"Committing the taboo of killing of one's kin is one thing, the killing of a Major is another," said Edwin. "But you mean to tell me you wish to commit the greatest taboo of them all?"

"Yes... Even if I have to kill anyone that stands in my way," Lucian answered.

The Arcanum Astra. It wasn't anything I'd ever heard of before. Solomon nor Alice even mentioned it. Was Edwin the key to unlocking this weapon? No, it must've been something completely different. I tried to think of what was the one thing Lucian needed this entire time.

"I'm not against breaking Taboos Lucian. But you'll need to convince me that we must find it. I'd rather not put all of existence in jeopardy because of your mistakes."

"I'm afraid that's all I've got for you Brother... Every one of my plans has been calculated to its fullest extent. Yet this will be my biggest gamble."

Edwin crossed his arms seeming to take his time to think about the situation. Letting out a grunt in frustration he turned to me. "Ugh... Soran is it? Do you have anything to offer me?"

I hadn't expected to be haggling for someone's allegiance today, but if Edwin was who Lucian was after, then it was my mission to not screw this up.

"Well... Before I discovered my origins, I didn't know anything about Arcadians. Now it's my mission to stop whatever it is that Lucian plans on doing with this... Arcanum Astra." I turned my focus to Lucian now, gripping my blade as black and white flames began to swirl around me. "Your way of doing things... The people you killed... None of it I will forgive for as long as I live."

"The world won't change just because you ask nicely," hissed Lucian. "As a Leader, every decision you make can cost someone their life... My arrogance has doomed our race but I can save it if we stick together this time!"

"That's just some self-serving platitude you created for yourself," Alice shouted. She began to approach us with her Astra now in her hand. "You could've stopped when you wanted to eons ago... You could've just sought Soran out for his aid rather than attack his home and put his friends in danger!"

"Shut your trap, you stupid little minx!" Shouted the Pilot of the Clawed Eidolon. "You've got some nerve insulting our leader!"

"Arjun stand down!" ordered Karn.

It was getting to the point where things weren't going to calm down anytime soon. The fear Edwin shrouded us with was being burned away with our growing hatred of each other.

"The dead will rejoin the living once I obtained Arcanum," boasted Lucian. If a few lesser species have to die to obtain our ultimate goal so be it."

"At what cost," I spat back. "How many people will you have to kill to satisfy your own need to atone!? How many more will suffer because of you."

"As many as it takes Soran... One day you will understand that you must do what needs to be done to save everyone. Even if it means becoming a devil."

So that was it then. There was nothing I could do to change his mind. No, I was mistaken on that as well, there never was anything I could do. Whether any of us joined him, he was still going to move forward. He'd kill as many as he needed to so that he could see his people again.

"Tch... We don't need that weapon's help anyways," growled Ajun. "We can just start weeding them out at the source!"

Ajun leaped forward making his way toward our small group. Karn shouted for him to come back and even Lucian turned around and tried to order him to back off. But there was no reasoning with him. As he bounded toward us he stuck his right claw outward ready to impale me with it. Lucian and Edwin both ducked to the opposite sides but I wasn't ready. I'd been too focused on the two in front of me to even think of evading. I tried focusing all of my power on my feet to try and jump upward but there was no time at all. I hadn't been able to master using the power of my new flames and couldn't adjust the output in time. So I closed my eyes, hoping it would be quick.

"No Soran!" Clarke shouted.

The next thing I'd hear was the sound of a barrier being erected, followed by the terrible ear-shattering sound of metal warping and being torn apart. I didn't want to open my eyes, I didn't want to look at what I'd already known probably happened. Maybe it was just a leg being torn apart or an arm. Clarke's Doss was pretty sturdy and even if the armor was pierced there was some hope that Clarke didn't get hurt at all.

But some hopes are meant to be dashed I suppose. When I opened my eyes I'd seen Doss right in front of me now, with a giant claw sticking out of its back.

"Dammit... I meant to get the shrimp," snarled Arjun. " Oh well, I guess killing this lesser scrub was good enough."

He slowly pulled the claw out, backing away as he changed his focus to me. "You'll both become excellent food for me."

I wasn't going to give him the bleeding chance. Taking my sword in both hands, it erupted into a burst of black flames. Charging straight at the Eidolon I raised my sword high in the air and swung down with all my might. A large wave of black flames crashed against the Clawed Eidolon's leg splitting the appendage in two and making the Eidolon topple to the floor like a tower of blocks. "Ugh, you bastard!" swore Arjun as he went down.

Not giving him any more attention now I focused my flames at my feet jumping up high to the Doss. Climbing to the cockpit door I used the emergency hatch handle to open the door. The door wouldn't open all the way through and I could only partially fit in.

"Clarke! Clarke! Stay with me buddy, you'll be alright!"

Reaching for him I finally could feel flesh touch my hand. He grabbed my hand, yes something for me to hold on to. Even though it felt so cold he was able to take my hand. I could just cut him out using Ninth Light and we could get him some help.

"S- Soran..." I finally heard.

"No, don't talk buddy. Save your strength. We'll be able to save you in no time."

"N-No..." Don't... worry about me... anymore..." I could hear him coughing from the hole. The sound of liquid spilling on something made its way to my ears.

"Just shut up already and let me help you out!" I shouted before finally getting my head through the door. But the shouting wouldn't do me any good. Half of his body had been crushed by the shredded medal of the Ether core. Somehow it got pushed up into the cockpit. Some of the pipes from the upper portion had pierced his skin causing the crimson liquid to leak from his wounds.

"Uggghh... It's fine S-S-Soran," He stammered. The idiot kept using his strength to speak at a time like this. I rammed Ninth Light into the door trying to cut it apart to get in there, not even bothering to yell at him to stay alive.

"I-I didn't k-kill a single p-person... I can take... take pride in the fact... that I saved someone..."

"Don't worry Clarke... I almost got it... I'm almost there. Just save your breath I'll be able to get you out!"

"T-Take care... of each other... for me... Tell Claire... I'm sorry..."

"Tell her yourself you asshole!"

I finally got the part of the door open, I could finally climb in. All I had to do was drag Clarke out of this doomed Eidolon and I could just-

But there was no point. Clarke sat there, slumped over his seat. There was blood covering the inside of his helmet and I could only see his lifeless eyes. There wasn't even an aura around him anymore. The Marker of the Tower was completely gone.

The last words he'd heard were me calling him an asshole. I never even got to thank him for saving me. I climbed out of the cockpit and floated back down to the ground. My legs suddenly gave out from under me and I'd fallen to the floor. Tears began to well up in my eyes and they stung so badly I was afraid I'd go blind. I stared at my hand, and even though not too long ago it was consumed in flames, it felt so cold. It was so dreadfully cold.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Something in front of me began to move, I didn't know what it was but it was moving. It was in the same direction Arjun attacked from.

"As soon as I get some mobility you're dead too you tiny rabbit!"

Oh... that's the voice belonging to the guy that hurt my friend. The voice of my enemy. Standing up I began to feel a power rising within me. But it wasn't power I consciously called upon. I didn't understand what to feel at this moment. Unlike the emptiness, I'd felt in Edwin's eyes... This emptiness would swallow me whole. The black flames engulfed my entire body as the wind began to pick up in the room. The grip I had on my sword was so tight my nails began to dig into my skin. I could feel the metal in my left arm worming its way throughout my entire body as the flames. My body began to harden and an excruciating amount of pain began quaking everywhere. I felt it, yet I couldn't even scream. Slowly lifting off of the ground I felt something rush through my head. My left eye had been burning so badly that the subdued screams I'd been holding back burst forth echoing throughout the room. I'd gently land back on the ground, the pain slowly fading away.

Looking at my hands now, the flesh I once had now resembled my prosthetic. The same black metal made up my entire body now. Words slithered their way into my brain as I began to change.

"I... Who holds infinite potential... Stand here now at the Journey's beginning... I am the fool who will walk the path to the Journey's end."

"Anima Engage: Murugan..."

The room began to violently quake as power erupted from my body. A visor clamped right over my face as I raised my sword pointing it directly in the path where my enemies were. I'd drawn my pistol and the flames engulfed it as well. Changing its shape completely from a small handgun to a rather large black magnum.

"He's able to activate his Anima this early," fretted Lucian.

"Soran! You have to snap out of it," Alice shouted. "You aren't ready to use that kind of power yet!"

"I don't care," I muttered. "I'll use everything I have... To make ashes of them... and scatter them to the wind!"

"Everyone return to the Damocles!" Lucian ordered. "If you want to survive you'll do as I command."

Planting my foot into the ground I pushed off bounding toward the Clawed Eidolon with sword and gun in hand. But before I could reach it I'd been stopped by some invisible force. Lucian stepped in front of me with his hand raised. He was getting in my way, right now of all times?

"I understand you have lost your friend... My subordinate's incompetence will be corrected. But I must stop you no matter what." He turned to Edwin. "Quickly brother, allow the others to guide you to the Damocles!"

Whatever invisible barrier he'd put in front of me had to get out of the way. Aiming the gun right at Lucian's head I pulled the trigger twice. Both shots went through the barrier but Lucian seemed to notice pretty quickly, ducking his head to the side.

"That's impossible! I'm negating your inertia!"

Pulling the trigger five more times, the bullets broke through the barrier once again but this time they'd ended up bouncing off of him now. Backing away, I flipped the switch next to the cylinder, and the gun barrel detached from the frame swinging downward and ejecting the cartridge. Stabbing Ninth Light into the ground, I held out my hand and created a ball of flames that shrank down becoming another cartridge for my gun. Reloading I'd aim my gun again but I didn't get to fire. From the ceiling, Lucian's Eidolon came crashing down.

Lucian jumped up letting his machine catch him and bring him to the cockpit. Climbing aboard the Eidolon's eyes flashed and it grabbed Arjun's machine.

"Hmm... Interesting," mused Edwin. "Sorry, Lucian... Looks like I can't join you."

Lucian hung around for only a second longer, wanting to protect Edwin's sudden decision. But with me there he wouldn't get the time. Bringing Karn and the others with him he tried ascending through the hole his Eidolon made.

"You should probably direct your wrath toward that hole. It's likely their ship is up there."

Aiming my gun straight at the hole I started to amass a great amount of my power into the weapon. The top of the barrel casing began to spew black flames and my arm began to fuse to the gun as the power continued to gather. My arm completely transmuted into that of a large beam cannon.

"The Damocles will Fall!!!"

Planting both feet on the ground I fired the cannon when it went critical. The beam pierced through the ceiling following the auras of the Arcana Order. Even though it was breaking through each level of the prison, the auras weren't snuffed out. As the beam finished firing, the cannon reverted to being my arm and the new gun.

"I'll kill them... I'll kill them all..."

"Soran! Soran, can you read me!" Satomi's voice echoed in my head. The prison must've interrupted the connection before.

"Satomi... Yes, I can read you... but don't interfere. I have to kill the Arcana order."

"That's not our priority right now. What's going on!? A beam just came out of the prison. It almost hit us!"

"They killed Clarke Satomi! I have to kill them before they take any more away from us!"

They what!? Gods help us... You snap out of it. If you don't then you'll destroy the whole prison!"

"I can't not until they're dead!" Ragnarok!"

Through the hole in the ceiling, My Eidolon dropped down from above landing right in front of me. It lowered its hand and I climbed aboard.

"Soran! We have to retreat!" Alice shouted. "Don't go up looking for a fight!"

"I'm not fighting them... I'm going to slaughter them all."

Climbing into Ragnarok, I began its activation sequence. As soon as the Animus plugged into my implant. More data began circulating through the Animus than usual and my left eye felt like it was boiling. Words began to scroll along the console all in a dark red.

"Anti-Eidolon System Engaged. Searching for targets," stated the A.I.

"Wait Soran don't-" Alice was about to beg yet she'd been pulled back by Edwin.

"Allow him to vent out his frustrations for a little while... Though I'd get someone to calm him down soon."

Launching out into the hole I created I'd reach the surface in almost no time. The fighting outside hadn't stopped yet but the odds were very much in our favor. Much of the enemy forces had been comprised of foot soldiers and stolen Revenants. Though the enemies I was searching for weren't present at the moment. I scanned the entire area searching for large amounts of Ether radiation that didn't emanate from a ship or the surface. I'd also use my uncanny perception of the Markers two. To the southeast, there were two sources along with the markers of five individuals. There they were, I could chase after them.

But they seemed to notice me too as Lucian's Eidolon turned its head in my direction.

"You won't stop me Soran," Lucian said over the line. "Not in your current state... All forces focus your fire on the Eidolon that just entered the battle"

Every soldier, automated system, and mech in the area turned their barrels on me. Child’s play, they were nothing but cannon fodder. As soon as the first volley of missiles and bullets was fired, I began evasive action. It felt like swimming through a pool the way I'd been able to weave through them.

Landing on the ground in the middle of a few enemy troops I boosted toward the first. Taking out the beam sword I rammed it straight into the first revenant's chest. Kicking it off the blade I swiveled around to my next target. Hitting the boost again, I crashed right into it with my left shoulder, twisting my machine around and slamming the knee into its chest destroying the second one.

From the air, Lucian's ship deployed more forces to slow me down, as if that would be enough. Launching the left arm into the sky it clawed into the chest of the first dropship I could latch onto. Leaping into the air I blasted the machine out of the sky with the cannon built into the arm then used the wreckage to sling myself upward toward the ship. It'd been like swinging off of ropes from training. When I used the last ship as a springboard I retracted the claw and reached out toward the ship.

"Zero Dark..."

An Eidolon-sized version of the magnum I'd used early appeared in the left hand. Both weapon and arm began to fuse into one creating another cannon. But before it could be formed a warning signal blared from the console.

Two friendly units approached at combat speed. The AE-007 Avalon and the AE-003 Pygmalion.

"As much as I don't want to do this right now bro, you're being a pain in the ass," griped Andrew.

Turning to face them, Andrew's machine had been darting through the sky carrying a silver Eidolon armed with a giant mace, most likely the Pygmalion. The Avalon was in its starship mode as soon as it got close enough it transformed into its suit form and clasped its hands together.

"Alright girls... It's your turn!"

The Avalon launched the Pygmalion upward. The latter put away the mace on its back and held its hands out as if to catch me. These were friendlies, I couldn't shoot them down. But why is it trying to stop me? The cannon stopped forming and as the Pygmalion collided with me it began pulling me back toward the Asterism. In midflight, the cockpit of the Pygmalion opened revealing who'd been in the side.

Both Minerva and Satomi were inside with the former piloting the machine. I tried to shake them off, but for some reason, Ragnarok wasn't moving at all. Pressing down on the pedals didn't activate the thrusters either.

"Warning... An unknown source has seized control of core functions," stated the A.I. "Opening main hatch."

The feed to the outside cut out as the doors opened. Staring out to Pygmalion its hatch had been open as well. Minerva was in the pilot's seat while Satomi was by her side. Satomi unhooked herself from the co-pilot's seat and pulled herself forward. She floated between the Eidolons climbing aboard the Ragnarok. Her eyes were glowing a bright blue and there looked like there were circuits with data flowing through them.

A sudden jolt pinched the back of my neck and the Animus disconnected. Ragnarok began to shut down completely. The console lowered allowing Satomi to close the distance between us. She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed as tight as she could.

"Stop this Soran," she wept. "The Arcana Order is retreating... you won..."

"B-But Clarke... They killed him... I have to wipe them all out here and now."

"You're going too far... If you go too far away... you'll never come back..."

Those words... The very same words my Mother used. I was doing it again, acting recklessly and causing trouble for everyone else. The grip on the massive amount of power I'd been allowing to well up inside me began to give in. Slowly my body began to return to normal. The door began to close as the Avalon and Pygmalion carried us back to the Asterism. The whole way back, I wailed like a baby.

The chance to prove myself came again, and I dropped the ball.