“So…this is it.” Lance spoke in a low and exhausted tone. His body was cold, yet at the same time cried out with bursts of explosive pain.

The world around him was stark white. Filled to the brim with utter nothingness.

And for the first time in as long as he could remember, he was feeling a single emotion. Dread.

Everything he had ever done had led up to this point in time. Lead to his eventual death, after managing to skate past it by the skin of his teeth so many times.

Yet, he couldn't help but feel like he had failed in some way. Or more exactly, he had failed in living a long life. Instead he was suffering the consequences of losing the biggest battle he had ever been a part of.

“Have you really forgotten the reason you've done all of this? Why you allowed us to get this far?” An all to familiar voice pushed itself into the timeless realm he found himself in.

Having succeeded in earning his attention. Lance glanced askance in the direction of the voice. His eyes widening at who he saw there.

“Septum…?” He questioned not believing what he was seeing. Lance had assumed where he was in the afterlife. A place he assumed was to be his own solitary hell. Yet instead of being completely alone. Septum was here. Had he died as well?

“I'm not dead yet. At least, not the version of me that's currently fighting her.” Septum answered the unspoken question.

“Version of you?” Lance questioned frowning as he tried to make sense of it all.

“I forgot that dying messes with your brain. Especially the parts that allow you to understand, or remember what we had set in place. What we had agreed on sacrificing.” Septum spoke simply, as he stared down the man he considered to be the smartest living human being.

“Are you dead…?” Lance questioned. It was the only thing that made sense for him to be here.

“I've been dead since the world was rewritten. The version of me that exists in the new world. Is the version created for that world.” Septum would start before raising his hand in a stopping gesture. “But before we delve into that mess. Tell me. How much of the past do you remember?”

“Not much of it. I remember bits and pieces.” Lance admitted looking around the void.

“In order for this to work. You will need to remember your past.” He said, holding out a gloved hand.

“For what to work?”

“The plan you designed.” Septum said plainly. “Now take my hand and remember.”

It all sounded familiar, yet all of it seemed nonsensical. Felt like it too. But seeing that there wasn't really any other option. He had to trust the words that Septum was saying. Even if it meant risking what was left of his life.

Without uttering another word, Lance clasped Septum's hand in his own metallic hand. Then everything went black in an instant, no sound, no feeling, no nothing.

Until he opened his eyes and found himself in a very familiar, yet unfamiliar city.

      Project Machina.