Chapter 5
In a deep and dreary place that had not been opened in centuries upon millennia, Peorth and company descended down the spiral staircase into a room with a floor engraved with script of an ancient language. Taking the key, Mythalia made her way over to the platform, and placed the key in the slot. Removing the vial from a charm on a bracelet, it enlarged to normal size as Mythalia placed the glass vial down. Slipping off her ring, she sighed softly and placed it down next to the vial containing the spirit particles.
"Are you sure about it?" Keiichi asked, "Skuld and Urd told me about it, but are you sure you want to go through such a risk?"
"It's a risk I'm willing to take for my love for Celestin and to help those that I love in this world. Yes, I'm sure, Keiichi. Thank you for your concern." Mythalia said taking the book from Peorth's hands, and returning to the center of the circle behind the vial and the ring, "Step back…" Her eyes widened, as she began to recite the chant, "Liane Restivi Ferio Unuva Aneri Certe…" A blinding light illuminated the room, as sparks flew about hitting Mythalia as she continued to read the chant, "…Queni Malente Invidia Kansri Pieante Dovro…" In the final words of the chant, a hologram of the engravings on the floor came to surround her, as she took her finger following each individual character while sparks still flew shocking her but not hindering her progress. A light beamed down upon her as the ring of writing bound her, while the light elevated the vial and the ring to her eye level. The vial was shattered and so was the ring revealing two entities of stardust that emerged to become one. Celestin… Mythalia looked at what was forming despite all the electricity. Tentacles formed out of the energy becoming swords of death, as they pierced her through the heart draining all of her energy as she cried out in pain, releasing all of her sorrows. The mass of stardust began to take shape, and became the final form. A young man with dark Prussian blue hair and blue markings on his face, gray eyes that rivaled those of April showers. The light vanished, and the engraving that once suspended her in the air dissolved. Falling forward into darkness, Mythalia breathed one last breath lifting her hands up to reach the face she had longed to touch for years. "Celestin…" Her hands failed; as she fell on the floor next to him death had grasped her. It pulled her in, and now darkness began pouring over her.
"Celestin!" Belldandy called to her mentor, running into his arms.
"Belldandy?" he asked taken by surprise as he placed his arms around her, "How did I get here?"
"You must save her soul from being tormented by the darkness, as it has already taken her by the wings…" she said falling down on her knees and holding Mythalia, "…Judgment must be passed…"
"Mythalia?" Celestin looked at the face so fair of the fallen goddess.
In the depths of her mind, the judges of life and death were deciding on the next stage of advancement. Mythalia sat in the chair lost and distant, but remotely present. Mouths moved speaking words that one could not comprehend.
"Mythalia…goddess first class, first category with no restrictions…you have taken the ultimate risk, a chance of life and death, where the possibility of death is prominent. We know of the evils that have taken over you. Fate has dealt you a double card of losing the power, which you have invested in the process of reviving Celestin or that which you possess in its entirety. Now it's your choice…" the center judge spoke, "Your fate dealt you the path of Celestin's memories to be fully restored and your succumbing to the darkness."
"NO!"
"…judgment will be passed…"
"Please…I have a proposal…renewal of my soul and loss of the memories Celestin contained within that ring, or the chance of living with neither him nor my powers on Earth and having his full memories restored."
"…those are reasonable decisions, but do you dare defy what fate has…"
"I…want to be with Celestin that's what my heart is telling me…" A tear escaped from her still and lifeless body, yet her lips moved in response to the judges. "I am not a part of fate, and it cannot make my decisions for me…"
"Very well then…if you think that it is best for him to have no memory of you but for a second in your revival…"
"I would rather live with him not knowing than to have him suffer the impiety of love and separation."
"You are free to go…" They dismissed her spirit, as she floated back to the heavens in her own body.
Belldandy remained at Mythalia's side for a second, when suddenly the angel appeared covered in ice and darkness as Mythalia rose up her face shaded in the darkness. Jumping back from Mythalia's figure, she held onto Celestin's arm watching to see what his mode of action would be.
"Celestin…aren't you going to revive Mythalia?" Belldandy cried watching as he lifted his hand aiming an attack right at the angel, which blocked the attack heading straight for Celestin himself. Suddenly, Urd and her angel of fire appeared before Celestin and Belldandy defending off the attack from the angel and Mythalia herself.
"You have to kill her first!" Urd screamed.
"What?" Belldandy looked at Urd in astonishment, "You can't…"
"Kill her Celestin!" Urd said holding Mythalia's hands, which pressed down upon hers, trying to force her to the ground. I'm sorry…Mythalia… His mind unconsciously spoke as he closed his eyes for a brief moment. Suddenly, Celestin's attack came blasting out of his hands killing Mythalia and her angel as Urd had instructed.
"Urd…"
"It's the only way. Trust me. Peorth knows the whole story…" Urd said, as Celestin began his chant, illuminating the room with a vibrant light that renewed the angel that had fallen in battle.
"I suppose that she was under a spell…" Celestin said, "By the way who is she?"
"Don't you know who she is Celestin?" Skuld watched Celestin and then Mythalia, who was awakening, "You just said her name two seconds ago…"
"Whose name? Belldandy's? What on Earth are you talking about Skuld?" Celestin watched as the young goddess arose from her position dusting off her clothes.
"She's your long lost but never forgotten love…" Urd said, "Don't you even have an inkling as to who this woman is?"
"I've never met this woman before in my life…" Celestin raised an eyebrow at the three goddesses.
"…I knew it would come to this…" Mythalia whispered, locking eyes with the young man she once knew as her love, "But I do not regret it…and sadly that's how it has to be."
"Celestin meet Mythalia…" Belldandy looked at her mentor, who paid his respects to the young woman.
"Nice to meet you." She said watching his every move, her body trembling slightly. As everyone departed the room, Mythalia remained behind kneeling down to the floor passing her hands over the intricate patterning engraved in the floor beneath her. Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Peorth knelt down by her friend's side as Urd stood by watching and shaking her head in despair. "I cannot cry for it was my decision that it happen this way."
"Think about it…he's alive and well right before your eyes, and although he may not remember a single memory that you shared together forever, you can make new ones. Have faith…" Peorth stood up nodding at Urd to speak, "I must leave to update the council, and bring about the final stages of judgment."
"Thank you for your support Peorth…" Mythalia watched as Peorth left the room up the spiral staircase. "And thank you, too, Urd…"
"It's nothing. My position on how I feel about Celestin hasn't changed, but let's see if his actions can make me change my mind…"
"I believe in him. He'll learn from his past mistakes…" she said sitting on thin air, and watching the exit out of the room.
"Let's hope so, otherwise…"
"I know…"
"That's good to know." Urd said floating over to Mythalia's side, "So…need a love potion…? If it weren't Celestin, I'd be more helpful, but I've got my limits."
"Urd…save it for a more serious situation that doesn't include Celestin and myself."
"Perhaps…it was worth a try though…" Urd walked over to the exit, stopping as she thought of a plan. Maybe I'll interfere just once…
"No interfering Urd. I know what's on your mind…" Mythalia followed the stairs exiting the place, after picking up the ring and placing it back on her finger.
"Well, can't blame me for trying." She shrugged her shoulders following Mythalia's steps into the light of a new beginning for many people.
