Author's Note: I own nothing from Bayonetta.

Chapter 15: The Ascendant One

Bayonetta opened her heavy eyes to see a crying man in front of her; a Sage on his hands and knees, sobbing for all to see and hear. Her heart broke at the image of her father; a man who had realised the truth she didn't want him to see, and now he was suffering from it. Walking forward, her heels clicking on the pavement, she knelt beside him, trying hard to keep her own composure from spilling.

"Balder…" She whispered, and he ignored her, still facing down towards the cement. "I'm so sorry… so sorry…"

"Did you know?" He asked, his voice trying to fight the emotions he was feeling. A small sliver of memory passed through her, and she began to feel pity for him.

"…a Sage is beholden to neither bias or emotion in their judgement, and seeks the supposed tranquillity of the balance between them all. In other words, they try extremely hard to be emotionless…"

She didn't answer. She was still trying to wrap her head around the situation, and how she was supposed to be feeling.

"Bayonetta, did you know?!" He looked to her, his eyes red, aching and full of despair. "Did you know that I… I killed her…?"

"I only knew that she died. I didn't know how, or when." She replied truthfully. "I-"

"Don't." His hands began to dig into the ground, cracks forming in the concrete. "It's my fault."

"Balder!" She lifted him up, making him face her. "It is not your fault!"

"I was weak, and I let Loptr take my mind over." He was staring at her with dull eyes. "I let her die. I killed her!"

"No!" She wrapped her arms around him and hugged her father for the first time in years. "No, Balder, you didn't! Loptr did!"

His head dropped onto her shoulder as he finally began to cry. Bayonetta took this opportunity to look at her surroundings, and a sinking feeling filled her stomach as she began to recognise where she was.

But that was not important now. Her father was hurting, and she needed to be there for him.

"Balder…" She spoke as he finally let go of her. "We aren't in my time. Not yet."

"What do you mean?" He frowned, his voice slowly returning to its normal tone. "Why would we not be back in our time, and in Inferno?"

"Because…" Her mind raced for a possible explanation, then her eyes closed at the unfairness of it all as she realised. "He got to Damien."

"Him? The false Lumen Sage?" Balder frowned, wiping the tears off his face with his sleeve. "Who is that, really?"

"Someone who is special to me." She answered. "And someone Loptr doesn't want against him, I'd wager."

"Why does he hate me so much?" He asked as he stood up, his white robes dirtied with blood and grime. "I do not even know who he is!"

"If we are where I think we are, then you will find out." She began to walk down a familiar alleyway, her hands trailing along the walls. "Follow me."

"As you wish." The Sage looked over at the walls with apprehension, and his eyes narrowed. "This place is far too technologically advanced to be close to my time."

"Because it isn't." Bayonetta answered as she walked down a street that she and Jeanne had torn up a year ago. "This is…"

She trailed off, her voice falling as she looked up at the sight in front of her. The pair found themselves at the base of an impossibly tall building. Balder raised an eyebrow at the architecture, sensing the familiarity of it.

"These statues are not dissimilar to the ones we have in Sunrise Valley. Or at least used to have." He commented, laying a hand on a statue of a Fairness, still trying to bury his grief with a distraction. "Where are we, anyway?"

Bayonetta didn't answer. The Sage turned back to her and found her staring up at the building with fear and apprehension. "Bayonetta?"

"This is Isla Del Sol, and about five hundred years in the future. I'm not sure when exactly." She finally said, swallowing. "And this… this is the base of the Ithavoll computer company building."

"What is so important about that? And what is Isla Del Sol?" Balder turned back to the building, studying it. "A… com-pu-ter… company cannot be that important in the passage of time. Especially to Damien!"

Bayonetta turned to him and gave him a pointed look. "Isla Del Sol was a manmade island for the wealthy and powerful of Europe, and for the whims of specifically one man. You would be surprised at what happens behind closed doors."

"Who?" The Sage glanced back at her, only to find her walking towards the building. Pushing open the doors, she walked in, Balder trailing behind her. She stopped in the lobby, looking around as if she was trying to find something. The secretary looked up and gave them a weird look, glancing at them in confusion and wariness.

"Hi, how may I help you?" She asked, professionally not voicing her confusion. Balder grimaced and gestured to his companion, who had seemingly found something.

"Bingo!" Bayonetta exclaimed. "If I were to put a secret entrance anywhere, I'd put it there."

The secretary gave them yet another look of confusion. "I can assure you that there are no secret entrances here. Now, how can I help you?"

Balder frowned. "That is exactly what I would say if I were hiding a secret entrance." He turned to Bayonetta. "Shall we go then?"

"I am the leader here, Balder. We shall go." Opening a portal to Purgatorio, the pair stepped through. The secretary sat there, dumbfounded. She pressed a button and activated the intercom.

"Father? We have a situation…"

…

"How did you find it, really?" Balder asked as Bayonetta pulled on the curtain, revealing a door. She winked back at him, then returned her attention to the door.

"A true lady never gives away her secrets." She reached down and pulled on the handle.

The door was locked, as she quickly found out. Frowning at it, she gave the door a swift kick and broke it down, ignoring the sigh of frustration from Balder at her antics. The pair walked into a white, sterile hallway, a sudden contrast from the beige's and golds of the lobby.

"Laboratory seven." Balder translated the Enochian plaque, frowning at it. "Why would this company need a laboratory, let alone seven?"

Bayonetta didn't answer. She looked ahead, scouting out the numerous doors. Walking forward, she arrived at the closest one and opened it. What she saw caused her to scream and dry heave against the wall.

"ROSA!" Balder shoved her to the side and ran into the room. His dead wife and lover were in a tank, floating around in a perversion of calm. Several chunks of her flesh were missing, and tubes leading from everywhere on her body, pumping liquids into and out of it. He turned back to the witch in a flash.

"Why is she in here!" He thundered. Bayonetta merely stared at the tube with tears in her eyes. "WHY!?"

She began to shake. She remembered that Damien had mentioned that Rosa was here, and that Jeanne had said she had freed her before the building went to hell. That was her Mummy, desecrated and abused because of Loptr's vision. Balder noticed her reaction, and his rage grew.

"Tell me now, Umbra Witch." He was glaring at her, his anger barely held back. "What is she doing in there!?"

"Loptr had a vision…" She swallowed and began to pull herself together. "He wanted to make his own child of light and dark in order to force the prophecy to happen, to bring about the Creator."

"He desecrated her corpse to complete his insane plan?" He summoned his glaive in a flash of light. "No more shall this misdeed go unpunished! No more!"

"Don't!" Bayonetta grabbed the weapon, ignoring the small flare of pain from her shoulder. "We can't disrupt the flow of time! Who knows what consequences could happen if we did!?"

"I do not care anymore!" Balder struggled to free himself from her grip. "My love was slain in front of me, and now she is desecrated for some madman's insanity! This is not the way life or death is supposed to be!"

Voices were then heard in the hallway. Activating witchtime and lightspeed respectively, they ran to another room, unlocked and opened the door. Slipping inside, they locked themselves in after closing it, and pressed their ears against the door to hear what was happening on the other side. Their respective time spells faded as the voices cleared up.

"…sometimes I wonder about the usefulness of mortals." A man's voice was heard. Both flinched at the sound, both from recognition.

"I do to, but they have their uses." A female voice was heard. "Being the start of our security isn't one of them."

"Jeanne?" Bayonetta whispered, and it all clicked for her. Balder also had recognised the voice of the former Umbran heiress, but opted to stay silent.

"Since when were the Umbra acquaintances to mortals?" He hissed. "And why am I here?"

"It's the last Lumen Sage." She answered, gesturing for him to be quiet. "That's why."

"Since when were Lumen and Umbran in cohorts?" Balder asked, his anger turning to confusion. She didn't answer, and focussed on listening in. "Especially to their murderer?"

"Ah, Rosa. My 'dearest'. She has served me well." The man sounded content. Balder was shaking in rage at every word and was struggling to contain himself. "It's too bad her mind and emotions were far too easy to manipulate."

"Cereza's mother. Never really cared for her." Jeanne commented, closing the door to the containment room. "Never liked her either. Stupid bitch thought it was fine to get herself hitched to a Lumen Sage, of all people."

"Ah, that is where you are wrong." Loptr-Balder laughed. "You see, my dear, that Rosa never could truly love a Sage. It was in the very core of her being, something that could truly never begin to be changed."

"Then how?" Jeanne asked, her tone laced with confusion. "How did this all happen?"

"I simply pulled the strings that were necessary. All the love that Balder ever felt from her was nothing but a mere illusion; the same goes for my 'dearest' Cereza." The colour drained from their faces as they heard. "The emotions of a mortal; they are far too easy to manipulate. And because of it they lose."

"Well…" Jeanne began to laugh. "You certainly have outdone yourself this time, Father."

Their voices trailed off. Balder glared in anger and hate at the door, and Bayonetta sat there in shock.

"He is lying!" Balder hissed, rage and despair in his voice. "He has to be! Our love was real!"

"She…" Bayonetta swallowed. Mummy had loved her! There was absolutely no way that was fake! She had seen Mummy's love in her eyes!

Didn't she?

"There's no use dwelling." She pushed all the doubt and confusion down, bottling it deep inside her for the time being. "Come, let's go."

Opening the door quietly, they sneaked behind the two voices, taking care to not make a sound.

They found themselves in a massive room. In the centre stood a sizeable, glass pod. Surrounding it was several operation tables containing both dissected angels and demons, and other pieces of chemistry and medical equipment. Looking at the pod was two figures, one dressed in red and the other in white; Jeanne and Balder. One looking a lot worse for wear than the other.

"That is me?!" Balder whispered in confusion. Bayonetta elbowed him in the side and gestured for him to listen.

"Ah, experiment 10978." The Elder sage's voice carried throughout the room. "You are still alive. Good, good. Everything is now according to schedule."

"I'm honestly surprised the mortal hasn't died yet." Jeanne spoke, her words carrying trace amounts of respect. "No one has survived the Lumen/Umbran transfers, and now you've added Infernal and Lagunan cells to the mix? It's impressive. If it wasn't such a piece of shit normally…"

"If it has the will to survive, then he shall. And as such, it will make a fine bearer of the Right Eye." Balder examined a nearby console. "It looks like it is stable, but in a critical condition. Whatever is the matter?"

"I give it a week, tops." Jeanne turned to leave. "It looks like no security was breached after all."

"Yes, I guess so." Balder turned as well. "Perhaps we should hire a new secretary."

The pair watched as the pair from the past left. Once the door closed, both made a beeline for the pod.

"Damien…" Bayonetta whispered as she saw the wreck he was. He was lying in a bed, tubes and wires attached to nearly every part of his body. Two small growths were dangling uselessly to his sides, and she recognised them as his future wings.

"Wait, that in there is… Damien?" The Sage turned to her. "He is a child of light and dark?"

"Yes. The failsafe for his plan." She then frowned and turned her head to the side in thought. "Actually, I think he was the prime plan."

"Cereza…" Balder whispered. "He planned to use my own daughter for his machinations?"

"Don't worry, I stopped him." She turned to him. "His plot failed."

"If it did…" Balder turned back to the sleeping man. "Then why did we get sent here?"

Bayonetta shrugged, then her eyes went wide as she recognised a blur flying towards them. "Look out!"

Balder turned and then disappeared as a speeding mass of feathers, white and silver slammed into the Sage and burst through the walls of the laboratory, destroying them and sending the pair sprawling to the outside. The sounds woke up Damien, who stared at Bayonetta in shock, confusion and surprise.

She gave him a wave, then ran out after the pair.

…

Balder groaned as he landed on the street with a thud. Summoning his glaive, he blocked two swings of a katana aimed at his face, then pushed the assailant off him. The white cloth fluttered in the wind as two wings slipped out from underneath it,

"You!" He jumped to his feet as the winged man floated above him. Bayonetta ran out of the hole behind them, her eyes on the pair of Sage's facing off.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and the man's golden eyes stared down in hatred at the bearer of the Right Eye.

"Damien!" The witch called out. "Stop!"

"This man has been a blight on our life for far too long." Damien stared down in utter contempt at the Sage, ignoring his sister. "It's time it ended!"

"Whatever you think I did." Balder answered, swinging his glaive to his side. "It was not me."

"You were the one to ruin my life!" Damien pointed his katana down at the Sage, eyes blazing and lightning lighting up the sky behind him. "You will finally die, and I can be normal again! No more shall this cursed existence be!"

"You don't want to do this!" Bayonetta ran to her father's side. "It was Loptr! Loptr did this!"

"Who the fuck is Loptr?" Damien narrowed his eyes. "You've put her under your spell."

"It isn't like this!" Bayonetta shook her head. "Loptr is the one who is behind all of this!"

"What did you promise her? Love? Her lost father's affections?" Damien was back to focussing on Balder now. "You will die, and the link will be broken."

"I have not done anything." Balder gripped his glaive a little tighter. "We will beat some sense into you if it need be."

"You are welcome to try." Damien stared down at the pair as it started to rain. "if you cannot listen to reason, sister, then it will be forced back into you!"

…

This was beginning to look like her dream.

Bayonetta was about to start crying. Couldn't something, just something, go right on today, of all days?

"Bayonetta." Her father asked her, his head turning slightly to her. "I am not asking for you to join me, but do you stand against me?"

"I stand with you, Balder." She drew out her guns and pointed them at the winged man above them, the rain dripping off her and covering her glasses. "You are not my enemy any longer."

"You stand with him?!" Damien looked at her incredulously. "After all he has done?!"

"It wasn't him!" She shouted. "You need to open your eyes and look!"

"Enough talk!" Balder began to glow as he channelled his power. "You were trapped here by the Prophet, were you not?"

"He told me all I had to do to leave this prison was to forgive you." He landed, the impact leaving a small crater on the ground. "And I will bow before Jubileus before that will happen!"

"Then so be it." Balder pointed his glaive at him, Bayonetta pointing her guns as well.

"Please don't try to kill him." She whispered.

"If he is as insane as I am, then he too will be put down at the proper time." Balder answered, and her heart sank.

Damien burst forward, his sword flashing. Activating witch time and light speed respectively, Bayonetta and Balder side-stepped his multi-slash burst, then returned to normal as they began to swing in with punches and slices of the glaive.

The winged man cursed at the sudden onslaught, going immediately to the defensive. A small barrier appeared in his palm as he blocked each punch, the Shuraba swinging in arcs to both deflect and try to throw the glaive off balance. He was successful as one wild swing was pushed towards the ground, embedding the glaive into the street. The Sage cursed, but spent too long trying to free the weapon from the clutches of the ground as Damien caught him with a punch and knocked him senseless for the time being.

Sweeping her legs out, she felt the false Sage fall to the ground. Standing back up, Bayonetta extended one leg out and sent a wicked kick aimed at the somewhat prone man. It connected, and Damien flew into a nearby building. Swallowing, she chased after him, sending a hail of bullets into the walls. The wall exploded as Damien grabbed hold of it, sending the shrapnel towards her. Jumping into witchtime, she pushed aside each scrap of shrapnel in her path and deactivated it in front of him, a wicked punch primed.

He had anticipated this and she realised too late.

The weave was blocked by his hand, and then she felt her foot explode into pain as the Shuraba stabbed it and pinned it to the ground. She screamed in agony, then felt a punch connect with her shoulder and the pain quadrupled.

She collapsed to the floor, still screaming.

"You will be fixed upon his death." He snarled at her. "Until then, you will stay here."

"SIZICIEL!" Fireballs burst into her vision and slammed into his back, knocking him away. Balder burst in, his Eye glowing and palms crackling with magical energy. Damien growled primally, then launched himself at the Sage.

"LAVAVOTH!" Vents of lava opened up around the Sage, and Damien pulled himself back at the mostly impenetrable barrier. He reached up to the heavens and opened his palm.

"QUASABA!" Lightning burst from the sky, aimed at the Sage. Balder disappeared in a flip, and reappeared with a blue ball of energy in his palm. Releasing it, it connected with the winged man and stunned him briefly in the middle of the room.

"LEVANAEL!" Balder called to the heavens as well, and a second bolt of lightning flew at the winged man. Damien cursed as he teleported backwards, back onto the street. Balder ran after him, his glaive snapping into his hand. Tossing it as a spear, he watched as the winged man resummoned his katana and knocked the flying weapon to the side. Dashing forward, the false Sage began sending long sweeps at the Lumen Sage, Balder answering with his blade of light bursting from his palm, parrying and deflecting each attack as it came.

Bayonetta held back tears as she worked to quickly heal her foot and re-join her father.

…

"Isn't he perfect?" Balder smiled as he watched the metahuman and the Sage tearing up the city, and the witch that was hobbling back towards the fight. Jeanne followed his gaze, hers lingering for far too long on the witch.

"Why does he look like a Lumen Sage?" She asked pointedly. "I thought you designed him to be one of each, not just a denizen of light."

"I designed him to be more than just a pawn of light or dark, or even of both." He watched as the witch tried to send a wicked uppercut weave into 10978's feet. The winged man simply stamped his feet, blocking the attack. "He was meant to be the perfect vessel for m- my Right Eye, and he has exceeded those expectations."

"Who is the Sage?" She asked, gesturing at the other man. "I know that is Cereza."

"That can be explained at a later time." He nodded in confirmation. "For now, make sure their… squabble doesn't come anywhere near the laboratories."

"You knew it was them the whole time, didn't you? They were the ones who broke into the labs." Jeanne grabbed out her set of guns and held them at the ready. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"A favour for a friend." He smiled. "And besides, they are better to break than to kill. They deserve it."

"As you say, father." Her tone gave no indication of her feelings on his statement.

…

Balder leaped forward, his light blade held out defensively as Damien crashed into it, Shuraba crackling with energy as the two blades collided.

"Why must you do this?" He summoned a second blade and held it against the katana. "What is your quarrel with me!?"

"You made me into this!" The winged man roared back, his golden eyes flaring. "You destroyed my life, for nothing but your own selfish desires!"

Balder slipped out from under the stalemate as he watched Bayonetta run forward with a wicked punch charged, slamming it into the back of the crazed man. Damien flew into the wall of a nearby building, bouncing off it and up into the air. Launching herself up, Balder then watched in horror as the winged man recovered and grabbed her second weave with an almost apathetic look.

"Bayonetta!" He jumped after her, and then the katana snaked out and slammed into her side, throwing her back down to the street, where she bounced once and lay there in a crumpled heap. Turning to face the emotionless man above him, Balder stared in shock at his actions.

"That's how you treat your family!?" He roared, his glaive reappearing in his right hand. "By destroying them!?"

The man reappeared in front of him, and he felt the glaive being torn from his grip and another enclosed on his throat. Immediately he tried to call upon the angels at his disposal, but not a sound escaped his throat.

His eyes widened in horror, then dark spots began to form on the edges of his vision as the golden eyes continued to burn into his grey ones.

"You did this." Damien snarled as he dropped the fading man. "You caused all of this!"

I did… Balder eyes closed as he braced for the impact. I did, did I not?

He slammed into the ground and bounced once. Groaning, he forced himself to stand and watched with fear as the winged man dropped to the ground, his eyes on the witch.

…

Groaning, Bayonetta awoke. Her shoulder burned, her stomach ached, and her forearm screamed at her as she stirred and tried to get up.

Lightning flashed, and she saw his silhouette in the rain, and she froze.

He landed on the ground, the sound of concrete shattering breaking up the crackling of the fire and patter of the rain. The tremor reached her, and she began to slowly stand up.

She knew what was coming next.

"You threw your lot in with him." Damien snarled, his eyes staring at hers with murder. "You know what he has done, and to whom he has done it to, and yet you still join him?!"

"Damien, it's me!" She held a hand out. "You know-"

"I know it's you!" He roared, the Shuraba bursting into flame. "It's always you, been about you, you, you, you! Never anyone else!"

Her eyes were filling with tears as she watched him begin to stalk forward. "Why?"

"Tell me; what did he promise you?" His words were twisting with hate, and his voice was warping slightly. "Tell me!"

A familiar flash of silver and white burst passed her, and Balder was now crossing blades with him again, his glaive split in two and held in a x shape, trying to drive the crazed man back.

"Bayonetta!" The Sage's voice carried to her clearly over the distance. "You need to run!"

"No! Balder!" She screamed as Damien began to twirl his hand.

"You have to run!" He was losing this battle. "I can-"

A meteor slammed into his side and Balder flew somewhere to the left, travelling through several buildings and deeper into Isla Del Sol.

And far away from her.

"Daddy!" She turned to run in his direction, then felt her legs sweep out underneath her. Landing onto her shoulder, she howled in agony as pain began to burn through her. She could sense him behind her, poised with the katana held in his normal stance.

"You are irredeemable." His voice was but a whisper. "You will die!"

"Please, Damien…" Her left eye was beginning to glow as she sensed something. "Please don't…"

"Why shouldn't I?" His voice dripped with insanity now. "You have done nothing but condemn me and exalt him. The one who caused everything!"

"Look inside…" She rolled over, whimpering in pain. "Violence isn't the answer."

He reached down and gripped her throat, picking her up. His eyes narrowed as he stared into hers, "Why are you so weak?"

She seized the opportunity, reaching out and grasping a handful of his hair, then slammed his forehead into hers. He grunted in annoyance, but the brief stun was enough. Touching his temple with her other hand, she briefly felt something extremely familiar, then their minds melded together.

Much to her relief, the intended effect happened; memories of the last four days poured into his mind, and he screamed and threw her away, trying to break the mental connection. Her Eye glowed brighter and the connection stayed.

Five agonizing seconds passed, then Damien fell to his knees, breathing heavily.

"Brother?" She whispered, reaching out to him. "Bubby?"

Balder ran in from behind, his glaive held by his side. Sending him a glance and a furious shake of her head, the Sage heeded her request and stopped, his eyes trained on the kneeling man.

"Why did this all have to happen to me?" He asked, his voice diluted. "Why couldn't I be normal?"

"Because destiny exalts a chosen few."

Balder roared and launched himself at the new voice, and was flung back by a pink and white wicked weave. Damien looked behind him and cursed, leaning over in frustration, and Bayonetta felt despair grow in her heart.

"My dear, sweet children." The possessed Sage, Balder stood at the end of the street, a familiar witch in red standing at his side. "A long time ago, I banished you to this era of existence, to leave you to either die and my former selves reclaim the Eyes of the world as need fit, or to simply have them fall into my grasp."

Balder had moved to Bayonetta's side and was shielding her from the pair of approaching figures. The witch reached out to him weakly, and she felt his hands enclose hers.

"And now, both Eyes, served to me on a platter." Balder-Loptr gestured to the pair on the floor. "Quite the turn of events isn't it, Jeanne?"

"If I say so?" Jeanne smirked. "I say it is most fortunate, Father."

"Jeanne?" The witch in black called out, her tone pleading. "Jeanne, please!"

"What good would pleading do now, Cereza?" Jeanne laughed, and Balder stiffened and his head snapped to her in shock at the name. "You are nothing to what the Father will give me!"

"Jeanne…?" Damien was standing up now, his hand holding his head.

"Ah, Experiment 10978…" Balder-Loptr smiled lightly. "Sentience does not suit you."

"You were nothing to me; and I know of your little tryst with me in the future as well." The witch in red stepped forward, the feathers attached to her guns floating in the wind. "What a weak person I will become, falling for an abomination like you!"

"How can you say that!?" Balder roared. "You are not even the one from the future-"

Damien held out a hand as he stared down at Balder-Loptr and Jeanne. "Enough, Balder. This is not your fight."

The Sage nodded, his eyes still trained on the pair.

"You wish to fight us both alone?" The corrupted Sage laughed. "You cannot beat me, and you are not willing to harm her. This is foolish, and you know it."

"And stop prodding into my mind." Jeanne placed a hand onto her hip and regarded one of her nails with boredom and arrogance. "I am quite happy where I am, and how I am."

A brick slammed into the back of her head, and she stumbled forward, dazed. Balder-Loptr rolled his eyes and started to walk forward, his arms held out wide.

"Accept your destiny as my Left Eye. Take it from her, and you will become far stronger than you are, and could possibly be without it."

"I do not need strength, nor power." Damien looked back, his eyes fading back to their normal colour. "All I want is Jeanne back."

"Jeanne is mine. Your will is mine. My daughter will be mine!" The Sage snarled.

"You will leave my daughter out of this!" Balder glared back at himself. "Even if Bayonetta saves her, she does not need to be involved in this insanity!"

"You still haven't realised the truth." Balder-Loptr smirked. "And that is why you will fall!"

A pink and white heel slammed into him, and then the Sage flew away and through another building. Jeanne stared at the hole in contempt, and then turned to the trio.

"You need to get out of here." Her voice was small, and Bayonetta smiled in relief. "You can't be here!"

Smart move, Damien.

"You can come with us!" Damien reached out to her. "You don't need to be here, especially with-"

"If I go, then he will take it all out on you." She pushed his hand away, her face solemn. "I…"

"You are willing to go back to-" He balled his fists, and his eyes closed in rage.

"Anything he does to me, is one less thing he does to you." She placed a hand onto his cheek, and his eyes opened down to hers. "You did not deserve any of this. Even if what he does is… degrading… I can bear it. I know what we will become, Damien. I… I hope that everything will work out."

Bayonetta went pale, and the world muted. She felt her wounds lessen, and her attention briefly turned to Balder and his hand glowed with green energy. She tried to latch onto the distraction, but the knowledge she had gained was…

She just couldn't ignore the fact her best friend had been defiled by her father.

"Just get out of here before he comes back and tries to kill us all and bring upon the resurrection." Jeanne pushed him back and turned to the hole, taking her stance. "Now go!"

Damien stared at her for two seconds, then turned and ran back to the pair. Bayonetta mentally reached out to him, her eyes looking at his with a single question.

Did you always know?

He didn't meet her eyes. Instead he looked at the Lumen Sage healing her, his eyes searching his face.

"Balder, for all I thought you did to me…" Damien swallowed. "I forgive you."

A blue portal opened around them, and they disappeared.

…

Jeanne stood steadfast against the Sage floating out of the ruins of the building. She showed no fear, no apprehension.

She knew what was coming, and she was prepared to make him fight every damn bit of the way for it.

"So, this is what your true colours are." Balder snarled. "After all I have promised you?"

"Your promises can fuck right off for all I care." She answered, pointing the All 4 One at him. "Leave this insanity to rot, and then go to hell!"

She then froze as he snapped his fingers, a paralysis spell enveloping her. His eyes twinkled with madness, and she felt her heart go cold.

"You will learn submission, Jeanne." His voice was but a whisper. Two Affinities grabbed her, and she tried to move any muscle to try to break free.

"Take her to my chambers, and make sure she doesn't try to escape." He turned away, surveying the ruined street. "I have to get this mess sorted out before punishments for disobedience are handed out."

"Do you have to, my friend?" A calm voice called out to the corrupted Lumen Sage. Balder-Loptr laughed, and then turned to watch as Loptr floated into view, his holographic form shimmering.

"If I want the mortals to remain in the dark about this companies' true purpose." Balder smirked. "I remember doing this."

"I am here to aid you in your little quest to make a new vessel before this one expires, am I not?" Loptr tilted his head. "To what use is the Prophetic power to him?"

"It. It is my vessel. My blank slate." Balder snarled. "My plaything!"

"I will not disagree with you." Loptr smiled. "Very well. Shall we begin?"