet this time, it didn't seem to trigger.

Do i suddenly lack determination? If so, why?

I know that Aragamis must be destroyed. If not for the rest of Humanity, it is simply for myself, to survive.

Shio's existance didn't changed my views on the Aragamis as a whole. She was an exception, and the only one i'll ever meet. I'll not expect to find that other Aragamis can suddenly become sentient enough to battle their instinct.

She did say that there was two of me, inside one shape...

The calm one..and the scary one.

Whatever the meaning is, i can only ponder.

A part of me is gladly leading the chase on Aragamis, with a furor that is almost unhealthy. Heedless to anything but the hunt. It only act, never caring about consequences.

The other part of me value silence and thoughtfulness, prefering the calm and loneliness. This part of me likes to read or stare at sceneries. It can reflect on mysteries and the root of problems, always seeking a solution.

I'm a loner, but i tolerate others. Rather, i only tolerated them before. Now, i'm more open-minded, considering all of the 1st Unit as battle-brothers and sisters. Some of them even more than that...

Could it be...

I find myself facing Hibari, the operator. Unknowingly, my steps carried me to her. Habits die hard, but i can't head out for a mission without my God Arc.

An alarm suddenly rings. "Small Aragmi in training area 2! Please repulse it as soon as possible."

Hibari quickly analyze the situation, then contact the closest Gods Eater Unit. Ironically, it's the Defense Squad. Hibari tries to reason Tatsumi into coming back to the Den to deal with the intrusion.

I look down.

Even a simple intrusion seems beyond my abilities...

The Defense Squad may take minutes to get there. And there's only civilians here. No one is armed to deal with Aragamis...not without casualties.

I lift my head and rush to the God Arc storage room. Even with a partially usuable God Arc, i can deal with that Aragami. Besides, i can feel it closing in. No time to follow the protocol.

Once i'm inside, i see Licca sealing the God Arcs. We're truly blessed to have such a dedicated engineer, but she's risking her life here! She turns in my direction.

"Why are you here? If you're looking for your God Arc, it's still unusable."

''Crap. What then?''

"I'm leaving, as soon as i've locked the other God Arcs."

I sense the Aragami behind the door. If it breaches the door, Licca's in danger!

I see the other God Arcs being locked away and disappearing. Only one remain...

I rush to it and prepare to take it.

"What? You can't take that! That's Lindow's God Arc!"

Heedless to her warning, i grab the handle, and am assaulted with a terrible pain. I can only describe it as trying to replace a missing limb with another foreign one, without the use of tranquilizers.

I can feel the God Arc painfully merging to my Control Unit, and distantly hear Licca's panicked voice: "Let go! You'll be devoured by its Oracle Cells!"

As i tear Lindow's weapon from its resting case, the door explode, knocking Licca unconscious. A Vajratail appears, already prepared to devour the girl.

Not on my watch!

I strike it once, distracting it from Licca. Somehow, the God Arc feel heavier than my own, even though it is a long blade type. My arm is coursing with pain, and i have trouble keeping my eyes open.

Suddenly, a surge of emotions assault my brain and i'm only left screaming, kneeling under the pain.

The Aragami, not leaving any chances, prepare to strike me down.

Not like this...

I see its tail aimed at my head. In this state, it will be a killing blow. I can't order my body to move.

Not like this!

The Vajratail is sent backward and i look behind my shoulder. A God Eater is aiming a God Arc at the Aragami.

"Can you stand?"

I nod as another shot is fired on the Aragami. Somehow this intervention sparked some strength in me.

"Hurry! Finish it off!"

I rise back on my feet and strike the Vajratail down. As it lies on the ground, finally defeated, another pain surge begin, and i finally let myself fall on the ground, and into the darkness's embrace, far from any pain.

"-Hey, hey! Look, it's him!

''-Who? Him? You mean the only survivor of Area K24?''

''-Yeah! They say he was found crawling in the blood of his own family!''

''-Look at him. He's just an empty shell. Should've been better to let him die, if you ask me!''

--

''Why get up? Why carry on?''

''I'm left behind. They all died. This world has nothing left for me.''

Only death will release me."

I open my eyes. Twice in the sick bay in less than a week.

Brilliant score, there.

Licca and the Gods Eater are here. The former seems happy to see me alive. I rise back on the bed, and she suddenly throw her arms around me.

This got to be a joke, right?

The Gods Eater doesn't say a thing while Licca quietly say:

"You're always so reckless. Promise me that you'll never pick up someone's God Arc again."

Didn't really have a choice back then, but i appreciate your concern.

"A non-matched God Arc Oracle Cells will devour you. And then, anything can happen."

What happened then...were those...memories? it was scarce and, as i try to remember at least part of it, it fades from my mind.

"The others will come back soon. I'll tell them you're awake."

And she add, before getting up: "And i'll come by again later."

She waves at me before leaving the Bay. I turn to look at the unknown God Eater. She has yellow eyes, black curly hair and wear formal clothes. She is rather thin and flat.

"Licca...she's a good person, isn't she? She truly understand what makes a God Arc tic!"

"And you are?"

"Oh, sorry! i haven't introduced myself yet. I've been transferred here recently. Please, call me Ren."

Ren smiles at me, eyes closed and tilting his head.

Er...he's a boy?

...i'm not sure anymore...

I've been scolded by anyone for my recklessness prior. Still, everyone's glad i'm alive, and that i saved Licca. The Defense Unit is even apologizing for being late, though they're not at fault.

Still, now we've got a new challenge.

The Hannibal. This Aragami is somehow able to come back to life. Does it have a secondary Core, or does it somehow manage to survive without one?

Any of these options is concern enough. We need to investigate. Sakaki, now promoted Director after Von Schicksal's disappearance, has given order to pursue this Aragami in the hope of understanding it more.

The old man somehow found time to create a new drink and promote it.

Just by the look of the can, i'm nauseous. "First-love Juice..."

And to think this old weirdo is the Director...

"-Watch where ya walking, ya stupid excuse of a human being!

I don't bother to reply to the thug and keep on walking.

-Hey, i'm talkin' to ya!

''A hand fall on my shoulder. I weakly brush it off, and, before i can do anything else, i'm hit in the back.''

I fall on one knee while the voice continue:

''-Watcha gonna do, huh? Cry to your mommy?''

I clench my fist, and, before i can think of it, i'm hitting the thug in the jaw, shutting his mouth.

I look at my fist and the blood on the face of the man.

''No...this is not right. I must not hurt someone else.''

I open my mouth to say something, but the thug's gang fall on me and beat me up to a pulp.

They laugh, thinking themselves strong, while i clench my fists and endure.

--

''Rain falls on me as i lie on the ground. My body is nothing but pain.''

''Enduring is all i can do, but to what end? I have nothing left in this world.''

''Between the rain, i look at the sky. It would be so easy to just wait here.''

After all, there is no use going on.

As i'm about to accept my fate, something inside of me awaken.

''Indignation. Anger.''

''No. They want me dead. Aragamis. Humans. They laugh at me. They say i'm powerless.''

''I won't have it. I will prove them wrong. I'll make them pay for this day.''

I'll make them see it is THEM who are powerless.

''If this world doesn't want to give me anything, then i'll just have to take it. By force, if pressed.''

Never again will i cry for help or require aid.

''I will live. And they will die.''

I painfully rise back from the ground."

These flashbacks are getting more intense by the day. I don't know what triggered it or why they keep showing up like this.

I suspect there is a link between that and my sudden loss of capacity. Dwelling in the past...

Shruggin it off, i turn to look at the people before me.

Tsubaki announce: "These are two new Far-East Recruits. Both highly touted New-type Gods Eater."

The blonde girl is from Germany, and the guy's from Italy.

And of course, there's Ren. He smiles at me in his usual way. I'm now charged with mentoring these recruits, the same way i did with Alisa in her time, more or less.

It makes me feel old, though i'm only one or two years older than them. The weight of responsibility, i suppose.

I join Ren in the God Arc storage room, and give him one of these First Love Juice. I have to thank him for saving me. Sadly the dispenser was full of these...i'll find a way to repay him with a real thanks.

He thanks me, then drinks it, finding it delicious.

"You're the only one to think that."

He's looking at Lindow's God Arc, and even seems to recognize it.

Puzzled, i look at him.

"Oh, you see, Lindow and i met each other in the past."

Really? He never told me. It means Ren is older than he seems.

He raise his hand to touch the God Arc. ''What the hell is he thinking? ''

I throw my can and catch is hand, shielding him from the pain of another God Arc intrusive merging.

Lindow's God Arc moves, just as time freezes, and i enter Resonance.

The memories are clear this time, as i see through someone else's eyes. It is all a confused mashup of different time and places. The person is even starting to turn into an Aragami...

It's Lindow.

The can falls on the ground and i let go of Ren's arm.

''He's alive. ''

I turn around and rush to Sakaki's office.

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