A safe world, a world that wouldn't end tomorrow, the day after or even within the next ten years. But one wouldn't call it a safe world, one couldn't really call it a paradise either but one could always easily say the world, itself, was hell. People lament day after day, for many reason as well: They were unhappy, their lives were truly boring or/and unsatisfying and with the happiness the accumulated or was able to fulfill, they still would lament because they were never satisfied.

He was once like those pathetic people, who simply gave up on the world because it was the easiest thing a person could do. With corruption, murder, isolation, sexual abuse and so many more. Nobody wanted to protect a world like that, not even himself, he who trapped the maternal being who would end the world: a being neither hostile or generous. He, who sealed the being, was no longer human even losing his right to be called: Minato Arisato. Some would think he was a god, some would call him a tool and others still believed to be his friends.

The existence that made a barrier between Nyx and her brother Erebus: similar characters but created by different means. The world gave up on itself, being trapped in the hellish stillness that could never be called a 'completed life'. Many wanted death, whether to die themselves or the wish for others to die as they blamed one another, while never fulfilling the direction given to them.

Erebus was younger than Nyx, the world would one day end but nobody knew the exact time, though Nyx existences was the proof of the upcoming end: no matter the length it would take for it to come. Erebus was born by human hearts and desires… and could only disappear when human finally found salvation within themselves as people and a community. So Nyx could never be defeated but Erebus could, despite the likeness of it to come, if people could simply find happiness. But he sealed off the two, for so long as well, it was a lonely existence but he wasn't at all regretful. He may lost his human essence but his desires never once faded to protect the world that had taught him so many things, a possibility that he wasn't just an abandoned cursed monster (which was the fault of Death), so he guarded and protected Nyx from her little brother.

Time and time again, he would be visited by the elevator guide of Igor, her heart was unweaving to save him from his very lonely fate. She would talk to him and it was pleasant though he had not seen her for a quite a while.

Erebus had come again, using his powers and the sword of his old human life, with each slash, kick and magical attack Erebus, the world was once more saved and humanity could continue on. But then unknown amount of time passed, his friends grew old and were parted, more Persona users and heroes came about… but for a time, in a much farther timeline… there had been tools of the Incubus and lately one of those tools travelled back time within a month, over and over again, trying to fulfill her unweaving desire.

People who weren't human, or things that surpass the human understanding and the supernatural groundings of the mortal realm, weren't that much effect by time turning back and back. The Incubus despite it's highly scientific powers that had the power to grant miracles, which impressed him very much, were effected by time turning back and back. So he had seen many scenes being repeated and sometimes even changing of his friends, his acquaints and his old love…. The girl who effected time however was always really sad, because her beloved friend and mentor kept dying and he was sad because the world he tried to protected ended in order to save the universe.

So then after the fifth hundred time, a miracle and maybe a similar fate to his own, the girl Madoka became a goddess a person who held the concept of 'hope'. Thus herself was plunged into purgatory for all eternity; creating a world which those girls would not starve and become hungry witches.

Witches were the other concept of Magical Girls: witches acted more like Shadows of a boss-like level, familiars were shadows of a minion level. A Persona user could kill a witch, but they may or may not find out in time before they, themselves, were killed. The world was changed, the world of how the energy was converted into something useful while Wicthes no longer existed: Demons had taken their place and were much more stronger as they could be called 'Erebus' Familars'. He, too, was forced to fight over and over again against these familiars as they continued to try to break his eternal shield. Bloodshed each and every time and he began to grew weary by the amount of energy he had to use to take down the Familiars of Erebus, when Erebus reawaken once more, he barely survived much less kept the seal intake.

So he slept… a slumber that wouldn't end… it felt like being a warm darkness, if he ask nothing of it nothing would happen and the darkness asked nothing from him. So he slept to regain energy, he slept because his eyes wouldn't open.

Are you tired?

…

Are you really tired? I'm sorry…

… …

Not a single word. So you must be decaying. I'm sorry. You're job is fundamental… I wasn't even born back then and you should be given a much more nicer reward.

… I'm fine…

I see. Let us meet when you reawaken. Surely we can help one another…

Sure.

Maybe it was momentary but that would be the first time they've talk. Their status were completely different, even if he had god-like powers: he could never defeat Nyx. She was a human who took the role of 'hope', her status and her power were that of a god. She could even kill Nyx, though if that were to happen she might destroy the system of their world, even death itself.

Maybe it been years, maybe even a second in time… he could no longer tell. He was the universe, he let all act on its own. The universe makes rules but never does it intervene on people's choices or destiny. So even Madoka's choice was of her own free will, so was his human life was of free will. He could of forgotten everything and left himself to an impending doom, he choose the choice were his fears were at their highest and fought each and every day. Did he do it because he felt regretful? Did he do it because he started to re-love a world that use to abandon him to his own sorrow? He no longer knew that answer but he still wish to see the end of Graduation Day and have sake under the sakura trees.

He loved the spring… His sister loved the winter. They were the moon and the sun. But he lost his title as the human 'Minato Arisato', so even in death nobody of his family recognized him despite his body was that of 'Minato Arisato'. So even in death he was no longer human. His friends only knew it was him because of their Persona, but maybe when they die they, too, will forget him and thinking about that sadden him.

But when he open his eyes to the wasteland nobody ever surfaced on. What he saw surprised him, the girl dress in pure white that glowed brilliantly. Her hair was held by two bright white laces as her sakura-colored hair was magnificent.

"Goddess of Hope. Or should it be Madoka?"

She smile to him giving a slight title to her head "Nothing is to be lost, nothing is to be gained… hope is for all and all deserve hope. I, too, understand the heaviness of your burden. I'm sorry the consequences of my action have taken form of."

He nodded "It's alright… at least the world won't end tonight."

"It will if you decay. Erebus has quite a strong familiar and there's nothing I can do."

"Well, you were the one who put her in that desert were she'll starve and thirst. Of course it wouldn't be surprising if she became Erebus herself."

Madoka's eyes lowered, she was regretful but there was nothing more she could do, unless she wanted to make even a greater consequence. She could never fully kill Erebus, but could take down Nyx. Nobody though could really kill Erebus, that of the human world, at the very least. Was it a sin? Maybe… being unsatisfied is what it mean to live, one is only satisfied if one find the enlightenment to happiness and that was no easy task: but that what it meant to live.

Ahh—the painfulness of one's own choices. Will I get one candy or two? Will I get a candy or nothing at all? Or will it be an unknown choice where I can open one box? Human life, life in general were all about the choices you made and the consequences that followed them.

Humans had slight ideas of what their consequences would take form of, Gods, however, knew very well the consequences and were the only ones who could fully judge a human's sin or even an incubus' sin. If god was whimsical they may even throw themselves into a pitiless hell or simple cease to exist. Nobody would know, so how could anybody care? Was it humans that threw god to hell or was it god, himself, that got himself to fall into a pitiless hell?

Nobody could know, so nobody could care. That was saddest fact as a life as a god or a tool of god at the very least.

"She'll be fine."

"She should be purified or she'll kill the world you—we wanted to protect."

"…. " Madoka looked at the endless wasteland's sky with a sadden pondering look. She knew what she had to do and what she wanted to do. Would she be selfish or selfless? Was god ever so selfless? Nobody could know, because they never met god, so many people blame the artificial tragedies onto god: whether or whether not it was god's fault to begin with. Human actions and humans' fate were that of what they make of it, to take away such a factory is to make light of a human life: so that too would be a sin of god – to taint the hard working human worth.

"It's a lonely existences, she cries for your happiness and for her own: swearing she'll never forget you. But a human can only take so much before they break, before they lose everything, even their own existence. She's losing her human heart and gaining that of a higher being… she'll join you soon enough as your prime rival – that of 'evil'. Haha… kind of like those kids' shows."

"Even so… I don't want to taint everything she did."

"But your finaly confrontation is soon to about to begin and unless you save her soul, she'll plunge that of the worlds of demons. She might become Lucifer, himself, I mean Nyx is a female but Ryoji was a guy. The world beyond human comprehension is never really boring but at the same time just a sad fate if you get the wrong numbers on your dices."

"You miss him don't you? Even the fate he brought upon you, he still was your closest friend, wasn't he?"

"But I'd still kill him if he was to end everything once more. I bet that's what he truly would of wanted. I'm sure that girl is starting to cry as her body and soul transcends the world of the gods' and demons'. Slowly, slowly she'll certainly take you down even if she doesn't want to. It's a fate sadder than death."

"…"

"…"

So they stop talking, but time passed differently here than that of earth, for he was the Seal of the Universe and she was the Goddess of Hope, they felt the time flow differently.

But suddenly she walked to him as she pressed the palm of her right hand onto the top of his head, a clear but gentle light shined as it entered into his being, his tired and weariness faded as it filled him with a huge amount of energy he hadn't felt since the first time he had became the sealed. He looked at her amazed, he was truly speechless this time and she giggled at his expression.

"Well, Mister Seal, I'm Mistress Hope. Let us help one another and I'm sure we'll be the greatest of allies in the upcoming events."

"... – But I do not intervene, I merely watch the universe and let it do what it must. My only objective is to stop Erebus to meet Nyx, not to stop Nyx from awakening, to intervene would be my first and ever greatest sin. I'm sorry but you mustn't think me as your ally, so please understand."

She look a bit sadden, but her voice was quite calm, if not happy "I won't ask that much of you… even if the world was to end, if it's time, there's nothing the both of us could do… I only ask you to trust and follow me."

"I know the answer of the Universe, you know the answer to Hope… these truth must never pass from ourselves to the other people. But I guess I can trust you somewhat… I wouldn't want my old friends' effort to be thwarted by my own weakness."

" A weakness I place upon you. It is unforgivable and unfair Mister Seal… so that's why I came to get you some vital energy. It's not time for the world to end just yet… I won't allow it to end so pitifully. I'm sure you feel the same way…"

For the first time they met… who know how long the alliance would be kept. But since that day, his powers had never once stopped or decreased as the weariness and sickness no longer touch him no more.

He didn't know exactly when after the Goddes of Hope left, but ever since that day he saw Elizabeth once more, it was nice to finally to be talk to once more.

For now… all he wished for was their happiness, no matter what shape or form it took, he would bless them all.

"One day… I'll surely find the answer to your salvation."

One day… maybe she'll will, won't she? Ehehehe~

…Maybe she'll will… whether she does or not, either way is fine, my role however: what will become of it? I couldn't bare if she were substitute me with a poor fellow… that be too cruel, even for herself.

Have faith… she'll surely find a loophole if it's for your sake and if her heart is true.

Maybe… maybe…

Have faith… have hope. It won't kill you.

But the whole reason why I was in this mess was because I had hope to see tomorrow. *snickering* It killed me once I'm surprise if it will kill me again.

Aharg ~ not this again! Ehehe~

Life was never so lonely for quite some time.