Disclaimer: Fate series and Persona series belong to their awesome owner. I do not own anything.
"I kept running away and I kept relying on you, but deep down I always knew. I can't stay this way."
- Kasumi Yoshigawa (Persona 5 the royal: PV2)
Today isn't a sunny day for France. Dark clouds greeted the growing country of France, and soon after that, the rain started to pour upon the city where the queen live. The sound of the pouring rain is supposed makes one heart and mind calm, but it's the opposite for Hakuno and her group of servants. Every passing second is crucial and the tension started to weight into their shoulders as they have begun reviewing their plan to save the thief from his execution today.
"Just like we talk yesterday evening. We'll split into groups, one will save Ren from the guillotine, the other will rescue Marie on her mansion, and the last group will deal with Gilles monster hiding in the sewer." Hakuno told to her group in earnest. "Charlemagne, Astolfo, Roland, and Jeanne. You four will be the group who's going to save Ren." She said while looking at the four servants. "I'm trusting his safety on your hands." The sovereign stated in trust at the four servants that are new to her faction. "We won't fail. We'll save Ren from Gilles!" Astolfo announces in conviction, everyone is staring at the paladin in surprise. They haven't seen him this serious and full of conviction from their past mission.
But it made everyone happy to know that he cares about his friend's safety. Especially the two paladins who know him more than everyone else, they felt a newfound pride and respect at the paladin who's most of the time just playing around. "We'll sneak on the crowd and wait for our opportunity to strike." Charlemagne said and informed everyone. "Jeanne, you'll immediately get Ren away from the guillotine." Jeanne nodded to the king but stated what's on her mind. "But what are we gonna do if Gilles used his magic to summon the creatures living inside everyone?"
"The boy said he's going to do something about it right? We'll just have to trust him and hopefully, no one died." Roland said in eagerness to go and be done with Gilles's plans. "We just need to trust our judgment if it didn't work." He said and Astolfo immediately opposes his cousin. "It will work, if someone can do something about stopping those monster to burst out in everyone's chest, then it has to be Ren." Hearing the faith his cousin has to the thief, it made him laugh. Not because of his insulting him, but because his cousin grew so much than he remembered. "You are right. His mind is set from saving everyone, he won't fail us."
"I'm glad that you four are committed to save Ren." Hakuno said with a genuine smile on her face. "Anyway, the second who's going to save Marie are going to be Nero, Tamamo, Altera, and I." The three servants she mention smiled after hearing their name. "I've prepared some spells that are going to help us to sneak inside the mansion!" Tamamo stands to her feet with her tails wiggling while giving her master a pleading look. "Aren't you proud of me, my husband?! I demand a date or a pat on the head after this." She said and made her rivals for Hakuno attention pout.
"Le-lets move on to the third group, praetor if you will." Nero said with a frown on her face. "Alright, the last group is going to be Archer, Medusa, and-" The sovereign pause and look at the samurai who's enjoying the tea on his hand. "Sasaki." She let out in bewilderment why the man is here. "Um, can you tell us why you're here?" Sasaki Kojirou finished his cup of tea before making a reply to the girl. "The children who're staying at my house are aware of what is happening. They said that they are going to be okay and wanted me to help your group."
"My heart cannot stand the pleading look those kids are sending me. So here I am, hopefully, you find my skills useful for this operation." He finished his explanation before pouring his cup with tea. "I see." Was all the female master could muster to say. "Well, hopefully, you three will work together against the monster on the sewer." She said and saw the three nodded their heads in her direction.
"I still cannot believe the three of us are going to work together. It's funny if you think about it." Archer commented with a small smirk on his face. "It's actually felt weird, but not in a bad way." Medusa replied making a soft smile of her own. "The feeling is mutual." Sasaki said in delight after placing his cup at the top of the table. "Things will be much stranger if she's here and not spending her time with the food that Rome can offer." The nameless archer sigh after remembering a certain female servant back on Rome.
"I felt like I'm missing something, but basically, you three are good to work with each other right?" The sovereign asks and smiles in relief when the three answered her in agreement. "Then that settled it." Hakuno stands to her feet and looks at everyone. "Remember our goals here. We'll save not only Ren and Marie but also the innocent people of France from Gilles. For Seraph and its people, I'll trust everyone to do their best to make it happen." She said and one by one, they began to raise on their seat. "Let's go!" The last thing Hakuno said before everyone leaves to save their friend's life and also France.
The giant door towards the hall of heaven opened when Ren and Michael stood in front of it. Letting themselves in, the two of them, alongside guards from sixth of the nine orders of angels called power escorted the two inside the heavenly hall. The raven-haired thief notices the stares coming from the angels inside the hall, they are frightened and cautious around him, and he could not blame them, the archangel residing on his very core isn't the kind of angel that is timid and won't show its power to prove dominance, he can tell the reason why they act this way is because of 'him'. "Can you stop your wings from moving?" Michael the archangel said before making a short sigh. "It's causing disturbance and making the angels feels intimidated." He commented and address the behavior of the raven-colored wings behind Ren.
"I'm not doing it on purpose, I just cannot control them." Ren replied and tried various ways to stop the wings from moving, but none of it works so the leader of the phantom thief accusingly stared at the six raven-colored wings on his back. "Unbelievable." Michael let out in disbelief at him. "Just try to ignore them, they'll get tired eventually." Ren said while sounding unconvincing at the archangel.
"I'll try. But before anything else, I wanted you to know that we're still hostile at you, even if you surrendered." Michael informed the thief that's walking beside him. "Just what are you planning? Throwing away your weapon to surrender isn't something you'll do." His memories play at the event that took place earlier. When they thought his going to fight his way to the throne. The army of heaven is ready to face the six-winged angel, but he did the opposite from what they expected for, he throws away his weapon and raises his hand to surrender.
"Surrendering isn't a word on your vocabulary." Ren smiled a little after hearing what the archangel said. "I'm not here to fight, I'm here to talk to him. And look I manage to get inside without hurting anyone." He answered with a satisfaction painted on his face. But truth to be told, his entire mind, body, and soul want to go on a rampage. The archangel in his core wanted him to make chaos in the sea of soul formed into heaven, 'he' gives everything he needed to fight against the army in front of him. He wants him to prove his power against Michael, against everyone in this place.
But he fails his expectation by surrendering. Ren can feel his core boiling from anger because of it, which might be the reason why his wings are throwing tantrums. In desperation for dominance, the archangel of chaos and freedom resorted to that. "It surprises him and got his attention as well. Which might be the reason why he let me inside." He said while ignoring the itching feeling to punch Michael that's walking beside him. "That didn't mean you're welcome here nor his going to listen to what you are going to say." The archangel sent stern glare that didn't wipe out the smile on his face.
"That won't stop me though." Ren said before reaching the chamber where the throne resides. Once they reach the middle, a sword on the thief's neck stops him from moving. "I won't hesitate to take you down if you do something inside this chamber." He heard an unfriendly voice coming from the owner of the sword. "Raphael." The word left his mouth naturally as they both got to look at each other eyes. The man's name is Raphael who's name means is "It is God that heals". One of the four Seraphim, the highest rank in angel hierarchy. "Is this really necessary, Raphael? The young man surrendered without hurting anyone." came from a gentle feminine voice. "He isn't one that should be trusted. His very nature tells that if you let your guard down there will be a fatal consequence going to happen. You're aware of that right, aren't you Gabriel?" Raphael replied and revealed the name of the archangel that voices her concern.
Gabriel a high-ranking messenger angel. Her name means "God is my strength" and is known to be the left hand of God and the embodiment of the holy spirit. "I'm aware of that, but-" Gabriel then got interrupted when another archangel appeared in front of Ren. "The archangel of chaos and freedom standing in this very chamber? Who would have thought that the faraway dream of mine that I've forgotten have become true." The blond-haired beautiful archangel said with a beaming smile on his face. "I guess that saying 'Everything is possible as long as your alive' is true after all huh?"
The archangel's name is Uriel, another high ranking angel listed in the same rank as Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. His name means "Flame of God" for his deception of wielding a flaming sword. "From the look in your face, I think an introduction isn't needed anymore. My name itself tells you everything you needed to know if you do something deleterious inside this chamber." He said while keeping the smile on his face. Playful as Uriel can be, his serious when it comes to the protection of heaven.
Ren keeps the archangels warnings in his mind. The consequence for not following their warnings isn't worth to take even if he's inside the sea of souls where his personas reside. His here to negotiate and earn the support of the angels again, to have them save France against the monsters that Gilles planted inside its people. He won't fail, not this time when there are many lives in danger-. "You're looking for me, so here I am." His thoughts then got interrupted when he overhears an authoritative voice inside the chamber. Ren gazes at the metallic looking archangel standing in front of the throne and felt its overwhelming presence pressing through him. But he didn't succumb to it due to his rebellious spirit and also 'he' won't let him yield to anyone.
The metallic archangel's name is Metatron. Who's name means is "He who sits behind the throne of Heaven." An archangel that has many titles such as Face of God, Angel of Contracts, King of Angels, and the voice of God. A powerful being that has higher status than Michael. Standing beside him is Sandalphon the twin brother of Metatron, another powerful being that said to be the one responsible for delivering prayers to God.
Metatron raises his finger and pointed it on Ren's direction. Golden chains suddenly appeared through small portals and latched into his hands, feet, and torso making impossible for him to move. "Now that you are restraint, Speak Archangel of Chaos and Freedom. Why did you come here looking for me? What nonsense do you want us to hear on your mouth?" The archangel asks loudly for everyone to hear. He hides his puzzlement and looks stern at the raven-haired thief below him.
"I've come here to ask for your help. We need to save France from Gilles." Ren stated his reason while ignoring the chains that shackled on his body. He stared directly at Metatron and saw a glimpse of a small smile on his face that quickly disappeared in just a mere second. "Gilles, the one who've lost everything and walk toward the path of madness." The king of angels said in a neutral tone. "You've surrendered to asks for our help against him? To save people? That sounds very rich from the one who've caused it."
"What do you mean?" Ren asks in wonder what does the archangel meant by the one who've caused it. "You bring forth chaos and freedom to humanity, and look at what happened. They kill each other, steal from each other, destroy things from one another, and many more due to the freedom you give them. This leads the world to become disorder and it started because of you." He explained and the angels seating around the chamber agreed. The angel who rebelled against God's rule, the angel that wanted to ascend above heaven, the very angel standing in the middle of the chamber. "Isn't that right? Satanael?" Ren heard the archangel calling him out. He wonders if that how they see him now. Not as a trickster, a phantom thief, or the inmate they first saw when he summoned them inside the velvet room. They saw him as 'him' the one he used against Yaldabaoth.
"Satanael." Ren whispered under his breath. He finally understands what Asmodeus meant, because he has 'him' the archangels that helped him before is now acting this way towards him. He felt a sound of laughter echoing deep inside his soul, 'his' laughing at everyone in amusement. It was a show for the archangel of chaos and freedom as 'he' watch the scene played on the throne he made somewhere in the sea of soul, and things will become more interesting to watch as the thief knows what to do next to get the angels to help him once again.
"You're wrong. Similar the two of us can be, I'm not 'him'. I'm Ren Amamiya the same person that summoned you inside the Velvet room." He manages to reply in a composed manner even though the beings in heaven are murmuring at each other, in contrast to what he said. Metatron expression didn't change, he can feel the conviction coming from the thief below him. Its respectable action, but it didn't change his own conviction about him. Which is why the voice of God decided to test the man conviction. "And how will you prove that? You've known by many forms, so how will you convince me that you are not just playing tricks on our eyes."
"I've made it here without hurting anyone."
"And those wings?" He asks and saw the raven-haired man take a glimpse behind him before answering. "It's because of him. He wanted to bring chaos in this place, but I've failed his expectation by surrendering. I've done the opposite of what he wanted, that alone should tell you who's your talking to right now." The king of angels saw the smirk on his face. It made him intrigue about the confidence that simple expression is giving to him. "Isn't that the reason why you let me inside the heavenly hall, Enoch?" He felt his lip form into a small smile after hearing what Ren stated. Its been a long time since someone called him out by that name, and he didn't expect he's going to hear it from the inmate that summoned him through his bond with the detective who clouded his entire being with a desire for revenge.
"Ren Amamiya." Metatron called him out before returning to his usual expression. "You didn't let yourself get conquered by 'him' and made your own decision to surrender." The archangel said before slowly descend on the stair and walk towards Ren. Once they face each other, Ren felt the presence of the archangel much more powerful than earlier. If it wasn't because of Satanael, his rebellious spirit alone could not stand the grand magnitude that Metatron is giving.
"It is very unlikely of him to yield to us angels. Not even to me or on my previous form." He said after reminiscing his memories of the rebellious archangel. "The more I look at you, the more it reminded me of him. But I wonder why he chooses someone that doesn't match his own pride." Ren stared at the metallic archangel in puzzlement, but it didn't last long when Michael tapped on his shoulder and told him that Metatron is complimenting him for not being a prideful human. "Tell me Ren Amamiya, why did he choose to rebel against heaven?" The king of angels asks the young man that Satanael chooses.
"It's because of freedom." His answer leaves his mouth naturally. He didn't even call 'him' for an answer, it just came to his mind and he answered naturally. Ren felt 'him' quietly watching and listening to their conversation. "Freedom?" Metatron repeated in a passive tone. "What good there is after gaining freedom?" He responds before continuing. "Watching humanity for almost a millennium, I saw what freedom did to them, I saw how they use this freedom they gained. Their freedom let themselves become tainted with deadly sins."
"Its all because of freedom that slowly destroying humanity. Because of it, they are unshackled from the laws that will lead them for a better life." He sympathetically stated on everyone inside the chamber. "Is that what you gain from freedom? Is that what he fight for? What he sacrifice for?" Metatron asks Ren and saw the raven-haired thief looking on the ground while his hand-formed into a fist. "Is that how being from high above think of us humans? If it is then your no different from Yaldabaoth."
"Your right that we've used it and become tainted from sins, letting our pride to destroy each other, our greed to steal from one another, our lust from each other, our envy that made us hate each other, our wrath that killed many of us, our gluttony from many things, and the sloth that slowly killing us. The freedom we gained did make humanity fall to the ground many times." Ren answered and look straight at the archangel's eyes. "But we still manage to push ourselves upon the ground and keep going. We didn't let our failure to hold us back, we didn't give up from one another and keep moving, and its all because of our freedom that let us decide on what to do!"
"But without freedom, humanity will have a much better life, if only you live by the laws you'd-" Metatron for the first time got interrupted from talking by Ren. "Without freedom, humanity won't be any different from how you, angels, live your lives." He stated and leave everyone on shock. "Letting someone else decide how you live your own life isn't the correct way of life."
"Way of life?" The king of angel repeated in wonder. "Preposterous, humanity thinks through logic, living an easier life without making a decision is what it wanted, which makes this way of life you are talking about is opposed to what they wanted." Ren listened to the archangel and his memory about the depths of mementos flash through his eyes. The prisoners give up their freedom to live that life and let the grail decided for them. "I agree that some of us wanted the easy way of life than triumphing hardships that came to us. But not all of us wanted someone to live that life, overcoming trials and hardships made us stronger to take another step in our life."
"I don't understand where your conviction is coming." said the king of angels. "Like any other humans, I've overcome the hardship that fate has thrown at me, Its all thanks to everyone who supported me that I've managed to do that. If weren't for them, maybe I'll choose a life without freedom and let myself succumb from it." Ren answered with a soft smile on his face after remembering the faces of every confidant he has during that amazing journey.
"Freedom, I still don't get it." Ren heard from the metallic archangel. "If you help me to save France, I'll help you to see the freedom you've forgotten and made you understand that freedom isn't entirely bad as you think." He strikes a deal at Metatron who've smiled at him in amusement. "How about it?" He asks and felt the chains turn into particles and release him from his restraints. "Show me the freedom that I've forgotten? Are you sure that you can do that?"
"Only if you help me to save France."
Metatron found himself making a chuckle from it. "Very well then, I'll accept." He answered and accepted Ren's deal. "But if you fail to satisfy me, this is the last time you'll see us angels." The voice of God informed the thief who didn't falter and look more confidence in himself from getting challenges. "Just call my name and I'll come." He said then shifted his attention to Michael. "Lead him outside." Metatron commanded and Michael followed his order.
"Follow me." He said and the two walk and leave the holy chamber. Metatron exchanges a look at the archangels in the chamber before giving one final look at Ren. "Don't fail me, Ren Amamiya." He murmured before making a soft smile. "But your confidence tells me that you wouldn't." He said before ascending on the stairs and get himself prepare from what about to happen.
"Keep moving!" The soldier shouted and used the flat end of the spear to pushed Ren after stopping from marching. Everyone in France is outside of their houses to witness the execution of the demon that Gilles claimed to them. There are no signs of pity or sympathy on their eyes towards the thief only disgust and hatred from what he'd done to the innocent people, oblivious from what happened.
Among the crowd that lined up in the street. Four hooded figures watch what is happening in the distant. "Are we still not going to make a move?" Astolfo hastily asks the man beside him. "Patience, cousin, patience. We'll make a move at the right moment." Roland the leader of the paladins answered behind Astolfo with a grin on his face. "The same for you as well, Jeanne d'Arc." He said after noticing the tightened hand of the saint. "I can't wait to wipe that smile on that marshal face later on." Roland commented before giving a glance at his king.
Unlike Astolfo and Jeanne, Charlemagne is much more composed, but Roland knew that his king is just hiding it and wanted to rescue their friend immediately. "They'll going to reach the plaza soon, so let's keep going." said the king of paladins and the four continue their stalking and soon afterward they reach the plaza where they once again hide among the crowd and witness the grand guillotine placed in the center.
From there they saw Charles-Henri Sanson standing in the side of the guillotine while looking uneasy from being near it. Gilles de Rais is also there while looking satisfied with the number of people that going to watch the demon execution. He smiled and felt the confidence to himself that nothing going to stop him from killing the captured demon. "People of France!" The marshal shouted after standing in the middle of the execution stage. "Today, you'll witness the death of the demon that massacred the people of that caravan."
"Today his life will end, today we will no longer live in fear, today shall be the day where we will serve the justice he deserves!" He said while pointing his finger at Ren who's body is covered with bruises from the torture that he did. He looks very motionless as well, as his eyes aren't visible from everyone and no one could tell what's on his mind at this moment. "Let us not waste anymore of our time. Off his head!" Gilles signal the guard and they lead the raven-haired demon toward Sanson.
"I'm sorry. I don't really want to do this." The executioner said in sorrow as he prepared the guillotine. "Marie would be in danger if I didn't do this. He forced me to do this, I'm very sorry kid- no, Ren." Sanson felt his hand is shaking as he touches the lever that stopping the blade from cutting Ren's head. "You don't have too, I understand what happened, Sanson." He heard from the young man and felt his emotion started to dwell inside him. "You sound just like Marie." Sanson commented with a distant smile on his face, it reminded him of the time of Marie's death.
He even remembers how the queen apologizes for stepping into his foot. Even on this day, Marie still wanted to apologize for that. He still regrets up to this day for pulling the same lever that killed the beautiful and kind queen, and now another kindhearted person's life is going to get taken by him. "I'm getting sick toward myself." Sanson murmured to himself and begun questioning his morals. Will he going to let the guillotine take another life, the same man that help him on his farm, the same man that help him make a genuine smile that made Marie proud when she saw it.
He knows that he's going to live in regret if he pulled this lever. He knows that after this, he could not look at Marie's eyes anymore. "What's with the holdup? End his life now, Sanson!" Gilles commanded the executioner. "I'm not going to do it. I won't let this thing take another innocent life!" Sanson said and pulled his hand away from the lever. "Be smart about this Sanson, take his life or else."
"You heard me, Gilles. I will not take Ren's life." He declares before pulling out the t-shaped claymore on his side and pointed it toward Gilles and his guards. "It looks like you've fallen as well." said Gilles before pulling out a book on his side and summoning a dark energy ball toward Sanson. The assassin got surprised by it and didn't manage to block the attack and thrown him out of the execution stage.
"Si-sir, when did you learn magecraft!?" The guard on his side asks in fright. "Capture Sanson before he gets up." Gilles ordered and ignored completely the guard question. The marshal then approaches the guillotine and search for the lever. After finding it, he immediately put his hand into it and smile in wicked. "Have the last pieces of your memory played?" His smile grew wider after that. "Because this is where your life end, Ren Amamiya." Gilles said and was about to pull the lever but got stopped when he saw a blond-haired girl charging towards him.
The blond-haired girl used her two fingers and poke the marshal eyes and made him scream in pain. "Its time to stop on your madness, Gilles." Jeanne d'Arc said while giving the man a doleful look. "Jea-Jeanne?" Gilles said in disbelief after recovering his vision. "W-what are you doing and protecting that man?" He asks in pain from the way Jeanne looking at him. "He's a murderer-" The saint interrupts the man by stomping her flag on the stage. "He's not a murderer." She said before looking dejected at Gilles. "I'm sad to know that it's you who did all of that."
"You murdered those people and framed him from your crime." She said and tighten her hold onto the flagpole. "No more lies, I've heard all of it in your mouth." Gilles watches the saint in shock. 'This isn't true, this isn't happening.' was all the thoughts that keep repeating inside his mind. "I'm sorry Gilles. But this time, we won't be fighting together. Because I need to stop you and bring out the justice you deserve." After hearing that, Gilles felt something inside him snap, he felt his mind starting to twirl like a whirlwind, his body begun to move uncontrollably, the last line that keeping Gilles soul from eternal madness is gone.
The words of Karl's God that keeping his mind calm isn't there anymore. He cannot hear the soothing voice of him, and slowly he felt the madness run through his body, his mind becomes corrupted furthermore and changes his body as well. The marshal is no more than a title he'd throw away, now Gilles de Rais without the voice of God, is now the Bluebeard that made terror toward his own people. "Gilles.." Jeanne whispered and felt guilty after seeing her friend's transformation. "Jeanne, step aside, let me end his life so the chains that bond you into him will be broken…" Bluebeard said to the saint. "I'll set you free, and together we'll have our revenge towards everyone…"
"How far did the hero fall?" Roland utters after arriving on the execution stage with Charlemagne, Astolfo, and Sanson. "I'll set you free? You're being delusional!" Astolfo cried out in anger at the caster servant. "Marie trusted you and this is how you'll pay her? You are beyond redemption now, Gilles." Sanson said with a cold piercing stare at the former general. "You will pay for what you've done to Ren and those people you killed." Charlemagne pulled out his sword and pointed it to Gilles after helping Ren from his retrains.
"No, no, no. You're all been controlled by him. I'll set you all free, after all, I don't want to make Jeanne sad for killing her friends." Gilles then suddenly summoned another dark energy ball and sent it toward Ren who didn't move away from the guillotine. "You sneaky bastard!" Roland shouted as he used the Durandal to shield Ren from Gilles's magic. "No, no, no. This fight should be just between you and me." The caster said to call out the motionless thief on the stage.
"Let the saint free from you control or else." Gilles warned and raise his hand in the air. "I'll summon the horror creatures inside everyone's body." He said and showed his finger in a snapping position. "Stop this, Gilles-" Jeanne cried out to stop Gilles from killing everyone but she'd stop after seeing Ren slowly walking toward the caster. "Hey kid, what are you doing!?" Roland shouted in surprise and tried to stop the raven-haired thief but he failed. Ren's mind right now is almost blank, and his body is moving on its own, after returning to reality he got greeted by an immense headache that making his mind in a blank state, he didn't even realize that he's in the plaza and about to get executed.
He's only hearing voices and having a hard time to respond. He doesn't know the reason for this headache, but he assumes that it has something to do with the sea of soul, he can feel the magnitude of the being that's waiting to be summoned. Which is why the mask appeared on his face and his mouth suddenly opened and utter words. "Per.." He murmured and the mask lighted into azure-colored flame. "so.." the two of them have a deal, but it looks like it is not going to be easy, as he called for him, a scene flashed into his mind of the metallic archangel and the army he faced earlier are waiting behind him. If only he could smile from seeing that scene, then he probably already did it, but the headache his feeling is stopping him from doing it, nevertheless, he already made up his mind, his just need to show what freedom is to the old man, how hard it going to be. "na…"
The door leading to the Queen's room suddenly opened and four figures entered in a hurry. Marie Antoinette and her friends greeted the four with a smile on their face. "Kishinami-san!" The queen cried out in happiness from seeing the four made it here safe. "Its a relieve to see that Gilles didn't hurt you three." said the crimson emperor with a wide smile on her face. "He didn't do anything to us, but he'd force Sanson to become Ren's executioner for our safety and everyone in France as well." The queen informed them in a low-spirit manner.
"Don't worry about it, Jeanne and the paladins are going to stop Gilles from his plans." Tamamo ensured to Marie. The energetic personality of the caster made the queen trust their group as she smiles at them and nodded. "But first, we need you to get out of this place and find a safe place to stay." Caster stated to the group and informed them of their plan. "So let's keep our feet moving-" The voice of the queen stopped the shrine maiden from her tracks. "I want to help." Marie announces and made everyone's attention on her.
"My people are in danger, and I'd rather help them than to ensure my own safeness over them." She said with a voice strengthened with the confidence she gathered deep inside her. "So please, allow me to fight and protect my people from him." Marie then looked at Hakuno for an agreement. The determination coming from the queen gaze surprises the sovereign, she didn't know that a kind and loving ruler like her could also become strong, courageous, and full of resolve ruler when it comes to her people.
Just by looking at her, it made Hakuno wonder if she could become like that as well when she needed to faces a situation like this. Maybe she could learn from her, but this isn't the time for thoughts like that. Jeanne and the others might require their help right at this moment. Any extra hand they could get would be helpful, and if Marie wanted to lend her hand, she sees no reason to stop her after seeing her resolve. "Very well then. Let's do this, together." She said and felt everyone happy from her decision.
The group then make haste toward the exit of the mansion. There aren't any more monsters that guarding the place after Nero with the help of Tamamo's crafted magic, stealthily take everyone out. Soon they found themselves out but stop after Marie notice something. "The rain stopped." She said and then raise her palm to feel if the rain is still going on. "It doesn't look like it's going to stop earlier." Mozart commented as he looks up in the sky, his eyes gone wide after seeing the light of the sun pierces through the dark skies. "Look up there!"
"Beautiful…" d'Eon describes the scene very accurately. "But can you all feel the air around us?" She asks and the group becomes quiet as they felt their surroundings. "What's this?!" Tamamo let out in surprise. "Is this mana?! no-, it's feels something more than that. Just what is this?! just by feeling it, it'd sending shiver on my whole body." The caster then looks at her beloved and saw something glowing on the girl's hand and pointed it out. "A distress signal from the Moon Cell?" Hakuno said after seeing the beating red light from the regalia.
When she opened the message, a big hologram message hovers above the ring. "Moon Cell found a large amount of unknown magical energy is getting gathered…" Nero's eyes were gone wide as she read the message. "It's here on France!?" she said and made everyone worried. "A threat level that is in the same level of Velber when it comes to damaging Moon Cell itself." Hakuno murmured to herself, then send a worried glance at Nero and Tamamo.
"Praetor, we should move now, if Moon Cell sends a distress signal like this then it only means that it's in danger." Nero said to her praetor. "Your right." Hakuno replied, she may not know what it was, but she should protect Moon Cell for things that can harm it like Velber. The group quickly made their way toward where the location of this signal is.
The moment the light hit Gilles from his face, he felt his eyes got blind and fall to the ground. A moment later, he recovered from his momentary blindness and slowly came back on his feet. But then he felt something strange, the air changes and his body began to rattle. "I am thou, thou art I." He heard a beautiful and yet mighty voice near him. "From the sea of soul, I have come." He wonders whose voice it could be, its somewhat similar to the God that calm his mind, and yet there is different in it that he could not point his finger on. "I am the word of his command." Gilles felt a cold sweat dropped on his head after hearing that. "I am the voice of God." From that moment, the panicking servant tried to look at the being that speaking.
But his mind, body, and soul are shouting at him to not see them being. And yet Gilles didn't listen, he forced himself to face the being that is walking toward him. "I am Metatron." The two of them are now standing face to face. "And I have come to deliver your judgment." Gilles couldn't stand the light coming from the being. The light is blinding him, it's suffocating him, its slowly weakening to the point that he lost control on his feet to run.
"You've filled this city with your desire for revenge." Metatron raises his hand and snaps his finger. "For that alone, you'll be judged alongside the sins you've made." Gilles heard a thud behind him, when he looked behind him, he saw the guard on their knees and impaled by a spear made from light. The guards are still alive and look fine, but they are in a state of shock from seeing the creatures pinned on the floor.
"This beautiful city and its people are now but a nest for the horror that came to that book." Metatron opened his arms and his metallic wings mimic it. "Before you face your judgment, this city should be cleansed from your influence." He said and then numerous light pierces the dark cloud above. "Come, my brothers and sisters, let us purge the evil in this city." Everyone looks up in the sky and got stunned from the scene they are seeing. Beings with wings appeared on the holes that the sun made, angels wearing golden armor, holy spears, and shields. Some of them look different from one another, especially the four angels leading the legion of angels behind them.
Gilles stands there and watches in awe and horror. He thought to himself if these holy beings are here because Ren summoned them. The caster glances at the raven-haired demon who's currently holding his head from pain. "If they did, just who is he?" He murmured to himself and slowly took a step back away from the archangel in front of him. "Hey, his escaping!" Astolfo shouted after seeing the running Gilles.
"ARGH!" They heard a shout near them. "Something coming out in the sewer!" The woman said in panic after seeing the horrific creatures slowly breaking their way out of the sewer. "Astolfo and Roland, come with me. We're going to stop those monsters from spreading." Charlemagne commanded the two paladins. "Jeanne and Ren, I'm trusting you two to capture Gilles." He said before jumping off the platform and hunt down the creatures.
"Ren are you alright?" Jeanne asks the thief who looked like in pain. "Here." She said and offer her shoulder for support. "Hold onto me and I'll take you somewhere safe first." The saint grabs Ren's arm and put it into hers. "I'm alright… Gilles… we need.. to get him.." She heard from Ren. "But you don't look alright!" Jeanne said in worried. "I'm fine…I've just summoned too much…but I can still help."
"You've summoned them?" Jeanne murmured in disbelief of seeing not only angels but also the voice of God. She couldn't stop staring at the angels as they appeared, and felt her mouth uttering prayers after seeing Metatron. "But how?!" She asks Ren but he didn't answer. "Gilles.." Was all Ren muster to say as he's enduring the pain in his mind and not letting his eyes close, because he might fall into sleep and could not resist anymore.
Jeanne d'Arc looked at Ren in worry. She wanted to take him somewhere safe where he could rest. But he insists, he wants to capture Gilles even with the condition he's in. Knowing that the two of them think alike, and once they decided on something, their going for it no matter the situation or condition they face. "Fine. Just hold onto me, alright?" She said and the two begun to chase Gilles.
But the saint knew that they aren't going to catch up with him at this point. So she looks around to find a horse or anything that can help. "Jeanne!" She heard a voice coming toward them. The saint trace where the voice at, and saw the beautiful purple-haired rider mounted in a horse. "Medusa!" Jeanne called out in relief from seeing the woman safe. "Forgive us, we'd tried to clean everything on the sewer but there are too much and look like some of them are trying to escape." Medusa began to explain the situation. "Archer and Sasaki are still in the sewer and fighting these monster, they told me to chase after those who'd escape."
"I see. Well, the paladins are already dealing with those who've broken through the storm drain." Jeanne tells the information to the servant. "I'll better help them." The woman answered and notice the condition of the raven-haired man. "Is he alright?" She asks in concern. "Somewhat.. but we need to chase after Gilles." The saint answered then looked at the horse that Medusa is riding. "Can we perhaps burrow that horse your riding?" She asks in a pleading tone.
Before Medusa could answer, the Greek servant turned around and saw three angels pointing their holy spears at her. "Angels?" She let out in surprise of the appearance of holy beings. The woman didn't raise her weapon, knowing that any sort of movement may provoke the angels in making a move. "There a scent of evil on this girl." stated by the warrior angel belong from sixth order of angels called power. "Wait, she isn't evil-" Jeanne d'Arc tried to explain at the angels, but stop when she saw Ren raising his hand.
"Leave her alone…" They heard from Ren exhausted voice. "Gilles and those monster.. only.." He said at the three angels. The three warriors from heaven, looked at each other in hesitant whether or not to follow the man's order. They are hesitant not because the angels and Ren are still not in an agreement, but because of the history, they have with Satanael who'd lead the same rank of angels before. "If she isn't an enemy, then there is no need to point your weapons at her, brothers." Michael one of the high-rank archangels said to the angels. "Remember why we are here, purge the monster that lurking inside the people of this city."
"Understood!" The three said in sync and flew away to carry out their goal. Michael glance at the condition of the raven-haired man before shifting to Medusa. "Forgive the hostility that they have given to you." He said and asks for forgiveness on the Greek servant. "N-no harms done." Medusa replied in disbelief of facing the powerful archangel. She remembers their stories in Greece, they are fearful and powerful beings that even the Olympians are frightened by their unknown existence.
Now that she seeing one, face to face, she understands now why they feared these beings. "I see, thank goodness." Michael said before he notices the stare that a blond-haired saint is giving at him. "You're the saint from Orleans, right? Jeanne d'Arc I presume?" The archangel gives into a soft smile after meeting the girl ascend into saint due to her belief in God. "Y-yes! I-I'm Jeanne d'Arc, its an honor to meet you, Saint Michael!" She said and took a deep bow with Ren intact on her shoulders. "Don't move too much…" Ren murmured after the sudden pull.
"I-I'm sorry!" Jeanne apologizes in panic. Seeing the comical duo of the two, Michael hides his smile at them. "Aren't you two going to go after Gilles?" He asks the saint. "Yes, that's right…Uh, Medusa, can we burrow that horse?" Medusa nodded and unmounted the horse for the two to use. "Be careful alright." She said at Jeanne after they mounted the horse. "We'll help as soon as we cleanse this city." Michael stated while staring in concern at the raven-haired man. He can only imagine the pain he's feeling right now from summoning them. To be honest, he'd ask Metatron that he alone can handle the situation for them. But the king of angels insist. He wanted all of them to come, he wants all of them to see the freedom that the thief is talking about.
"Thank you, Saint Michael and Medusa. We'll put a stop on Gilles right away." Jeanne said before they ride off to chase after Gilles. "Goodness, these creatures don't have a sense of time." Medusa commented after seeing themselves getting surrounded. "Its actually a good thing, now we don't have to look for them." Michael replied before summoning a holy spear on his hand and do his fighting stance.
"Don't be too hard on him, brother." The mighty archangel whispered under his breath after seeing the king of angel flew in the sky to follow Ren and the saint, before dashing towards the horrific creatures born from darkness.
Gilles kept running as fast as he could while avoiding contact with the angels around the city. The growing city of France in the state of disarray, as the screams of its citizen, filled the entire city from the horrors that the creatures Gilles summoned and the angels that are purging the city from it. He saw how the angels thrusting their holy spears into the human host of his monsters, like how the king of angels did it.
Only killing the parasite inside them and not the host. Then they are healing the host afterward from any potential wounds and calming them from their shock. His hard work for making an army of these monsters is nothing from these angels, he watches how the angels easily disposing of his monster, and from that exact moment, he knew there is no sliver chance for him to win, running away is his only option.
He can have his revenge and take Jeanne next time, but now he needs to avoid his judgment, he needs to get out of this city as fast as he could-. "Gilles!" His thought shattered as the running servant heard a familiar voice coming towards him. He turned around and saw Jeanne jump off to the horse she rides. "There's nowhere to run, Gilles. Don't force me to make you surrender." She said as the two faces each other. "Why are you going up against me?! can't you see, I'm doing this for you! So you'd get your revenge against everyone that killed you!" Gilles shouted in frustration toward the saint.
"Gilles…please listen to me." Jeanne asks in a pleading tone. "I'm not seeking or yearning for revenge." She calmly said to her friend. "I've merely accepted everything that happened and move on." The saint then sent a soft smile at Gilles. "Not letting the past blind me with anger and letting the Lord guide my path, I've managed to forgive everyone." Jeanne's soft smile change into sheepishly one. "Well maybe not everyone, that one bishop is a stubborn man but my distaste toward him may go away soon."
"But if there is one thing I've regret, is that I wasn't able to talk to you properly on my last day. Maybe if I did, then none of this will happen to you." Gilles stared at the saint in shock. "Which is why I cannot join you on the path you're taking my friend. But it isn't too late for you to stop and I'll help you on your way for redemption." Jeanne then extends her hand toward Gilles.
"I…" was all the man muster to say as he stared at the waiting hand of the saint. "I…" He then strongly clenches his fist, due to frustration or anger, Gilles lashes out at Jeanne. "No, no! That isn't what you wanted! Your being controlled!" He said before summoning the demonic book on his hand. "Just let her go!" Gilles then unleashes a dark energy ball straight toward Ren. "Listen to me, Gilles!" Jeanne said as she deflects the attack with her flag. "No one is being controlled here!"
"Your wrong!" Gilles said and then a summoning circle appeared below him. "Your wrong!" He repeated with fueled anger on his tone. "Just let her go!" horrifying creatures appeared below him and charge toward Ren to kill him. Jeanne d'Arc with a strong swing on her flag immediately gets rid of the monsters. She then dashed toward Gilles to stop the summoning, but the caster interrupts it with another batch of his creatures. "I know you too well, Jeanne. All your moves, I know it. There's nothing you can do to stop me, so please stop."
With a raise of his hand, Gilles summoned much bigger monsters and surrounded the saint. "You'll be free soon." He murmured before unleashing a horde of monster toward Ren. "Get out of the way, Ren!" Jeanne cried out as she fights off the Gilles minions that surrounding her. But the raven-haired boy didn't move and stay stationary target for Gilles monsters. The saint raises her flag and unleash holy flames around and burned the monster.
She then immediately run toward Ren, but she won't make it as the monster already in mid-air and about to claw their way on him. "The saint of Orleans, I see." They heard a voice from above, and then a rain of holy spears pinned all the monsters on the ground, killing them instantly. "You…" Gilles said in fright of seeing the metallic archangel from earlier. "It is about time to serve your judgment." Metatron landed swiftly on the ground. "France is saved from his wrath, and now I wanted the answer you are talking about." He said while gazing at the motionless body of Ren.
"Tsk!" The caster servant is about to summon another monster from his book. But Metatron dispelled the summoning circle just by looking at it. "How?!" Gilles stared in disbelief at the being beside Ren. "Only the mightiest demons can stand against my might." The archangel answered the caster question. "In this situation, winning isn't a possibility for you now, Gilles. But I'm giving you a chance to unleash your power." Metatron stated in a neutral tone at Gilles.
"For the sake of our deal, surely you do not mind." He said at Ren who's still didn't make any sort of movement. "Let see what this freedom you're talking about." Metatron saw a glimpse of Ren looking at him. "I am thou, thou art I. Remember that.." He utters that only the king of angels heard his voice. "Does it have anything to do with Freedom?" Metatron asks and the raven-haired nodded. "Of course, you'll realize the freedom that we humans can share with you." Ren responds with a smirk on his face.
"Cocky, but very well." The king of angels remark and shifted his attention toward the frightened caster. "What are you waiting for?" He asks Gilles. "Don't mock me!" Gilles de Rais lashed out at Metatron, and then a giant summoning circle appeared below him. "I'll show you what I'm capable of!" He shouted and at the same time, they heard the terrifying sounds of the monster running toward him. "Is he calling for them?" Jeanne commented as she watches the monsters latching themselves at Gilles.
"So you're merging with them." Metatron stated after a quick observation at what the madman is doing. The number of monsters attaching themselves toward the caster will make someone's blood run cold. "Ph'nglui." Gilles started to enchant words that sound alien for everyone who's hearing it. "mglw'nafh wgah'nagl fhtagn!" He shouted and watch how the demons he summoned slowly swallowed him whole.
Ren, Jeanne, and Metatron watch how the creature formed into an enormous gigantic horror. There are no signs of Gilles anymore, only the giant demon and its horrifying glory. "The sea demon, so this is what you've become." Metatron said, undaunted by the size of the monster in near them. "The amount of preparation for this probably took you more than days to complete. But nevertheless, it is still not enough." The king of angels commented at the gigantic horror.
'The sea demon', the nightmare that governs the ocean in the realm outside of the world. It can be called the true form of the diabolic underworld, a massive extradimensional evil god that is at least the size of a building, which all of the summoned familiars are bits and pieces of it. It has a disgusting, yet overwhelming majesty. "Since the day I've come here in France, I've made my preparation for this." While Caster is no longer visible, his voice is still able to ring out from it.
"For you to say that it isn't enough, you'll be going to pay for it!" They heard from Gilles inside the monster as a massive size tentacle lunch itself toward the standing Metatron. But with a swing of the archangel hand, the charging tentacle changes its direction away from him. "You're nothing but a pale imitation of the real sea demon." What the king of angels said made Gilles even angrier. "YOU!" Gilles roared and begun to charge up magical energy in its giant holes.
"DIE!" He shouted and fired the charged beams toward Metatron who didn't budge from the sight of numerous energy beams fired towards him. The king of angels raise his palm toward it and summoned holy spears behind his back. With a point of his finger, the holy spears fling off towards the beams and exploded in the moment of impact. "I have enough with your tantrums." He said and slammed his fist on the ground.
Soon afterward a spear came from heaven fall from the sky and pierce to the ground. A beautiful and powerful spear, unknown from mankind, made from heaven's finest material, appeared before their very eyes for the first time. The name of the spear is powerful enough to scare any demons from hearing it, and only the voice of God could carry it. The holy spear that Metatron wield that took many lives of archdemons.
In its all glory, the king of angels presents his precious spear for the world to witness. "Ren Amamiya, the time has come, show me the freedom that you said I've forgotten." Metatron announces before walking away from the spear on the ground. "Pull out the spear on the ground and show me what freedom is." He said and with a snap of his finger, angels around the city gather around and surrounded the entire area. "Know that if you failed to convince me, this will be the last time you could call for us." He informed before calling out the saint near Ren. "Saint of Orleans, follow me."
"But-" Jeanne is about to protest but she stopped after seeing Ren slowly walking toward the spear. "I'll be fine..just follow him.." He said and dragged his entire body toward his goal. "He will not die, I can assure that." Metatron commented before walking to a place with a better view, meanwhile, Jeanne d'Arc is still hesitant from leaving Ren alone. "Jeanne..please.." The thief pleads at the saint.
She took a deep breath and release it. Jeanne knew that she can trust Ren to know what he's doing. He's stubborn just like her, which probably the reason why she cannot stop worrying about him. Knowing that the angels are watching them, then everything should be okay. Slowly taking her step, the saint utters some prayers before following where Metatron is, only leaving the gigantic horror, the holy spear of Metatron, and Ren in the area.
"Finally I've able to meet the saint of Orleans, Joan d'Arc." Gabriel genuine said at the girl in front of her. "My name is Gabriel, I'm glad to meet the beautiful and kindhearted saint of Orleans." The stunning archangel introduces herself and made the saint blush from the compliment she give to her. "I-I'm happy to me-meet you as well, Saint Gabriel!" She said and took a deep bow to show her respect at Gabriel. "My, what a cute girl." Gabriel commented with a giggle.
"Th-thank you…" Jeanne answered who's still blushing from the compliments she receives. "It a shame that the other saints aren't here. We would like to say our gratefulness for your love for God." The saint nodded her head in agreement and felt a little sad that saint George and saint Martha aren't here to witness the archangels. "There's always next time though, but for now, I would like to thank you for everything you've done to help our father." Jeanne blushed furthermore from the gratefulness that the archangel Gabriel is showing.
"I just did what I think is right." She answered in a soft voice. "But I'm sure they'd be in the reaction as I when they see you all." Hearing that made Gabriel smile toward Jeanne. "Saint Gabriel, can I ask something?" She asks and the archangel nodded. "Did Ren do something wrong to be in that situation?" She said and watch how Ren get hit by the massive size of the tentacle and hit the nearest wall. "He didn't do anything wrong." Gabriel replied while watching how the raven-haired thief stands up and dragged himself with one leg.
"But he and my brother Metatron has a confrontation with each other." Gabriel started explaining what happened. "It was heated and hostile conversation, something about freedom that humanity acquired because of a certain archangel." She said and recollected her memories on the sea of souls. "My brother is somewhat against the freedom that human has, saying that letting them think for themselves will lead the world to chaos."
"He, on the other hand, supported the freedom that humans have. Saying that freedom with lead humanity to triumph over everything that fate throw at them." Gabriel made a little smirk when she remembers something during their confrontation. "He even said that living without freedom is no different from how we angels live our life." Jeanne's jaw almost drops after hearing that from the archangel. "H-he said that?!" The saint cried out in disbelief before taking a deep bow to apologize. "Please, forgive him for what he said."
"Don't worry about it." Gabriel reassures at the saint. "To be honest, I think that is the reason why my brother become interested in the freedom his talking about." The archangel then laughs softly as she continues. "You see, no one manage to interrupt my brother when his talking. Not until that confrontation he has with the trickster." Jeanne is unsure whether or not to laugh at what the archangel has said. "He's blunt at things he thinks is not right." The saint stated and the female archangel agreed.
"He won't back down as well." Gabriel said as they watch the thief standing back to his feet and made another attempt to pull out the spear on the ground. "Don't worry about him, if something bad happens, Michael will immediately come to his side to help." She stated after seeing the worried look that Jeanne is giving toward Ren. "Anyway there seems a commotion happening down there." said the archangel after hearing voices below them. "Hmm!?" Jeanne let out after realizing who is the source of the commotion. "It's Marie and everyone!"
Meanwhile below the building that Jeanne and archangel Gabriel is staying. Hakuno, Marie, and all the servants in their group are trying to make the two archangels Raphael and Uriel move. They wanted to help Ren from the gigantic horror that Gilles merges into. But the two archangels didn't bulge and continue blocking their way. "I, Nero Cladius Divi Claudius Filius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the crimson emperor of Roman, is commanding you two to move!" Nero said and made Raphael sigh and Uriel smile softly.
"Why aren't you two moving!?" She asks as her patience is running low. "Do I need to repeat who I am?" Nero said and about to repeat her very long name at the two, but Uriel's voice stops her. "You don't need too, as much as I wanted to test when are you going to get tongue-tied on your long name. I'm going to pass, for now." Uriel responds while keeping his smile on them. "She doesn't look like have any knowledge about us." Raphael replied and made his fellow archangel laugh.
"I can see why." He answered while holding himself from laughing too much. The exchange of the two made the crimson emperor angry. "Enough chatting, move out of our way or we'll force our way in." She announces, still uninformed about the beings in front of them. "Saber, please relax for a second." Hakuno touches the girl's shoulder to get her attention. "These two aren't at the same level as servants."
"I mean just look around us. Their are more of them than us, and all of them are powerful. Maybe less compared to these two, but powerful regardless." Astolfo commented after surveying the area. "That's right, this is also where the distress signal leads us. Judging by how the regalia acting right now, there are more than two powerful beings like them here in France. Each one is capable of harming Moon Cell." Hakuno stated in her group. "But I don't think they mean any harm, remember how they help those people that have a monster inside them." Marie speaks up in a hopeful tone.
"I agree with that." Medusa commented. "Without them, we've probably still finding a way on how to save them." She said, everyone agrees but Roland decided to speak up what's on his mind. "But what they doing with the kid is something else besides helping." Hakuno could not disagree, sure they help France, but seeing how they just watch Ren getting beaten by that gigantic monster. As the sovereign and a member of her faction, she cannot just stand here and wait for it to be done.
She voices her thoughts in everyone. They agreed to it and want to help Ren from the monster. "But how are we gonna pass those two." Archer said and took the words on everyone's mouth. "How about we used moon crux?" Nero asks in excitement about her idea. Using the Moon crux is a very powerful tool for Hakuno's servant to use since they are using mana came from the Moon Cell itself and will make them even more powerful. "Maybe, but can you beat the other angels with it?" Tamamo asks and made the emperor confuse. "Angels?" She let out in bewilderment and made the female caster sigh.
"Our only choice right now is to wait for something to happen. Maybe it'll distract them and we can make a run toward Ren." Charlemagne suggests to the group. "More waiting?" Astolfo replied in disbelief. "You can try to pass them through force or maybe charm them." Roland jokingly offered to his cousin. "I have an idea, do you want to hear it?" Uriel asks with an amused smile on his face.
Back to the rooftop that Gabriel and Jeanne are staying. The archangel look at the girl in wonder. "Are they your friends?" She asks and Jeanne nodded to answer. "They are Ren's friends as well." The saint informed to Gabriel. "From the look of it, they wanted to help him." said the archangel after a quick observation. "I could say the same on you, Joan." She commented with a kind smile. "I want too, but Lord Metatron doesn't want anyone to interfere," Jeanne answered.
"Did he say something like that?" Gabriel asks in wonder. "I don't recall anything like that though, weird maybe I'm not there when he said it." The beautiful saint glance at the soft smile coming from the archangel. "Then?-" Jeanne got interrupted when she saw the gigantic horror charging its beam at Ren. "That doesn't look good." murmured by Gabriel. Hearing that made Jeanne worried at Ren. Amid hesitation, the saint decided to jump off the roof and pull Ren away from the beam.
Metatron and Michael watch the saint came to rescue the raven-haired boy. The archangel Michael look at the roof where the saint came and saw the soft smile of Gabriel. "It looks like Gabriel has something to do with the saint interference." Michael commented on the metallic archangel beside him. "If weren't for them, you've probably succumbed a life without freedom." He heard Metatron utter. "So even you, who have a strong rebellious can still fall into ruin if you've walked your life alone." Metatron said as he watches the saint carry the raven-haired boy away from the sea demon.
"We're making our way in!" They heard a feminine voice coming from below and saw a group of servants charging toward the gigantic horror. "Oh no, they'd pass through us." Uriel said without doing anything to stop the servants from helping. They also saw Raphael sighing in disbelief, but like Uriel, he didn't do anything to stop the group. "Do you want me to stop them, brother?" Michael asks the king of angels.
'We still manage to push ourselves upon the ground and keep going. We didn't let our failure to hold us back, we didn't give up from one another and keep moving, and its all because of our freedom that let us decide on what to do!' His words played through the archangel's mind. "Freedom, I still don't understand why 'he' give that to humanity." Metatron whisper under his breath. The archangel beside him notices the conflicted look of painted on his face. "Brother are you alright?" Michael asks.
"I'm fine. I'm just trying to understand the freedom his talking about, also you don't have to stop them." He replied at the concerned archangel. "Brother, do you know why 'he' bestow freedom and chaos on humanity when he falls?" The sudden question of the king of the angel caught Michael off guard. But he immediately recovered and think of a way to answer Metatron. "If I'm being honest, he didn't give it through kindness, he probably wanted to keep it from himself." Michael has begun to wonder about 'his' reason. "But he probably ended up surprise at what humanity can do with it, so he'd let them have it."
"So he has no real reason for it?"
"I'm not sure, he's a mischievous rebellious archangel and a trickster on top of that. It's really hard to tell his reason."
"Freedom." Metatron murmured to himself. 'I am thou, thou art I. Remember that.' He heard inside his head. "I am thou, thou art I." He then looks at Ren who's getting carried by the saint on her shoulder. "I am you, you am I." He continued watching and saw the sea demon charging up again. 'I'll show you the freedom you'd forgot.' soon after the word played on his mind, they heard the shout of a girl. "Jeanne!" the long brown-haired girl shouted at the saint.
The two are very close at the spear, but the beam is already fired toward them at a fast speed. The saint could only stare at it, knowing that it's too late for them to move. They watch the girl tighten her hold at the raven-haired boy as she braces from impact. But it didn't come, because Ren pushes the girl away from him. So instead of getting exploded, the saint was jus thrown away from the explosion.
Jeanne stared in disbelief at what happened. Ren pushed her away from the bean, she slowly crawled toward Ren's last location to search for him, but she didn't reach it as one of the monster arms latched itself at her foot. "It's over, Jeanne. You're free now!" The voice of Gilles cried out in happiness as he picks up Jeanne on the ground. "Be free, Jeanne, be free!" He shouted as he pulled the saint who's still in shock.
"Let go of her!" Charlemagne said as he charges toward the sea demon. "You fool!" Gilles replied and swing the monster limb toward the king of paladins. "Not going to let that happen!" He then felt his limb stop from moving, every servant that joined forces with Hakuno, stop the limb from moving. "You all are fools" The gigantic horror charge up another beam toward the group. "Everyone, get out of there!" Jeanne cried out to warn her friends. But stopping the enormous size of a limb, took all their strength. They can't move even though they wanted too.
"DIE!" The monster fired up its beam toward the group of servants. But before the beam hit them, it exploded when numerous holy spears were thrown at it. "Enoch!" Ren shouted as he appeared from the smoke. Carrying the spear in his hand. "Let me show you the freedom you've forgotten!" He said toward the king of angels.
Metatron stared at the raven-haired thief who's eye colors are different from what he remembered. They are now shining in gold. He doesn't know the reason for its change, but he felt the unimaginable power coming through it. The king of angels watches how Ren raises his spear and felt the same power that getting unleashed. "The city where people dwelt in righteousness, the Utopian city, I'm calling it. Bash us with its glory, Come forth, Zion!" Ren chanted and release particle of lights up in the air.
They watch how the lights change the entire layout of the city. Like an illusion that soon becomes real, the Utopian city of Zion materialized on their very eyes. Metatron felt his memories of the city played inside his mind, he also felt a surge of strength running inside him. He keeps watching until the city becomes fully complete. "Zion." He murmured the city name. He then shifted his attention to Ren.
"I am thou, thou art I." The king of angels whispered under his breath. "We personas always chanted that when we're getting summon, to remind us that we are part of you." He said then smiled. "You are the part of me that I'm missing. The freedom that I've once have, your shine alone makes me remember all of it. Enoch, the human me who'd walk on earth and build Zion and the memories in it."
"Satanael, if you've bestowed freedom to humanity just to make us look inferior to them." Metatron murmured with a soft smile. "Then you are doing a great job." He said before Ren called him out. "Are you satisfied now?" Ren asks and the king nodded. "Then, its time to serve judgment on him." Ren said and slowly walk toward the gigantic horror.
"The sea demon isn't welcome here in Zion. Which is why I'm calling the warrior from heaven." Ren said as soon as Metatron landed behind him. "Gilles, your judgment has come, warriors of the heaven, pillage him!" He said alongside Metatron's voice, soon the angels roared and wield their weapons and pointed it toward the gigantic monster. "Tamamo are you alright?" Hakuno asks after seeing the caster on her knees. "I feeling my strength is leaving me." The shrine maiden said. "It because of the noble phantasm that Ren released?" She asks her master.
Medusa, Nero, Sasaki, Astolfo, Sanson, Roland, and Altera followed afterward and fall to their knees, as their strength leave their body. Leaving the remaining servants unaffected by the reality marble created by the noble phantasm. "Utopian city of Zion has a powerful barrier that is particularly effective against Evil and Chaotic aligned force." Uriel said as he and Raphael walk towards them. "As long as you're aligned with Evil or Chaotic, then the barrier will weaken you inside the city."
"So this is what a noble phantasm looks like. After the changes that happened to him, I'm a bit interested in how he'll become a servant." The archangel of righteous fire commented as he looks around the noble phantasm that materialized around them. After that, Uriel smiled sheepishly at the group of servants near them. "It'll be bad if we leave them in that condition." With a flick of a finger, he summoned a fire that surrounds Hakuno and the servants, then form into a bubble. Once their inside, the effect of the noble phantasm didn't affect them anymore, and they slowly recovered the strength they lost.
"As long as you're inside my righteous flames, you won't be affected by Zion's barrier." Uriel said with a satisfied smile on his face. "Thank you." Altera shyly said her thanks to the archangel. "You're very welcome." He replied and they watch the battle that is happening between the horrific sea demon against the legion of angels. The gigantic horror sends its limbs toward Ren, but it was stopped by Metatron and Sandalphon working together. Michael then flew towards it and cut the limb with ease.
"ARGH!" The sea demon roared and charge a powerful beam towards them. Once its unleash, Melchizedek and Gabriel with the use of their arcane magic dispelled the entire beam into dust. "Do you think they need our help, Raphael?" Uriel made a smirk before asking the archangel beside him. "Guess we need too, or else Gabriel going to lecture us." Raphael answered before pulling out the sword on his side.
"You'll lead the way, I'll back you up." Uriel said as the two leave the group and fly toward the sea demon gigantic mouth. "RARGH!" The demon roared once again, this time it releases a swarm of sea monsters on its mouth. The archangel of righteous fire, snap his finger and combust an explosion on its mouth and stop the swarm from coming. Raphael pointed his sword at the minions that the sea demon spawned.
The archangel disappears in a flash and disposes of all of the monsters before returning to his spot. They didn't bleed until the archangel sheathed his sword. A marvelous show of their mastery on weapon and powerful arcane magic, truly show the might of the angels that is feared by its enemy and praised by masses. But it didn't stop there, Ren's attention is now at Jeanne who've been captured by one of its limbs. Grabbing a pebble of stone on the ground, before crushing and turning it into dust. Ren began to utter words. "Thy will be done, though I am reluctant to do so, I require one of the weapons that are dwelling inside the celestial treasure. Purge the evil and witness the power."
"From the treasure of limitless soul, I'll summon the divine spear, Longinus!" Ren said and the ground begins to shake as the divine spear materialize from the dust. The summoning for the divine spear that made everyone stop to witness its glory, the summoning that made the Moon Cell send more distress signal at the sovereign's regalia. Hakuno didn't notice as she keeps her attention on the spear.
A strong gust of wind sends toward everyone. Once they opened their eyes, they saw the divine spear on Ren's hand. Shining in brilliance and beauty, the spear of destiny that pierce through the messiah's side as he hung on the cross. A powerful spear that no one imagines going to appear in Seraph nor the Moon Cell predicted this outcome on the servant it gathered somewhere. Holding tightly on both divine spear on his hand, Ren charges toward the limb that holding Jeanne.
"REN!" The caster inside the sea demon shouted as it set into full assault and send all its limbs toward the charging thief. Ren let his instinct take over him and avoid everything that Gilles send through him. Even if his feeling how his mana rapidly draining from the amount of summoning he did, and how in the blank state his mind right now, or how he felt 'him' laughing and clapping in amusement inside his soul, it didn't matter, he's going to save the saint and put an end to Gilles madness.
He made up his mind. The leader of the phantom thieves of heart leaped, with the spear of Metatron pointed at the demon limb, he thrust through it and set the limb in a divine flame that spread through to the main body. Ren immediately stops his fall and catch the saint mid-air. Jeanne felt the raven-haired man arms around her. When she opened her eyes, the saint got greeted by his golden-colored eyes. Different from the gray-colored she remember on him.
"Ren?" She called him out, before realizing that they are floating right now. Jeanne then saw a pair of raven-colored angels wing behind Ren. "Those wings?" Jeanne d'Arc was about to asks, but the roar of the sea demon stopped her. It begins charging a much more powerful beam than before, the size of it increases and the amount of energy it gathering is enormous. "REN!" Gilles roared inside the demon.
Ren takes a look at the sea demon one last time, before and letting the spear of destiny, Longinus float in the air. He reaches out his hand toward it. "I stole it, the madness inside your heart." Ren then flings his finger and the spear fired through the sea of the demon. "RAGH!" It roared and fired off the beam it charging, the two meet at the middle, but like a needle piercing through a paper, the spear easily passes through the beam and cutting it in half. "WHAT?!" Was all Gilles said in disbelief and shock as he watches the spear of destiny makes its way toward him.
Then everything exploded in bright light and they're surrounding began to shake from the impact. It took a while before the light is gone, but when they recovered from it, their jaws almost drop from the giant crater that is created and the whereabouts of the gigantic horror. Slowly making their way toward the crater, Hakuno saw Gilles face planted deep down on the crater. There still a sign of breathing from the caster and look like he'd only passed out from the explosion. "The world. I see." They heard the king of angels' voice behind them. 'If what that magus said is true, then perhaps, this is the only way for him to win against the Gods and Goddesses. And the man leading them.' He thought to himself before they heard a thud behind them.
"Ren!" Jeanne said in a panic as the raven-haired boy passed out from exhaustion. "To think, he'll make it up until the end. Forgive me for making you do this." Metatron said before he reaches out his hand and stops the sovereign from running toward Ren. "You're the sovereign of this world right?" He asks the girl who's staring at him in confusion. "His body is broken right now, from the amount of mana he'd use." He said and made Hakuno send a worried look at Ren.
"The only way to repair him is to rebuild his entire heroic circuits. Fix his saint graph so he won't wake up as Enoch." Metatron said and felt his body starting to disappear and returned to the sea of soul. "Shame, I don't have enough time to give this on the saint." She heard from the metallic archangel before he put a pendant on her hand. "Please, do give it to her when she calmed down. Tell her that it is our thanks from her faith in us. Also, tell her that we'd give our approval and blessing on her." Metatron stated with a smile before returning to the sea of soul.
Author note: Finished the latest chapter a day before Persona 5 The royal released in Japan! I just want to play it since I've have a lot of free time before the year end! but I'd need to wait for the localized version to be released. Anyway there we have it, Archangels and the entire army of Heaven! ending the France Arc with one more chapter before moving to the next one (Probably some of you know where the next arc going to take place with.)
This chapter is pretty rough to edit, so forgive if there are some lines and scenes that didn't delivered properly. I'll try again next time! Anyway you all probably expected a fight between Ren and Michael but it didn't happen. Well first of all, Ren's going to lost if he did, he's not going to fight Michael alone, he's going to fight an entire legion of Angels! So yeah, that's why he didn't fight them. Also it's already a long chapter, I can't write that much under a hot weather T_T
Luckily, it started to become cold, which give me more inspiration to write XD
Also yeah, Ren's released two noble phantasm out of nowhere. I've got the name and idea on this site tmfatefanon . Fandom .com regarding about Metatron, it be rude if I didn't address it.
This pretty much the end of France Arc, it felt okay to me, but then again I think I can do better. Anyway there still one last chapter which will serve as a build up on the next arc before we move to it, expect new characters and familiar characters to appear!
More Archdemon and Archangel actions! perhaps other diety (Leave your recommendation and I'll look it up!)
I actually forget what I've wanted to write on this section, oh well. What are your thoughts on this? Did you like it? Or there something lacking through it? Leave a review! Follow and Favorite this as well for supports! See you guys next time!