Chapter 17
"Sayoko's alive."
Urd's eyes narrowed at the image on her communicator. She was standing in the hallway outside Belldandy's office, alongside Kami-sama, and Cayla, though Cayla was actually hiding under her desk.
"That isn't funny Yui."
"Urd, I swear to Goddess. It's true. She just wiped out a couple hundred demons."
Urd glanced over at Kami-sama. A frown had appeared on his face and his eyebrows furrowed together.
"Urd." Yui called.
"Hold on." Urd walked over to Kami-sama. "What is it?" she asked softly.
"As a class zero," Kami-sama replied, "Sayoko would have the power to do that kind of destruction. So would Belldandy, Thor, and all the other class zeros."
"So why haven't they been using it?" Yui's voice came from the communicator.
"For the same reason you don't use your full power." Kami-sama replied, "Absolute power corrupts. We would become just as bad as the Demons we fight."
"So Sayoko broke some unwritten law?" Yui asked.
"It can't be Sayoko." Urd pointed out, "She's laying dead in the infirmary."
"She isn't."
Urd and Kami-sama looked up to see Arael walking down the hall, out of breath.
"What?" Urd asked.
"She woke up." Arael said, "Then she vanished."
Urd's jaw dropped.
"But she was dead!" Urd shouted, "Loki killed her! He took her soul!"
"The Healers told me so." Arael replied, "I held her hand and felt nothing. Then there was…….something."
Urd looked back into the office.
"Should we tell them?" she asked.
"I would." Yui said.
"So would I." Kami-sama said, "Since Yui has also seen her." He then looked down at the communicator. "Where is she now?"
"I'm not sure." Was the Guardian's reply.
"I'll go." Arael said.
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Loki watched fascinated as Mana literally hacked he way towards him through the cloned demons to try and get to him.
"Such ferocity." He said, "One would think you were angry at me for something."
Mana's sword tore through the last demon standing between her and Loki.
"You killed my friend!" she shouted.
"I've killed a lot of beings." Loki pointed out.
"You killed Sayoko!"
"Oh yes, the half-breed." The former god shrugged, "She was inferior, an insult to purebreds everywhere."
"She kicked your ass." Mana growled.
"No. Gungir 'kicked my ass' as you say." Loki's eyes narrowed, "And then she was defeated by a demoness. No purebred would have lost."
"I'm about to change your mind about that." Mana lifted her sword and prepared to swing it at Loki. Then all hell broke loose.
The chamber began to shudder. One of the cylinders begin to shoot out steam or some kind of gas.
"MANA!" Welsper shouted, "WE HAVE TO GO!"
Mana looked back at Welsper, then turned back towards Loki, intending to kill him. But the former god had used her momentary distraction to vanish. Mana let out a scream of frustration.
"Come on Mana!" the Soultaker shouted.
Mana turned and ran towards the Soultaker and Welsper. Around her various cylinders exploded, flooding the room in LCL. The cloned demons that still lived looked around confused, several were killed as pieces of rock broke away from the ceiling and crushed them.
"Let's get out of here!" Mana said as soon as she reached the entry way.
"No." The Soultaker replied.
"No! What do you mean no!"
"We found something." Welsper replied, "and we need to check it."
"This place is crashing around us!" Mana shouted, "What the hell is so damn important!"
"Hild."
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Draco tumbled across the ground, bouncing off of rocks as he went. The demon spat out blood from his mouth and looked up. Sayoko was moving towards him again. Draco snarled and leaped to his feet. He threw a punch at the goddess, which she ducked. She came back with a fist to his stomach. Draco gagged and felt bile rush up his throat. Sayoko then kicked him, sending him back to the ground.
"What's the matter?" she asked him, "Where's the big powerful demon?"
Draco's only reply was to cough up more blood and glare at her.
"Awwww, is the poor widdle demon hurt?" The goddess ran up and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him rolling along the ground some distance. He lay still on the ground.
"Come on." Sayoko growled, "Get up. I'm not done with you yet."
She walked over and kicked Draco again. He groaned as he rolled onto his back.
"I said get up!" Sayoko shouted.
"Sayoko."
The Goddess whirled around to see Arael standing before her. Arael looked over at Draco, then back to Sayoko.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"What does it matter to you?" Sayoko snapped.
"I'm worried." Arael replied. She pointed at Draco. "Even he doesn't deserve what you're doing to him."
"He deserves so much more!" Sayoko replied, her grey eyes glowing. By this point, Yui, Shinji, Rei, and Touji had arrived. They took in the sight of a battered Draco, then the sight of Sayoko raging at Arael.
Arael, though nervous, didn't back down.
"That may be true. But you won't be the one to do it."
"And who will?" Sayoko asked.
"Auntie?"
Sayoko turned around and for the first time spotted the four Guardians. Yui walked towards Sayoko. When she was close enough, she grabbed the goddess in a hug. Sayoko's eyes widened slightly.
"We thought you were dead." Yui cried, "Dawn said…..she found you and……"
Sayoko seemed shocked for a moment. Then she returned the hug.
"I'm fine." She whispered, "I'm fine."
Shinji and Rei walked over to Draco. The demon glared at them.
"What should we do with him?" Rei asked.
"Hold on to him for Mist." Shinji replied, "She'll know what to do."
"Or you can give him to us."
Shinji glanced up to see Mana, Welsper, and the Soultaker walking towards them.
"Mana!" Shinji shouted.
Mana smiled.
"Hey Shinji." She replied as she hugged her friend.
"Knock it off." Rei said, smirking, "Or I'll tell Asuka."
"Oh please don't." Shinji said, "She's annoyed enough as it is."
"Yoko?" Mana asked.
Shinji blinked.
"You know?"
Mana nodded. "Found out while I was running around. How is Asuka taking it?"
"She hasn't talked to me since we found out."
"Maybe I should talk to her."
"…..and then you two will end up in a long dragged out fight." Shinji pointed out, "Besides, we'll all find out when we access that storage unit. It apparently requires you, me, Asuka, and Sayoko."
Mana frowned.
"But Sayoko is…." She trailed off when Shinji pointed.
Mana followed his finger to see Sayoko, still being cried on by Yui. In a second, Mana had her arms wrapped around her friend.
"Damn you Sayoko." Mana sniffed, "Don't do that."
Sayoko turned and looked at her friend. Mana let out a gasp when she saw the goddess's eyes.
"What…..what happened?" the Demoness whispered, "Your eyes…they're…."
"I know." Sayoko said. She then glanced over to where Draco was still sitting. "You want him? You are the Queen."
"Oh the Queen is going to get him." Mana replied, "But, I'm not the Queen anymore."
"What?"
"VILE BETRAYER!" a voice boomed across the land.
Draco's eyes went wide and he froze. A fireball exploded into existence near him. When it cleared, it left a very thin, and angry Hild behind.
"Auntie is rather annoyed." Mana said, with a smirk.
"YOU DARE TO HOLD YOUR QUEEN CAPTIVE!" Hild roared, "YOU DARE URSURP HER THRONE!"
"Mercy!" Draco pleaded.
"I KNOW OF NO SUCH WORD!" Hild raised her hands. Thunder crackled overhead as the skies grew dark. Draco covered his face and screamed.
And screamed.
And screamed.
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Loki reappeared in Heaven and looked around.
Smoke still rose from the city and bodies lay everywhere. Valkyries and other troops were slowly moving about, helping those that could be helped and removing those that couldn't. No cloned demon remained alive in Heaven.
Hell had pretty much been the same way. With the destruction of the cloning facility, there were no reinforcements. Those Loyal to the Queen finally pushed up from the depths of Hell and reclaimed their place.
Loki moved to the place where Draco had been commanding the troops. There, he found Draco.
Or at least the pieces of him.
"Damn." Loki muttered. He looked back to the Yggdrasil building, then vanished.
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Sayoko watched Loki vanish from a balcony of the Yggdrasil building. She then let out a long sigh.
"If you wish to talk, I will listen."
Sayoko glanced over her shoulder to see Arael standing behind her.
"How's your arm?"
"It's fine." Arael replied rubbing her left arm unconsciously.
Sayoko looked back over the city.
"He isn't here you know."
"Who?" Arael blinked.
"Don't play stupid. You know exactly who." Sayoko said. She looked back at the Angel. "I hear he was looking for you, kept asking everyone where you were."
Arael remained silent.
"Don't let him get away." Sayoko said, "I made that mistake with Kensuke. It will save you and him a lot of heartache."
"My heart already aches." Arael murmured, "He hasn't told me exactly how he feels."
"He carried you through that Viking town didn't he?" Sayoko asked, "He watched over you when you were sleeping didn't he?"
Arael frowned, "Yes, he did."
"Well then, if he doesn't care for you, why would he do those things?" Sayoko patted Arael on the shoulder. "Try and talk to him. In person if you can. Meanwhile, I'm going to go talk to my Grandmother and get some dirt on Mom." She started towards the door, then paused. "Say Hi to Yoko for me. It's going to be difficult without her special friend to talk to."
Sayoko walked away down the hall. Arael remained on the balcony for several moments.
When she left, her frown had only become deeper.
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The Council met later that day. Saturn was present, although he stared at the table the entire time. Standing before the Council was Queen Hild, Mana, Verdandi, the Soultaker, Urd, Peorth, Mist, Freya, and the Guardians.
"Are the perpetrators of this attack still alive?" Athena asked.
"Draco is dead." Mana replied.
"Took him long enough to die." Shinji muttered.
"What of Loki?" Anubis asked.
"There is no trace of him in Heaven." Urd said.
"No trace in Hell," Mana replied, "Although the search continues."
"And what of you Verdandi?" Athena asked, "What are your intentions?"
"I intend to stay." Verdandi replied, "Along with all those who came back with me."
"There was an agreement preventing this."
"It has been overturned." Hild said, speaking up for the first time. "I have no problem with them remaining."
"I see."
"What of the Goddess Sayoko?" Thor asked, "She did die at the hands of Loki did she not?"
Kami-sama noticed Belldandy shiver at the mention of her daughter's death.
"She did." Mist said, "Valkyrie Dawn brought her body back. The Healers were unable to do anything. Her soul had been taken."
"Yet she still walks amongst us?" Anubis asked, "Such a thing is unheard of."
"The Healers have examined her." Belldandy spoke up. "They have found nothing unusual."
"Perhaps she is more powerful then we ever realized." Athena muttered, "She should be brought on the Council. She is a Class 0 after all."
"A Councilor of what?" another God asked, "There are no openings."
"Something will come open." Kami-sama said. Many present looked at Saturn. "Until that time, Goddess Sayoko will remain with the Terra 2 office. Now, let us discuss other matters……."
"Such as Earth." A goddess said, "It has been completely devastated by Adam's attack."
"If I may," Verdandi said, stepping forward, "Yggdrasil should be able to restore it."
"What?"
"Yggdrasil has multiple back-ups." Verdandi replied, "It will be possible to restore Earth completely to its previous status, along with all it's occupants."
"What about the other worlds?" Anubis asked, "They all know Earth was obliterated."
"They are still many galactic phenomenon unknown to the mortals." Verdandi replied, "An event can be created that will cause them to believe that it interfered with Earth's communications."
"What of those that saw Earth be destroyed?" Athena asked.
"Memory blocks of course."
Kami-sama looked around.
"Unless someone has another suggestion….." he paused and looked around. "I believe we shall try Verdandi's suggestion." Seeing no objections he looked to Urd and Peorth.
"Work with her to put this plan into motion."
"Yes sir." The two SysOp replied.
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Belldandy exited the council room and started down the hall. Almost immediately Cayla was walking beside her.
"Keep my calendar clear." Belldandy said, "Other then council meetings, I want the next week clear."
"Yes ma'am." Cayla replied.
"Where is my daughter?"
"I don't know." Cayla replied, "She hasn't left Heaven though."
"Try to find her location. Find out where my mother is as well."
"Yes ma'am."
The two rounded the corner to find Mana and Arael waiting outside Belldandy's office.
"Mana, Arael," Belldandy said, nodding in greeting. "I was only going to be here for a moment. We're having a small get together at my place. Sayoko wanted those on Terra 2 to come, but for now they are staying in place."
"It is about Sayoko that we are here." Arael said.
Mana frowned. "You never said we were discussing Sayoko."
Arael bowed her head.
"Forgive me, but I believe this to be important."
Belldandy waved her hand towards the office door. Arael and Mana enter. Before closing the door, Belldandy turned to Cayla.
"Don't worry." Cayla said, knowing what Belldandy wanted. "No one will interrupt you."
Belldandy walked around behind her desk and sat down. She looked up at Arael.
"What about Sayoko do you wish to talk about?"
"I do not believe she is who she says she is." Arael stated.
"Arael," Mana said, "the Healers examined her. She's fine."
"Is she?" Arael turned to Belldandy. "Did she talk to Sentaro before he left or since then by communicator?"
Belldandy frowned. "No. She hasn't."
"What about the Soultaker? Has she talked to her?"
"No." Mana said, "The Old Woman's been talking to Hild. Sayoko hasn't approached us at all."
"Then you haven't discussed with her anything that occurred when we found the Vikings and the Norns?"
"No." Mana said, frowning, "The first chance anyone brought that up was at the Council meeting. Sayoko wasn't there."
"What's this all about Arael?"
Arael turned and looked Belldandy dead in the eyes.
"That Sayoko is not our Sayoko." The Angel said, "Our Sayoko is dead."
Belldandy slowly rose from her chair.
"How dare you say that!" the Goddess said angrily, "That is my DAUGHTER you are talking about!"
Arael looked at Mana who was equally angry.
"She knows what happened in the Viking camp." Arael said.
Mana blinked.
"She knows Sentaro watched over me while I was asleep."
Mana's jaw now dropped.
"Arael what are you……" Belldandy began.
Arael turned her head back to Belldandy.
"She told me she was going to talk to her Grandmother about your childhood."
Belldandy's anger quickly faded and turned to shock.
"I……I hadn't told her yet." She whispered, "How could she know?"
"She knows because she was in the Viking camp." Arael stated.
"How could she?" Mana asked, "She was here."
"She piloted Unit-4!" Belldandy shouted.
"Our Sayoko did that." Arael said, "Not this one."
Mana and Belldandy frowned.
"If she isn't our Sayoko," Belldandy asked, "Who is she?"
Arael turned to Mana.
"Yoko's 'Special Friend'."
Mana's eyes went wide.
"Oh my god."
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Sayoko watched Peorth and Urd working with Verdandi to restore Earth from an upper floor of the control room. She then turned and walked to an empty terminal and began to type. An image of the storage unit appeared on the display as well as information on it. She quickly brought up another screen, showing Yoko.
Sayoko began to grin.