The group silently teleported back to Lady's Village, as it was the closest place to reach the Nightmare Waste which would in turn get them to the Garuda Girl shrine, as well as to the local Tartarus. Crossing the land itself was quite a harrowing experience, as the terrain was extremely unequal and slippery, requiring a lot of caution from the group to progress. It wasn't helped by the more aggressive than usual monsters who were randomly dropping from above or behind, sometimes blocking the intended path by making a cliff collapse over it. It reached the point where Alma Elma just flew over while Tamamo punched her way through in a straight line until they reached the other side.

After walking for a few more hours in the scorching desert, they arrived in sight of the oasis that was the Garuda Girl shrine. The group was on the edge since the incident in the marshes, and their mood hadn't improved by their crossing.

The place itself was empty, and while the altar was still present, several of the pillars around it were covered in growth or knocked over, a testament to the lack of maintenance.

Luka sighed. "At least one that thing that's standing still in this world…"

"Should we have some people guard it?"

"I don't think it will be necessary, but still… yes, we should. We have no idea if someone would be stupid enough to destroy it either because they know we need it, or because they don't care."

Tamamo stepped on the altar, removing some dirt with her foot. "We also need the orbs, which is where things are getting complicated: We only have the green and the purple ones. The silver and red ones are likely still in possession of Poseidoness and the Elven Princess respectively, but the blue has been destroyed, and the yellow one…"

"…Brought back in the Monster Lord's castle. I wonder why they hadn't done the same with the blue one in the first place?" Luka shrugged as everybody looked at him. "I mean, that would be putting the free access key behind the lock, except for them. This would be just as convenient."

"Because we would have felt it and they never really trusted the Heavenly Knights. Still, Sphinx will relinquish the orb as soon as I'll ask her, so that won't be a problem. We'll only have to search for a replacement for the blue one."

"Which Luka boy got in the next Tartaruuuus!" Alma ended her sentence in a sing song voice.

Luka ground his teeth in frustration. "Do we really need to?"

"It's not like we have a choice. I'm not fond of this place either, but without a Monster Lord to declare war to the human kingdoms, we have free range and time to go get it, so we can as well go grab it now."

While Tamamo shrugged it off, Micaela and Alma Elma looked at each other, concerned. Even if Luka matured, he still had a tendency to rush into challenges headfirst. Having him even just simply question an expedition like that -one he had already done in the past- raised a few eyebrows.

"Besides, we read the document Yao found. Awakening the Garuda Girl was a staple of the true story. You need to do it to limit the spread of the chaosization."

"And what if taking their orb wreck the world there?"

"Wait, did you observe anything happening there afterward?"

"There? No. Here however…"

Micaela raised an eyebrow. "I understand where you're going with that, but we're only doing it to save this world. We're not like the others."

"They probably all think the same."

The first seraph turned away and grimaced. Luka continued on his diatribe, uninterrupted.

"Besides, since when traveling to other worlds brought anything good? I almost entered into a fight with Ilias because of one, and we nearly all died in another. And each time we travel, the worlds destabilize a bit more. If everybody remained in their worlds, none of this would have happened in the first place!"

"He has a point."

Micaela turned to see Tamamo nodding approvingly. "Please, not you too…"

The kitsune's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, not me too? My mission given by the Dark Goddess herself failed because a bunch of monsters from another world killed the latest Monster Lord while her mother got killed by a hero that travels between dimensions!"

"Tamamo-chan…" Alma placed her hands on the kitsune's shoulders in an attempt to console her.

"Don't chan me you useless whore! You only think of yourself! You'll never understand what it is to take care of someone as a child to see them dead before your eyes!" She pushed the succubus queen back.

Alma was taken aback by her friend's caustic words and recoiled, slightly wounded.

Micaela's eyes became cold. "Let's not deviate from the point. We need the Garuda Girl to travel to Hellgondo because Luka apparently did that in the original world. We need the blue orb to do that, and the only way we can get one is by travelling to another world through Tartarus." Her expression saddened. "I hate doing that as much as anyone, particularly after what happened last time, but if we don't, this world and every other one is going to be destroyed!"

"Maybe everybody deserves that."

Micaela's shoulders slumped, while Alma Elma sat down on the ground, looking down at her boots.

"Luka… Please… Don't tell me you mean it…"

"We don't deserve it personally, but if whatever caused this also happen to kill all those that travelled to this world and their leaders, I'm fine with it."

"So am I."

The first seraph looked at all of her three companions. Alma Elma hadn't moved an inch, Tamamo had wrapped herself in a ball, and Luka was now lying onto the altar itself.

"So what now? We wait for the end of the world and die?" She started perambulating for a while, trying to gather her thoughts. This moment was reminding her too much of a certain day 500 years ago. Not before long, she too sat down and started tearing up.

"I'm sorry Lucifina… I'm so sorry…" She looked up at the sunny sky. There were barely a few clouds in sight, and a little wind. She looked at them like she used to when she was in Heaven, during slow days. The first one was a cumulus, round and puffy, the second one was a cirrus, overly stretch trails of white in the sky and the last one…

…looked like nothing familiar and was completely opaque to her magical senses.

Micaela felt the world slow down as she got up and drew out her sword, eyes still riveted on the sky. The next second, the cloud silently expanded and completely concealed the sun.

The seraph threw a small blade of light at the sky, attracting the attention of the trio that was still currently sulking. Nobody reacted at first, and it was only when three easily recognizable signatures were descending that the group started to prepare itself for a fight.

"Lilith Orgia!"

By this time, the Lilith Sisters had already grabbed an extremely surprised Luka and incapacitated him with pleasure spells while stunning the seraph and Tamamo. Only Alma Elma managed to react to the assault in time, and Astaroth separated herself from her sisters to start fighting the succubus queen while Luka was brought higher and higher under the still dazed gaze of the seraph.

Another succubus with a sword suddenly appeared from nowhere and started attacking the two kidnappers, making them drop Luka in the process. Still dazed, Micaela removed her gloves and her sealing ring, revealing her wings and clearing her mind from the assault.

"STAND UP AND FIGHT!"

Tamamo's mind was cleared by the angel's war cry. When she looked up, she saw Luka falling and rushed to the point where he was going to crash, preparing to use her tails to cushion him. Her plan was foiled by Astaroth who interrupted her fight with the Succubus Queen to go grab the hero and flee away. Micaela managed to intercept her, but the succubus was using the hero as a shield. Alma Elma caught her back, and both the seraph and the succubus queen worked together to finally make the succubus drop her prey. Alma Elma punched the red-haired succubus in the face, and when her opponent turned, Micaela cut her tail at the base, freeing Luka who was freefalling once more.

At the same time, the sky darkened even more as a swarm of hundreds of succubi and vampires appeared. Several of them came to support Astaroth against the seraph and the succubus queen, while some other tried to make their way to the other fight, and a last group was trying to rush straight at Luka.

Tamamo groaned as the horde poured from the sky. Transforming to use her more powerful spells would risk harming her allies, and she couldn't fly herself. She could only protect Luka once he reached the ground. If he managed it, that is.

She wondered why nobody from the Pocket Castle came at their rescue, and she got her answer when she started focusing: The area had the same lock that her counterpart had created over the Gold Region. Except this one was not created by her evil self, but a small army of spiders that were at the edge of the area. Several of them were now rushing the party, and Tamamo steadied herself, her rage ready to be unleashed on the interlopers. The first one that reached her was knocked back by the kitsune's tails with such a force that a large part of her body shattered. Eventually, Tamamo managed to catch back Luka with her tails, protecting him inside the fluffiness as she started casting ninjutsu techniques against the upcoming onslaught of spiders.

It was clear that the Lilith Sisters had planned their attacks extremely well. If the party had examined their surroundings, they would have noticed one of the two groups following them. However, they were still reeling from the surprise that happened in the Toxic Marshes, and when the conflict blew in the group, they were given the perfect opportunity to strike.

And it was also clear the group was at risk of being overwhelmed. Astaroth was fighting with a rage the seraph had never seen, managing to push Alma Elma back. Luckily, the red haired succubus suddenly stopped her assault and rose high in the sky to support her sisters against their single opponent. Micaela was impressed to see that the three Lilith Sisters were barely enough as is to deal with a single monster. She silently thanked their mysterious savior.

While Alma was still bruised from the ordeal, she was still standing against the succubi and vampires that were attacking her. Even if her opponents were now extremely numerous, she managed to hold them back with a flurry of holy infused punches, occasionally sending a reckless opponent tumbling through the sky.

As she kept kicking away spiders after spiders, Tamamo gave in and used the word of dispel to recover her true form. Most of the spiders scurried away, terrified for their lives.

"Moonlight Cannon!"

The remaining ones were blasted by a beam of light. The kitsune rapidly looked around her as she gauged the situation: Her allies were holding with difficulty, but fortunately, a large number of spiders broke up their assault to focus on another issue behind their line: It was unlikely to be good news, but right now, everything that diminished the pressure on the party was welcome. She used this opportunity to support Alma Elma with a few talismans, allowing the succubus queen to land and take a break to get healed for a second before they got both attacked again by vampires.

"STAY AWAY FROM THE ALTAR!"

Tamamo couldn't hear who was saying that in the chaos surrounding her. Spells and strikes were flying around, sometimes bouncing on shields to end randomly in the nature. A large thunderbolt struck the stone right in front of her, scorching it ever so slightly.

"STOP ATTACKING! STOP! BACK! I SAID BACK YOU FUCKING BITCH!"

The succubus that attacked the Lilih Sisters got pushed back by a destructive hurricane of punches from Astaroth.

The fight stopped to a crawl as Micaela, Alma Elma and Tamamo were standing on top of the altar that was used to summon the Garuda Girl. The monsters that surrounded them were carefully standing back, still ready to defend themselves should one of their opponents move. One of them looked at the Lilith Sisters, silently asking why they were holding back. Alma Elma recognized Succubus, the mayor of the same village. It looked like indeed, the succubi had joined the Sisters and the vampires. Alma Elma could only imagine their motivation.

"Wait, this is…"

Tamamo went wide eyed when she examined the fourth succubus that was now standing away from the Lilith Sisters. Even from here, she could see her eyes, familiar but different from those she had seen so often. "No way… The Seventeenth is really the daughter of the Sixteenth, but her father is…"

"Luka?!"

She then looked to the place where the commotion with the spiders had happened. A young man wielding an oversized scythe and wearing a strange red and black robe was slowly walking closer, with spiders surrounding him from afar. Her eyes confirmed that indeed, the man definitively had some of Luka's traits, as well as some of the Sixteenth.

Her word of dispel eventually expired. When she got back up, she felt her rage boil as she looked at the Lilith Sisters. The three succubi were argumenting vehemently with each other. Everything in Astaroth's behavior made it clear that she was out for blood, while Morrigan looked confused, and Lilith was trying to rein her sister in. Eventually, the red-haired succubus teleported away, making her older sister sigh. Lilith turned back toward the altar where everybody was, her voice amplified to echo to carry her words.

"Everybody save for me, Micaela and… That man are to leave the place now. It is an order!"

Micaela looked at Tamamo. The kitsune was almost foaming at the mouth and she could feel the energy crackle around her as a spell threatened to explode. Alma Elma placed a hand on Tamamo's shoulder, and Micaela sighed in relief when the kitsune just turned back and nodded, before disappearing with Luka and the Succubus Queen in the Pocket Castle.

She could feel the twins communicating telepathically between each others. A minute later, the succubus frowned, but disappeared none the less. Micaela slowly walked back at the edge of the altar, keeping an eye on the two other beings all the while. They were also warily looking at each other and at her. The man looked slightly more confused and was always keeping his eyes on the succubus, almost ignoring the seraph herself. There probably was some past experience speaking there.

"It has come to this…" Lilith frowned. "You angels really will always be a torn in our side, won't you?"

"It might be related to the sheer havoc you bring on the world every time." Micaela leaned back on her right leg. "Each time we see you, we end with more questions than answers."

"Oh please, as if using a sacred monster altar as a shield is something to be proud of." The succubus crossed her arms under her large breasts. "You can't do anything without destroying even the most innocent things monsters created."

Micaela's eyes narrowed. "Your idea of fun involves frying the brain of humans with pleasure and devouring their energy. That's not exactly better."

"I only do that because they want to. Let me show you." Lilith offered a sickeningly sweet smile to Nero. "Why don't you present yourself? I'll gladly learn anything there is about you…"

The man held fast. "I apologize, but my reasons to be here are my own. I will not explain myself to you."

"No problem! I'll do it!"

The trio turned to see the White Rabbit crouched at the top of the only pillar that was still standing. Nero and Lilith prepared their weapons. The strange monster raised both hands defensively.

"TRUCE! Truce! Truuuuce, truce truce truuuuuuuuuce. You're all here because the world is going to end if you two do the smallest mistake again!" She pointed at Lilith and Nero. "And killing her…" She pointed at Micaela. "…Would actually be on the same level of deviation as destroying this very altar without a single Garuda Girl available. Did you actually forget?"

Lilith shamefully turned away. "Yes you did, sheesh, I wonder why you bothered to prepare all these plans to screw everything up because you couldn't take one second to think. Succubi a nutshell, I suppose."

Nero smirked, which didn't escape the White Rabbit. "But I admit, it's better than let's do anything as pop did because it's only what the true history is! Well, mister Chuuni, sorry to tell you that, but your family doesn't know about all those little branches that could have been! I mean, I get your intention, but those harpies could have not been saved and Yamatai Village could have been razed by Shirohebi -oh, right, your sister didn't clean it this time, the hero and his friends did-." She turned toward the two others. "You probably figured both who he really is by now."

"The son of Luka and the Monster Lord from the real world." Both women answered in unison.

"Correct!" Nero grimaced. "Ooooh, don't be like that! Mommy, daddy and aunty left you with a precise set of instructions, but they had no ideas what you would face once on the other side." She looked to the sky. "I mean they didn't even know what would happen if they killed Ilias… Not that there was a way to in the first place anyway."

Lilith looked at Micaela. "The sins of your fathers as you angels keep saying?"

The seraph closed her eyes. "Focus. Preventing chaosization first and foremost." Lilith had a point, but simply being in the presence of the succubus grated her nerves to no end.

The White Rabbit grimaced at her turn. "Weeeell, with all that happened, I can't say the world is doing fine on that one. I wonder whose fault is that?" She alternated looking between Lilith and Nero. "Oh sure, you're both doing your best to keep your plans as close to possible to what really happened, but a little deviation heeeere, a little mistake theeeere, and then they pile uuuuup, and then… You get where I'm going. By the way, I should show you a little something that happened yesterday."

In the blink of an eye. The quartet found itself in a mana-filled cavern. The trio recognized the nubile form of Eden standing in front of the three second generation seraphim and Uriela. The naked seraph had a shocked expression on her face, her mouth agap and her eyes opened wide.

"I cannot let something like that pass! I will not let monsters assassinate our beloved Goddess!"

She looked down. "But if the Lilith Sisters come here, with the support of the son of the Daystar… Can I really stand up to them?"

"This is why we're here." Micaela looked at Uriela, trying to gauge further the fighting capabilities of the Archangel with her trained eyes. "We will make sure nobody disturbs your mission. She will be fine as long as you keep this temple sealed."

"But… Why don't we free her and appreciate her guidance instead? Surely she will lead us to victory!"

"Our enemies are currently too numerous and she's too vulnerable. We will free her in due time, but first, we must get sure that she will be safe when the time comes. Until then, you must continue your duty and serve her adequately."

"Very well." Eden kneeled in front of the visitor. "Please, I will do everything to help you. I contacted Ranael. See with her to fortify the continent as needed while I maintain that barrier. I beg you, please do everything to help us save her once and for all."

"We will. We shall also warn you that a small version of her also accompany the hero. Feel free to kill this usurper." Uriela nodded and turned back, soon followed by the three seraph. "Let us get to work."

Eden was now alone, and turned back to pray. "I will do everything to save you, my goddess. I knew you didn't give up on us. I knew you were still alive!"

The quartet was now back on the Garuda Girl altar.

"Ilias is already a paradox at that point thanks to everything that happened. Luckily, you still have time to act, but Luka must now follow the true history without a single discrepancy. And this means no intervention from outsiders." She turned toward Nero and took a scolding tone. "Soooo, if you don't want to disappear, you're going to stay away from him! Or at least, use another intermediate. And it's the same for you miss succubus! Now both of you, shoo! Shoo!"

Lilith nodded, and Nero instantly disappeared. "Very well. I just have two last things to see with Micaela."

The seraph eyed the succubus suspiciously, still ready to draw her own sword. The oldest of the Lilith Sisters was looking gloomy, her usual predatory smile replaced by a frown.

"First, you do know that mini-you and Daystar assassinated our dear little sister that was accompanying the hero, right?"

Micaela sighed. "I had my doubts when I saw them come back. Trust me, I really wish they didn't, I don't know how I will tell that to Luka."

"Doesn't that make you feel anything?"

"I have other issues at hand right now."

Lilith emitted a small moan. "I prefer you when you're more honest with your feelings. More straightforward."

When she blinked, Micaela had a vision of herself. Her ribbon was now black and was taking the shape of horns near her head, she had six ebony wings in her back, and was covered with several red tattoos with yellow power gems incrusted in the center of her chest. She blinked twice again, but nothing happened.

"Wait, what was that?"

"Nothing. Sleep well, little seraph." The succubus' smile became predatory before she disappeared.

"Wooow, ruuuuude." The White Rabbit then pulled a watch from one of her innumerable pocket. "And now I'm getting late again!"

"One last question I forgot last time. You still didn't tell me what you get from all this."

"And I'll give the same answer I told you the first time. I'm doing it for the same reason you did in the past without following Ilias or orders. See ya!"

Micaela chuckled. The answer was so obvious she hadn't even initially considered it.

"I'm an idiot."

She teleported back at the Pocket Castle, her mind still troubled by the vision Lilith had shared and her words. Was it a vision of her future? Something done just to disconcert her? Or… Of her alternate self?

It was time to set a few records straight.