Chapter 35 : Dying for a Greater Cause (4)

This was the most shocking thing I've ever heard.

I couldn't believe it.

I even doubted if I wasn't just inside a dream or a hallucination.

How could this be real ?

I was blind, unable to see nor sense anything, casually talking with a cosmic deity who explained to me that the flagship I loved so much was made by the Scyllas and the lucky charm I always kept on me was in reality a horrifying bomb made with a billion souls, able to blow up the entirety of the Singularity...

Am I finally becoming crazy ?

'May I ask you something ?'

[You may.]

'You said that you never ordered the Scyllas to do what they did. You also said that you are the only one able to break the chain of Fate, and go against the current of this Great River of Fate...

What exactly do you plan to do ? If you never intended to fight against the Void or to abduct billions of people in my universe like the Scylla did...

What is your real goal ?'

The Revered Mother took a long moment before answering, with a voice more serious than it was before.

[I... want to die. I want to cease to exist. This, is my goal.]

This was yet another shocking news.

Who would have thought that the deity we all considered as the final boss to kill so we could finally end the war and have peace, was in reality trying to kill herself ?

'What... do you mean ?'

[I am born of an event that should not have happened. And yet, it happened.

I told you earlier that after studying the River of Fate for so long, I was able to get a glimpse of my own Fate.

In this vision, I became one with both the Void and the Singularity, and I was condemned to live an endless existence between two universes.]

'And... you don't want to.'

[Exactly.]

'I think... that I can somehow understand your feeling.

It is similar to how weak I felt against the Scyllas, the centipede, or the Giant Ants. How powerless I felt when I've seen my loved one die.

A painful feeling of helplessness.'

[Indeed, you are weak Human. Much more than I am... And yet, we share the same feeling about our own weaknesses. Do not be ashamed of this feeling, but use it as fuel to move forward.]

'This... is what I kept doing since I wake up in your children's mother-ship...'

[As I told you, I can not judge my children for what they did to you and your people. However, I can end this pointless war shredding both the Singularity and the Void for so long, by achieving my own goal.

Human, you came here in hope of killing me, and I am willing to give you the means to. While you are nothing but the thousandth of a mere dust grain compared to me, you still have something that I lacked during my entire life.]

'Let me guess... Luck ?'

[Indeed.]

I couldn't help but sarcastically laugh at this.

If for all those people who call me lucky it means being abducted from my home planet, seeing my people die horribly, having my memories erased, and living a life of constant fight spilling blood and shedding tears for so many years...

We probably don't have the same definition of Luck.

[I will now wake you up. Follow my instruction, do what I tell you to do, go where I tell you to go, say what I tell you to say...

Accept this contract, and only then will your wish of seeing me dead be granted.]

'Before I accept... what have you done of Gladia and my subordinate, Alpha Zero ?'

[They are both fine, waiting for you to wake up. You will be able to contact them if I give you the means to.]

'So I was really dreaming in the end, uh... Alright, if you really want to go against this so-called River of Fate and suicide yourself, I couldn't ask for a better way to wrap things up.

I seek revenge, while you seek a meaning to your life by ending it.'

I didn't have to think much about it. My guts were telling me to listen to this deity. Despite being terrified, I couldn't sense any hostility from the Revered Mother's presence inside me.

I felt like she was sincere when she told me that she want to go against her predestined Fate, and cease to exist.

It may sound crazy to trust such a being, but when I think about it rationally : I don't really have a choice.

I could still refuse, but then she would just kill me and act on her own with my lifeless body.

I would die in vain because of a useless excess of pride.

'I accept.'

___

Outside the Holy Temple, Primus One was patiently waiting for his Revered Mother after she asked him to deliver her the body of the Deficient One still alive, in a sleeping state.

Primus One didn't understand such a request, but his faith was absolute and the orders of his Revered Mother were unquestionable.

It has been now a whole hour since he deposited the human body inside the temple and was waiting outside to receive his Mother's next order.

After another hour of waiting, the ground began to vibrate, the temple walls cracked and the sky darkened.

"Finally..."

Primus One instantly knelt down, the lowest possible, waiting for what he thought would be the awakening of his Revered Mother.

"My child, stand up."

Instead, what came out of the temple was the Deficient One in his broken dark armor.

At first, Primus One doubted his eyes.

He began to feel an intense rage rising in him against this heretic who dared to imitate his Revered Mother, before he realized that the human was not in his normal condition.

While his body was fine, his usual Dark Armor was tinted with glowing red and purple lines.

He also didn't have his usual helmet, but instead, we could see his real face and the many scars and traces of battle on his skin.

He had an oval visage with a rough jawline. Obviously, he had no hair. Since the second protocol, the rifters were unable to grow any kind of hair or fur while they were inside their Dark Armor, no matter their species.

Although his face had nothing particularly special, he still emanated an air of confidence and vicious dangerousness.

The numerous battle fought had left many visible traces on his whole body, even on his face and neck. Even though he was equipped with his black matter armor, it seems that it wasn't enough to protect him on many occasions.

The biggest scar was one he got while fighting Legatus on the mega-structure ; a violent energy sword slash that broke the black glass of his helmet and left him a deep cut large from his forehead to his left chick, even going through his left eye.

He had a sharp regard and his orange eyes were overly piercing, as if he was looking directly through Primus One's soul.

It is only when he crossed his gaze, that Primus understood who was controlling this human.

"Mother..."

Primus One knelt down again, this time not daring to move.

If anyone was seeing this scene, they would have not believed it.

The Supreme Leader of the mighty Scyllas was lowering himself in front of a mere human.

"I told you to stand up. I do not have much time left, Primus. This body can not contain my soul for long."

"Y-yes, Mother. What do you wish from us ? Please, tell me."

It was the first time Primus One could interact with his Revered Mother in a physical body.

In front of her, he knew very well that he was nothing but a servant.

Although the Scyllas give a lot of importance to the hierarchy between species and consider themselves superior to every other living being, they also know how to recognize their inferiority compared to the deity they worship.

Their Revered Mother is much more than a god in their eyes ; she is their everything.

She gave birth to them.

She gave them a reason to exist.

A reason to survive.

To progress.

To evolve.

Their Revered Mother and the Great Singularity are the Scyllas' means of life.

"I will attempt an important ritual inside this temple. I don't want to be disturbed, be it another child or a void native I don't care."

"It will be done, mother."

Primus didn't say anything else and started moving, before stopping and looking back at Jun, as if he had something to ask.

"Speak your mind, my child."

"With all due respect, Mother, did you plan something to deal with the Void heretics ?

We did our best, and many of your children died in their clones to gain as much time as possible before the heretics can reach your temple, however...

This human you are using as a soul container caused a lot of casualties before coming to us. He gave a huge advantage to the Legions, and they might reach this place faster than what I originally expected..."

"Hm... Indeed, it is a problem."

Jun, possessed by the Revered Mother, thought for a bit before moving his right hand.

"Very well. Take this."

He grabbed a little object in his shadow and sent it to Primus One.

"Where did you find this terrifying object..."

Primus only needed a single glance at the little blue gem to understand its power, and the devastation it would cause if activated.

"This human planned to use this gem to destroy both of us. While this is a powerful weapon, it would have been useless against me."

"If he used it before... Everyone present in the Singularity would have perished for sure, be it my brother or the heretics..."

"That is the reason why I gave it to you. Initiates negotiations with the enemy leader. Show him this gem. He will be smart enough to understand its power. Convince him to stop the fights and return to their dimension, the Void.

If they refuse, the choice to use this gem is yours. You are aware of what it would do after all."

"I understand... I do not like the idea of discussing with these heretics, but if it can avoid all of my brothers dying just when you are about to awoken in the material world and step out of the Singularity... it is a shame I am willing to bear."

"Now leave, and do not come back until I call you."

"Yes, Mother."

And so Primus One disappeared, and Jun was left alone in front of this huge temple, on this black sphere that was more like a prison than a home for this rebellious deity controlling his body.

___

After a whole day of bloody fights during which millions of lives have been lost on both sides, the five legions grouped up and were about to start their final offensive, before their War Chief suddenly stopped everything.

Instead of continuing to push forward and terminate the Scylla threat once and for all, he ordered the establishment of a defensive perimeter surrounding the remaining Scylla fleet and he reorganized his own legions.

To the surprise of everyone, he ordered multiple ships to go back to the Void as fast as possible. Inside were the injured and the weakest among his soldiers.

He also made sure to send back an equal number of loyal and brave soldiers among the numerous species that made up his five legions.

The whole army didn't understand these sudden decisions, and because they had just done an intense battle, many were still in the heat of the action. Some ship commanders decided to disobey and pursue the fight on their own.

To the surprise of everyone, these rebellious ships have all been shot down by the War Chief's Dreadnought.

Before it escalates further, the War Chief explained the situation by spreading a message displayed on board every ship of his army.

'The Scyllas have a weapon of mutual destruction and menace to use it if we don't stop the fight and agree on a temporary truce. I refuse to sacrifice everyone because of an excess of pride, that is why I sent a third of our forces back home.

We still need some people to continue the fight after we are done, this will be their task.

Once those I selected are out of range of their secret weapon, we will resume our offensive and eliminate their remaining forces. If they still decide to use their secret weapon, they will just make things for us easier and sign their own downfall.

Our sacrifice would not be in vain, as we would have eradicated them once and for all.

We would have protected our homeworlds and our people from those disgusting beings.

So be ready, my friends. We are close to winning this endless war.

And as you've seen, if you decide to disobey my orders and move on your own, do not forget that I am still your leader and I will not hesitate a single second to pulverize your whole ship for high treason.'

He hid many parts, but he still said the truth.

On the Scylla side, things were different.

Primus One explained the situation to his brothers and told them that their Revered Mother was about to awaken.

As expected, not a single Scylla ship left their ranks. Instead of being afraid of using this secret weapon and dying, they were rather all ecstatic to learn that their Revered Mother was about to enter the material world.

For many hours, both sides didn't move an inch and kept monitoring their enemies.

They used this short truce to replenish their forces, repair their ships, restore their shield, scavenge the fallen ships and heal the injured crew members.

Both sides have been greatly diminished compared to when the war started a few years ago, having lost the major part of their forces... And still, both had the morale at their highest.

Watching them from afar was Jun and the Revered Mother, standing at the top of the temple, looking through the stars.

These two beings that everything opposes, one being organic, weak, and lucky to be still alive after everything he went through.

The other being divine, timeless, and unlucky to being forced of living an endless existence that will never come to an end, trapped here for eternity.

This battle, which lasted for two days and two nights, would be later named The Twins' Death Call, referring to those two beings so different and yet working together toward the same goal : an eternal moment of rest.