Chapter 13
The demons slowed their approach, grinning at the sight of the mortal and the goddess on their knees with their former superior laying on the ground injured. The lead demon was just feet away when he slammed into a force field. He and the others stepped back surprised. That was all they had time for. Swirling death appeared amongst them, as Lind teleported in, swing her ax around, cleaving demons into two. Keiichi felt like he was going to be sick. Even Belldandy looked a bit pale.
"I have to hand it to her, she's good."
Belldandy and Keiichi turned to see Mara standing beside them. Mara looked down at Sayoko.
"What do we have here? How the mighty have fallen." Mara pulled out a dagger. "Time to finish her off." She raised the dagger. Belldandy quickly grabbed her hand.
"Don't."
Mara stared at Belldandy stunned. "But she....she........She's one of the ones that went after you, trying to kill you!"
"She's changed." said Belldandy, "Let her be."
Mara threw her arms up in the air in frustration. Lind then walked over, having finished her task.
"We must remove you from this place."
Belldandy shook her head. "Not with out Urd. OUR Urd."
"She's not in the dungeons." said Mara, "And if it hadn't been for Skuld, we wouldn't have known you were up here. Say how did she know you were here?"
Belldandy looked down at the demoness. "She told Skuld. Lind? Could you?"
Lind looked at Belldandy surprised. "You want me to heal this.......demon?"
Belldandy nodded, "She can help us find Urd."
Lind was about to protest, but with a hard look from Belldandy, Lind sighed and reluctantly began to heal Sayoko. Sayoko's eyes slowly opened.
"I'm.......not dead?"
"No." Belldandy said quietly.
Sayoko slowly sat up, and then stared in surprise at Lind and Mara. "Where.....?"
Lind leaned in towards Sayoko. "You will tell us where Urd is demon!"
"Lind!" Belldandy turned to face Sayoko. "Please, where is my sister?"
Sayoko looked at the ground. "The Queen wants to twist Urd to become like her. Thus history repeats itself and things that might happen will. Without this times Urd becoming evil, it is possible that the Queen will vanish because our future never will happen." She then shrugged, "Then again, she was a goddess of time. Her presence may still bring about that future." Sayoko looked up. "If she's not in her cell, she's probably with the Queen in her chamber."
"Then that is where we will go." said Belldandy.
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The Queen paced the room as she waited for her minions to report. Urd smirked at her from between the two demon guards.
"What's the matter? Afraid your plan is falling apart?"
"I knew that She would interfere at some point." replied the Queen, "I'm ready for her."
"Are you? She did a heck of a job on Lind."
The Queen scowled and began to pace in the opposite direction when a demon in a dark cloak entered, the hood pulled over its head.
"What is it?" asked the Queen. "Have you captured that traitor or the goddess yet?"
The demons only reply was to raised her left hand. Two flashes of silver, and the two demons on either side of Urd dropped dead, disks wedged into their throats. The Queen turned and growled at the figure.
"YOU!"
The figure pulled the cloak off revealing Skuld. "Hello sister. Miss me?"
"A habit I will soon rectify." replied the Queen with a snarl.
Skuld looked at Urd. "Better get out of here. It's going to get messy."
"She's not going anywhere." replied the Queen. She raised her hand. Chains flew across the room, wrapping themselves around Urd and then chaining her to the wall. Chains also flew at Skuld, but she easily avoided them. The queen nodded at Skuld.
"Impressive."
"I've been practicing." replied Skuld.
"Right." the Queen pulled out a wicked looking demon sword. "Let's see if your learned your lesson from before." The Queen lunged at Skuld. Skuld leaped out of the way. The Queen slashed at Skuld. With a clang, the sword was deflected by the handle of a warhammer held by Skuld.
"Where did you get that?" asked the Queen.
"Thor." replied Skuld. "I needed an upgrade from my old hammer."
"Right." The queen swung her sword around. Once again Skuld blocked the blow with her hammer. She then replied by swing the hammer at the Queen. The Queen leaped into the air as the hammer smashed the floor where she had stood. Against the wall, Urd watched as the two combatants tried to break through the others defenses. What shocked Urd was the viciousness that the two had for the other. The combatants moved closer to her. With a yell, the Queen charged at Skuld. Skuld sidestepped and then stuck out her foot. The Queen tripped and fell to the ground. The sword sailed through the air and slammed into the wall right next to Urd, breaking one of the chains. Urd stared at the blade, then looked at Skuld. Skuld shrugged.
"Sorry."
Suddenly Skuld was on her back as the Queen had lashed out with her feet. The Queen got up and ran for the sword. She grabbed hold and ripped it out of the wall. She turned just in time to block the hammer before it slammed into her head.
"Close." said the Queen.
"Told you I've been practicing." replied Skuld. She then turned her left hand towards the Queen. The Queens eyes widened. She ducked, just as a disk slammed into the wall above her.
"Nice toy. Remind me to disarm you before I have your broken body thrown in the dungeon."
Skuld's eyes narrowed as her left hand twitched. "I don't intend to lose." She then charged at the Queen with renewed fury.
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Sayoko, Belldandy, Keiichi, Lind, and Mara stood at an intersection of hallways.
"Which way?" asked Belldandy.
"That way." replied Sayoko and Mara, pointing in two different directions. Both frowned at the other.
"I've lived here all my life!" said Mara, "It's this way!"
"No," replied Sayoko, "She moved it. It's this way."
"Moved it?" asked Keiichi.
Sayoko turned to Keiichi. "Unlike the gods, demons are very paranoid, especially the demons of my time. We're always afraid that someone below us might try to seek advancement through the 'misfortune' of their superior. The Queen is no less paranoid, so, every couple of months, she 'reorganized' the interior of the main complex." Sayoko pointed, "This hallway leads to the throne room on the opposite side of the building."
"So to go right, we go left?"
Sayoko nodded, "Exactly."
Shouts began to drift from the right hallway, followed the sound of multiple footsteps.
"Demons." muttered Lind.
Mara turned to Belldandy, "We'll hold them off. You go get Urd."
Belldandy stared at Mara, "But......."
"But nothing. Go." Mara glanced at Sayoko. "You go too."
Sayoko nodded. She grabbed Belldandy and Keiichi's arms. "Come on."
They ran down the left hallway. Mara watched them leave, then turned to Lind.
"You know I don't like goddesses."
"I don't like you either." replied Lind.
"I'm only doing this to get Hild back in charge."
"Of course you are."
"When this is over, I'll be back to making their lives miserable."
Lind let a smile appear on her face. "I look forward to stopping you."
Mara returned the smile. They then both turned to face the oncoming demons.
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Urd watched helplessly as the 2 combatants fought around the room. Both showed no sign of tiring out anytime soon. A slight movement of the chains holding her against the wall caused her to look down. The demoness Sayoko was there, her finger glowing as she burned through the chains. Beside her stood Belldandy and Keiichi, who alternated between watching Sayoko's progress and the battle.
"What are you doing?" whispered Urd.
"Getting you out." replied Belldandy.
"But what about HER!" Urd nodded toward Sayoko, "She's the one that captured us."
"She is helping us escape." replied Belldandy.
"Do you trust her?"
Belldandy nodded. "Completely."
Several of the chains broke, dropping to the floor with a loud clang. Both the Queen and Skuld turned, startled. The Queen recovered first. She raised her sword high above her head and swung it downward with all her strength. Skuld turned just in time to see the sword flash by her. She felt a slight tug on her left arm, followed by the clatter of falling metal. Skuld looked down to see her mechanical arm severed just below the elbow. She stared at it surprised for a second, then she was flying across the room as a force bolt caught her in the stomach. She slammed hard enough into the wall that stars danced before her eyes. When she finally came to her senses, the Queen was holding her sword against her throat.
"You lose." The Queen said with a smile. She then glanced back at the others. "Freeze or she dies!"
Sayoko stopped cutting the chains and looked at Skuld. Urd was now standing back on the ground, but her right arm was still chained to the wall. Belldandy and Keiichi stood just off to the side of her.
The Queen nodded to Belldandy. "Move away from him." Belldandy just stared at the Queen. The Queen pressed the blade into Skuld's throat. Skuld gasped as blood began to drip from the small cut.
"Move now!"
Belldandy moved off to the side away from Keiichi.
"Sayoko," began the Queen, "I don't blame you for trying to help them, they are your family after all. But remember, it was I that raised you and Keima. You are a demon! Return to the fold! Kill the mortal!" She pointed at Keiichi.
Sayoko scowled at Urd. "I'll never obey your commands. Ever!"
The Queen frowned. On the ground, Skuld glanced over to see her severed mechanical hand laying on the ground next to her hammer. Skuld concentrated. A few sparks spat out from her arm. Next to the hammer, the hand began to twitch and slowly move itself along the ground, turning itself slowly.
"If you will not obey me, I will kill her." said the Queen, pointing at Belldandy "You'll lose her again. I'm giving you one last chance, KILL THE MORTAL!"
Sayoko looked over at Belldandy. "I'm sorry, mother." Sayoko turned towards Keiichi, a large force bolt forming in her hand. Keiichi stared in fear as Sayoko looked him in the eyes. Suddenly she turned and fired it at the Queen. The Queen didn't even flinch as the bolt slammed into a force field.
"Young Fool!" shouted the Queen. She raised her hand forming a force bolt. Just as she was about to release it, a metal disk hit her arm, causing her aim to go off. Sayoko let out a scream of pain as the bolt ripped through her side, sending her to her knees. She looked up at the Queen, her face a mixture of pain and rage. The Queen turned and blasted Skuld's mechanical hand into pieces. She then turned and smashed Skuld in the face with the guard of her sword. Skuld slumped to the ground. The Queen glared at Skuld, then turned back to face her niece.
"You had your chance! Now she dies!" The Queen turned and flung the sword at Belldandy. Belldandy stared in shock as the blade headed right for her. She closed her eyes just before the sword arrived. She felt a blow to her chest, knocking the breathe out of her and sending her to the floor.
The demons slowed their approach, grinning at the sight of the mortal and the goddess on their knees with their former superior laying on the ground injured. The lead demon was just feet away when he slammed into a force field. He and the others stepped back surprised. That was all they had time for. Swirling death appeared amongst them, as Lind teleported in, swing her ax around, cleaving demons into two. Keiichi felt like he was going to be sick. Even Belldandy looked a bit pale.
"I have to hand it to her, she's good."
Belldandy and Keiichi turned to see Mara standing beside them. Mara looked down at Sayoko.
"What do we have here? How the mighty have fallen." Mara pulled out a dagger. "Time to finish her off." She raised the dagger. Belldandy quickly grabbed her hand.
"Don't."
Mara stared at Belldandy stunned. "But she....she........She's one of the ones that went after you, trying to kill you!"
"She's changed." said Belldandy, "Let her be."
Mara threw her arms up in the air in frustration. Lind then walked over, having finished her task.
"We must remove you from this place."
Belldandy shook her head. "Not with out Urd. OUR Urd."
"She's not in the dungeons." said Mara, "And if it hadn't been for Skuld, we wouldn't have known you were up here. Say how did she know you were here?"
Belldandy looked down at the demoness. "She told Skuld. Lind? Could you?"
Lind looked at Belldandy surprised. "You want me to heal this.......demon?"
Belldandy nodded, "She can help us find Urd."
Lind was about to protest, but with a hard look from Belldandy, Lind sighed and reluctantly began to heal Sayoko. Sayoko's eyes slowly opened.
"I'm.......not dead?"
"No." Belldandy said quietly.
Sayoko slowly sat up, and then stared in surprise at Lind and Mara. "Where.....?"
Lind leaned in towards Sayoko. "You will tell us where Urd is demon!"
"Lind!" Belldandy turned to face Sayoko. "Please, where is my sister?"
Sayoko looked at the ground. "The Queen wants to twist Urd to become like her. Thus history repeats itself and things that might happen will. Without this times Urd becoming evil, it is possible that the Queen will vanish because our future never will happen." She then shrugged, "Then again, she was a goddess of time. Her presence may still bring about that future." Sayoko looked up. "If she's not in her cell, she's probably with the Queen in her chamber."
"Then that is where we will go." said Belldandy.
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The Queen paced the room as she waited for her minions to report. Urd smirked at her from between the two demon guards.
"What's the matter? Afraid your plan is falling apart?"
"I knew that She would interfere at some point." replied the Queen, "I'm ready for her."
"Are you? She did a heck of a job on Lind."
The Queen scowled and began to pace in the opposite direction when a demon in a dark cloak entered, the hood pulled over its head.
"What is it?" asked the Queen. "Have you captured that traitor or the goddess yet?"
The demons only reply was to raised her left hand. Two flashes of silver, and the two demons on either side of Urd dropped dead, disks wedged into their throats. The Queen turned and growled at the figure.
"YOU!"
The figure pulled the cloak off revealing Skuld. "Hello sister. Miss me?"
"A habit I will soon rectify." replied the Queen with a snarl.
Skuld looked at Urd. "Better get out of here. It's going to get messy."
"She's not going anywhere." replied the Queen. She raised her hand. Chains flew across the room, wrapping themselves around Urd and then chaining her to the wall. Chains also flew at Skuld, but she easily avoided them. The queen nodded at Skuld.
"Impressive."
"I've been practicing." replied Skuld.
"Right." the Queen pulled out a wicked looking demon sword. "Let's see if your learned your lesson from before." The Queen lunged at Skuld. Skuld leaped out of the way. The Queen slashed at Skuld. With a clang, the sword was deflected by the handle of a warhammer held by Skuld.
"Where did you get that?" asked the Queen.
"Thor." replied Skuld. "I needed an upgrade from my old hammer."
"Right." The queen swung her sword around. Once again Skuld blocked the blow with her hammer. She then replied by swing the hammer at the Queen. The Queen leaped into the air as the hammer smashed the floor where she had stood. Against the wall, Urd watched as the two combatants tried to break through the others defenses. What shocked Urd was the viciousness that the two had for the other. The combatants moved closer to her. With a yell, the Queen charged at Skuld. Skuld sidestepped and then stuck out her foot. The Queen tripped and fell to the ground. The sword sailed through the air and slammed into the wall right next to Urd, breaking one of the chains. Urd stared at the blade, then looked at Skuld. Skuld shrugged.
"Sorry."
Suddenly Skuld was on her back as the Queen had lashed out with her feet. The Queen got up and ran for the sword. She grabbed hold and ripped it out of the wall. She turned just in time to block the hammer before it slammed into her head.
"Close." said the Queen.
"Told you I've been practicing." replied Skuld. She then turned her left hand towards the Queen. The Queens eyes widened. She ducked, just as a disk slammed into the wall above her.
"Nice toy. Remind me to disarm you before I have your broken body thrown in the dungeon."
Skuld's eyes narrowed as her left hand twitched. "I don't intend to lose." She then charged at the Queen with renewed fury.
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Sayoko, Belldandy, Keiichi, Lind, and Mara stood at an intersection of hallways.
"Which way?" asked Belldandy.
"That way." replied Sayoko and Mara, pointing in two different directions. Both frowned at the other.
"I've lived here all my life!" said Mara, "It's this way!"
"No," replied Sayoko, "She moved it. It's this way."
"Moved it?" asked Keiichi.
Sayoko turned to Keiichi. "Unlike the gods, demons are very paranoid, especially the demons of my time. We're always afraid that someone below us might try to seek advancement through the 'misfortune' of their superior. The Queen is no less paranoid, so, every couple of months, she 'reorganized' the interior of the main complex." Sayoko pointed, "This hallway leads to the throne room on the opposite side of the building."
"So to go right, we go left?"
Sayoko nodded, "Exactly."
Shouts began to drift from the right hallway, followed the sound of multiple footsteps.
"Demons." muttered Lind.
Mara turned to Belldandy, "We'll hold them off. You go get Urd."
Belldandy stared at Mara, "But......."
"But nothing. Go." Mara glanced at Sayoko. "You go too."
Sayoko nodded. She grabbed Belldandy and Keiichi's arms. "Come on."
They ran down the left hallway. Mara watched them leave, then turned to Lind.
"You know I don't like goddesses."
"I don't like you either." replied Lind.
"I'm only doing this to get Hild back in charge."
"Of course you are."
"When this is over, I'll be back to making their lives miserable."
Lind let a smile appear on her face. "I look forward to stopping you."
Mara returned the smile. They then both turned to face the oncoming demons.
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Urd watched helplessly as the 2 combatants fought around the room. Both showed no sign of tiring out anytime soon. A slight movement of the chains holding her against the wall caused her to look down. The demoness Sayoko was there, her finger glowing as she burned through the chains. Beside her stood Belldandy and Keiichi, who alternated between watching Sayoko's progress and the battle.
"What are you doing?" whispered Urd.
"Getting you out." replied Belldandy.
"But what about HER!" Urd nodded toward Sayoko, "She's the one that captured us."
"She is helping us escape." replied Belldandy.
"Do you trust her?"
Belldandy nodded. "Completely."
Several of the chains broke, dropping to the floor with a loud clang. Both the Queen and Skuld turned, startled. The Queen recovered first. She raised her sword high above her head and swung it downward with all her strength. Skuld turned just in time to see the sword flash by her. She felt a slight tug on her left arm, followed by the clatter of falling metal. Skuld looked down to see her mechanical arm severed just below the elbow. She stared at it surprised for a second, then she was flying across the room as a force bolt caught her in the stomach. She slammed hard enough into the wall that stars danced before her eyes. When she finally came to her senses, the Queen was holding her sword against her throat.
"You lose." The Queen said with a smile. She then glanced back at the others. "Freeze or she dies!"
Sayoko stopped cutting the chains and looked at Skuld. Urd was now standing back on the ground, but her right arm was still chained to the wall. Belldandy and Keiichi stood just off to the side of her.
The Queen nodded to Belldandy. "Move away from him." Belldandy just stared at the Queen. The Queen pressed the blade into Skuld's throat. Skuld gasped as blood began to drip from the small cut.
"Move now!"
Belldandy moved off to the side away from Keiichi.
"Sayoko," began the Queen, "I don't blame you for trying to help them, they are your family after all. But remember, it was I that raised you and Keima. You are a demon! Return to the fold! Kill the mortal!" She pointed at Keiichi.
Sayoko scowled at Urd. "I'll never obey your commands. Ever!"
The Queen frowned. On the ground, Skuld glanced over to see her severed mechanical hand laying on the ground next to her hammer. Skuld concentrated. A few sparks spat out from her arm. Next to the hammer, the hand began to twitch and slowly move itself along the ground, turning itself slowly.
"If you will not obey me, I will kill her." said the Queen, pointing at Belldandy "You'll lose her again. I'm giving you one last chance, KILL THE MORTAL!"
Sayoko looked over at Belldandy. "I'm sorry, mother." Sayoko turned towards Keiichi, a large force bolt forming in her hand. Keiichi stared in fear as Sayoko looked him in the eyes. Suddenly she turned and fired it at the Queen. The Queen didn't even flinch as the bolt slammed into a force field.
"Young Fool!" shouted the Queen. She raised her hand forming a force bolt. Just as she was about to release it, a metal disk hit her arm, causing her aim to go off. Sayoko let out a scream of pain as the bolt ripped through her side, sending her to her knees. She looked up at the Queen, her face a mixture of pain and rage. The Queen turned and blasted Skuld's mechanical hand into pieces. She then turned and smashed Skuld in the face with the guard of her sword. Skuld slumped to the ground. The Queen glared at Skuld, then turned back to face her niece.
"You had your chance! Now she dies!" The Queen turned and flung the sword at Belldandy. Belldandy stared in shock as the blade headed right for her. She closed her eyes just before the sword arrived. She felt a blow to her chest, knocking the breathe out of her and sending her to the floor.
