Shizukesa no kokoro: hearts of serenity

Chapter 66: thousand suns

Finally, it started. The siege against Arcania was under way as both the sentinels of Arcania and the united forces of Serenia fought each other viciously. Fredrick stood proud on the torn path as the sentinels raged on, "Ah~ I feel alive again. Move it maggots! Arcania is going to kiss our asses today!" Fredrick took out his minigun and fired repeatedly at the sentinel army. Meanwhile Scott and Sylvette pushed on against the army. "Batter up!" Scott said as he swung his mace and sent a sentinel flying. "It's a home run!" Scott replied to his own comment. Sylvette jumped back with ease and held her own with her trident, "we may not have Hideki. But we're all still the war god's alliance." Sylvette said as she continued to fight with Scott. Above the battle, a carrier held Anthea and admiral Makarov as they flew through the sky. Anthea looked towards the battle below them, as all types of sentinels and archfiend sentinels raged against the army they had. Anthea stood fretfully, "my people...Maxis, Albair, Lance...please be safe." "Do not worry your highness. Maxis and Albair are going to assist the inheritors as we speak. They'll be alright soon enough. And Lance is a strong inheritor, as well as your trusted knight." Makarov replied. Anthea sighed with relief, "yes. All I can do is hope..." She then pointed her attention to Arcania, as she saw a numerous amount of beacons all around the floating continent, "odd. I've seen those beacons yesterday but today their brighter than ever before." Makarov chuckled, "no matter. We'll destroy Arcania by the time the sun sets!" Anthea then realized something, she took it into thought, "wait...a thousand beacons on Arcania, the sun sets?...those beacons look like miniature st-..." Anthea shuddered and realized something horrifying, "Makarov, get everyone out of there, go down there and take them back to the entrance!" Makarov stood confused, "pardon? But we're causing so much damage, why do you want to withdraw?" Anthea stood there horrified, "you don't understand, the beacons, the sun setting, we've made a fatal error!" Makarov nodded and headed downwards to order the army about what Anthea proposed. Meanwhile the six inheritors entered the ruins where Lawrence was and pursued him. Yuki held amaterasu tight as she knew the impending fight up ahead, "Lawrence...i'll make you pay for this" Joshua followed closely, thinking about Regnas and why he was here in the first place, "Regnas...why me of all people..." Soon after they encountered a spacious alter, and in the center they encountered both Edea and Lawrence. Edea walked towards her husband and sighed, "Lawrence...I only ask you, please return. You don't have to continue this..." Lawrence looked at her, "the cries of my people ring in my ears and they keep getting louder, i'll only cease this when their cries have been appeased." Lawrence then looked back to see the inheritors, "why am I not surprised, the child of Amaterasu in all her glory." Yuki walked forward with all of the inheritors. Joshua cracked his knuckles however Yuki stopped him and approached the both of them, "So you're truly Lawrence." Lawrence nodded, "this should be an occasion, its not often anyone other than my wife sees me outside my archfiend sentinel, Excalibur." Coco thought to herself, "Excalibur..." Yuki stood forward, "Lawrence, I have something to ask you." "In that case, you have my undivided attention." Lawrence replied. "What are you truly after? Why are you just going around destroying Serenia and taking our people for your dirty work?" Yuki questioned. "Tell me inheritors, have you ever heard the concept of drafting?" Kotoha stood there confused, "drafting?..." "It means to apply someone for war." Hideki answered Kotoha's question. Lawrence paced around, "Correct child of Umigami, except there is a problem, even I know of the sentinels ways yet I know nothing about their reproduction if they have any form of it. On top of that my people have dwindled from the first years of war. Only a handful survived. Your people, or at least the near death soldiers, we give them a second chance at life basically." "A second chance?! You're taking someone's parent or child, taking their life, bringing them back to life so they can work for you, and you call that a second chance?" Lawrence looked towards Lance, "they are alive child. I gave the-" Lance lashed out on him, "Don't act like your some kind of god! Lives are lives, they aren't just toys to your games, erasing their memories, changing their wills. That's not what a god will do!" Lawrence fired a small beacon of fire near Lance, throwing him back a bit, "silence child. Their memories are merely in obstacles in my conquest. Serenia's crimes against Arcania, and our own crimes against Serenia. They will all end in my favor." Yuki gripped Amaterasu, "you...." Edea who couldn't take it anymore stood up to him, "Lawrence, i cannot agree with your actions. We're all people, we all have emotions. Not even Regnas would strip someone of their own will or dignity. Please Lawrence." Lawrence looked towards Edea, "Edea...my wife, I don't know what to do with you...either my people are with me or against me at this point." Yuki finally held Amaterasu against him, "that's your own wife! Why can't you just stop this!" Lawrence stood back and a red blade came from his hand, "if you wish to know my ideals, you'll have to show me yours child!" They finally entered a war of their own, Yuki fought hard with Amaterasu while Lawrence countered with his blade. Hideki tried to fight along sides her but was stopped by Edea. "Not now inheritors... It's time the two of them fight each other. All we can do is watch for now." Joshua looked in worry, "Yuki..." They both fought hard and vigorously, Yuki fought piercing Amaterasu while Lawrence acted counter offensively. Yuki stood back and glared towards him, "Lawrence, all those lives...I can not let you go any farther!" Amaterasu grew bright and Yuki ran forward, "holy halberd art: Divine Guillotine!" Lawrence tried to defend however his blade shattered, causing the axe blade of Amaterasu to be stuck in his shoulder. They both glared for a moment as Yuki kept it there, unknowing that the thousand suns around Arcania are slowly growing.