Snap
The spectacular detonation that occurred took Ze'ev's breath away. Even having seen the GAI perform a similar feat, he had never
dreamed that this world's incarnation would exhibit this kind of power. Not this soon! Even so - the
Sphere of the Twin Fishes would not have misled him, and the certainty of his victory was the only reason he was able to endure the ensuing nightmarish pain, as the plume of Dimensional Force shredded the already beaten Shurouga even more. For a moment, all was still... and it seemed like James had vanquished his foe.
The ruined up half of the Shurouga lay in space, oil-like blood filling the area around the two of them. A low, cynical voice crackled to life over the communications, wet and racked with static.
"
Ha... Hahahah..."
Somehow, the dark angel turned its head towards the Genion, raising its one remaining arm.
"You lose... Ambriel..." He hissed.
"You...
LOSE!"
And with that, he flicked the last of the blood into place. All around them, the seemingly random splatters clicked together, now to James eyes forming a coherent pattern - an interlocking series of circles, akin to those used by
Prana users. It was a seemingly impossible outcome, even as terrible power built in them, Ze'ev's dark cackle rising to a fever pitch alongside its brightness. Too close, too much strength, nowhere to go-
The roar in his ears was deafening-
Location: ???
Time: Unknown
"
James."
A voice in the dark. A familiar one, at that - Enfield's. It was as if the two were sitting back to back, so close was his presence - yet that could not be so.
"
I apologize for... All of this." He said, quietly.
"
I should have trusted you.
I... Couldn't let Selene die. I panicked, and... Well. You see what happened.
I never... Really was much of a thinker.
For so many years, I've felt guilt... because I could not fulfill my obligation as a Knight, so long as I loved her.
And because of that... I lost everything.
This..."
...There was a burst of verdant in the dark. A green light that flickered into being, one that seemed to reflect the entire universe, and yet at the same time be a wholly self-contained prism, one that was both himself, and Enfield both.
"
Is my curse. And now, it will be yours." Continued Enfield, solemnly.
"
The "Sphere of the Quarreling Twins". Mankind's light against the darkness.
To master it, you must balance two "contradictions" within your heart.
If you can do so... There is still hope for us all."
There was a short pause, as though he were thinking carefully, before he continued.
"
James.
You must succeed... Where I failed.
Genion is the key to Luna... To Selene's freedom.
I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive her.
And... me, I guess.
Don't let this creep win! You're better than him, and his ugly-ass crow of a robot!
I'll be cheering you on.
...
No matter what happens, you won't have to go it alone."
Present Day
"
Hahahahaha! HAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The Shurouga's body twisted and warped horribly as it pulled itself back together - even the victim of its own
Rumbling Discalibur had not been enough to send the immortal occupant to the grave. Yet, as he cast about, it seemed as if his gambit had paid off - exactly as the
Fishes had predicted. Victory was his!
"All blown away, and not a speck of debris!" He remarked, chuckling as the black machine spread its arms wide, before turning its attention to the wreck of the Geminia.
It extended a hand, beckoning towards where the cockpit was located, Ze'ev's voice rising into a commanding shout:
"Now,
QUARRELING TWINS! COME TO ME!"
There was a green glimmer of light - and then...
...Nothing.
He felt nothing.
But, he'd done it, hadn't he? The Fishes couldn't possibly be incorrect! His predictions were always accurate...! So... then... Why wasn't the Sphere his? Where could it have-
Slowly, the realization began to hit him as the
Malice Detector on the Shurouga suddenly chirped a warning... Though, perhaps too late to prevent what was about to occur.
The Aion's arm flashed out as the Gespenst danced close. The way it moved was simultaneously erratic, and yet controlled - as though the high output its thrusters were currently pushing were nothing new to whatever had gripped the controls. Its features lit by the plasma blade, it smashed against the pile driver, deflecting the strike expertly - and as it danced backwards, Hyperion followed.
"
Intruder from another world."
On a priority channel, a voice crackled over the radio from the Gespenst as it rocked back and forth in Liana's vision, shoulder thrusters jinking it back and forth at a rate that would have snapped the neck of an ordinary pilot.
"
You are not welcome here."
It burst once more, just barely out of sight - and lunged, an overhead swing with the blade aimed at her right arm, before accelerating into a violent shoulder-check aimed to tackle into her chest, before swinging back around, driving the beam sword directly into her chest - a suicidal move to say the least, one which risked enveloping both of them in the resulting reactor explosion, yet Hyperion seemed not to care - the life of a pawn, after all, was something to be expended where convenient.