Chapter 15

Draco and the other Demons around him covered their eyes from the blast's glare. When they felt the shockwave roll through them, they reopened their eyes to see a massive mushroom cloud rising skyward.

"Nice shot Loki." Draco said, "You've removed a large thorn in our side."

"Not yet." Was Loki's reply.

Draco frowned.

"What!"

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Kristine stared in shock while Belldandy gripped the SysOp chair as the main screen flashed with Unit-4's destruction.

"Urd?" she whispered.

Urd typed rapidly away at the SysOp panel, Peorth beside her.

"One second Bell." Urd replied.

Rei's image appeared on the screen.

"Please tell me she….."

"I don't know yet!" Urd shouted, "Give me time!"

Yui's image then appeared.

"Would someone……"

"I'M WORKING ON IT!" Urd screamed.

Then Dawn's image appeared. Before the Valkyrie could say anything, Urd pointed a finger at her and glared.

"I swear on everything Holy that if you ask about Sayoko……"

"I just wanted to let you know," Dawn began, "The entry plug landed about three hundred yards from here."

Belldandy sank to her knees.

"She's alive." She whispered softly.

Mist moved forward.

"Valkyrie Dawn," she ordered, "proceed to the entry plug."

"Yes Ma'am.' Dawn replied. She started to say something else when a horn sounded across the Heavens.

Everyone present looked at each other, confusion on their faces. Only one person, however, wasn't confused.

Mist had gone completely pale.

"It……can't be…." She muttered.

"Uhh Ma'am…" Chrono called out.

"What is it?" Urd asked.

"I…….don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know!"

Chrono typed a command. The main screen blinked, showing an image from the edge of Heaven.

Hundreds of figures were lined up in long ranks. Just before them were at least sixty armored horsemen.

Only they weren't men.

"Valkyries?" Urd asked.

"They looked like Valkyries," Kristine said, "But the armor is….."

"Old." Mist said, "Very old. They are Valkyries."

"Where did they come from?" Urd asked, "And where did all those troops come from?"

"I believe I can answer that."

Everyone turned around to see a woman walking into the control room, flanked by two of the old style armored Valkyries. Walking just behind them was…….

"Sentaro!" Belldandy cried out.

Sentaro found himself wrapped up in a hug from his grandmother. He looked over at Arael for help, but discovered that she had been wrapped up in the same hug. The look on her face however showed she wasn't exactly enjoying it, and he knew why.

"Grandma," Sentaro gasped, "Arael's injured."

Belldandy quickly released them and looked at Arael. The Angel was cradling her left arm.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Arael." Belldandy said, "You should go to the infirmary."

"Which is what I had in mind." Sentaro said, cutting off Arael's attempt to protest.

Belldandy just smiled.

"Cayla," she called to her assistant, "Would you go with them?"

"Yes ma'am." Cayla replied.

Belldandy watched the two leave, then turned to the woman with the old style Valkyries.

"I thank you for bring my Grandson back." She said, "May I ask who you are though?"

"Belldandy," Mist said, moving beside her, "This is the Norn Verdandi."

Belldandy's eyes went wide, as did several others.

"But," Skuld said, in shock, "She's supposed to be dead."

Verdandi snorted.

"Hardly." The Norn said, "There is much that has been held in the highest of secrecy." She turned towards Mist. "I've brought your old mentor. She in turn has brought all of the 'Old Guard', and every soul they took with them to Valhalla. I assume you can make use of them?"

Mist smirked.

"Oh yes ma'am."

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Freya cocked her head to the side as she received a telepathic message from Mist.

'Go get them Milady.'

Freya smiled. It had been a long time since she'd ridden into battle.

Even longer since she'd fought demons.

"Kara." Freya called out, "Would you sound the charge?"

Kara smiled and pulled a horn to her lips and blew. The horn echoed across Heaven. Freya pulled out her sword and raised it high. She then had her horse begin to trot forward. Behind her, the other Valkyries followed, as did the Vikings on foot.

Freya urged her horse faster. The Valkyries copied her and the Vikings began to pick up their pace.

Finally, Freya could stand it no more. She raised her head high and screamed out the Valkyrie war cry and charged towards the Demons at full gallop. The other Valkyries joined in and charged as well. Behind them, the Vikings roared and began to run.

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"The Rogues have been pushed back a bit," Cayla told Sentaro and Arael as they walked towards the infirmary. "But they seemed to have made more."

Sentaro nodded.

"Mana and the Soultaker are going after the clone facility." He said, "How are Uncle Keima, Auntie Asuka and the others doing?"

"Initially, both Heaven and Terra 2 were targeted," Cayla replied, "But since we've been driving them back, they've pulled much of their forces from Terra 2 to strengthen them up here. Asuka's been grumbling that what's left isn't really worth fighting."

"Bet Keima had something to say about that."

"He did say something about Celes and Rayne smacking Asuka upside the head." Cayla then looked at Sentaro with sparkling eyes.

"So has it happened?"

Sentaro frowned.

"Has what happened?"

"Have you confessed you undying love for Arael?"

Sentaro tripped and fell face first on the floor. Arael turned deep red and looked away, but then turned her head back enough to see Sentaro through the corner of her eye.

Sentaro sat up and looked at Cayla.

"Have I what?"

"Have you confessed your love to her yet?" Cayla repeated.

"Well……no….but…."

"DAMMIT!" Cayla cursed, "There goes my chance in the pool."

Sentaro raised an eyebrow.

"Pool?"

Cayla froze and when pale.

"Oh….um," she said, "You didn't know. You see….."

Sentaro raised his hand.

"You know what, don't tell me. I'm better off not knowing." He sighed. "Come on Arael, let's….." Sentaro voice trailed off as he turned towards the Angel.

She was no longer there.

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Minutes before.

"I'm fine." Sayoko grunted. She glanced at the diagnostic display. The entire Eva was now flashing red. Her eyes widened.

"I'm fine….." she whispered.

The Eva shuddered as the core began to rupture. Sayoko reached out and slapped a button, opening a panel between her legs in the chair. Behind the panel was a large pull handle. The Eva shuddered again, this time a deep rumble accompanied it. The rumble continued to grow in strength, as did the shuddering.

Sayoko grabbed the handle and yanked on it hard. A loud explosion went off over her head as explosive bolts blew the back panel off the Eva. Then Sayoko was pressed hard against her chair as the ejection rockets at the bottom of the ignited, blasting the plug out of the exploding Eva. The entire plug shook violently as the shockwave from the Eva slammed into the fleeing plug.

Sayoko gritted her teeth and clung tightly to the control handles. She'd only ejected two times before, and it seemed to get worse everytime.

This time was definitely worse then the last.

The sound of the rockets faded, as did the shuddering of the plug. The momentum carried the plug higher until it reached the top of its arc. For a moment, Sayoko felt completely weightless, then the plug began its tumble back to earth. After tumble for a bit ('much too long' thought Sayoko) the parachute opened, slowing the plug's descent. It then landed on the ground with a hard thud.

"Please be careful when opening the overhead bins as the contents may have shifted during the flight." Sayoko muttered, "Like my stomach."

She crawled to the side hatch and slapped the emergency release. Explosive bolts blew the hatch out, expelling all the LCL and Sayoko with it. The Goddess lay on the ground, coughing up LCL.

The sound of footsteps reached her. Sayoko looked over to see Dawn and several other Valkyries running to her position.

"Auntie!" Dawn cried out as she knelt down beside the Goddess, "Are you alright?"

"I think my insurance rates just went up." Sayoko replied. She looked over at the slowly vanishing mushroom cloud. "Along with my Eva."

Dawn looked at the mushroom cloud.

"We'll just get you another one." Dawn replied with a smirk, "So long as you don't wreck that one."

"Gee, thanks Mom."

"Amusing."

Sayoko, Dawn, and the Valkyries whipped around to see Loki and several cloned demons standing nearby. Dawn quickly leaped to her feet and pulled out her sword, the other Valkyries following suit.

"Well Half-breed." Loki sneered, "You ready to finish what we started so long ago?"

Sayoko rose to her feet. She reached up and pulled a piece of her earring off. That piece expanded into a golden quarterstaff.

"Bring it." She growled.

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"Damn this is boring."

Celes, Rayne, Keima, AU Belldandy, AU Lind, AU Sayoko, and AU Skuld all frowned at Asuka.

"What would you prefer?" Celes asked. She pointed towards the pile of dead cloned demons. "More of them?"

"It's better then all this waiting." Asuka replied, "I mean come on! There hasn't been a single damn Demon for the past ten minutes."

"That's because they're all up there." Keima said, looking towards the sky.

"I wish I were up there." AU Lind said, "It is rather boring down here."

"Not you too." AU Belldandy said with a frown.

"If you want," Keima said, "You can help Lime and her sisters plan Lorelei's funeral."

"No thank you." AU Lind replied.

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"Cover the left!"

"I am! You cover the right!"

"Both of you watch the front!" Misato shouted, "Others are watching the flanks!"

"Yes ma'am."

Misato rubbed her forehead.

"Another headache?"

Misato sighed as Kensuke sat beside her.

"Yes," she said, "another one. And it feels like it would kill me if I weren't already dead." Misato glanced at Kensuke. "How are you doing?"

"Alright."

"Don't give me that." She growled, "We both saw the Eva explode! You're worried about her!"

"You didn't hear the report of the Entry Plug ejection." Kensuke pointed out, "I did. Dawn's on her way over."

"Anything else you want to tell me?"

"Well actually……." Kensuke's voice trailed off as a battle cry filled the air. They watched as Demons appeared from a side street and ran away, chased on their heels by armored women on horseback. Misato stared in amazement as the women were followed by dozens of Vikings. She then turned and looked at Kensuke.

"Something else you wanted to tell me?" Misato asked again.

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Quarterstaff crashed into quarterstaff as Goddess and former God fought on the edge of Heaven. Other fights went on around them as Valkyrie fought Demon, but they only saw the foe before them.

Sayoko brought her quarterstaff down, locking Loki's to the ground. She started to bring her staff up to catch the God in the face, but Loki kicked her, sending her flying across the ground.

"You know you can't beat me." Loki said, "You tried before, and look were it got you. Beaten and bloodied. You had to be rescued by Gungir."

Sayoko snarled and leaped at Loki. Their quarterstaffs were a blur as they fought. Sayoko kept pressing her attack again and again, driving the former God back. Loki allowed it, watching as Sayoko's attack began to weaken, then he struck. He knocked the Goddess off balance, and as she corrected, Loki slammed his quarterstaff into her head.

Sayoko once again flew through the air and landed on the ground. She quickly sat up and briefly touched her forehead. It came away soaked in blood. She looked up at Loki through slitted eyes. Loki shrugged.

"Don't glare at me." he said, "I can't help that your training has been poor." Loki slowly paced along the ground, keeping his eye on Sayoko. "It's amazing you've made it this long." He paused, "Though I hear you did do rather well against Asuka. But then again that wasn't you was it? That was…….." Loki turned and smirked. "…..Lucy."

Sayoko's eyes narrowed even more. She slowly rose to her feet, her eyes flashing bright white as she glared at Loki.

"Struck a nerve did I?" Loki asked, "I wonder now if I made a mistake. You see, it was told that a half-breed could have more power then even Kami-sama. Yet that can't be true." Loki tapped his chin. "Only when you became a demon did your power show. Come to think of it, you were defeated by Mana. Perhaps it's true, the Demons will always be stronger." Loki looked back at Sayoko. "It's too bad Lucy couldn't be here. She could have at least put up a challenge. Perhaps the next generation would be stronger." He saw the Goddess freeze in place. "So, how is your daughter?"

Sayoko let out a cry and leaped at Loki again. Loki's eyes widened in surprise as he was driven back. This time Sayoko was really letting him have it. He'd never experienced a more ferocious attack in all his years.

And he loved every moment of it.

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"I'm sorry." The Healer said, "But I cannot allow you entry here."

"But I just want to see Arael," Sentaro protested.

"The Messenger has a severe injury to her core." The Healer replied, "Repairing it is a very delicate procedure."

"Can't I at least…….?"

"I'm sorry." The Healer repeated, "But I cannot allow you entry."

"Can you at least give her a message from me?"

The Healer shook his head.

"I cannot. She is currently unconscious while the procedure is performed. I must get back to the injured now."

"But…." Sentaro began, but the Healer had already closed the door.

"Dammit!" Sentaro swore, causing several Gods and Goddesses to glare at him as they walked by.

"Sentaro." Came a female voice.

Sentaro looked up and around. The corridor was empty but for a few Gods.

"Sentaro."

He glanced to the side. This time he caught sight of the ghost of his mother. Here in heaven, she was barely visible.

"What?" he asked, "I'm rather busy here."

"It can wait." She replied, her voice echoing.

Sentaro turned and faced her, pointing at the infirmary doors.

"Arael is in there." He said, "I said something stupid earlier and I want to correct it."

The ghost shook her head.

"That can wait. This can't."

"What can be more important then the love of my life?"

"The life of your mother."

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Cloned Demons walked along the halls of the palace in hell. They stood watch at intersections and at all the entrances. A pair of Demons walked along one hall, passing by a large window. Unnoticed by them, two heads peered through from above.

"I don't see how the cloning facility could be here." Mana grumbled as she hung upside down, "We would have found it long before this."

The Soultaker glanced at Mana.

"Sometimes the best hiding place is in plain sight." She then looked through the window. "Or where you'd least expect it." The Soultaker sighed. "I forgot how big the palace is. This could take some time."

"Maybe not." Mana replied. She then pulled her up onto the ledge above the window. The Soultaker joined her.

"What is it?"

"We need to get to my quarters." Mana replied.

"What for?"

"My spare communicator is there. With it, I can contact Welsper." Mana started along the ledge when she froze.

"What now?" the Soultaker asked.

"I don't know." Mana replied, "It feels like death….." She shook her head. "Never mind."

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Dawn watched from the corner of her eye as Sayoko and Loki fought. It scared her in a way, watching her sweet kind Aunt fighting like a Goddess possessed. Mana-mama had told her that she and Sayoko had fought once, and that Mana had come out on top. She'd also heard through other, older, Valkyries, that Sayoko had once been brainwashed by a demon and had fought Asuka. Asuka had been beaten, though only because she was alone. All the Guardians together as well as Belldandy and Skuld had finally taken down the possessed Sayoko.

More demons were coming. Dawn let out a sigh and lifted her sword again. She'd already lost count of the Demons she'd killed. Now it was time to kill some more.

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"I can't believe I'm doing this." Sentaro grumbled as he ran through the streets of Heaven. Dead demons, gods, and mortal spirits lay all over. Sentaro paused at a street corner.

"I don't even know where the hell I'm supposed to go!" Sentaro shouted.

"This way." The ghost called out.

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Loki fell back further and further. Several of Sayoko's strikes had gotten through and hit him, in the arms, the ribs, once even in the head.

Perhaps invoking Lucy had been a mistake.

Sayoko brought her quarterstaff down in a quick strike. Loki tried to block it but his staff shattered into two. As he stumbled backward, Sayoko brought her staff up as quickly and as hard as she could, loosing her balance in the process. The tip of the quarterstaff caught Loki just under the chin. Both goddess and former god fell to the ground, Loki with blood gushing from his chin. Sayoko rolled as she fell, leaping back to her feet. She walked forward, placing the end of her quarterstaff against Loki's throat.

"You've lost." She growled.

"There's…..something……you should know." Loki gasped.

"What?"

Loki grabbed the staff and yanked, causing Sayoko to lose her balance and fall forward. Loki threw his hand up, his palm slamming into the Goddess' stomach.

Loki's eyes flashed.

"The Soultaker isn't the only one that knows that trick."

His hand began to glow. Sayoko's eyes went wide in shock.

Then she began to scream.

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"You know they'd be good together."

Keima sighed.

"First off, It's Sentaro's choice." He said, "Second, I'm still leaning towards Megami."

"Yeah, pick the cat girl." Asuka grumbled, "What's the deal with cat girls anyway?"

"KEIMA!"

Everyone looked up as Megami came running into the room, holding Yoko. Yoko was sobbing.

"What's wrong?" Keima asked.

"I don't know! Nyao!" Megami replied, trying to comfort Yoko. "We were playing and then she just started crying."

"She's gone!" Yoko shouted between sobs.

"Who's gone?" AU Belldandy asked.

Yoko pointed at AU Sayoko.

"She is!"

"What?" AU Sayoko looked confused.

"But she's right there." Keima said, "She hasn't…….." His voice trailed off.

"Keima?" Megami asked.

Keima remained frozen in place. Then he bowed his head before collapsing to his knees.

"LIME!" Megami shouted.

Lime came racing down the stairs, followed by her sisters and the Marionette. Lime immediately fell to her knees before Keima.

"What is it?" she asked, "What has happened?"

Keima looked up, tears running down his cheeks.

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"Things seem to be going well." Verdandi said as she stared at the main display.

"Very well." Mist said with a nod. Both turned their heads as Kami-sama entered.

"I heard that someone from the past had returned." He said. His eyes met Verdandi's. "I see that it is true. Welcome back Verdandi."

Verdandi bowed.

"Milord."

"Did your sister's come?" he asked.

"No." The Norn replied, "They decided to….." She was abruptly cut off as Belldandy let out a gasp and fell to her knees.

"What is it?" Mist asked.

Belldandy's eyes were wide, tears running down her cheeks. She began to repeat the same word over and over again.

"No no no no no no no no." she repeated again and again.

"What is going…..?" Mist asked again when she caught sight of Kristine. The young goddess was on the floor in a heap, unconscious.

"Kristine!" Mist shouted. Peorth leaped down from the SysOp platform and knelt beside Kristine.

"She's unconscious." Peorth called out.

"Why?" Urd asked.

"Urd."

Urd turned to see Skuld standing in the control room. Her eyes were completely haunted.

"Skuld?" Urd started towards her sister, but stopped when someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Verdandi. The Norn had the same haunted look, as did Kami-sama.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Urd shouted.

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Sentaro jumped over a fallen tree and continued running. At some point he'd lost sight of the ghost. She'd been heading pretty much in a straight line since they'd left the city. They'd passed more and more corpses, more demon then Valkyrie or god, so he supposed their side was winning.

He finally ran into a clearing. There he slowed down to a walk. A group of Valkyries were gathered together, some were dressed in the old style armor. As he approached, many of the Valkyries looked over at him. One he was able to recognize.

"Sentaro!" Dawn raced over. He was momentarily taken aback by her appearance. Her hair was matted down by blood, and much of her armor was stained with the red substance. Her robes under the armor had many tears in it as well.

Once she had reached him, she through her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Tears began to dampen his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." Dawn cried, "I tried to get to her but I was too late."

"Late?" Sentaro asked, "What? What's going on?"

Dawn backed away, a horrified look on her face.

"Oh my god you don't know."

"Don't know what?" Sentaro repeated, "What's going on? Where's my Mom?"

Dawn gently grabbed his hand and led him to the group of Valkyries. The Valkyries parted allowing Dawn and Sentaro to move unhindered. Finally they reached the middle.

Sentaro just stared. Before him was his mother, Sayoko. She lay on the ground in her tattered blue and white robes. She was covered in dirt, bruises and blood. He had noticed all this, but his eyes remained focused on her face.

Sayoko's eyes were open, staring towards the sky. Where as normally her eyes were a bright blue, they were now a cold grey, empty, and devoid of life. Sentaro fell to his knees beside his mother and gently shook her.

"Mom." he called out, "Wake up. Please Mom."

She remained silent, her eyes never moving. Sentaro felt tears beginning to form. He called out to his mother again.

"Come on Mom! This isn't funny! Please wake up!"

He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Sentaro…." He heard Dawn say. He quickly shook her hand off. He now grabbed his mother with both hands and shook her violently.

"Please Mom! Say something! You can't be gone! Please!" He pulled his mother's body into a tight hug. "Please! Don't go! Come back!"

He felt Dawn's hand again on his shoulder. Again he shook it off. He then sat on the ground, pulling Sayoko onto his lap. There he just held her, rocking slowly. As he rocked, he heard someone reach into a pocket, then the sounds of a communicator being activated.

"Yes Dawn?" He heard Mist ask.

"Ma'am," Dawn began, her voice choking up. "I regret to inform you……….I……she……"

"What is it Dawn?" Mist asked again.

Dawn broke down. Through tears, she finally uttered the words Sentaro couldn't bear to say, think, or hear.

"Goddess Sayoko is dead."