As Kadyn slightly opened her eyes, she was met with a blinding light at the end of a dark tunnel. Then, she breathed, almost as if she had been choking a moment ago. There was light, there was pain, and there was the sight of the ugly reality she had escaped from. Slowly, the soothing memory of her dream washed over her, making her realize she had been reborn again into her tormented existence. At first, regret filled her mind as she remembered the sweet moments and the humanity she had felt in her dream. However, the burning pain within her ribcage reminded her that all she had experienced was but an illusion.
Nonetheless, Kadyn looked at her sorry state reflected in the glass of an incubation tube and shed a pained tear. Instead of pretty dresses and a warm hug from her children and Mike, she was suspended on a wall with cold chains and naked without an ounce of dignity. For a moment, the sight was almost too much to bear, but she quickly reminded herself of Mike's sacrifice and retracted the tears that were threatening to flood over her eyes.
Despite how her dream demonstrated to her that Mike never hated her, and how her dream of having a family and children was not just a delusion, the thought of her sister's fate at her hands still haunted her. How could she forgive herself, even though Ari had been turned into a monster? How could one live knowing she had intentionally spilled the blood of her own kin onto her blades? There was hope, but the mood is still dominated by guilt and regret.
Meanwhile, deep beneath the city, the resistance moved quickly to distribute weapons among its ranks. Through bribes and careful planning, the rebels were able to mostly empty the Storm-Class titan of its stock of weapons and move it through the city. With the movement more and more stocked and ready, even many of the law enforcement officers decided to help the cause. The city was healing, and its momentum can not be stopped.
Within the dormant titan, thousands of labourers and engineers worked tirelessly to restore the god-machine to its working state. Like ants, they moved silently through the cracks and passages of the war machine without being detected. This machine used to be a weapon of terror for both KD-554 and the Empire, but now it is a symbol of hope and indomitable will.
Through the catwalks hidden beneath the armour of the massive Ragnarok siege cannons, the twin Ella and Ulric moved to bring some tools to the engineers working on the repair. As they passed through an observation dome sticking through the armour, Ulric suddenly decided to climb onto the ladder and see the sight outside.
[Ella] - "Dude! What are you doing? "
[Ulric] - "I'm curious, alright? I just want to see what's up there; it'll be quick. "
Said Ulric excitedly as he climbed up the ladder.
Once his head was sticking into the small dome, Ulric then realized that it was no mere observation post, but a whole command center for the battleship-sized cannon mounted to protect the Ragnarok cannon.
[Ulric] - "Holy fuck! Look at the fucking size of this thing! "
Exclaimed Ulric like an excited child.
Peering through the hatch, Ella also climbed into the firing post with an annoyed look on her face.
[Ella] - "Are you coming or not? "
[Ulric] - "Ella, this is a fucking battleship turret. Holy shit, this is like the size of the one found on the Iowa-class battleship from the old days. "
Intrigued, Ella climbed up the ladder to the commander's seat and peered through the dome. To her shock, a pair of cannons the diameter of her hip lay bare before her, aimed straight at the government tower.
[Ella] - "This is fucking nuts! "
[Ulric] - "What did I tell you? Also, how about we fire this thing at that stupid tower and maybe kill the mayor through a lucky hit? "
Said Ulric, smiling smugly as he leaned against the gunner's sight.
[Ella] - "Fuck, I'd like to do that. However, this is not what we are here for. Can we focus on the mission? "
Hurriedly, Ulric also climbed up to the commander's seat and squeezed his sister to the side to allow himself through.
[Ella] - "Hey! You fucking asshole, this is not for two people. "
Yelled Ella as she pushed Ulric with her hand.
[Ulric] - "I want to see too, you selfish fat cow! "
Said Ulric as he ignored his sister's words.
[Ella] - "How fucking dare you call me a... "
[Ulric] - "Look! Is that the machine's name? "
Yelled Ulric as he cut off Ella mid-sentence with his finger pointed to the right.
On the shoulder armour of the massive titan, in metallic letters, the word: [Skymningskoloss] was written as the titan's name. In Swedish, "skymningskoloss" meant "twilight colossus," denoting the machine's role as the doombringer standing at the end-times of Ragnarok.
[engineer] - "Hey! You fucking young folks! Stop getting distracted and bring me my damn tools! "
Yelled the engineer from below.
Snapped out of their trance, the twins quickly scrambled out of their seats and slid down the ladder. Below, the engineer, an old man with a constantly twitching jaw, snapped the toolbox out of Ella's hand before she could even hit the ground. Then, just as Ulric slid down the ladder as well, the engineer's associate also followed the old man's example and snatched the box out of the young man's hand.
[engineer] - "I swear to God, these stupid fucking kids. This is some serious urgent work that can't wait. "
Yelled the engineer in the distance.
With a spiteful look in their eyes, the twins, in coordination, flipped off the old man behind his back.
Later that day, as the afternoon sun began to set on the horizon, Ulric joined Ella on the roof of the titan as she was having lunch. As Ulric sat down, he put down a strange white helmet on his side before pulling out his dinner.
[Ella] - "What the hell is that? "
[Ulric] - "I found it lying around in one of the crew quarters. I was going to use this for target practice, but then, after the guys and I shot it with so many rounds, up to even a .50 calibre machine gun, I realized that it wasn't even scratched. So, as any man with common sense would, I decided to keep it. "
Said Ulric casually as he bit down on his sandwich.
[Ella] - "It makes me wonder what kind of war was being fought on the other side of the world... I wonder why the Empire never invaded us. "
Said Ella as he stared at her sandwich.
[Ulric] - "I kinda of wish to see it myself, ya know. It would be nice to see all these awesome techs in action. "
[Ella] - "Oh, please, dude, if they give helmets like this to their men, I can't imagine how long you'd survive being a spectator. "
Said Ella, rolling her eyes.
After eating in silence for a while as they watched the sunset, Ulric suddenly broke the silence.
[Ulric] - "They gonna make Pa pilot this machine. They found some manuals for this machine inside the captain's room, and Dad's studying them right now. "
[Ella] - "Ah, that's nice. For once, Mom didn't object? "
[Ulric] - "Sigh... I don't think that's something you can object to. Honestly, I kind of wish I could be the pilot instead. "
[Ella] - "You? Oh, please, you'd end up killing everyone before you can kill the mayor. "
Said Ella sarcastically.
[Ulric] - "Whatever you say, biatch. Anyway, what do you want to do once all this is over? "
Ella nervously tapped her feet against the metal railing before turning to face the setting sun.
[Ella] - "Probably live normally for the first time. I want to go out there in the city without the need for bodyguards, without a bulletproof vest and helmet, and be able to say hello without being shot at. "
Ulric suddenly tapped Ella on the back, causing her to shoot up in shock.
[Ella] - "Hey, what the hell, man? "
Yelled Ella in anger.
[Ulric] - "You're too simple, man. Have some fucking ambition at least. "
[Ella] - "Ambition? Oh please, enlighten us on your ambition, Mr. Big Brain. "
Said Ella, frustrated with her hands on her waist.
[Ulric] - "I'll go find myself a nice woman, go on adventures across the world, and witness history as it unfolds. Unlike you, I'd rather go out of this small circle and see the world as a whole. If this machine below us is the tip of the iceberg, then you bet your ass I will dive to see the end of it. "
Said Ulric enthusiastically with a big, confident smile.
[Ella] - "They say men with ambition go far, but few manage to cross the first step on that adventure, especially those with no brains. "
Said Ella mockingly as she smirked at Ulric.
[Ulric] - "Ah, screw you! I'll show you, I swear! The pictures I bring back will dwarf this machine below us. "
Said Ulric, frustrated.
[Ella] - "No, dude, actually, go for it. I don't have the same ambition as you, but I'd nonetheless root for you, bro. "
Said Ella with a warm smile.
The expression on Ulric's face immediately melted away and was replaced with one of appreciation. Ella was sincere with her words, and it was easy to decipher for Ulric despite their constant bickering and teasing.
[Ulric] - "Geez, what's with this sudden mood change, sis. "
Said Ulric, embarrassed.
Suddenly, Ella jabbed Ulric in the gut as he was being distracted, causing him to recoil and hold his abdomen in pain.
[Ella] - "And this is for scaring me earlier with that slap of yours, asshole. "
Said Ella with a satisfied grin.
[Ulric] - "Ah, fuck, I hate you, you cunt! "
Muttered Ulric in pain.
[Ella] - "I hate you too, dumbass. "
Said Ella in a friendly tone.
Meanwhile, in the resistance's war room, Ludovic presented the map of the city to his fellow associates. With a digital pen, Ludovic circled a few sectors of the city in different colours, each denoting a faction of the resistance led by one of the leaders in the room. Finally, in red, Ludovic mapped out the position of the police force in the city as well as the possible enemy position around the government tower.
[Ludovic] - "To the North, group Bagdad, numbering 10 000 men, will move in to encircle the government tower with you, Mohammat. Your group will prevent any reinforcement from reaching the tower, and none of the personnel of the mayor's circle from getting out. "
Said Ludovic as he drew a large yellow zone at the back of the government tower.
[Mohammat] - "I'll do what I can. My forces are quite depleted in the purge. "
Said Mohammat as he puffed on his cigar.
[Janet] - "Yeah, because your men are but a bunch of savages that jumped like idiots at the Dark Angel during the purge. "
[Mohammat] - "Fuck me, I'm getting lectured by the sow whose company sold drugs to children. What kind of world are we living in? "
Said Mohammat mockingly as he blew smoke toward Janet's direction.
[Ludovic] - "ENOUGH! Shut up, both of you; we are not here to settle scores or reignite past feuds. You don't want any part of this, leave now! "
Yelled Ludovic, his voice silencing all others in the room.
As everyone finally calmed down and was ready to listen, Ludovic went back to the central map with his pen.
[Ludovic] - "Now, group Green, numbering 5800 men, under you, Janet, will seal off the Eastern sector and act just like group Bagdad. Since your group is smaller, I suggest you stick closer to the North to overlap with Mohammat's group. "
Janet grimaced in disgust at the prospect of working with Mohammat, but she ultimately decided to keep her objections to herself.
[Ludovic] - "Now, group Mississippi, numbering 8500 men, will keep the containment on the West side, acting with the same order as the two previous groups. Since it's mostly your gang territory, Victor, you have no problem keeping all the men in line, right? "
[Victor] - "Those recruits lost their turf and leaders during the purge, so they had no choice but to listen to my commands, or die. Loyalty's easier with less opposition, my friend. "
Said the gang leader, with his boots resting against the table.
[Ludovic] - "So now, for the frontal assault. Since the government tower is protected on both sides by the circular building design, the front is the only place where we can punch through. I put you, Duke Farland, in command of the ground effort, considering your leadership of the White Trident PMC. It's a big operation. Can I count on you? "
Said Ludovic as he stared at a man in a military uniform.
[Farland] - "Depends. Are your men loyal to me when it matters? "
[Ludovic] - "I have 23 000 men ready under your command. These are people who want to break free, people who have dedicated their existence to fighting the tyranny that ruled us for so long. They will fight as long as we give them a reason and a leader. "
Said Ludovic, leaning in toward Farland.
[Farland] - "I'll make sure they come back carrying the severed head of the mayor, then. "
Said the duke, while biting on his cigarette.
[Ludovic] - "Then, it's settled. The three thousand mercenaries will help me pilot the war machine. The moment we get the titan standing, all it takes is a single turn to make it face the government tower. My engineers measured that it would take about 30 seconds to make that turn, and another minute to get the main cannons ready. And then... "
Ludovic paused and used his pen to draw a line of fire toward the government tower.
[Ludovic] - "We deliver the killing blow! Nothing in the mayor's arsenal can stop what we are about to do. That blast will be the final crescendo to the mayor's tyranny. We will reclaim what is ours, our city, our freedom and our will. She will pay for all this suffering! We will carry the legacy of the Dark Angel to its end and finish what she started! Death to the devil! "
Yelled Ludovic with his hand raised in the air.
In unison, everyone in the room raised their hand and screamed: "Death to the devil! " with Ludovic. Meanwhile, within the city, the final steps to the uprising were being put in place as men and women alike trained with their newly acquired weapons, while fighters moved to their respective starting points. All the while, KD-554 and her inner circle remained ignorant of the plot below.
Inside KD-554's office, Ari was sitting on a chair motionless with a dead look in her eyes. Even as a fruit fly landed on her eye, she failed to react or flinch as if she were already deceased. Suddenly, KD-554 bent down to meet her sister in the eye before slowly turning one of her fingers into a fine needle. With the passion of a sick monster, KD-554 then slowly drove the needle deep into Ari's lower chin, smiling as blood leaked down the shiny metal.
However, no matter how deep, how painful the process seemed, Ari remained still without a reaction. Yet, the girl breathed with her chest rising up and down while her skin remained lukewarm. Suddenly, Astroboy entered the office unannounced, causing the fruit fly to get away from Ari's eye.
[KD-554] - "I just couldn't get a single reaction out of her. For about a week, she was responsive when I stabbed her, but she suddenly went completely numb today. "
Yelled KD-554 with frustration in her voice.
[Astroboy] - "No reaction, huh? Maybe you should trace the issue back in time instead of senseless complaints. "
Said Astroboy as his eyes surgically analyzed the room.
[KD-554] - "ARGH! Are you saying I'm a fool for not knowing what went wrong? "
Yelled KD-554 in frustration with a murderous look in her eyes.
[Astroboy] - "Precisely. Nothing can avoid imperfection, thus why I stand in your presence to complete the puzzle. In return, you offer me goals in which I learn piece by piece how to master myself. Even in savagery, the purest form of human expression, there is a way to... "
Said Astroboy as his eyes traced the office's every detail.
With a photographic memory, Astroboy was able to remember the room's every single detail down to where every single speck of dust was. Within a few seconds, Astroboy's eyes landed on the desk, where he grabbed a spindle, which KD-554 used to hold notes.
[Astroboy] - "... Channel violence in a way that matters. Am I wrong to assume I master my own savagery like a rapier while you do yours like a berserker's axe? "
Said Astroboy with a look of superiority on his face.
Surprisingly, instead of getting angry, KD-554 grinned at Astroboy with appreciation.
[KD-554] - "No, you're not wrong, my dear friend. I simply find it simply sooo... ANNOYING! That you, a man who lives in a different world than I, understand me better than these filthy, disgusting, maggot-filled manure that call themselves my sisters. "
Said KD-554 in an unhinged voice while madness oozed out of her eyes.
With gritted teeth, KD-554 slowly passed her fingers across Ari's face, leaving behind massive bloodied lines of wounds.
[KD-554] - "You... condesending bitch! Look at him, see this man? This is someone who doesn't try to stand above me in their moral, or try to drag me down to their level in a pit of shit. Someone who understands, cooperates and doesn't lie behind a facade. "
Muttered KD-554 as she morphed her mouth larger with several rows of teeth, threatening to bite Ari's face off with every passing second.
[Astroboy] - "Please focus on the matter, and stop pretending she could hear you. "
Said Astroboy in a commanding voice.
With a stern look, Astroboy showed KD-554 the spindle in his hand, crafted to fit her twisted mind with an impaled man at the bottom of the spike.
[KD-554] - "Heh! You know Vlad the Impaler? Big fan of his work. "
Said KD-554, amused by the sight.
Without a word, Astroboy uncovered the body of the spike, where dried blood coated the length of the instrument.
[Astroboy] - "You were a fool for allowing this to happen a second time. "
Upon understanding what happened, KD-554 began to laugh frantically in a moment of disbelief and shock. However, Astroboy remained emotionless, watching without a flinch as KD-554 lost herself in a sea of mad laughter. Suddenly, out of the blue, KD-554 turned toward Ari and grabbed her face.
[KD-554] - "I left you alone for one minute, and you lobotomized yourself again! "
With a savage yell, KD-554 threw Ari on the ground before growing a bunch of spiked appendages from her body. Just as the Goddess of hate was about to throw a tantrum, Astroboy suddenly stepped in and halted her movement with a single touch.
[Astroboy] - "Control yourself, my friend. Is such a trivial matter really worth your energy? "
KD-554 expired loudly, throwing out all the air in her lungs until she felt like passing out before finally finding her calm. With one loud breath, KD-554 finally regained her norm as she signalled for Astroboy to release her.
[KD-554] - "I can't believe it... I seriously am... pffft... pissed. "
Said KD-554 as she retracted her appendages and returned her body to its original shape.
Kneeling on the floor, KD-554 grabbed Ari by the collar and lifted her to make her stare her in the eyes.
[KD-554] - "You think you can escape your past? You think you can undermine me like you used to do? I'll make Dane bring you back again and again, and make you bleed for all my pain until the end of this universe! You hear me? YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME! "
Yelled KD-554 at the unresponsive body that stared blankly back at her.
Meanwhile, in the basement, Kadyn slowly lifted her head upon hearing a set of footsteps that halted near her. Before her, Kadyn saw hope alongside the face of an old friend.
[Dane] - "Long time no see, partner. "
Despite the state Kadyn was in, she still struggled to show a smile of relief. At the same time, within her crystal, Mike also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Dane. Hope didn't die after all.
To be continued...