Disclaimer: No, Angel Sanctuary does not belong to me…
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Chapter 7- Attempt
Assiah
"Im…impossible…" Setsuna stammered. Katou was rock still as he looked at the newcomer in shock. Uriel, Lucifer and everyone was struck speechless.
Aerial tilted her head in confusion. "Kira, friends of yours?"
Kira's eyes flickered over to Setsuna and Sara, then at Lucifer. "Set- chan and Sara- chan, that is. Yeah, I know most of them here…but not really well…"
Aerial opened her mouth to say something, but Sara cut her off. "Yeah, Aerial, its true; we do know him. We just haven't seen him for a long time, that's all. Erm, why don't you help me with preparation for dessert first? Let the guys have their guy talk, we'll join them later, okay?" Aerial hesitated, then followed Sara into the kitchen, where nearly everyone heard the false laughter resonating in her voice.
Once ensuring that Aerial was out of earshot, Setsuna ran up to Kira and began shaking him. "Wha…what do you think you're doing, idiot!?" Kira rammed a fist on top of Setsuna's head lightly. Setsuna winced.
"I was just checking if you're real, that's all! Yes, its Kira- sempai alright!" That earned him another whack on the head. "Itai! Sempai, that hurts!"
"I'm glad you know that! And yes, I'm very much real alright!" -But not for long…- Kira snapped. Kurai and the others were still very much dumbstruck, only managing to watch on with some unknown force supporting them. Finally, Kurai let a word slip from her mouth. "H…how…?"
Kira glanced over to her. "Kurai- hime, if I didn't remember wrongly, right? You've grown more mature and prettier, it seems." Kurai blinked her eyes in surprise, a tinge of red staining her cheeks. This did not go unnoticed by a particular angel, who felt jealously boiling inside of him.
Uriel stepped forward. "How is it that you're still alive? We saw you…!" Uriel was cut off as Lucifer raised a hand.
Both Kira and Lucifer stared, rather, glared, at each other. "That I would like to know as well. You were me, and I was you. Its literally impossible to have separate bodies, no, its almost impossible to it to even happen. Mind giving an explanation? Also, how are you related to Alexiel as of now?"
Kira snorted. "Don't make yourself so high and mighty, Lucifer. About how I came into this world I will not reveal. But I can tell you this; Alexiel is related to me through a relationship. Meaning, I am her boyfriend. Happy?"
Lucifer gave a wordless snarl. Before he could do anything rash, Setsuna stepped between them.
"Don't interfere!" Lucifer snapped.
"Then go louder somemore and let Aerial hear everything! How's that?" Setsuna retorted. Lucifer glowered at him, but Setsuna refused to back down at returned the glare. Kira gave a snort. Both Lucifer and Setsuna now turned to glare at him.
"If you're grown up enough, GO to the balcony and shut the sliding door so you can argue all you want, alright? I'll drop a signal if I see Aerial, k?"
Kira and Lucifer glared at each other then made their way to the balcony.
Kurai then walked up to Setsuna and tugged his sleeve. "Will they be okay?"
Setsuna let out a shrug. "Who knows? Maybe they'll just trash everything straight out and be done with it."
From behind, Uriel and the rest sighed. "It had better be, or you'll gonna have to clean up later." Michael said.
Setsuna let out a groan.
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Heaven
Adam Kadamon was silent as he watched the events unfold, using the lake as a screen.
He then silently exhaled, and turned away from the lake.
The stage had been set earlier on the wish she had made, yet she wished for no one other than her to step on it.
But now…
The stage is all set, and the actors and actresses must now stand upon it…
Alexiel, was this truly the ending you did not wish for?
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Assiah
Aerial glanced out once in a while, worried for her boyfriend. Rather than looking pleased upon seeing him again, everyone had seemed shocked…
-Its almost as if they just saw him rise up from…stop that!- Aerial shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her head. From behind her, Sara watched her and looked back at the chocolate cake that she had made.
-Sweet…now everything has gone from bad to worst. I hope matters don't go out of hand anymore than they have…but most of all…I hope that…- Sara immediately stopped icing the cake.
Wait a second.
Lucifer did mention before that Hatter was coming along.
I did see her just now.
But before Kira- sempai…
Ignoring Aerial's surprised call once she had slammed down the icing and dashed out of the kitchen…
And came face to face with Hatter.
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Assiah
Heiwa glanced at her watch. It was almost 8, and she had yet to reach home. She let out a frustrated sigh.
-I'm never going to get home at this rate! Mum is going to kill me…I DID promise I would be home early…-
-Drat the traffic and buses…maybe I should take a taxi…eh, what's this?-
Heiwa, who had been fishing in her bag for some mint sweets, found herself pulling out a foreign book instead.
She blinked for a few times before the owner of the book registered.
"Oh my gosh! This is Sara- chan's! I forgot to return it to her yesterday!"
-Double drat it! There'll be no school 'coz of the holiday…maybe I'll drop by her house and give her a surprise? After all, Aerial is there as well…-
With that, she then flagged down a taxi and made her way to Sara's (chaotic) house.
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Hell
Barbelo gingerly spread the cooling ointment over her wounds and gritted her teeth as thousands of needles pricked into the wound.
Damn Lucifer for this latest insult.
Once she was done, she covered her injuries with bandages. Once again, she cursed Lucifer and tried to restrain the smoldering fury inside of her.
-Because of one angel…because of the cursed Organic Angel! Why did she have to come and go as and when she liked!?-
-But that does not matter now…anyway, those fools can enjoy their time down there…-
-Once my plans fall into place, both you and your brother and that cursed Organic Angel will never escape from this cruel fate.-
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Assiah
"HATTER!" Sara shrieked.
"Hatter?" Aerial asked in confusion, as she had heard Sara screaming.
Hatter covered her ears.
"Please, Sara- san, I'm not deaf, you know."
Sara clamped her hands over her mouth. "My…my apologies!"
Hatter said nothing, only twisted her hat around and looked at Sara. "What is it?"
Sara opened her mouth, then stopped.
"Never mind, nothing much, really."
-Then why is it that I still feel so jittery? Shouldn't everything be fine by now?-
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Assiah
Lucifer and Kira watched as Setsuna slid the door shut, then walked to where Kurai and the others were. Judging from the looks on their faces, it was clear that they were worried about the outcome as well.
With that, Kira looked at Lucifer.
"Well? What do you want to talk about?" Lucifer narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you back here? It's impossible for you to even return here, and in a separate body! Both of us were one and has always been one! It is not possible for us to separate, for when you so called died, it was I who was revived! Why are you instead?"
Kira snorted.
"You wanted to ask that only? I told you before; I can't tell you why I am back here alive. I only know that at least I can do something worthwhile by being back here in Assiah, like finding a job and having the ability to create my life all over again."
"That's all? What just bloody happened after the war?"
"You're asking me? You were the one there, not me!"
"But you were in my body, weren't you!?"
"Those are my memories in you, idiot ruler! Can't tell the difference between your own memories and my own!?"
"Both of us were sharing one body!"
"Hello? I WAS Nanatsuya, and you WERE Lucifer!"
A rap on the glass broke their loudness competition. Setsuna was looking pissed as he made a thumb- down sign, meaning he wanted them to keep their volume down. Following that, he then walked away as they saw Sara and Hatter talk briefly, then Sara walked back to the kitchen.
Kira sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Why didn't just want to ask me about that, right?"
"What?"
"You wanted to ask about Alexiel, right?" Lucifer's eyes widened, then narrowed again.
"Why is she here?" Kira looked at him carefully, then leaned against the cool wall of the balcony.
"She is here because she wanted to be here. Assiah had always been her ideal place for living like the woman she had always wanted to be."
"She can do that in Heaven as well, with Adam Kadamon, her father, back!"
"You don't understand, do you, despite having been me over the decades?"
"All I know that my love never wavered, okay? That's all I care! She promised we would be together again!"
"So she promised…true, you were with her longer than any of us, but then again, you don't understand the situation."
"Then what am I supposed to understand!?" Lucifer was growing angrier by the moment.
Kira's next sentence shocked him.
"What I mean, you empty- headed demon, is that Alexiel CHOOSE to come here, from the very time when she first saw a vision of Assiah as a newborn baby."
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Heaven
Adam Kadamon turned once more from the lake.
The stage was set, the main actress, and the other actors and actresses had stepped in.
-Now all that's left is the decision maker of this tragic show that must be enacted in the cruelest of appearance.-
-Please, forgive me, my beloved children…-
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Assiah
Even as Lucifer and Kira were speaking, the others were having their own talks.
"Not resolved? I thought the talks would been over by now!" Setsuna was flabbergasted.
Uriel sipped his tea. "Supposed to be over, Setsuna. But both sides can't agree on several terms, and it has been dragging on forever."
"And what are those problems?"
"Basically, constant updates on both sides ruling system, as well the neutrality of Kurai- hime's country and such…"
"That's all!?"
Michael nodded. "Of course, what were you expecting? For both angels and demons to go matey and stuff?"
Barbiel walloped him on the head, much to the surprise of everyone in the room, especially Raphael.
"Barbiel, OUCH!" Barbiel glared at him.
"Glad you know that, Michael- sama." She twitched her head slightly to the direction of Kurai, who was looking a little hurt.
Instantly, Michael realised he had said something wrong.
"No, No, I wasn't talking about you, Kurai!" Everyone blinked. Kurai turned away form a spluttering Michael.
"Is it my imagination or have they been on a first name basis from since forever?" Setsuna asked.
Barbiel sighed.
-Just how dense can they be?-
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Assiah
Heiwa was doing her best not to scream at the driver, because she was aware it wasn't his fault.
But she had been stuck in a traffic jam for close to two hours.
-When I reach my destination, I'm going to wallop my head for being an idiot, then give mum a call and tell her I'll be back… VERY LATE.-
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Assiah
"It was her decision to come here from the time she was born?" Lucifer asked disbelievingly.
"Yes."
"Impossible! Not even the best of us angels had the ability to see the world before they were even birthed out!"
"Ah, but you forget. Alexiel is special. She saw the world from the eyes of Adam Kadamon himself."
"But that's still impossible!"
Kira sighed, feeling rather annoyed at the increasingly dense fallen angel in front of him.
"Honestly, are you really dumb or did that last attack you took from 'God' fry your brains?"
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Assiah
Sara twirled the icing around a little more, then sighed in relief as she took a step back to admire her masterpiece.
"Wonderful! Isn't it, Aerial?" Aerial managed a weak smile.
"That cake does look nice…" Aerial trailed off.
Sara smiled. "Hey Aerial?"
"Hmm?"
"Don't worry, let the men have their talk, everything will be okay once they finish talking." Aerial blinked her eyes, then let out a soft smile.
"Well, glad that's resolved, now, shall we get started on the meringue pie?"
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Heaven
The lake reflected a young woman coming out of the car and talking to someone, then turned to a building in front of her.
-At last, the final key has arrived.-
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Assiah
Everyone started to ignore the argument between Michael and Kurai, and went back talking about the treaty.
"But its been almost 6 years since the last Holy war ended and you guys are still discussing the same things over and over again!? Hello, do you know that if something happens…" Setsuna was cut off as Gabriel slammed her hand over his mouth.
"Hush, Set- chan! We can't have you speaking foul things now!"
"That's right! Do you know how delicate a position are we Archangels in now?" Raphael added.
Setsuna blinked.
Uriel sighed. "What Raphael means is that we are facing a lot of opposition from some members of Heaven and Hell alike. Its tough for us and Lucifer to crush this opposition parties while we are trying to deal with the treaty issues."
Setsuna, who had then managed to pry Gabriel's hand from his mouth, asked. "You mean there's no solution to this problem?"
All three Archangels glanced at each other. "There's a way, but…" Raphael said slowly.
"It is rather a big problem at current…" Gabriel continued.
"What do you mean?" Setsuna asked.
"Basically, the only one who has power equal to that of the words of Adam Kadamon himself is currently believing she's 100 percent a human being and has completely no memory of her past."
It then struck Setsuna. "You don't mean…"
Michael, who had then managed to gain the forgiveness of Kurai, confirmed Setsuna's thoughts.
"That's right, Messiah. The person we're referring to is none other than Alexiel- sama, the Organic Angel, herself."
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Hell
Barbelo smiled to herself as she set the last pieces of her plan into place.
As the fit the last piece in, she then walked over to a portrait of Lucifer.
And she clawed it across.
"It will be payback for rejecting my love, Lucifer- sama, and for the humiliation you have caused me."
"Now it will be your turn to suffer."
-And I will have the pleasure of seeing you in pain as your beloved turns away from you.-
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Assiah
"To be born purely from the father's wishes…" Lucifer mused.
"Now you get it?" Kira asked.
-Adam Kadamon's dream was to create an Assiah where everyone could co- exist in peace…so similar to that of Alexiel's wishes…-
"Yes, I do. But it still seems so impossible."
"I understand your doubts."
"I've no idea if that was an idea of his joke."
"It wasn't." Kira's voice sounded strange. "He wanted it to be that way."
"You're telling me he's trying to be another God?"
"He isn't trying, Lucifer. He already is."
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Heaven
The woman now closed in, and Adam Kadamon closed his eyes.
-The show is set.-
-Now what matters is…-
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Hell
"Finally, the plan is in place." Barbelo smiled.
She swirled the blood- red wine she was so fond of, watching with admiration at the graceful waves made by the liquid.
"A toast to your shattered emotions, Lucifer- sama."
"And…" Barbelo's smile turned hard.
Barbelo closed her eyes as the final puzzle clicked into place.
"A toast to your demise…Alexiel-sama."
"Now…what matters more…"
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Hell/ Heaven
Barbelo/ Adam Kadamon
"Everything will fall into place now…"
"Lucifer- sama!/ Sakuya Kira."
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Assiah
Both jerked as something similar to an electrical shock tingled up their spines.
"What the hell…!?" Both said at the same time.
Both then looked at each other, then Kira shrugged. Lucifer glared at him, then asked, his tone frosty.
"What do you mean, he is God?"
"I swear, that attack did cook your brains…"
"Answer me, Sakuya Kira!"
"You know that God is the highest being among all of the hierarchy of the angels right?"
"Yes, so?"
"Doesn't it make sense to you that it is only natural that the next highest ranking will take his place?'
"And the next in rank, whose power is equivalent to God himself…"
"That's right; its none other than Adam Kadamon himself. The next in line after Adam Kadamon would then be…"
Lucifer suddenly felt cold. "The first twins produced as a result of an attempt to spilt the powers of the Seraphita…"
Kira nodded in confirmation as Lucifer finished his sentence.
"Alexiel and Rosiel."
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Assiah
"Then when on Earth are you guys going to handle this kind of scenario? We can't have another issue on our hands anymore."
"We are trying our best, Set- chan, but it really takes a toll on us." Gabriel said, exasperated.
"Or are you suggesting that we hold a tea party and sit down and bond over tea and cookies?" Michael shot.
Setsuna grinned. "Now that's nice. Since when were you a typical tea- break time guy?"
Michael then jumped on Setsuna, attempting to strangle him while the others laughed or tried to get Michael off Setsuna.
The doorbell rang.
Setsuna turned his head in sheer surprise. –Who could it be?-
"Setsuna?" He turned his head to face Sara, whose face wrote the same question he had in mind.
Michael then jumped off Setsuna, and the latter then stood up and walked towards the door. Sara followed behind closely, both holding their breaths as they opened the door…
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Heaven
Adam Kadamon sighed.
-Now the stage is truly ready…-
-Please, forgive me…I'm so sorry…-
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Assiah
"Heiwa?" Sara's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected guest in front of her.
"Hey Sara! I came to return this book!" Heiwa said chirpily.
"Erm, why don't you come in, Heiwa?" Heiwa blinked, then shrugged.
"Thanks…is Aerial in…?" Heiwa trailed off as she saw the crowd in the house.
In that instant, Asmodeus, Hatter and Astharoth, who had been silent all this while, nearly fell out of their standing or seating positions, especially Astharoth.
Sara, Setsuna, Heiwa and the others looked at them, astonishment written on their faces. However, Setsuna noticed that the Archangels had frowns on their faces as well.
Astharoth walked over to Heiwa and gently nudged Setsuna and Sara aside as he suddenly gripped Heiwa's shoulders tightly. Heiwa winced in pain. "Hey, let go!"
"Astharoth?" Uriel called out.
But Astharoth wasn't listening. Instead, he kept looking at Heiwa, who was growing more uncomfortable by the minute as his gaze grew more intense. Hatter and Asmodeus were posed such that they would haul Astharoth away if things got out of hand.
The next sentence drove home.
"Astarte nee- san, you've returned?"
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A/N: Okay, before I get flamed for the SERIOUS lack of updates or a short chapter, let me go do something…# runs to corner and starts bawling # well, sorry…I know that this story has been lacking in updates, but as I mentioned before, this year is really an important year for me as I will be taking my GCE O levels this year. I've been so focused on my work that I hardly type any story…so, I really apologise to the readers who have been following this story.
IrisEclipsed: Sorry for the lack of updates! Somehow, I wouldn't say this chapter was more of a yelling competition, it seemed more of a insult competition in this chapter…XD
KinSlayer Nara: Honestly, your review had me laughing. I'm really sorry I didn't get to update as fast as I would have like, but…TT…anyway, thanks for reviewing! Oh ya, as a side note…I'm afraid Kira will be hightailing out of the story soon…to all Kira fans, my apologies!
Seiko-sama: Thanks for reviewing. I felt that it was time Mika- chan found himself a girlfriend and that Lucifer should quit acting the cocky character he is and get some angst into his life! Makes the story nicer! (To LucifaelsBride and other Lucifer fans, no pun or insult intended!! # Dodges rotten eggs and tomatoes #)
Alexiel Obscure: Thanks so much for reviewing! Your review made my day!
reiosan: Thanks for reviewing! Glad to have a new reviewer!
Hrist Dark Valkyrie: Thanks for the review! I'm truly sorry that the story has been lacking in updates…TT
Okay, I'm really very upset that I couldn't update fast, and having seen so much positive reviews on my very first AS fic…it really made me kind of guilty…I'll try and update as fast as I can, but I can't really guarantee as the exams have officially begun. Thus, all I can say is that I'm really sorry and hope you will continue to enjoy this story!
As a side note, I need some reviews from the readers 'cause I think this story needs some improvement…wait! You don't have to review if you don't wish to, k?