Shedding my human form in favor of my towering deific one, I reappear in Paradiso, flashing back into being a few dozen feet above one of this realm's many miniature floating islands. This particular drifting chunk of terrain appears even more elaborate than most, including a multicolored river suspended in the sky like a displaced aurora, a pair of hanging garden-like structures covered in truly fantastical-looking plant life, and numerous smaller sub-islands drifting about with completely different orientations and gravity from the mainland.
...all of which I utterly ignore, as examining my surroundings in greater detail is the furthest thing from my mind at the moment.
It's such an obvious solution that I can't believe I didn't think of it immediately. I already knew Balder's resurrection ritual didn't work properly after all, and not just because Bayonetta got pulled out of it midway through — due to the way the sage went about his plan, I only have a fraction of Jubileus's original power right now, the rest presumably having been taken from her when she was sealed away. Hell, that might even be how she was sealed away, come to think of it.
However, while that power may have been taken from her, it still had to go somewhere. Angelic energy doesn't simply evaporate just because nothing is physically containing it after all, as plainly demonstrated by how it tends to spill out and solidify into metal halos upon any given angel's death. So, where is the rest of Jubileus's former power?
Well, scattered all throughout Paradiso, apparently! Balder really screwed up by not reviving me in the realm of the angels — in forgoing that crucial step, all the power which should have automatically returned to me in the process failed to do so, because it was an entire realm of reality away. Though perhaps that was by design, depending on how much control Balder expected to have over me- er, her...?
I shake my head, resolving to figure out a better way to delineate between myself and the original Jubileus later.
Regardless, while it may not have returned to me during my "rebirth", there shouldn't be anything stopping me from simply locating all that lost energy and manually re-absorbing it now that I'm awake. Doing so should eventually get me back to a more "natural" state of being, at which point I should cease being effectively dependent on the Right Eye of Light, and thus be able to extract it (and the accompanying elderly sage/evil chaos god spirit) from myself without going comatose again.
...er, assuming that I can safely remove the Right Eye on my own, that is. Come to think of it, considering how deeply tied into my being said Eye currently is, that's not something I feel would be a good idea to try and brute force. I might actually need to get Loki to do it for me, as he's the one with Sovereign Power, AKA the extremely specific ability to freely manipulate the Eyes of the World...
Is that really the best solution though?
I take a moment to consider the idea. Despite the Right Eye's refusal to tell me anything about him, I still know from the games that Loki should be in the city of Noatun on Christmas Eve this year — or at least I assume it's this year — trying to make his way to the nearby mountain of Fimbulventr. That would make him fairly easy to locate, and I imagine I could also convince him to help me without much trouble, as I have the answers he wants regarding his own identity and history to bargain with. Though, I doubt that I'd even need them, as I see no reason Loki wouldn't jump at the chance to either destroy the Right Eye or take it for himself, especially with Loptr after him-
My mood abruptly plummets as I realize something I hadn't yet considered — specifically, just how much of the second game's plot I've undoubtedly derailed through simple virtue of "not being dead". Most alarmingly, without Inferno starting to act up, Bayonetta will likely never have any reason to head to Fimbulventr herself, meaning that Loki might now be at risk of getting successfully kidnapped by the Loptr of the present (and isn't that an entire other can of worms) just hours after he first shows up. That in turn could potentially spell complete disaster, especially if there's no one around to even try and stop it from happening...
I sigh. In other words, it doesn't really matter if I want to seek Loki out. In order to clean up the mess I've likely made of the future, I'm essentially obligated to do so one way or the other.
That being said, there's still one major problem: it's currently late September. Loki's reappearance in the timestream won't be happening until nearly three months from now, far too long for me to wait on defusing the potential ticking time bomb currently residing in my face. If the Right Eye is somehow still an issue at that point, I'll gladly ask Loki's help in ridding myself of it — but in all likelihood, I'm just going to have to risk performing the extraction myself.
I frown. Speaking of risks, taking back Jubileus's former power is likely going to be one in and of itself. Even if it genuinely helps me regain my strength — my quite literal Godliness, in fact — the fact that the Right Eye confirmed this plan was even possible means that I can't be totally certain Loptr isn't deliberately pushing me to act on it. After all, the more power I take back, the more he'll presumably have to use for himself if he manages to steal my mind or body out from under me... but, even if that is the case, I feel as though this is still worth doing. Rodin was the one to first suggest the idea after all, not the Eye, and while I'm still not sure if I'm planning on sticking around long term, I'll need to do this anyways if I want to leave. And if I end up deciding to stay...
Well, nothing wrong with a little forward-thinking.
I clap my hands together, disregarding the small shock wave that doing so produces. Now then, before I go traipsing about Paradiso like I own the place (even if I technically now do), there are a few relevant questions I think I need answered first. Additionally, while I don't think I'll be completely ceasing my use of it any time soon, I'd rather not risk using the Right Eye as my sole source of information anymore, at least not unless I can figure out a way to verify it's not being influenced by anyone other than myself.
Luckily, at least for the purposes of my current goals, I have many alternative options.
IEHUSOZ OD BUSDIR, NIIS KURES
(Grace and Glory, come forth.)
In the same instant the final syllable falls from my lips, a pair of identical angelic sigils appear in front of me at roughly chest level, accompanied by a pair of deep, bell-like chimes. A figure swathed in crimson flames leaps free of the one on the left, while a similar figure cloaked in sapphire lightning springs forth from the one on the right. Landing upon their lingering sigils as though they were solid platforms, the two of them bow to me as deeply as their already stooped body structures will allow.
Grace and Glory, the escorts of God. Certainly not the most knowledgeable of the myriad angels I could have called upon, but two of the most personally faithful to me — or at least, so I'm told.
Hail, oh supreme Creator, whose light shall burn away the sinful. the pair speaks in tandem, their growling voices low and guttural from apparent lack of use. You have need of us?
I nod. Indeed I do.
I hesitate for a moment, hoping that this isn't a mistake. Loyalty aside, I chose Grace and Glory for this primarily because even if they notice any "oddities" about me, they seem like some of least likely angels to go around spreading heavenly gossip about it after the fact, especially as they clearly don't speak all that much to begin with. In fact, I'm inclined to believe that they'll dismiss anything I say or do as simply being part of my grand design anyways, meaning I really shouldn't have too much to worry about here — but, as established, the Right Eye is too questionable for me to completely put my trust in its assurances, meaning that this is still going to be a gamble.
...too late for me to back out now though, so screw it.
I have several questions regarding the current state of Paradiso. I state imperiously, trying to keep "in character". You two are going to answer them for me.
Grace and Glory glance at each other for a moment, their movements as in sync with each other as their voices, then back up at me.
We shall do so to the best of our ability. they reply.
I smile, internally relieved. Good — even though that was essentially a tacit admission that I'm not as all-knowing as they presumably expect of me, their unwillingness to question God seems to be working in my favor after all.
First of all, who exactly has been ruling this realm in my absence?
I expect that I already know at least part of the answer here, but I'd prefer to be certain, especially considering how important this is likely to be in my immediate future.
Paradiso has had no true ruler since your sealing. the twin angels state. In the interim, your realm has been governed by the remaining highest, the Auditio and the Visus.
The Visus? I ask before I can stop myself.
...whoops. Probably shouldn't have said that — there's a difference between asking things that I'd only reasonably know about right now by way of omniscience, and asking things that Jubileus should probably already know regardless.
Thankfully, despite how I'm mentally kicking myself over the question, Grace and Glory react as hoped, giving no indication whatsoever of finding the query odd as they respond.
The trinity of Fides, Spes, and Caritas continue to oversee Paradiso's furthest reaches. they elaborate. They have awaited your resurrection perhaps moreso than any others.
Fides, Spes, and Caritas... Faith, Hope, and Charity?
Moving past my minor mistake, I make a mental note to look more into these "Visus" later, and perhaps even pay them a visit at some point. If there are other angels of even close to the same rank and importance as the Auditio, I probably need to know more about them, especially if they've been waiting for me to return for reasons beyond those which I've already heard.
What of the war against Inferno? I ask, moving on. What progress have we made?
At that, the elements cloaking the twin angels' gauntlets surge, seemingly responding to the near-tangible waves of anger now practically radiating off the pair.
None whatsoever. they growl with barely-repressed fury. The shattering of the True Reality has locked us into a loathesomely eternal stalemate. Our inability to launch a direct assault on the demons' realm leaves us unable to make lasting progress, though their equal impotence to enter ours ensures they make none against us in turn.
My brow raises behind my mask. Inability?
I scan my memory, draw a blank, ask a question, and- ah, I see. Barring exceptional circumstances or temporary summonings, angels cannot enter Inferno, and demons cannot enter Paradiso. That's...
Wow, that explains a lot, actually. Particularly why the angels would want the Trinity of Realities re-merged to begin with — "rightful rule of the universe" aside, they can't truly conduct their war against Inferno whilst it remains a separate realm, due to an inherent inability to access that realm themselves. They can fight and skirmish in Purgatorio all they want, but the moment that the demons decide to retreat, the angels have no choice but to do the same, because they physically can't cross the line into their enemies' own home turf...
And apparently, it works in the opposite direction as well.
I find myself having to hold back a grin. This is good — excellent, actually. I'd expected this heaven-and-hellish feud to be the most critically important issue I might have to deal with while I'm here, but if Paradiso and Inferno are literally unable to fight an all-out war with each other, no matter how much they both may want to, then it's not nearly so pressing a concern as I thought. Heck, even if I stay, I can likely put off dealing with it for as long as I so please, possibly even indefinitely if the angels just want something to keep beating their heads against.
I see. I say with careful neutrality. And, how has Paradiso been reacting to my return?
Grace and Glory still, seeming to calm somewhat.
Laguna exults as it has not in millennia. they reverently reply. We eagerly await the moment you choose to restore reality to its proper form, whensoever that may be.
That's... not really what I was trying to get at. I more wanted to know if my sudden presence in Paradiso has caused any problems that I'm not yet aware of, or if perhaps there's anyone who isn't so absolutely pleased about my return. I have my doubts that every angel in Paradiso thinks the same about the subject... but perhaps that's a query better answered by someone else anyways.
A final question then. I announce. Where is the rest of my power?
Grace and Glory abruptly fall quiet. Silently, they turn towards each other, as though waiting for the other to speak first, then look back up at me.
Forgive us, but we do not understand. they finally say, parroting Fortitudo's words from earlier almost exactly.
The energy that was taken from me upon my sealing. I clarify. Where is it?
Another period of silence ensues, this one even longer than the last, before the twin angels suddenly slump in place.
We beg your mercy, Your Hallowedness, for we do not know. they say in matching low tones. An Anamnesis may perhaps possess the knowledge you desire, but we do not.
I take a second to file the term "Anamnesis" away before silently cursing in disappointment.
Damn... oh well. If Jubileus is generally understood to be absolutely omnipotent, I suppose I couldn't reasonably expect these two to know anything about this particular topic anyways.
Fine then. I say with a deliberately careless wave of my hand. Mercy granted.
Grace and Glory nod and quickly straighten up. You are most generous, Creator.
I roll my eyes. That will be all. Tha- you are dismissed.
Thankfully ignoring my brief stutter, Grace and Glory bow to me again.
Praise be unto you and your future triumphs. they chorus.
Clasping their clawed gauntlets in front of themselves as though in prayer, the twin angels sink back into their sigils, which vanish behind them a couple seconds later. I continue watching the now-empty space for a short while, then take a moment to confirm that they truly left before fully relaxing.
Well, those two were... surprisingly nice, honestly. I was expecting much rougher attitudes from the angels I vaguely recall being described as war gods. I expect that was mostly their deference to me overriding their normal dispositions — though, it probably doesn't hurt that Enochian seems to be a rather formal language just in general.
I frown. While they couldn't answer my final question, I do wish I could have at least thanked Grace and Glory for their help. I actually almost did, until I remembered that I'm still supposed to be acting like a spoiled teenager, and that it's simply a given that everyone should be kowtowing to my whims. Frankly, I think I need to start moving Jubileus's image away from that persona — I doubt I'm mimicking it all that accurately anyways, and going out of my way to act selfish, entitled, and just generally ungracious is not only personally uncomfortable to me, but... well, most everything that's wrong with the Auditios' attitudes to be honest, and hardly the best example to be setting for the rest of the angels if I hope to ever make them worthy of the name.
I turn and stare off into the distance for a moment, the endless golden sky clashing in places with streaks of star-filled void, and wonder if it's hubris to think I truly could improve this universe.
...in any event, since the twins didn't know what I was talking about, I suppose I'll have to fall back on the Right Eye to direct me to my next destination after all. Even if Loptr is pushing me into this, our goals should at least align so far as this specific subject goes, so it's probably fine, right?
Deciding that's a decent enough justification, I pose the question to myself, and am immediately told that the closest large piece of my original power is located within the Celestial Refinery, whatever that is. The facility is primarily overseen by Temperantia, because of course the Auditio are involved in this, and is located on the planet Venus.
...wait. What?