"I'm really happy that you can come and see me for the last time."
Durandal had a relaxed smile on his face.
That always elegant look and smile reminded Noel of Durandal when they first met.
At that time, his expression was full of youth and vitality, his eyes were not as calm and thorough as a leader, and he was as quiet as if he had understood everything.
"Who made us friends? In the end, I can only do this journey by myself."
Noel calmed down his emotions, smiled and shrugged.
"friend?"
"Isn't it? My best friend, Gilbert Durandal of ZAFT geneticist."
Facing Noel's answer, the smile on Durandal's face gradually faded, and he raised his head and said with a relieved tone: "Thank you."
The shock caused by the explosion became a little stronger.
Looking at the dilapidated room, Noel asked calmly: "Aren't you leaving?"
"Walk?"
Durandal shook his head and replied with calm eyes: "I can't leave anymore, I can't get out. This is probably my final destination."
Yes, he can't leave.
He could not escape his inner compromise with fate.
Compromising with his fate, he had already determined that his destiny could not be changed.
So, he accepted his fate.
If he leaves, then he has denied himself and everything he has done.
This is something he will never allow, so Durandal will not leave and cannot leave.
Listening to Durandal's answer, Noel didn't know what to say for a moment.
He thought that he would have many questions and that he and Durandal would have many conversations.
But when he actually stood face to face, those problems became unimportant.
"If you have any questions, just ask them. In my last moments, I will try my best to answer them for you."
Durandal said with a smile.
"Originally, there were, but now, those problems are not important."
Noel shook his head.
Life is hard to come by.
At least I have reached the end and got what I wanted, and nothing else matters.
Durandal heard this and stared at Noel calmly: "You have really changed a lot."
"People will change, you, me, everyone is like this, but it is also because of this that human beings have infinite possibilities, right?"
Noel has definitely changed.
I don’t know when it started.
"Even if it's dangerous and uncontrollable?"
"Even if it's dangerous and uncontrollable."
"Do you think everything I did was right or wrong?"
Durandal asked calmly.
When the question came out of his mouth, he himself was surprised that he would ask such a question.
"Does my opinion matter?"
Noel asked rhetorically.
"have no idea."
Durandal's heart was in confusion.
"Then have you ever regretted it?"
"What do you regret?"
"Anything is fine."
"Probably not."
"Even now?"
"Even now."
Looking into Durandal's eyes, Noel suddenly smiled and said: "So, do you think everything you did is right or wrong?"
"Haha, I really can't stand this guy like you."
Durandal smiled dumbly.
Yes, since I have never regretted it, how can I talk about right or wrong?
What is destiny? Only what cannot be escaped can be called destiny.
I accepted my destiny and fulfilled it, so there is nothing to regret, and what is the meaning of right or wrong?
Standing in the corner of the speaker's room, Lei stared at the two people.
When he abandoned his landline phone at the port and walked here alone.
When he came in, he found that Noel and Durandal had already started a conversation.
The two of them didn't have any hatred at this time, they just had a harmony like they had been friends for many years.
However, when he heard Gilbert Durandal say that he had never regretted it, he felt a pang of pain in his heart for some reason.
Have you ever regretted it, including yourself?
The tremors in the base became more intense.
"It's time for you to go, if you don't want to be buried with me."
Durandal looked around and smiled indifferently: "Go and taste the fruits of victory, and take my blessing with you."
"Don't worry, your blessing isn't poisonous."
Noel teased.
"Please, I am still the speaker after all, and I am still your best friend. My blessings are very sincere."
Durandal rarely replied in a normal tone.
"In that case, I will accept it reluctantly. Who makes you my best friend?"
Noel replied helplessly.
Durandal shook his head and smiled when he heard this. He looked up at the broken headquarters and was silent for a while.
Then, he slowly raised his pistol towards Noel.
Noel also took out the gun he carried with him at this time.
Behind him, Lei suddenly froze in place as he watched this scene, not knowing what happened.
But he quickly pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Noel's back.
Durandal noticed Ray's actions and shook his head at him.
Then he turned his attention to Noel: "Goodbye, Noel, my best friend, thank you for sending me this journey."
Facing Noel's gaze, Durandal put his finger on the trigger.
boom--
Sudden gunfire rang out.
The man's tall and thin figure shook, the pistol fell to the ground, and he staggered towards the chair behind him.
There was a red and black blood stain on the long coat representing the Speaker of the Supreme Council.
Ray Za Barel subconsciously wanted to pull the trigger, but was pressed down by an arm coming from behind.
"I have indeed received your blessing, and I will continue to carry it with me."
As Noel spoke, he put back the pistol with rising smoke, and turned to look at Captain Ray and Thalia behind him.
At this time, Lei Junxiu's face was distorted, and he fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut off.
Thalia looked down at Ray sadly, then resolutely walked past Noel and came to Durandal.
"You're here."
Durandal looked up weakly and smiled.
"You're the guy."
Looking at Durandal who insisted on sitting on the chair, tears flowed out of the corners of Thalia's eyes unconsciously.
"excuse me, I--"
Durandal smiled slightly, then coughed up a large mouthful of blood, leaned forward, and slid to the ground in Thalia's arms.
He gasped in pain, his voice hoarse.
Thalia possessed him and gently lifted him up, letting him lean on her legs, stroking Durandal's pale face: "Why didn't you tell me."
"hehe--"
Durandal smiled weakly and did not answer, but just looked at Noel.
Noel saw what Durandal meant and looked at Thalia: "Captain Thalia."
"You go."
There was another explosion in the distance, but her determined voice surpassed everything else and reached her ears clearly.
"——This person's soul will be taken away by me."
Hearing the determination in that calm tone, Noel swallowed his words.
"I just want to ask you to give me a message to Captain Lamias."
There was sadness in her smile.
After all, she was reluctant to give up and still had that love and compassion. She said: "I have a son here, and he is still very young... Please find a day to visit him..."
"I will."
Noel nodded solemnly.
"Thanks."
Thalia smiled.
Noel looked at the dying Durandal lying in Thalia's arms, his face so calm and peaceful, as if he was intoxicated in a beautiful time.
The explosion sounded again as a reminder that time was coming to an end.
Noel turned around and patted Ray Za Barel on the shoulder before leaving under the gaze of Durandal.
Lei shed tears quietly and stared at the man who was shot.
The hand that was lying on the ground had kindly hugged me, giving me a lot of comfort and warmth.
But now——
Ray has always admired him, wanted to be his strength, and dreamed of the world he would create, and now—
It's funny to say that Lei Mingming had given up long ago, and now he has no hope.
He knew that he didn't want to live at all. No matter from any point of view, his fate was over.
Suddenly, he became afraid.
I have never been afraid of death before, why are I so afraid now?
Like a newborn baby, he comes into contact with the living world for the first time and trembles with it.
At this moment, he seemed to hear someone calling him.
Lei turned his head awkwardly and looked at the half-destroyed console.
Probably the communication machine is not broken yet.
There was faint noise coming from there, the sound was very small, but it was mixed with his name.
"Thunder! Thunder! If you hear it, answer it quickly!"
The call has been repeated countless times.
Looking out from the open cockpit of the Pulse Gundam, the fortress that has almost become a sea of fire is right in front of us.
"Really...I see..."
Lunamaria looked sad and shook her head slightly, but Zhen Asuka refused to give up and still shouted into the communication machine: "Thunder! It's me! Answer quickly——"
Just then, they heard a faint human voice among the noise.
"...really...you...?"
The two looked at each other in surprise.
There was no image displayed on the screen, and the voice channel was full of noise, but it was indeed Lei's voice, and he was really on the Messiah!
Zhen Zhen quickly raised his voice: "Thunder! There's still time! Come out quickly!"
Unexpectedly, Lei gave him an unexpected answer.
"...It can't be done."
"Are you injured? Then I'll go find you! You first-"
"real!"
Luna Maria quickly stopped him.
All entrances and exits of Messiah were occupied by erupting tongues of fire, making it difficult to safely enter with the damaged Pulse Gundam.
However, I really still want to rush to Lei.
Lei has the deepest friendship with me and is also the closest friend. He always helps him and takes care of him in all aspects. Only he understands many of his ideas, even though those ideas are wrong.
So, I must save him this time——!
Zhen Feiniao clung to this idea and refused to let go, as if it was also his own salvation.
But he heard Ray's refusal.
Among the noise that alternated between strong and weak, it was particularly clear: "Gilbert is dead..."
Zhen took a breath, feeling both shocked and disappointed.
"But……"
Zhen Asuka still tried his best to convince him: "Stay alive! Thunder!"
Although I know that Lei’s life is running out, but...
"Didn't you say it before? No matter how small a life is, as long as there is a glimmer of possibility, you will still want to live!"
Let there no longer be children in this world who suffer the same fate as us. Ray seems to have been able to accept his fate as a clone calmly, but there is a longing for life hidden in his heart.
No matter how small or humble, even if the future is short, as long as it can be achieved, there will be a yearning for survival.
Therefore, Zhen still hopes that he will not give up on survival, just like he hopes that Stella will not die.
Even if you are burdened with heavy sins or have only one day left to live, never give up.
"real……"
Lei's voice was unclear, mixed in with noise, and sounded like he was crying.
"...you...go and live...take my tomorrow and future with you..."
The noisy telecommunications were extremely unstable, and Lei's voice suddenly cut off.
"thunder!"
The noise became louder and louder, and Lei seemed to say something again, which sounded like please or sorry. Before he could understand, the channel was suddenly cut off.
At the same time, the fire of Messiah became more intense.
It was also at this moment that a dark red MS rushed out through the flames with light wings.
"Lei, come here."
Seeing the young man sitting in front of the console exhausted, Thalia called him softly.
Lei opened his eyes and turned around, looking a little surprised.
Thalia looked at him and smiled at him as if she were her own child.
"I'm sorry, Thalia..."
With a dying breath coming from his throat, Durandal looked at her as if looking at a ray of light: "...But, I am really happy."
"You are this person..."
Thalia smiled bitterly, not sure whether she was talking about him or herself.
"Hey, it's true... I can't do anything with you."
It was also at this moment that the explosion blew the door open, flames shot up to the ceiling, and explosions occurred nearby. The fire in the shaft scattered debris everywhere, and the thick cable tube fell, causing the floor to jump suddenly. The high temperature suddenly rushed over to them.
——How could it be like this?
The past that she should have let go of now actually caught up with her and entangled her.
"Could this be the so-called fate? You and I."
"Stop it……"
Thalia said so, but looking at Durandal in her arms, his expression was so satisfied and happy.
Ray stood a little further away and looked at him, and Thalia stretched out a hand to him, motioning for him to come closer.
When Lei Qieqie came closer and knelt down beside her, Thalia hugged him towards her with all her strength.
"You tried your best...you did a great job."
This child, and Durandal - or perhaps himself, may not be doing the right thing, but they have put in all their efforts and fought tenaciously to get to this day.
"So that's good...you know...it's okay..."
She whispered in his ear like she was coaxing a child.
Ray whimpered and wrapped his arms around Thalia, as if full of dependence.
He buried his face in her chest, and his expression suddenly became peaceful, filled with the innocence of a newborn baby.
Mother……
Thalia seemed to hear the young man's murmur, and a feeling of love suddenly surged in her chest.
——I'm sorry...
In the midst of the fire, she mentally apologized to the young son she had left behind.
——Mom has to come and take these two people away.
In fact, I should have taken good care of them a long time ago, but I just didn't, and now my mother has no choice but to feel sorry for you.
She can't undo the past, but she can try to make amends.
Maybe, the so-called irreparable things do not actually exist in this world. At this moment, Thalia suddenly thought so.
When the final explosion hit the command room, she did not let go of the two people in her arms.
Thalia hugged them tightly, and the three of them were like a magical family, sublimating and disappearing in the firelight.
Impacted by the explosion, the Messiah, enveloped in flames, slowly fell toward the moon.
There were rocks and debris scattered along the way but it was so desolate.
The tongues of fire surround the rock, like circles of golden rims, but they can break free of the damaged outer ring and fall off at the same time.
One end of the fortress hit the moon's surface due to the pull of gravity, and the dust was raised as if in slow motion.
The rock blocks could not withstand the mass and impact force, and began to collapse from the point of impact, eventually completely disintegrating.
The impact spread across the moon like water waves.
Noel sat quietly in the cockpit, watching the fall of Messiah Base.
Suddenly, his eyes seemed to have penetrated the cold shell of the Messiah and saw the warmth hidden inside.
"Farewell, Durandal——"
