Chapter 34:
Rotating Rock

 

“HE’S COMING…” Ayanami Rei Quatre whispered in her mutant Eva. She and the Kaji-vessel were observing the events from the top of a hill on Yomotsu Hirasaka.

The Euro Eva Heurtebise had broken through the Earth’s atmosphere together with Trois’ Eva-0.0. The two units were accelerating toward Yomotsu Hirasaka.

Trois sensed it herself in the vibrations. “He’s here!”

“Urgh… Huff…”

Shinji gathered himself as best he could and pulled the spear out of Wolfpack’s belly.

“Why…?”

The glyphs of the tree of life remained.

Was she an example?

The light show concluded with Wolfpack’s motionless body being nailed to a large cross.

Shinji averted his gaze and turned his attention to the dying Torwächter A1 behind him. Asuka/Eva’s back plate was lodged deep into the ground like a tail, so he put it in between the

lance’s two prongs and twisted. The yoke snapped in half with a loud clang.

The Lance of Longinus had played its part in bringing all causality to its conclusion. Once broken by the lance, the back plate didn’t regenerate itself. Nor did Mari’s Wolfpack. Her Eva was no longer considered to be a part of humankind.

The black of Torwächter A1 faded into the red of Crimson A1. Night fell as Yomotsu Hirasaka completed its rotation. The light from Super Eva’s chest was the only source of illumination, and it lit up Asuka/Eva’s body.

“This color suits you best, Asuka. Thank you for protecting my heart.”

After he thanked her, he turned his attention to Super Eva’s own back plate.

His heart burned in his chest.

<<Shinji, he’s coming!>>

The sudden comm link startled him. He noticed who it was and said, “Six? What are you doing here?”

Six’s Eva-00 Type-F Allegorica appeared over the ridgeline from the other side of Yomotsu Hirasaka. She’d come to prevent Wolfpack from being crucified, but the Angel Carriers had spotted her, and now she was running away from them.

<<Stay away!>>

“You shouldn’t come over here, either!” Shinji answered Six, unaware that he wasn’t the one she was talking to. “Just take Asuka and get out of here!”

<<Shinji, you don’t understand! Mar… Armaros is coming!>>

A gigantic figure loomed behind Super Eva, casting its black shadow over the ground like a waterfall.