A/N: It's my birthday, so I'm doing a bonus update and you can't stop me! Bwah-hah-hah! Also, I'm making plans for NaNoWriMo this November to work on something else SMT related (IV specifically). I have a couple things I'd like to figure out about it with other fans, so let me know if you wanna help.
Chapter 19: What Was, What Is, What Could Be
For some reason, Naoki wanted the demons out of this conversation. That was fine by Chiaki; Persephone was a proper servant who kept quiet if others were around. They went for a shop that demons hadn't squatted in yet. As it was selling office supplies, there wasn't anything interesting to look at. "Why don't you want me to do this fusion? Nobody around takes me seriously because I don't have power."
"Are you really sure you want this?" he asked. "I'm sure it would give you power and her fighting ability, but then you'd be taking on a demon's limitations too."
"What's the issue with that? This is a world where demons are everywhere, so it wouldn't limit me." She didn't fully understand it all, but it just made sense that it'd be better.
He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well that is true, but, it's hard to put in words even though I've seen it. I'm still divided mentally due to the parasites; it could take me a while yet to really make this work. And demons have," he put his hands together, forming a square between his fingers, "like a personality frame. They can't think outside the box. I'm better off since the magatama were designed to not frame me, but there's no telling if you'll become limited due to the fusion."
"Doesn't everyone have that kind of frame they won't step out of?" Chiaki asked. "Once you know someone is a jerk, you know they'll always be a jerk. It's like how Isamu's always going to be a childish wastrel because he never sees his own mistakes."
"He can still change," Naoki said in his defense. "People, I mean, humans can change themselves. Like my aunt, she used to be a delinquent in school but then her husband inspired her to change her ways. Demons can't do that except through changing their frames totally like how I just fused Kushinada. I know already that she's going to be more modest that she was as Uzume, and less of a potential prankster like she was even before that. But that's my doing, letting her change. She can't change herself."
She shook her head. People never changed even if they claimed to, she'd seen that herself when a her uncle claimed to be a reformed addict only to die of a drug overdose. However, Naoki's issue was that he was too forgiving and optimistic; he wasn't changing from that. "I don't think that will matter because she's totally bland and I can override anything she adds easily. Now that I have a Reason to offer, I have to be gathering magatsuhi to call a god. Getting demons to ally with me will make sure my Reason succeeds. But I need strength the demons can understand to convince them; they'd make fun of me or try to control me otherwise."
"I really don't think fusing yourself with a demon is going to be enough," he said. Which was preposterous; he should know the advantages he had now and be happy to help her get the same. "What kind of Reason do you have that would ask for that?"
"I guess it's not strictly necessary, but it would help me enforce my point," Chiaki admitted. "I've been thinking it all over ever since we last spoke, about what would make a better world. I was upset over the loss of our world; it was an incredible sadness that I didn't think possible. But then while I was walking across the sands here, I realized that there had been too many things in the world."
"Too many things?" he asked, seeming baffled.
She gestured to the stacks of papers, folders, and pencils around them. "All this stuff that weighs people down and distracts them. And not just things, people and organizations too. There were over six billion people in the world, most of them not really contributing anything. People would complain about things that needed to be done, but then all the processes to be done and committees to be consulted took forever to actually do things. By then the old problem is mostly forgotten and people are complaining about something else that'll take months to sort out. Like when everyone raised a fuss over the bridge needing repairs. By the time it got done, hardly anyone said anything about it."
"You can't just solve major problems instantly," he said. "That kind of thinking sounds dangerous."
"No it's not, it's the only thing that makes sense." She gestured upward since there weren't any windows in this underground store. "I didn't want to admit to all that, but there's something about this Vortex World that makes things a lot clearer. I came to realize that's because there's no useless distractions getting in my way. When it's quiet and Kagutsuchi is really bright, I see my way a lot better."
"The bright Kagutsuchi gives me weird thoughts, more on my demonic side," Naoki said.
"Well maybe you just haven't accepted that time as when your mind is most clear," Chiaki said. "That's how it is for me. Anyhow, I know in my own life that I was being dragged down by a lot of weight: my family's past and reputation, all the expectations I had to meet with, all the ugly-minded little people who put me down. And I felt, the world must have been the same way, dragged down by all this weight of weak needy people who are confused and distracted by everything human society held. The world was sick, held back from what it truly needed to thrive.
"So I thought, why don't we just get rid of all the worthless things? The world needs a society of the strong, the beautiful, the intelligent, the just. Instead of trying to keep everyone supported no matter what weaknesses or defects they have, we could just keep the best people around, those who are truly strong. When those people are not held back by the weak, they can make the world even greater. Problems wouldn't linger around and build up because they could be solved the moment they're noticed. That's what Yosuga is, and that's why I can't show any weakness myself."
"I don't like that idea," he said.
She should have figured that he'd be a hard one to sell this idea to. "Why not? It makes perfect sense."
"It validates what Hikawa did in destroying our world," Naoki pointed out.
"Well..." she hadn't realized it herself, but he could be given that point. As much as she didn't want to admit it, maybe that guy was right in the end. Everything else could be sacrificed for a better world… even her humanity.
"And someone like me would be left out of this world of the strong and beautiful," he said.
"No you wouldn't," she said. Why would he think he'd be excluded from a world she created? "You're strong, and..."
"Maybe I'm strong now, but not before," he said, seeming angered. "You're talking about a world where only the best survive and I wasn't like that. Besides, what about kids? If your world is going to only keep the strong, then children would be considered a burden because they're weak for years and need all that time to develop."
"Well, I'm sure that can be accounted for," Chiaki sad, putting a hand on her forehead. That was a flaw she'd missed, something that didn't sit right with her. But it could be addressed, right? "The children of the strong would be strong themselves, and they could be protected until they could stand on their own, just like before. And you wouldn't be left out, you..." what would he have been kept around for before all this happened?
"I would have been left out," Naoki said, closing his eyes.
He was right, she realized. He didn't have the grades to be considered a top student, he'd never been strong or fast enough to last on a sports team, and he hadn't exactly been striking in appearance like he was now. There had been nothing he'd excelled at enough to make the cut for Yosuga. "Well does it matter now what was?" Chiaki said. "As you are now, I'm sure you'll be admired and respected if you work with me for my Reason. I need to make sure the demons respect me too."
He didn't say anything, didn't even look at her. It was like he'd dozed off all of a sudden. Was she boring him somehow?
"Naoki!" Chiaki said sharply. "Are you ignoring me now?"
No response.
"Why don't you forget about the past and think of the future?" she said. "We can finally have a world we deserve rather than deal with the one we were given! But you can't trust Isamu with that kind of responsibility. I don't want to put up with things now, I want to be recognized as a great person! I'll do what it takes to make my goal, no matter what it is."
When Naoki didn't respond, Chiaki stormed out of the room. Now what? She should probably focus on getting a god to back her cause and that meant figuring out how to get enough magatsuhi for that. Was there somewhere in the Vortex World that she could study normally, without touching those weird terminals?
She meant to go back outside to think, but Persephone held a hand out to her. "Master Chiaki? The minister wanted to talk to you."
Should she really deal with that? He'd probably tell her no too. But just in case, she nodded. "All right, let's see what he has to say for himself."
Inside the cathedral, the minister was waiting for her. "Did your friend give you permission for the fusion?"
"No," she said. Unless something major happened, she didn't think he would change his mind. Naoki should have understood her plans; he'd listened to her before and saw problems that she did. Was it just because he'd be left out? She didn't meant to do that to him.
"Even if he didn't, we have received permission to go ahead with this," he said. "Hikawa said that he would sponsor you."
He… Hikawa did? What sense did that make? Weren't they automatic competitors as they'd not known each other before being chosen for Creation? "How did he find out?" Chiaki asked.
The minister shrugged. "I am not certain, but I do know he has a sharp eye for opportunities. He came to speak with me about summoning a new demon and mentioned that he'd take responsibility for you."
Maybe he meant to put her in his debt. However, she wasn't going to let him take advantage of her like that. She'd become strong enough that she wouldn't owe anyone anything. "I see. Good, then will you fuse me and Persephone now?"
Gesturing to the pillars, the minister said, "Yes. I will take extra care with this, but please understand that this kind of fusion has a higher rate of failure than normal."
"I can take that risk, come on Persephone," Chiaki said, going up the steps. The maid simply followed her into place.
"I pray that this is successful," the minister said, facing them before going into a strange chant.
As he did, things started getting fuzzy. Chiaki clenched her fists and resolved to be strong through this. If she'd just had more power in the past, power of any kind, maybe she would have been respected instead of resented. That would change. She'd get Hikawa to acknowledge her power if he tried to question her; she'd get Naoki to admit that she was right and embarrass Isamu for all the thoughtless things he said and did. Ms. Takao would fully respect her. No one would get in her way anymore.
Her exterior didn't change, not like Naoki had. But she could feel herself changing within. Her muscles got stronger, her limbs became those of an experienced martial artist. Lots of new knowledge entered her head as well, the things that Persephone had meant to teach her once she asked for the information. Persephone herself willingly submitted to Chiaki, becoming nothing more than a spirit to empower her. This would make so much more possible.
Outside of the cathedral, she found that Naoki's demons were gone. Too bad, she would have liked to show him how much better off she was. There were thoughts in her mind that if she wanted to study Creation in more depth without terminals, the best place was the Center for Supernatural Research near the Diet Building.
"I wonder why they never told us how demons and such existed if they had a place like that around," Chiaki said. "Whatever, the old world no longer matters. I'll make sure Kagutsuchi is most pleased with me."
She had to use a terminal to get there, but she could find things out on her own.
Kashima Naoki, see what the future may bring.
Children were valuable even if they were vulnerable. To keep them safe and educate them properly, they were kept within a fortress of a school. Classes were competitive with favor going to those who kept themselves at the top. It didn't matter what: sports, popularity, knowledge, even style. Whoever was acknowledged as great would advance and whoever was dismissed as inadequate was evicted to become a servant. They might even be killed if they were awful enough.
Today was graduation day, being held at the monastery that guarded the school and provided its teachers. The year that these students had been brought in had sixty-one infants to begin with. There were only three graduates. Throughout their school career, they had been acknowledged as strong, admirable, and beautiful. Sometimes they found themselves in fierce competition with other students; those students were now nameless servants or dead. All three graduates knew that no mercy could be given to competitors or the world would suffer from the existence of weak beings. They were fit for the glory of the Lady.
But the abbess who gave the graduation speech had a warning for them. "While you are greatly honored for graduating, you should know that you will enter society in a low caste. You are youths who have been protected your whole lives up to this point and now you must face the trials of the world. But as long as you remember the lessons you have learned here and continue your exemplary efforts, you should be able to advance to the caste you truly deserve. All people will be granted what they have earned fairly. Be vigilant and keep your faith for the most holy Creator who has allowed our world to thrive as it does."
With those words, the three youths went out into the world to establish their new lives. It would be brutal; a single misstep might take years to recover from if it didn't outright kill. But they would earn exactly what they deserved, as they always had. The city before them was bright and shining, kept clean and perfect by the many nameless servants who did all the unworthy tasks that such low beings lived for.
"This world is only for the strong. One can be strong in many ways and ought to be acknowledged for it. For those that are weak, they are not worthy of being acknowledged as human. They must serve the strong. This world is as it should be, not about to fail in any way."
Will you allow this world to come about?
"Not a chance," Naoki said to himself. He'd not gotten a good look into it, but that school was nightmarish if murder was an acceptable means of advancing. And their society was even stricter. Was there still time to change it if he convinced Chiaki that Yosuga had faults? It might be better to not let it come about at all, just like the Shijima world. He had to put his hopes to Isamu and Yuko to come up with more reasonable Reasons.
But as his awareness came back, he realized that she'd gone. Naoki shook his head, then left the room. "That girl was really mad when she left," Arahabaki said, hovering near the door.
"She probably thought I was ignoring her when I didn't have a choice," Naoki said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Come on, we're making a quick stop in the labyrinth."
in the labyrinth, the hall after the terminal room now had a door that somehow led down to the second pedestal room. He did the same as before: place the two candelabrum on their stands and light them. However, the light that surrounded them was more powerful than eighteen candles could account for. It had a dappled radiance… wait, that was bad.
Kashima Naoki…
"Huh?" This again, so soon? It didn't feel right, though. It felt like the radiance was growing stronger, eclipsing the muted Amala Labyrinth.
Be careful. This is what is and what could be.
"Naoki!" Light laughter and small footsteps came after him in what seemed like a realm of white. "Big brother, will you play with us?"
Momentarily forgetting his unease, he smiled and turned to greet them. "Sure," his throat tensed. His mind came across another wreckage of memory: his cousins' names. They were… they were two little girls and a very young boy, he could shift out that much. Looking down at them, they were flowing sketches with the faint hints of color. He couldn't make out their faces, but his heart knew it was them.
"We were waiting by the river, but then the big silver guy said we could come see you, just us," one of the girls said, excitedly. She reached out to take his hand.
This time, he could accept her hand. But it felt so wrong; he was fighting with and against demons, trying to get stronger for the forces of hell. He wouldn't want himself around his cousins, and he definitely didn't want them down here. "The big silver guy?"
"Yeah, a great big angel!" the other girl said. "He's awesome!"
"He's toying with you, I'll have you know," someone with a strange voice said. A dark figure approached them through the radiant light; blue lines shimmered along black markings on an otherwise human shape. A familiar one too, as it was himself. "But it's just as well. Naoki, you need to destroy all ties with your human life as I have. You need to become me: the Demifiend."
A red glint appeared in his hand; that was a potent physical skill that would hit all of them, one his cousins had no chance against. "Don't you dare," Naoki said, moving ahead to defend them without thinking.
The glint turned into a magic blade; the Demifiend was purposely going slow. "You really think you can do something against me? Try something, I dare you."
What could be done? He could hear one of the kids crying behind him out of fear; the other two were on the verge of the same. There was something, an item he'd picked up in the First Kalpa. Naoki called out an Attack Mirror and activated it right as the Demifiend swung his blade down and sent a wave of dark red energy at them. As it rebounded off the mirror, he could feel immense power in the skill. It would have killed him outright. The Demifiend was struck by all four reflected attacks. While he grunted in pain, he was still standing and could attack again before Naoki had a chance to do anything else.
Then something was fired, a golden arrow racing over his head. It struck the other Demifiend and consumed him in radiant fire. He died with a torturous scream, losing all color and crumbling away into a pile of salt. Behind him, there was a being of intense radiance, even more than the shepherd who tried to purify him. His cousins were even more horrified now and Naoki didn't think the radiant being was any less of a threat to them.
It spoke in a crushing tone, its words bearing immense weight. "Do you understand where the path you are taking will lead you? Lost soul, leave this place and never return. The very act of lighting these candelabrum is a sin against your Creator. Leave off your dealings with the fallen angel."
"Naoki, why do you look like the scary guy now?" the young boy asked, fearful but still wanting to believe in him.
It might be because he was filled with an intense hatred right now. The light lost some strength close to him, although it was still powerful around the massive silver presence with them. "Why did you have to get my cousins involved?!" Naoki yelled at the angel. "You think I would listen to you after you put them in danger like this? No, I won't stop what I'm doing and now there's nothing you can do to stop me!" He cast Shock at it, ready to stand up to whatever this was for using his cousins.
The Shock barely did anything; it didn't even leave a mark on the white and gold robes. The radiant angel responded by backhanding him, hurling him several feet back and killing him on the spot. On being released from his body again, the radiance intensified to an unbearable level. "If that is your choice, then we must annihilate you before your soul grows any darker."
What about his cousins? Were they going to be safe? Naoki could barely see them now. He tried with all his might to resist the radiance, even as it suffocated him. As his mind got hazy, he tried to think of something to do, anything. A pink bubble surrounded the souls of his cousins, nearly distracting him enough that the light could break through.
Everything was suddenly inverted: the radiance, the colors, the temperature. Black energy impaled the overbearing overbearing angel everywhere. A small hand got hold of him; this wasn't someone who needed protecting. "You won't be destroying him on my grounds," the blond child said.
"We will not let you win," the silver angel said, its voice faltering in pain. It departed with those words, leaving behind the soft candlelit glow of the labyrinth.
Lucifer waved a hand towards the now-red shield, breaking it. The three kids came running over. "Naoki, what was that?" the oldest asked in a fright.
Taking the two younger ones in his arms, Naoki didn't know what to say. It was bad enough that he was being toyed with, but bringing these three right in the middle of it all was unforgivable. And yet, that monstrous version of himself that was willing to destroy their souls was just as horrible.
Lucifer knew what to say. "It was a nightmare you were tricked by. But it's gone now." The blond child with ancient eyes looked right at Naoki. "Although, I can't return these three to heaven. I am forbidden from returning there."
"I wouldn't want to return them to..." he didn't want to say they were angels to them, "...those people."
"But the Amala Labyrinth is no place for the innocent souls of children," Lucifer added. "It would be cruel to even let them into the Vortex World. What I can do is send them off peacefully, in accordance to the Great Will. They will be able to move on to another life, out of reach of angel or demon." He tilted his head some, looking aside. "And if it is your will to remake your world, they will also be restored to how they were. I can promise you that."
There wasn't anything Naoki could do to protect them either. Was it right for him to decide on the fate of their souls like this? Whether it was or not, he had to agree with what Lucifer said. The world he existed in was too dangerous for them. "All right, thank you."
"What's he gonna do?" the older girl asked, leaning on Naoki's shoulder.
"You'll be fine, don't worry," he said to reassure her.
Nodding, Lucifer came closer. "Yes, it'll be nothing more than going to sleep for you."
"Naoki?" the younger girl asked, uncertain and looking to him.
"You'll be fine," he repeated. "Just relax and nothing scary will happen."
They trusted his word. And Naoki felt like he could trust Lucifer's word in this; he had protected them in the conflict. The blond child closed his eyes, perhaps to spare them from the intensity of his gaze. "Sleep well, innocent ones, return to the love of the Great Will."
A soft power like candlelight passed by them, causing the three children to close their eyes and fade away into small white spirits. The three brushed against Naoki's soul briefly before flying off to some distant realm like someone had called them away. While it hurt to let them go, it was like accepting his grandfather's death. They were beyond suffering now.
"I never meant to intervene myself like this," Lucifer said, opening his eyes again. "But then we never expected them to intercept you within the Abyss."
"Someone spoke to me right after I lit the candles," Naoki said. "Not the angel, someone else."
"I wasn't aware of such contact," he said, openly concerned now instead of stoically calm.
"They've spoken to me before, showing me what the future of the new world could be," he explained. "They did warn me to be careful before this happened."
"If they're a threat to you before you can defend yourself, I will defeat them too," Lucifer said. The hostility under his words wasn't something Naoki would want to face himself.
"Protecting your investment or do you really care about me?" Naoki asked.
Lucifer just smiled at that. "Think of it what you will. Let's get you back to the world of the living. You have things to do, don't you?" He waved a hand in front of Naoki's eyes.
For a moment, it felt like he was falling gently. He landed back in his body, curled up on a chair with checkered upholstery. Naoki sat up and found himself in that parlor with the one wall covered in red curtains. Although, these were different chairs. And there was a table now, with an English tea set arranged around a vase holding little foxglove blooms.
Yuriko picked up the tea pot on seeing that he was awake. "Good, you've come back," she said. "Have some of this tea, it will help you recover."
"Sure," he said, accepting the cup once she'd poured the tea. There was something extra in this tea, a flavor he couldn't identify.
It's an herb that specifically helps demons. Don't worry, we'll keep it from harming what's human of you.
Naoki did worry for a brief moment. But he felt he could trust the magatama to that. Anything that would hurt him would hurt them too, especially something ingested.
"What happened this time?" Kushinada asked, sitting in a third chair with her own cup of tea. Like last time, Arahabaki hovered nearby. "It was the same thing that happened in the underpass."
"The same thing, basically," he said. "Except this was a far more powerful angel, one who could take me even before I died."
Yuriko nodded. "That was Metatron, also known as the Voice of God. The seraphs, including Michael who has been stalking you after death, are often left to act on their own in the name of their Lord. It's like how the fiends act on their own but can be commanded by our Master. Both clans have unusually high wills to be independent, although both are still less than humans in that regard. However, Metatron is a direct agent of the Creator god. He has no will but God's."
"Then he's going to come after me again?" Naoki asked. There was no way he could match Metatron now, possibly no way he could hide once the angel found him.
"Only within the Labyrinth, unfortunately," she said. "They must abide by the laws of a Vortex World. While you are not fully human, you are human enough that the higher ranks of angels are forbidden to kill you outright except on behalf of one of the Reason bearers. They've been getting around this by having the lesser angels attempt to kill you and then stealing your soul. But now that we're aware of Metatron's interference, we will do what we can to block his way."
"I just hope I die less often," Naoki said.
Yuriko chuckled at that. "That would be nice. Since we are speaking of the Vortex World already, how about I teach you a few things about the life cycles of worlds?"
About why this whole Conception event could happen? "Sure."
After setting her cup down, she made a blue orb appear over her hand. "You may have already realized this, but Kagutsuchi is the light of Creation. It is something whose sole purpose is to empower a human for the act of creation; it enforces the steps of the process, makes sure there is a healthy competition so the strongest Reason wins out, and judges those who participate. It only appears upon the death of a world to bring it here, to a universe which cultivates embryonic worlds.
"At any one time, there are millions or even billions of worlds within the Amala Universe. Kagutsuchi watches over all. Think about your world: what was, what is, what could be. In other worlds, what those are are vastly different. Some worlds are remarkably like yours, only deviating because of a single choice. Most choices do not matter on a large scale, but some can lead to completely different futures. But Kagutsuchi cares not for what makes the worlds unique. It watches over this cycle of death and rebirth to make sure it is carried out according to plan."
"Whose plan?" Naoki asked.
"That is difficult to say," Yuriko said. "It seems uncharacteristic of the Great Will to continually throw out worlds on small faults and remake them. People are born, live out their lives, and die to enter a new life. That is a cycle of reincarnation that is easy to accept, but for entire worlds to undergo this cycle? My master and I have been watching many worlds within this system, searching for an answer to this problem.
"There are some worlds that are so sick and far gone that the Amala Universe is their only salvation. You have met our outsider ally Raziel, correct? His home world is basically at that state, needing drastic measures to recover. But even he has been hesitant to allow his world to come here; he would have to explain any more if he so wishes.
"Once a world has been called to this place, it can be returned at any point, through the ceremony of Conception or other means. The Amala drums will bring them back. Even so, Conception is not natural. It is a deliberate killing of the world such as what your world experienced. Anyone who can clear the basic qualification of summoning an Amala drum can trigger it. While we cannot say for certain why this system exists, we have high hopes that you can do something about it."
"What would I be able to do about something like that?" Naoki asked. Power alone didn't seem like something that could deal with a twisted system of rebirth like this.
She shrugged at that. "We haven't been able to counter the system by undoing it within its rules. So perhaps someone who can exist outside its rules, someone it cannot expect, can actually do something to affect the Amala Universe on a grand scale."
Naoki shook his head. "They already expect me. Hikawa told me that the book he used to learn of Conception talked about the Demifiend."
"They don't understand you completely," Yuriko said. "All they could write about you was observations of our movements and theories of your power. You still have a chance. Although if you decline, we may be running short on such chances."
If the worlds of the Amala Universe could be separated by significant choices… and if the Demifiend was some power that could break out of the Amala's rules… "That guy I encountered was an earlier version of me, wasn't he?" Naoki asked.
She didn't answer for a moment. "Yes, one who failed to be effective."
"Metatron may have called on him to scare me off, both in how the other Demifiend acted and how the angel completely wiped him out."
"That might be," Yuriko admitted.
"What happened to him?" he asked. If that version was willing to kill off his own cousins, he should have been willing to wreak havoc within the Amala Universe.
"I am not aware of that myself," she said. From her very mild emotions, that might be the truth. "We can leave other discussions for next time. Was there something you had to ask me?"
"Right, I wanted to know of a means to call my followers to me if we get separated."
"That's a simple act, not even enough to call a spell." She instructed him in that, then sent him back to when he'd come into the labyrinth.
"My lord?"
I don't want to be disturbed; I need to find out how Metatron got into my labyrinth so easily to attack Naoki directly. This plan is not much good if that danger is added to this place. However, Trumpeter is uncharacteristically flustered, his feet tapping against each other. "What is it?"
"That Divine Trumpeter we've been hearing rumors about? She's brought an apocalyptic trumpet with her."
That… that could seriously change matters. Trumpeter would know the instrument better than anyone. "They've been bending rules, yes, but that's going too far. Kagutsuchi would not be pleased." They would have to change the very nature of this particular Vortex World to allow for that sort of conflict. It's been part of what makes them ideal training grounds for my Demifiend. He won't have to face the full brunt of the angelic army here.
"And yet she's supposed to be the Divine Messenger," Trumpeter says.
It is strange. "Keep an eye on her. I need to deal with matters here before he comes back to challenge the Second Kalpa."
We said that he may be one of our last chances, but with all that's going on, he might just be our last chance entirely.