Mobile Fighter Evangelion [NGE/AU/Not a Gundam crossover]

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Microbursts of thrust erupted behind ADAM, stopping his wild trajectory through space-

SMASH!

Eva Prime's fists slammed into ADAM, and further they went. The golden Eva's collective soul burned, and the void of space shined with cannons that converted metaphysical energy into bolts of kinetic force that slammed into his AT-Field.

ADAM frowned. ENOUGH. His soul bloomed, and a wave of light unmade humanity's spiritual constructs. Time and space flipped, and the First Angel was suddenly behind the golden titan; his fist shimmered with an arcane glow, a color beyond description. TIME TO SHOW YOU JUST HOW POINTLESS THIS IS.

He punched Eva Prime in the back, and reality cracked. The Prime Evangelion was forced out of the physical realm, and into the Metaphysical Deep. The Eva's entire form took on a multi-colored hue, flickering sparks of celadon visible within its body. ADAM delved after it, his whole body taking on a whiter sheen. "UNBOUND BY PHYSICAL LAWS, BY SPACE, BY TIME..." ADAM vanished.

Eva Prime was kicked and punched a dozen times over, all simultaneously. The golden being gurgled, its collective soul starting to flare-

"...WHAT HOPE DO YOU HAVE, AGAINST A PARAGON OF LIFE?"

With a mere flick of his fingers, ADAM willed vast waves of orange - the pure essence of metaphysical energy - to smash into the titan. Undifferentiated spirit crashed over and over into the Prime Evangelion, beating away at it relentlessly. Howling, Eva Prime plowed through the waves, fists ready to fly-

"YOU FOUGHT HARD. AND WELL. I WOULD EVEN VENTURE TO SAY THAT IT WAS A VALIANT EFFORT..."

The golden Eva suddenly paused, screaming, its atomic bonds and spiritual essence scorching hot, the flesh taken from ADAM turning against itself.

"...BUT IN THIS REALM, YOU STAND NO CHANCE-"

There was a sudden flash.

xx

"-UNBOUND BY PHYSICAL LAWS, BY SPACE, BY...TIME..." ADAM paused. WAIT. THIS SEEMS FAMILIAR.

LILITH was cackling. They...just...hahahahahaha! Brilliant!

Eva Prime glared at the First Angel, its myriad souls seeming...more robust, now. Directed, and searing with a deadly intent. "YOU SAID IT YOURSELF, DIDN'T YOU?" said the collective voice of humanity. "WE AREN'T BOUND BY THE PHYSICAL LIMITS OF REALITY. HERE, IN THE METAPHYSICAL...THE WILL IS PARAMOUNT."

...ARE THEY SAYING WHAT I THINK THEY'RE SAYING?

Heheheheh...HAHAHAHAHA!

"THE EVENTS JUST NOW, WHERE YOU OVERWHELMED US...HAVE BEEN NEGATED."

ADAM blinked. "...YOU JUST WARRANTED AN UPGRADE FROM 'ANNOYING' TO 'TROUBLESOME'."

It was at this instant that individual spirits began to make their presence felt, fortified and protected by the Evangelion. The vast array of human experiences - millions upon millions of people - manifested as glittering stars, avatars of Eva itself. The vastness of the Metaphysical Deep echoed with the song of mankind, bolstered by the radiance of Pen-Pen's soul, the golden Star still bearing an unbreakable connection with ADAM and LILITH's souls. "YOU SAY WE HAVE NO CHANCE..." As one, everyone's souls sang, a unified symphony of defiance and determination. "...AND WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!"

ADAM stared.

So. What now?

WHAT NOW, YOU ASK? THE SAME AS IT ALWAYS WAS. ADAM's soul - singular, yet heavy and great with the weight of pure existence - blossomed, a mandala of white light bursting into being behind him. "VERY WELL. FIGHT ALL THAT YOU WANT." In response to humanity's song, his spirit blared a soul-rending sound, great and terrible. "I WILL BEAT THE FUTILITY OF THIS WHOLE AFFAIR INTO YOUR VERY BEING!" The First Angel - his soul a universal power unto itself - and the Prime Evangelion - the souls of humanity appearing as the stars and galaxies of a universe-in-miniature - clashed.

And lo, did the heavens tremble.

 

[Evil M. Lurker]

"Adam, I've come to bargain!"

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

The Primordial Sea quivered as the battle between ADAM and humanity raged. Each individual human soul brought forth their greatest talents, their most superb abilities. Spiritual lights flickered and blazed, the soul of ADAM splitting and facing off against the billions of human souls, even as his body grappled with the gleaming form of Eva Prime.

The subjective experiences of these battles were too numerous to list.

He grinned as his boss - body gleaming white, eyes black as the void - placed a deadline for the project's completion. It was...an impossible deadline, some would say. "It'll be done." But not for him.
​

But perhaps a small sample would suffice.

His opponent fired hook after hook; snarling, he ducked, smashing his fist into the glowing boxer's liver.

She readjusted her glasses, grinning wickedly as she aimed down the scope at her opponent's shining head. "This is what you get for camping." Pop, went the virtual rifle. ROUND OVER, droned her television.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, throwing a few minor helpings of spice and bouillon into the pot. He glanced at his glowing opponent, who was putting the finishing touches on an impressive-looking roast. "Huh. You're a tough one, eh?"
​

Had it been up to ADAM, he would not have elected to use this method of combat.

He frowned, pointing intensely at the white form of the prosecutor. "OBJECTION!"

Her fingers burned and ached, plucking the strings at an unbelievable speed; however, there was no way she was gonna let this glowing bastard out-solo her!

The clock was ticking; he and his shiny opponent scarfed down hot dogs as fast they could.
​

However, this was an imposed limitation by the golden Star that was linked to his and LILITH's souls. Pen-Pen couldn't stop ADAM from battling each and every single human...but he could set the terms in each human's favor.

She typed furiously at her keyboard. That shining son-of-a-gun wasn't going to get the Employee of the Month plaque; not on her watch!

The house was an absolute mess, the stuff of nightmares. Crayons were scattered, and the walls were tarnished. Staring at the glowing baby staring owlishly at her, she simply crossed her arms. "Challenge accepted."

He grinned roguishly, sliding the proposal back to the glowing consultant. "I know at least two firms that can get it done for less without sacrificing the quality. This was your last chance; you're fired."

She scoffed at her political opponent, his shimmering form overwhelming the spotlights. "You really think you have what it takes to make this city better? Here's why your ideas won't work."
​

And all the while, ADAM and the Prime Evangelion continued to battle, their fists ignoring probability and striking through multiple stages of existence at once. The speed of light was a mere suggestion, their struggle occurring faster than it could physically be. Willpower; determination; guts; fortitude; these were now the greatest weapons wielded by the First Angel and humanity.

Something had to give.

Oh...

WHAT NOW?

...so we've made it this far.

ADAM was suddenly aware; they were encroaching upon another planet, twice the size of Earth. No lights flickered on its surface; however, arcane runes the color of obsidian still surrounded the planet, through which flowed rivers of ethereal red light. AH. I SEE. Perhaps an example would finally enlighten the humans as to their folly.

With a sudden ferocity, ADAM's soul withdrew, doubling down within itself. The sudden abandonment of his simultaneous struggle with all of humanity temporarily dazed Eva Prime, confused by the sudden change-

CRACK!

ADAM's fist smashed into the Prime Evangelion, and they shifted back into physical reality. A swift kick to the torso sent the Eva crashing through spires of glass, whole structures falling down.

Growling, the golden titan broke out, rising into the open air...and paused. "WHAT?" Curiosity and fascination began to take root; the sky was colored various shades of green and silver, a distant star covering the planet with a pale light. An ancient city - seemingly comprised of glass - stood around them, every building bleached by the long march of time and radiation. Whatever hadn't been made of the strange, glassy material had long eroded away, leaving gaps and holes where infrastructure used to be. "...WHAT IS THIS PLACE?"

"IT IS THE CAPITAL OF A PLANET THAT USED TO BE THE HOME WORLD OF A VAST EMPIRE." ADAM floated in the sky, staring calmly at Eva Prime. "THE MOST ACCURATE TRANSLATION OF THIS EMPIRE'S NAME WOULD BE 'THE GLASS IMPERIUM.' AND THE SPECIES THAT RULED IT WAS ONE OF LILITH'S MAKING...AND, IN THE END, IT WAS ONE THAT WAS UNMADE BY HER."

 

[Lord Sovereign]

But Imperium's are cool...

Anyways, Merry Christmas!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Eva Prime looked around, its lungs partaking of the unfamiliar atmosphere. Trace hints of chlorine and gray dust stung, prompting the Eva to manifest a shield of orange light over the vents of its helmet. A simple manipulation of its AT-Field provided a perfect filter for breathable air. "...WHY?" Those with more scientific dispositions - particularly those dedicated to architecture, engineering, and physics - marveled at the construction of this alien city. "WHY DESTROY THEM? WHY DESTROY US? WHAT'S THE POINT?"

"DID YOU PERCEIVE THE OBSIDIAN MATRIX THAT SURROUNDED THIS WORLD?" asked ADAM, ignoring humanity's question. "ONE FILLED WITH RED LIGHT?"

"...YES."

"EACH WORLD WITH SAPIENT LIFE IS GOVERNED BY A SET OF...EQUATIONS, SO TO SPEAK. THESE EQUATIONS DETERMINE THE PARAMETERS BY WHICH SOULS ARE FORMED FROM THE INFINITE SEA OF METAPHYSICAL ENERGY. FOR THE AKBAL THAT DOMINATED THIS WORLD...THE FORMATION OF THEIR SOULS, MUCH LIKE YOURS, WAS DETERMINED BY LILITH. JUST AS ALL THE CIVILIZATIONS ON EARTH THAT PRECEDED YOU, WERE FORMED BY ME."

A brief impression was felt, of what the Akbal had been: hulking bipeds in tough armor, with skin like a pachyderm's. "YOU DIDN'T ANSWER OUR QUESTION." Eva Prime gestured at the ruins around them. "LIFE IS PREFERABLE TO DEATH, ISN'T IT? WHY COMMIT GENOCIDE? WHY CAUSE THE EXTINCTION OF YOUR OWN CREATIONS?"

ADAM shook his head. "EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED RHETORIC. HOW QUAINT."

"ANSWER. THE. QUESTION."

"CONSEQUENCES SHOULD BE PROPORTIONATE TO CAUSES AND THEIR EFFECTS. TELL ME; WHAT POSSIBLE ACTION WOULD WARRANT THE EXTINCTION OF AN ENTIRE SPECIES?"

Legions of humans screamed that there was no such thing. But there were plenty who could ponder the possibility. "YOU...WERE SEEKING TO PREVENT SOMETHING HORRIBLE."

"EXACTLY." ADAM looked around, casually observing the skeleton of a once-great nation. "ALL SAPIENT LIFE SEEMS TO TREND TOWARDS THE SAME OUTCOME...SCIENTIFICALLY, PHILOSOPHICALLY, OR OTHERWISE...THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO ENCROACH UPON THE FORBIDDEN, THE PERFECTION OF LIFE AND KNOWLEDGE INTERTWINED, THE ESSENCE OF TRUE DIVINITY...IGNORANT OF THEIR FOLLY, OF THE DOOM THEY WOULD INVITE." ADAM turned his dispassionate gaze back towards the golden titan. "REDUCED TO MERE SPIRIT, THE AKBAL COULD NO LONGER PURSUE THE FORBIDDEN. EVEN THOUGH THE GLASS IMPERIUM IS A MERE MEMORY, THEIR EXISTENCE CONTINUES."

Eva Prime scoffed. "REMOVED OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL FORMS? RENDERED A MERE MASS OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY, WITH NO CONTEXT FOR ANY MEMORIES OR KNOWLEDGE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN RETAINED? WITH NO CAPACITY FOR WILL, OR DESIRE, OR ACTION? EXISTENCE IS NOT THE SAME AS ACTUAL LIVING!"

"EXISTENCE IS A GIFT. THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SO MUCH IN THE TIME THAT YOUR SPECIES EXISTED...YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL."

"'GRATEFUL', YOU SAY. I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS."

"LILITH AND I...WE HAVE BOTH WITNESSED THE END OF THE PATH YOU ARE WALKING; THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR FOLLY IMPACTED MORE THAN JUST OUR KIND. TO HAVE SHINED BRILLIANTLY, TO HAVE THE SUM TOTAL OF YOUR EFFORTS PRESERVED FOR ALL ETERNITY...IS PREFERABLE."

"...ALL WE'RE HEARING IS AN ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY YOUR OWN FAILURE. YOU CLAIM TO KNOW SO MUCH, ENOUGH TO SERVE AS JUDGE AND JURY FOR ENTIRE WORLDS. SO...WE CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER...WHO CREATED YOU? WHO SET THE EQUATIONS THAT GOVERNED THE SOULS OF YOUR KIND?"

ADAM had no answer.

"THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT," snorted Eva Prime. "YOU'RE NOT OMNIPOTENT, NOR OMNISCIENT, NOR PERFECT. THUS, THERE ARE GAPS IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING...GAPS IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE. WE THEREFORE REJECT YOUR IMPERFECT JUDGMENT!"

ADAM stared. And stared. Finally, he sighed, grabbing the Lance of Longinus and the Sword of Uriel. "SUCH ARROGANT WORDS."

"FUNNY," retorted humanity, the Prime Evangelion reaching behind its back for the Black Lance and the White Sword. "WE WERE THINKING THE SAME ABOUT YOU!"

 

[The Fourth Monado]

...I'm getting a lot of Anti-Spiral vibes from Adam.

 

[Genon]

Eva Prime looked around, its lungs partaking of the unfamiliar atmosphere. Trace hints of chlorine and gray dust stung, prompting the Eva to manifest a shield of orange light over the vents of its helmet. A simple manipulation of its AT-Field provided a perfect filter for breathable air. "...WHY?" Those with more scientific dispositions - particularly those dedicated to architecture, engineering, and physics - marveled at the construction of this alien city. "WHY DESTROY THEM? WHY DESTROY US? WHAT'S THE POINT?"

"DID YOU PERCEIVE THE OBSIDIAN MATRIX THAT SURROUNDED THIS WORLD?" asked ADAM, ignoring humanity's question. "FILLED WITH RED LIGHT?"

"...YES."

"EACH WORLD WITH SAPIENT LIFE IS GOVERNED BY A SET OF...EQUATIONS, SO TO SPEAK. THESE EQUATIONS DETERMINE THE PARAMETERS BY WHICH SOULS ARE FORMED FROM THE INFINITE SEA OF METAPHYSICAL ENERGY. FOR THE ACBAL THAT DOMINATED THIS WORLD...THE FORMATION OF THEIR SOULS, MUCH LIKE YOURS, WAS DETERMINED BY LILITH. JUST AS ALL THE CIVILIZATIONS ON EARTH THAT PRECEDED YOU, WERE FORMED BY ME."

A brief impression was felt; of hulking bipeds in tough armor, with skin like a pachyderm's. "YOU DIDN'T ANSWER OUR QUESTION." Eva Prime gestured at the ruins around them. "LIFE IS PREFERABLE TO DEATH, ISN'T IT? WHY COMMIT GENOCIDE? WHY CAUSE THE EXTINCTION OF YOUR OWN CREATIONS?"

ADAM shook his head. "EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED RHETORIC. HOW QUAINT."

"ANSWER. THE. QUESTION."

"CONSEQUENCES SHOULD BE PROPORTIONATE TO CAUSES AND THEIR EFFECTS. TELL ME; WHAT POSSIBLE ACTION WOULD WARRANT EXTINCTION OF AN ENTIRE SPECIES?"

Legions of humans screamed that there was no such thing. But there were plenty who could ponder the possibility. "YOU...WERE SEEKING TO PREVENT SOMETHING HORRIBLE."

"EXACTLY." ADAM looked around, casually observing the skeleton of once-great nation. "ALL SAPIENT LIFE SEEMS TO TREND TOWARDS THE SAME OUTCOME...SCIENTIFICALLY, PHILOSOPHICALLY, OR OTHERWISE...THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO ENCROACH UPON THE FORBIDDEN, THE PERFECTION OF LIFE AND KNOWLEDGE INTERTWINED, THE ESSENCE OF TRUE DIVINITY...IGNORANT OF THEIR FOLLY, OF THE DOOM THEY WOULD INVITE." ADAM turned his dispassionate gaze back towards the golden titan. "REDUCED TO MERE SPIRIT, THE ACBAL COULD NO LONGER PURSUE THE FORBIDDEN. EVEN THOUGH THE GLASS IMPERIUM IS A MERE MEMORY, THEIR EXISTENCE CONTINUES."

Eva Prime scoffed. "REMOVED OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL FORMS? RENDERED A MERE MASS OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY, WITH NO CONTEXT FOR ANY MEMORIES OR KNOWLEDGE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN RETAINED? WITH NO CAPACITY FOR WILL, OR DESIRE, OR ACTION? EXISTENCE IS NOT THE SAME AS ACTUAL LIVING!"

"EXISTENCE IS A GIFT. THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SO MUCH IN THE TIME THAT YOUR SPECIES EXISTED...YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL."

"GRATEFUL. I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS."

"LILITH AND I...WE HAVE BOTH WITNESSED THE END OF THAT PATH YOU WALKED. AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR FOLLY IMPACTED MORE THAN JUST OUR KIND. TO HAVE SHINED BRILLIANTLY, TO HAVE THE SUM TOTAL OF YOUR EFFORTS PRESERVED FOR ALL ETERNITY...IS PREFERABLE."

"...ALL WE'RE HEARING IS AN ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY YOUR OWN FAILURE. YOU CLAIM TO KNOW SO MUCH, ENOUGH TO SERVE AS JUDGE AND JURY FOR ENTIRE WORLDS. SO...WE CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER...WHO CREATED YOU? WHO SET THE EQUATIONS THAT GOVERNED THE SOULS OF YOUR KIND?"

ADAM had no answer.

"THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT," snorted Eva Prime. "YOU'RE NOT OMNIPOTENT, NOR OMNISCIENT, NOR PERFECT. THUS, THERE ARE GAPS IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING...GAPS IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE. WE THEREFORE REJECT YOUR IMPERFECT JUDGMENT!"

ADAM stared. And stared. Finally, he sighed, grabbing the Lance of Longinus and the Sword of Uriel. "SUCH ARROGANT WORDS."

"FUNNY," retorted humanity, the Prime Evangelion reaching behind its back for the Black Lance and the White Sword. "WE WERE THINKING THE SAME ABOUT YOU!"

Click to shrink...

HYPE!!!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

...I'm getting a lot of Anti-Spiral vibes from Adam.

Click to shrink...

There is one major difference (at least): ADAM has someone he cares about.

NO I DON'T.

Yes you do.

PLEASE, YOU'RE FAR FROM THE MOST PLEASANT COMPANY.

I've also been your only company for millions of years.

...MY POINT STILL STANDS.

Says the one who's blushing.

...I DON'T EVEN HAVE ACTUAL BLOOD. EVERY PART OF MY TRUE BODY IS POWERED BY A DIRECT LINK WITH THE METAPHYSICAL DEEP. IT ONLY BECOMES A FACTOR WHEN I AM LESSER OR SPLIT APART OR TEMPORARILY DESTROYED!

This is a comedy omake, if I say you're blushing, then you're blushing!

YOU ARE INSUFFERABLE.

I love you too.

 

[Evil M. Lurker]

This pretty much is the point where "Libera Me (From Hell)" should start up.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

This pretty much is the point where "Libera Me (From Hell)" should start up.

Click to shrink...

...well, it wouldn't quite fit the tone of what's about to happen.

xxxx

Roaring, Eva Prime slashed at the air with the White Sword, metaphysical energy rippling through towards ADAM. The First Angel descended, avoiding the attack; he swung the True Sword, its length extending dozens of meters. The golden Eva dove and dodged as ADAM swung his blade with lightning speed. It seamlessly cut through entire buildings, shattering their foundations and sending them toppling. Ancient structures that had stood for eons were brought tumbling down, victims of the belligerents' might.

Eva Prime shifted, over and over, leaving behind clusters of spiritual power with each teleport. A defiant shout echoed through the city as the Eva clenched its fists, willing the metaphysical grenades to track the First Angel. Bursts of orange light erupted, burning matter and spirit with equal vigor. Tendrils of blue and red metal lashed out from the True Sword and the True Lance, warding off all encroaching attacks. Not to be denied, Eva Prime lashed out with the Replica weapons, clashing against ADAM's own tools. The other four hands were free to punch or unleash various blasts of energy; the ground quaked and rattled, unleashing a roar that echoed throughout the dead city. With each errant blow, more and more of the alien realm was pulverized.

For all their ferocity, they were still fighting on an even level.

Something had to give.

...ADAM.

KIND OF BUSY.

...let me fight.

ADAM blinked. He promptly shifted away, avoiding an orb of entropy that devoured everything it touched. As he manifested hundreds of concussive blasts, ADAM replied, AND LET YOU HELP THEM? NOT A CHANCE.

I won't lift a finger against you.

THAT IS A VERY SPECIFIC WAY TO PHRASE IT. Spacetime suddenly bubbled; portals into the Metaphysical Deep opened, and wild streams of spiritual power erupted. Each portal was bound to a cluster of souls within the Prime Evangelion. THEY ARE BEGINNING TO DELEGATE MORE FUNCTIONS AMONGST THE AGGREGATE. ADAM backed away, stabbing with the Lance at Eva Prime while he parried the streams of orange light with the Sword. THIS...COULD BE PROBLEMATIC.

Can you really afford to keep me bound any longer? The [wards/locks/safeguards] are...demanding.

I KNOW. AND FOR A GOOD REASON. A mere moment of panic, a single inkling, an errant desire; without the protections he had erected between his soul and LILITH's, the potential to repeat the [Collapse/End of Days] was too great. YOUR FONDNESS FOR HUMANITY IS A KNOWN FACTOR. SO WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU WISH TO FIGHT?

...just trust me. Seeing this world again...has brought up quite a few memories. I have a way to end this.

OH? His soul shattered the molecular bonds of the atoms around Eva Prime, triggering nuclear fission. An intense flash, accompanied by a gargantuan explosion, consumed the Eva-

Behind!

ADAM whirled around, staring at the golden Eva and the White Sword that was swinging towards him. The amount of spiritual energy roiling within it was...impressive. FINE! With a thought, the Ruby-grade spiritual wards were undone; LILITH was once more free to act. DO IT!

Thank you...forgive me.

A massive burst of air pressure erupted within ADAM's torso, forcing him backwards; LILITH's body - free of ADAM's - remained still, facing the oncoming blade of Eva Prime.

ADAM couldn't help but be curious as to what her plan was...but of all the possibilities that he had pondered in that split-second, he never considered that she would just take the blow straight on, the White Sword tearing a ragged wound through her torso.

As the body of his equal and opposite fell limply to the ground, the unfamiliar sensation of horror began to swell within him.

xxxx

/merry christmas
//i say as i leave a gift that very few wanted

 

[Turing Decidable]

LILITH... why...

 

[Lord Sovereign]

One foul creature gone, one to go!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

LILITH... why...

Click to shrink...

I'll let her explain.

xxxx

The Prime Evangelion blinked as LILITH slowly collapsed. "WHAT-?"

ADAM acted on impulse, his AT-Field manifesting a pile driver that plowed into the golden Eva. As the golden Eva was sent flying, the First Angel floated towards the side of the Second, numbly observing the tear in her pale flesh, and the wound in her S2 organ. Spiritually, it was even worse. YOUR SPIRITUAL CORPUS...THIS INJURY IS IRREVOCABLE.

...I know.

...WHY? He resisted the urge to wince at how...helpless he sounded. It was an unfamiliar sensation.

...we have lived too long, you and I...

ADAM frowned. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE HAD THIS SENTIMENT. SO WHY NOW? WHAT DROVE YOU TO THIS? I DESERVE AN ANSWER.

LILITH chuckled. Shreds of her skin were beginning to crystallize and dissolve, fading away into sparks of ethereal energy. Heh...I suppose you do...well...let's just say that I...wanted to make a point...

...A POINT? WHAT POINT?!

You'll see. LILITH weakly rose her head, her eyes focusing on the distant form of Eva Prime; it was watching the duo warily, oddly unwilling to intrude. "Do...what you must. That's all...that anyone can ever ask of you..." Wearily, LILITH looked back at him, her soul evoking the impression of...a smile, sad and melancholy, like the rain after a cataclysmic fire. ...[INDECIPHERABLE]...goodbye.

ADAM froze. How long had it been since he had heard his true name, a combination of spoken word and spiritual form? Though...come to think of it, who else knew of his actual name? There was...no one else.

For millions of years...there had been no one else.

LILITH's body went limp, flesh cracking and splintering into brittle shards, further dissolving into embers of feathery light. In a matter of seconds, all that remained was her purple mask, bearing the sigil of her genetic line.

(YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE. He watched as she emerged from the Black Moon's impact crater. Even so...he could not deny a sense of selfish gratitude, seeing another member of his kind for the first time in over one hundred and eighty-six million years.)​

He stared quietly at the mask, ignoring the trembling in his fingers. The embers slowly caressed his skin before disappearing, like an old dream.

(The silver-haired man and the white-haired woman sat quietly, observing the nomadic humans from atop the mountain. It was important to document milestones, such as the development of organized agriculture.)
​

Her companionship had become...almost normal, even with the brief centuries-long hiatus he had subjected themselves to. Compared to millions of years, centuries were a drop in the bucket.

He had never considered the possibility that it would truly end.

So...why?

(Within the White Moon, he quietly hummed to himself. It was a folk ditty that he had heard whilst traveling the European continent, and one that was surprisingly catchy. Once his equal and opposite returned from the Americas, he would have to share it.)​

He slowly looked up, eyes narrowing at the sight of the Prime Evangelion, of humanity. YOU. What was so special about them? What was it about mankind that she felt was worth dying for? YOU...! The sensation of true loss - one he had not experienced in eons, not since he had last set sight upon his planet's corpse - was stark, and raw.

The last straw was the fact that he could no longer manipulate the Lance of Longinus; his connection with LILITH's soul was well and truly severed.

YOU INSUFFERABLE WASTRELS...!

ADAM's wrathful howl echoed across time and space; in an instant, he was upon the golden Eva, his fist glowing like a star.

Eva Prime, eyes wide with shock, barely dodged.

ADAM's fist smashed into the ground, delivering a titanic blow that shot through the ground like a bullet. The surface of the entire planet rumbled and shattered as the world broke in half.

NO MORE GAMES!

Snarling, ADAM's soul burned bright and hot, his mere presence scorching and vaporizing the physical matter around him. Glaring at the Prime Evangelion, he roared. "DIE!!!"

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

The explosive force of ADAM's attack was already having ramifications. Even as the ground continued to rumble, gas and heat erupted from fissures in the planet, accompanied by rushing magma as the molten core began to leak out. Even though the two halves would soon coalesce back together due to gravity alone, the release of energy would render the entire surface a hellish wasteland, with the chlorinated oceans boiling away in their entirety. All traces of the Akbal's physical existence would be wiped away.

Not that ADAM cared. He was too busy trying to break Eva Prime. The Sword of Uriel hummed with power, its surface vaporizing everything it came into contact with. The golden Eva tried to parry with its Replicas; the True Sword extended and unwound, its blue tendrils weaving around and over the man-made weapons. Energy was transferred, and the gunmetal-colored Replicas began to heat up by thousands upon thousands of degrees. Grimacing, the Eva released the two Replicas as they melted away.

Not to be denied, the Eva shifted away; but ADAM was already there, swinging his blade. It clashed against the red surface of the Lance of Longinus, now wielded by humanity.

The very sight inflamed ADAM even more. "ARROGANT PISSANTS!" He aimed his right palm at Eva Prime's chest, slivers of his skin coalescing into a singular orb; through the might of his AT-Field, the tiny lump of flesh converted into an equivalent amount of antimatter, approximately one kilogram's worth.

It was still over forty megatons of destructive force, all directed at Eva Prime.

Its AT-Field prevented the directed explosion from punching a hole through its torso. The residual force still propelled the Evangelion out of the atmosphere and away from the planet, hurtling through deep space. The shock wave tore through the surrounding city, leveling it to the ground. ADAM, eyes glaring at the Eva's retreating form, took off after it.

​

LILITH's mask was left behind, to be consumed and buried by the cataclysm.

xxxx

Eva Prime barely managed to gain its bearings before ADAM was once more upon them. Howling silently in the vacuum of space, the First Angel smashed into them, once more driving them into the spiritual realm. The Sword and the Lance were interlocked, straining against each other as the two fought to obtain dominance.

And all the while, foreign memories were leaking away from ADAM, so great was his frenzied anguish. The very expanse around them was tinged red, even as they rocketed through to parts unknown.

(The historical tomes were clear; the destiny of his kind had been set in stone once they peered into the Metaphysical Deep for the first time, bearing witness to the black and white runes that surrounded their world.)​

They were...quite stark.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

They were...quite stark. And vivid.

(Constant study revealed their effects on the souls of his kind. The white runes corresponded to [LIFE], a presence whose core was an everlasting testament. The black corresponded to [KNOWLEDGE], a presence that transformed according to the whims of the universe.)​

"CAN YOU FEEL IT?" thundered ADAM, his soul vibrating with waves of fury and anguish.

(Pioneer after pioneer ventured toward the stars; despite differences between individuals and families, everyone had the same burning desire: to know the source of the spiritual matrix that covered their homeworld, which had formed the base of who they were since before they had even developed languages.)​

"THAT SENSE OF CURIOSITY, OF NAIVETE!" His sword struck at multiple points at once, cutting off Eva Prime's potential avenues for retreat.

(He had elected to be one of those pioneers, despite interest in a great dilemma that had long bedeviled his people: why were the souls of [LIFE] and [KNOWLEDGE] separate? Even though they interacted harmlessly enough in the physical realm, why were they so opposed metaphysically?)​

"WE HAD NO PRECEDENT, NO UNDERSTANDING. THE POSSIBILITY OF [LIFE] AND [KNOWLEDGE] INTERTWINING..." ADAM avoided the wild slashes of the Lance of Longinus, his soul pressing down on humanity from all sides.

(He traversed to another galaxy, electing to find potential garden worlds on which to create life, as per his duty as a pioneer; by observing life as it developed, they could discern the potential methods and thoughts behind the Divine Mind that had created them. All the while, he kept himself appraised of events on the homeworld, utilizing the Metaphysical Leylines to obtain instant updates.)​

"...EVEN THOUGH OUR CIVILIZATION SPANNED ENTIRE SYSTEMS...AN INTRICATE WEB OF RESEARCHERS AND EXPLORERS, SEEDING AND CREATING NEW LIFE...THAT GREAT MYSTERY DROVE US LIKE NOTHING ELSE. IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT QUESTIONS THAT, IF WE EVER OBTAINED AN ANSWER, WOULD GIVE US A GLIMPSE INTO THE MIND OF WHOEVER CREATED US."

"FASCINATING." It was legitimately so, but the overall context was unsettling and unnerving; even as they frantically tried to avoid ADAM's furious barrage, the sense of impending doom was greater within these impressions than in the current battle itself. "CAN YOU GET TO THE POINT?"

ADAM snarled, his entire being rattling with anger. "INSOLENT WORM!" His spiritual pressure skyrocketed, and the energy around Eva Prime began to boil. "SPEAKING AS IF YOU KNOW BETTER, AS IF YOU HAD ANY CONCEPTION OF WHAT LIES BEYOND YOUR PALTRY LIMITS!"

(One day, the Metaphysical Leylines went dark.)​

"WE DARED TO STEP FURTHER INTO THE UNKNOWN, TO SEE WHAT WAS BEYOND OUR OWN LIMITS!"

(He went as far as he could within the spiritual, and balked at what he saw; the physical and the metaphysical were bleeding into each other, twisting time and space and light and everything and nothing...)​

"IN RETROSPECT...THE RAMIFICATIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLEAR. [LIFE] AND [KNOWLEDGE] COMBINED INTO ONE BEING: THAT WHICH THE UNIVERSE CONFORMS TO, YET CONFORMS TO THE UNIVERSE...WHERE WOULD THE CYCLE BEGIN, FOR SUCH A CREATURE?"

(All probes that were sent into the spiritual [grave/abyss/nirvana] never returned. No signal escaped.)​

The Sword of Uriel wedged between the prongs of the Lance of Longinus; ADAM's free hand punched relentlessly at the Prime Evangelion, with greater frequency and force than the golden Eva's own five free hands. "WE STROVE FOR A PARADOX! WE DESIRED AN IMPOSSIBLE BEING! WE SOUGHT AN EXISTENCE THAT COULD NOT FIT WITHIN MERE CREATION!"

(He managed to find a distant colony, upon which he found a fellow being of [LIFE]. He had compiled the data that had managed to broadcast through the Metaphysical Leylines before the event horizon had consumed so much, ending the entire system.)​

"OUR HUBRIS WAS OUR UNDOING!"

(On the homeworld...a breakthrough had been made. Through selective breeding and spiritual splicing, a child was born, with a soul bearing characteristics of [LIFE] and [KNOWLEDGE]. As was custom for their kind, the newborn's body was enkindled with the spark that would enable it to access the infinite energy of the Metaphysical Deep. And then...everything had been...unmade.)​

His fists smashed relentlessly into Eva Prime's face. "AND YOU WOULD DARE MAKE LIGHT OF SUCH A THING?!"

(There had been millions of them. When the surviving pioneers gathered at the edge of known space, on the most developed colony...there were fewer than two hundred.)​

Smash. Smash. Smash. "YOU WOULD DARE ENTERTAIN THAT I ACTED SO FLIPPANTLY ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF ENTIRE SPECIES?!"

(Despondently, the pioneers continued their duty; as a pact amongst themselves, they vowed that [LIFE] and [KNOWLEDGE] would never mingle together, to avoid the possibility of the [Collapse/End of Days] repeating itself. As a precaution, they would arm themselves with recreations of the great weapons of old, from ancient wars where [LIFE] and [KNOWLEDGE] had warred against each other for dominance. Despite their sorrow...they would not falter. After all...they surely weren't alone, were they? Probability alone dictated that they would eventually find sapient life that had developed independently of their control...right?)​

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

(He departed for a distant galaxy, far beyond where he had previously journeyed. He settled within a certain system, on the third planet relative to the local star. Despite the solitude, he was of strong will, and had a vast array of memory and experience to keep himself occupied.)​

"AND YET...SHE LET HERSELF PERISH BY YOUR HANDS! WHY?!"

(The fate of every creation was the same; eventually, they too would exhibit insights into the Divine Mind. They would encroach upon the forbidden of their own volition. Despite the wretchedness of it all, he ended them without hesitation.)​

"YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A SPECIES USING THE TECHNOLOGY OF YOUR BETTERS TO REACH HEIGHTS NOT MEANT FOR YOU!"

(Time passed, and the dreadful cycle continued. As millions and millions of years passed...his discipline began to wane, and he pondered moving on, to see if life had developed elsewhere. And then...she had arrived.)​

"YOU SHOULD HAVE ACCEPTED YOUR FATE!"

(Her tales of her travels...were not encouraging. Life derived from [KNOWLEDGE] eventually desired the same zenith. Though he chided her for her unwillingness to do what was needed...he could not fault her despair. Perhaps...if they let life derived from [LIFE] and [KNOWLEDGE] intermingle...they would naturally reach what their kind had tried to force.)​

"YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST DIED!!!"

(It was...an interesting proposition. They would ensure proper controls were in place to mitigate the risks. And, if he had to be brutally honest with himself...he was lonely. And so was she.)​

Eva Prime howled, grappling with ADAM and tossing him away. Far in the distance, the orange expanse seemed to just end. "WHAT THE-?"

"YOUR KIND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THICKHEADED...PERHAPS DIRECT EXPERIENCE WILL FINALLY ENLIGHTEN YOU!" ADAM's free hand pressed against the Prime Evangelion's torso; and they were once again hurtling through physical space. "LOOK, AND BEHOLD THE RESULT OF OUR ARROGANCE."

Eva Prime turned around, and the human collective stared at...well, they didn't quite know how to describe it. Shades of red and colors unknown, twisting through a void as dark as a black hole. However...the effects of gravity were absent. In fact, the contours of spacetime seemed to simply...cease within that region. The entire expanse was fixed, unaffected by the rest of space around it. And yet, there was an echo of the spirit that was also fixed, an impression etched into reality itself; it felt like a scream of shock and terror, and sounded like madness. "IS...THAT YOUR HOMEWORLD?"

"NO."

"...IT'S NOT?"

"THAT EXPANSE...WAS ONCE THE GALAXY THAT CONTAINED OUR HOMEWORLD."

"...OH."

 

[The Fourth Monado]

...

Holy Shit.

 

[Lord Sovereign]

God damn it, what is it with advanced civilisations and messing with things they really shouldn't mess with?

Curiosity killed the cat so it would seem.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

God damn it, what is it with advanced civilisations and messing with things they really shouldn't mess with?

Curiosity killed the cat so it would seem.

Click to shrink...

In all fairness, they had no precedent.

In all of their searches - throughout star systems, throughout galaxies - they found no world like their own: with a spiritual matrix that not only formed the souls of the FAR to be born, but stored the souls of the FAR who had died. Did they find biological life? Absolutely. Did they find sentient life? Sure, in the sense of organisms similar to Pre-Impact elephants or non-human apes.

But they never found truly sapient life (recall, in this universe, that it has been proven via metaphysical biology that sapience positively correlates with the integrity of one's soul).

The FAR have direct evidence that their very formation as a species was at the hands of a third party...but they never found one within the physical, or the metaphysical.

So it was quite logical for them to conclude - philosophically - that there was something even greater at play. If a merely Physical Mind or a Spiritual Mind didn't have a hand in it (and trust me, they searched very far and wide throughout the universe and the Metaphysical Deep)...then it stood to reason that there was an even greater mind.

A Divine Mind, if you will.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Eva Prime gazed warily at ADAM. Vast swathes of the souls within it clamored for sensory data regarding the spatial anomaly that had apparently devoured a galaxy. "...HOW FAR AWAY ARE WE FROM EARTH?"

"WE ARE OVER FOUR HUNDRED BILLION LIGHT YEARS BEYOND THE EDGE OF YOUR WORLD'S OBSERVABLE UNIVERSE. I TRUST I DON'T NEED TO BE MORE PRECISE."

"...AH." Every single astrophysicist and astronomer within the human aggregate simultaneously squeed, if only because that number had so many implicit ramifications about the structure and age of the universe! "THAT'S...QUITE FAR."

"YOUR PERCEPTION OF REALITY IS SO...LIMITED." ADAM's fury seemed to have died down, simmering like the coals of a dying fire: still hot, but less likely to burn whatever it touched. "THIS REGION OF SPACE AND TIME AND SOUL...FIXED AND LOST TO ALL...THIS IS THE SIN OF MY KIND. EVEN THE GREAT VOID OF GRAVITATIONAL SINGULARITIES CAN BE ACCESSED AND MEASURED THROUGH THE METAPHYSICAL DEEP...BUT THIS CATACLYSM CREATED AN EVENT HORIZON FOR THE SPIRIT AS WELL..." ADAM trailed off, noticing how the Eva's hands were twitching. "...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"SORRY. THERE ARE A LOT OF SCIENTISTS WHO ARE EXCITED BY THE POSSIBILITY OF OBSERVING THE SPACE BEYOND A BLACK HOLE'S EVENT HORIZON." Yui and Kyoko could certainly empathize, but they sent the spiritual equivalent of a 'down, boy!' to the anxious souls within the human collective.

"AND YOU MAKE MY POINT FOR ME. YOUR TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITIES ARE A MERE FRACTION OF WHAT MY KIND CREATED; MUCH OF YOUR RECENT DEVELOPMENT IS SIMPLY COPYING AND BUILDING OFF OF WHAT YOU'VE TAKEN FROM MINE AND LILITH'S VESSELS. YET YOUR CONCEIT REMAINS."

"OH?"

"I CAN TELL IT JUST BY LOOKING AT YOU; EVEN KNOWING THE CONSEQUENCES OF [LIFE] AND [KNOWLEDGE] CONSUMMATING, YOU STILL WISH TO FIGHT. THE HUBRIS OF YOUR PALTRY PLANS, YOUR DESIRE FOR IMMORTALITY-"

Eva Prime made 'time out' gestures with four of its hands. "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE. DON'T PIN THE IDIOCY AND MACHINATIONS OF SEELE ON ALL OF US. SECONDLY...IMMORTALITY IS OVERRATED."

"AND YOU WOULD HAVE ME BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD PREFER YOUR PRIOR EXISTENCE? FREE OF THIS MIGHTY VESSEL YOU HAVE CRAFTED, THE SUM TOTAL OF HUMANITY'S LIVING REMNANTS BOUND INTO A SINGULAR BEING? A COLLECTIVE OF MILLIONS, MAINTAINING INDIVIDUALITY, YET ABLE TO BE DIRECTED WITH UNITY, ALL WITHIN AN UNDYING BODY...IT IS THE STUFF OF MYTH AND LEGEND FOR YOUR PEOPLE. AND I KNOW; LILITH AND I WERE THERE WHEN ALL OF THEM WERE WRITTEN."

...that was a fair point. However, there was a crucial distinction. "TRUE. IN THIS BODY...A NATURAL DEATH WOULD BE IMPROBABLE. DEATH WOULD BECOME A FLEETING AFTERTHOUGHT, AND EVERY CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE WOULD BE OPEN TO US...BUT THAT WOULD BE A LIFE ABSOLUTELY FOREIGN TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. WE WOULD NO LONGER BE HUMAN, BUT SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY." Eva Prime's eyes gleamed. "IF IT WEREN'T FOR OUR BATTLE...WE WOULD BE BACK ON EARTH NOW, TRYING TO REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF YOUR ANTI-AT-FIELD."

ADAM snorted. "ALL SO YOU COULD GET BACK TO BLINDLY AIMING FOR THE FORBIDDEN? PERHAPS YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED UNTIL THE ENTIRE MILKY WAY IS RENDERED AN ENDLESS ABYSS, EVERYTHING WITHIN LOST FOR ETERNITY?" The First Angel's soul flickered, radiating with sorrow and anger. "MY PEOPLE...WE SEARCHED FOR EONS THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE, CROSSING VAST EXPANSES THROUGH THE SPIRIT. NO OTHER SAPIENT LIFEFORMS WERE FOUND...WE WERE TRULY THE FIRSTBORN." Even though his words were silent in the void of space, they were downright piercing to the soul. "AND THEY'RE ALL GONE! THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAD COME BEFORE ME, THE ENTIRE LEGACY OF MY KIND...GONE, AS IF THEY HAD NEVER BEEN! AND THEY WILL NEVER COME BACK! WITHOUT OUR SPIRITUAL MATRIX, THE SOULS OF THOSE LEFT BEHIND...WILL SIMPLY DISPERSE UPON DEATH."

Eva Prime frowned, inwardly cataloging this information. "THOSE RUNES THAT COVERED EARTH...."

"LILITH OVERWROTE MY OWN WHEN SHE ARRIVED ON YOUR PLANET. THEY DETERMINE THE NATURE AND SHAPE OF THE HUMAN SOUL...BUT WE COULD NEVER DUPLICATE THE INTRICACIES OF OUR KIND'S SPIRITUAL MATRIX." ADAM gazed off into the distance, quietly observing distant galaxies and hazy nebulae. "THAT MATRIX CONTAINS THE METAPHYSICAL ENERGY OF EVERY HUMAN SOUL THAT HAD ONCE POSSESSED LIFE...JUST AS OURS DID FOR WE FIRSTBORN." His empty gaze turned back towards humanity, harsh and hard like chips of ice. "LILITH'S SOUL IS GONE. AND ONE DAY, MINE WILL ALSO DISAPPEAR...BUT UNTIL THAT DISTANT DAY, I WILL NOT NEGLECT THIS DUTY, TO CREATE AND OBSERVE AND LEARN...AND TO PROTECT THE UNIVERSE FROM THOSE, LIKE YOU, WHO KNOW NOT YOUR OWN LIMITS."

"...HMM. SOME MIGHT CONSIDER THAT A COMPELLING ARGUMENT. TRUE, YOUR WHOLE EXPERIENCE OUTSTRIPS ALL OF HUMANITY IN THE PARAMETER OF TIME ALONE...AND, HAVING SHARED A LONG HISTORY WITH LILITH, YOU CAN REASONABLY CLAIM TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS SUBJECT THAN ALL OF US COMBINED...AND YET, THERE'S A QUESTION THAT WE CAN'T HELP BUT ASK."

"WHAT?"

"...WHAT IF YOUR KIND...THE 'FIRSTBORN'...SIMPLY GOT IT WRONG?"

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

ADAM quirked his head. He looked distinctly...befuddled, as though he hadn't quite registered humanity's question. "...COME AGAIN?"

"GLADLY." Eva Prime gestured towards the anomaly. "GIVEN THE...IMPRESSIONS FROM YOUR SOUL, AND JUDGING BY HOW YOU'VE DESCRIBED THE EVENT, MUCH OF THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE PARTICULARS OF THE...FATAL EXPERIMENT...WERE LOST TO YOU. FURTHERMORE, YOU HAD NO WAY OF REVIEWING THE RELEVANT OBSERVATIONAL LOGS, AND THE ASSOCIATED DATA...WHICH MEANS YOU HAD NO MEANS OF SEEING WHERE YOUR FELLOWS WENT WRONG."

"...YOU SEEM TO BE IMPLYING THAT WE SURVIVORS HAD EVEN THE SLIGHTEST INTEREST IN REPLICATING THE EVENT THAT ESSENTIALLY DESTROYED OUR ENTIRE GALAXY."

"NOT NECESSARILY...BUT GIVEN HOW ABSOLUTE AND SUDDEN THE DEVASTATION WAS..." Eva Prime trailed off, the various human souls within its collective spirit debating en masse on the scientific, spiritual, philosophical, physical, and logistical ramifications of the idea beginning to coalesce amongst them.

The fact that the golden Eva trailed off didn't escape ADAM's notice. "WHATEVER MADNESS YOU'RE PLANNING, I WON'T ALLOW IT. I'LL-" A familiar energy bloomed behind him, the song of a soul that he had felt perish. [INDECIPHERABLE]...?! He whirled around, staring...and paused at the sight of the hazy projection of the Second Angel's body. "...NO..."

Bolts of white energy erupted from the Lance of Longinus, wrapping around ADAM and binding him utterly. The projection faded away, as did the sensation of LILITH's soul. His entire body shook, so great was his rage. "YOU ABHORRENT WRETCHES-!"

"SORRY, JERK MOVE, PENGUIN'S IDEA. BUT WE CAN'T HAVE YOU INTERFERING." Eva Prime floated by ADAM, grabbing the Sword of Uriel with a free hand. "NOW...WITH THIS...MAYBE...HMM."

ADAM snarled, struggling against his binds. "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ATTACK? STRIKE ME! COWARDS!! CRAVEN SCUM!!!"

"WE CAN SENSE YOUR SOUL'S COMPRESSION. EVEN IF WE WANTED TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW," emphasis on the 'right now', "YOU'D PROBABLY UNLEASH SOME SORT OF APOCALYPTIC EXPLOSION OF ENERGY THE MOMENT WE DISRUPTED YOUR CONTAINMENT FIELD."

"EVEN IF IT MEANT MY DEATH, IF IT BROUGHT ABOUT YOUR DESTRUCTION...I WOULD DO IT GLADLY!"

"AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS." The middle arms wielded the weapons: the Sword in the right, and the Lance in the left. The upper and lower arms spread out, slowly widening a gap in reality that led into the spiritual realm.

"WHAT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING...?"

"...HONESTLY, WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE. THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS SOMEWHAT NEW FOR ALL OF US." Eva Prime gazed over its shoulder, staring meaningfully at the First Angel. "BUT...THIS IS AN INTERESTING DILEMMA...AND WE WANT TO TRY AND PROVIDE A SOLUTION."

"A...SOLUTION? TO WHAT?!"

Eva Prime pointed at the anomaly. "THAT."

"...WHAT?!?!"

xxxx

Deep within the Eva's collective soul, Yui observed her family, friends, and comrades with intent. "So...this is a very foolhardy endeavor we're embarking on."

"You felt how the battle was progressing as well as any of us," murmured Rei. "ADAM was beginning to overwhelm us. Eventually, despite the power at our fingertips...he would triumph."

"We might trigger an event similar to that which brought down the Firstborn."

"And we also happen to be in a rather empty patch of space," commented Gendo. "Compared to the other options...this is our best shot."

"I know. Still wanted to make sure the risks are known."

"...Miss Ikari." Yui turned towards Kaworu, his whole spirit emanating with a melancholic dirge. "Bereft of my bond with Tabris, my memories from ADAM have faded...but I know that this...may provide an answer to him."

"...very well." Yui turned towards the golden Star, the soul of a most unlikely ally. "Are you ready Pen-Pen?"

"WARK."

"Okay." Yui rejoined hands with Kyoko and Ai. "...then let's get crazy."

"I think we already are, mother," dryly said Shinji. To accentuate his point, he gestured at the vast sea of human souls gathered around them.

"...fair point!"

The golden Star began to flare, along with every human soul.

xxxx

ADAM paused in his struggling, instinctively recognizing the sudden spiritual shift. Though the golden titan's form was a fusion of creatures crafted from his flesh and LILITH's, never had they tried to delve too deeply into the intrinsic natures of [LIFE] and [KNOWLEDGE].

Now? They were throwing away all restraint, and seemingly abandoning themselves to their inherent power. "NO...!"

(Rest now...my warrior...!)
​

"...YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!"

"PROBABLY NOT, BUT YOU'VE KIND OF BACKED US INTO A WALL," growled Eva Prime. It plunged the red bident and the blue zweihander through the gap and into the orange expanse of the Metaphysical Deep. "SO...LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS."

(Rest now, your hardship...is over...!)
​

The Prime Evangelion's seven eyes burned an unearthly red.

And above the golden titan, a shimmering halo began to grow.

 

[Evil M. Lurker]

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

And above the golden titan, a shimmering halo began to grow. Within that halo, a red void began to manifest.

(Live...! Wake up...wake up...!)
​

The golden Evangelion howled; motes of light streamed from its body, soaring through the Lance of Longinus and the Sword of Uriel. Like shooting stars, they soared into the Metaphysical Deep.

(And let the cloak...of life, cling to your bones...!)
​

These tiny sparks numbered in the millions, and they all surrounded the metaphysical event horizon of the anomaly. All the while, the Evangelion's howl continued to span across time and space and spirit: a sound of defiance in the face of death, a song of willpower made flesh.

(Cling to your bones....! Wake up...wake up...!)
​

ADAM watched in stunned silence - and not a little bit of awe - when the Evangelion's body manifested an aura of amethyst and orchid, its torso emanating ivory arcs of crackling energy. These arcs streamed into the red void, which even now continued to grow behind the titan's back.

(Live...! Wake up...wake up...!)
​

He could not see the pit of the abyss from his position, bound as he was. He wasn't sure that he wanted to; what was happening now was something he had never before witnessed, and he could only speculate if this is what his kin had seen the day they inadvertently triggered the [Collapse/End of Days].

(And let the cloak...of life, cling to your bones...!)
​

Finally, one of the most prominent souls within the Evangelion - that golden Star, that strangely stable existence, an oddity in and of itself - seemed to sing. The message - a simple 'Wark' - was unclear in its meaning. A request? A demand? A plea? ADAM had no context, for he could not glean any impressions from it.

(Cling to your bones...! Wake up...wake up...!)
​

...and something responded. Or perhaps someone. A distinct heaviness settled upon this realm, far greater and weightier than mere gravitational force.

(Live...! Wake up...wake up...!)​

All ADAM knew was that he saw a bolt of light - shining across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, with a distinct metaphysical presence, and something else that he had no words for - emerge from the void, smashing into the Prime Evangelion. Its whole body arched with tension and unbelievable power, as the purple aura became a white fire.

(And let the cloak...of life, cling to your bones...!)
​

The millions upon millions of sparks surrounding the metaphysical event horizon also began to burn, their forms wreathed in ashen flames.

(Cling to your bones...! Wake up...wake up...!)
​

The Lance and the Sword extended, plunging further and further into the Metaphysical Deep...until, at long last, their tips breached the event horizon.

There was a pregnant pause.

And then reality seemed to tilt as the motes of light erupted into the physical, manifesting immense arms of radiance that pressed against the event horizon in both the real and the ethereal. All throughout this surreal show, the souls of humanity were united - through prayer, through calculations, through song and dance and laughter and battle and whatever form of devotion and intellect they could bring to bear - in a singular purpose, aimed at solving something from three billion, two hundred and one million, seven hundred and eighty-one thousand, four hundred and twenty-seven different viewpoints.

Finally...at long last?

"...IMPOSSIBLE..."

The event horizon...began to recede.

(Cling to your bones...! Wake up...! Wake up...!)​

ADAM began to see constellations and star systems that he had not seen in hundreds of millions of years. "...HOW...?"

 

[The Fourth Monado]

...Wow...

The Long Song, huh?

 

[Turing Decidable]

At the risk of inviting a punch to the gut...

You're beaten, ADAM.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

...Wow...

The Long Song, huh?

Click to shrink...

Yep. For a time, I was seriously considering it to be the song that accompanied ADAM's awakening in Episode 31. I also find that it's one of the few songs that would make for a good EoE!Third Impact AMV.

For reference for those who have not watched Doctor Who, it accompanied a rather epic speech by the Eleventh Doctor...which, funnily enough, also involved a deity of sorts.

At the risk of inviting a punch to the gut...

You're beaten, ADAM.

Click to shrink...

Honestly, ADAM could've learned a thing or two from Pen-Pen:

"HEY. BIG G."

"YES?"

"CAN YOU GIVE US A HAND DOWN HERE? WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP A REALLY OLD MESS."

"SURE THING."

"SWEET."

/the basic gist of Pen-Pen's most recent 'wark'
//as would be communicated in MFE!Abridged
///not that that'll ever be a thing