Previous Chapter: Chapter 16: The Defeated General Next Chapter: Chapter 18
Eun: There’s a large number of heat signatures at one o’clock, distance 30,000!
Sean: Judging from the direction General Kirkus headed, it could be where his forces are gathering.
Lefina: Even after Prince Feil ordered Kirkus to surrender, there’s still so many people who support him…
Yang: There are so many squads under General Kirkus’s command that all of them couldn’t have followed Feil’s order to surrender. If we don’t deal with the General here… He’ll call upon Louzorl’s aid, and if he launches a counteroffensive, it’d be the start of a huge civil war.
Lefina: You’re right…
Yang: Though I know you’re eager to confirm the whereabouts of the other members of the Steel Dragons, I need to ask for your help on this.
Sean: We clean up our messes. We’ve come this far…. We can’t ignore the final stage.
Lefina: That’s right. This war ends here. Yang Long, deploy at once.
Yang: Understood.
*hangar*
Zash: What?! What do you mean by that, Yang Long?!
Yang: I cannot allow a son to fight his father. You’re not to join in the next battle.
Zash: Don’t joke about that! If I don’t stop my dad, who will?
Yang: Don’t get ahead of yourself. If your dad was in your sights, could you really pull the trigger?
Zash: I… I don’t plan to kill my dad. He needs to live to accept responsibility for what he’s done.
Yang: ….
Zash: That’s more difficult than just getting revenge, right? So I’m going. If we can bring Dad into custody, this fight will end.
Yang: ... So you’ve thought that far... There's a quote from the Art of War... “To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill." That quote’s been on my mind recently… But if you really want to help us, you can.
Zash: Got it. There’s… something else worrying me.
Yang: And that is?
Zash: My dad’s special Galguard was taken in for an overhaul at a base in the rear of our forces. That’s why I was able to steal it that evening, but I’m beginning to wonder why my dad didn’t take it with him. The Galguard is an Elemental that can show off power close to that of an Elemental lord.
Yang: He wanted a backup machine for the future, maybe?
Zash: That’s certainly a possibility, but… I’m worried there might be another reason. Like, if he has a machine even more powerful than the Galguard….
Yang: ! The Hyper Elemental Plan? But that should never have been…
Lune: Yang! Zash! What are you doing? Hurry into your mechs!
Yang: I got it. …Zash, don’t throw your life away.
Zash: I know…!
Chapter 17: The Hyper Elemental Eulid
Lefina: Prepare the main cannons to fire! Deploy all units!
*They do*
Kirkus: So you made it this far.
Yang: if you use the powers of an evil god, even in a unified La Gias, you cannot win the hearts of the people. As long as you act so viciously, there will be people like us who rise to stop you.
Kirkus: Hmmph. That’s exactly what Masaki’s group said. So the Elemental lords will not ally with me.
Yang: That’s why you asked for Louzorl’s aid. But why would you attack Feil?
Kirkus: On the eve of the coronation ceremony, Prince Terius ran off with Shu Shirakawa.
Yang: !
Gennacy: Prince Terius did what?!
Lune: Why would Shu do that?!
Kirkus: Why indeed. I asked Louzorl, and he had no idea, either.
Katina: I see… So, because Terius ran off, you had no way to grab power, so you had to make a run at Feil’s Army.
Kirkus: …
Yang: Where is Louzorl right now?
Kirkus: I haven’t seen him since then. But, thanks to him buying me time, I was able to finish this machine.
*Dun dun dunnnn*
Zash: Th-that’s!
Kirkus: The Hyper Elemental Eulid…I suppose you’ve heard that name?
Russel: Hyper Elemental…?!
Yang: Once, under General Kirkus’ suggestion, plans were drawn up… to make a new Elemental, stronger than an Elemental Lord[1].
Ryuusei: So, the Elemental equivalent of a Super Robot.
Yang: He was working on it in secret!
Kirkus: If the Eulid had been there when Masaki was trying to take back the capital, they would not have been successful… And when these machines begin to be mass produced, using Volkruss’s power, Langran will have a formidable power on their hands.
Lune: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch!
Kirkus: Heh. I have other forces, too. Look at this.
*Summons a FUCKING VALSION*
Bullet: That’s… a mass produced Valsion Custom!
Kusuha: Something like that was summoned?!
Kirkus: Yes, though it was broken when I obtained it. I repaired it, and now I can use it. In the future, we’ll mass produce them, too.
Yang: Bullet, Kusuha… You two know that unit?
Kusuha: Y-yeah…
Lune: That’s a copy of my father’s ultimate robot, the Valsion…
Yang: !
Lune: If you’re using that… Kirkus, you really are just like my dad.
Kirkus: Ho, what a strange coincidence. But with the power of the Eulid and the Valsion, There’s nothing that can frighten me. Whatever evil I must submit to, if I am able to enact justice…I’ll be able to unify La Gias, and create a world of peace.
Yang: And it doesn’t matter if many people die to create that world?
Kirkus: Reform always involves bloodshed. If you’re afraid of losing people, you won’t be able to anything.
Lune: God, am I sick of hearing that line! It’s like you think you need to kill people to do anything!
Kirkus: …Now that we’ve had this discussion, I can’t let you leave.
Sanger: You will die with your ambition, Kirkus Zan Valfarbia.
Kirkus: It won’t end here. Once other countries know the truth behind the summoning of people from the surface, they’ll come up all sorts of reasons to denounce our country. And this summoning incident mirrors the prophecy that calls evil to our world. Before we lose everything, I will unify La Gias, and bring order. If anyone tried to hinder this, no matter who, I will eliminate them.
Yang: So you plan to become that evil spirit!
Kirkus: For the sake of justice, there’s no other way!
Yang: In that case, as a pilot of an Elemental Lord, I will put a stop to your ambition right here!
Kirkus: Come if you dare! I, who shoulders the fate of Langran and La Gias, stand before you! Even if you’re a fellow countryman, I won’t forgive you!
Chapter 17: The Hyper Elemental Machine Eulid
Victory: Defeat Eulid
Defeat: The Hiryuu Custom is defeated
SR point: Defeat the Valsion Kai Type CF in 4 turns.
*Lune v Kirkus*
Lune: Prepare yourself, geezer!
Kirkus: If you keep talking like that, no one will ever marry you, young lady!
Lune: Mind your own business!
Zash: I would!
Kirkus: What?!
*yang v Kirkus*
Yang: General, please stop this! The course of these actions has already been decided!
Kirkus: Not yet, I can’t stop yet! If I stop here, I befoul the memories of those who gave their lives for me!
Yang: Ridiculous! You’ll lose sight of your goals if you let yourself be bound by the wishes of the dead!
Kirkus: If I were to think that, nothing I did would have any meaning! I WON’T ADMIT THAT! YOU CAN’T MAKE ME![2]
Yang: Kirkus… Fine, then I will be the one who brings you your karma!
*Tasuku V Kirkus*
Tasuku: Let’s see if that machine of yours deserves to be called Hyper!
Kirkus: My Eulid won’t lose to your surface mechs!
*Ryuusei V Kirkus*
Ryuusei: General! You’re using your power wrong! Why can’t you understand that?!
Kirkus: I’m not going to wind up like everyone else! This is where I prove that!
*Kirkus V Lefina*
Kirkus: If I can bring you down, I will be one step closer to unifying La Gias!
Lefina: I understand your cause… but I cannot agree with your methods!
*Kirkus v Sanger*
Sanger: The La Gias you want to create won’t find peace! If you accept the power of an Evil god, you can no longer call yourself just!
Kirkus: Justice is decided by the victors! You won’t be able to cleave my ideals with that sword!
*Russel v Kirkus*
Russel: Your actions will only lead to more war!
Kirkus: For now! But I look to the future of La Gias! We will change the era with a great power!
*Katina v Kirkus*
Katina: Kirkus! You’ve got the exact same fate as Bian Zoldark!
Kirkus: I have the resolve to die for my ideals… but that time is not now!
*Kyosuke v Kirkus*
Kirkus: If you will deny my great cause, surface people, I will label you an obstruction to be removed!
Kyosuke: Your anger… I don’t understand it. After all, it was your own ambition that lead you to fighting us.
*Bullet V Kirkus*
Bullet: General Kirkus, your ambitions are dangerous! If you can’t control this evil power you’re calling…
Kirkus: I have this Eulid to fight against Volkruss!
*Shine V Kirkus*
Shine: You can’t be thinking of the civilians if you’re starting another fight!
Kirkus: This fight is for the future of all of La Gias! Our world’s history will one day show that!
Shine: (But his future will be…)
*Gennacy V Kirkus*
Gennacy: General Kirkus, your ambitions end here!
Kirkus: So you are also my enemy, Gennacy?! Why does no one believe I can do this?!
*Zash V Kirkus*
Zash: Dad! I will stop you!
Kirkus: You’re a fool who could never understand my justice! I won’t hold back, Zashford!
*kaboom*
Kirkus: G-gah… you destroyed… this Eulid…!
Lune: We told you! Power is always temporary!
Zash: Dad, eject!
Kirkus: Zash….
Zash: Dad, there’s still things you have to do! Live, and take responsibility for your actions!
Kirkus: G-gah… Those who brought me here… Those who gave their lives for me, and the dead soldiers… I’m so… sorry…
Yang: If that’s how you feel, then who’s going to give compensation to the remaining people?
Kirkus: Even if you say that… it’s too late. The eject mechanism is broken… After all, I never intended to use it…
Yang: !!!
Zash: I-if you die here, you’re just a coward! Even if you made mistakes, you’re still my dad!
Kirkus: Don’t get close, Zash… I’m entrusting… your mother and Lemia…
*SAD SPLOSION*
Zash: DAAAAAD!
Yang: General Kirkus!
Kyosuke: …
Sanger: So he never meant to live with the shame…
Zash: S-such… such a cowardly death… Taking responsibility by dying… And the people left behind… I…
Lune: Zash…
Yang: Though our paths were different, General Kirkus was always concerned with the future of La Gias and Langran… A soldier has a duty to his country beyond life or death[3]…We learned that the hard way this time…
Zash: (Dad….)
*Zoom out and fade*
*At Seb Shrine*
Lune: Masaki!
Masaki: Lune, you were also down here, huh.
Lune: We finally met up. It seems like it was rough for all of us.
Masaki: It sure seems that way. I heard some of the stuff before we headed here.
Yang: Me too. The one behind the summoning incident was Lord Feil…
Tytti: But for some reason, the summoning program went out of control… And more surface dwellers were summoned to La Gias than he expected. Along with their ships and mechs…
Masaki: Prince Feil went too far while trying to liberate Langran from Shutedonias. In order to obtain more forces, he called people from the surface, and it wound up just like Tytti said. And that’s what started the confusion. He didn’t have very much longer to live, so in order to fix everything and end the fighting quickly, he planned to unify La Gias under an iron fist…
Zash: In the end, Feil had the same ideas as my Father…
Masaki: That’s right… And after we stopped him, Prince Feil took his own life as responsibility for his actions.
Mio: He never planned to eject from the Duraxyll…
Yang: …Is she the new pilot of Zamzeed?
Tytti: That’s right.
Mio: I’m Mio Sasuga. You’re Yang Long from the Granveil, right? Nice to meet you.
Yang: Yeah, you too.
Lune: So Masaki’s in Cybuster, Yang Long’s in Granveil, and Mio is in Zamzeed… So who’s in Goddess?
Tytti: That would be me.
Lune: (Wow, she’s pretty!)
Presia: It’s Lune, right? I’m Presia Zenosakis. I’ve heard a lot about you from my big brother.
Lune: Ah, right. Masaki had an adopted little sister, didn’t he?
Presia: Yes! Nice to meet you!
Tasuku: Gah, their side is so much better… I wish I had been on the Hagane.
Masaki: What are you saying?
Tasuku: Uh, the girl over staring at the ART-1, is she a friend of yours?
Masaki: Yeah, that’s Princess Xenia.
Xenia: So this is the ART-1… It’s a combination of the R series and Huckebein series lines…
Ryuusei: Oh, you can tell?
Xenia: I can! The frame’s a bit harder, so when it bends, the center of gravity must shift a bit.
Ryuusei: You even know that…
Ryoto: She’s one of the people who designed the Elementals. And she’s studied the Personal Troopers and Special Robots….
Ryuusei: Basically, she really likes mechs?
Rio: She’s got a bit different tastes than you, though. She even designed an Elemental based on the Huckebein.
Ryuusei: Really?! Where is it?!
Ryoto: Rio, don’t talk about that…
Rio: Ah… S-sorry, Xenia.
Xenia: No, it’s okay.
Ryuusei: Did something happen?
Ryoto: That Elemental was Duraxyll, the machine that Prince Feil piloted in his last hours.
Ryuusei: ! I’m sorry, I didn’t know, and I said something stupid…
Xenia: No, It’s alright. Don’t worry about it. Sometime, if we have time, we should really talk about mechs.
Ryuusei: Y-yeah…
Mai: Ryu!
Ryuusei: Mai! I’m sorry, I guess I made you worry.
Mai: No, I’m just glad you’re okay…
Aya: So you and Kyosuke were in La Gias when you went MIA?
Ryuusei: Well, I was a bit surprised to find myself here when I returned…
Excellen: Hey hey hey, was Kyosuke lonely when he couldn’t meet with me?
Ryuusei: No, he was the same as he always is.
Excellen: Darn, that man….
Aya: (I can’t imagine Kyosuke being lonely, somehow…)
Irm: So I guess this is all the members of the Steel Dragons who have been summoned to La Gias?
Rai: It appears that that’s the case.
Excellen: The members of the ATX Team, Katina’s squad, Boss, the Princess, and Lune were all on the Hiryuu Custom, huh.
Shine: …Lord Raidiese, I’m glad to see you’re okay.
Rai: You too, Princess. I would have never figured you would be summoned, too.
Ibis: Hey, Kusuha. Did you guys ever see a red Series 77 Lion… The Vegalion?
Kusuha: Huh? A red one… Did Sleigh come to La Gias?
Ibis: I think so… But I wasn’t able to confirm who was piloting it.
Bullet: We didn’t see anything like that.
Ibis: I see…
Katina: We did see Murata, and some kids who called themselves Argent, though.
Carla: Huh? You saw those three, too?
Sanger: Yeah… They were working for the Shutedonias Army as mercenaries.
Yuuki: I wonder, do they plan to stay on La Gias?
Lune: Well, if I stumble across them again, I’ll give them a spanking.
Ryuusei: Wait, you plan on staying?
Lune: Yeah. I think I like it here. And moreover, Masaki’s here, too.
Zash: S-so that’s why….
Excellen: Hoho, that face… I’m guessing you’re thinking about some naughty stuff with Lune?
Zash: Th-th-that’s not it at all!
Excellen: Oh, It’s as plain as day, isn’t it? Well, as long as you’re honest about it…
Tetsuya: Colonel Lefina, we’ve completed our roll call here.
Lefina: Then let’s return to the surface.
Viletta: All units, report to your ships.
Aya: Roger, Captain.
Yang: Colonel Lefina, Thanks for all you’ve done.
Lefina: Thank you, too.
Xenia: Please let me say thanks, too. And… I’m sorry my brother brought you all down here in the first place.
Lefina: It’s fine… We learned some important lessons ourselves from this journey. It may get rough from here on out, so please, do your best to protect La Gias.
Xenia: … Got it.
Masaki: Oh yeah, Ryuusei, take this with you.
Ryuusei: What’s that?
Shine: It looks like… a flute.
Masaki: Exactly. Blow one note for Presia, two for Tytti, three times for me…
Leona: What do you mean?
Masaki: Eh, don’t worry about it. It’s a high-end mini Ethernet communicator. You can contact La Gias from the surface with it. If you need anything, call me. I’ll come if I’m able.
Ryuusei: I got it. Thanks.
Masaki: Just don’t call me up for boring stuff. I think I’ll be really busy down here for a while.
Tasuku: Well, it’s probably the same for us… Up above, we’ve probably been listed as missing… When we get back, we’ll have to fill out mountains of paperwork.
Lune: Aww… It would be nice if we would finally have some free time…
Carla: I know, right?
Kyosuke: Anyway… See ya, Masaki.
Masaki: Yeah. See you guys again.
*outside*
Mio: They’ve gone… It’s a bit sad, huh.
Masaki: Mio, Lune… are you guys really okay with not returning to the surface?
Lune: Well, if I want to return, I always can just go back.
Mio: I’m the pilot of Zamzeed… I have responsibilities now.
Yang: Oh ho, you’ve got the right idea of it, huh.
Masaki: But it’s more important that you get the training needed to be a pilot, Mio.
Tytti: And you don’t even have your familiar yet.
Masaki: For now, I’ll be your coach. It’s gonna be rough, so prepare yourself.
Mio: Yes sir, Sensei![4]
Gennacy: If it’s special training, count me in, too.
Mio: Sure… Wait, Who?! When did you?!
Gennacy: I’ve been here for a while….
Mio: I had no idea you were around… Are you a Ninja or something?
Gennacy: No, I’m an Olympic swimmer.
Xenia: Let’s return to the capital, everyone. We have a lot of stuff we need to do.
Presia: Yup!
Lune: That’s right. And we still need to go on that date, Masaki.
Masaki: Huh? What are you talking about?
Lune: Hey! Did you forget about our date again?
Masaki: Um… It’s like I remember and don’t remember at the same time…
Zash: S-so then, Lune… Maybe you could go with me instead?
Tytti: Haaaaah… When they said we were going to be busy, I didn’t expect it to be like this…
Yang: We still need to be on our guard. Shu and Louzorl are still planning things… And we still don’t know where Queen Monika and Prince Terius are.
Masaki: I understand. Whatever Shu and Louzorl are planning, we’ll put a stop to them with our Elemental Lords!
Previous Chapter: Chapter 16: The Defeated General Next Chapter: Chapter 18: The Envoy from Chaos
[1] This took me longer to word correctly than I'd care to admit.
[2] I thought Kirkus had a crazy angry face before I saw his portrait here. Nope. Nope, this is that face.
[3] SOMBER MOMENT INTERRUPTED BY WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT
[4] I consider this an English word based on it’s usage in pop culture. Bite me.