Chapter Text
“Mission complete! It was a pleasure working with you!”
As usual, Amy greeted the bunch with such enthusiasm that you’d almost forget you were out in the vast expanses of the Ashlands. No matter how many times the Hounds went out, they would never get tired of her sweet voice. It was exponentially better than those greedy Pennywort officials.
“Alright! Done with today! Did’cha see that? I went toe to toe with that Ash Storm Anubis!” Zeke, being the high energy dunce that he is, spoke so loudly that you might as well have put a sign around him saying “I’m here! Come get me!”
“Yeah, right before I saved your ass from getting devoured, that is.” Hugo retorted, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.
“Tch, hey! I would’ve been just fine regardless of if you helped or not!”
“Sure.” Hugo said with a sarcastic tone. “But whatever the case, we couldn’t have done that as quickly as we did without Luca here.”
Luca could only chuckle. “Oh, come on. I’m not that good.”
“I never knew the Devil of the Hounds has such a modest attitude.” Hugo replied whilst letting out a small chuckle of his own. Their laughter echoed through the empty streets.
It was nearly sundown. The sky nearly becoming a shade of orange as it painted the crimson horizon with its hopeful radiance. A light so radiant yet so gentle; much like back then. Against an Ash Tempest, their hearts in tune with that miraculous light that brought change. The light reminded them of where they are now, The Hounds, traversing all across Europe in hopes that their dream may come true.
“It’s about a year since then, huh?” Luca whispered under his breath.
Being the beacon of hope for all AGEs, Luca has been travelling all around, taking AGEs under his wing, and teaching them how to fight. As the Devil of the Hounds, he has never said “No” to any challenge, whether that be tutoring or slaying the fiercest Ashborn.
An entire year since Core Engage testing commenced, great strides have been taken to develop the most Ash-resistant material they can possibly create. With the extensive support of Dusty Miller, Chrysanthemum and of course, The Hounds, multiple ports serving as relay stations and trade routes were established all across Europe.
It’s nowhere near the amount they need to cross the sea, but it was a start.
Only recently did he find the time to come back home. There was much to do, after all. Adaptive Armor wasn’t going to develop itself. Or maybe it does? It is Adaptive for a reason. Regardless, he lent them their support. Every moment spent in developing a better, more durable Adaptive Armor, the closer they were to fulfilling their dream.
Their dream.
The Hounds and…
“Oh, did anyone see where Ein went?” Zeke looked around. It seems Ein was nowhere to be found.
“Should we be worried?” Luca asked.
“He’s probably just collecting data on the habitats around here. We’re quite deep in the Ashlands, after all. It’s not everyday that we get this chance.” Composed as ever, Hugo reassured the two of their concerns. And besides, would the first God Eater really be all that helpless on his own?
Now that he thought about it, Ein has more combat experience than the three of them combined. He has probably met as much Aragami of all shapes and sizes as he has met different people all over the world. It must have been a wild ride being alive all those years.
The only thought Luca had was the Aragami he has faced. Luca pondered over it, satisfied with the notion that there was nothing to worry about. Not only that, but he was also ecstatic to think of all the ones he hasn’t fought. Such was the Devil of the Hounds.
“But, just in case…” Hugo switched his communicator on. “Amy, can we get a location on Ein?”
With almost no delay, Amy checked her monitor. On it was the estimated positions of each member on the field meticulously pinned on a holographic display of the operations area; three dots around the City Square and… “Found it! He’s inside the cathedral. His comms is off, I can’t get to him… That’s weird.”
“Alright, let’s go pick him up and return back to the Crawler.”
And so, the trio made their way towards the cathedral. The sun was slowly dissipating from the crimson horizon. The shade of orange lined against the cathedrals’ gaping holes made by the ash storms blended almost seamlessly with the looming twilight beyond.
They went up the steps one by one and saw Ein, God Arc in tow, gazing at the sky. A light emerged from behind the clouds of red, nestling itself among the array of stars.
It was unmistakable. The moon was in full display, blessing the heavens above with its green hue that almost makes it seem like it was alive.
Ein was amused at the thought. He had to remind himself that he wasn’t alone. He never was. Truly, he was foolish to even think that. Even after such a long time, there was one that always kept an eye on him, like an angel over his bloodstained shoulders. His God Arc shared the same glint of its light, after all.
He hears the trio approaching but heeded them no mind.
“There you are! Hey, Ein! Whatcha’ doing over there? Come on, we’re heading back!” Zeke waved his arms, hoping that he’d get his attention.
He doesn’t respond. Luca walks over to him.
“The moon’s lovely tonight, no?” He said to Ein as he too stared at the satellite above. “You know, I’ve read about it on the data files you brought to Keith.”
Ein lets out a faint smile. “What about it? They’re just old Fenrir data I brought with me.”
“We found something called ‘Moon Greenification’… Wasn’t the moon always green?”
“What’s this about the moon, now?” Hugo decided to eavesdrop on them, although they were more than welcome to, seeing as Ein looked at his words.
Zeke followed suit. “It’s green, yeah? What’s so special about that?”
Ein’s faint smile turned into a small chuckle. “Simply put, the moon didn’t always look like that. It used to have a pure, white surface. Devoid of any life.”
“What happened to it?” Luca asked.
“Well, that’s a long story. It happened almost seventeen years ago… But let’s just say Phym isn’t the only humanoid Aragami I know.”
“You mean humanoid Aragami existed even before the Calamity?”
The trio’s interest was piqued. They wanted to know more. The sun had long since gone and twilight had ended just shortly after. The only light that remained were from the stars, the moon, and the lining of the trio’s God Arcs, with Ein’s pale white blade contrasting the darkness that enveloped them, much like the moon above.
Unfortunately, Zeke doesn’t seem too convinced. “Right…next thing you’re gonna tell me is that you ate the moon or something.”
Now, Ein’s light chuckle grew bigger. “You’re not wrong.”
“H-Huh?! Wait, I was just kidding about that!” Zeke was taken aback. It was one thing to say a Phym-like being existed before, but to claim that you ate the moon? Anyone would call you crazy. To top it all off, this was probably the first time they heard Ein laugh such a hearty laugh. It was a pleasant surprise to be sure. Scary, but a welcome one.
Ein regained his composure, giving one hefty exhale. “It’s strange. No matter where I went or who I met, there would always be the same people in different parts of the globe. The Hounds remind me a lot of them.”
“Them?” Hugo couldn’t help but ask. “You mean like the people you knew back in the Far East?”
“Precisely. Zeke here reminds me of another annoying brat I know. Although I can’t say he’s a brat now. He turned out to be an excellent leader. Even I was impressed.”
“Hear that, Luca? I might run a squad like the Hounds someday!” Zeke jests but Luca seemed to be supportive of the idea. Hugo, however, could only laugh at such a silly thought.
“Wherever I go, I see the same spirit in different people…That look in your eyes. I’ve seen it before. Twice, to be precise.” Ein looked over Luca, looking shocked at such a revelation.
“The look in my eye?”
“Yes. The look of someone who has the power to change even fate itself. A strong will that binds everyone together.”
Luca looks confused for a second, but the words Ein said seemed reassuring somehow. “A strong will, huh…?”
Ein stares back at the moon. He wonders how they’re doing now, or if they’re even alive anymore. Nonsense. Knowing them, they’d have done everything they could to survive. That’s just how they were, after all.
A resonating cry to bring everyone alive. The very first of the new generation that paves the way to a better future.
An aria of light sent by those with bonds as strong as blood, able to shake even the restless gods above.
A pack of survivors whose will shattered through the dogma of discrimination, strengthened by their resolve to grasp the future with their own hands.
“Yuu Kannagi.”
“Hiro Kamui”
And now…
“Luca Pennywort. I wonder if your Will shines as vibrant as theirs…”
“Did you say something?”
Ein snapped back, lifting his God Arc back over his shoulder. “Nothing. Let’s head back. I’ll tell you more back at the port.”