User blog:Seieireppa/God Eater:Universitas, chapter 62: Beginning of the End

They’d come a long way since that morning of January 1st, 2081. Each and every one of them.

Through trials and tribulations, through struggles previously thought insurmountable, they had prevailed, and here they stood on the precipice of the final battle.

What began with the arrival of Idenn in the present time from the year 2117 and grew with the introduction of the Boundary Aragami was fully brought to light with the revelation of what had befallen former Far East Branch Director Isaac Feldman since his disappearance—and now, here they stood, ready to end once and for all what had begun on that fateful January morning.

“Feldman…” Idenn spoke, her voice, while quiet, clearly audible in the echoing silence of the God Arc Soldier vaults. “You took everything from me… my family, my friends, and the only place I could truly call home. You drove me across time and space and forced me to reevaluate who I thought I was… and for that, I thank you. You made me realize the need to become stronger, and for that, too, I thank you. However…”

Idenn clenched her fists tightly, her face wearing a picture of pure determination and resolve.

“The death and destruction you have wrought, and will wreak, upon the world cannot be forgiven. For everyone on Earth… for all of my friends, and for myself… I will end you!”

Sigma smiled the smile of someone who had lived through the very type of destruction Idenn spoke of.

“Well said, Idenn,” came Sigma’s calm words. He had just as much of an investment in this as Idenn did; the things he had seen in his journeys across time, and the actions he himself had a hand in, meant that Feldman’s life was inextricably linked with his own—and so, it was his duty to do what he could to strike Feldman down.

At this moment, Idenn turned to face those gathered there, the full force and might of the anti-Feldman strike force.

“My friends and comrades,” she spoke, her voice no longer soft-spoken and shaking. “I thank you for sticking by me all this time. Though my initial request may have been selfish, you nonetheless proved to be the strongest allies anyone could ask for. Through your strength and determination, I… no, we have come that much closer to reaching our goals and destroying Feldman once and for all. And now… now, here we stand. We stand here now on the threshold of righting all the wrongs visited upon our future and our present. Can I ask for all of you to just stay with me for one last battle?”

Ken was the first to speak up.

“Are you crazy, Idenn?” he exclaimed, his face displaying an expression of good humor and energy. “It’s thanks to you that I was able to come here in the first place… that I was able to make a second chance for myself. I wouldn’t give up these experiences for the world. So… thank you, Idenn.”

“I… no, we,” began Baluar, “me and sis have been having the time of our lives through all of this. Idenn, you gave us a reason to go all out like we never have before… so you can bet your ass that we’ll see this through to the end.”

“I don’t know about Bal,” spoke Beoblade, “but this sure has been no shortage of interesting. I’ve seen and done things I didn’t even know were possible. So… thanks, Idenn.”

“He’s right, you know,” came Arthur’s voice from nearby. “Me and Lyrr have had one hell of a time with all this. Traveling through time and fighting the Boundary Aragami… it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience like no other. Isn’t that right, Lyrr?”

Lyrr, his gun-form God Arc over his shoulder, merely nodded.

“Why so silent, Lyrr?” spoke up Kaitlin, who left Beo’s side to give Lyrr a friendly punch on the shoulder. “This is it! This is everything we’ve worked towards! Aren’t you excited?”

Lyrr gave Kaitlin a strange look, before shrugging and letting out a small grunt.

“Hmph… I suppose so.”

“Someone’s a bit of a downer today,” teased C. “What, are you having second thoughts? Are you not excited to step through that portal and bash Feldman’s face in?”  All throughout, the teasing tone remained. Even down to the end, C was still C.

“Leave him be, C,” came the voice of Blake. “He’s probably just nervous… at least, I know I am. My grandfather and I both… we’ve come through so much to get here, to this precipice before we leap into the void. Idenn… I know not whether our actions here will undo the catastrophic future the two of us—me and grandfather—come from, but one way or another, we will prevail here, and it’ll be thanks to you.”

Idenn looked at the two of them, returning a small smile.

It was here that Nanako stepped forward.

“Alright, is that everyone?” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together once to draw everyone’s attention. “If no one’s got any further words, then… let’s go!”

And with that, Nanako turned towards the portal…

…and stepped through.

“Idenn.”  Sigma’s words echoed through the empty chamber, the atmosphere permeated by a palpable tension. “No matter what happens, well… thank you. And you…”  Sigma turned to face the mechanical Idenn. “…thank you. For everything… and for Will.”

A scoff could be heard coming from behind the two of them.

“…Get a room, you two,” spoke Will disdainfully. “There’s no time for that kind of stuff now.”

“Darling,” the mechanical Idenn shot back, a mocking tone apparent in her voice, “if we defeat Feldman here, we’ll have all the time in the world for ‘that kind of stuff.’”

Will returned a grimace, but at the same time he knew that his mother was right. This was it; their actions here would decide the fate of the world—of this world and likely countless others aside.

“So then, come on now.”  The mechanical Idenn’s words betrayed a sense of calm determination.

“—our destiny awaits.”

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