Again in the empty and cold corridors of Juror's fortress. But, this time, the hallways also have an air of... grandeur. Of purpose. Again, we open the door to the topmost room, the crown of this place.
But this time, the old man isn't waiting in his armchair. Instead, he tinkers on the machines, types on the computers. He builds something.
"Juror."
"So you did come. I was wondering if you would ever ! Well anyway, What business do you have.
-I want to know where the professor is.
-Oh you're going to love this. I sent them away on a mission to the surface. With how hungry the beasts must be I doubt she'll ever come back !"
21 is speechless. While I never really knew Perre, this is hardly a fate he deserves. This is hardly a fate anyone deserves.
"Let me take a guess too. You came here to stop me ? Let me at least explain what I'm doing. The creation of the perfect world of humanity takes two step.
"In a first step, all threats are destroyed. This will be done with what I call the Deluge. This device will amplify the power of the Core Fragment, and will send it througout the world. With precise calibration, I discovered it's possible to use the innate properties of the fragment, not to turn souls into something else, but to simply erase souls. This wave will remove the souls of all the beasts, killing them.
"The second step is simple as well. I only have to send seeds of humanity. For this, I built the Ark. Just like Noah's ark, this one will contain many specimens of the most perfect species. I have also genetically modified those seeds to inhibit their evolution. Humans will be perfect and eternal."
"Do you realize what you're doing ?" 21 breaks from her trance. "Do you realize the horror of your acts ?
-You would never understand my genius.
-This is not genius. This is horror. You want to play god, knowing that you are not the one who will suffer from this.
-No, you would never understand. I will freeze this world, create a utopia. This current world disgusts me."
21 takes a step forward. "Aria. We have to stop him." We have to. But... I've never killed someone. Even if its a horrible person, will I be able to live with myself ?
I unfold my mind's arms. And someone comes in. A familiar voice. "Stop, Aria." 21 turns around. In heavy snow clothes, the professor.
"There is no need to go that far. I don't want to see any more of my creations covered in blood.
-Guerra, you have always been a pacifist. I thank you for letting me continue.
-I'm not going to let you continue. Do you remember that old project to compress the nebula into a star again ?
-You wouldn't have-
-I did."
Perre took a switch out of his pocket, and pressed a button. A tremor shook the fortress. "Sunbeam successfully activated. Unfortunately, the final version wasn't completed, and so we don't know what will happen."
The computer in the room pings with an email. Zacharie reads it out loud. "Sir, the surface observatories have detected a great beam rising from your fortress. It shot straight to the nebula, and seven shimmer spots are currently forming."
Perre rushes to Juror. "I will stop you once and for all now !"
Bang.
I thought I was used to loud sounds. But this one was deafening. Even after the sound, Zacaharie's laugh is muted. The sound of the professor's body hitting the ground. Aria's run back in the corridors.