Chapter XXI: The Archangel of Love Awakes
-TSUBASA-KUN!
The shout sounded in five throats, and in another one as a weak whisper. The Black Archangels' five attacks hit Tsubasa squarely, and he fell unconscious. Sanae, paralyzed out of sheer terror, didn't know what to do, let alone what to think.
The White Archangels flew towards where their friend and leader was, out cold.
-Tsubasa, Tsubasa, wake up! -Ishizaki tried to make his friend wake up. Hyuga's eyes were looking at nowhere, full of fear and fury, while Genzo tried to keep the control of himself and Misaki tried to calm down Sanae.
-Gee, they show us their back just because their little buddy there's out cold. How stupid -the Archangel of Thunder said, attacking Wakabayashi. I don't think it's necessary to say he attacked the wrong Archangel.
-You… how… dared you… -and like a hurricane, Wakabayashi fought furiously with the Archangel of Thunder, or as I suppose you know who it is, Rairyuu. On the other hand, Sanae, already back in this reality, told the other ones to fight, while she tried to wake Tsubasa up.
-But, who will protect you if they attack you?
-If I have die so the Kami no Tsukai wakes up and saves us, then so be it.
Really afraid, the Archangels fought against their foes, but the Archangel of Chaos decided to attack who believed was the weakest link -the Archangel of the Earth, who in fact fought against the Archangel of Hatred.
-Tsubasa, please, wake up… please, open your eyes. We need you more than ever.
However, nobody realized that the Kage no Tsukai wasn't growing anymore. The being that little Kai had become didn't continue growing, and the Archangel of Darkness realized it.
-Darn… Shi, the Kage no Tsukai!
-What?
-The Kage no Tsukai hasn't still woken up!
-Ah… Beginning of the Ages! -and using his attack as a diversion, the Archangel of Chaos moved towards where the dark cocoon in which the being that represented all the darkness of the world was. (Did you understand this last sentence? I barely could :P)
-What happened…? He's not receiving enough energy… we have to keep on winning time -and of course, he knew that the only way was attacking Sanae and the Messenger of the Gods, who still was unconscious.
Said and done, he flew whip in hand towards where the girl that tried to wake the Kami no Tsukai up was. However, a powerful energy wave saved the girl.
-Although it's the girl's fault, don't even dare to think I'll let you win! –Shiro's voice shouted, and finally its cloak was gone. It was very thin, with a clearly androgynous outline, had an armor as white as snow, out of very long steel claws, and even with them, it was seizing a pair of katanas.
-Well, well, well, if it's none other than Shiro, the being whose karma is to guide the Archangels. I never thought of fighting with you.
-Don't act funny, Archangel of Chaos. Stop talking and start fighting!
Things were now luckily equal for the Kami no Tsukai's allies, although none of the Messengers woke up. The first one didn't wake up because his development wasn't complete; the other one didn't wake up because of the strong blow he had received. And Sanae, the only one that didn't have a way of defending herself was beside Tsubasa, trying to wake him up unsuccessfully.
Ryou and Wataru were in a ferocious battle, but Taro knew that it was him the one that had to face the Archangel of Hatred.
-Ishizaki-kun… Get back! Marine Undertow! -the Archangel of Water exclaimed, while Ishizaki left and the attack hit the Archangel with the husky eyes.
-Ah… I already was itching to beat you once and for all for all, Archangel of Water -he said, standing up.
-Are you so blinded by your destination that you don't understand that there are people that love you? I know that in fact you don't want to destroy this world.
-And what do you know? I knew which my fate was from the very beginning: Kill you and ensure there's a new Genesis under the glorious cover of Darkness.
-I know more than what you believe, and Azumi does too.
-A-A-Azumi? –that left the Black Archangel confused.
-She asked me tell you something, and I'm only doing her a favor: She doesn't care if you are a good or a bad guy. She loves you more than anyone in this world, and I don't think you're able to destroy her, because after all… she is your girlfriend .
The Black Archangels stopped for an instant, observing the one that had faced his fate and broken the oath of not getting involved with anyone.
-Wa, what that Archangel said can't be true -the Archangel of Darkness said, while she fought with Wakabayashi.
-You knew we couldn't involve ourselves with somebody that will die very soon! -the Archangel of Thunder exclaimed, as he now fought with Ishizaki.
-Traitor! -said the Archangel of Ice, whose rival in that instant was Kojiro.
-C'mon! I know you also hide a reason for which you still want to live in this world! And mine is the only girl that has accepted me as I am!
Seemingly a fight had begun between the Black Archangels. Those of our side decided to wait for them to have their mind in the battle again and went towards Sanae, Shiro and Tsubasa.
-Are you sure he's not dead? He hasn't woken up, and the five attacks were very powerful.
-Don't say those things, Hyuga! He's not dead; he can't die… he can't.
-Well, there's no guarantee of him being alive -Shiro said curtly, winning Sanae's hatred.
-I know Tsubasa is alive. He breathes and has a pulse, and I also know he can't die.
-How is it that you're so sure? -Taro said, wishing to share Sanae's hopefulness.
-Because I know it. In the bottom of my heart I know it.
And in that moment, Tsubasa woke up.
-Thank the heavens you woke up!
Everyone was glad of seeing their friend wake up. Tsubasa was somewhat faint, and the blow he had received still hurt him, but at least he was already awake.
-Rats, my clothes aren't looking good. Mom's gonna kill me -and the true clothing of the Kami no Tsukai appeared. The other ones followed suit, and although the fact that they were missing the last Archangel hurt them, they looked grand in those suits.
-Now we're on the same ground, Black Archangels -Tsubasa said, already with all the power of his sword free and ready for the battle of his life. And it seemed that the Black Archangels had stopped arguing.
-This is what we wanted, and it seems that it'll be a matter of minutes for our leader to wake up and put an end to you.
-You'd wish -and with renewed strength, the White and Black Archangels got involved in a great battle. Meanwhile, Shiro stayed next to Sanae, since it knew it should protect her, and the talisman had broken.
-Shiro, do you think we'll win?
-To be honest, I don't think we'll make it if the Messenger of the Shadows wakes up and we don't find the Archangel of Love.
-But the Talisman's broken, and that was supposedly the key to find the last Archangel.
And that made something sound in Shiro's millenary mind.
"Of course… The key… it must be between the fragments of the talisman!"
-Sanae, do what I tell you. Look for all the fragments of the talisman. Maybe the answer is in one of the fragments.
-But it smashed into smithereens.
-Just do it! -Shiro urged her, as it looked intimidating with its swords in its bony hands.
Between the hard fights and the growing darkness surrounding the cocoon that had formed around Kai, Sanae looked for each and every piece of the shattered Talisman. And many times she was about to get hit by a deviated attack.
-Shiro, you'd help me more if you protected me from the deviated attacks! -the girl exclaimed, angry.
-If you say so… -and every time that an attack flew towards the girl, Shiro countered it with its attack.
However, Sanae couldn't avoid the attack of the Archangel of Chaos, since he knew she was Tsubasa's weak point. The attack made a bulls-eye on her, and the girl was only just conscious.
-SANAE!
This time the cry belonged to a single person. Tsubasa flew immediately towards the girl he loved. She had clutched with too much strength the crystal fragments when the attack hit her and her hand bled.
-Sanae, hold on…
-I'm trying, Tsubasa-kun, but you already know I'm not an Archangel.
In the meantime, Shiro and the others tried to stop the Black Archangels from attacking the couple.
-Beginning of the Ages!
-Heavenly Sentence!
-Black Fire!
-Fury of the Earth!
-Hatred Blast!
-Marine Undertow!
-High Voltage!
-Fire Storm!
-Frozen Blizzard!
-Hurricane Winds!
Everybody fought their hardest, so they hadn't realized that a tiny crack had begun to form in the cocoon that surrounded the Kage no Tsukai. Meanwhile, Tsubasa tried to stop Sanae from falling unconscious.
-Forgive me, Sanae.
-Why?
-For not being there all the time, for not having realized about your feelings before, for being such a coward…
-Coward in what?
-I forgot to ask you, and I wasn't able to at first, but if we survive all of this, I want… you to be my girlfriend.
And at the same time the crack in the bud enlarged, the glass fragments that were incrusted in the girl's hand began to shine. And suddenly, not only Tsubasa's magatama, but Ishizaki, Hyuga, Misaki and Wakabayashi's jewels began to shine rhythmically, as following Sanae's heartbeat. And in an explosion of exquisite pain, five beams of light flew towards the youth that was on the floor. Tsubasa was who suffered the most, but was used to it, and he saw how everything in Sanae was light. The bracelet had a beautiful golden stone, the magatama shone with its own light, and some kind of pendant went out of her. Her clothes changed, but it didn't look like Tsubasa's suit, or like the other White Archangels', neither like the Black Archangels' armor. (Just like Belldandy's suit in Ah! Megami-sama) But the same wide sleeves were there, the golden armor following the girl's shape, the wings were whiter than those of any other one… And when she extended her hands, the glass fragments had not only disappeared, but the pendant became a powerful staff. Everything in her was brilliance, was beauty. Tsubasa was more than rapt as he saw that; if seeing Sanae under the rain had been beautiful for him, seeing how the girl he loved woke up as the most powerful Archangel was sublime.
-Tsubasa… I do. I'd love to be your girlfriend more than anything in this world –was the girl's answer, as she still had her eyes closed, and she opened them.
Immediately, the light she irradiated filled the others with energy, and stroke fear in the hearts of the Black Archangels. The Archangel of the Love had woken up.
-I knew it. I knew that was the one we were looking for -Genzo said, surprised. -I knew Sanae was the Archangel we were looking for.
-You're right. You never lost your hope, Wakabayashi-kun. Now we are complete -Taro said, feeling the warmth of the light in his skin.
Shiro was immobile out of pure astonishment. That youth it had rejected and tried to discourage from being involved, that girl who had been only an ally turned out to be the most powerful of the Archangels.
-I'll never reject someone again -it said, while Sanae stopped shining.
However, a crack in the air made the Black Archangels recover their strength.
-You know, you're not the only ones that are complete -the Archangel of Darkness said, seizing her scythe with more strength.
-This time, nothing, or nobody, not even you will be able to stop us, and we can assure you that -the Archangel of Ice added.
-How can you even say that? Only look at you. We're six… And you're missing one, God forbid he wakes up -Ishizaki said.
-That's what you think -said a voice, very different to what they had listened. The White Archangels looked around, confused.
-Who said that? And why? –Tsubasa said, sword in hand.
-I did -and nothing else was said, because everyone saw, some with fear and some with happiness that the Kage no Tsukai had awaken.
It was exactly Tsubasa's opposite. His suit was black, with the same golden details, but he had a gelid air around him, and to finish off he seemed to have grown three years in less than a blink. Now the Final Battle had begun.
Sanae against Shinobu; Hyuga against Rairyuu; Taro against Wataru; Genzo against Tooru; Ishizaki against Jinko and Tsubasa against Kai. Each and every one fought with all their strength, obviously defending their causes. Shiro stayed there, as it knew that its fate depended on this battle.
-Shout of the Gods!
-Shout of the Shadows!
-Fury of the Earth!
-Black Fire!
-Fire Storm!
-High Voltage!
-Marine Undertow!
-Hatred Blast!
-Hurricane Winds!
-Frozen Blizzard!
-Heart's Call!
-Beginning of the Ages!
All the attacks had the same power, all of them were at the limit of their abilities, but the White Archangels had a stronger mentality, and much more desires of winning.
But the Black Archangels had the advantage that they were fighting at night, when their powers were superior.
-We can't lose… There are lots of people who love this life -Ishizaki murmured, believing that everything was lost.
-If we end up losing, I don't want to imagine that Genesis under the cover of Darkness… -Taro said, thinking of his friends.
-I can't lose this battle… I still have to defeat Tsubasa… This can't finish like this! -Hyuga murmured, gritting his teeth.
-If I want to make my dream come true, I have to beat them… -Genzo grunted, resisting the attack as much as he could.
-My dream became true, but I don't want it to end up so quickly… -Sanae said, without a doubt strengthened by her feelings.
-I can't lose. My friends, my family, Sanae… Each and every one of them counts on me. I can't lose! -and Tsubasa, wishing to win the battle more than anything, attacked Kai, who defended himself with his sword, identical to Tsubasa's.
Both Messengers fought furiously. The first one fought with great effort, the other one with a dark smile on his face. However, the Messenger of the Shadows was able to drive his sword into Tsubasa, who continued fighting in spite of his serious wound. And finally the Kami no Tsukai was able to injure the Kage no Tsukai. However, Tsubasa's wound was much more serious.
In the meantime, Natsuko was at home, concerned.
-Tsubasa hasn't arrived… Where can he be? -she wondered, and the phone rang in that moment. Natsuko took the phone with trembling hands and answered. It was her mother-in-law.
-Tsubasa? No, he hasn't arrived, and I'm very worried, mother. What do you say? OK. I'll go there right now -and leaving a message written for her son if he arrived, Natsuko took the car keys and went to pick up Koudai's mother.
She was very nervous as she drove, so she tried not to think of the worst. As it was already late in the night, traffic was very sparse. She arrived, and Koudai's mother was already waiting for her.
-And Mr. Ozora? -Natsuko asked, apprehensive.
-He's sound asleep. Let's go now, Natsuko.
-Yes.
Both women went in the car and went to Natsuko, Koudai and Tsubasa's home.
-Natsuko, there's something I haven't told you before, and I regret it.
-You're talking about Tsubasa being the Messenger of the Gods?
-How do you know it? -the old woman asked, surprised.
-Tsubasa confessed it to me after I scared him by accident and somehow he made a poster fall without even touching it.
-It means that you know what's happening.
-Not that much… I wish I knew where he is right now.
-I'm afraid I know.
-Really? Where is he?
-I'm afraid he is fighting the battle of and for his life.
Meantime, in Paris, Azumi was out of the classroom, concerned. Her best friend, and the boy she fell in love with were fighting one against the other for the fate of the Earth… And she didn't know it up to now.
"Taro, Wataru… I don't want any of you to be hurt, but… I don't know what to do…"
-Miss Hayakawa, aren't you going to…? Where is Mr. Misaki? -the teacher that was dictating the class asked.
-I don't know, miss. After I took him out of the classroom he ran away. I don't know why.
-Anyway, it'd be better for you to go into the classroom.
-Not now, miss. I don't feel well -Azumi said sheepishly.
The teacher shrugged and returned to the living room, while Azumi decided to go to the school chapel.
"Maybe I'm not Catholic, but I believe that the only thing I can do is pray for my friends."
Meanwhile, Herman was in the classroom finishing its exam, worried for Genzo. What his best friend had told him didn't want to get out of his head. When the recess bell sounded at last, the lad stayed in his place, hoping that his friend made it safe and sound.
"Genzo, I trust you, pal. Everybody counts on you, although no one knows it. You can't lose. You can't lose for the sake of this world!"
Meantime, Natsuko and Tsubasa's grandmother left the car in the house's garage and ran towards where the old woman supposed her grandson should be. Grandma Ozora thought of the story she had been told as a little girl. She'd see the same battle as her ancestor, Sara, but in this case, it was her grandson the one that fought. And without realizing, her eyes filled with tears.
-Mother, what happened?
-Well,… To think I'll see what my ancestor say in her time, to think that my grandson is the one who must save us all makes me want to cry. I don't want him to die.
-He won't die -said a voice that the grandmother had only heard once.
-Who said that? -the two women asked.
-I, who at first was a nameless messenger of the heavens, who later was Karen, daughter of Sara and of the first Messenger of the Gods, who now is a soul condemned to guide the White Archangels towards their mission.
-You mean you are…?
-I am known as Shiro, the Guide… And I know that this time the Kami no Tsukai, whose name means Heaven's Wings won't die because he is determined to win.