A week had passed since their battle with Lucilius.
After Rei, Lyria, and Lyria² hit Lucilius with Bahamut's Skyfall Ultima, Rei suddenly found himself awake in the real world.
Soon after, Lyria, Lyria², Orchid, and Ferry were thrown out from his wings. Seeing that they had finally won, they began hugging each other, celebrating their hard-fought victory.
Then, Future Lyria interrupted them, reminding them that they still needed to leave the Zero Dimension. Future Lyria opened a gate back to the Sky Realm, leading them to the place where they had first entered this dimension.
Once they were back, they saw that the other Tetra Primarchs were still waiting for them in the same spot. After receiving more congratulations, they were surprised to discover that they had been gone for a month. They hadn't expected their battle to last that long; the Zero Dimension offered no way to gauge the passing of time.
Finally, Belle, seeing Rei again, tried to rush toward him. She broke free of her restraints easily, revealing she could have escaped at any time but had held back. However, she noticed that Rei looked exhausted and even a bit sleepy. She immediately tell them that they need to finish their congratulations quickly and head back to the Grandcypher airship.
Now, a week had passed since then.
"Umm..." Rei woke up in one of the rooms on the Grandcypher, given to him after he, Lyria, and Orchid joined Gran's adventures.
The moment he opened his eyes, he immediately sensed someone beside him, and he knew exactly who it was.
Looking to his right, he found Djeeta sleeping soundly, hugging his arm like a pillow. He noticed her happy expression and even a little drool on his arm.
Seeing this made him realize just how much he missed Djeeta—her beautiful short blonde hair and her adorable face. She looked so cute that, without thinking, he began gently caressing her cheek.
"Umm..." Djeeta looked slightly annoyed and tried to bat away whoever was disturbing her sleep with her hand.
Amused, he chuckled quietly but decided to stop and carefully tried to free his arm from her grip, as he had things to do. After a few tries, he finally managed to free himself and stood up from the bed.
After putting on some clothes, he stepped out of his room and made his way to the deck of the Grandcypher.
He remembered what Future Lyria had told him before she disappeared: "I can only let you rest for two weeks. After that, we must return to our original time."
With that in mind, he knew he had to finish his work within the next week before they finally returned home.
After reaching the deck of the Grandcypher, Rei immediately felt the cold morning breeze and the fresh scent of dawn. The sun hadn't fully risen yet, as it was only five in the morning.
Without delay, he stood still in that spot, extending twelve multicolored wings from his back.
"Time to find them..." he murmured, closing his eyes and focusing on his core—or, more accurately, the Avatar core he had absorbed before, trying to locate the specific energy he was seeking.
It was easier said than done due to the sheer number of energies contained within the Avatar core. Lucilius had created the core by combining multiple archangels and numerous primal beasts, compressing them all into one. Rei now had to sift through these layers of energy carefully to find the right one, avoiding anything he didn't intend to tap into. He was untangling countless threads of energy, delicately separating them without letting any knot break.
He had been doing this every morning since he woke up from his rest a few days ago.
After a few hours, he could feel some progress, though, like each day before, it was slow. He wasn't sure he would finish within a week, but he needed to do it for Sandalphon and the others.
"You've worked hard, Rei," he suddenly heard Sandalphon's voice from behind.
He immediately opened his eyes and turned around.
"Sandalphon? Since when were you here?"
"I've been here for about an hour, but since you hadn't stopped, I decided to wait," she replied, walking toward him.
"What are you doing, anyway? You've been at this every morning," Sandalphon asked, glancing at the wings spread behind Rei.
"Haha, it's a surprise—I don't want to spoil it."
Sandalphon looked suspicious. Ever since Rei had woken up, he'd been coming here each morning, working on this without telling anyone his plan. But seeing that he wouldn't reveal anything, she sighed and decided to let him continue concentrating.
As more hours passed, it wasn't just Sandalphon observing him. More people had gathered, curious about what he was doing. Djeeta showed up after realizing Rei wasn't in his room, Lyria joined after noticing Rei's absence, and soon others were watching as well.
"So how long has he been at this?" Halluel asked.
"I found him doing this around seven this morning, and he hasn't stopped since," Sandalphon replied.
"Do you know why he's doing it, Djeeta?" Orchid asked.
"Nope, he hasn't told me anything," Djeeta replied.
So they all continued watching Rei and his twelve glowing wings, curious and puzzled.
Suddenly, Lyria's stomach growled, breaking the silence. "Haha, sorry. I'm kinda hungry."
"That's fine. We should go to the dining room," Malluel suggested. "Let's wake Rei and bring him along."
"Sure, I'll do it," Djeeta said, walking toward Rei.
But just as she was about to reach him, everyone noticed his wings start glowing even brighter, the light intensifying to the point of vibration.
"Woah, what's happening?" Lyria shielded her eyes from the brightness, surprised by the sudden surge of light.
Rei then lifted both hands to the sky. "Azrael, Israfel, and Sariel." From his wings, three spheres of light—one black, one silver, and one brown—emerged, floating up toward his hands.
The orbs began to materialize, taking shape and forming bodies.
"No way!" Halluel and Malluel gasped, covering their mouths in shock.
"That's..." Sandalphon murmured, feeling the familiar energies emanating from the orbs.
As the transformation completed, the light around each orb faded, revealing the figures behind them.
"Azrael! Israfel!" Halluel and Malluel immediately ran toward them, looking up at their closed-eyed forms floating above.
[IMAGE]
Not long after, multiple lights appeared on the Grandcypher's deck— the other Tetra Primarchs had arrived.
"Sariel!" Uriel rushed toward him, followed by Raphael.
[IMAGE]
Meanwhile, as Rei successfully summoned them, he knew he wasn't finished yet; there was one more he needed to bring forth.
His twelve wings shifted to pure white, glowing even brighter.
"Lucifer." Another orb of light, this one pure white, emerged from his wings, starting to materialize until it took on Lucifer's form.
"I can't believe you managed to do it!" Lucifer exclaimed with a beaming smile as he fully materialized.
"Hahhh... hahhh... of course," Rei replied, breathless, just before his body began to fall. But before he hit the ground, Michael and Gabriel caught him.
"Careful there, Rei," Michael said, she's looking at him with concern, sensing how exhausted he was.
"Fufufu, yes, be careful. Let me heal you," Gabriel added, smiling warmly.
"Lucifer..." Sandalphon said, staring at him.
"Sandalphon..." Lucifer replied softly.
Slowly, Sandalphon walked up to Lucifer. And to everyone's shock, she punched him square in the face. "YOU STUPID IDIOT FOR KILLING YOURSELF!"
-----
After that, they decided to place Azrael, Israfel, and Sariel in one of the empty rooms on the Grandcypher since they had fallen unconscious. Meanwhile, Rei was also brought back to his room so Gabriel could start healing him and help him recover his strength.
Days Passed...
Time moved forward, and it was finally nearing the day when Rei and the others would return to their original timeline.
But on the night before their departure...
"Are you sure that's your decision, Sandalphon?" Lucifer asked, his gaze fixed on the starry sky.
They were atop a high hill in Port Breeze, secluded from the others where the important discussion between Sandalphon and Lucifer takes place.
"Yes, that's my choice," Sandalphon replied, her voice firm and resolute. "I don't care if you disagree or have anything else to say. I will still go through with it."
"I see..." Lucifer sighed. He then turned to face Halluel and Malluel. "And what about you two?"
The other archangels were there as well, gathered for what seemed to be a really important decision.
Halluel and Malluel exchanged unsure glances, their expressions heavy with indecision. They had just reunited with their long-lost friends, Azrael and Israfel, and now faced this dilemma.
"I'm... I don't know..." Malluel admitted hesitantly, her voice tinged with doubt.
"If you don't know, it means you're not ready to make that choice yet," Lucifer advised with a calm demeanor. "Take it easy, both of you."
Azrael and Israfel that standing nearby both of them silently observed their indecisive friends.
The conversation shifted after that, with the archangels discussing other topics, such as their plans after retiring from their duties.
---
The Day of Departure
The day finally arrived. Everyone had gathered on the deck of the Grandcypher. Gran's crew and all the archangels stood together to see Rei, Djeeta, Lyria, Orchid, Ferry, and Future Lyria off as Future Lyria prepared to open a portal back to their timeline.
"It looks like this is farewell..." Gran said, facing Rei.
"Yeah... It's only been a year, but thank you for accommodating us during our time here," Rei replied.
The two stood in silence for a moment before Gran suddenly shouted, "Aaaahhh! I'm so bad at this!" He clutched his head in frustration. "Oh, whatever!" He dropped his hands and looked at Rei with a serious expression.
"Thank you for everything, Rei. This is farewell for now, but I'm sure we'll meet again in the future." Gran extended his hand toward Rei.
Rei laughed as he shook Gran's hand. "Hahaha, sure! Once I've mastered my power, I'll definitely come back here!"
Watching this, the others began exchanging their goodbyes as well.
Lyria and Orchid went to Katalina and the others, while Sandalphon approached Lucifer.
"Farewell, Sandalphon. I'm proud of you for finding your own purpose," Lucifer said with a proud smile.
Sandalphon didn't need to say goodbye again after their talk last night, but she replied, "Not thanks to you," with a small smile.
Then, unexpectedly, Sandalphon hugged Lucifer tightly. "And also... thank you for everything," she said softly. The two shared their final farewell.
But some archangels were missing.
"Where are Halluel and Malluel? Even Azrael and Israfel aren't here," Michael muttered, scanning the area.
"Should we look for them? They disappeared somewhere last night, didn't they?" Raphael asked.
Before Michael could answer, the missing group materialized on the deck.
"Sorry we're late," Halluel said hurriedly.
"Did they leave already?" Malluel asked anxiously, scanning the crowd.
When she saw that goodbyes were still being exchanged, she sighed in relief.
"Where were you?" Michael asked.
"We just had some talk~," Azrael answered cheerfully.
"Yeah, but it's all settled now," Israfel added.
Michael gave a nod. "I see. I thought you'd miss the send-off. Since you're here, don't forget to say goodbye to Rei and the others."
Azrael and Israfel approached Rei, thanking him again for saving them and Sariel from the Avatar Core. They also expressed their gratitude for restoring their bodies and minds.
*Chu* Both of them kissed Rei on the cheeks. "Farewell, Rei. We hope to see you again. We still have more to thank you for," they said in unison.
"No problem. We'll definitely be back," Rei assured them before turning to Halluel and Malluel. "I hear you two decided to stay here? Then this is farewell for now." He extended his hands toward them.
The twins stared at Rei's hands, then at each other. Smiling, they nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, they lunged forward and hugged Rei tightly.
"Who said we're staying?" Halluel said with a grin.
"We're coming with you!" Malluel added, finishing the thought.
"What!?" Rei exclaimed in shock.
"But Sandalphon told me you were hesitant last night. What changed?" he asked.
The twins explained that Azrael and Israfel had taken them aside the previous night and given them a heartfelt talk.
"They said we'd regret it if we didn't follow our hearts," Malluel recounted.
"And they reassured us. They said we'd still see each other again in the future," Halluel added. "For us Primarchs, the wait wouldn't be long until you came back here after mastering your power."
The entire night had been spent convincing the twins until they finally decided to follow Rei.
"I see, I'm happy both of you decided to follow me. Thank you," Rei replied, hugging Halluel and Malluel back tightly.
Everyone continued exchanging farewells, their emotions a mix of joy and sadness, until Future Lyria spoke up.
"It's time," she said, her voice carrying both determination and exhaustion.
She began concentrating her power, channeling every ounce of her strength to open the portal. The air crackled with energy as a glowing gate materialized before them, bridging two timelines—a feat that demanded immense effort.
The portal opened, and Rei, along with the others, stood facing it.
"Farewell, everyone!" Lyria said cheerfully, though her voice was tinged with sadness. She, alongside Orchid, stepped into the shimmering gate first.
They were soon followed by Ferry and Djeeta, both waving to their friends one last time.
Halluel and Malluel lingered a moment, waving enthusiastically to their best friends and the rest of the group, before stepping through with bright smiles.
Then it was Sandalphon's turn. She hesitated slightly, casting a final glance at Lucifer and the others. "Take care, all of you," she said softly before stepping into the gate.
Finally, Rei remained, standing still while staring at the gate—and at Future Lyria, who stood by its side.
"What's wrong, Rei?" Gran asked, noticing Rei's hesitation.
"Nothing," Rei replied with a faint smile. He turned to address the group one last time. "Alright then, once again, thank you, everyone, for this year. Oh, and I left something on the dining table—I hope you all like it."
With that, Rei approached the gate. Just as he was about to step through, he paused, looking directly at Future Lyria.
"You too. Come with me."
"Eh?!" Future Lyria exclaimed, caught off guard.
Before she could said anything else, Rei grabbed her arm and pulled her into the gate. The moment they both stepped through, the portal closed with a flash, sealing the connection between the timelines.
Even though the gate had disappeared, everyone remained rooted in place, staring at where it had been moments before.
"Well, there they go..." Io muttered, tears streaming down her face.
"Good job, Io. You managed to hold back your tears for quite a while," Rosetta said gently, patting Io's head.
"Of course... As a lady, I can't cry in front of anyone..." Io replied, though her tears continued to fall uncontrollably.
Gran sighed, his gaze distant. "Good luck, Rei. In your future adventures... and the conflicts ahead," he murmured.
He understood all too well what awaited Rei in his timeline. Gran's timeline was further along, and he knew of the people Rei and and the others would face.
Suddenly, something soft and feathery landed on Gran's shoulder.
"Huh? Isn't that Rei's owl?" Lyria² asked in surprise.
"What!?" Everyone turned to look at the small, flustered creature now perched on Gran.
"Wait a second... Did they leave her behind?!" Vyrn shouted in panic.
The group stared at the owl in disbelief, realizing Rei and the others must have forgotten her in the rush. The owl hooted softly, tilting her head as if confused by the commotion.
-----
Djeeta and the others appeared at the place where Rei had summoned Akasha before they were suddenly transported to Gran's timeline.
However, for some reason, Rei wasn't there with them, and the gate had already closed.
"Huh, where is he? Future Lyria isn't here either?" Ferry asked, looking around with a puzzled expression.
"I don't know. Let's wait here for a moment," Djeeta said, glancing toward Akasha, who was standing silently.
"So, this is the strongest primal beast? The one Rei was after?" Djeeta remarked, her gaze fixed on Akasha.
Meanwhile, Rei appeared in another place alongside Future Lyria.
After walking in silence for a while, Rei finally let go of her hand and turned to face her.
"So, Lyria, why is your energy so depleted right now? You said you needed two weeks to refill your strength, but right now, your energy is almost nonexistent," he questioned, his tone serious.
"Haha, what do you mean? I'm just tired from opening the portal," Lyria replied, trying to deny his accusation with a nervous laugh.
"Lyria..." Rei said again, his voice more stern this time.
Suddenly, Future Vyrn emerged from Future Lyria, floating in front of them and staring at the two.
"Vyrn?" Lyria said, looking confused.
"It's fine, Lyria. It's time anyway," Vyrn said, speaking for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
Lyria looked shocked upon hearing Vyrn's voice, but then her expression softened. She realized he was right—there was no point in hiding it anymore.
"Alright... Rei, this is farewell," Lyria said suddenly, her voice steady yet tinged with sadness.
Rei frowned, his expression turning grim. "Farewell? What are you talking about, Lyria? What's going on?"
Future Lyria smiled faintly, though her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Rei... You've done it. You've changed the course of history. The timeline where Vyrn and I existed as we are... it no longer exists. That means..."
"...You can't stay," Rei finished her sentence, his voice dropping as the realization dawned.
Vyrn floated closer, his small, glowing form unusually calm. "Rei, you've done more than enough. We stuck around to guide you and make sure the timeline was right. But now that everything's been set in motion... we're not needed anymore."
"No," Rei shook his head, his voice shaking. "No, I didn't do this so I could lose you. Either of you. There has to be another way!"
Future Lyria stepped closer, her gentle smile breaking into something bittersweet. She cupped his face with trembling hands, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Rei, you have always been so strong. Strong enough to carry the burdens of others, strong enough to reshape fate itself. But this is one thing even you cannot change. And that's okay."
Rei's twitched, a reflection of his turmoil. "Lyria, please..."
"I've seen the strength in you, Rei," Lyria whispered, her voice steady despite her tears. "You'll carry on without us. You'll protect the people who matter to you, just as you've protected us. This isn't an end—it's a beginning."
Vyrn perched on Rei's shoulder, his usual cheekiness replaced by genuine warmth. "Don't be sad, pal. We're not really gone. The past version of ourselves still with you."
Rei clenched his fists, his body trembling as he tried to contain the storm of emotions. "Why does it feel like goodbye gets harder every time?"
Future Lyria leaned closer, pressing her forehead against his. "Because it means we've shared something worth cherishing. But don't let the pain weigh you down—let it remind you of the love we shared, the memories we made."
Tears finally slipped down Rei's face, but he didn't look away. "I won't forget you. Either of you."
"And we won't forget you, Rei," Lyria said, her voice breaking slightly.
With a tearful smile, she leaned in and pressed a soft, lingering kiss on his lips. It was tender, filled with every unspoken emotion they shared.
As she pulled away, her form began to glow, tiny fragments of light breaking off from her body.
"Goodbye, Rei," she whispered, her smile radiant despite the tears in her eyes.
Vyrn gave him one last, small nod before his form too began to dissolve into the light.
Rei reached out, his fingers brushing against the glowing particles as they drifted upward, disappearing into the sky like stars fading at dawn.
He stood there in the silence that followed, his heart heavy but resolute.
"I'll keep moving forward," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "For you, and for everyone else who believes in me."
The winds picked up, carrying away the last traces of their presence, leaving Rei alone in the quiet. Yet, in his heart, their warmth remained, a guiding light for the path ahead.
After a moment, once Rei managed to regain control of himself, he took a deep breath and exhaled deeply to calm himself.
"Thank you for everything, Lyria, Vyrn," he said once more, full of gratitude. With his twelve wings, he then flew toward the place where he could still feel his connection to Lyria.
When he arrived, Rei told everyone what had happened to Future Lyria and Future Vyrn. Just like him, they all felt the sadness of their loss, especially after everything Future Lyria had done for them. The grief was even heavier because they hadn't had the chance to thank her before she disappeared.
However, Rei also conveyed Future Lyria's final words, bringing a sense of peace to everyone. With that, they decided to move forward—returning home.
After Rei absorbed Akasha, he now possessed the power of the strongest primal beast: the ability to rewrite history—past, present, and future.
With Rei, Sandalphon, Halluel, and Malluel carrying their group, they finally flew back to the Grandcypher, where everyone was waiting.
----Arc 1: Girl in Blue End----
Afterword:
Thank you so much, everyone, for reading until the very end of Arc 1. This is the first novel I've ever written, and I'm really glad to finally completed the first arc.
At first I started writing this just for fun. Since I couldn't find any Granblue Fantasy fanfics, I decided to create my own and gonna be reading it myself after its done, I never expected anyone else to actually read this novel.
Not gonna lie, when I first began this story, I wanted it to follow a system-based format—where, after Rei's life became connected to Lyria's, a system would emerge to guide him. However, as I continued, I decided to make Rei an Astral instead, and the plot just keep going from there.
As for my other books, 001 and 002, I wrote them during times when I had no new ideas for this novel, it was during the writing of 001 that 000 began gaining more traction, so I'm kinda glad I write 001 even though I really don't have a clear plot for 001.
This is getting a bit long, but once again, thank you for reading through Arc 1. I'm considering revisiting the first chapter and editing the entire story to switch it to a third-person POV when I have the time. For now, though, I'll leave it as it is.
The next arc will be Arc 1.5, which where the side stories takes place and the introduction of the Eternal Group and the Crew of Enforcers, including Monika and Lecia. It will also where they rescue Black Knight or Apollonia from Crew of Enforcers and the real Orchis from the Deus Ex Machina primal beast.
See you in Arc 1.5~