Haru:

Eleventh Moon

AUTHOR'S NOTES: The plot gets even more convoluted! What's up with these -Sefira-anyway?! What -SERAPHIM-?! Each of the Kagekidan's members have a corresponding -Sephiroth- to their respective and innate aether abilities and skills, as well as with the Team Axis operatives. What is Yuri hiding? How is he related to the 3 Magi? What is inside that gold box he owns? And do I hear Final Fantasy Unlimited...?! Go, YURI~~~!!! ^o^ Team Axis on the MOVE~~~!!! R/R PLEASE~~~!!!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bey Blade, Sakura Taisen, and Asato Tsuzuki + his 12 original -Shikigami-. They are owned by their respective authors. But I do own the OC's, some terminologies, and some factions bent on world domination portrayed herein. So no SUING~~~!!!

The -Path of Sephiroth-

*lifted from the notes of Dr. Hans Kyrieans, noted para-psyche expert, as translated by Emily Watson, Cadet First Class, Eagles Headquarters, United States Ministry of Defense

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

______

The Ten Holy and Unholy Sephiroth of the Left and Right

Sides of God

HOLY (RIGHT) UNHOLY (LEFT)

KETHER ("Crown") -Metatron THAUMIEL ("The Two Contending Forces") -Cathariel

CHOKMAH ("Wisdom") -Raziel CHAIGIDIEL ("The Hinders") -Ghogiel

BINAH ("Understanding") - Tzaphkiel SATARIEL ("The Concealers") -Sheireil

CHESED ("Mercy") -Tzadkiel GAMCHICOTH ("The Breakers In Pieces") -Azariel

GEBURAH ("Strength") -Kamael GOLOHAB ("The Burners") -Usiel

TIPHARETH ("Beauty") -Raphael TAGIRIRON ("The Disputers") -Zomiel,

Belphegor

NETZACH ("Victory") -Haniel HARAB SERAP ("The Ravens of Death") -Theumiel,

Baal Chanan

HOD ("Glory") -Michael SAMMAEL ("The Liar" or "The Poison of God") -Theuniel,

Adramelek

YESOD ("Foundation") -Gabriel GAMALIEL ("The Obscene Ones") -Ogiel

MALKUTH ("Kingdom") -Sandalphon; LILITH ("Queen of the Night and the Demons")

in other lore

Shekinah

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

______

OF THE ANIMUS AND THE ANIMA

...I have great reason to believe that there exists an enormous amount of aether concentrated in the very fabric of this world as it had been so for millennia. The reason for this energy concentration had always been a mystery...although, old manuscripts from the infamous Rosicrucian Society point out the reason for its existence.

As there is Yin and Yang in the Far Eastern principles, there exist the Animus and the Anima for the Western world. The 2 must always be in balance, in order not to create great chaos among those living in this world. To be able to attain this balance, there must exist a limit in which all those aligned with the Animus and the Anima to restrain what they have control over in order not to overpower the other. It is for this reason why not everybody in this world was gifted with such.

The manuscripts which I have been translating are very vague about the clear distinction between these 2 -Personas-, but I could safely say that they were separated by means of specific traits which we differentiate as being masculine and feminine, much as that of the Yin and Yang itself. The Sun rises in the East as the Moon rises in the West; as the Great Burning Chariot of the Heavens chase the Wraiths of the Night which bring overwhelming sadness and despair to those who had been enslaved by the shadows that had dwelled in their hearts. 2 opposing forces; 2 very different Personas, yet each one so much like the other. One cannot exist without the other, as only that would bring about the balance in order not to send this world spiraling down to Oblivion...

AETHER AND THE HOLY WARS

The aether was spread by means of the grand destruction of the 2 most powerful kingdoms at war 3,700 years ago. These kingdoms were known as Elhru and the Holy Kingdom of Seris.

Elhru was a kingdom located in the Western Seas, as Seris was located in the Eastern Seas. Elhru had very sophisticated technology and were great seafarers. Seris was described very much as a traditional kingdom, where aether was used very much, and their lives took more of a slow pace than their Elhruan counterparts.

A long time ago, before the great wars, Elhru and Seris were at peace with each other. They exchanged their knowledge and skills, and were engaged in a lively trade between Elhru's sophisticated technology and Seris' vast aether stores. For a while it seemed, their peace totally secure.

It was not during the dark and trying times that followed when the 2 kingdoms started to drift farther and farther apart. A nobleman in the Chancellor's Court of Elhru had started spreading rumors about Seris' supposed "backstabbing" activities that culminated in a famine that spread throughout their land (it was due to Seris' aether potency). In Seris, accordingly, there spread the rumors of the Elhruan intent of taking over their kingdom by means of their sophisticated machines of war and wrest their control over the aether which were entrusted to them by means of their Contact with Eden. Talks were made, but only ended in discontent and a further dissolving of the Elhruan and Serisian bonds of great friendship. Therefore more rumors and talks led both Houses in both kingdoms into splitting, there were those who supported the rumors and there were those who don't. Finally, after the death of the Serisian Kaiser (which led the other Serisian nobles to agree that Elhru was indeed bent on taking over their kingdom), the bonds binding both Elhru and Seris were sundered and both were thrown into a great war that resulted in their kingdoms' destruction after it was finished.

There had been a great many losses, but it was here where it was recorded of the 2 kingdoms having used these Sigils and Relics for the first time. It must be made clear that in those days, their technology had been so advanced as to utilize their own armies in fighting each other, and I wouldn't be too surprised if both Elhru and Seris had launched attack forces of 10,000 strong each! Sad to say, even the war had not spared any samples left save for those who were made to use the Keys and in so doing, preserve their "damnation" to which their descendants would be bound right to this very day.

It was not clear how the war ended, but it was certain that Oblivion had risen up in order to deal its rightful judgment over the sinners and the 2 warring kingdoms were just a little too late to stop it. In the ensuing final confrontation that followed, Oblivion was defeated, although not without a heavy loss of lives, and the "binding" was created that was to carry over through succeeding generations in order to finish what Oblivion has started. Oblivion's defeat caused a major upheaval that shook the very heavens itself, and it swallowed both kingdoms by the seas which had borne them. Thus the Limiters were unsealed, and the kingdoms' destruction produced a great explosion in which the aether which was sealed within the kingdom of Seris was scattered to the 4 directions. It was not clear why it was scattered, but it was widely believed that it was for this world's redemption, in case Oblivion decides to rise again.

THE SIGILS AND RELICS

For what reason they were created, it had been totally lost to the ravages of time...but the manuscripts tell so much of an apocalyptic battle that happened thousands of years ago that totally threatened the existence of this world. The wars had been so catastrophic that it even sent kingdoms come crashing down to the very waves which had borne them, and sent the people of these mysterious civilizations burying their war trophies in the Sacred Land of which they had both sprung from.

The war trophies in question are the huge metallic automatons used by their most brilliant generals who rose in order to shape peace from chaos. Their powers were very vast and limitless, and very terrible; the manuscripts said that there were some even more terrible than those sealed underground that they had to be bound to Oblivion itself in order not to create another catastrophe. Of this the Father Animus and the Mother Anima was mentioned, the only ones which were especially gifted with the brilliance and grace as accorded to the highest Seraphim who attend the glory of the Lord, bound by their duties of both Death and Creation.

Of these great many "artifacts", the manuscripts tell of a division among its classes, as much as we divide work among ourselves, and by the nature of our work, we could derive our classes. By Father Animus, there exist 4 Seraphs, the governing body of the Light of the Sephiroth, who in turn are given dominion over the lesser Angels who make up the Paths that lead to eternal radiance. On the other hand, those under Mother Anima, exist 4 Achaeons, the governing body of the Shadows of Sephiroth, who in turn are given dominion over the lesser Arcane who make up the Paths that lead to eternal darkness.

Each of them were aligned and bound by means of their respective Keys. These Keys in turn were given names in accordance to each Sephirothic incarnation they possessed. I have included the names of those who had successfully aligned in the great wars which the manuscripts mentioned, and those who were predicted to align with their own Key in the future, as foretold by the "Malakh Scriptures". They are as follows:

The 10 Holy Sigils The 10 Arcane Relics

ANIMUS ANIMA

KETHER - aligned with Ewin THAUMIEL - aligned with Erich

CHOKMAH - to align 300 years from now CHAIGIDIEL - aligned with Jezebel 4,000 years ago

BINAH - aligned with Orpheon 4,000 years ago SATARIEL - aligned with Amiel 4,000 years ago

CHESED - aligned with Marius 4,000 years ago GAMCHICOTH - to align 300 years from now

GEBURAH - to align 300 years from now GOLOHAB - aligned with Kessler

TIPHARETH - aligned with Rouen 4,000 years ago TAGIRIRON - to align 300 years from now

NETZACH - to align 300 years from now HARAB SERAP - to align 300 years from now

HOD - to align 300 years from now SAMMAEL - aligned with Ulrich 4,000 years ago

YESOD - aligned with Mariah GAMALIEL - to align 300 years from now

MALKUTH - aligned with Durin LILITH - aligned with Sophia

A. SIGILS

The Sigils are the incarnations of the Keys present in each of the generals and their descendants. They were created in order to stop the Anima from usurping the radiance of God and bring equilibrium to aether present. Sigils, as their name imply, refer to the seals of each attribute they were accorded with. The seals in turn were the Keys needed in order to align with each of their respective Sigil. There were 10 Keys, 10 Sigils; each Key corresponded to each Sigil, and each of these Sigils represented the military might of Elhru.

KEY SIGIL CONTACT

Kether Falcrest Erril Sigismund Lourson-Weiss

Chokmah Stallorn Kieran Ravengale

Binah Geistall Orpheon Falstaff

Chesed Dyrnwynn Marius Schlessinger

Geburah Aerheil Lloewen Silverbough

Tiphareth Legato Rouen Aernslad

Netzach Oruvuil Dain Lorrain

Hod Nereus Alain Oreon

Yesod Brigid Isoude Ellsworth

Malkuth Ellvyne Loris Schinder

*please take note that these were the original pilots (generals) who piloted these original Sigils in the Holy War 4,000 years ago. The Keys correspond to each Sefira, the Sigil to each mech, and the Contact as each of its designated pilots. - Emily

B. RELICS

The Relics are the incarnations of the Chalices present in each of the generals and their descendants. They were created in order to stop the Animus in fulfilling their foreordained duties, and deliver judgment to the world by bringing about total oblivion to its sinners. Relics, as their name imply, mean the holy incarnation of each governing aether attribute (Chalice) that was accorded to them as designated Contacts, which is embodied further in the holy Arks that were created in order to protect Seris from Elhru. The Chalices in each chosen individual served as keys in order for each of them to align with with their respective Relic. As the Elhruan Sigils were gifted in physical power and might, the Relics were more devastating in terms of dealing aether damage, as the Serisian generals were Achaeons, individuals gifted with exceptional aether and psionic prowess. There were 10 Chalices, 10 Relics; each Chalice corresponded to each Relic, and each of these Relics represented the aether might of the Holy Kingdom of Seris.

CHALICE RELIC CONTACT

Thaumiel Essedel Arcenbryght Eversleigh

Chaigidiel Pallas Jezebel Llownry

Satariel Ellvuil Amiel Holtz

Gamchicoth Vayeane Emmerich Elridge

Golohab Zelgiss Sigil Ashtear

Tagiriron Soldiver Rune Reinhart

Harab Serap Meridiel Vahn Brighthelm

Sammael Ragnarok Ulrich Ellenduil

Gamaliel Astalte Alastair Irvine

Lilith Edelweiss Ceresia Wyndgale

*please take note that the same rules of interpreting these data like what I did to those of the abovementioned list of Keys, Sigils and Contacts (refer to Sigils subsection) apply.

OF HOLY AND ARCANE

As their Keys and Chalices suggest, the 2 opposing Sephiroth are not so named because of their "holy" and "unholy" qualities; rather, it is their purpose that defines them as accorded to each of their respective relationship to the Animus and Anima. The Sigils were created to bring the mercy of God upon sinners, while the Relics were created to bring God's righteous judgment upon the many evils that had plagued the world since the fall of Man; that is, the destruction of the world to bring upon a New Jerusalem. To create and destroy...these were the exact purposes of each Sigil and Relic, bound to them by means of their original Contacts 3,700 years ago.

ACHAEONS

The Holy Kingdom of Seris was accorded as a kingdom of people with varying aether capabilities, and there were some who were more highly attuned to the Anima than the others. Born with very high levels of aether induction, these individuals were considered as God's chosen ones, called as their "Messiahs", and had dominion over the aether spheres. They were exceptionally rare. These "Messiahs" in turn protected the Arks of Seris and the Holy Kingdom itself from those who should wish to wrest their powers from them, and in so doing, "protect the gates of Heaven from sinners". They were called Achaeons.

OBLIVION

Nobody knows Oblivion's true purpose, but as it had been recorded 3,700 years ago, Oblivion was called forth from its slumber and rose to engulf the world in eternal darkness. I have great reason to believe that Oblivion has lived far more than when the Holy Wars erupted...a somewhat allegorical representation of which could be that of man's innate goodness and the evil secreted from man's "taint" from his continuing exile here on earth...when the balance is upset, he would be engulfed in his own weakness and spiral down to his Oblivion and destruction...meaning Oblivion has been "asleep" in each and every single one of us ever since the dawn of mankind.

...Oblivion was described as the "harbinger of the void", "eater of worlds", etc. True to Atlantean (Atlantis?) fashion, God had decided to let man develop and evolve himself, until their vast knowledge threatened the very existence of God Himself; and bringing this upset of balance in both the Animus and Anima, called Oblivion from its fitful slumber and decided to bring those who foolishly tried to rise against God down to their right places. But its duties as the Judge were forsaken...unleashing its terror unto the world, unleashing all that was forbidden. The Holy Wars tore the very delicate peace that had bound both Elhru and Seris together, took them into a very great and bloody war that annihilated their own kingdoms, then becoming obliterated themselves as they barely contained Oblivion and sealing their fates by means of their "contracts", their powers sealed in their descendants, waiting for the right time before awakening them again, in case Oblivion should rise up and continue where it had left of.

...its cycle of destruction was temporarily stopped, and I have reason to believe that Oblivion would still try and take over the world as long as there are descendants of the original Contacts still living. I have confirmed the reaction of both Limiters as their designated Contacts have been incarnated by means of both Ewin and Sophia...as for their alignments, they were awakened because of Oblivion's "pull" at their respective Animus and Anima (e.g., how they were "related" to Oblivion 3,700 years ago)...the other calculations have been made by determining each Key and Chalice reactions to their "contract"...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"..." Daitenji-kacho sighed. "He's completely calmed down. Thank goodness."

"You said it, Daitenji-kacho, I thought he was going to make a run for the open window at the end of the hallway." Dr. Mizuhara looked over at the attending doctor, who was checking Asato's many inserted tubes. "How is he?"

"Not very well. That tube-pulling episode almost sent his entire system out of whack, if you get what I mean. Too much brain input into a catatonic brain, I wouldn't want to see anything like that again. He almost made that 'psycho pulse' he did 11 years ago. I shudder to think what the scenario could be if he went crazy like what happened 'before'."

There was a sudden black and white flashback showing 8 year-old Asato holding his head in his hands, thick splatters of blood all around him. His eyes were wide and unseeing, and he was sobbing very raggedly.

"Yes...I remember. He suddenly flared up just like that." Daitenji-kacho was quiet. "It sent 5 very innocent and otherwise clueless doctors into the morgue in the hospital they were all working in. It was a total nightmare. The Imperial Capital Defense Corps were all about to drop him like a very hot potato until Souichiro stepped in."

The doctor sighed, shaking his head. "The only thing I can't understand is WHY those people up there were so keen on experimenting on him and then they want him dead after he unleashes his full potential. And administering that foul untested drug into him! He was a CHILD, for crying out loud!"

"Yes, the Imperial Capital Defense High Command was breathing fire for weeks. And they wanted us to pay for what they had foolishly done, looking around for scapegoats to toss the blame at. Masao told them beforehand that forcing his Shikigami to come out would be totally dangerous, but they went ahead with it anyway. Damn impatient bastards." Dr. Mizuhara shook his head. "Asato didn't ask for any of this, why are they putting all the blame on him?"

"More like damn, impatient idiots, Judy." Daitenji-kacho smiled at the doctor. "Thanks, Yuji, you've been putting up with our deranged 'spit-outs' ever since the day I proposed to create the ICDC and the Kagekidan. Too bad Fei's not around here anymore to roll around on the floor and laugh until he almost asphyxiates whenever we have those rows."

"Hey, just doing my job." Dr. Yuji Maeda nodded with a wave of his hand. "I've been crazy ever since I joined this damn chicken coop. See you in a little bit, I still have to attend to the other victims of the recent Axis pillage."

Dr. Mizuhara was laughing as the old doctor shambled out of Asato's room, tears in her eyes. "Chicken coop. How I WONDER."

"He must be pertaining to those evil mindless puppets the Ministry of Defense has been decorating on top; they squabble over this project like a bunch of headless chickens. And the Imperial Capital Defense isn't exactly as spacious as the Imperial Palace." Daitenji-kacho shook his head. "They're squawking MAD, all of them."

"You said it right." Dr. Mizuhara looked over at Asato who has now resumed his normal catatonic state and had a pale blue tinge underneath his eyes. "Now I wonder what he's thinking..."

"He's thinking that he has to get out of this miserable hell." Daitenji-kacho looked over at Asato, who was staring off into space. "Asato...?"

"..."

"No use, he's resumed catatonia." Dr. Mizuhara looked over at Daitenji-kacho. "It was terrifying, wasn't it..."

"Yes, I actually thought that he pulled that 'psycho pulse' again, I was half-expecting seeing those bloody splatters decorating the hallways of that ward a while ago." Daitenji-kacho bit his lip. "But why had he chosen that particular room?"

"The question is how the heck did Falcrest manage to blow all its seals off, Daitenji-kacho." Dr. Mizuhara was nodding. "And wow, I thought New Year has come WAY too early. I know they're both Limiters, but...that was kind of overwhelming to say the least, even if I expected that something like THAT would happen."

"The boys got thrown off their feet in the process, and Kenichiro was more worried about the database in the hangar computers than his own life. Sometimes even I can't believe the dedication of that young boy; even if it's a little too much." Daitenji-kacho was shaking his head. "I've never seen anything quite like that in my ENTIRE life, Judy, although a similar event may have happened when Axis unsealed Edelweiss from its resting place and leaving Falcrest all alone by its lonesome."

"And speaking of reactions...Asato was hysterical when we tried removing him from the Lady Whitaker's room's doorway. And he was crying. Now what's going on in here? Asato Tsuzuki has not shed a tear in the last 4 years he's catatonic." Dr. Mizuhara shook her head. "I guess the new patient's doing miracles to his catatonic state."

"Must be." Daitenji-kacho looked at Asato, who was still staring off into space right in front of him. "She's a blessing in disguise. For whatever reason the 2 Limiters are acting up again...I sure hope it's a good thing. In the worst case scenario...Axis has finally unsealed all -Anima- and is just waiting for us to unseal Edelweiss. Then it's party time. I sure hope we've managed to unseal all -Animus- before Oblivion comes to eat this world up again..."

"Not quite, but we're getting there." Dr. Mizuhara reached out and patted Asato's hand gently with her own. "Hang on a little bit more, Asato. You're going to be fine. I promise. We promise."

"..."

"We're the only ones left." Daitenji-kacho closed his eyes. "Buddha really help us all."

"..."

Yuri was staring at the locket that hung about his neck a little while later, when he was about to go to bed. Takao, Max, and Kenichiro were all talking nonstop at dinner time a while ago, of what had happened at the hangar of the Kagekidan. They've been talking about lots of reasons of what went wrong, each theory even more ridiculous than the last. Lei had just become extremely quiet, poring over the letter he got from his younger twin sister as he ate through the sole amandine, and Kai had looked extremely pale. They all had their own sets of problems to think of, and now that combined disaster of the Limiters' reaction to each other and Asato's near "psycho pulse" hysterics has given them new problems to think of.

Oh, the REAL problem was just getting started.

Yuri looked over at the framed black and white photograph he had put on his desk. Dmitri Cherkovsky was right there with him, smiling grandfatherly at the camera, Yuri holding his rifle. He remembered that day. It was the first day Cherkovsky has given him his first gun and sniping lessons, and Yuri had learned so rapidly that they advanced into using rifles and shotguns at the end of that particular day.

Yuri was very sure that those were his first gun lessons, but as Cherkovsky remarked, he exactly wasn't a greenhorn. He handled all those guns as if he had done it in all his entire life.

What Daitenji-kacho said was even more disturbing.

He had remarked that Yuri was just re-learning what he had completely forgotten.

***Re-learning...?*** Yuri thought. ***Have I used guns my entire life before...?***

The locket that hung from the fine gold chain about his neck glinted in the gloom, and Yuri lifted it to stare at the design more intently. He had never really thought much about his past, when he was still at the orphanage in Balkov Monastery, or its significance for that matter. But what had happened a while ago made him wonder now who he really was.

The locket glinted innocently back at him. It was spherical in shape, decorated with crossed swords and a small gold crown on top of its hilts, and tiny writing that was around it, faded in the passage of time. Yuri could tell that it was very old indeed, and it was a priceless heirloom of some old noble house. Was he the last of a powerful old noble family that was exterminated in the ensuing confusion of the first stirrings of war all those years ago...those times when the poor had toppled the wealthy in order to get back at all the suffering they had patiently borne until now?

The more he tried to think who he really was, the more the truth evades him. Whenever he tried to summon up memories of his short childhood before waking up in that room with those 2 violent men arguing outside, his head ached very terribly, and all he could see were the flames that engulfed his home, his life, his memories, leaving his past in ashes.

Why was it that he had chosen to forget?

Or was it because somebody stepped in and MADE him forget?

Yuri held the locket in his hand, as if trying to reassure himself that if he just held on to this piece from his forgotten past, he'll remember who he really was.

And then...

***Everything shall be as it was.***

Plink...

***Everything will be as it WILL be.***

Plink...

***You must forget.***

CCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~~

Yuri gasped in shock, letting go of his pendant.

There was just too much pain.

There was a small flashback, like that of a very fast 8 mm movie. Yuri appeared as a small child of barely 4, crying, holding his hands to his face to wipe the tears away. His clothes, which looked like the clothes of a young nobleman (O.o;; you get what I mean...just imagine young Milliard Peacecraft's clothes during that reminiscing episode in Gundam Wing), were soiled and dirty from the smoke and ashes from the burning manor in front of him, as with his face and his hands (they were smudged with ashes). His frail shoulders were shaking in grief.

***And now, you sleep.***

Tiny Yuri only had time to look up to see a man in dark blue robes swipe his arm at him, and there was a flash of lightning that streaked through the night sky that instant, which briefly lighted the entire grassy field as clear as day. The lightning flash illuminated the man's dark blue robes, showing a weird-looking diagram with tiny circles on them, embroidered neatly on the robe's left breast pocket. There was much pain, and tiny Yuri drops to the ground, his eyes wide and unseeing, glazed over and blank. Blood splattered on the ground, and it spread about the tiny child as if it were a travesty of beautiful angel wings.

Bloody angel wings.

The thunder rumbled, and soon rain fell heavily that night he "died", washing away the blood,. mingling with the dark-colored run-off about him, dark with the soot of the burning manor still burning (of COURSE...O.o;;) brightly, its fires seeming to mock the downpour the heavens were sending him that night to cleanse away his pain and his anguish, the raindrops pattering down on his face, mingling with the tears he had shed, coursing down his cheeks, washed away along with the run-off, washed away into forever.

Pain.

There was just so much pain...!

***I've sent you those sprites. What do you think, Erril? I was meaning to put up an Arcandia site just for you, but Ravengale beat me to it and sent those Rippers at me.***

***...*** The young man with short jet black hair and silver streaks in them turned to grin at him, his slanted clearest amethyst eyes twinkling in mirth. ***I could see why Ravengale was so pissed off. These sprites are too cute to be ignored, and you just sent it to me right under his very nose.***

***That idiot, he was just meaning to hit on CERRIDWEN~~~!!!***

***Yeah, and her Blodeuedd. Yeesh, I thought he hated RPG's, now he comes and claims the whole Arcandia cast as if they were his own.***

***I know what you mean, partner, they ARE yours.*** The dark red-haired young man was laughing boisterously, his eyes closed in mirth. ***Yeah, you were dedicating it to CERESIA~~~!!!***

The young man with silver-streaked short jet black hair blushed furiously. ***Oh shut up, Loris.***

There was a sudden whap of a folded up paper fan to the back of their heads, and the 2 best friends looked up to see a young woman glaring down at them, her dark cream hair pulled up in a tight bun on top of her head, her gold eyes little slits.

***OOOOoooohhhh, and here I wondering why those R-cels were holding UP! You morons, Chancellor Shaft's been waiting for those R-cels for the last 30 minutes ALREADY~~~!!!***

***OUCH~~~!!!*** The dark red-haired young man glanced at the glaring young woman, holding his head with his hand. ***Why don't you whack my head off, while you're at IT?!***

***I'm going to whack more than your heads OFF if you 2 slack-offs don't act right this instant,*** the young woman growled. There were several gargantuan pulsing twitches on top of her head. ***Double TIME! Or I'll kick you BOTH down the MERKABAH~~~!!!***

***...*** The young man with silver-streaked short jet black hair looked at the cream haired young woman out of his one eye, the other closed in pain (^^;; you get the idea...). ***You know Isoude, the way you're going, you definitely would turn into an old maid by the time you reach 20.***

***What the HELL are you implying Weiss, I'm already an OLD MAID~~~~?!*** the cream haired young woman asked, a battle aura emanating from her being.

There was absolute silence.

***Whoops. Wrong joke, Erril, she just turned 20 yesterday,*** the dark red-haired young man said in a stage whisper.

***...*** The silver-streaked short jet black haired young man turned SD, his eyes little beads.

The young woman with cream hair turned into a burning SD ogre, her eyes devilish little slits, pulsing gargantuan twitches on her head and her closed right fist. ***You are SOOOO DEAD, WEISS~~~!!!***

There was a shot of that weird-looking diagram Yuri saw on the man's robes who "killed" him in his previous flashback, and it floated above the 3 arguing friends (sure looked like it). Then another shot of that same diagram behind a group of 3 dark robed men who stood over him, the lightning flashing rapidly in the background as the rain poured even more heavily.

***So it ends forever. Rest in peace, Sandalphon.***

Yuri held his hands to his face, and saw his locket swinging before him in the darkness.

Bloody angel wings.

Enfolding him...

What was he...

Where was he...

Who was HE?

The Limiters' bright flash came back to him unbidden, and the bloody angel wings' feathers all scattered in a flurry, splattering him with blood.

Everything...

EVERYTHING...

Bloody hands reached out to him, along with a very frightening visage of a pale old man, his dark blue eyes wide and unseeing.

YYYUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII... (go, Gojyo's stepmom! Or was it his own MOM...O____O;; I stand corrected HERE!)

Yuri snapped back to reality that instant, his heart banging inside his chest. The image of the diagram still stood out very brilliantly in his mind, and now that memory came back to him like the very cold fingers of a nightmare.

And tears fell.

Who was he really...?

KEY SYNCH SIGIL SYNCH ANIMUS SYNCH

Chokmah, Kai Hiwatari; 90.34 % Stallorn, 45.76% Raziel, 35.09%

Binah, Takao Kinogu; 92.76% Geistall, 50.89% Tzaphkiel, 29.12%

Tiphareth, Max Mizuhara; 86.65% Legato, 34.97% Raphael, 15.09%

Hod, Kenichiro Hasami; 76.90% Nereus, 67.87% Michael, 45.04%

Kether, Asato Tsuzuki ; 100% Falcrest, 100% Metatron, 100%

Malkuth, Yuri Ivanov; 94.07% Ellvyne, 80.93% Sandalphon, 92.01%

Yesod, Mao Kon; 89.99% Brigid, 45.61% Gabriel, 12.08%

???, Lei Kon; 0% ???, 0% ???, 0%

"..." The old man in dark gray robes was nodding. "Yes, it is coming along as we have all planned. They wouldn't know what hit them."

"They thought they are stopping Oblivion, but in fact, they are only helping him," still another said, this time it was a man in dark blue robes.

"They are idiots. What else can we expect of them? This time they will all fall and everything shall be as it was." The man in dark red robes was looking at the old man in dark gray robes. "Then we will all have the last laugh."

"Well put, Balthasar." The old man looked up. "The Path of Sephiroth is about to open again."

The other 2 looked up. The Path of Sephiroth loomed above them, glowing eerily in the dimness of the room, its many branches spread out like a tree, the circular diagrams slowly lighting up as each of the Contacts were nearing their Rapture Point.

"We'll show them what we Axis are capable of." The man in the dark blue robes smiled, as the embroidered Path of Sephiroth on his left breast pocket fluttered in the sudden stray gust of wind. "It won't be long, Oblivion, you will have your feast."

The sleeping huge fetus-like creature throbbed in its glass-encased womb filled with faint pinkish fluid. The 3 men standing on top of the creature were looking down at him through the beautifully etched glass floor on which was etched both Trees of Life and Death - the Holy Sephiroth and the Unholy Sephiroth, the glowing lights all about to meet in the middle; the strange writing all around the circular etched design beginning to glow as well.

"Void be deathless, and Darkness shall rule the Light." The old man in dark gray robes leaned forward, revealing a pale gaunt face and dark blue eyes, the face of someone who looked dead and still lived.

"The Path to Eternal Darkness is open. And soon shall the Void take back what it was taken from it. The -Dynes- shall awaken...and soon the Vessel shall take the role of the Mother of the Night and cleanse this world of sin. Everything is at the hands of Sandalphon."

At that precise instant, Yuri was opening the box which had been with him ever since he had lost his memories a long time ago. His eyes were glazed over and tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"Unleash everything that was forbidden again, Sandalphon."

Yuri's eyes widened, seeing the beautiful pistol lying in the gold-embossed box he found inside the trunk, along with another smaller box inside and several documents and paperbound books, written in archaic German and Latin. The pistol was made of a strange silver material, its design looking like stylized seraph wings about it.

"Unleash the darkness inside your heart."

Yuri reached out to touch the pistol with trembling hands.

"And everything will spiral down to Oblivion."

Yuri shook his head, his eyes filling up with tears.

"Destroy the world again as you once did, together with Metatron and Lilith."

Yuri held his head in his hands.

"Remember and awaken."

Yuri started crying hysterically.

"Remember those you have killed DEAD, Yuri."

There was another flurry of blood stained angel wing feathers about Yuri.

"And remember that you should have DIED instead."

To which Oblivion throbbed an ominous reply.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES: MY LLLLOOOOOOOONNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGESSSSSSTTTTTTT CHAPPIE (focusing on the many intricate details of Sigils, Relics, and pretty much everything else about that Holy War, aether, and terminologies from 4,000 years ago)~~~!!! Darn, I am having quite a Gothic overdose. Poor Yuri. What did that loony old man mean?! Stay tuned!