So, it's been a long while. About 5 months in fact. I was absent for a long time because I've been busy with Real Life stuff and I honestly had a hard time finding the motivation to write. I really thought I'd been burnt out and I still wonder about it. I know I've kept you all hanging. It means a lot to me that there were still many familiar faces PMing me and leaving reviews for this story. I know how easy it is to move on from a story. For sticking with me for this entire time, I want to thank all of you who've been understanding of me.

Now, to thank you all, I've got a 6-chapter update for you. I also wanna timestamp this chapter bundle. So, as of 7/11/21, Chapters 65-70 were published on this site.

I'm sure you've waited long enough too, so I'll let you get to reading. Enjoy the first part of this 6-chapter release!

Chapter 65: True Forgiveness

Immediately after the Void had been banished, Issei reported to Rizevim.

"Rizevim, I don't think we can complete the mission."

"Why not?!"

"We made contact with the Void. I don't think anyone's mentally fit to continue. We got into fights along the way and it used illusions to trick all of us."

Issei worried for Rizevim after the words left his mouth. His eyes stared off into space for a few moments before he snapped himself out of his shock. He suspected he triggered some sort of PTSD in the old devil.

"I see. Where are you all?" Rizevim instantly accepted Issei's wishes, probably remembering his own experiences.

"We're in Utah, almost to Colorado." Issei reported.

"Since there's no trace of the enemy on the Hermes 12, get off on your next stop and head straight home. We'll have another team pick up the mission." Rizevim ordered.

"Understood."

"How's everyone holding up?" Rizevim's authoritative tone softened.

"Not good at all. Can't say anything for certain now." Issei didn't really have an answer. He wasn't sure if he wanted one.

Rizevim looked saddened but nodded in understanding. He looked as if he wanted to say more but decided not to. There'd be a better time for that later.

"I understand. Be careful on your way home."

After ending the talk, Issei returned to his compartment. The dead silence was concerning to Issei. Vali and Adelaide were like statues, merely staring out into the passing scenery. It had only been an hour since things had ended, so there was still much to digest.

"How're you two holding up?" Issei sat down.

"We're fine." Adelaide smiled back.

"We're heading home at the next stop. That's not gonna happen till tomorrow afternoon since we won't be stopping till then. Another team's gonna pick up the mission." Issei relayed Rizevim's orders.

"That's good." Vali breathed a sigh of relief.

"The problem is-" Adelaide was cut off as the door to their compartment room opened.

Lefay peeked in slowly.

"Is now a good time?"

"Come on in." Issei nodded.

Lefay sat down next to Adelaide.

"Did anything happen to you?" Issei asked.

"Not too much." Lefay shook her head.

Issei waited for her to follow up, not breaking his gaze.

"I got trapped in a car but all of a sudden, the door opened. I was able to go through as if nothing blocked me in the first place. After that, I just kept moving along until I found Izalana."

The next part didn't need to be said. Everyone had seen what Izalana did to that dragon illusion. It was terrifying. It was all an illusion and yet it was so real, so cause-and-effect, so traumatizing. Was that just a fraction of the Void's power? To make illusions so real that they could scar someone?

The rest of the trip home was spent in silence, not a single person willing to trade words.

When everyone returned home, it was demoralizing to the adults. Ezagyra was overwhelmed with guilt when she saw the looks in their eyes.

"What happened?" Rizevim softly asked as he walked to Issei.

When he summarized everything in full detail, it only made the old man feel worse.

"So, that's what happened. Okay, go on and rest. Don't worry about unpacking and all that crap. We'll take care of everything. We'll talk more later." Rizevim nodded in understanding as he stepped aside for Issei to pass.

With this new knowledge, Rizevim decided he needed to put his own actions into plan. He summoned Vali to his office to discuss a matter that could change everything.

"What's up?" Vali sat down across from him.

"We need to talk about something that I can't delay any longer. What do you think of Adelaide?" Rizevim leaned closer.

Vali was a bit surprised. Rizevim had always come off as neutral when it came to Adelaide. He was fair but not trusting. Now, she understood why.

"Why?" Vali asked.

"I need to know if she can be trusted. I need to know if she's someone we can protect without having to look behind us to see if she has a knife to our back."

Vali was quiet for a while, thinking of her response.

"I think she can be trusted. She had every chance to kill me, but she didn't. When the Abyss appeared and it didn't do anything to her, it was clear."

"I see."

"What's bringing all this on?"

"I'm starting to wonder if this Alliance was a good thing." Rizevim muttered.

"What?" Vali wanted to make sure she heard that correctly.

"Nothing." Rizevim shook his head, smiling at her.

"Grandfather, I think we all need some time off." Vali's lowered her guard, showing vulnerability.

"I agree. Issei told me of the events. Until everyone's deemed fit to move again, you're all on a leave of absence. Take all the time you need and let me know about anything." Rizevim nodded.

For several days, things were quiet.

Arthur and Elaine stayed inside their room, with Elaine barely having the motivation to eat. She only did the bare minimum while drowning in her own thoughts. Arthur had also been far from okay, but he made no effort to hide it.

Bikou had his own predicament. Kuroka had gone silent, not allowing anyone to get close to her, merely glaring at anyone who approached her. Her appearance had gone unkempt and gaunt. Her hair was tussled, and she hadn't eaten in days. She was so despondent; she was like a lifeless doll.

Bikou couldn't get a word out of her. After he'd had enough, he went to Lianshi, the only other person who'd been with her on that train.

Things had been rather awkward between Lianshi and Kuroka since they all came home. Bikou wasn't the most emotionally savvy person, but he knew that they had to have done something together. Kuroka seemed to flinch every time he or Lianshi entered the room.

Bikou brought breakfast to their room one morning, setting it on the bedside dresser.

"Kuroka, it's been days; you need to eat." He gently spoke as he sat next to her.

Kuroka shrunk back, refusing to meet his eyes. She bit her lip, shaking her head. When he tried to turn her to face himself, Kuroka slapped his hands away.

"Stay away from me!" Kuroka yelped.

"Kuroka, what's wrong?!" Bikou was stunned.

Kuroka was never prone to sudden outbursts, which only served to disturb Bikou more.

"Kuroka, I need you to tell me what really happened?"

"Please, just leave me alone." Kuroka barely whispered.

Bikou sighed.

"Okay."

He left the room, deciding that he needed to stop dilly-dallying. He decided to give Lianshi and Kuroka their space to digest and unwind from the whole thing, but this was getting over the top. Lianshi was sitting in the Gardens, sipping tea as she kept staring at the sky.

"Lianshi, we need to talk."

Lianshi only nodded.

"I spoke to the others. Nobody heard what happened before the cameras died but you two spoke to each other. What happened?" Bikou leaned closer.

Lianshi looked guilty, tipping him off.

"When we were in the train car, we got attacked. Kuroka killed a magitech armor but when its helmet broke…it was you."

Bikou looked at her, mystified, still, he let her continue.

"Everything was happening so quickly that I wasn't thinking. When we were told that the Novella Caelum were using cyborgs for their armors and machines, I thought you really had been jammed into one. I got angry, so angry that I started accusing Kuroka."

Bikou now realized what had happened.

"I accused her of not wanting to protect herself and Shirone from her former master. I told her that she just enjoyed fighting and killing. I rubbed salt in all of her old wounds. It's my fault she's the way she is." Lianshi dropped her head in shame.

Bikou groaned, rubbing his temples. This was one giant mess. Now everything made sense. Not only did it look like Kuroka had killed Bikou, but her old traumas got dredged up and pushed back in her face. Even worse, it was from someone close to her. Kuroka didn't seem like it, but she had quite a sensitive heart.

"I've tried to apologize to her, but I'm so ashamed. I should've realized it was all a trick. I said all sorts of things to her that a real friend wouldn't have." Lianshi put her head in her arms.

Bikou scratched his head. What was he to do and not make things worse?

Enough was enough. Rizevim and Ezagyra were in bed, musing on their current situation.

"What're we gonna do with those kids?" Ezagyra sighed.

"I don't know. They need help but I don't think this is something they can help each other with. I think they need professional help."

"Professional help? As if we have therapists?" Ezagyra was skeptical.

"I know one person who's good at it." Rizevim stroked his beard.

Rizevim and Ezagyra had everyone go to Alliance HQ, hoping to try and remedy things with therapy sessions. At first, they wanted to attend to the kids on their own, but they thought otherwise soon enough. There was a wall put up by the Vali Team, who'd probably be hesitant to tell them about what happened. It was as if nobody could look each other in the eye.

Things weren't easy, but Ezagyra eventually managed to convince the Team to speak with Gabriel, who was quite fitting for the role of a therapist. She was the kindest person in Heaven and had spent a long time among mortals, hoping to understand them. Even all of Heaven confided in her.

Lefay, Bikou, and Issei had relatively short sessions that ended in a few weeks, merely explaining what had happened to themselves. As things stood, they didn't need help as much as the others did.

The first of the ones who really needed someone was Elaine.

Elaine was quiet, not saying more than what was needed. She wasn't despondent, but she didn't seem to have the motivation to talk, either.

"Elaine, I want to help you, I really do, but I can't do anything if you don't talk to me." Gabriel implored her.

Elaine avoided all eye contact, staring at her lap.

"Arthur told me what happened." Gabriel had run out of options after two sessions prior.

That got Elaine to look at her.

"He told me about the illusion you two went through. He's also told me that you two want to have children."

Elaine flinched, the wound was still sore.

"Elaine, I won't disregard your feelings. It may have been an illusion, and you may have known that infant for just a few hours but- "

Gabriel was cut off by Elaine, who finally decided to speak. The sweltering emotions finally rising to the surface.

"It wasn't that, not completely." She quietly spoke up.

Gabriel went silent, letting her patient take the reins.

"It's not the illusion that really got to me. It's the example it gave."

"An example?"

"Arthur and I are engaged, soon to be married. We want to start a family. The problem is that we live a dangerous life. We fight almost every few days or weeks. We go in not knowing what'll happen. We don't know if we'll die or if someone we know will die. Issei already died once. That proved just how scary and close all this chaos can be." Elaine clutched her pants.

"What happened a few weeks ago proved to me the dangers of our lifestyle. If we have children, they'll have to face that danger. What's going to happen if I'm not strong or fast enough to protect them? I can't bear the thought of having children only to lose them in a fight and I can't do anything to prevent it. The pain and fear of that loss…" Elaine trailed off.

Gabriel now understood Elaine's plight. She feared the reality of her life and its effects on her hopes. That adult fear of losing one's own child. Perhaps that was why she apologized so profusely to Arthur, according to his summary of events. She'd given up on their dream.

"Elaine, I know it's scary, really scary. Still, this is the reality of life, the life that we were all born into. Yes, there's dangers and fears, but that's only natural. Life will always throw them at us. We need to decide whether we want to be brave enough to face these challenges. Trust me, life is always worth fighting for."

Elaine looked at her, almost as if to test Gabriel's own resolve. It was a look that Gabriel had gotten before in the past.

"I know I may seem like a ditz most of the time. Maybe that's my own weakness showing through; something I use to cope. I've lived a long time, Elaine. I've walked the world. I've seen so many things and done a lot of things. Trust me when I say that I understand. As I traveled, I started to yearn for the things that so many other normal people had. To have a family, to live a simple and happy life with them. To not have to look over my shoulder or remember the traumas of my past. Those are things I've imagined being without for a long time. I've also pondered the fear that you're facing." Gabriel sadly smiled, as if recalling a distant memory.

"However, despite those fears, I'd gladly take them on to have the chance to have those dreams come true. The reason is because the preciousness of life and the happiness it represents and brings are all worth fighting for. Fear and paranoia aren't. That's why, I encourage you to reevaluate things, Elaine. It's all a part of life. It's going to be up to you to decide what you want now and what you're willing to fight for. Most of all, you need to confirm if you're going to be alone through it." The Archangel smiled with a bit more encouragement.

Elaine nodded, taking her words to heart. She spent hours mulling over what she wanted to say to Arthur. Just like Issei and Bikou, his session was quick. However, Arthur was straightforward. If he felt bothered, he was quick to resolve the problem. She knew he'd been giving her space, trying to avoid overstepping boundaries. It was time to lay things to rest.

She went to their room at home but found that he wasn't there. Suddenly, the door opened.

(Fullmetal Alchemist OST – Brothers Instrumental. Play Song.)

"I brought lunch." Arthur walked over to her, laying their food on the table.

It was sweet of him to have been preparing food for her when she got home.

After some silence, Elaine finally spoke up.

"Arthur…"

Said man walked over and held her hand.

"I don't want children anymore."

Arthur's jaw dropped, but he closed his mouth just as quickly is it opened.

"What?"

"I don't want to experience that in reality." Elaine listlessly elaborated, if barely.

Arthur sighed, feeling similar, but only to an extent.

"Why?" The question was rhetorical, but he knew that Elaine always held things in till she exploded.

"What if we have children in the future? What happened that day is going to happen in the future. It was an illusion, yeah. In the future, it'll be reality."

Elaine looked at her hands again.

"What if we have children and we can't protect them? There's going to be a day where we can't win. What then? We live violent lives. We fight almost every other week, if not every few days. We live in such a crazy world." Elaine's hands trembled.

Her mind flashed back to the blood that had stained them. The sudden silence that followed explosions. The haunting echo of cooing and laughter. Elaine had to fight being devoured by those flashbacks.

"I refuse to have children if they're going to be exposed to that kind of danger one day. I don't want to lose any of my children."

Elaine's mind ran off with those words. She then recalled the death of her father and then the death of Issei.

Elaine was snapped out of her thoughts when Arthur took hold of her hands.

"I know how you feel, Elaine. Still, we can't run from reality."

"That's the reality I want. I want a reality where I don't have to worry whether or not my children will come home."

Arthur knew she was scared. Arthur knew the incident had done a traumatic number on Elaine. Elaine had probably imagined what it would be like for their real child and allowed herself to be swallowed by the thought. She had a genuine point.

"It's an illusion that we can't allow to trap us, Elaine."

Arthur gently cupped her face, looking into her eyes.

"We both want to have children one day: that's a fact. It's also true that we live in a crazy world where we fight often. Still, we can't let that fear stop us. I feel the same way. I'm also very hurt that things happened the way they did. I was also ready to adopt Michael if we could've. I was also heartbroken to see what happened only to find out it was fake."

Elaine held his hands to her face, bracing herself.

"Even so, we can't let our fears take away our dreams. When we have children one day, we'll fight tooth and nail to protect them. We'll also have to teach them well. That's the reality that all parents have to face. Their children will be threatened, and they can't always be protected. Even so, the world's come this far despite all that. We're also capable of doing the same."

Elaine shook her head. False hope wasn't something she wanted to believe in. The terror that the future held was scarier than it had ever been.

"I'm scared. I'm so scared, Arthur. If an illusion felt that real, imagine what it'll be like with a real child of our own." Elena whimpered.

"I want to be called a father just as much as you want to be called a mother. I want to raise a splendid family with you. That's why, please don't give up on our dream. I can't do it alone." Arthur pleaded.

Elaine realized just how big this was after hearing Arthur's voice crack for a split second. Arthur never let himself be so vulnerable. She saw his eyes glisten with emotion. She felt so ashamed. Here she was, wallowing in her own despair when Arthur needed her too. Just as her hands shook, Arthur's hands started to tremble too. He'd been forcing himself to be strong for her, disregarding how much fear he had for the future.

She held him close as she began to cry, letting out her repressed emotions from the incident. Arthur was right. Life wasn't going to go anyone's way. They simply had to do their best to live their lives on their terms.

"I promise." Elaine swore as she and Arthur rested on each other for support.

(Fullmetal Alchemist OST – Brothers Instrumental. End Song.)

The next session proved more tedious. Kuroka and Lianshi were seated before her, both spaced as far as the other could get.

"Tea and cakes?" Gabriel offered said food.

Kuroka didn't even regard her, seemingly annoyed. Lianshi only let out a quiet no.

"It's been three weeks, you two." Gabriel crossed her legs.

Lianshi was about to speak up but refrained.

"You two still haven't changed from the moment we first started these daily sessions."

Kuroka looked annoyed, pursing her lips.

"I want you two to understand that we won't be ending these daily sessions until things are cleared up."

Lianshi looked at Kuroka. Reflecting on how tense everything had been, she decided to finally stop being so passive. It was time to do away with all this.

"Why do you two still avoid each other?" Gabriel looked back and forth.

Lianshi evaluated herself and her stance in all this. She wanted to speak up, but she just couldn't get past that mental block. It was so hard admitting to one's own wrongdoings when they were done against someone so close.

(The Green Mile OST – The Green Mile. Play Song.)

"It's…because I'm ashamed." Lianshi admitted.

That got Kuroka's attention. At first, Kuroka looked dumbfounded, irritated.

"Huh?"

"I said some things that a very close person to me was hurt by."

The two looked at each other.

"Why did you?" Gabriel built on that start.

"Because I wanted to hurt her. I was so angry and grieved that I didn't think. My mind just wouldn't stop thinking. I just wanted to hurt her because…I wasn't thinking. I was in shock and I didn't stop to think about the whys and the how's. I was feeling so much that I didn't know how to handle it all. So, I lashed out."

Kuroka and Lianshi held a gaze, as if trying to come to an understanding on an emotional level. Kuroka looked hurt when Lianshi declared her intentions, but she didn't feel vengeful. To a degree, she was still angry but she understood where Lianshi came from.

"I knew those words would hurt but I still said them, knowing what they'd do." Lianshi bit her lip.

Kuroka looked away, processing what Lianshi just said. Before long, it was Kuroka's turn.

"The reason why I've been acting like a bitch lately is because of the same reasons. You had a point, Lianshi. I wasn't thinking either. I was so wrapped up in the situation that I kept attacking. I was so in the moment that I just couldn't stop. The thought of how far I was going didn't even register with me."

Kuroka's past was no secret in this room. Kuroka had been in a peerage before Vali's. She and Shirone Tojo, who was in Rias' peerage, were once in another noble's. He saw Kuroka's talent and sought to use it. In exchange, Kuroka and Shirone, who were homeless orphans, lived comfortably. Their parents had disappeared without cause, causing a domino of hardship. When Kuroka's master had intended to experiment on Shirone, Kuroka had killed him. Sadly, a story came out that Kuroka had gone out of control with her powers and killed him and his family in a blood-crazed frenzy.

"When I killed my former master before Vali, I'd also felt that same exhilaration. I'd be crazy to deny it. That's why I've been so distant. I was scared of it being true."

"So, you've been trying to digest everything and making out who you really are?" Gabriel could only assume.

Kuroka's silence confirmed Gabriel's assumptions.

"It seems to me that both of you are feeling guilty. Kuroka, I know the past can be a very scary thing and we doubt it sometimes. However, it's in the past. You've come this far and you haven't lost control once. I don't know who or what caused the situation on that train, but it seems to me that it was targeting your fears and exploiting them. As for you, Lianshi, we lose control of ourselves in moments of great stress. Sometimes we say and do things that we don't mean but we do it because we could very well snap. It may not excuse the behavior but what matters is the complete picture behind the intention." Gabriel wryly smiled.

Talking to these young folks stirred up old memories.

"In our greatest moments of fear and doubt, we say and do things that we never thought we would but that's the reality of it. We have to focus on moving forward and living with the things we've done. Not all that you've said and done is irreversible. You just need to find the courage and inner strength to push yourself forward and forgive yourself."

Kuroka and Lianshi didn't respond. They only nodded but that was enough for Gabriel to deem it progress.

(The Green Mile OST – The Green Mile. End Song.)

Izalana had been a particularly difficult case. The Princess would profess being fine. She behaved normally and kept up her friendly smile. Gabriel knew better. She could sense the distress and doubt in her heart.

Izalana sat across from Gabriel as if nothing was happening.

"So, how're you feeling today?" Gabriel had been asking that question for the past few weeks for every session and it was starting to get stale to the both of them.

"Fine." Izalana shrugged.

"I see. Anything you wanted to talk about?"

"Not really. It's just another day for me."

"I see. Well, I thought we could start today's session with a recap."

Izalana rolled her eyes. She'd been doing this for the past few weeks, recapping the last conversation.

"You said you've been feeling normal. You're not annoyed and everything is quiet at home. Well, I guess you are okay." Gabriel was sarcastic with that last part.

Gabriel had decided that since Izalana refused to open up, she'd have to start prodding. She didn't care that this seemed 'unprofessional'. This wasn't really some human psychiatry session. Gabriel knew that something was bothering these kids and decided to do what she could at Ezagyra's request.

Izalana merely looked away.

"Izalana, tell me, do you enjoy hurting people?"

That question was the last straw. Izalana snapped at Gabriel, only to restrain herself at the last moment. She took a deep breath.

"You're not going to leave me alone till I start talking, are you?"

"Talk about what?" Gabriel clicked her pen.

Izalana narrowed her eyes in frustration. She hated getting locked up in a room with an archangel that wanted her to talk about her feelings and fears. Those were her own business.

"It's my own business."

"Yet, Issei doesn't have a problem getting into it."

"That's because he's a friend."

"And I'm a stranger, so you won't share your troubles?"

"That makes sense to me, yeah." Izalana crossed her arms.

"If you ask me, it's not fair that he has to shoulder so many burdens. After all, he's already shouldering so many already." Gabriel's tone became softer.

Izalana bit her lip. Gabriel had a point. He'd held the weight of the world's future and it led to his death. Against her own suspicions, the others didn't even say it, but they just seemed to have a load off their shoulders after speaking their troubles to Gabriel. Perhaps Izalana could do the same after a leap of faith.

(The Last Samurai OST – A Small Measure of Peace. Play Song.)

"Fine…" Izalana whispered.

Gabriel put her paper and pen aside, this time showing her sincerity.

"I…I'm not okay, alright? What happened, it wasn't because I enjoyed fighting, okay? I wasn't lost in the thrill of the fight or enjoying that fake illusions pain. I was enraged. Whatever it was, whether it was the Void or something, it dug up my past and taunted me. You see, I used to be part of a training unit. As Princess, it was training to gain leadership and to learn how to fight. My team and I, we…" Izalana had to clear the lump in her throat as she remembered the past fondness for her dead teammates.

"We were like siblings. One day, we went on a test to become fully-fledged Dragoons. We hunted down a beast that was terrorizing a city and…we got separated. I went on ahead and left my team behind to pursue the enemy. After I killed it, I came back to my team to find them all slaughtered, some of them were eaten."

Their final words still rung in Izalana's ears. None of them wanted to die. Warm tears began to fall from Izalana's cheek as the emotions overwhelmed her.

"They died because I wasn't there to help or lead them. I was so absorbed in my tasks that I didn't consider them. Now, they're all dead and I can't get the memories or words to stop coming back." Izalana wiped a stray drop from her eye.

"Is that why you snapped? Because it taunted you?" Gabriel wanted to reaffirm this.

Izalana nodded, showing she was more willing to be open now.

"If I may ask, what were their last words?"

"They wanted me to live on. Others didn't want to die."

Gabriel's mouth slightly fell agape. That was so much weight for a teenager to bear.

"And what about your behavior these past few weeks?"

Izalana stared at the ground, trying to form her answer.

"I didn't want to appear weak. I've seen how the others are and I didn't want to drag things down with them as well. I wanted to help support them. I didn't want to fail twice. That's why I kept telling everyone I was okay."

Gabriel set her tea down. This was also a sore spot for her too.

"Izalana, what happened to you wasn't your fault, from what you've told me. It's possible your presence might've still led to the same conclusion. You could've died as well. I'm not saying you can't feel sad or should feel happy, but you can't keep blaming yourself for everything. I've also lost subordinates. I've also moved ahead, only for my troops to die. It was merely the works of life. People can die at any time. The best we can do is try to learn and move on and carry on the memories of the dead if we can. I'm not saying that'll always be the case but from what you've told me, the best you can do is live your life. I don't mean just for yourself, but also for the ones you've lost."

Gabriel then poured a hot cup of tea for Izalana.

"We lose people we care about, and it's okay to take our time and process that grief, but we can't let that hamper our futures nor should we take it so much to heart that we break down from those perceived promises. You have every right to tell others that you're not okay. Nobody's perfect and sometimes, the only way to help others and yourself is to share that pain and confide in each other."

Izalana could only nod as she took a sip of the tea. The warmth of the liquid seemed to relax her, which was probably the first time in a while since the train incident.

(The Last Samurai OST – A Small Measure of Peace. End Song.)

While the rest of the Vali Team were attending their therapy sessions, Issei, Vali, and Adelaide were having their examinations with Enki and Azazel. All three had braces strapped onto their arms. Perhaps it was his paranoia, but Issei wasn't very fond of being strapped to machines. He could feel his discomfort growing by the second.

"These braces will measure your pulse, emotional state, and read your energy signature. I've been conducting tests for a while now and it's looking like Miss Adelaide is showing no signs of the Void in her mana. Gabriel has also been evaluating her and it looks like she's mentally stable too." Enki read his notes.

"As for the two of you, I'm seeing that more of the Abyss's power is growing in you." He turned to Issei and Vali.

"Whether this is good or bad, I can't say for sure."

"Grigori research is showing that your bodies are adapting to its power. No idea how long this'll last but as far as I can tell, there won't be negative side-effects like before." Azazel smiled confidently.

'In other words, I shouldn't expect to be dying this time.' Issei breathed a sigh of relief.

"Today, I thought we could talk about our memories again."

Ever since these sessions started, Enki had been trying to dive into trying to remember more about the original galaxy. He called it the First Era. He'd been hoping to remember how to defeat the Aviturs and why this whole disaster started in exact detail. It made Issei uncomfortable. Enki's curiosity didn't mix well with his own reluctance. What if he remembered something he didn't want to?

"Nothing new to report." Issei spoke up.

"Not surprising. Whoever tampered with our memories did a good job of it. Even so, I intend to test a new spell that I've been working on. I'm hoping to dive deeper into our own minds and perhaps others to try and find out more. Maybe we can put a permanent end to this entire conflict." Enki took out a tablet of stone. It was marked from head to toe with sigils and runes.

"We've been wondering why the Novella Caelum are so desperate to return things to the way they were. I think there's more to it. The old way of life can't be it. There's something hidden in our past and they're after." Azazel sighed.

"With your permission, I want to conduct this test to see if we can learn anything." Enki looked around.

"Fine by me." Adelaide nonchalantly shrugged.

Vali was silent for a few minutes before nodding. Everyone looked at Issei, hoping for his verdict.

'Why so hesitant?' Rexis asked.

'There might be things in our pasts that others shouldn't see.'

Issei was quiet for so long that he seemed to refuse.

"I understand. It is a scary thought, after all." Enki started gathering his things.

"Fine, I agree." Issei finally spoke up.

He decided that since all of his own attempts to try and fill in the blank spots in his memories, he had no other choice if he wanted to get more leads.

"Then let us begin." Enki put his hand on his tablet, creating a magic circle that washed out the entire room in bright light.

When Issei opened his eyes, he saw his old home. It wasn't the one in Kuoh. It was the kingdom that he lived in when he was Ardjis. Just seeing this place relaxed him. He felt comfortable and at peace. He looked around but found that it was only him here. It was eerie. Not a single soul was around. If this was a memory, then why was no one here?

"Vali! Adelaide!" Issei called out but got no response. He took a step forward and marveled at how real the ground felt.

Issei continued to explore his original home. Suddenly, the ground trembled ever-so-quickly, explosions erupting from the castle where Arya had once lived. Issei dashed off to the castle, hoping to see more.

When he arrived in the Throne Room, he took pause as he saw his original self escorting Arya out of the room. Strewn across the ground were corpses of humans, beasts, and deities. As Issei looked around, he slowly began to remember what happened on this day. In an attempt to broker a peace, Arya had arranged a meeting between all factions to try and come to an agreement. Sadly, a trap had been laid, as was shown by this explosion.

"We were fooled. We were all brought together to be destroyed." Odin snarled at Arya.

"We didn't plan this." Arya tried to remain calm, yet she was so clearly disoriented.

"You brought so many together and when we all had our guards down, you struck. If it wasn't you, then it was the others!" Zeus turned his gaze around the room.

Immediately, everyone began to turn on one another. Arya was helpless to try and stop the situation as she took in the sight before her. So many were dead and any hopes for peace were dashed as everyone succumbed to paranoia.

"We need to go." Ardjis grabbed hold of Arya's hand.

"But-"

"I'm sorry, Arya, but it's over. They're not going to listen and we're going to get caught in their fighting again. We have to run." Ardjis looked pained but he kept himself composed.

Arya looked utterly defeated as she and Ardjis escaped as attacks were thrown all across the Throne Room. It didn't look as if anyone cared about who got hit anymore. Everyone was just screaming for bloodshed.

Issei watched from the sidelines, disappointed and saddened. He clenched his fist in frustration. Just how had this day been allowed to happen? Issei didn't know who the guilty party was since he and Arya had run away to regroup with the rest of the kingdom.

As if provoked by the chaos, the ground and even the sky trembled. It shattered like glass as a bottomless depth reflected in the sky. Issei gasped as the sky continued to break, a vortex opening. Simultaneously, beams of blue, red, orange, green, purple, white, and black mana erupted around the land, converging on the vortex.

Issei winced as pain rapidly grew from his chest as images of Bahamut flashed in his mind. Whatever was happening was making Bahamut stir. If his seal was like a metal orb, then Bahamut was beating the inside of the prison to try and get out.

The rage was so monumental that the spell dissolved from the burst of power that erupted from Issei.

Issei and the others were flung right back into the real world. Issei was riddled with cold sweat, his limbs light and shaky.

"Issei…" Vali wiped his sweat with a concerned voice.

Adelaide took his hand.

"You're freezing." She noted.

Issei was scared out of his mind. All of this prodding at the past was bringing Bahamut closer and closer to awakening. If he didn't know any better, Bahamut was trying to break free through force of will.

"W-We're…" Issei stammered.

"Kid…" Azazel stood up as Issei began to walk away.

"We're done for the day. Drink this, it'll help you feel better." Enki decided as he gave Issei liquid to drink.

For a split second, Issei could almost say that Enki looked sorry, even guilty. He was certainly quick to give Issei a tonic.

"What happened?"

"We saw a glimpse of the past. It was public knowledge, though. Most of us remember the disaster in the Throne Room." Azazel was disappointed. Their first step was just a recap of the events that threw the First Calamity into full swing with a war.

"Then we all saw the same thing." Issei gripped his fist, trying to stop his shaking.

"And yet, you took far longer than the rest of us to snap out of the trance." Enki began writing. Ever the scientist.

"We had to start singing to get you to snap out of it." Vali added.

Perhaps that explained Bahamut's sudden burst of rage.

"You three go ahead and leave. Thank you for your time." Azazel ushered them out before turning to Enki.

"That was dangerous. When the two girls started singing, I felt Bahamut's power climb." Azazel gripped his hand, remembering that sensation of Bahamut's strength.

"I'd hoped to discover more information about the Aviturs. However, with this spell, we were able to gaze upon events from a different perspective. Those seven beams of mana, their colors match the auras of the Aviturs. As for the bombing of the Throne Room, I don't know who did it. Once we're ready, we're going to attempt this again. We need answers." Enki gathered his things and left the room.

Azazel scowled. Enki was a brilliant mind but he was so obsessed with sating his curiosity that he disregarded how people felt. He wasn't emotionless, but when his focus whisked him away, nothing else mattered. Still, he seemed to feel guilty when he saw how frazzled Issei was. That was an improvement for him.

Adelaide took Issei back to her room at Headquarters to calm down. When Vali decided to go with him, the whole Team followed.

Everyone sat around the dining table in Adelaide's room as she poured tea. Things were still a bit awkward but it was Kuroka who bit the bullet.

"Thank you for the other day."

"For what?" Adelaide looked at her, genuinely confused.

"You and Vali got us out of that situation. Who knows what would've happened if things had kept up."

Adelaide was taken aback for a moment before she smiled.

"Don't mention it. I wasn't going to just let it continue. We beat each other up before, but that was before we came to an understanding."

Vali smirked.

"The past is the past." They both spoke at the same time, sharing a small laugh.

It was as if they were addressing more than one issue with that statement. The Team was genuinely perplexed. Just a while ago, they were at each other's throats. Now, they were laughing and joking like they were becoming friends.

"True. We do and say some things that we may not mean sometimes. We doubt the people that're new to us or the people we trusted. Still, as long as you're willing to make things work, then there's no reason to cling onto the past. So, let's move on from all this." Adelaide served the teacups.

The Team had to admit, Adelaide had a point. Maybe the reason why things had been so difficult lately was because so much had happened so quickly that nobody had any idea what to do anymore. Maybe a fresh perspective from someone new was going to help?

The Team took a unified sip of their tea, relaxing from a stressful morning.

"So, what do we do now?" Lefay asked.

Nobody had a real answer but they were all thinking the same thing.

"We keep going." Issei quietly answered.

He'd been dead silent ever since the session with Azazel and Enki ended, which was a bit worrisome since Issei was often cheerful.

"Sorry, was just lost in thought." Issei sheepishly laughed, playing off his serious demeanor.

At first, he was going to just play things off and move along but he then changed his mind. There was still one more thing to get off his chest. There was an elephant in the room and he was sick of it.

(Fate:Prototype OST – Knight of Sky Silver ~ Strings Version. Play Song.)

"So, before we move on, there's something that needs to be addressed." Issei stood up and bowed his head.

"I'm sorry for everything."

"Huh?" Bikou was the first to react.

Vali braced herself for whatever was going to happen. She knew this was coming for a long time. All this stress and pent-up frustration was going to break the silence eventually. She just hoped things would recover instead of shatter forever.

"Ever since I got back, I know things haven't been the way they were. I lied to all of you. I betrayed your trust and manipulated all of you. All of it was in misguided self-righteousness. I knew about your troubles and used them on you all to fulfill my own wacky desires that I thought was for your own good. I didn't respect your privacy and I didn't think about the fallout of my actions. I ended up hurting all of you because of that. For all of that, I'm sorry for everything." Issei kept his head down.

When no one said a word, Issei was about to raise his head, only for two hands on his shoulders to hold him down. Now that he cracked the calm masks everyone wore, everything the entire Team had been feeling had completely come flooding out.

"Don't you dare lift your head yet." Kuroka sternly shut down his action.

Issei remained silent as he felt her grip on his shoulders tighten.

"Damn you. I'm so goddamn mad at you." Kuroka grit her teeth as her nails started to dig into his jacket.

"We forgave you, alright, but…it hasn't been a joyride." Bikou sounded bitter, a surprising tone for him.

Issei could feel Kuroka and Lefay's hands trembling.

"We wanted to let things go immediately, but…the things you did…" Lefay started to sniffle, her anger mixing with grief.

It was appalling to see Lefay so frustrated for the first time ever. It really hammered it home to Issei just what kind of effect he had on the team.

"You lied to all of us! With that goddamned smile!" Kuroka choked out.

"We're a family! We're supposed to be there for one another! We're supposed to trust each other! Why didn't you say a thing?!" Lefay screamed at him, shaking, not even caring about all the tears running down her face.

Their words hit Issei like a truck. He almost didn't dare to even desire looking them in the eye. He knew he'd hurt them, but hearing the others cry and feeling them shake brought newfound guilt.

Just then, Arthur walked up to him, gently taking the girls hands off his shoulders. Arthur helped him up, but when Issei saw his face, he clenched his jaw. He'd never seen Arthur look so livid.

Issei's jaw was met by a heavy punch that nearly knocked his teeth loose. The day he first returned home, everyone joked and laughed things off, not wanting to unload more baggage on him. However, it was just too much now. Today was the day to get everything out and be completely honest.

"If you'd even given us a sign, we'd have done everything in our power to get you that cure. We'd have found a way to save you. Why, Issei?" Arthur panted, his eyes glistening.

Issei didn't respond.

"I…"

Why was it so hard to respond now? He fancied himself a talker. What was the problem now? Bikou got fed up with his silence and shook him by the shirt.

"We're supposed to be like brothers and sisters! You plastered a smile on your face while you were dying on the inside and yet…you didn't even trust us to share it." Bikou growled.

"It's not like that! I didn't want you all to be hurt like this. At the time, I thought you were better off not knowing. I…I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want to turn back. I was so happy. You all looked happy. I didn't want to ruin it. I didn't want you all to see me die." Issei slowly trailed off.

"Issei, that's not something you should be concerned about with family! We'll always find ways to forgive each other. We find ways to support one another. If we're not family, then what's the point in us all having come this far?" Lianshi had kept her cool but her eyes reflected how upset she was.

Issei lowered his head. Arthur took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Yeah, you manipulated us to your own ends. You forced your ideals and vision on us. But, in the time since we all learned the truth, we've thought about everything. We've had time to come to our own conclusions. You helped push us towards being happier people, even if it's not in the way you'd hoped." He managed to speak, his tone slowly calming.

"Because you loved us." Elaine spoke up.

"The reason why we've been avoiding you isn't only because of what you've done. It's been so damn hard to look you in the eye because you died on our watch." Izalana set her glass down.

Issei was slowly beginning to understand that instead of the whole black-and-white view he'd been using for this, fault fell on both parties. He wanted to disagree, to shoulder the blame, but he knew it'd dissatisfy them.

Vali, after deciding that everyone had finished venting, stepped in.

"Everyone has a share of the blame. That's something that we all need to understand." She gently patted Arthur on the shoulder, causing him to release his grip on Issei's collar.

"It's easy to say we forgive someone but to really mean it and keep to it is almost a different story. Whether we want to spare feelings or give time to reach a snapping point, it's uncertain. Even if we make the decision to forgive, it's not easy nor is it expected to be immediate." Vali wiped a bit of blood off Issei's lip.

"This shouldn't be a case of everyone taking the blame on themselves. Needless to say, we've all been bottling up these emotions for months and it led to this situation. Even so, now that we've all come clean as to how we feel and taking responsibility for our words and actions, we need to let things go and move forward. I know that we're all upset by what's happened, but is our resentment and hurt stronger than our bonds?" Vali looked around the room.

Not a single person refuted her.

"Then it's settled. Let's focus on moving forward. Like we all keep saying, we're a family. We can grow past this." Vali smiled as she soothed Lefay, who was still sniffling.

"We're sorry as well." Arthur cleared his throat.

"We know it must've been hurtful. All of that silent treatment." Kuroka wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Right…let's move on." Issei agreed.

Slowly, everyone began to unwind. Now that they'd emptied out their emotions, they all felt that weight in the air disappear. Issei didn't know just how things would be after today. Would things go back to the way they were? Had all hard feelings truly gone away? He didn't know. All he knew was that this time around, he'd trust those closest to him this time. No more self-sacrificing. No more deceit. Issei had been granted a new life and he had to treat it properly. How could he give these people up?

(Fate:Prototype OST – Knight of Sky Silver ~ Strings Version. End Song.)

So, I know that some readers have asked me to compile a list of the character's abilities and techniques. Trust me, I've seen those requests. I'm currently working on compiling that information. However, I wanted to release these chapters first since I find that the chapters themselves are more important than compiled information on my priorities list. I will post that requested information at some point.

Now, let's move on to Chapter 66 of the 6-chapter update.