Luka was alone, his sword repeatedly clashing against the strange blade that made for the arm of an apoptosis he couldn't quite identify. This opponent was giving him more difficulties than he expected, as his sword strikes didn't manage to hurt the strange monster whose features kept ever shifting. One moment, it reminded him somehow of Adramelech, the next, of one of the multitude of other trans-dimensional white cells he had kept fighting, and, for the smallest second, he swore he could recognize Sonya. That last moment had nearly cost him his life, as he lost his focus, and found himself pierced through by the strange blade. Luckily, his opponent instantly removed it right afterward, and the wound disappeared as soon as he meditated. He couldn't take the time to appreciate his luck, however, as the monster was back to attacking him again in a flurry of blows.
Luka barely managed to parry them all with his sword before the monster once again took the appearance of his childhood friend, her short blond hair surrounding her green eyes, themselves located above an indifferent expression. The outfit that contained her curvy body changed from the leather corset with stockings that made her priestess attire to the bare minimum that she wore when she had revealed herself as an apoptosis.
The hero barely managed to gather his focus enough to keep himself steady against this unexpected change. He stepped aside to dodge a piercing attack that would have skewered him and countered without holding back by slashing at his opponent's head. His attack was parried again, and soon, the two fighters found themselves once again locked into a deadly dance that lasted several minutes before she uttered something that utterly shocked the hero.
"…Friend."
She pronounced the word in the most monotone voice he ever heard, but even then, it was enough to seize his heart and make him lose focus once again. The monster's arm suddenly became a huge club that punched him across the place.
As he flew back against his will, the hero could take a better look at his surroundings to see if he could exploit it to gain an advantage against his opponent. However, they refused to stay still, and switched back and forth between any of the dirt road surrounded by hills that he walked upon during his travel and the metallic environment of Tartarus interspaced with those strange purple plates that usually made for the floor of the more corroded areas he saw there.
When he landed on his back and bounced, he could see the black sky, empty of a single celestial object. After bouncing once more and sliding on several meters, he realized his wounds were too terrible to heal himself. Sonya was already in front of him, perpetually changing form between the one of the childhood friend he always knew and the ones he faced by the past. He tried to get up, but his body was too heavy. He could barely look up at his assailant, who had apparently stuck to the angel-like appearance she had the last time he saw her in Tartarus.
"Sonya… It's me… Luka… Your friend…"
"Useless."
The next second, a blade cut her in half from behind. She exploded into a shower of light, forcing Luka to protect his eyes before he could see his savior.
When he opened them again, he was in a bed back in the Pocket Castle, surrounded by a large number of his companions.
"Really, why do we even have to keep saving him… He couldn't ever bother to protect me against Morrigan and her ilk... A poor companion if anything." He recognized Ilias's voice. He couldn't see her expression. Actually, he couldn't see her at all.
"It's because he's a useful idiot." Micaela's harsh voice seemed to reverberate through the room. "But he managed to get everyone to work together, so we must keep him around."
"You bet…" This time, he recognized the scuffed stamp of Mephisto. "Me and Sonya were the one preventing them from jumping at each other's throat. It took less than two weeks between the moment we both disappeared and the moment some of them killed each other." The black-clad yoma was looking at him with cold, snake-like eyes. "As soon as he takes decisions, people die, so it's certainly not for his smarts. Maybe he's a great lay?" The yoma started vanishing. With each words uttered, Luka felt his body become heavier and heavier.
"Pffff, riiight…" Morrigan's voice reached the hero's ears. "He's a quick shot if anything, and is helpless as soon as things get a little serious. But hey, that work for me, I'm surprised you didn't wet yourself on the spot when mother showed up in Esta..." Luka turned to see the blue haired succubus grin maniacally. "I mean, I would have paid a lot to see your face when you met her face to face, but-." The next second, she was impaled by a large spear, and Lucifina-chan was standing in front of her body, pointing an accusing finger at the hero.
"Luka! You've been a horrible, horrible son! Going for the first harlot like that, you're lucky I'm here to protect you!" She then pouted and left, her arms crossed. He couldn't even see the succubus' body.
On the other side, Tamamo sighed. "And I was unable to protect neither Alice nor her mother… I was too busy being with you I guess." There was a mix of hostility and incomprehension in her gaze. "Why did I even do that?" When Luka tried looking at her, he only saw the eviscerated body of Alice instead, ready to be laid to rest.
"Your presence is a nuisance as the real Tamamo didn't accompany Luka on his adventures in the true history." Was that voice Nero? How did he came here? Since when? "I guess we could explain what we know, but it's not cool enough, and it would only show we know even less than you." He repositioned his glasses.
"At least you know and understand something." The voice of the Grand Noah Queen reverberated through the hall. "We just get forced in and have to follow, no matter what, and we're the ones who suffer the most from the hero's actions."
Luka realized what was happening: he was now delirious. The hero straightened himself with much difficulty from the bed, and when he was done, he was surrounded by a soft light in a sea of clouds. After much effort, he finally managed to stand up, and once he was standing, he was graced by the presence of the Goddess Ilias in all her magnificience.
"Luka, hero Luka." Her voice echoed through Heaven. "You had failed in the past, and are bound to fail once again."
"I will try once again…" The words sounded hollow to his own ears, and Ilias was looking down at him with contempt.
"If you keep on this road, you will fail forever. This world will be destroyed again and again. Until you lose everything. How many times did it happen already? You will never be able to save it if you persist."
Luka looked down, ashamed. She was right. He had failed this world now. He had failed it in the past, as he had restarted his adventure for the pettiest of reasons. And he failed it again, even harder than before, pushing it on the road to destruction.
Wasn't the real Luka also a failure? If what the White Rabbit said was true back at Ilias Temple Ruins, the hero had to be brought back again and again after failing to beat down the weakest opponents… That was the only thing that differentiated from him.
"The only things that pushed you were your lust followed by your anger. Now is time to let go, fake hero Luka. Those shall no longer guide you forward. Face your reality and give up. It is time to put yourself to rest. Just let go of life…"
Everybody that he recruited in the past was now staring at him accusingly. He could ear whispers of each and every one of his failures. He lied down in despair and relaxed.
Well, nothing mattered anymore. His hatred only brought death. Everybody else would be better without him. Micaela had taken control of fights from him, and as soon as he tried stepping in again, she died.
Eventually, he could see everybody leave the area, leaving him all alone. Even the goddess disappeared. An unaccountable moment passed before she reappeared in front of him without any fanfare.
"Is… Your… Me?"
Luka raised an eyebrow. The goddess was not as splendid as when she just appeared. When he looked again, the image of Ilias was shimmering, just like when she was swallowed by chaos. In fact, his surroundings were shivering sporadically. After an ear rupturing sound of shattering glass stunned him, he found himself in Hades, on the small platform that was drifting in the void, and there were now two Ilias standing in front of him. The regal-looking one that he saw in his visions, and the childish looking one that he had taken as a companion at the beginning of his adventure. The latter one seemed particularly angry as she dusted herself while looking at her counterpart, but somehow, Luka felt something for her. Was it pity?
"I never, never told a hero to give up in his mission! Well, except Heinrich at the very end, but that doesn't count!" She turned toward Luka. "Is that really how you see me?"
"Wait… Ilias? What… How…"
She made a dismissive gesture. "Influencing the spirit is my domain. My power is limited now, but don't think they aren't enough to give you the kick in the rump you seems to need!"
Luka looked down, his face red in shame. She then pointed at her counterpart who was completely ignoring her. "That… That's how you see the version of me that gave you the mission to save the world?"
Luka nodded awkwardly.
"Did she really act like that? I mean, I know myself well enough to know I wouldn't act like that… I mean, I wouldn't treat a hero like that if it led to him no longer serving me."
"Maybe… I mean, I kept failing her and coming back and…"
"Soooo, it didn't really happen."
"No." Luka was intently staring at his shoes.
Ilias crossed her arms with a pouting expression that reminded Luka of Alice. "Your memories are a jumble between what actually happened and what comes from your own self-loathing. When I saw you getting enraged at enemies, I thought that you were consumed by hatred for them… Now I realized I was only half right. The one you loath the most is you." She sighed. "I wish Tamamo was here… I might have no equal when it comes to manipulation someone's mind, but she's the uncontested mistress when it comes to emotions… Bar the whore, but this one can burn in hell for all I care." She chuckled. "And now I'm hoping for the support of one of the Ancestors… Still, she would have known better than me how to help you."
Luka scoffed. "You'd know what I did, you'd spit on me too."
"Really? And what you did that was so bad, mister hero?" Ilias tried to gather as much sarcasm as she could muster.
Luka groaned as an answer. "Well, I gathered myself a harem for a start…"
"You might see it like it, but most people see it as an army, a powerful one at that. And before you ask, even if I frown upon relationships with monsters, I came to terms with the idea that you love nothing more than spending a night in the bed with a bunch of succubi. I will never approve it, but I tolerate it, at least because I know deep down that it helps you keep your cool. I would tell you how some of my so-called heroes relieved their stress, you would be aghast. I'll just say that some made the most lustful monsters look good in comparison."
"I kept failing everyone, no matter how many chances I was given."
"That reminds me of the original Luka. The one who did win against me in the end. I think we'll talk about that one later. Anything else?" She leaned closer to his face. "And by that, I mean I want something that make you look like the most absolute, horrible person. A time where you were deliberately evil, not one where you were just disappointing."
The hero sighed heavily as he braced himself. He now had to tell what he had really done that badly…
"I restarted my adventures because I didn't want to get married to the Elven Princess. Her guards went on a rampage because I didn't exchange letters with her because I forgot. I ran away in shame and fear." He gestured around him. "All these disasters? They happened because I fled like a coward."
Ilias blinked repeatedly at the hero's words for a few seconds in disbelief. "Ok, three… Actually four things here. First, the most obvious. Remind me what happened this time?"
"I… Was bailed out by everyone?"
Ilias nodded. "That's right, Micaela, Tamamo and Alma Elma stepped in to help you out without question. I don't think you'd have gotten more than a slap on the wrist and a good scolding if they did know."
"Secondly, did you really take a look at who you recruited on your adventures?! Several monsters that devoured hundreds, a succubus that would turn you into dry fish in the blink of an eye, another monster that destroyed kingdoms for her own twisted pleasure, and a goddess that nearly destroyed the world -And yes, I'm talking about me for the last one-, so please, don't beat yourself over what you did." She sighed and looked at the captivated hero. "At least, try to atone for it and make yourself useful rather than just sulk."
Luka nodded, half hypnotized by the small goddess's words.
"And third, no, just no. I refuse to believe what you just said. There is another reason for you restarting… Oh, maybe you did restart after doing something stupid like that, but I know another version of you better than I know some of my fellow angels, and I can confirm that it's at least something you share with him: You first and foremost want to defend the weak and those you consider your friends. And you hate yourself because you feel like you're failing this task. This is the root cause, and I can say that if you had to run through hell twenty times to save every last one of your friends, no matter how bad it would be, you'll do it. Am I wrong?"
She frowned, challenging the hero. He shook his head negatively. "No… You're entirely right. I just want to save everyone in the end… But I failed… And in fact I think I only made things worse."
"Which leads me to the last thing I wanted to ask you about: Tell me what happened during your last adventures. Before you had to restart."
"I…" Luka scratched his head awkwardly. Memories of what happened as a whole flooded his mind, bringing more questions than answers: He remembered visiting the locations he did see during his adventures, but the simplest details, such as who was accompanying him and how he solved it, remained clouded. "I…" The more he tried remembering it, the hazier the memories grew. Ilias tilted an eyebrow.
"Indeed I was right, it looks like your soul travelled through time so often that all your memories are a jumbled mess."
"…Actually yes you're right. I… can remember roughly doing that adventure, but the details remain confused… I can't remember precisely anything…"
Ilias cleared her throat and shouted in the dark sky of Hades. "HEY! YOU HAREBRAINED SLEAZY FURBALL! WE NEED YOUR GUIDANCE TO HELP US WITH LUKA'S MEMORIES!"
The randomness of the moment made Luka burst into laughter. "I wish that was as simple as that… She's quite a fickle beast. Only Tamamo managed to understand how she works."
Ilias dramatically sighed. "I really have to talk more with her… And I wish I took some time to speak with Micaela, but I was..."
"Terrified?"
The small goddess nodded. "I was going to say afraid, but your word is more fitting."
Luka awkwardly chuckled. "I didn't think about that either… It was the first time I saved her after all, I didn't know how it would turn out." The hero's mind was filled with sadness as he remembered the times he saw Micaela dead at the top of Mt St Amos. He remembered the sadness that filled his heart at that time. Then… Something else had followed. A gift from the seraph, the baptism as a hero, and her will to defend the world was passed unto him.
Hindsight started setting in. Why did he remember that memory more vividly than anything else? And why were his other ones so mixed up? Did the White Rabbit and Reaper play a role in it?
A small wave of determination filled the hero. It was time to step up again, at least by respect for his fallen aunt, and if anything else to ask the White Rabbit what was going on exactly. The strange monster would likely give him one of her usual non-commital answer, and that would only happen if he met her. But he certainly wouldn't get anything if he remained here, sulking. He had to fight and go through the Snow Continent and Ilias Temple Ruins. After all, he met her there, and he needed to kill Ilias there anyway if he wanted this world to have a chance. He shouldn't consider bringing down the world in his fall, after all.
Everything was converging now.
Luka got up and put up the best facade he could. He'd have to fight once again, but it was one of the thing he was the best at, after all.
"You're right… I lost enough time crying, and I must know what really happened. Let's go."
"But why would you fight to try to remember when you could just lie down and forget everything?"
Ilias and Luka both jumped up in surprise when the other version of the goddess started talking again.
"I almost forgot she was still there."
Ilias looked around her. "This… is your Hades, isn't it? Can't you do anything about it?"
Luka looked at the center of the platform, and could see the distinct absence of the magic circle that always brought him back to his world.
He looked at the other version of Ilias, who kept shimmering. "You don't deserve this chance, and you know it." She dissipated into a fog, which reformed to look like Luka. "You'll just blow it up anyway."
The hero was surprised to hear his own voice and see himself. Ilias' expression was a mix of surprise and bemusement.
"A shadow archetype? Was your self-loathing so strong it actually decided to take life? Talk about cli-"
Her sentence was interrupted when that new Luka charged at her. His assault was interrupted by the real hero who parried the assault with his own sword. Ilias flew back and tried calling out her bow, but failed.
"Death Sword Chaos Star!"
Both Luka's and the doppelganger's sword clashed at an impressive speed. They were evenly match, with the only differences between them in their moves: Luka's attacks showed hesitation, but remained technical, while his opponent's had more weight behind them but were also so frenzied he couldn't defend himself.
Ilias started casting a few enchantments to help her champion. Luka took a second to nod in her direction as a thank, when his opponent pushed an assault too far and stumbled forward. The hero slashed at his back, but the attack somehow glanced. A mist formed around his opponent, and he was back standing up, with a hate-filled frown on his face.
"I'll destroy all those who oppose me!" The doppelganger summoned Gnome, and Luka focused on avoiding his attacks. He himself summoned sylph, and started gracefully dodging the clumsy assault, occasionally managing to launch a small attack, but they felt powerless in front of the festering mountain of violence and hatred.
"I'll only protect those I judge worthy!" The grinning shadow slashed horizontally. Luka jumped back to avoid the attack, but he was hit by its shockwave, knocked back across the small platform. He used his momentum to end up on his feet, facing his opponent who was now starting to shimmer.
"If I must destroy everything to save the world, then so be it!" The doppelganger rushed at Luka with his sword forward, and the hero deviated his attack, forcing his opponent in the void. He kept his guard up, and a blade of water confirmed him that unfortunately he was still standing.
"All those worthy must be protected, and only those judged worthy!" The doppelganger was hovering over the void. His right half was starting to crack, with beams of light pouring from it, while his right half had tendrils of darkness escaping from more organic looking holes.
What's happening? That doesn't make any sense.
"Hold fast Luka! I can feel him start to tear himself apart!"
The hero felt another enchantment from Ilias hit him and felt a wave of determination sweep through him. He readied himself and summoned Gnome while trying to remember his friends and allies. All the support they had given him, how they were always present for him…
"I judge you unworthy! You must be destroyed!" The doppelganger started preparing another attack while Luka himself prepared his own.
"Death Sword Chaos Star!"
The doppelganger repeatedly slashed at Luka who tanked the hits, wincing in pain. Still, the hero held, and once he was sure the doppelganger couldn't dodge, he unleashed his own assault.
"Grand Lion!"
Ilias went wide eyed behind the pillar that she used as a cover. The attack directly hit the doppelganger and cut him in half, both of which landed behind Luka. No blood was dripping, and both of them were crackling with energy.
Luka stepped forward with the intent to finish his opponent off while Ilias came out from her hideout.
"Did Heinrich teach you this technique? I thought he only learned it at the very end of his life!"
"Sort of… It's… Complicated." The hero's eyes didn't leave his doppelganger, whose halves fused again. He was shimmering amidst the crackling sound of energy more than ever, and was now standing up, more and more cracks appearing all over his body, his clothes, his hair and even his swords. He was stumbling toward Luka, and was starting to split halfway, starting by his skull. Fortunately, he could only see dark and light coming from each side rather than any other, more gruesome sight.
"Everything…In… Our… Way… Must… Be… DESTROYED!"
Luka and Ilias slowly backed up as the doppelganger was now half split, walking toward them with a demented gait. His expression alternated between the most psychotic smile one saw, and a machine-like frown.
"The… Worthy… Shall… Be… SAVED!"
The two halves separated in a crackling storm of chaotic energy. When it calmed down, there were now two very different doppelgangers. One was covered with an open robe that reminded him of angels, his face covered in a blissful, illuminated expression, while the other one was wearing a weaponized armor, with a perfectly neutral expression.
"What… The…"
Before Luka could finish his sentence, both copies attacked each other in an explosion that kicked him and Ilias away in the endless void below.
Luka opened his eyes again to find himself lying in his bed in the Pocket Castle. He couldn't see much around, as darkness filled his place. He sighed in relief as there was no sign of another clone of him wanting to kill him.
He heard some movements and saw a small light illuminating the place. He recognized Tamamo's half-asleep small face. Unable to control himself, he threw himself and hugged her as tightly as he could, making the kitsune yelp in surprise. After a second, she started hugging him back.
"Soooo… How are you feeling now?"
"Glad to be alive. Glad to have some support. Glad to be able to count on so many people like you." He broke away from the hug when he remembered Ilias had helped him. He looked around, and saw the goddess half wallowed at the foot of one of the bed's post, an arm wrapped around it and her head holding limply, a small trail of drool escaping her mouth.
He started breathing erratically, scared for the small goddess. Feeling his concern, Tamamo reassured him.
"She's fine, she's just asleep."
"You're sure?" Doubt filtered through his voice.
Tamamo raised a finger to shush him. After a small while, he heard the goddess not so gracefully snore, which made him awkwardly chuckle. The door to his room opened, and the next second, he felt himself being stuck to Tamamo and Ilias while his head was resting between two soft mounds. Alma Elma's seductive voice echoed in his ears as she swayed back and forth while hugging the whole group.
"D'aaaawwww… Luka-boy is finally baaaack…"
While Luka was appreciating the moment, it was soon spoiled by a few issues. Ilias was starting to emit chocking noises at a regular pace.
"Stop… strangling meeeee you b… devil…"
"Huuuh, Alma? I'm glad to see you're just as happy that Luka is doing fine, but since the moment you started hugging him, I can tell he got a LITTLE excited, so if you would please kindly release us…"
Eventually the succubus' assault relented, and everybody awkwardly looked at each other. Tamamo fanned herself with dignity and looked at Luka.
"Sooo, can you tell us what happened?"
And so they spent the rest of the night listening to the hero.
Lilith was kneeling in front of a small shrine, in a dark room only illuminated by a candle that emitted a red flame. By her side was Morrigan, and she could feel her small sister's mix of fear and nihilism fueled by Astaroth's death. After a minute of silence, both of them got up, Lilith's stocking now adorned with her sister's leg guards. With the painting Lilith had done of her in the past, those were the only physical remainders of her existence. Morrigan sighed heavily, and the purple haired succubus beckoned her sister to come closer.
"Come here…"
Both sisters shared a hug, and while Lilith managed to hold her composure, her younger sister was sniffling inelegantly.
"Why…? Why did this happen? She shouldn't have died, it was supposed to be simpler than that…"
"We had to came in because of Black Alice. Black Alice was around because Ilias kept her around. And then those angels led by another version of Ilias slowed us down and spread further chaos. It's all their fault and the one of their egomaniacal excuse of a goddess, surrounded by sycophants and tight assed yes-men."
"…I'll kill them. I'll kill them all."
"Stay caaaalm… Don't let your anger consume you. She let it get the better of her at the wrong time and it cost her her life." She broke from the hug and looked at her sister with compassionate eyes. "We knew the risk and we accepted it. Things won't ever be the same again without her, but we can't let her death be in vain and let ourselves perish. Else, who's going to avenge her and ruin the angel's day? And who's going to violate the hero once he's finally in our grasp?"
Morrigan nodded, and Lilith delicately cleared a running tear from her sister's cheek with her finger.
"Still, what are we going to do now?"
Lilith's expression became grimmer. "Our goal doesn't change. We grab the hero when we can and run. Our situation is more delicate than before, but we also have an army to support us…"
They suddenly started hearing some commotion come from the throne room. They instantly teleported there and were greeted by the sight of Tamamo No Mae in all her splendor. The kitsune was surrounded by a group of terrified vampires who all had their weapons drawn, but she looked more concerned than outright hostile or offended.
"Tamamo…" Lilith's word was a low growl. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?"
The kitsune turned and gauged the duo of succubi for a few seconds before answering.
"Minagi suddenly felt a twinge of concern about you. I decided to do another projection as soon as I was ready." She started fanning herself, and Lilith felt slightly surprised by the lack of the usual condescendence the kitsune's actions usually carried. "So if you would please report..."
Tamamo's ears drooped as Lilith explained her their latest debacles. Once the oldest of the Lilith Sisters was done with her tale, Tamamo bowed apologetically.
"I present my sincere condolences. We didn't expect Black Alice to directly step in that early in the game."
"And you didn't expect the angels from that world to step in, and yet here they were."
"Yes, and despite everyone's vigilance, they managed to reinforce the ones at Snow Heaven." Tamamo growled. "That damn Raphaela snuck some of her kin under our noses..."
"Yes, but we have gathered an army as well." Lilith's eyes narrowed. "Maybe with some of that sneaking you affection so much, we'll be able to strike them hard. Since the moment the hero sent them a message back at Esta, I have the feeling that they forgot about us. Let us get sure that we're the last thing that will be in the memory of those that came here."
Tamamo's expression turned into an ever expanding smile as she turned toward a dark spot. There was a monster chained to a wall, her mind reduced in shamble by the caring attention of the Lilith Sisters and the different monsters present in the castle. She had the lower body of a snake, but she was hanging limply against the wall, unable to do so much as raise her head.
"I already have a few ideas… Ufufufu…"