Author: Marianne Ng | Banner: Marianne Ng

Flames burst into the night sky and rubble cascaded all around.

Unhindered by any sort of resistance to its destructive rampage, a titanic beast tore through its surroundings, pulling down buildings with its shovel-like hands. The twin tendrils of the creature thrashed back and forth, ripping up nearby structures and shaking the earth each time they pounded against the ground. The drill-shaped head of the kaiju ominously spun around at a slow pace, everything that came into contact with the spinning spear crumbling into nothingness.

The Iron Fortress was terrorizing one of Japan’s many cities, laying waste to all in its path. No amount of military resistance had been able to stop the titans advances, for they all met the same fate; death at the hands of the nightmarish colossus. A low rumble emanated from Gabora’s insides, sending a chill down the spines of any who dared to lay eyes upon the wretched beast.

The drill that made up Gabora’s head revved to life as the monstrous lifeform dug its way down beneath the soil, hundreds of thousands of dirt, rock, and rubble flying into the air as it descended into the earthen embrace of the land. Tremors shook the earth for miles as the monstrous titan burrowed its way through the underground before erupting out of a building, reducing the sky-high structure into shattered glass and dust.

Looking on at the wanton destruction Gabora was causing from the spectacular view of a high-rise, a young woman with blue hair shaped into an eighth-note crossed her arms as she surveyed the terrible beast’s rampage. As all other attempts to destroy the Iron Fortress had failed, there was no denying it now. She was the last roadblock to the complete and total blotting out of this city from the map.

Hair and clothes swaying gently in the breeze, the young woman prepared for a fight not unlike many she had faced before in the past…

***

Several hours earlier

Tsubasa Kazanari walked out of the door that led to the dressing room to the backstage of a grand concert hall, just about ready for her performance. She could hear the muffled excitement of the crowd from beyond the wall that separated them, which led her thoughts to places outside her soon to be live performance.

It had been a couple of years since she and her friends had saved the world from destruction for the final time. No other problems had really occurred since then, allowing each of them to live their lives out as normal. Naturally though, it meant them drifting apart. Her thoughts drifted from her friends over to those close to her heart who had long since passed; her father and best friend. Tsubasa wondered about how they would think about what had gone on since they had left this world. It was something she often reflected on, given her truly long and troubled history.

Perhaps she really had moved on from the scars of long ago. While still present, they no longer eerily lingered in the air, having faded into unpleasant memories of the past. Tsubasa breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. Alas, now was no time for idle thoughts. She had a show to put on.

And yet still, her thoughts once again drifted to that day many years ago. The final performance she had with her best friend. Since then, her concerts truly never were the same. Had she really truly moved on from the loss all those years ago? Tsubasa didn’t really know herself, but still…the reality in front of her, the life she was living couldn’t afford to steep in the agonies of bygone days. She lived, and she would continue to live for a purpose.

Stepping out onto the stage to the response of a thunderous ruckus of applause, Tsubasa prepared to begin her concert in earnest.

***

As Tsubasa stared down at the unhindered trail of havoc that Gabora had caused, she produced a necklace with a pinkish-red gemstone attached, grasping it tightly in her hand. She was not simply a singer, but a sentinel who shielded the weak.

For a moment, Tsubasa paused. It had been years since the almighty power of Ame no Habakiri had flowed through her, but now was no time for reminiscence of old. She would move forward, spreading her wings to fly towards the future.

Stepping out onto the balcony, Tsubasa leapt from high above off of the structure towards the rampaging monster, holding her relic high above to the sky.

It was time for the Blade of Heavenly Wings to shine once again.

“Imyuteus Ame no Habakiri tron…”

The melodious chant echoed throughout the city, drawing the attention of the Iron Fortress. Gabora’s drill reared up, as did the rest of its enormous form. Rising up to stand on its hind legs, the muted metallic purplish surface of Gabora’s drill reflected a shimmering luminescent azure light that shone down from high in the air…

Ya-Haiya nariwatare… Ya-Haiya ten e to…

A vocal riff emanated from the source of the light, which continued to shimmer and coalesce into the human figure of a warrior clad in blue and white armor. In a sudden burst of melodic sound, the glowing blue light faded to reveal Tsubasa in her Symphogear armor, the angelic armor acting as a conduit for its wearer, continuously pumping out a musical Japanese rock backing track that immediately upped in intensity upon her completed transformation.

Ya-Haiya-Haiya-ie Yaiye-Haiye- chikara yo kaeran~Ya-Haiya-Haiya-ie Yaiye-Haiye- Ame no Habakiri~ Ya-i-ye tsurugi yo utae~!

Sword in hand, Tsubasa raised her weapon high up into the air as she descended down like a dive bomb towards Gabora, song spilling from her lips as she opened her mouth to sing, entering into battle.

“As flowers of time flutter to the ground, I spend many nights questioning myself…
The waters flow down, to find the lowest point…why do people act the same so heartlessly…”

Gabora’s drill began to split open, its components expanding outwards like a blossoming flower to reveal the small head of the monstrous menace. Bellowing a guttural snarl from its maw, the Iron Fortress swiped one of its massive hands at Tsubasa, intent on swatting her out of the sky like a fly. In a single and fluid motion, Tsubasa dodged the clumsy strike, angling her sword to cut a thin gash deep into the scaly flesh of the beast.

Bellowing in rage, Gabora clenched its other hand into a fist, attempting to strike at the Symphogear user. Tsubasa spun out of the way, the blades on her ankles expanding outwards at the same time. Doing several mid-air cartwheels, Tsubasa sliced at Gabora’s forearm in a whirlwind of blades, drawing a harsh roar of pain from the Iron Fortress.

“Crumble to dust and disappear…! Nothing you do can save you now…! Though that may be, my grief too shall become a blade of condemnation…! And even if I were to be torn apart, wish upon a sword for victory will be mine…!”

“Defending the weak…!”

With its opponent too agile to reliably tag, Gabora snarled as its armor flaps closed up to reform its gigantic drill. Dropping down to all fours, the Iron Fortress barreled forward in a frenzied manner, intent on skewering its opponent. Landing atop Gabora’s back and using the monster’s erratic movements as leverage, Tsubasa leapt high up into the air and came back down with thundering fury. Splitting her katana into two much larger swords, she cut an X-shape into the air with them, slicing twin streaks of energy that lanced into Gabora’s back. The Iron Fortress bellowed, the twin tendrils on its back swiping upwards in retaliatory fury. Tsubasa brought her swords up defensively just in time, allowing her to lessen the oncoming impact. Though unharmed, the sheer force of the blow still sent the Symphogear wielder tumbling through the air.

“If I were to take count every battle scar, how much blood have I shed for you…
Was it not possible, from the very start, to save you from evil? Is there an answer to be found? Is there a light to guide our way?”

“Holding this blade, I have the strength to open the path…! Holding this blade!”

Quickly stabilizing herself, Tsubasa condensed her sword into a singular larger blade, the swords attached to her feet bursting into flames as they jettisoned the Symphogear wielder down towards her foe. Gabora’s drill flowered open, the titanic beast turning around just in time to see Tsubasa strike at it with her blade. The sword clashed against one of the drill components with a tremendous impact, blue lightning dancing across Tsubasa’s blade and Gabora’s armor. The hit caused a massive shockwave that blew Tsubasa across the city, whereas Gabora was sent stumbling back. Bellowing in annoyance, the tendrils upon the back of the Iron Fortress slammed hard into the ground, allowing the titanic monster to stabilize itself.

“If you can understand what’s in your heart, know that blood is not what defines your worth…Tell the story of how you reached the end, this is how I lived my life… regretfully…”

Landing atop a building rooftop, Tsubasa split her larger blade in two once more before she broke into a sprint, her ankle swords igniting once again. Her other two swords lit aflame as well as she jumped up into the air, taking to the sky. Her blades acted as if they were wings, allowing her to careen right back into the battle. High in the moonlit sky, Tsubasa appeared as if she were a phoenix, her blazing wings casting an ethereal presence. Gabora bellowed at its foe, the armor plates that made up its drill opening wide and spinning rapidly as the Iron Fortress opened its maw, eerie purple light beginning to shimmer within its gullet.

Not a moment later, Gabora vomited a pale blue laser beam right at Tsubasa, who swerved in the nick of time to avoid the scorching blast. Still trying to tag Tsubasa with its beam, Gabora attempted to aim its beam around to zap its opponent out of the sky. What the Iron Fortress didn’t see coming however was instead of Tsubasa continuing to weave around the trajectory of the beam, the Symphogear wielder was making a beeline right towards it! Too focused on trying to land a hit with its laser, Gabora paid the price when Tsubasa rammed into its side in a burst of flame that engulfed a third of the massive beast.

“Even without a sword in hand…If you still have a dream to claim…No matter when or where you look, you will find that people have always been worth fighting for…! Love has taught me that, by discarding my blade, my true strength can be found deep within my heart…!”

“Defending the weak…!”

Gabora crashed onto its side, shrieking wildly as it thrashed about. Between the mess of limbs and tendrils, Tsubasa veered out of the way, instead flying up high into the sky. Lit by the backdrop of the moon shining overhead, Tsubasa conjured a dizzying amount of azure energy blades which rained down upon Gabora, who bellowed in a mixture of irritation and pain. Scrambling to its feet, the Iron Fortress bellowed furiously up at the sky, its drill plates rotating incessantly.

Combining her swords and attaching them to her feet, the blade grew to a massive size, dwarfing Tsubasa’s frame in comparison as she rocketed down in a kicking motion, intent on piercing right through Gabora with the attack. The Iron Fortress snarled ferociously as it belched its beam once more, meeting Tsubasa’s sword mid-air. The concussive force of the laser fought against the momentum Tsubasa had built up, and was winning. Tsubasa’s descent slowed to a crawl as runoff energy began to flood over her in waves. Unable to sustain her attack any longer, she split off from the blade, allowing herself to fall down towards the ground.

“The greatest warrior, worth a thousand more, lifts their eyes and looks to the sky!
Sing a melody for those who came before, and now shine as a star…The answer must be somewhere near…! Reach out and grasp your destiny…!”

“Listen to the sound of wings beating through the air, just as a blade…!”

With its foes’ attack unsuccessful, Gabora bellowed in triumph as it looked around for Tsubasa, spotting the Symphogear wilder down on the ground, sword in hand. The titanic monster bellowed down at its miniscule foe, flecks of spittle flying from the maw of the Iron Fortress as it rose its enormous form up, its arms primed to smash down upon its irritating enemy…

Tsubasa looked up at the Iron Fortress, its screeches and bellows doing nothing to deter her ultimate resolve. She was the sentinel who shielded the weak, and protected those who couldn’t protect themselves. Enough was enough; this monster would fall here and now.

For she was the Sword that pierced the Heavens.

Breaking into a sprint right as Gabora’s hands crashed down upon the earth, Tsubasa sang aloud. She would not be deterred! She would be the one to win the day! Jumping up onto the clenched fists of the Iron Fortress as leverage, Tsubasa took to the skies like a bird, holding her sword aloft as it expanded, growing exponentially in size.

“Bet your all and protect every life to the end…!”

“Show them where you learned to love…!”

“Take this fight into the air and prove with your resolve to win…!”

“I have become the wind…”

The six beady red eyes of the Iron Fortress widened in surprise as Tsubasa’s blade erupted in proportion, blotting the dim light from the moon from its sheer magnitude. Holding her sword up above her head, Tsubasa shot down with the force of a meteor, her blade aimed squarely at the head of her enemy.

Gabora bellowed, its armor plates closing up around its head as the drill spun to life once more. Slamming its hands down upon the dirt and snarling a muted roar from within, the Iron Fortress barreled forth to clash with the Defending Sword.

“If I were to take count of every battle scar, how much blood have I shed for you…
Was it not possible, from the very start, to save you from evil?
Heaven reveals the answer…and guides us down our chosen path…!”

As momentum and gravity carried her and her blade forward, Tsubasa’s song reached its peak, singing her heart out with a passion that burned hotter than the sun.

“Holding this blade, I have the strength to open the path…! Holding this blade!”

With a shout of finality, Tsubasa catapulted down at Gabora, the drill head of the titanic beast meeting her blade head on. Sparks erupted from the impact points of the tips before with a tumultuous tearing rip, Tsubasa’s sword pierced through, splitting right through the hardened material that comprised the drill. Gabora’s exposed head bellowed one last time in utter shock and defiance before the titanic sword stabbed straight through its skull, silencing the Iron Fortress forever.

The sword cut right through the rest of Gabora’s form like a hot knife through butter, tearing a clean line between each half of the monster. Right as Tsubasa’s sword tip impacted the ground, embedding itself into the dirt, Gabora promptly exploded behind the Symphogear wielder, sending up a massive cloud of fire high into the night sky.

The Iron Fortress had been vanquished. Nothing remained but ashes that burned in the wind.

The Defending Sword stood victorious, the Blade of Heavenly Wings rising up from the flames that blazed behind.

Tonight, these wings had spread once more, taking flight toward monumental triumph.