"Sin, we need to leave, it's gonna start soon. I wanna visit the graves before we go."

It had been aeons since Revelations. The gods, humanity, and all the other species had come together and created a new society, The United Peoples of Totality. In the UPT, there is no true hierarchy, none are superordinate to another. The immunity gods had to anything not divine had been eliminated so that deity's couldn't abuse other species without risk of harm. The closest thing so far to true and fair equality has been achieved. There had been a cavalcade of tribulations, as one might imagine, but every time they emerged, they were eventually overcome. Now, the many peoples of totality are unified. Though there will always be new challenges, the UPT will be ready due to the efforts of many, past and present.

Sin had acted as the main ambassador for the demons and fallen angels as well as one of the original leaders of the UPT, though she eventually retired to let new elected leaders take her place, ones more properly trained to lead a nation.

Now, she was retired, and not only that, she had gotten married.

In a modestly decorated home in Hell, the reality having been refurbished, Sin just finished getting dressed in her turtleneck sweater and jeans while her wife waited for her.

"Sorry, babe. Got distracted thinking about how beautiful you are."

Sin moseyed over to Astaroth, who was wearing lingerie as always.

"Just because it's true doesn't mean it'll make me less mad." Astaroth spoke with a playful cadence.

The love between the two blossomed after Revelations. They didn't really know each other beforehand since Astaroth had spent all her time on her honeymoon with Chemosh. After the intense experience that was Revelations and some plain old fashioned dating, it didn't take long for Sin and Astaroth to become infatuated with each other.

Technically Astaroth was older than Sin by a significant margin, but since they were both beings transcendent of time itself, age really didn't have much meaning for their relationship.

Sin pecked Astaroth on the cheek. "Are you still mad?"

"Nope. You're lucky I'm a softie for you."

"I'm the luckiest lady alive."

"You know it." Astaroth booped Sin on the nose. "Now, let's get going."

"Yes ma'am." Sin poked at the air and from her finger came a portal which the two walked through, arm in arm.

They reappeared in a field of flowers, a line of graves being the only unnatural structure in the land of rolling hills.

Muhammad Ali, Chemosh, Marco Polo, Mammon, Solomon, Moloch, Lugh, Dagon, Beelzebub, Belial, Nyx, Yuánshǐ Tīanzūn, Satan, Lakshmibai.

The good people lost in those unforgettable thirteen rounds of life or death combat had their names on the graves.

Hovering in front of the grave marked Satan was Death who hadn't changed in the many years since Revelations.

The trio of fallen angels hugged. They weren't the only ones there. All the fallen angels who still lived, the loved ones of all those whose names were enshrined on the gravestones, along with all the previous fighters, both human and god, were present to give respect to the deceased.

It was the anniversary of Revelations so now was the time more than any other to remember the casualties.

While Astaroth had a personal moment alone before Chemosh's grave, Sin decided to have her own private talk with her mother. Satan's grave was pristine. Sin always made sure it was clean and in perfect condition.

"Hi, mom. Been a bit since I last came by. Sorry. Me and Astaroth have been busy with stuff and I don't wanna get into the details. It's nothing big, just normal life stuff. It must be weird, right? Your daughter and one of your best friends getting married after you died. Sounds real weird outta context, and in context to be honest. Maybe it's only weird cause I'm bringing it up. Anyway, things've been good overall. Death, too. Everyone's been good…you didn't need to die. You didn't need to sacrifice yourself just for revenge. That's what it really was, revenge, in the end at least. You did want to do good, but killing Yahweh was what was on your mind when you were laughing in the end. Why couldn't you two have just talked, made up? All you needed to do was talk. It's so easy. It should be at least. So, why was it so hard for you two? I wish I had the chance to ask you when you were here. You did love us. You did, I know that for a fact, and I believe you loved us more than you hated Yahweh, but I…I can't help but have doubts, sometimes. Did you not love us enough to try and live for us? There had to have been a way you could have won without needing to sacrifice yourself. There had to. But, I can't think of anything. Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to be mad at you. I don't know why. Maybe it's so I'll hate you and won't miss you as much. You weren't perfect, but nobody is. I love you mom. I miss you."

Sin's head turned slightly, her eyes spotting her wife wiping tears from her face as she spoke to Chemosh's grave.

"Man, Astaroth has to deal with so much shit. I lost you, mom, but she did, too, and she lost her husband, and Beelzebub. We all lost so much. Even after so long, it hurts. You'd think we'd grow jaded after so long; our bonds would break. But, as we get older, I feel like they only get stronger. I think that's a good thing. It's what makes us people, not just living machines." Sin slid her finger across the top of her mother's tombstone. "I'm glad my bond with you hasn't broken, mom." Astaroth started walking over to Sin as she blew into a handkerchief. "You didn't die for nothing. You saved everyone. You can be proud of that."

Shaka stood away from everyone else, In'ei deciding to approach him.

"Shaka, how are you? You seem distant."

"My apologies, it isn't like I'm trying to avoid everyone, I'm just thinking about Gilgamesh."

"I see. You think his grave should be here."

"Not necessarily, I, though I can't say he shouldn't, or rather I don't want to, it's, I'm, I'm struggling to get across what I'm feeling."

"You're conflicted."

"Yes, thank you, I couldn't find the word. Gilgamesh betrayed humanity for his own sake, but it was from fear. He regretted his choice, but he lacked much of a chance to repent. That tournament brought out the worst and the best in people."

"I'm not saying I necessarily disagree, but some would argue it wasn't that the tournament fostered people's best and worst sides, but that it tore out the truest side of everyone's nature."

"I don't think people have a 'true' side. We are complex, multifaceted, but maybe I think that simply to cope with my own sins, so I can say I'm more than a genocidal tyrant."

"Shaka."

"Apologies. I keep getting pulled back into my past during times like these."

"We all do, don't worry."

"Returning to the topic of Gilgamesh, I understand why it would be wrong to put him alongside the others after what he did, even if he regretted it. There are limits to leniency. But, I can't help thinking of Azathoth being allowed to atone. It's not that I disagree, and the situation is far more complicated with her, but I wish Gilgamesh had gotten that same chance."

"You're an empathetic man, Shaka."

"Not really, I ju-…thank you." Shaka forced himself to accept the compliment.

Khutulun was floating about the field of flowers. She was listening to everyones conversations while remaining taciturn, as is her want.

"Khutulun." Olodumare, dressed in a slick suit, approached the wrestler and bowed deeply. It was clearly more than a mere greeting. "I'm sorry. I only recently found out you were close to Marco Polo. As his killer, I must apologize."

"…'Kay."

"You seem oddly placable." Olodumare slowly lifted back into an upright posture.

"I don't think you need to apologize since you couldn't have said no to Yahweh. It was either you or him and stuff, but it's still nice of you to say sorry. I have nothing to be angry about."

"Most would still hold a grudge, at least a little bit." The Yoruba god held his index finger and thumb close together when he said little.

"I don't like being mad at people, so I prefer to forgive."

"How mature of you."

Khutulun shrugged. "I just do what I like."

"Many would say that's childish." Isis had jumped into the conversation. "Whether childish or not, living by your own desires alone is an impressive thing."

"If I liked doing bad things, then me doing what I like would be, well, bad. I have bad thoughts sometimes to be honest, but I never follow through on those feelings. I guess I don't always do what I want."

"Everyone has bad thoughts every so often. Curating your own thoughts and knowing not to give into desires based on hurting others is necessary. The only problem is when you think hurting others is the necessary thing." Isis thought back to her desire to wipe out humanity as an act of perceived mercy back during the fourth round of Revelations.

"Nobody's perfect." Olodumare smiled. "None of us."

On her knees before the grave of Nyx, Jeanne couldn't hide her weeping. Neumann and Ādi-Buddha decided to approach her as she had been like that for a while.

"You alright?" Neumann slowly put a hand on the knight's shoulder, which tensed upon contact.

"I just can't help but feel guilty. Even after all these years, the guilt won't go away."

"I know how you feel." The Buddha said. "I still feel how you do, guilt over taking away a person who seemed so glorious. But, you fought for mankind. You helped save mankind. And, do you honestly think Nyx would hold a grudge against you. You fought her, you spoke to her, you know she didn't have the slightest amount of spite within her toward you. She even encouraged you to move on from your past, so the best thing you could do for her now is keep fighting on."

"I know that, but it still hurts."

"That's okay." Neumann spoke next. "Crying's an important thing, you gotta let it out sometimes. Just make sure you never forget that you're more than the things you're crying over. You're a good lady, trust me. I've learned to search for the good in everybody, and you've got a Hell of a lot of good in you."

Jeanne compelled the sides of her mouth to rise. "Thank you."

The Maid got to her feet, the polymath helping her up.

"We need to get your mind off of things." Amaterasu appeared from nowhere and wrapped an arm around d'Arc's shoulder. "Jeanne, you gotta tell me, how's you and relationships? You meet anyone or are you still single as the day you were born?"

Ripping Jeanne from her sadness, Amaterasu left her a flush mess. "Still single."

"Are you happy by yourself or are you looking? Which way do you swing, by the way? Straight, gay, bi, pan, ace, something else?"

"I'm actually still figuring that out."

"Well you need to start experimenting. Me and Ame need to take you out somewhere fun. You gotta get out of your comfort zone."

"W-Well, I'm not completely opposed to that."

"Trust me, we'll have fun, I'll make sure of it."

While Ādi-Buddha and Neumann laughed at Jeanne being flustered, Ōmeteōtl was gawking at the beautifully honed musculature of Lilith.

"Bro, you're diesel as fuck!"

"I know, crazy, right?" Lilith was flexing like a bodybuilder.

"You gotta teach me your regimen! I need that bod! It's so radical!"

"It takes effort to get a body like this. Think you can handle it?"

"Fuck yeah! Train me, master!"

"Master Lilith? Master Lilith. Master Lilith! Keep calling me that and I'll train you all you want! Consider that your method of payment!"

"Thank you, master Lilith!"

While it might have been seen by outsiders as egregious to act so energetically during a visit to a graveyard, for everyone there, Lilith and Ōmeteōtl's behavior was a pleasant distraction from an otherwise sullen experience. The heroes who fought in Revelations gave their lives so that everyone could live happily, so they could have fun and be silly like Lilith and Ōmeteōtl were.

Far from everyone else, beyond anyone's line of sight, Azathoth stood among the flowers. She looked older now, like an adult, but with the same pink cotton hair. She wore the kind of mundane apparel that any normal person would put on for a pleasant day in the town with friends, though she made a point to stand alone.

"Don't you wanna talk to everybody?" Mui paid Azathoth a visit.

"I don't deserve to face them after what I've done, especially not during a moment like this."

"Fair enough. It's mature of you, by the way. Y'know, for deciding to be by yourself to not upset anyone."

"If I did any less, I'd really be a lost cause." Azathoth dismissed.

"It's still worth praising. Do you wanna hang out sometime soon? We haven't hung out in a while."

"Why do you associate with me?"

"Do you not wanna hang out?"

"I'm asking you why you choose to spend time with me considering my laundry list of sins."

"Let's see." Mui clicked her tongue on the inside of her mouth a few times while she thought. "I like seeing the good in people. I know not many other people would hang out with you. Your puffball hair is soft. I enjoy doing stuff with you. I like watching you have fun. There're a bunch of reasons."

"I could complain that it took you a moment to think of anything, but the fact that you could think of anything at all surprised me. I'm not exactly glowing with good points."

"You just can't see your good points."

"What're my good points, then? List 'em off."

"You're humble, a little too humble, if I'm honest. You're a hard worker, you really put your all into defending totality. You always do what you can to avoid upsetting people, big step in the right direction towards atoning. You try to help people whenever you can; it always ends up awkward when people recognize you but it's the thought that counts and all that. It's like you sweat good points!"

"Yeah, I got 'em pouring out my ass."

"You have the same problem Shaka has, you two need to learn to take a compliment."

"Shaka definitely needs to."

"And so do you."

"I know, I know."

"Good, knowing is the first step." Sin, with Astaroth in tow, decided to pay Azathoth and Mui a visit. "The next step is acting on that understanding."

"You don't have to phrase it like a fortune cookie. Not one of the good fortune cookies, like, the bad ones that aren't actually fortunes, but instead are vague life advice that isn't very helpful."

"You say good fortune cookies as if the ones that are actual fortunes can really tell you your future."

"True, but at least it follows through with the conceit of being a fortune. Better that than pseudo-philosophical bullshit."

"Fair enough."

"You two are really having a discussion about fortune cookies right now?" Astaroth said.

"Is there a problem with that?"

"No, just asking a question."

"Anyway, Azathoth, you need to give yourself more credit. You've made mad progress towards atoning and bettering yourself, and that shit's hard."

"Thanks. By the way, when are we gonna go to the arena?"

"Right now." Sin whistled, opening a portal. "Everybody, it's time to get going! Don't wanna be late!"

Everyone filtered through the gateway through reality's fabric to a familiar sight. It was an arena, black and gold with an art deco style. It was the arena for Revelations from all those years ago.

The seats were filled with people of all kinds, everyone excited for what was to come, and all of them unified. They were here for a tournament, but not to determine who would live or die. It was merely for entertainment, for remembrance of past evils, and the celebration of the progress made since then.

"Ladies, gentlemen, transladies, transgentlemen, nonbinary beauties, it's me, the number one commentator you all know and love, Anansi! It is time for the second ever Revelations, and this time, it ain't about murder and the struggle to survive, it's about remembering the past and celebrating the future! This is gonna be a bracket based double elimination five person team tournament between gods, humans, and any other type of lifeform! We've got fairies, dragons, robots, demons, and tons of other spectacular species here, all of them among the best of the best in all of totality! Are you people ready for this!"

As the crowd went wild, the group that had just come from the graveyard all settled into one large luxury box reserved for them, except for a few who left to get ready, for they would be participating as one of the teams. In'ei, Khutulun, Ōmeteōtl, Lilith, and Mui left for their waiting room, bidding their loved ones a farewell that, this time, they knew would be only temporary.

As they sunk into plush seats, Sin asked Azathoth, "Y'know, never asked before, but back in the original tournament, if you and Mui kept fighting, who do you think would have won in the end?"

"No idea. We both kept on growing stronger, and even since then we've gotten better and better. There's no way to really know how it would've gone."

"Well that's a little dissatisfying. I was hoping you'd say something like, 'Mui would've won thanks to the power of her righteousness and desire to protect everyone.'"

"Sorry, but it really was a tossup."

"I figured, but I thought I'd ask anyway."

"I don't think it matters who would've won." Astaroth said as she put her head on Sin's shoulder.

"I know, I was just wondering."

"What I'm wondering is if there's anyone strong enough in this tournament that they could actually stand up to Mui. Honestly, I don't think anyone could challenge Lilith, let alone Mui."

"Don't underestimate the current generation."

"Now, it's time for the first round! The first team is Team Veteran made up of Khutulun, In'ei, Ōmeteōtl, Lilith, and Mui!"

The fighters exited one of the gates, waving towards an adoring crowd.

"Next, we've got Team Righteous made up of Mwindo, Ahura Mazda, Lindworm, Lautaro, and Crazy Horse!"

Out from the opposing gate appeared a man with metallic skin and a horsetail flyswatter, a woman with a ring floating behind her back with wings coming from it, a man with draconic eyes and regal attire, a man with a red cape and a flag, and lastly a man riding atop a horse and two feathers in his hair.

Both sides, pick your first fighter! Remember, it's the first to three wins who gets to advance!"

All the fighters except the flyswatter wielding Mwindo and the master wrestler Khutulun left the checkerboard battlefield.

"Let the first fight of the first match of the first round of Revelations begin!"

Mwindo raised his swatter and flicked it down, a lightning bolt coming from a sudden gathering of dark clouds above. Khutulun ran toward her opponent, the stream of lighting striking the spot the wrestler had long since left.

The draconic Mongolian's hand ignited into azure fire, Khutulun palm striked Mwindo right she got close enough.

Like a volcanic eruption, a pillar of blue shot upward and the ground began liquifying.

But, Mwindo blocked the strike with one of his arms, his metal-like skin refusing to burn, though the impact made a slight dent in his flesh.

Everyone released shocked yells. Khutulun, one of the saviors of humanity, faced a foe that could endure her power.

Mwindo was once far weaker, but after watching Revelations, he was one of many that were inspired to train and surpass their limits. They were the new generation of warriors that had raised the bar and reached heights previously thought to be exclusive to a small few.

Another flick of the flyswatter and Khutulun felt her body lift into the air, now under the power of Mwindo's telekinesis.

Stuck in the air, a cloudburst of lightning strikes assailed Khutulun, each making her muscles flex to the point of feeling like they were about to pop while her skin's outer layers evaporated.

Mwindo was confident, but he wasn't prepared for Khutulun to clap, more blue fire escaping from her hands in all directions, the fire eating up the lightning and even the cloud they came from as the entire battlefield became a land of fire the color of the sky.

The oxygen was eaten away, Mwindo feeling dizzy as his lungs begged for fresh air.

Khutulun, who took a deep breath before her burning applause, felt her body drop as Mwindo failed to maintain the concentration necessary to keep the wrestler suspended in the air.

Kicking the air to create a conflagration that shot her body like a rocket, Khutulun tackled Mwindo. Her shoulder hit the metallic man hard enough to knock the wind out of him, not that he had any air within him to lose in the sea of flames.

The Mongolian princess was about to ensnare Mwindo in a hold, but the African hero socked Khutulun across the jaw hard enough to knock her away, her body spinning through the fire. The punch had nearly snapped Khutulun's neck. Even the wrestler's jaw was on the verge of being broken.

Kicking off the barrier, Khutulun flew toward Mwindo again. The metallic man ran to meet the princess head on, his super fast feet dashing across the melted ground.

Fists crossed as they punched each other at the same time. Mwindo's fist dug into Khutulun's shoulder and broke it. Khutulun's knuckles left an imprint on Mwindo's cheek as if she had pressed her fist into him like he was soft clay.

Both flew back again and crashed into the barrier.

Khutulun recovered first and kicked off the invisible wall again. She soared over to the other side of the battlefield and knife hand chopped Mwindo in the arm he lifted to block. The wrestler's hand cut into the arm, getting halfway before stopping.

Mwindo's knee shot into Khutulun's gut, making her release bloody spittle from her mouth.

Both fighters dropped into the liquified ground, getting completely submerged.

Knuckles hit knuckles as the fighters both threw a punch. Their fists clashed and the force exploded outward, the molten ground getting blasted away, though it came back when Mwindo telekinetically grabbed it all and shaped it into a tremendous spear.

Rather than avoid the burning hot construct, Khutulun met it head on. Her palm struck the tip and a burst of power bored through the spear and turned it to minced quantum strings.

The fighters rushed each other, this time with their own combination of strikes.

Mwindo was covered in dents, his body misshapen and barely maintaining the silhouette of a humanoid.

All of Khutulun's skin had turned red and purple, her body a bloody, swollen mass.

The fighters didn't stop their battle, even as their bodies were devastated. The crowd reacted intensely to every blow. Unlike the previous tournament, death did not mean erasure, so everyone could simply enjoy watching two warriors who have trained to be the best versions of themselves duke it out with respect.

"Damn." Astaroth said. "Mwindo's good. I honestly thought Khutulun would just steamroll this fight with a couple hits at most."

"Like I said, don't underestimate the new generation. Now that everyone's working together, we can lift each other up to reach new heights."

"Things aren't perfect, though."

"They never are, but that's okay, as long as we keep marching towards that impossible ideal."

"You're poetic today."

"It's a day to be poetic."

"You're right."

"By the way, have you heard about how we might make contact with another totality sometime soon?"

"For real?"

"Yup. The UPT will take its first step towards meeting communities outside our totality."

"Gotta be careful, otherwise a war will start, or we'll accidentally go full colonialism and shit, or something. There's a lot of ways to fuck up."

"Oh yeah, definitely. There's a lot of risks, but, as long as we learn from our previous mistakes, hopefully we'll be able to avoid them this time."

"That's pretty optimistic."

"Doesn't mean it's unrealistic."

"Doesn't mean it is realistic."

"We'll just have to wait and see."

"Guess so."

"We gotta have trust. We gotta trust everyone. If we lose faith in our fellow lifeforms, what's even left for us to live for, to believe in. Hope's the thing that keeps us going when nothing else can."

"It was hope that got me going again after I'd given up." Astaroth smiled as she watched Khutulun continue to fight with a smile of her own.

"Exactly. So, have hope, even when it seems hopeless. There's always a chance for a miracle to happen, even if we have to make it with our own hands."

"We did see a lot of miracles last tournament."

"It felt like every win was a miracle."

"And they were miracles the fighters made themselves. With some help from we fallen angels."

"You all definitely deserve a lot of the credit. Most of our fighters wouldn't've been able to even hurt the gods if they didn't have relics."

"I was including you when I said we fallen angels. It's thanks to you that Revelations stopped."

"It was more Mui. Her reaching out to Azathoth was the real turning point."

"That doesn't invalidate what you did. It was both you and Mui that showed Azathoth what fun is."

"She's right." Azathoth spoke up. "You were a big part in convincing me. You might've even been the biggest part of why I decided to live. You, who made it clear you hated me, still gave me a chance. You came for me when I ran away, just in case I needed you. Most people wouldn't do that, not for someone they hated, rightfully. You're a good person, and that's what saved me. Thanks, Sin."

Sin felt her lips quiver. "Thanks. That means a lot." She felt her wife nuzzle into her.

As Mwindo and Khutulun continued to go at it, Sin felt warm. She felt at peace. She was watching a fight, but she wasn't stressed, or anxious, or mournful. She was happy. She looked around and saw how everyone else was happy.

So much was lost. So much was sacrificed. So much suffering was endured. It was a struggle for the ages, all those years ago, but now, the peace and prosperity that was won made it so all the pain was far from in vain.

"We did it mom, we did it."