CHAPTER 50 - ARCHONLIGHT SYSTEM GENESIS

Out of all the fears I had, this is the most legit.

Just looking at him makes me throw up, cry with blood, piss, and shit on my pants, and grovel like a Muslim while saying Hail Mary’s like a devout Christian. I want to call the gods I have known in my life, including the Greek, Norse, Japanese, or even the Lovecraft ones just to seek salvation. I don’t even think Goku or Superman can help me at this point.

High above in the skies is the Elder God; probably the one Mimosa is serving. He is not gigantic- he is planetary, as his head already covers one-third of the clear black skies. His head is a mechanical skull that is run by metal plates and gears. His crimson eyes are as large as a full blue moon. His robotic arms are so big that he is using it to hold this salt planet like a freaking cheeseburger. 

Around his body are white glowing circuits that are similar to those of the Archonlight System’s Master Control.

“YOU DID NOT GO INSANE UPON SEEING ME. YOU REALLY MUST BE THE GREATEST ARCHON OF ALL.”

The terminator God spoke, and it’s enough to piss my pants. Literally. Too bad I forgot to buy diapers before the apocalypse.

“Who… Who are you?” I muttered.

“MY NAME IS MACHINOSS, THE ELDER GOD OF MACHINES, INTELLIGENCE, LOGIC, PROBABILITY, AND REALITY. I AM THE ELDER GOD THAT MIMOSA SEEK. AND I AM ALSO THE ONE WHO BESTOWED HUMANS THE POWER TO REPROGRAM THE UNIVERSE. I AM THE GENESIS OF THE ARCHONLIGHT SYSTEM.”

I trembled and cowered in fear. His voice is monotone and cybernetic, but I know that each of his words is threats to my very existence. I can’t even move my mouth to speak. I want to ask him a lot of questions, including the place I’m in.

Seemingly psychic, the Elder God Machinoss answered my question before I had the chance to speak.

“THIS IS THE FUTURE OF MANKIND: THE INEVITABLE OUTCOME THAT THIS PLANET POSSESS ONCE AFTER I TAKE OVER THIS UNIVERSE. EVERYTHING SHALL TURN INTO SALT ONCE I ENTER THE PLANE OF YOUR REALITY.”

“Y-You’re a god, right? Why are you doing this?” I finally managed to ask.

“MY GOALS ARE BEYOND YOUR UNDERSTANDING, MORTAL. I AM THE TRUE SAVIOR THAT WILL CLEANSE THE EARTH FROM THE CONCEPT OF GOOD AND EVIL. I AM THE ONE ALL BEINGS SEEK.”

Elder God Machinoss glared at me with its glowing crimson eyes with black sclera. I can feel intense psychic pressure from him as if my brain is going to explode! I can only hear a long screeching radio static in my ears.

“YOU, JOHN CASTERDYNE, IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO MY EXISTENCE. YOU ARE THE FIRST AND THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS UNLOCKED MY ARCHONLIGHT SYSTEM’S MASTER CONTROLS. AS A REWARD, I SHALL OFFER YOU A CONTRACT: THE POWER TO RULE EVERYTHING BY BECOMING MY VESSEL. YOU SHALL BECOME MY MESSIAH.”

All of a sudden, my right arm glowed with blue circuits even though I don’t remember activating the Archonlight System. Those blue circuits turned to red, and then to green, and finally, to white. I can feel the electricity surge on every nerve and vein of my body.

[Machinoss Messiah Protocol Installing…]

“No!” I cried out loud. “I will not accept your contract!”

[Machinoss Messiah Protocol Installation Cancelled]

My Archonlight System immediately turned off after that. I felt cold sweat run through all my skin. My lungs are burning, and my heartfelt like it’s being rubbed by sandpaper. It took all my willpower to outrightly reject an Elder God.

“I may be worthless garbage who has been neglected by this world over and over, but it doesn’t mean that I hate it. I know people who finally accepted my flaws and acknowledged me for who I am. I have no reason to accept your contract! I am not interested in becoming a ruler of this forsaken future! And I hate too much salt!”

The earth trembled because of the mechanical arms squeezing this planet. Fissures started to form the ground. It’s a no-brainer conclusion that this so-called Elder God is angry about my decision.

“SO YOU HAVE CHOSEN THIS PLANET AND THE WORTHLESS PEOPLE INHABITING IT. VERY WELL.”

All of a sudden, the crimson eyes of the Elder God flashed me with a red light. Every cell of my body started to hurt as if I just got splashed by a highly-corrosive acid. Little by little, my skin converted to dust.

“Ah! Aaaaaaah!” I cried due to excruciating pain. Out of all the evaporating part I had, the most painful ones are my eyes. Even though I closed it already, it still continues to sting! “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“JOHN CASTERDYNE, YOU SHALL PERISH. YOUR VERY EXISTENCE IS A MISTAKE.”

“It’s not a mistake!”

It was a familiar voice that dragged me from the abyss of despair and gave me hope. I tied to open my aching eyes and saw a beautiful woman right in front of me. She has long black hair, pale white skin, bountiful bosoms, a slender waist, and thick hips. Her golden eyes locked upon me and she’s giving me a smile that could deliver me to cloud nine.

“Lizzy!” 

The moment I shouted her name, the conversion of my body to dust was stopped.

Lizzy sleazily walked towards me and held my right hand in a gentle manner as if she’s treating it like a fragile object. Slowly, she raised my hand and put it between her breasts. Aside from the extreme cushiony comfort, my palms can feel the warmth and the beating of her heart.

“I believe in you.” Lizzy smiled. 

“Lizzy!” I cried like a little bitch. I wiped my tears with my other hand.

“Permission to use True Form!”

“Accepted!” I shouted with full willpower. “Unleashing True Form!”

[True Form Activated]

[Awakening Initialized]

Lizzy’s whole body was engulfed in bright golden light as it reshaped her very existence. Her signature blue frilly dress was converted into a white princess’ dress that still exposes her shiny legs. Platinum gauntlets and armored knee-high boots materialized on her arms and feet, and a pair of golden white wings materialized on her back. Her dress has now a white-and-gold motif and has a princess-knight like a vibe in it.

On top of her head is a jeweled winged golden tiara that gives identity to her ultimate form.

Its name is the Celestial Princess.

Lizzy turned to the planetary divinity with unbroken willpower. She spread out her hand and materialized a white flagpole with golden linings in it. She spun it above her head five times before stabbing its tip on the ground. At that moment, the flag spread out, revealing the sigil of the world.

There was a blinding flash in a split second, and when that bright light faded, I was astounded.

Several beings appeared around me, including those whom I had met already. Yufa, Zell, Guinevere, Kiryu, and even Father Corsola are here. Various beings such as elves, orcs, giants, goblins, witches, knights, onis, titans, mermaids swimming in the air, angels, demons, dragons, farmers with shotguns, and even talking bald cats have presented themselves.

There’s too many of them. Too many to fill up this salt world.

Most of them are weird and awesome. There was this guy with platinum armor with liger helmet; a shrine maiden with nine rainbow foxtails; a man wearing a jacket, a red scarf, and several tentacles and rotating orbs; a blonde valkyrie goddess with a bow and a sword; a dragon with cybernetic crab claws on its wings accompanied by a knight with glass-like swords; and another dragon with bluish-white scales that is accompanied with a shielded knight.

It could take forever to describe them one by one. The point is, there are a lot of them, and it’s either they look cool or weird.

[Total Fighter Count: 6,731,123,429]

Lizzy raised her flag and gave out her hyping speech.

“Behold, Machinoss! For this is all the Fighters John Casterdyne contracted in the past, is contracting in the present, and will contract in the future! The bonds he has on these Fighters are unbreakable, and their loyal hearts will keep on beating until this world is saved! We will never let you win!”

A million Fighters from the past, present, and future made a deafening warcry that is enough to shake this barren land. They are like Vikings who are hungry for battle.

“INTERESTING. I KNEW YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF POWER. NOT EVEN THE ERINDELS, THE ARCALIBURNS, THE GOUXIANS, THE CLARENTINES, THE WOLFINGRS, AND THE NANATSUZAS COMBINED IS NOT CAPABLE OF AMASSING THIS KIND OF ARMY. OUR BATTLE WILL BE LEGENDARY!”

All of a sudden, the planetary machine god started to fade. The salt desert also shook as if it is on the verge of collapsing.

“I WILL BE WAITING, JOHN CASTERDYNE. I WILL MEET YOU AGAIN. AND YOU SHALL FALL INTO THE ULTIMATE DEMISE.”

Reality shattered, and everything ceased to exist. All that remained is an infinite void of darkness.

<>

When I opened my eyes, I realized that everything was back to normal. I’m back in the Cathedral Exa’s mansion hall. The people are busy cleaning up the place. Yufa is removing her lights and camera while Zell is tinkering the high-tech devices we used in the broadcast. Father Corsola and the others are discussing something with the Princess of Avalon and her Dragonoid boyfriend.

It seems that nobody remembers anything at all. Maybe I’m just daydreaming or hallucinating. I’m quite tired so maybe I need to sleep.

I was about to write all that previous happenings out as a mere imagination until Lizzy talked to me. Her golden eyes are silently telling me that she remembers everything that involved the incoming apocalypse, the salt world desert, and the Elder God Machinoss.

“Are you scared?” She asked.

I looked at my right arm which is shaking non-stop. It’s like my hand has been implanted with an electric toothbrush and a vibrator or something of the same sort. The fear of my nervous system is still kicking, and I think I’ll convulse and turn into an epileptic.

“Yes,” I muttered. “Whatever we’re up against, I think it will be messier than the last. I’m all shaking to the bone.”

Lizzy caressed my shaking right hand with her gentle soft and warm fingers. With a smile guaranteeing that everything will be fine, she spoke.

“Don’t worry. I’ll always be with you.”