Arc II: Chapter Twelve

Need for Company

"Belldandy?"

She quickly looked up from her cooking, putting forth a first rate effort to be cheerful. Considering the circumstances with her missing siblings, it was a difficult task. "Keiichi! You're home!" Her smile faded when she saw him, and she looked at him with a confused concern.

He was wearing a pair of camouflaged trousers and an olive green jacket. She knew he had been training himself with the military men in Nekomi. She couldn't say she approved, but he seemed so determined to continue that she could do nothing but support him. He had come in with bruises and scrapes several times over the previous couple of days, and she had diligently erased them all. Despite those minor wounds, he had never come back with the look he now wore.

"Bell, I really need to talk to you about something," he stated. "Do you have a minute?"

She nodded silently and followed him through the temple house. He slid shut the door to his room once they were inside, but he didn't turn to face her. All he did was sigh.

"Keiichi?" Belldandy couldn't keep quiet. It was painfully obvious that something was weighing heavily on him, and she wanted to know what it was. Otherwise, how was she supposed to help him? "What's the matter? Has something happened?"

"Bell," he started slowly, still facing away from her. "You know I've been working with the Marines the last few days, doing some training, that sort of thing." The Goddess nodded, though he couldn't see her. "They're getting ready to go back to Iwakuni. Captain Ramos thinks that they'll probably bring everyone back here to Nekomi since Yokusuka couldn't support so many people. It's going to be really dangerous, and there's a good chance that a lot of them won't make it back here, but they're going to go anyway. Those men are going to put their lives on the line to bring their friends and family to safety. They're fighting to protect the ones they love."

Reaching forward, she placed a gentle hand on his back. "Keiichi, dear, they're doing what they must. We all are. You shouldn't feel that you need to prove yourself because of it."

"But I do, Bell!" He whirled around, the pain and conflict evident on his face. "You're safe, and you could protect yourself better than I ever could! I…I can't do anything to help you."

"That's not true, my love," she shook her head emphatically.

"It is true," he answered her firmly. "I can't help you." He paused for a moment, his eyes wandering to the side. "But I can help them."

Her breath caught in her throat as she felt her stomach do an uncomfortable flip. Fear tickled the edges of her mind as she realized what he was telling her. "You want to go with them." Her whisper was more a statement than a question. She felt a stinging in her eyes as her head began to slowly lower. Reaching out and wrapping her arms around his neck, she embraced him as tightly as she ever had. She could barely speak as she struggled to hold back her tears. "I-I don't want you to g-go. I d-don't want anything to happen t-to you!"

He held her, stroking her back soothingly, though it did little to calm her. "I have to do this, Bell. They need all the help they can get to keep those people safe. If I can help them to keep just one more person alive, then I have to go."

"No," she said, pulling him even tighter. "If something happened to you…" She vaguely felt the tears trail down her cheeks. She took a deep breath to steady herself, but her fears overcame her. Bursting into sobs, her legs gave up and her full weight collapsed onto him. He slowly lowered her to the floor, and she felt him kiss the top of her head as she cried into his chest. "Don't go. You're the only thing I have left!"

She wasn't sure how long they sat there like that, but Keiichi stayed quiet. He smoothed her hair and rocked back and forth with her. The Goddess finally began to calm down, and she realized what she had said. Belldandy felt very embarrassed at the selfish things she had said, but the fact that they were all true made it even worse. Keeping her face hidden against him, she spoke quietly. "You won't change your mind about this?"

"I'm sorry, Belldandy," he answered just as softly. "We're leaving tomorrow."

Barely containing the urge to begin sobbing again, it took her a few seconds to put her feelings into words. "Keiichi, I'm afraid for you. I'm afraid that something will take you away from me forever."

"I know, I'm scared, too. I don't want to leave your side, even for a moment." She felt the back of his fingers softly run down her cheek. "If we could ride out this whole thing here together, just like we are now, I would thank God every second of every day. But this is a war. If I don't do what I can right now, I could never forgive myself. I don't have enough power to protect the one I love, but I can help others to protect their loved ones."

There was several seconds of silence before the Goddess spoke again. "I understand," she said reluctantly, "but I'm still afraid to loose you. Urd and Skuld are gone, and I have no idea if I'll ever see them again. If you…"

"You'll definitely see them again, Bell," he interrupted her. "You'll find them both, and you'll be a happy family again when this is all over. And I'll be there, too. No matter what comes between us, I will find my way back to you again. I promise."

"Keiichi," she asked quietly, "can we stay like this? I want to be with you until the very last moment before you leave."

Keiichi chuckled a bit. "Absolutely. We'll stay here as long as the woman I love wants."

Doing her best to push away all her worries and fears, she filled her mind with memories of him. She felt his presence next to her, felt the rise and fall of his chest, and the rhythm of his heartbeat. She counted the seconds, but time seemed to blur and melt together. All thoughts of crying and loss had vanished. The entire universe consisted of the two of them. "I love you so very much, Keiichi. I love you with everything that I am."

"I love you too, Belldandy. I'll love you till the end of time, no matter what."

The whistle of the tea kettle jolted the blue eyed Goddess from her memories. Blinking the tears away, she moved the kettle and returned to making lunch.

It had been two days since Keiichi and the Marines left on their march back to Iwakuni. She had thought of him often since he left, but sometimes she would feel his absence acutely. It was at those times, like now, that a part of her mind wondered if he really would make it back home.

"No," she stated firmly. "He will defiantly come back. He promised that he would."

"You alright?" Marler's voice filled the kitchen as she sniffed the pleasant aromas of lunch. "You don't usually talk to yourself."

"It's nothing, Marler." She put on a brave smile, again busying herself with the food. "I was just thinking about Keiichi."

The Demon snorted. "You're still worried about him? You're gonna get wrinkles, you know. Anyway, that kid has the devil's own luck…er, so to speak."

Bell knew that in her own, roundabout way, Marler was trying to cheer her up, but she didn't feel like talking about it. "Could you go see how the boys are doing? And could you let them know that lunch is almost ready?" Noticing the flat stare she was receiving, she added, "I have to finish making the food. Please, Marler?"

Groaning, the blonde woman rolled her head around. "Fine, whatever. But don't expect this to happen on a regular basis! I'm a Demon first class, not your message girl!"

Odin watched carefully as the fight played out. With nearly blinding speed the two maneuvered, lashing out with their weapons and slipping out of the way of the counter.

Gilgamesh and Keos had been like this for two days. Over and over again they would spar, doing everything they could to get in a clean hit with their practice swords. They would take ten or fifteen minute breaks between bouts, but besides that the pair would refuse to stop for almost anything.

Keos had been all smiles when he came back from his raid. He and his subordinates had a fruitful excursion, and stories immediately began to spread about their little monster hunt. It was a much needed boost to morale. However, it didn't take long for word to get out about the actions of Urd, and the Templars began to feel as if yet another of their leaders had betrayed them.

Oddly enough, it seemed that the one affected by this news most was Keos. Odin wasn't sure why exactly, but the God who was being praised as a new hero of the Templars seemed downhearted, almost depressed, when he found out about Urd. He just sat on the temple wall the rest of the day, staring out at the grey horizon. Things didn't improve much the next day.

Belldandy had returned with Marler and Gil, and Odin immediately knew something terrible had happened. From the looks on their faces and the absence of the young, raven haired Goddess, he knew she had been lost before they said anything.

Keos and Gil spent a few hours on the wall, talking. Odin learned later that it had been the first time in nearly a month that the two friends had seen each other, and a great deal had happened in the meantime. It wasn't long before the old Templar stepped outside to see the two sparring in the yard.

"Ahh," Gilgamesh yelped, "damn it!"

Keos stepped back, out of breath and covered in sweat despite the icy cold, but not looking particularly concerned as his partner hunched forward. Gil was holding his left side, wheezing as he massaged the ribs that had very nearly been fractured by Keos' strike.

"Keos, yer transition looks better. Ye've got more o'yer weight behind tha side slash now." The older of the two sparring partners bowed slightly in response, remaining quiet. Stepping closer, Odin shook his head. "I though' we'd dealt with this problem, Gilgamesh." The old Templar's voice was as stern as his weathered expression, causing Gil to straighten up despite the pain. "Yer swing was too wide again. Ye gave yer enemy all day to take his shot! If this 'ad been fer real, you'd ah been cut in half, an there's no healin' program that'll fix that!"

Panting through his grit teeth, the younger warrior was red with embarrassment. "I understand, sir. I was careless. I won't make such a novice mistake again."

"See that ye don't," Odin replied coolly as he moved back to his observation position. As he walked away from them, he couldn't help but sigh. His two students seemed to prefer this more authoritarian method of training, but Odin was growing tired of it. Things were harsh enough as they were, and the old God wanted little more than to take some time to relax when he was away from his duties. These two weren't having it, though. They seemed to thrive under the strict instruction, taking everything Odin told them to heart.

As he turned back to the two, he saw that they were already in position, ready to strike. Odin felt a small smile as he wondered if it was his age that made him feel tired just watching them, or if it was their youthful zeal that was keeping them going beyond the point of exhaustion. Maybe I'm jus' gettin' too old fer this. "Ready," he called out. "Begin!"

In a flash they were at it again. The bout had only been going for a few minutes before a voice drew part of the elder God's attention.

"How're they doing?"

"Very well, lass," Odin replied without looking over at Marler. "Seems like they get better ev'ry time. Both tha lads 'ave their weak points, but they're improvin."

She stopped next to the huge God, watching the match as closely as she could. "I was talking more along the lines of their mental states."

He allowed himself to glance questioningly at the Demon, then chuckled a bit. "I knew ye were goin' soft."

"Hardly," she grunted unhappily at the accusation. "Belldandy wanted to know. She's still finishing lunch, so she couldn't come out here herself."

"So ye offered ta come out ere outta the kindness o' yer heart?" He felt her punch his right arm. Letting out a mock yelp as he rubbed the impact zone, he smiled as the frustration practically oozed out of her.

"Shut up! It's not like that at all!" She crossed her arms huffily, her jaw set angrily as she looked away. "I'm a Demon. I live to make people miserable."

He couldn't help grinning at the reaction he got from her. He had actually rather enjoyed Marler's company since he had arrived on Earth. She certainly didn't seem to act like most Demons he had met. He quickly found out that she had a fiery temper, though, and she was plucky enough to get in Odin's face. Of course, the first time she did it, Marler turned white as a sheet afterward, as if he might reach out and crush her with one hand. Instead he just laughed, and the pair's odd sort of working relationship started from there.

"So are you going to tell me how they're doing, or do I have to go ask them myself?" Her impatience amused the old man as it often did, but the subject was a little too serious to laugh about.

"They won't stop," he replied as his smile faded. "They jus keep pushin themselves ta keep goin. I suppose they jus don't want ta think about what's been goin on. With Urd gone an now what happened ta young Skuld, I canna blame them."

"So let me guess," she said, "the idiot still thinks Skuld getting taken is his fault? You need to knock some sense into him, you know. He isn't all powerful, and having a dirty trick played on you isn't a reason to be ashamed. If he doesn't get over himself soon, he's not going to be any use to us at all."

Odin shook his head. "It's not as simple as ye make it out, lass."

"Whatever," she spoke impatiently. "Lunch is almost ready. Make them come in and eat before they starve to death." She turned and headed back toward the house.

Calling back over his shoulder, Odin asked, "Don't ye want ta know how tha other one's doin? I only told ye about Gilgamesh."

The Demon spun around, and he could almost see the veins popping out as she yelled angrily, "I could care less about that stupid bastard! He can wait till tomorrow to eat!" With that, she stormed into the temple house.

Chuckling a little, Odin turned toward the two fighters. "Tha's it, boys," he called out to them, raising his hand. "Practice is over. Go inside an get ye somethin' ta eat."

The pair both stopped in mid swing, looking over at their instructor. "But Lord Odin," Keos protested, "I've still got to work on shifting my balance on the side strokes."

Gil nodded. "I still have to practice not swinging out too wide."

"Tha reason tha two o' ye can't get it right is cause yer too damn tired to do it properly," the old warrior told them. They were about to argue again, but he cut them off firmly. "I said trainin is over for today. When was tha last time ye slept? Two days ago?" The two younger Gods looked sideways at each other. "Tha's what I thought. Get somethin ta eat and go ta sleep. Tha's an order."

"Well," Keos said as he set his practice blade over his shoulder, "I guess we could use some of Lady Belldandy's cooking." He paused for a second, looking worried all of a sudden. "It is Lady Belldandy's cooking, isn't it?" His voice betrayed a small amount of fear. "I mean, it's not that Demon's cooking, right?"

Odin laughed at the question, and even Gilgamesh managed a small smile. "No, lad, it's young Bell's food."

Keos wiped the sweat from his brow, though it was only for show. "Whew! Dodged a bullet there, didn't we, Gil?"

"I think you're getting a little giddy from lack of sleep," Gil replied, the tiny smile still on his lips.

Laughing again, the white bearded God put a massive hand on each of their shoulders. "It's good ta hear tha two of ye crack a couple ah jokes. Don't let all tha's happened weigh ye down. If yer serious all tha time, it's gonna be borin' ta teach you two." Gilgamesh's smile grew a bit, and he heard a snort from Keos. "C'mon, lads, let's eat."

"Ah, if you don't mind," Gil spoke up, "I think I'm going to take a bath before I eat. Could you tell Belldandy that I'll be there as soon as I'm done?"

"Sure, lad," he nodded with a grin, "Jus don't take too long, or ye'll miss out on another civilized discussion between Keos an Marler."

Gilgamesh groaned as the hot water enveloped him, a welcome change from the winter chill outside. He was suddenly aware of the tightness of his tired muscles and the aching in his bones. Well, he was still feeling that shot to his ribs, but even they were starting to feel better as the cold began to drain out of him.

Sinking beneath the surface, Gil felt as if the water was burning his face, but he quickly grew used to the heat. Slowly raising his head again, he slowly took in a lungful of the warm steam rising from the surface. It all felt amazingly good, but he felt no contentment at all.

Skuld…

Shaking his head, the young Templar berated himself. "No use in getting depressed, Gil. Living in that moment won't help anyone," he whispered. He knew those words to be true, but no matter how hard he tried, his idle thoughts always returned to her. The look of fear in her eyes when she was taken.

"No," he spoke again, his words more forceful, "there are things I have to do. I can't keep dwelling on things I can't change. I have to focus."

Revenge…

That Cruel Angel bastard and his army, they would pay for all this. Xander was killed, Skuld kidnapped, and now Ex had been murdered. Gil had been surprised and angered to find Sephiroth had been convicted as the traitor. Was it really all his fault? Was he the one who triggered this whole war to begin with? "Is Sephiroth really the one I want to kill?" He wasn't sure, but someone had to pay, right?

"Promise me that you won't try anything until you've talked with me about it first."

Belldandy's words flashed through his turbulent thoughts, having an oddly calming effect. His brain began to leave thoughts of vengeance behind as he tiredly leaned his head back against the rim of the bath. As his body and soul calmed, he began to think more rationally. Belldandy seems to have her doubts about Sephiroth's guilt, and Lady Urd's opinion is pretty obvious. I suppose I should hold my judgment until I know more.

Satisfied with his decision, his exhausted mind began to wander, flitting from memory to memory. Times he spent with Xander that Summer. One night several years before when Gil and Ex had gone on a date. That was an awkward night… The hours he had spent talking with Skuld by the Great Waterfalls in Heaven.

A ghost of a smile came to his lips as he slipped into his dreams.

Marler floated down the hallway to Urd's room. She thought maybe playing a video game would help calm her down after eating lunch with him. Even so, she couldn't think of anything she actually wanted to play. There wasn't anything else to do, though, except helping Belldandy with the dishes, and that was out of the question. Video games it was.

Sliding the door open, she could only blink in surprise before her eyes narrowed.

"What the hell are you doing in here, you bastard?"

Keos, who was laying in the floor with his back to her, said nothing. He didn't even shift, as if he was oblivious to her presence. Irritated, she floated forward, ready to tear into a new argument about ignoring her. She paused, though, a devilish grin growing.

The God's eyes were closed and his cloak was pulled around him. There was no futon or blanket, or even a pillow, but he was definitely asleep. Unable to believe her good fortune, she reached out her index finger and poked his cheek several times. When his breathing didn't change, a quiet, dark laugh began to fill the room.

"Ooohh, I've been waiting for an opportunity like this! It's hard to believe he crashed so hard in only a few minutes!" Her fangs were visible as she smiled gleefully. Making a brief search of the room, she found her weapon of vengeance. "He's going to be so pissed about this one!" She could barely keep her cackling to a low volume as she uncapped the permanent marker.

Moving in close, she thought of a hundred different humiliating things to draw, a thousand dirty words to write. "Maybe 'I heart Urd' would be good!" The Demon snickered at the idea. She would finally have a big win in their private little war. But something was wrong. She hesitated.

What the hell's the matter? Her thoughts echoed around her mind as the felt tip hovered just off his brow. The smell of the marker filled her nose. All she had to do was lean forward and move her hand. She realized, as her smile faded and the marker moved away, that she didn't want to.

Groaning, she plopped back on her haunches. "What the hell's wrong with me? I'm a Demon, for Hild's sake! What's so hard about drawing on this bastard who won't even call me by my name? He's been asking for it ever since I met him!"

Her red eyes scanned his sleeping face. The blue marks, his black hair, his half open mouth, everything about the Templar made her want to kick him. She wondered if kicking him would be easier than doodling on his face, but quickly shelved the idea.

It's cause Urd's gone, she thought with a nod. "Yeah, Urd and Skuld are gone, so everyone's already unhappy enough. So my job's been done for me!" No sooner did the words leave her mouth than her shoulders slumped. "Who am I kidding?"

Looking up at the sleeping God again, she felt her face heat up with irritation. Floating up, she moved over to the door, then hesitated again. Looking over her shoulder, the blonde sighed again. "Damn it," she muttered, moving over to the closet.

A bundle flew halfway across the room and landed on Keos, who still didn't stir a bit. The barely unfolded blanket covered his head and most of his torso, leaving everything from the waist down. Even if he had been awake, the blanket would have muffled the quiet voice of the Demon as she left the room.

"Jerk."

Belldandy quietly cleaned the dishes, alone with her thoughts. Of course, most of those thoughts were of Keiichi, but a few others found their way in and out of her mind.

She frequently dwelled on her sisters, both of whom she was very worried about. Skuld was in the hands of the enemy, and as far as Heaven was concerned, Urd had joined the enemy. It was difficult for the Goddess to know what to make of either situation, though what little she knew didn't make her feel any better.

Placing another tea cup back into place with a small tink, she tried to push her loneliness away. All her life she'd had someone close to her. Her sisters, Celestine, Odin, and in the last few years Keiichi had been there as well. Now she found herself without anyone familiar to lean on, and it was very trying for the Goddess.

Uncle Odin was there, yes, but she tried not to bother him with such things. Marler wasn't really the type of person to provide emotional support. And Gilgamesh…he needed someone to be his anchor more than she did.

A shuffling from the tea room drew her attention. Looking around the door from the kitchen, she saw a sullen looking Marler crossing to the back door. "I thought you were going to Urd's room?"

"Changed my mind," she grumbled in reply, not looking at the Goddess. "I'm going out for a while."

"Oh, I see," Bell said, "Well, have a safe trip."

The door slid shut behind the Demon, and Belldandy was once again alone in the quiet house. She sighed quietly as her eyes again fell on the uneaten meal still on the table. The cold food had been for Gilgamesh, but he hadn't appeared to claim it yet. "It's been over an hour since everyone finished their lunch," she spoke to herself, glancing at the clock. "Surely he's not still taking a bath?"

Forgetting the few dishes that remained to be washed, she wandered deeper into the temple house. The place was almost too quiet, the only sound was of her bare feet gently thumping on the cold wooden floor. She could vaguely feel the melancholy of the temple itself, missing the love and laughter it had known before the Cruel Angel had appeared. It mirrored her feelings so exactly that, for a moment, she had difficulty separating the two. Reaching out, the Goddess gently ran her hand along the wall, reminding the house that someone still cared for it. Belldandy thought she could feel its gratitude, though it was hard to tell. The noise of the Cruel Angel's voices was difficult to ignore.

Slowly approaching the door to the bath, she hesitated a moment before knocking. "Gilgamesh?" There was a sudden thump and the sound of sloshing water. "Are you alright?"

"Er…yeah," came his muffled response. "Fine. I'll be there in a minute."

"Alright then," she nodded before turning back to the Tea Room. She quickly heated some water and was just pouring some fresh tea when the young Templar entered. Belldandy saw that his face was red, but she wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or being in the hot water for too long.

"I'm sorry," he bowed as he spoke, "I kind of fell asleep. The water was just so relaxing, and I haven't slept well lately, and…" She interrupted him with a smile.

"You don't need to apologize for anything, Gilgamesh. I know how hard a time you've had the last few days. It's been hard for me, too."

He took particular care with his robes as he sat down, avoiding her eyes as he spoke quietly. "I just didn't want to offend you or anything."

"You haven't. Your only punishment for being late is that your food is cold." The Goddess smiled at him while sliding a cup of tea over to him, leaving a faint trail of steam. "But I made some fresh tea for you, so you can't complain."

A small chuckle escaped him as he looked at his lunch. "I would never complain about anything you prepared. Heck, most would give their right eyes to have some of your cooking." Taking the cup in his hand, he brought it to his nose to take in the scent. "Even your tea is like a little slice of Heaven here on Earth. I consider myself lucky to get anything."

A hint of color appeared in her cheeks as he sang the praises of her work. "Hurry and eat or the tea will get cold, too!"

The God didn't need to be told twice, and he tore into his meal as if he had just remembered how famished he was. It wasn't long before she quietly stood and went to the kitchen. Scraping out the last of the rice from the steamer, she almost managed to fill another bowl. When she returned to her seat and pushed the bowl in front of the Templar, his eyes held a mix of surprise and delight.

"After seeing how Keos ate, I decided I should keep a little extra for you, just in case." He bowed his head a little, mumbling something that sounded like thanks around a mouth stuffed with bread and fish. Though he didn't notice, her smile faded slightly as he ate. Belldandy sat for several minutes, wanting to say something but unsure exactly how to put it into words. As he was finishing off his final grains of rice, she finally spoke up. "Gilgamesh?"

He made a sort of 'hmm?' noise to let her know he was listening, though he still appeared to be focused on the inside of his rice bowl, searching for anything that might have escaped.

"You said that you had trouble sleeping." He stopped, peering over his bowl at her. "Is it because of…"

"Yeah," he answered before she finished, setting his rice bowl on the table with a troubled look. "I keep seeing that cloaked God taking her away. I see Ex, too. She has this peaceful look on her face, like she's only sleeping." His voice was tight now. "It's only-it's hard to be alone in times like these, you know?"

"We don't have to stand alone," she answered gently. "You are a strong person, Gilgamesh, but anyone would have a hard time with everything that has happened. I'm having trouble with it, too, but if we lean on each other it won't hurt so much."

He acted surprised, as if it had never occurred to him that she would not be able to stand by herself in the storm of evil they were riding through. Looking back at the table, he wavered for a moment before saying anything. "I don't know if it's my place to say this, but if you need someone to…well, talk to or anything," he squirmed as he spoke, a furious blush burning on his features, "I'll be around. I don't know how much help I would be for something like that, but I'll give it a shot."

"Thank you, Gilgamesh." She reached over and squeezed his hand. The Goddess thought she could almost see the discomfort melt away from him. "And you can speak to me about anything, as well. Whenever you want, I'll be there for you, too."

The unexpected ring of the phone drew their attention. "I'll be right back," she said a little quicker than she had intended, but if Gil noticed, he gave no indication. He simply nodded as she trotted out to the hallway. "Hello? Morisato residence."

"Belldandy," came the familiar voice, "how are you holding up?"

Peorth knew about Keiichi's departure, and had promised Bell that he would be carefully monitored from Heaven. It was a nice gesture, especially since they both knew it was against the rules to use Yggdrasil for such a reason ("Regulations be damned!" had been the exact phrase Peorth had used.). Still, it didn't do much to fill the void of his absence. "You shouldn't worry yourself about me, Peorth. I'll feel much better when he comes back home." When he's back in my arms, and I'm in his.

A short, tired laugh came through the line. "That's true. I know I gave up trying to win his heart from you, but I think I'll feel more at ease when he's back in Nekomi, too."

A short silence fell between them before Bell tentatively asked, "Is that why you called?"

"Actually, it wasn't," she sighed. "I wanted to talk to you about something important. In person." Belldandy tilted her head in curiosity, wondering what it could be that Peorth wanted to speak to her about face to face. "Can you come up here when the next gate opens? My shift will be ending right about then, so you won't have to wait long."

"Yes, I'll return with the next gate," she replied calmly. She couldn't keep her worry out of her next words, however. "Is it…is there something wrong?"

Peorth paused for a moment before speaking seriously, "I'd rather not say over the phone. We'll talk when you get up here." There was another pause, then, in a somewhat more gentle tone, "Try not to worry, Bell." With that, the line disconnected, leaving Belldandy with an unpleasant nervousness.

"What was all that about?" She turned toward Gilgamesh as she set the phone back on the hook. He was looking at he expectantly.

"It's nothing to worry about," she told him, though she wasn't sure she really believed that. "Peorth just wanted to talk with me. I'll be back later tonight."

He raised an eyebrow, "You plan on going by yourself?"

She waved her hand dismissively, "I'll be fine, Gilgamesh, I'm just going to Yggdrasil and coming right back. There's nothing for you to worry about."

He crossed his arms, and she could see that he was trying to be firm and still respectful at the same time. "I told you that I would stay by your side until we got Skuld back. I don't care if you're going to see the Almighty Himself, I'm going to keep you safe until she comes back to us."

As she looked at him standing there, puffed up and trying to look intimidating, she knew that the Templar would back down at a word from her. But she also knew that he would do nothing but worry if she left him behind. She gave a small shake of her head as a tiny smile came to her lips. "If it would make you feel better."

He nodded, the relief apparent. "It would."

"The Templar Draft Initiative was ratified by the Council with only a few dissenting votes," Marduk continued with little variation in his tone. "In addition, the Relief Goddess Resources petition was filed again, despite the fact that their office has already been given all the resources that Yggdrasil could spare. It will likely be voted down at the beginning of next week."

Chancellor Marduk stood silently after completing his report, lowering the folder he read from ever so slightly. He was waiting for acknowledgement of the information he had brought, but the form that sat before him remained silent and unmoving.

The Almighty was beginning to look a little ragged, there was no other way to describe it. It was as if the Lord of All was somehow frayed around the edges, worn thin. The constant use of His power was starting to get to Him, that much was plain to Marduk. The Almighty sat still in the shaped stone of His throne, His head tilted down and eyes closed. The head of the Council of Heaven stood there for several minutes, unsure whether he should break the silence or not. Finally he cleared his throat a bit, speaking quietly, "My Lord, are you alright?"

Something between a grunt and a sigh came from the seated form, but nothing else. Marduk decided to continue. "With all due respect, my Lord, you seem very tired."

"Of course I'm tired, Marduk," the Almighty answered wearily, "The Cruel Angel has not let up his assault since this war began. I am holding the barriers, but he is growing stronger with each passing minute, with every soul he consumes. I can continue a while longer like this, but eventually even my powers will give out."

"Perhaps, Lord, it is time to change our strategy a bit," the Chancellor spoke cautiously, but with a twinge of hope.

The Lord still didn't look up at him. "What do you suggest this time, Marduk?"

Taking a deep breath, Marduk was careful not to speak too quickly or slowly. "My Lord, I know I've said this before, but I believe we should take a more offensive stance against the Cruel Angel. We must stir our forces from their defensive stupor and rouse them into an attack that can weaken the enemy, and give us some room to breathe."

"No," the Almighty spoke firmly as His eyes opened for the first time in this meeting. "He is too powerful for the Templars to face. Even if the most powerful members of the Council itself entered the battle with them, it would be to no avail, and we would loose far too many that we cannot afford to be without."

"Almighty, you cannot keep this up forever. You said so yourself." Marduk had to fight himself to keep from wiping his sweaty palms on his robes. "I have a plan that could let us accomplish this without taking unacceptable losses, if you will hear me out, my Lord." Waiting for a brief nod, he continued. "We will not commit the Templars to battle the Cruel Angel directly. Instead they will increase the power and numbers of their raids. They will be able to do far more damage against his monsters this way, and thin their numbers enough for us to organize a true offensive against him."

"Do you take the Cruel Angel for a fool?" The Almighty's look intensified, His mild annoyance at the obvious oversight in the plan made Marduk rather nervous. "He may not care about those things, but he will not simply stand by and watch as we slaughter so many of his forces. He will not allow us to put him at such a disadvantage."

"I anticipated that he would react to this strategy, and I have a solution to that problem! The Cruel Angel will not be able to interfere with out plans because he will not be able to," Marduk could no longer keep all the excitement from his voice, nor his nervousness. The Almighty arched an eyebrow at His Chancellor's statement, prompting further explanation. "Just as we begin our attacks, we will strike at the very heart of the spiritual disturbances with Yggdrasil. A shot from Gungnir will at least distract the Cruel Angel long enough for our offensive action, even if it doesn't do any actual damage to him. While the enemy recovers from the Gungnir blast, our forces will be destroying vast numbers of his army of creatures. All it has to do is stun or distract him for a little while and our plan will work!"

The Almighty stared at him for an uncomfortable moment, and Marduk feared an outright refusal would come. The Lord instead sighed as He closed His eyes again. "Do you understand how dangerous this could be? It might do nothing more than provoke him to renew his attacks on the humans. We could very well end up in a worse position than we are already in."

Marduk held his report folder in one as he clenched the other into a fist at his side. "We are running out of time, Lord! I know this course has risks, but I feel this is necessary for us to emerge victorious from these dark days." He hesitated for a moment, reigning in his emotions before speaking in the persuasive and resonating voice he used in the Council. "Do I have your permission to proceed, Almighty?"

The minutes passing felt like years to the Chancellor, standing there, hearing no sound other than the hammering of his own heart. Sweat was beginning to dampen his entire body, and more than once he had to remind himself to breathe.

"Very well, Chancellor," He answered finally, his voice heavy with reluctance. "You may proceed with your plan. Be very careful that things do not become worse than they already are."

"Yes, my Lord," the words came quickly, relieved that the plan would be set in motion. "I will see to it immediately. By your leave." He bowed low, turned, and strode away from the Almighty's Sanctuary. A broad smile decorated his lips.

A/N:

Nope, you didn't loose me. I'm still here, and I'm still quite intent on finishing this story. I hope none of you ran off because of my absence.

There's not a whole lot to say here except for: Sorry I took so darn long.

Also, for anyone who cares, this chapter actually uses some material from the last original chapter that I wrote the first time. In other words, most of the next chapter will be completely new stuff, and all the chapters after that will be delivered to you still in the wrapper.

To NavyPolice83, I can see how you would think that considering how quick I had the previous chapters out. I hope you have enough patience to wait things out while I get the rest done.

All other reviewers, I should have already responded directly. If not, I'm sorry.

I can't remember if I already said this, so I'll say it again just in case. I want to do a little omake style chapter soon, probably at the end of this arc. It'll be as much for my enjoyment as for yours, so look forward to it!

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next chapter (hopefully that will be really soon!),

Katamari Damacy