Scenario:What Makes the Sky Blue III: 000 - Chapter 9: 000 - Episode 3

What Makes the Sky Blue III: 000 - Chapter 9: 000 - Episode 3

Katalina is defeated and the situation looks hopeless. Sandalphon urges (Captain) and the others to escape without him, but they refuse. (Captain) and Vyrn protect Sandalphon as Lyria treats his wounds. For the first time, Sandalphon feels a very personal need to protect his friends and the skies. As he realizes this, the white plume Lyria carries unleashes a blinding light.

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Katalina: ...

Lucilius: What a waste of time.

Lucilius: Your side of the board is short of pieces, Singularity. What's your strategy?

One by one, (Captain)'s friends have fallen to the power of those twelve dark wings.

(Captain) and Sandalphon look around at the hopeless scene.

Sandalphon: Wait...

Sandalphon: Use me... As your test subject or whatever else...

Lucilius: You're no use to me.

Lucilius: Even Lucifer's judgment failed. Perhaps there was grit in the system. Degradation over time.

Sandalphon: What the hell do you know about Lucifer!

Lucilius: Maybe you were the grit.

Sandalphon: Haaahhh!

Lucilius: There's no strength behind your swings. You didn't think such a paltry recovery time would make a difference, did you?

Sandalphon: Ah... Urgh...

Lucilius: You'll never be more than a sacrificial pawn—

Lucilius: Oh?

Sandalphon: (Captain)!

Vyrn: Just in time! Get ready!

Lyria: This way, you two! We have to get him away from everyone else!

(Captain) manages to deflect Lucilius's blow.

The captain and Sandalphon run to join Lyria and Vyrn in a tense huddle.

Sandalphon: Pant... Pant...

Vyrn: Wow, he got you good... You gotta heal up. You can do it, Sandalphon.

Lyria: Some first aid would help, right? Let's use Siero's kit.

Sandalphon: ...

Sandalphon: (Captain)... I have to be frank with you.

Sandalphon: Lucilius may be the strongest entity in the history of creation.

Sandalphon: Find a way to escape. You three and the skydweller alliance have to find some way to thwart him.

Vyrn: We're not working with a lot of time here! How're we supposed to come up with anything?

Sandalphon: I know. But this is only one of his backup plans. Some contingency may still arise that he didn't anticipate.

Lyria: What do you mean we and the alliance? Don't tell me you're...

Sandalphon: I'll buy you some time. The researcher in him won't be able to resist an enticing enough subject.

Vyrn: In the shape you're in? Listen to yourself!

Lyria: You can't! You can't try to carry everything on your own shoulders again!

Sandalphon: It will all work out. Don't underestimate this sacrificial pawn.

Sandalphon: At any rate, once I've fulfilled my promise—

Lucilius: Retreating? First logical move I've seen you make.

Sandalphon: ...!

Lucilius: You could lay aside the wrung-out spare and relay the situation to the four primarchs.

Lucilius: They would doubtless choose to sacrifice themselves. There's a chance that self-destructing with twenty-four cores could avert the destruction of the dimensional boundary.

Lucilius: If it weren't that anyone who dares to oppose me will meet their total defeat.

Vyrn: Shut your face! Who said we were gonna retreat!

Lyria: We won't let anyone be sacrificed! We'll stop you and your grand finale!

Lucilius: Pure idiocy.

Vyrn: Wah!

Lucilius: Your choices are completely illogical. What drives you to act this way?

Lucilius: Why would the gods' outrider object to the sacrifice of archangels? And that spare you're sheltering was the enemy of your entire world.

Lucilius: Does that contradiction fall under the dictates of causality? No. Something in the system has definitely gone awry...

Lyria: H-he's coming! He's aiming for Sandalphon!

Sandalphon: So you want to put an end to it all...

Sandalphon: (Captain), you and the others get out of here. I don't know how much time I can buy you, but—

Vyrn: No, hold up!

Vyrn: I'm not about to let... the guy in the worst shape... my grouchy crabcake of a crewmate... fight alone!

Vyrn: Rrraaahhh!

Lyria: Vyrn!

Sandalphon: You fool! Are you trying to get yourself killed!

Vyrn: You rotten jerk! Don't you call him a spare! That won't fly with me!

Lucilius: ...?

Vyrn: What do you care if we contradict ourselves!

Vyrn: Sure he was a bad guy when he caused the cataclysms! Sure that was hard to forgive him for! And sure he's a sulky little Grumplephon!

Vyrn: But he's changed! He's giving everything he's got for the Sky Realm! He's struggling every day to be better!

Vyrn: No matter what anyone says, we support him!

Lucilius: Hunh... It seems I overestimated god.

Vyrn: Gyaah!

Vyrn is in danger. (Captain)'s reaction is swifter than thought.

The captain darts between Vyrn and Lucilius and stops the blow that no one in creation should rightfully have been able to counter.

Lucilius: You...

Lucilius: You're no mere skydweller. No wonder you defeated a fallen angel.

Lucilius: Heredity isn't enough to explain that. I see Belial's discerning eye never failed.

Vyrn: Grrr! Don't you ignore me!

Lucilius: ...

Lyria: Hang in there! Just a little longer!

Sandalphon: ...

Sandalphon: How can you support me... when I'm... so...

Sandalphon: I've been so wrapped up in myself... I never saw. I never realized how all of you felt.

Lyria: Sandalphon?

Sandalphon: Lyria... I want to protect you all. I want to protect these skies.

Sandalphon: Not in atonement. Not because of my promise. Not even because I am the supreme primarch...

Sandalphon: This is my own wish, chosen myself.

Lyria: ...!