~Shadmé~

I was furious was a bit of an understatement.

This chaos goddess had been playing with my emotions for far too long. How dare she slay my friends, trap me, then turn around and say it was all a ruse? Nobody understood how much the two angels and the goddess meant to me. No one. Without them, I felt alone, empty and hollow. I felt things reminiscent of my three years trapped in the nightmare. I had vowed to never lose the light. I had vowed to free myself from hopelessness, and be the friend and savior the world needed me to be.

I had to kill Eris. She was the one bringing me sorrow. It was the only thought keeping me together. Because if I didn't, then the reality of my situation would sink into my veins and numb me from the inside out. I would collapse under the weight of everyone's expectations. I would be nothing.

And that was my fear. Phantom Orcos had assured me, over and over, that my existence was meaningless. That nobody cared about me. That I didn't deserve to live. Somehow, a scrap of me had been able to resist his torture, and that was how I'd survived. But I knew that if I didn't find my friends and slay Eris, then I'd fall back into that dark place. Phosphora and Viridi would not be able to save me once more.

"Shadmé." Eris' frail, wispy voice echoed through the castle. "Do you know how to kill a god?"

"Yes, yes I do," I growled. "You put your blade through his heart and let him bleed himself dry."

Eris sighed. "Gods are powerful, Shadmé. That will not kill a god."

"It worked for Hades." Enemies that seemed like spheres covered in mouths spun down the halls, cackling wildly. I dodged as they lunged forwards to bite, then fixed my blades into a bow. I sniped them from a distance.

"No, it did not. Hades is still alive."

I let out an irritated shout as the creatures dodged my attacks.

"Gods cannot be killed with weapons. Their skins cannot be pierced, their minds cannot be shattered. However… you can kill a god without even touching them. Strange, isn't it?"

"I don't see what your psychological speeches have to do with anything." I got in a lucky charged shot, finishing off two of the monsters at once. The other one fled. I continued jogging down another hall.

"It may help you understand my motives. But as I was saying… gods are killed when they are forgotten." My spine stiffened. "When not a person remembers their name… when nobody knows their homes exist… when the identities of the residents of the domains are lost to time… that is when a god begins to slip. The god fades. The god loses power. Soon, the god's element is gone, left open for the control for the next willing taker. Or, in some cases… that element ceases to exist."

My heart was beating so loudly that I didn't know how Eris didn't hear it. "Shadmé, at any time, you could come upstairs and take my life. I won't fight it; for a boss like me, battles are inevitable. At first, it may seem customary: hearts will scatter across the floor, you'll cheer in victory, my remains will not have the power to keep the beings of chaos together, and you will be free to leave. You may explore further and find your friends. Though I'll still be here. It may take time to revive, but I will.

"However, when your goddess friends return, and they ask you about your battle with me, you have two choices. You could save my life: you could tell Viridi, "I defeated Eris, the goddess of chaos, and it was a good fight," then tell Liberis everything you know about this realm so she can write her book. My existence would be guaranteed. I would be remembered. Preserved.

"Or, you could truly kill me. Forever. You could tell them, instead, "It doesn't matter. I have Pit, Dark and Palutena now- it'll all go back to normal!" You could disregard my entire existence. Everyone else would forget about me. After all, all I am is just another villain, right?" She laughed bitterly. "I'll bet you anything POD would go out of his way to destroy anything or anyone that knows about me, as punishment for my failure.

"Shadmé, you hold my life in your hands. For me, too much is at stake. I have seen things erased by time, and I know things undocumented by the most ancient scrolls. At first, I thought I had to do anything to make you understand that I can not die. Now? Perhaps I'm loosening up in the face of death. I do not care what you choose. Not anymore. But please, be aware of the bigger picture. Nobody is single-faced. All things hold purpose. All people fight for reason. I know you do, too."

We stood in silence, the pulse of the old castle seemingly more intense than before. Eris' words had shaken me, as I was sure she'd intended. I knew I had to stay strong, defeat her, and complete my mission, but I was hesitant to raise the Asimi Bow this time. I knew what it was like to not want to be forgotten…

"S...show me my friends…" I whispered. My weapon dropped to the ground, sticking in the soft floor. I barely even registered this until I flexed my hand and found no weapon there. "That is my purpose. And I c-can't trust you until I know for sure you've kept your word…"

Eris sighed, the sound weary. "A Bombus will show you." One floated down the hall, wiggling in place in front of me. I flinched away from its face.

"Oh. Sorry about that. Let me help." Each tooth from the Bombus was pulled free from its mouth, as if by an invisible force. My eye twitched with each yank, but the Bombus didn't seem to feel any pain. The teeth orbited around it, remaining far away from me.

The Bombus' mouth erupted into static, then the image cleared. I tentatively crept closer, then stopped a moment, in thought. Casting a suspicious look at the suspended teeth, I grabbed my bow and then moved up to its mouth.

Inside the screen, I saw the bodies of Pit, Dark and Palutena, each filling me with relief. Of course, I knew there was no way to prove that they were still alive right now, since Bombuses only kept and stored memories, but just the sight of them make me feel slightly more calm. Their faces were lit up by luminescent melon-like clusters, but all around them was darkness. It appeared as if a slight wind was stirring in the area, because I could see the bangs on their heads shifting slightly. Perhaps it was a liquid- some bubbles floated in front of the Bombus' screen. The glowing clusters occasionally pulsed dimly, showing that my friends' were safely cocooned, limbs wrapped in a web-like material.

"I hope you can trust me now." The Bombus' mouth snapped shut. The teeth orbiting it flew straight into the Bombus' body, destroying it. "The chaos protecting them has been in place for three years," Eris said after a slight hesitation. "I'm afraid that my weakening grip on it combined with this length of time means that the only way you can free them…" she inhaled softly, "would be to defeat me."

"Eris…" I whimpered.

"Do not worry. Maybe I deserve it. I've made plenty of bad decisions, and it has brought you and I plenty of pain. But you know the only thing I ask of you." A new flashy creature appeared, beckoned to me, then zipped down the hall. "Follow this one. It will take you to me."

I wanted to be mad. I wanted the ice formerly crusting around my heart to return. But it was melting, leaking out of my eyes…

I wiped a tear away and followed the chaos creature.

We briskly walked down the halls, twisting and turning. The castle became stranger and stranger the farther we went in. For one, the creature lead me up a wall, and as I hesitantly tailed it, I found that the whole room had become circular in shape. Gravity and physics seemed not to exist. I felt somewhat grateful that Eris was taking me to her place, because I would've had no idea otherwise. At the same time, I still couldn't believe that this goddess was willing to give up everything, pay the ultimate sacrifice...for the one chance that she would be remembered. It hurt me, on some other level, to be placed this trust. For the last time someone had trusted me, I had betrayed them...and now they were here, stuck and alone…

But I had to fix that. Even if Palutena, Pit and Dark hated me when they awoke, I had to do this. The world was in peril, and would remain as such unless the forces of light rose up once more.

...Assuming I'd be able to take down Eris in the first place.

What would Pit do? I admired the angel greatly, and desperately wished to seek his input. He was a true hero, despite his childish façade. Nobody else I knew took on problems bigger than himself with a smile and a quip or two. Though our start had been rough, and there had been uneasy patches in between, we'd come through it all as good friends. He carried and led the team while I soared behind, covering his tail. Our styles meshed and intermingled to create solidity. I trusted him more than anyone else. I knew that his idol was the goddess he served, and after this, he might never feel anything towards me again, but I owed it to Pit to bring him and his friends back. If I had to disappear afterwards to make him content again, then so be it.

Pit would want me to be strong, I thought to myself. At least, I hope. He wouldn't ever give up, and he would always look for the best in everything. Gods, I'll never be half the angel he is…

I could barely bring myself to smile. What would Eris think of me if I laughed in the battle? But maybe she wouldn't mind. Perhaps she needed a smile before...before I…

The air felt suffocating the farther up I walked. It was as if the darkness had arms, clawing me away from Eris' lair. "This is the difficult part," I heard Eris tell me telepathically. "I can feel where you are. But I know where you are and I believe in you."

"Why do you want to die?!" I choked out.

"Sometimes you come to understand that sacrifices must be made for the greater good," she replied.

"YOU are the greater good!" I gasped, the pressure tearing into my stomach. I patted my stomach, feeling nothing, but trying to imagine away the feeling of a thousand tiny cutting knives. "All lives can be saved! Yours is precious, too!"

Eris went quiet for a moment. "Do not feel any sympathy for me," she finally spoke. "This is your life and their lives against mine. If you defeat me now and do as I told you, then I can revive, like a phoenix."

I tore through the sucking patch of darkness, coming out on the other side. Panting, I looked around at both sides. Both of them seemed long and endless, twisting in paths far beyond what my mind could comprehend. In the window-like structures, a couple creatures winked at me.

"Go up," said Eris.

"Up?" I looked in said direction to see nothing but a ceiling.

"Yes. It is an illusion. Naught but a fraction of my power. If you step now, the stairs will lead you to me."

I did as the goddess of chaos said, and found that I could indeed scale the invisible stairs. As I approached the ceiling, I held a breath, thinking that I would bump straight into it. Instead, I phased right through. The new room around me swirled around in new colors, then faded into white. When the colors returned, they brought the scent of ancient wood. Another illusion was at work, I supposed, as the room transformed into what appeared to be an attic of some kind.

Across from me, the goddess of chaos made herself visible at last. At first, I merely saw what appeared to be the silhouette of a woman, chained up to the walls by the wispy little threads, similar to how Pit, Dark and Palutena had been. The webs tied the goddess up by her wrists and ankles, also hanging out of her hair- a dark navy shade intermingled with colored strands- and wings, which appeared butterfly-like. She opened her eyes as I approached, or should I say eye, a singular orb glowing red. She stretched her jaw and stepped away from the wall, black shawl swishing as she walked. Except for her monstrous face, she seemed regal as any other goddess, in some way.

"Hello, Shadmé," she greeted. "Allow me to introduce you to me formally. Don't be afraid." She grinned, sharp teeth clacking. "Or do be. I do not mind. I am Eris, goddess of chaos and discord!"

I took up a battle pose, trying to reassure myself that I could make this work. Eris' appearance had given me a scare initially. "And I am Shadmé, s-servant to the goddess of light. In the name of all I fight for, I will take you down."

Both of us could tell I wasn't too enthusiastic. But Eris kindly didn't mention that. Her shimmering wings snapped open as she leapt high above me, unleashing a rain of wiggling eyeballs.

Despite her fragile condition and fading appearance, I realized quickly that Eris was no slouch. I dodged her initial move, only for the eyeballs to accelerate in speed and home in, tendons and veins trailing off. Guiding the eyes to a wall, I leapt out of the way just in time, as the projectiles collided with the wall. I shot a few stray arrows at the levitating goddess, her teeth clacking in thought as she watched me move.

"You look worried," I commented, despite my churning stomach. A dark cyclone erupted from the ground, and I hastily scrambled out of the way to avoid it. "Lighten up, will you? I know you're fighting to the death, but uh…"

Eris got what I was trying to say, and gave me a small smile in response. "How about this?" The cyclone changed from a black color to bright orange. Tiny little insects flew out from the top, and I had to be careful as I tried to deflect them back at her in clumps. "Light enough for you?"

"Thanks a lot," I joked. A couple of the insects had hit me, but it didn't hurt as badly as I thought it would. I had a feeling that back in the day, Eris had been quite the fearsome goddess. Her attacks still had the scare factor, but otherwise…

She'd only used two attacks, but already she was hunched over, trying to catch her breath. I felt a flash of pity, and tried to put my bow away, but she held up a hand. "No. Keep on fighting. I can feel it slip away…"

I stepped to the side slower, trying to give Eris an easier target. She rolled her eye at me, but still fought back all the same. I couldn't believe I was trying to let the boss hit me. Eris was right. This was chaos- anything could happen.

I used a backward charged shot, effectively leaping backwards as claw-like darts pierced the floor where I'd formerly been. Eris could barely dodge the powerful shot, and lost some of her height. She blinked intently at me. "Wait… there's another thing I must tell you…"

I paused my attack, curious. It could be a trap, but somehow, I doubted that…

"You have amnesia, right?"

I froze. "Er…yes."

"Do you see that mirror behind you?" She pointed with a finger. I glanced over one shoulder, noticed the dusty mirror, then quickly turned back. She hadn't attacked me like I thought she would have. That would've been the oldest trick in the book. I felt grateful Eris hadn't played me for a fool.

"Mirrors have been used throughout time for many purposes. Enchantments, hexes… the Mirror of Truth you know has been cursed for the purpose of creating dark clones of those that stand before it."

"Dark clones?" I spread my black-and-red wings. "So Dark and Lightmé aren't reflections of the darkness in us? They were just created for evil?"

"Perhaps." Eris shrugged aimlessly. "I didn't place the curse- maybe it does as you say. My memory's gone rusty for some things."

That didn't ease my sudden anxiety, but I kept silent in order to hear what her next words would be.

She beckoned me to continue fighting, and gestured to a "window" with a tilt of her head. Some of the chaos creatures were gone, letting the light of outside in. If there were patches in her blockade, then telepathic communication might be able to reach us.

POD might hear us.

I fired some more arrows, but purposely didn't hit Eris as she continued to speak. She did the same, sending an arc of liquid above my head that splattered and sizzled across the opposite wall. "I've heard of a mirror that gives you insight into the past. It may aid you if you wish to seek the history you have lost."

I stumbled. "R-really?" POD had promised me my past, and had obviously not followed up on that. It seemed strange that there actually was a mirror that would do as he said. It was also stupid and naïve of me to trust another person that claimed to be able to help me find my past, but…

Our attacks collided in midair. Eris wasn't able to hold it for too long, however, and both attacks surged straight into her chest. She toppled against the back wall, clothes torn and wings losing their glow. "Eris!" I shouted, running over. My heart was racing. I didn't mean to hurt you like that! Don't die! And don't fade away without telling me where the mirror is!

Light was pouring in the room now. Eris was losing her chaotic grip, causing the hazy darkness outside to churn and fade into more soothing colors. The monsters of the outside were fleeing, leaving us open for whatever forces wished to peer in.

"The Mirror of Memory," Eris whispered to me as I moved closer, trembling. "It's in a canyon…a very turbulent canyon. The opening of its cavern was blocked by rockfall. You will find it there…" She shook herself quickly as she tried to tell me everything I needed to know. "Your friends are downstairs- keep moving down. Take a left, right, right, then right again. You may think you'll be where you started, but they will be there. I promise. I've opened a portal out down there. Be quick."

"I...I won't forget you, Eris," I vowed, voice growing shaky the more difficult the words were for her to say. "I won't let POD erase you."

"Thank you…" With that, the goddess' body disappeared, leaving behind a glowing purple flame that flashed with other colors. I was sure that it was Eris' essence.

Like Dark had done to Pandora, I could take her powers right here and now.

I didn't have time to spare, but I couldn't help but gaze deeply into the flame. Tentatively, I stepped closer…

~.~.~

"Shadmé!"

Viridi watched the angel jolt, as if snapped out of a daze. "Viridi..?"

"I'm here too!" Liberis cheered. Shadmé smiled in relief. "Good to have you two back."

"You seem...unusually happy," Viridi noted hesitantly. Though her grief for the demise of Pit, Palutena and Dark had been deep, it had quickly been offset by panic as Shadmé disappeared into the lair of the goddess of chaos. That goddess had completely blocked out her every telepathic attempt.

Shadmé took one last look at the purple flames beside her, then frowned. "Don't mention that. Not now." Steeling herself, the angel took off downwards, moving through the floor. In confusion, Viridi watched her go. "Sorry, Shadmé. I didn't mean to bring up such-"

"The goddess of chaos is Eris," Shadmé choked out, all in a rush. "Don't blame her. I didn't mean to hurt her, but I did what I had to…"

"Are you kidding?" Viridi exclaimed. "She killed- I mean, after what she did…I'm going to go after her myself, if you won't!" Viridi clenched her fists.

"I didn't know you were so attached," Liberis spoke in sympathy. "But perhaps I was wrong. After all, Dark was your commander, Palutena was your best friend and Pit was your boyfriend."

"Was not!" Viridi huffed, flushing red. "I don't care about any of them! I'm just concerned about the balance of the world."

"I think you've been reading too much fanfiction, Liberis," Shadmé snorted. "Or writing it. Who knows?"

"Speaking of writing," Liberis chirped, ignoring the insult, "I've still got my quill and scroll and hand! Tell me everything you know!"

Viridi let out a long sigh. Liberis was being even more scatterbrained than usual. "Liberis, that's not important."

"Actually, it is." Viridi tilted her head when Shadmé's reply came in.

"Yesss! Point one for Liberis!" the goddess of the library cheered.

"This place is the Chaos Colony, or as it was known in ancient times, the Realm of Chaos," Shadmé explained. Viridi dubiously watched her dash down the halls, taking many sharp turns as dark mists lunged at her from the edges. She hoped the dark angel knew where she was going…

"The other realm is the Realm of Order, which split into Skyworld, Overworld and Underworld when the goddess of order faded away," Shadmé continued. "Chaos is an unpredictable environment. Any forces you can imagine fight here for dominance. It's kind of like space, except more absent in terms of gravity and physics. Physically, a majority of this place seems to be black and misty, only lit by small, melon-like clusters of green light that seem to mature on long, vertically-growing vines. There is no end to the up, down or sides. Creatures of all kinds reside here, united only by Eris' power. Most seem to take on one-eyed, bug-like forms with wisps trailing off them."

"Ooh! This is great!" Liberis practically squealed, her pen surely moving like lightning as it made scritching noises against the scroll.

"I fail to see how this is important," Viridi mumbled. "I really should be getting you out of here."

"I fought Eris." Shadmé swallowed, then continued. "She is- was- a regal goddess with long navy hair and a single eye. She was garbed in modest black dress with armor underneath, and levitated with butterfly wings. She used attacks of varying natures. She was brave in the face of her demise and did everything she could to help me."

"Help you? Um, are you insane?" Viridi was trembling at such a description. "Need I remind you that she killed your friends? Lied to you? All that stuff a goddess should never do if she wants your trust?"

"Stop talking, Viridi, I'm trying to get all this down."

"Shut it, Liberis!" Viridi spat.

"Viridi, don't yell at me or Liberis. I know this is hard to understand now, but look here."

Viridi snapped back to her bird's-eye-view of Shadmé's location. She couldn't believe her eyes. Here, in front of her, laid Palutena, Pit and Dark. And even this far away, she could still sense the pulse of life.

"Wh-"

"I'm coming, Viridi!" Shadmé shouted, spreading her arms across their bodies. "There's a portal behind me to Order! It's Eris' final goodbye. Help me reach your Sanctuary, on the double, before the Chaos Colony collapses!"

Both goddesses were shocked into silence via the sudden, major turn of events. But Viridi managed to calibrate their location just in time, before the vortex behind Shadmé sucked her and the others in, and Viridi's connection to Chaos went dark.

Viridi's head spun. Though her eyes were closed, she knew that if she'd open them, she'd find the knotted, wooden walls of her sanctuary, a delicate array of ancient trees that had been wound together and shaped many eons ago. She just had to wait, let go of all her fear and worry, and hope things would return to normal long enough for her to bring everyone back.

"Viridi?"

"Yes, Liberis?" The silence had been broken; Liberis' connection was strong. Speaking from her library to the sanctuary was a much easier task for the librarian goddess.

"Oh good, just making sure you were there. I was hoping you could tell me what just happened- I'm still writing a book, y'know."

"Yeah. Well. I just saw all the people who I thought were dead return to me in a span of seconds. If that's not pure chaos, I don't know what is." Viridi sighed, her sarcasm being laid on thickly. She knew Liberis would not be able to detect it, but she honestly didn't care. She was tired. Shadmé's expedition had drained her. She felt that she should be eager to see them, or even angry, but she was just exhausted.

Making her way downstairs, all was quiet. She counted the rooms to Shadmé's- three down, two more, one…

There she was. The dark angel peered over all three shapes, never spending her full attention on one, shifting heads or arms or wings so they were laying most comfortably. Finally, Shadmé noticed Viridi, but she barely seemed to change. "Will they…are they…"

"Give it a few moments," Viridi said. "Eris' hold on them is fading away."

Indeed it was. Palutena was the first to awaken, though she'd been the last to go in. Viridi wondered if it was because she was a goddess, therefore making her soul most sturdy. As she sat up, color began returning to her cheeks, and her eyes became more focused.

Shadmé's hand twitched, and she stepped forward, like she'd run forward and hug Palutena or something. Instead, she opted to fall on one knee, head bowing in shame and apology, moving before the goddess could get a single word in. "Lady Palutena...I don't deserve your mercy. I made an awful decision, and I know I'm probably the last person you want to see. I'm sorry...well, sorry isn't enough, but I'll offer to do anything you ask of me, if it would make it up to you. Words can't express my shame- I've felt guilty since the moment I stepped out of your temple." Shadmé took a breath, her last sentence coming out as a hint of an exhale: "Please don't hate me…"

Viridi and Palutena watched the dark angel's performance with a unified confusion. But neither could speak; movement caught Viridi's eye, and she saw that the other angels were waking from their slumbers.

"Lady Palutena?" Pit asked sleepily, blue eyes seeming to shimmer as the light met them. "Am I alive? What happened?"

"We were killed, you dope," Dark grunted next, forcing himself up. As soon as he was able to properly inspect the space around him, a single eyebrow raised in wonder. "Well. Of course this is where angels would go if they die. Of course."

"You're not dead," Viridi told him bluntly. "If what Shadmé says is true."

"Shadmé?" Pit seemed slightly more alert now, peering around the room. Viridi grimly watched him find her, Shadmé seeming like a melted shadow as she crouched. Pit leapt off his bed and crept over to her, resting a hand on her shoulder pad. "Are you alright?"

Though her head was not raised, Viridi heard a bit of a sniffle come from Shadmé. She gently drew a hand across her face, then looked up. "I...I should be asking you, Pit…"

Pit practically leapt at her, wrapping Shadmé into a hug. "It's you! You're really back! Pittoo thought you left us for good!"

"I couldn't do that…" Shadmé whimpered, wings trembling. Viridi, though, knew how close Shadmé had been from disappearing forever, if she had never found her in the Labyrinth…

"H-hey! I never said any such thing," Dark protested, standing up. He seemed to be testing his legs, making sure everything was really alright. Pit dragged Shadmé over to him and Palutena, declared, "Group hug!" and pretty much shoved them all into each other.

"I'm feeling the gratitude, truly I am," Viridi remarked sarcastically, watching them have their big melodramatic reunion. "I'm glad you saps are back, and still sappy as ever. Now you should go and be all sappy in Palutena's Temple so you don't pollute my Sanctuary with your sap."

When the four had parted, Palutena turned on Viridi. "So, care telling us what went down? In case you haven't noticed, I do believe my temple was destroyed by a black hole of chaos. And I do mean that literally."

"What happened to you?" Viridi responded evenly. "After the angels went kaput, you should've found a place to take refuge. Your element of light is more than a little important to maintaining the heavenly balance!"

"Well, after that goddess stole my angels, she decided to take my temple, too. And I was still in it." Palutena shrugged, seemingly a lighthearted motion, but Viridi noticed the tension in her shoulders.

"Glad we cleared up that mystery, eh, Shadmé?" Viridi asked her. Shadmé jumped, nervous about being acknowledged. "Go ahead, Shadmé. I give you permission to speak." Viridi rolled her eyes, intending she was not serious about permission. An angel shouldn't need permission to speak!

"Well, er...where do I begin?" Shadmé turned to Viridi for guidance.

"Wherever you feel is best."

Shadmé frowned, clearly intent on Viridi giving her a launching point. "Alright, well...it's been three years."

The three divinities opposite them reeled with shock. "This really was another Chaos Kin incident, wasn't it?" Pit confirmed. Dark and Palutena were oddly silent.

Shadmé told them about how she was found by Viridi, and how the nature goddess had taken her to the Great Library to investigate the portal. She continued talking about Liberis, Orcos, and the Underworld before Viridi interrupted her.

"You're going to have to tell them about Li-"

Shadmé flashed her a pleading glance. "I know, but if I say that now, they won't listen through the rest of the explanation."

"Li-who?" Pit asked curiously. Shadmé's wings drooped, meeting his eyes but not speaking of Lightmé further. "Anyway, after going to the library, we went to the portal. The goddess of chaos was there to greet us. She told us you three were dead."

"...Well," was all Pit had to say.

"Afterwards, Viridi dropped me off at the base of her castle, and when I went in, she blocked off the rest of the castle so that- so that I couldn't be reached." Shadmé stumbled slightly, but continued. "She told me her name was Eris, and she had actually saved your lives because she knew that if you died, she was cutting off her link to the outside world. She's a fading goddess- if she is forgotten by the rest of the world, then she will be gone forever."

"What was the point of capturing us, then?" Dark snapped, annoyed. "We could've turned back around and told the world all about her, if that's what she wanted!"

"Because," Shadmé answered softly, "then POD would have made her legacy disappear himself."

A brief silence. "Shadmé, who is POD?" It was Palutena's first direct statement to Shadmé.

Shadmé flinched. "I don't know."

"Shadmé…" Viridi warned her. Dark was giving Shadmé a killer glare, one Viridi had never seen on him.

"I don't know, okay?" Shadmé burst out, looking more anxious than ever before. "All I know is that he persuaded me into rebuilding the Mirror of Truth!"

"You did what?" Dark asked, hands curling into fists. "Do you know how dangerous that thing is?"

"He didn't tell me that's what I was doing!" Shadmé wailed, desperate.

"I told you not to listen to POD!" Dark shouted back.

"Hey-" Viridi began. How does Dark know about POD?

Pit beat her to a question. "Pittoo, do you know who POD is?" he asked, raising his voice.

Dark's eyes flashed. "Evil."

"Never mind that." Though quieter than the rest of their voices, Palutena had managed to silence the rest of the room. "We'll take things one step at a time. Shadmé...what happened when you looked into the Mirror of Truth?"

The voyage to the vortex may be over, but this chaos arc has one more chapter before it's concluded! Shadmé needs to reconcile with her old allies, and the trust they shared before needs to return. Things may have been easy before, but we'll see how it goes now that there's betrayal, lies and three years between them.

I also mentioned the Mirror of Memory. Yes, no more tricks, I'm gonna have it be the real deal. I don't usually give away plot details like that, but I'd like to warn you now- I'm still not going to be giving away Shadmé's full background. You'll get a paraphrased version, most likely. I'll actually be writing a separate story that takes place before FoLaD so I can explain it in detail. Her backstory wouldn't make sense in a Kid Icarus setting, and I don't wanna have to bend things more than what's realistic for the fandom/genre. Just wanted to get that out there! I know it's disappointing, but trust me on this one, a separate story would be much more satisfying.

In other news, I reinforced chapters two and three! Remember when I updated the first chapter a while back? The three aren't as long as I'd like them to be yet, but for now, I'm much more pleased with them. I didn't add anything new that you guys would need to know- just more dialogue, monologue and improved transitions. Mostly.

In other other news, The Fire Unleashed updated is back! For those that read it and missed the update, there's a bright and shiny new chapter waiting for you.

In other other other news, school's begun again. I don't mind, tbh. Heck, I'm even happy! I have two art classes and choir, which I've been wanting together for years. Years...weird to think that FoLaD has been going on for years, huh?

GameboyNinjaUltimate Icarus: That's a god's prime weakness, for sure! And honestly, it's true for anybody. If you don't do anything to make a name for yourself, you will be forgotten. Pretty much dead. That's why I published FoLaD instead of keeping it to myself, haha! I was eager for the world to meet Shadmé. Hopefully she has a long, long legacy ahead of her!

WaterStar45: Oh yeah! That thing. I always forget it exists, lol.

Okay, thanks for the warning! In some ways, I find her sense of comedic timing...interesting when Liberis pops out unwarranted, but I'll definitely keep that in mind to nudge her away from the heavy stuff.

Let me say I love your Shadmé/Lightmé VS Pit/Dark analysis! I feel like I should frame it and hang it on my wall! You're very right. Shadmé isn't perfect, and thus, Lightmé is very far from perfect. Shadmé idolizes Pit though, and while his goodness may seem hyperbolized, his ability to see good in all, I believe, was a major factor in swaying Dark to a morally correct viewpoint. Shadmé will be unable to achieve that understanding with Lightmé, which is why they'll likely be rivals for all their lives.

BettyTheSeraph: A "villain's" perspective is quite telling, no? Truth is, Shadmé sees red when her friends are threatened. I can be the same way- one time, I heard someone insulting a friend of mine at school, and I literally had that thing happen where all the noise around you seems to blur together. It's yet another fault to her (and my) personality. I never wanted to create the perfect protagonist, but all the same, I didn't want to create an angsty, cringey dark angel, either.

Hey, that's awesome! Yeah, I love Conquest because of how dark it is. Smile through the tears, Shadmé... I do like Subaki, Hinoka and Kagero from Hoshido, though. And Silas. NEVER FORGET SILAS-

I've been playing wherever I can! I recently walked home from school and just left my phone on while I waked. I caught a Geodude that way. All the other Geodude I had I got from eggs...

Lightmé has a lot of development to go, I'll just say that!

FuryDragon136: Niiice, ahaha. And thanks! Yup, Greek mythology is so intricate that at this point, I figure I'm gonna have to build some of my own lore, too.

AAAAH DARK'S BACK *shoves into A/N room*

Dark: What in the name of Skyworld?

Pit: Hi guys!

GREETINGS PUNY ANGEL!

Dark: What...but you're shorter than me!

I totally wasn't told to tell you that. Also, hey Pit! Rate the Power of Flight on a scale of one to seventeen!

Pit: Uh, why?

Just do it!

Pit: Okay! Fifty!

Good enough. To answer your question, I don't think Phosphora is a goddess, no. She's a wanderer! Though she has lightning powers, when you get down to it, she's subordinate to Viridi. The game doesn't provide enough evidence to prove Phosphora as a goddess.

RandomButLoved: Whoo-hoo! A fan of Eris! I think I've covered the concept of being forgotten decently heavily, but if I could create an opportunity where a god gets forgotten and replaced, that would be even better, I think. Potential one-shot AU idea? Who knows!

ZygardeZeta: EEEEE NINJAsk's here! :D *throws fanfiction guide at face even though is probably ineffective due to the fact is trying to throw a nonexistent guide through a phone*

Thank you highly! It means a lot. Also, congrats on giving FoLaD its 200th review! Cheers!