God Eater: Shattered Dawn

Chapter 48: Injustice

Aria had to admit she was surprised with how her announcement had been recieved.

No anger, no shock; not even resistance.

They were pleased for her.

Sakuya had hugged her, saying how proud she was that Aria was ready to take such a big step forward, and Lindow agreed that the Unit just seemed to 'get' Aria in a way that the Assault Squad never really had.

She was going to be able to change units 'as soon as Lindow wrote up a report' for her, which could be soon or (knowing Lindow) in a million years.

She was in some ways relieved that they seemed so relaxed about the whole issue, but a niggling feeling of disappointment refused to let her go. Maybe she was never that special to them after all- they hardly seemed upset.

Just when the feelings were beginning to get to the simply unignorable stage, they arrived.

Aria took a deep breath, scanning the area below. It was crowded with aragami of all shapes and sizes, both Nox, Regular and Fallen, all kept at bay by God Eaters.

"Okay, we'll help take out the Cocoon Maidens in the centre, then move onto the Vajra." Lindow pointed the areas out, and they nodded. "From there, focus on taking out Nox. If you find the Lupus, signal."

"Finally, don't die." He looked at each of them in turn, deadly serious. "Everyone gets back alive, and I mean everyone. That's an order."

"Lupa's counting on us. Let's get this out of the way for her sake."

With these final words, they leapt from the helicopter and into the decimated town below where the aragami prowled.

A group of rooted aragami were the first to taste the wrath of the God Eaters, and Soma fought with a bitter anger that had been building up inside him all this time, his blade slicing up the Cocoon Maidens into ribbons.

Sprinting towards the herd of Vajra, he spotted a few God Eaters already fighting one of the tiger-like aragami and joined them, Lindow's words ringing in his ears. Everyone gets out alive.

He dashed under a huge paw, digging his heel into the ground as he slid to a halt, just in time to attack the Vajra's face. It leapt back growling, pawing at its streaming eye.

Moving in for the kill, Soma was caught off guard by a second Vajra leaping at his back. He fell, and was immediately struggling under the weight of the beast, hot bloody breath pricking the back of his neck, soon to be followed by teeth.

"Watch it!" The beast's head jolted back, and Soma felt some of the pressure ease off of his ribcage. With a shove, he rolled out from under the Vajra, finding the God Eater who had released him already fighting in a flurry of lightning-quick attacks.

The two made fast work of the enemy, and soon they were both stood panting, core devoured.

"That was pretty careless of you, Soma." Lindow smirked, flicking the blood off of his blade. "Almost dead meat for a minute there."

"Tch...whatever." Soma growled. "I was doing fine alone."

"You willing to bet on that?" Lindow laughed, blocking an attack from a Vajratail. They were now stood back to back. "How about we test that little theory?"

"How about you shut up and do your job?"

"First to twenty wins."

"...And the loser?"

Lindow grinned. Soma couldn't resist a competition. "The loser has to train up the newbies."

Soma rolled his eyes. "Fine."