Previous Chapter: Chapter 57 (Space Route) Chapter 57 (Earth Route) Next Chapter: Chapter 59
Tetsuya: …After we were trapped under the Baral’s barrier, we were ordered by the JCS to engage in battle with the Gaia Sabers at Grand Christmas…. We defeated all of the Saber Squads, and finished off Alteur Steinbeck.
Lefina: I see… The JCS focused on attacking other humans instead of the alien threats to earth.
Tetsuya: That’s right. We did our best to capture him, to discover his plot, but…. With his death, his secrets died with him.
Lefina: …
Tetsuya: How about on your end?
Lefina: We finished the fight against the Guests with the combined forces of Operation Reconquista. And at the battle of Heaven’s Gate, we met Mekibos again.
Tetsuya: Mekibos…! The inspector? He’s alive?
Lefina: Yes. He was sent by the Zovorg’s Privy Council as a messenger.
Tetsuya: Zovorg… That’s the name of his country?
Lefina: That’s right. There are two main factions there, the Vorga and the Zogar…. The former are the Inspectors, while the latter are the Guests. He was carrying orders from the council for Zezernan to immediately end his attacks on earth and report back to the council… but Zezernan refused. With no other options, we fought him at the Moon Cradle… and we prevailed. Further, Mekibos wanted to work alongside our units, so I allowed it. Until we resolve all this, we’re keeping him where we can see him.
Tetsuya: So he’s working with us…
Lefina: Apparently it’s so he can gather information for his homeland. In exchange, he fights with us.
Tetsuya: Do you think… We can trust him?
Lefina: From what I’ve seen, I think so.
Tetsuya: …Understood.
Lefina: Also, Professor Shu Shirakawa is also cooperating with us for the moment.
Tetsuya: Him too…?!
Lefina: Yes… It’s thanks to him that we were able to get back to the Earth at all.
Tetsuya: What exactly happened?
Lefina: To put it simply, we slipped between the Baral and Ruina barriers. The Hyperion and the Granzon led the way.
Tetsuya: So you haven’t figured out how to get through the Baral barrier…
Lefina: That’s right. In fact, if it wasn’t for the Ruina barrier, we wouldn’t have been able to return to the earth at all. And after we arrived at the South Pole, we were surrounded by the Ruina, but… The Custodes helped us escape from them.
Tetsuya: ! Why would they do that?
Lefina: The Baral are fighting the Ruina, too… I’m guessing that means they’re willing to help us defeat them.
Tetsuya: To help us get rid of the Ruina… or to buy them time until they can finish their Mass Transcendence Project…?
Lefina: I think the latter’s more likely.
Tetsuya: …The JCS has deemed the Ruina a more threatening target than the Baral, so they’re pushing ahead with Operation Icebreaker…. That’s why we came to the South Pole.
Lefina: Right. We’re going to finish this.
*Elsewhere*
Saphine: Anyway, nice to meet you.
Aqua: (A-amazing… Those clothes are like 120% sexy…. I could never wear something like that…)
Monika: Everyone, please forgive me for interrupting your meal. I very much look forward to working with you all very much.
Shine: I think you said very much twice…
Lamia: …She talks weird.
Arado: You’re one to talk.
Ryuusei: It’s all good. Come on, eat! It’s gonna be the final episode soon, so we gotta eat while we can.
Monika: The food on this ship is simply astounding.
Tasuku: It’s one of the Steel Dragons’ best features. Especially Friday’s Steel Dragon Curry… We’ve been talking about making extra to sell…
Shouko: Yeah, it’s good stuff. I know the recipe, but I can’t get it as good as it is here.
Michiru: Everything you make is good, Shouko.
Masaki: Presia, you should ask for the recipe too.
Presia: Sure!
Glacies: Josh… um… Sorry. I’ll get something to clean it up.
Josh: O-oh, okay.
Fiona: Man, it’s everywhere. You okay?
Josh: Yeah, sorry, I’ll clean it up.
Presia: I’ll take care of it, Josh, so help Glacies.
Josh: Thanks, Presia.
Glacies: Josh, can I ask you something?
Josh: What is it?
Glacies: How do you convert this oral energy into nutrients? It seems very difficult.
Josh: Uh, you have to take off the shell first…
Latooni: Oral energy….
Glacies: Yeah… this “Food” and “Drink” you have.
Yang Long: Looks like she’s still not used to eating like this.
Excellen: But she’s eating with us! I call that progress.
Yang Long: That’s true. It doesn’t feel as tense as before.
Rim: How about you, Ven? Are you used to it?
Ventus: We weren’t made to get energy this way… but it’s not bad. I like this liquid.
Masaki: H-hey! That’s….
Tasuku: Kusuha’s killer energy drink!
Ing: …I also asked Lt. Kusuha for some. She called it the “Super Mild Version…”
Masaki: So you’ve… gone through this trial, too.
Ryuusei: D-did you drink it already?
Ing: Yes…. It was quite delicious.
Tasuku: R-really…?
Michiru: We should get someone else to try it.
Kouta: Oh, so you’re nominating yourself?
Michiru: Wh-why me?!
Kouta: What’s the matter, scared?
Michiru: Hell no! Fine! I’ll drink it!
Latooni: Ah!
Ryuusei: No! Don’t!
Michiru: Gaaah…. So bitter!
Ryuusei: …Wait, that’s it?
Masaki: Usually they pass out…
Michiru: It’s bitter, but not that bad.
Ryuusei: So it is a “Super Mild Version”, then…
Shouko: But if that’s what Ing and Ven find tasty….
Fiona: …Yeah, they’re weird.
Presia: Ah, Glacies, not again…
Glacies: S-sorry...
Aqua: It’s like she’s a kid or something.
Saphine: Looks like Presia’s the older one of the two. Is she into that?
Shine: What do you mean, into that?
Saphine: Well…
Tytti: Stop it, Saphine. Don’t teach Queen Shine weird stuff.
Presia: There you go, Glacies. All cleaned up!
Glacies: Thanks.
Shouko: Presia’s like a mother.
Glacies: You couldn’t tell it by looking at us, but she’s certainly existed for longer than I have.
Mizuho: Then, when’s your birthday…?
Glacies: Birthday?
Josh: The day you were born. Humans celebrate that day every year.
Glacies: The day I was born… I’m not sure.
Ven: Is it that important?
Aqua: Well, people think so…
Shouko: The important part is celebrating it with your friends, and enjoying the time spent together.
Fiona: If you don’t know your birthday, why not just choose one? Despinis did that.
Despinis: I just… chose the day that you saved me…
Rim: Then let’s go with that day, Bro. When they came back with us.
Josh: But that day was…
Rim: I know… But I think Chris would want it that way.
Ventus: (Riana…)
*elsewhere*
Lefina: We’re changing the start time of Operation Icebreaker. It will be two hours earlier, at 0800 hours, today.
Axel: What are the Ruina doing?
Lefina: It seems like there have been a large number of machines spotted outside their boundary, the Meridiem Polum.
Axel: So they’re getting ready to attack again…
Kai: Are the Federation forces moving on schedule?
Lefina: Yes.
Ratsel: Still… It’s odd that they know what we’re up to, but aren’t making an assault on us.
Rishu: That may be thanks to the Baral.
Gilliam: Or it could be them trying to lure us in.
Kai: What do you mean?
Gilliam: They may want to use our Operation Reconquista forces as nourishment to awaken their Lord of Ruin… The Melior Esse have mentioned that the stronger someone is, the better their negative emotions can feed into him.
Axel: Meaning we’re a 3-star restaurant to them. And if the Melior Esse themselves become Ruin Chow, then we could have a problem.
Viletta: So it’s possible that the Lord of Ruin will awaken no matter what we do…
Lefina: In any case, be sure to tell everyone that the start time has move two hours earlier.
Tetsuya: Roger.
Lefina: (Operation Icebreaker…. It’s not just ice we need to break…)
*Elsewhere*
Josh: …
Glacies: Josh… What are you doing?
Josh: …I’m praying.
Glacies: Praying?
Josh: Yeah… I don’t believe in god, but I’m praying.
Glacies: You mean the God of Baral?
Josh: No… some illusive, useless, omnipotent god.
Glacies: Is there a point to praying to him?
Josh: At the very least, I feel a bit better.
Glacies: …Humans are strange.
Josh: I won’t argue with that… What’s wrong?
Glacies: Nothing…
Josh: Laki… You…
Glacies: Huh?
Josh: Are you… scared?
Glacies: Don’t be ridiculous. Fear…. I don’t feel fear. But why….
Josh: I don’t know…
Glacies: Maybe…. Maybe I am scared. To fight against the being that made me… to fight against Perfectio. Afraid of dying in battle… Afraid of disappearing…
Josh: …
Glacies: If I disappear… I… I’m most afraid of losing this time here with you… It’s stupid, but…
Josh: Laki…. That’s not something to worry about, that’s just how real emotions work. That’s… the proof that you’re alive, just like I am.
Glacies: Josh… are you scared, too?
Josh: Of course I am… I’m always scared of fighting. I said it before. No one wants to die. But… sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
Glacies: Humans… are strong. They can fight through their fear.
Josh: So can you.
Glacies; But… Even if I live on… There’s no place for me in this world… I’m something that should be destroyed with Perfectio…
Josh: I’ll… make a place for you.
Glacies: …
Rim: Bro… Are you busy?
Josh: What do you need?
Rim: It’s time to get ready.
Josh: Got it. (Dad… We’re coming back to the Fabula Fores. We’re going to finally finish up everything that you started…)
*Antarticaaaaaa*
*Bridge*
Eita: Captain, we’re passing the D5 line!
Tetsuya: This is it! Don’t fall behind the Hiryuu!
*weeeer*
Tetsuya: !
Eita: Dead ahead, range 6! The Ruina are engaged in battle against what looks like the Custodes!
Tetsuya: What? The Custodes?!
*to the map*
*Explosions*
Aquila: Damn you, Baral! We must retreat to the Meridiem Polum!
*Bye and hi*
Eita: All remaining Ruina machines have retreated back to the Meridiem Polum! No movement from the Custodes!
Tetsuya: So they’re not attacking us…
*Bye*
Eita: The Custodes units have left the battlefield!
Rim: Bro, they’re….
Josh: Yeah. Either they can’t get into the Meridiem Polum, or they don’t want to…. Whatever the case, it looks like the Baral are leaving this one to us.
Rim: To wear us out?
Josh: There’s probably more to it than that.
Sean: Given that the Baral aren’t going into the Meridiem Polum, it looks like we’re trapped between a rock and a hard place….[1]
Lefina: Even if the Baral are waiting for us… we have to deal with the Ruina now. We can’t wait for their Lord of Ruin to revive. We’re moving forward.
Sean: Roger.
Ventus: This is where Glacies and I come in. We’ll help you get into the Meridiem Polum.
Rim: Thanks for your help, Ven.
Ventus: Yeah. Let’s go, Glacies.
Glacies: Understood.
Lefina: All cannons at the ready! We’re breaking through to Fabula Fores!
Chapter 58: Crisis Point
Aquila: Contagio, the Stodium and the Fabularis have gotten through the Meridiem Polum.
Contagio: *Chuckles* So they’ve come.
Aquila: It looks like the Baral aren’t entering the Polum.
Contagio: if they do anything, it will wake the Lord of Ruin. That will be the beginning and end of everything.
*Sup, deploy*
Josh: We’ve finally returned. This is where our fight against the Ruina began….
Hugo: Looks like the outside of the ruins haven’t changed since then.
Josh: But we don’t know what it’s like in the Fabula Fores underneath…
Aqua: The sensors won’t be very helpful. There’s some kind of force like an ES wave that’s preventing me from scanning below the surface of the ice.
Hugo: Looks like we’ll have to find out what’s going on down there ourselves.
Ventus: The negative energies are gathering… the Lord of Ruin is so close to awakening. That we know for sure.
*there*
Contagio: *chuckles*, well met, humans.
Josh: Contagio…!
Contagio: The Lord of Ruin is about to make his appearance. Fight all you want, hehe. All living things on this world will perish, and that will allow our lord to destroy everything.
Touma: No! We will live on! We’re here to crush your stupid lord!
Contagio: That fighting spirit will simply become nourishment for the Lord of Ruin. All you gained by coming here is making his awakening happen sooner. *chuckles*
Saphine: Mmm, now I’m getting interested in what will show its face… I hope it hurries up.
Arado: I’d really rather not see it come out.
Aquila: The door to the final chamber is already opening. All you have before you is death. Cower and weep in your hopeless and pointless final destiny.
Saphine: Aaaahn! God, that’s hot!
Excellen: …I wonder if those kinds of emotions nourish the Lord of Ruin, too?
Axel: Who cares. Just shut her up.
Chika: Sheesh, she has no shame. She has no respect for the gravity of the situation. Read the room a bit, will ya? She should really try to keep this serious tone we got going on.
Axel: …Shu….
Shu: Just ignore her.
Aquila: Let your hearts fall into fear and despair before our lord, in his name.
Mekibos: If that god destroys everything, doesn’t that include you?
Aquila: That’s what it means, human.
Mekibos: …!
Aquila: So fight us. That is why we came to this world, so that you would fight us. We exist to fight you. I am made to call forth the Lord of Ruin, and bring death and destruction to everything. That is my fate. Until then I will never stop fighting. That is the only reason I exist.
Mekibos: Hmm… You really like talking about destruction, huh.[2]
Aquila: Now come. I will rip the hope of salvation from your very hearts.
Glacies: Aquila… Will you do the same to me? Since I am with the humans?
Aquila: Heh… You’ve gone soft, Glacies.
Glacies: What?
Aquila: You can’t feel it? The fear inside of you? You can’t win against me.
Contagio: *chuckles* I said it’d be best if you were destroyed back then, but now that you’ve created fear, all the better. You’ll serve as a great feast for the Lord of Ruin, alongside the humans.
Aquila: That’s right. We’ll send everyone here into an agonizing death.
Ventus: Aquila, it’s not going to happen. The ones who gave us this new life are far too strong. You won’t be able to beat them with your words or your will.
Aquila: Ventus. I won’t ask why. But even if you’re with them, nothing is different. You will still be smashed.
Ventus: I won’t lose. I understand why they’re strong. I know where it comes from.
Aquila: Interesting… Then show me. Show me if the humans’ strength is enough to overturn their destined destruction.
Rishu: Once you see it, your duty will be over. You will open the way for us.
Sanger: And it won’t be your Lord of Ruin that destroys you, but our swords.
Kyosuke: The cards are already on the table. You can’t stop us.
Axel: First, we’ll turn you into food for your Lord of Ruin. Then we’ll take down the big man himself.
Josh: Aquila, Contagio…. I will shut the door my father opened. No matter what…. Even if it means my life…!
Seolla: (Josh….)
Aqua: …Hey, Hugo.
Hugo: I know. I’m keeping a mark on Josh and Rim’s machines.
Aqua: Good.
Kai: Erebus 1 to all units! The Melior Esse are our targets! Begin the attack!
Chapter 58: Crisis Point
Victory: Destroy the Violaceum and the Fortis Ala.
Defeat: An allied mothership is shot down
SR point: Shoot down all enemies before defeating Violaceum and Fortis Ala.
*Josh V Aquila*
Josh: Get out of here, Aquila! I need to go into the Fabula Fores!
Aquila: You’ll be destroyed here, without seeing the true form of the Lord of Ruin.
Josh: I won’t die until I know the truth!
*Rim V Aquila*
Aquila: You seem different from before, human. Has the other one disappeared?
Rim: I don’t need to tell you that!
Aquila: I see I’m right. Then, you should disappear, too.
*Glacies V Aquila*
Aquila: I never expected a Melior Esse, even a broken one, to feel fear. Or maybe it’s because you’re broken.
Glacies: I’ve learned to overcome that fear! Just like Josh and Rim!
*Ventus V Aquila*
Aquila: Even offering your power to the humans cannot stop the Lord of Ruin’s awakening. It is too late.
Ventus: They don’t believe that… And I don’t, either. I can still help them…!
*blow up Aquila*
Aquila: I… am defeated…!
Ventus: Aquila...
Aquila: Humans, if you truly intend to oppose the power great enough to destroy every living being in your universe…. If you intend to stop it… Then attempt it, and see if you can change your destiny…! Hahahahaha… HAHAHAHA! It was fun, humans! Right now, I truly know what it means to be alive! This is my…!
*Boom*
Glacies: (That is what it means to live as a Melior Esse….)
*Is Contagio alive? *
Contagio: *Chuckles* Aquila… You died to nourish the Lord of Ruin. That’s fine.
Katina: You’re next, Contagio! Get ready!
Contagio: No matter what you say, it won’t change what will happen. Even if Aquila has been destroyed. *chuckles*.
*Anywho Josh V Contagio*
Contagio: Soon, everything will end! Kukuku, kuhahahaha!
Josh: The only thing ending here is you!
*Rim V Contagio*
Contagio: *chuckles* No matter how well you and that machine complement each other, it doesn’t matter anymore. You will vanish here, just like the other you did.
Rim: I’m not going to lose! I’m fighting for Chris, too!
Contagio: Then I’ll break those pathetic ideals for you! Kukuku, kuhahaha!
*Glacies V Contagio*
Contagio: *chuckles* I never thought I’d see the day when a Melior Esse tried to live alongside the humans. But it won’t change what will happen. Everything with form will be crushed, and everything with life will be killed.
Glacies: Josh will not make it easy for the Lord of Ruin to accomplish that. And I don’t want him to disappear…!
*Ventus V Contagio*
Contagio: *chuckles* Well, I guess you were made to better understand humans. It was always possible you would side with them.
Ventus: Maybe it wasn’t by chance I joined with them…. That I was able to understand Rim through the Sympathia…
Contagio: Who decided that? Who asked for that? It doesn’t matter, for all will be destroyed soon. The small details will be lost in the complete destruction to follow.
*blow up Contagio*
Contagio: *Chuckles*…. Looks like…. I’m the one being destroyed first…. But nothing will change…. I will simply become food for the Lord of Ruin… kukuku. You have simply hastened the day of your destruction! Kuhaha! You can’t stop it! Can’t oppose it! My destruction will simply bring you despair! Kuhaaaaaa!
*boom*
Josh: …We didn’t come here to get discouraged. No one’s going down today.
*Is Aquila alive? *
Aquila: So you’ve defeated Contagio. I have seen your power for myself.
Katina: You’re next, Aquila! Prepare yourself!
Aquila: You have little time! Come, fight me if you dare!
*anyway*
Eita: All enemy machines above ground have been eliminated!
Tetsuya: … It looks like there will be new enemies to battle underground.
*Rumbles*
Josh: W-what?!
Eita: There’s a large crack in the ice! It’s breaking up!
Tetsuya: Is… Is it opening up a hole?
Eita: Yes! Judging from how the crack is widening, it must be massive!
Lefina: Eun, message all units! Tell them we’re going in!
Eun: Roger!
Josh: (Dad…. I’m here. The Fabula Fores….!)
Previous Chapter: Chapter 57 (Space Route) Chapter 57 (Earth Route) Next Chapter: Chapter 59: Desire
[1] TIGERS IN THE FRONT AND WOLVES IN THE BACK
[2] Lots of dispelling?