Meanwhile in the Fracture…

Opening Song: "South of Heaven" by: Slayer

I follow Alice through the portal into the Fracture. The entire place stretches for miles, and the lacerated, red sky looks as if it's about to rain. The ominous, black object that resembles the moon casts a huge blanket of darkness off in the distance. A barrier to prevent trapped souls from escaping.

Twisted, gnarled trees sprout from the lifeless soil that's been dusted with the tainted ashes of dead souls. Some tree limbs have dangling bodies of hunters, shinobi and yoma that have been strung up and set ablaze. The fate of those trapped in Shen's forsaken purgatory.

Alice's white dress has a light, crimson tint to it, and the reflection of my red dress, and the sky turns my pale hand dark red. Alice tosses her kitchen knife up into the air and catches it as she causally waits for me to get my bearings. Although that isn't entirely possible.

"Such a lovely place. Don't you think Astoreth?"

"Shut up Alice." I reply as I ball my fist up and squeeze as hard as I can to try and alleviate some of the regret I feel.

"You know, that cunting wench everyone calls Mystery made this place. Specifically, for you." Alice states as she pulls her faceless mask off and ties it to her girdle, "But we know her real name. Don't we?"

"Shut up…"

"Malocorta, the creator of newborn life, but regrettably, the one who happily became the Whore of Babylon. The supposed Messiah that fuels the unholy kingdom that is Shen's. Did you know she's the one who suggested those awful things?"

"I said shut up!"

I charge at Alice with my spear and sweep. Alice dodges the attack and slides her kitchen knife into a sheathe. Her weapon nearly quadruples in size as she retaliates. I hold my spear upright and deflect, throwing the attack off course. The massive, ultra-great sword slices clean through one of the twisted trees and topples it over.

Alice brings the weapon back around. I jump over the attack, angle the spearhead down and let gravity pull me down. The spearhead scrapes across the long blade as I slide off and sweep again. Alice leaps back and stabs her sword at me. The prongs of the spearhead hook the blade, and I drive it into the ground where I stomp on it.

"Malocorta, Queen of Abominations, and the mother of Astoreth of Sepculus! The Matriarch that went out of her way to scorn her own daughter!"

Alice rips the blade out of the ground. I lose control and hit the ground. The wind off another incoming blow sends my white hair into a flurry as the blade catches my bonnet and yanks it off as I roll and return to my feet.

"Tell me Astoreth, was it your own will, or dear old momma that got you cast out of heaven?"

"Is a newborn's first vision of God their mother?" I reply.

The both of us slam our weapons together and lock up in battle. The sheer weight of Alice's sword is just too heavy to consistently deflect in rapid succession. Almost every attack throws me off balance. It's got to be at least fifteen feet (about 4.6 meters) long, and she's attacking with it as fast as her kitchen knife.

Alice swings the weapon and forces me back. She catches the flat end of the blade and pulls the kitchen knife back out. I twirl my spear around my body and block all of the incoming jabs from the knife. The shaft rests across my shoulder blades as I jump back, bend my knees and swivel to build up power. My spear ejects from behind me. Alice quicksteps forward and shoves her knife back into its sheathe.

The shaft warps her across the right arm but throws me off balance. "That tickles!" Alice giggles as her arm swells up and develops a painful looking welt.

She spins around and swings her massive sword overhead. With no time to effectively block, I drop my spear and catch the flat end of the incoming blow barehanded. Immediately, both hands go numb, and I collapse to one knee. Every muscle in my arm stretches as far as it can possibly go as Alice continues to press down.

Although she keeps a smile, Alice is really struggling to push any further. However, I can't seem to gain any ground. The moment my knee comes off the ground, Alice pushes me back down. The pain in my wrists start to overcome me, and I feel that I am faltering. Alice notices and she applies as much pressure as she can.

The crushing weight forces my knee into the solid ground below me. Several major cracks split the dirt as Alice places her foot on the blade and stomps down. The fabric where my elbows rest burst through the dress as the weight forces me closer and closer to the ground. I push back with all that I can, but Alice is just too strong. There isn't any way I can overpower her in my current form.

However, I do have an idea. I ease off and Alice stomps down. My back slams into the fractured ground. Ash and dirt fly up as I work my left hand up towards the hilt of her weapon, and place my foot on Alice's stomach. My finger brushes over the connector where the knife syncs up with the sheathe. I press the button, yank and shove Alice back with my leg.

Alice was too focused on crushing me that she failed to protect the switch that connects her weapons together. I roll back, jump and hurl the massive sheathe at Alice. She directly catches the sheathe by holding her kitchen knife out and reconnecting them. The sudden collision causes her to skid across the ground as she slides into a nearby tree. A huge geyser of charred, splintered wood and ash erupt upwards as I scoop my spear up and charge.

Alice bursts out of the foggy debris and slams her weapon into the shaft of my spear, "Do you really think that's all it would take to defeat me?" Alice asks as a huge cloud of ashen dust falls from her dress and hair.

"No, I would have already done it by now." I reply as I unleash a volley of jabs at her.

Alice gracefully weaves back and forth and throws an occasional attack in to try and open up an opportunity to go on the offensive. Despite everything, I'm not wearing her down. Nor is she showing any signs of fatigue. Alice steps back and catches the spearhead barehanded. Blood oozes out of her palm as I try and push it further.

"Something tells me you're holding back. Why is that?" Alice teases as she holds the spear tip centimeters away from her face.

Alice lets go and steps out of the way. The weight of my momentum throws me forward, and I lose my balance. A sharp, pain rips up and down my spine as Alice smacks me with the flat end of her weapon. The gritty texture of her sword grabs a hold of my clothing as she drags it across my back. The feeling of sandpaper bites into my flesh, and the feeling of warm, sticky liquid slowly drips down my exposed back. Alice swings again, but I hop over the attack and land on top of a nearby tree.

Alice jumps after me as I bounce to the next tree and continue forward. Alice gives chase and tries to attack in mid-air. My heart suddenly pulses, and a sharp pain travels through my body as I block the attack. Alan suddenly comes to my mind and Alice takes advantage of my distraction.

She grabs the spear again, but I yank it back, and the two of us trade blows as we jump from tree to tree. Right now, Alice has all the advantages: A longer reach, more power and the ability to nullify all my attacks. The only hope I is ascending, but that's what worries me.

It wouldn't be just one or two stages, it would have to be my final form, and that's something I haven't done in a long time, and it's not even possible for me to do so anymore because of my broken horns. If anything, it would be an incomplete form at best.

My horns allowed me to access power from my mother directly, and each horn amplified that withdraw sevenfold. However, the power came from the atrocities and sins my mother and I committed. when I first tapped into this power, it wasn't the power itself that corrupted me, it was my own selfish nature for it, and as a consequence, I inherited the harlot's crest.

For centuries, I did whatever I pleased because nothing could stop me as long as I kept committing these grave sins against humanity and Kagura. When I fell to the hands of the honored elders, they cut my horns off as a form of humiliation before letting my mother drag me back to Shen.

This place was supposed to be where I went immediately, but because Shen was so outraged at my failure, both him and my mother defiled and violated me any way they possibly could before placing me upon a desecrated alter to cut my heart out for their final ritual.

"The sins you have committed against me are far too grave for any hope of atonement. Therefore, may you spend the rest of eternity burning in the umbral purgatory for which I have created for you."

Those were the last words I heard from my mother before Daigon, and the honored elders saved me. Since that day, I swore I'd never access that power because I fear that my mind will succumb to the inane lust I once possessed.

Alice lands in the tree right beside me and attacks. I take a firm stance, and drive the staff into the tree limb. The vibration from the impact shakes the entire tree so hard that the roots burst out from under the ground. Wood crackles and my weight disappears as the limb I'm standing on snaps. Alice snags me out of the air before I fall.

"As fun as this little lecture was, Lady Oliveria needs me." Alice states as she digs her fingers into my throat.

No matter how hard I kick her, Alice remains unmoved. I desperately slam my fists into her arm and face as she picks up my spear and jumps down from the tree top. The color in my vision begins to fade away, and my windpipe feels like it's about to explode as it cuts off circulation.

Alice drives my spear into the ground and runs her left hand through the giant tear on the back of my dress. Her hand brushes over the crest between my right shoulder and spine, "There it is!" She pokes her fingernail into it and draws blood. I thrash around and try to break free, but Alice runs her finger deeper and deeper into the crest. A very irritating and painful blister forms around the outline of the crest as I try to make it stop.

"I'm giving you a chance to fight back! Are you going to? No? Very well then!"

Alice picks my spear up and rams it into my gut. My eyes burst open and I let out a choked cackle as the spearhead slices though the lining of my stomach. The pain greatly intensifies as she runs it all the way through. Alice lets go of my throat and I gasp for air.

Blood and saliva block the back of my throat and force me to gag and cough as my lungs desperately grab whatever oxygen they possibly can. Alice lifts me up into the air and with one swift flick, I fly off the tip and through the air.

My body connects with something solid and thousands of tiny needles dig into my body as my vision cuts off. Metal chains rattle and wrap all around me. My eyes slowly crack open and blood from the left side of my head streaks down. I take a couple deep breaths and work my way up to a sitting position.

Something digs into my wrists and ankles the more I move. The slightly annoying sensation grows into an unbearable urge as I try to stand up. Something yanks me back down to my knees and holds me there. I look at my body and realize these black, thorny chains are wrapped all around me.

Alice walks over and plants my spear into the ground where it's just beyond my reach. Every muscle within my arm stretches to its fullest extent, and all the strength that's left isn't getting me anywhere.

"Tell me Astoreth, how confident are you in Alan's abilities?" Alice states as she pulls her mask off her girdle.

"NO!"

"Yes!" Alice smiles as she puts her mask back on.

"Don't you dare touch him!"

"I'm glad to tell you that I can't do that. He has hurt my master, and as a guardian, I must extract just retribution." She replies.

"If you lay one finger on that boy, I'm going to…"

"You're going to what? You couldn't even defeat me. What makes you think you can protect him from the things to come?" Alice says as she turns around and kneels down. She presses her index finger into my face and swipes some blood.

"All you've ever done is live on your knees, and now it's time you stay on them." Alice states as she presses the bloodied finger into her mouth. She smacks a couple times with a satisfied look on her face and opens a portal out of the fracture.

The moment I get my knees off the ground, these thorny chains yank me back down. Each time I move, the metal links sink deeper and deeper into my flesh. Suddenly, my heart bursts into agony, and the image of Alan getting hurt comes to my mind. The thought sends a massive shockwave across my skull. My heart leaps and slams into my chest again as Alan gets hit again.

My head feels like it's about to split in two as I have a sudden flashback to my previous life. My heart violently pulses again as Alice lands another blow. I fall to my face and burst into tears. The thought of Alan getting hurt forces me to think of the only thing that ever mattered to me.

The happiest day of my life was when I gave birth to my son. With the life I lived, there was no telling who the real father was, but I didn't care. The moment I held that baby in my arms, and he looked up at me with his emerald colored eyes, it occurred to me that he was mine, and it was my job and responsibility to care of him.

I dig my fingers into the chunks of broken wood and slam my fists into the ground as hard as I can. If only I would have listened to Daigon, then maybe my son would still be here with me. The emotional stress of what happened to my son, and Alan getting hurt rips my heart in half as I try to forget.

"Mom, what's going to happen?"

"Everything is going to be alright Laeora! I just…Momma needs time to sort this out! I promise, I'm not going to let anything happen to you!"

My head nearly explodes as memories of regret wash over me. My heart bursts again as Alan takes another blow. I place my hands on my head and scream as loud as I can from the vicious pain this grievous memory inflicts.

"Momma! You promised!"

The way everyone restrained and forced me to watch as Kagura carved my son up and ate him alive. No matter how much I begged, it didn't stop Laeora from facing a grisly fate he didn't deserve. Nor did it save any of Daigon's children who were forced to carry our sins.

A mild ache starts to form with my soul, and the urge to look up overcomes me. Alan is laying on the ground while his father stands overtop of him. He places his foot in the middle of Alan's back and his wings sprout out. His father grabs two of his wings and starts to twist them in a direction they were never meant to go.

"NO! LET HIM GO!"

Alan starts to squirm around and yelp as he tries to turn his body in a way that reduces the sensation he is feeling. His yelps turn into screams of suffering as he digs his hands into the snow that his fingertips start to bleed. In what seems like an instant, the sound of two bones snapping hits me. Alan's wings…Those beautiful wings break in half and swivel down to the ground.

Alice is sitting on top of Yagyu and Katsu. Katsu is trying to roll out but no matter what she does, Alice has her pinned. Yagyu is trying to crawl to Alan, but Alice toys around by letting her get a little distance before yanking her back.

My sorrow suddenly stops as I clench my fists. My entire body starts to violently shake. The ghostly image of Laeora patting Alan's face and trying to comfort him burns itself into my eyes.

"My son died because of me. He was taken away because I was more focused on pleasing my mother than protecting what mattered. And just like my son, Alan did nothing to warrant the inhumane treatment being forced upon him."

The sorrow I feel causes my entire body to burn. All the pains and aches I feel filters into rage as I stand up. The chains try to pull me back, but they cinch up and dig into my wrists and ankles to the point that they are rubbing against bone. Although I am a god, I pray that if I become what I was, that I shall be struck down with no hesitation.

The harlot's crest on my body begins to vibrate and leak fluid as I prepare. No matter how much I resent myself for doing this, it's something that has to be done. What feels like spikes breaking through the top part of my skull form, and my entire body catches fire. Cinders from the burning fabric fly through the air. My spear pulls itself out of the ground and rolls towards me.

The seven horns I inherited from my mother finally burst through my head. Black sludge mixed with lava rolls down my body and discolored obsidian armor takes form. The black chains wrapped around me snap like braided string. The open wounds from where the chains buried into my body heal instantly.

I leap straight up towards the red sky as my helmet and visor form. When I forcefully bust through the barrier protecting the fracture, it will put me right back at Hanzo Academy since that was the place Alice and I were last. She thought she left me with no way to get back, but if there's one thing Alice didn't take into account is that if it's for Alan and the Hanzo girls, not even mother's purgatory is going to hold me.

My spear collides with the barrier in the red sky, and a tiny amount of resistance presses back on my wrist. The rage I feel amplifies and my horns increase in size. Shards of the barrier explode and chunks of earthy suet slam against my visor.

"Ayame told you where the stone was! Now get away from Alan!" Asuka shouts as I finally drill my way through the final layer of bedrock.

"As you wish, but before I go…"

"ALAN!" I scream as the spear finally breaks the ground.

A massive fountain of snow, rock and mud rain up into the air. The potent smell of Alan's blood as well as the Hanzo girls fill my visor. My horns grow even more, and I clench my spear to the point the padding of the gauntlets are about to collapse within my hand.

A lens covers my eyes and I lose my senses. The moment my weapon pierces through armor and breaks skin, several other blows land. I can't tell who they are, nor do I care who they are. I'll kill them too if they get in my way.

"The Queen's hunter should be left well alone." This woman standing next to me states.

Suddenly, she breaks off and charges after Alice as me, and two others yank our weapons out of Alan's father. I spin it around and ram the shaft into the ground. My mind slightly returns out of the obscurity as I try and assess what is going on.

Jonathan, M, and Maria are here. Maria is fighting with Alice while Jonathan puts his weapons together and forms his bow. M reaches down and pulls out a flintlock pistol while Jonathan draws his bow back.

Alice catches on and backs away from Maria. Jonathan notches the bow while Alice grabs her pepperbox pistol. He releases the arrow, but halfway through, Jonathan catches it and pulls back. The ruse causes Alice to fire and Jonathan finally releases. His arrow cuts the incoming projectile in half and throws it off course.

The two chunks of round hellshot come within centimeters of M's face, but she remains unmoved. M doesn't even flinch as the wind off the projectiles toss her blue hair up into the air. Nor does her steady aim waver.

The flint on the hammer strikes the powder pan, and a huge spark ignites off the side of the gun. A huge cloud of thick white smoke flies out the side, and the round hellshot ball that's been soaked in mercury strikes Alice right in her mouth. Blood and bone scatters across the ground as Alice spins around.

"Oh, I haf ta admi, tis i real ebarrsing." Alice mumbles as if her entire mouth is numb.

Alice looks directly at me and psychotically smiles as her jaw reattaches to her skull. Pink muscle lays itself over the white bone as blood flows over it and seals the wound shut almost instantly. Deep down, my soul growls in silent anger as my horns try to grow past their broken limit.

"I suggest you all get out of here now before I get to two! Otherwise, the only training the Hanzo girls are going to be getting the next couple days is grave digging!" M shouts as she rears her leg back and kicks Alan's father to Miyabi.

M folds her thumb out and counts, "One!"

"Such a bore!" Alice states as she picks up Alan's father, and Ryobi and takes off while the rest of Hebijo retreat. Murasaki lies Ayame down and wipes her eyes as she tries to catch up with the rest of the group. As she reaches the horizon, Murasaki turns around and gives a wave. With everything he has, Alan lifts his right arm and tries to wave back.

"ALAN!" Asuka shouts as she kneels by his side. She tries to take in the horrific sight of both of his broken wings, but like everyone else, they can't contain the emotion, and nor can I. Seeing this brought upon Alan, and the Hanzo girls give me this feeling.

The thoughts of putting a stop to this permanently comes to my mind. It's not like Alan's sister cares about him or the life he wants to live, and all I can see is her being a thorn in his side as well as Asuka's. That goes for everyone else. Including Alan's little purple haired friend, Murasaki.

I prepare to take off but something grabs my free hand. For some reason, M is holding me back, but unlike every other time we've locked eyes and scathed about how much we hate one another, she looks oddly sincere about this.

I want to yank away just to show her that she has no control over me, but as I reflect about how I want to kill Miyabi and the others, maybe M is onto something.

"Astoreth, don't mistake rage for justice." M whispers as she lets go. In my hand is a syringe of painkilling sedative Jonathan made.

I take a deep breath and clear my mind. She's right. I know Alan loves Miyabi dearly despite the walls between them. He loves the two sisters because they are Ryoki's sisters, I know he loves the purple haired girl, Murasaki just as much as she loves him because she went out of her way to avoid conflict and prevent this from happening.

However, that does not clear the father from what he did to my boy, and I will kill him if I ever encounter him again.

I bend down beside Alan and work my hand under his body where I can sit him up. He clenches his teeth and groans as I pull my visor up. Alan's face begins to quiver as his eyes fill up with tears. The lid of his right eye overflows, and a stream of water breaks and rolls down his face as I sprout my wings.

Octavian and Daigon…"

"Don't worry about them Alan. They are safe." I state as I leap into the air and gain altitude.

"What about Murasame?"

"He's okay. First thing is first, all of you need serious medical attention." I say as I jab Alan in the shoulder with the syringe M gave me. Although I am uncertain of where Daigon, Octavian and Murasame are, I know they are okay. Daigon wouldn't ever let anything happen to them.

"What's going to happen to…"

"Don't worry. We'll make sure nothing happens to Minori, Yumi or Gessen, and if your father tries anything, I'll see that he dies next time." I interrupt Alan as I rub his hair in a soothing manner.

Alan struggles to stay awake, but he is unable to overcome the urge. The weight of his eyelids finally shut and forces the last of his tears out. He reaches out and squeezes me as tightly as he can before succumbing to the medicine.

"I'm so glad you're okay Astoreth…" Alan whimpers in his final breath before passing out.

I push his face up against my chest and caress him. The way Alan's head rests up against my heart reminds me of all those times I would hold my son when he got scared. I would always tell him that no matter what, nothing was stronger than his mom, and I was never going to let anything happen to him.

I kiss the top of Alan's forehead and gently sway him back and forth in my arms. Ever since that day, my penitence was always pushing salvation further and further away. However, the joy Alan, and the Hanzo girls have brought into my life as well as Daigon's has truly been nothing short of a blessing, and I think Laeora would desire that I do everything in my power to protect this miracle called Hanzo Academy…

Ending Song: "Dead Memories" by: Slipknot