Skuld laid face down on the blood red ground doing her best not to move. She couldn't tell if she had been passed out for minutes or hours. All she knew was that her body had been devastated and that she was in extreme pain and unable to move. As her eyes began to clear she was able to make out the scene before her.
The demon had Belldandy by the throat with one hand while she feebly tried to break his grip on her throat. It seemed that in the time she was out Belldandy had been able to make a few marks on the demons body that still bled, but Belldandy had been in a worse condition than before. Skuld knew that Belldandy's powers were fading and fading fast. She had to do something to stop him before he killed this Belldandy. 'But what can I do? I'm bleeding here on the ground and I can't feel my legs or my right arm. I just wish that my Goddess powers were strong enough to stop him.'
"YOU CAN STOP HIM," stated a loud voice within Skulds head. "ALLOW THE POWER THAT DWELLS WIHTIN THE DARKNESS OF YOUR HEART TO BE RELEASED AND TOGETHER WE SHALL DESTROY HIM!"
'What? Who are you? What do you mean the Darkness within my Heart? How can I stop something like that when I'm can't even move?'
"I AM THE ANGER AND HATRED THAT DWELLS WITHIN YOUR HEART AND EVERYONE ELSES. WHEN YOU ALLOW ME TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CONFINES OF YOUR HEART, I WILL BRING FORTH A POWER WITHIN YOU THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE. THIS CREATURE BEFORE YOU CAN NOT EVEN MEASURE UP TO THE POWER THAT DWELLS WITHIN YOU. ALLOW ME TO DESTROY YOUR ENEMIES WHO WOULD BE MY ENEMIES IF THEY TRY TO ATTACK YOU."
"I have to do something to stop this creature. If it's for Belldandy then whatever it takes to make me strong enough to help Belldandy then I'll go with it. I'll show the world that I'm not a child anymore. I'M NOT A CHILD ANYMORE! DO YOU HEAR ME DEMON? I'M NOT A CHILDDAAAHHHHHHHH!!"
The last of Skuld's words were lost in the wind as her body lost to the cold that spread quickly and sharply through her body. Her back arched upwards in a painful spasm and her arms snapped sharply to the side gripping the dirt underneath her hands. Her body felt so cold everywhere that it hurt to move. As she opened her eyes she was greeted by a sight the confirmed her worst fears. The coldness within her body was that of a demon and now she was turning into one and was confirmed as the feathers began to fall towards her face.
Noble Scarlet floated above Skuld with her arms wrapped tightly around her body as she shivered from the pain that she also felt. Her wings were spread out from her body shivering in the now growing darkness. Her feathers slowly falling to the earth only to be replaced by fur and leather. Noble Scarlet's once blue eyes had turned a fiery red and Skuld knew at that moment in time that her body had gone through the same transformation. Yet the power that flowed through her was intoxicating and made her feel as though she could take on the world.
As her mind settled on the situation, Skuld threw her body in a half circle so that she landed on all fours to launch herself at the demon who stood thirty feet away from her. It seemed at the moment of her transformation he had let his guard down because Skuld was able to find her way into an open spot and plant the top of her head sharply against his rid cage.
As his body doubled over and the blood flew from his mouth to fly through the air, Skuld flew to the right side and planted her right foot against the side of his head. Before he could right himself, Skuld jumped into the air to plant both her feet on the back of his neck forcing him to the ground.
"Skuld….Skuld please stop what your doing."
Skuld turned her fierce piercing red eyes to look down at Belldandy where she had pulled her body out of the crater still broken and bleeding. 'What a pathetic sight to behold. She is supposed to be a First Class Goddess and instead she gets pulverized by a worthless demon that didn't even stand a chance against me. What need do I have of her now that I have found a power that is even greater than hers?'
"What reason do I have to stop," asked Skuld noticing that it wasn't just her voice that rang through the air. The second voice was deeper and darker with pure evil just pouring from the tone. At the moment it didn't matter to her because she was going to prove to the world that she was the NEW First Class Goddesses/Demon who would rule this world and no human, Goddess, or Demon was going to stop her.
"You're a Goddess, Skuld, not a demon. Don't allow your anger to control your. You must remember the better times of goodness and happiness. Please remember what you used to be and what you were taught." It was at that moment in time that Skuld realized Belldandy had been reaching for her foot. As Belldandy reached out quickly and grabbed Skulds ankle, Skuld was shot back in time to a period of time during the winter outside the temple that they lived. The memories flooding back into her mind like a rushing waterfall.
Skuld felt the snow stinging coldly and wetly against her flush skin as she leaned against the tree and stared up at the cloudy sky. Her attempts to make the ¼" nut fly through the air had failed again. It seemed as though she would never be able to tap into her Goddess powers. Not then and not ever. What was the point of being a Goddess if she could only use technology to make things happen instead of actual magick?
"Don't give up, Skuld," stated Belldandy as she placed her soothing hand on top of Skulds forehead. "Just because you can't make the nut fly right now, does not mean that you will never be able to do it. It takes a great amount of energy to be able to tap into a Goddesses full potential. You are still very young and in time you will be able to succeed."
"I don't want to wait until I'm older. I want to be able to do it right now. I want to be able to fly like you and Urd. I don't want to be depended on you anymore. And I DON'T want to be treated like a kid."
Skuld turned sharply towards Belldandy to see the look of pain in her eyes. She had made her older sister upset, but she was angry at the time. Why were things so hard for her and so easy for Belldandy? If it wasn't for that stupid Keiichi always making things so easy for her and treating her like a kid, she would've been able to train with Belldandy in an actual training environment instead of here on Earth where she was limited in her sources.
"What is it that I'm missing, Onee-san? Why is it so easy for you and yet so hard for me?"
"Love, Skuld. You are missing love from your heart. I don't just mean the love that you feel for me and Urd, but love for the entire world and yourself especially. The three of us are very special Goddesses with powers to control time. To be able to control time like we do, we must be able to control our emotions, thoughts, and feelings for all that are around us. I have learned to control these emotions and turn them into something positive, which makes it easy for me to use the power of Present Time and do what I do. Urd's Demon blood does not make it easy for her to control her feeling, which is one reason why she is not a Goddess First Class right now.
"Skuld you are the Goddess of Future Time. The power that dwells within you is the hardest to control. That is because the Future is very mischievous and is hard to predict. There is not a set course in Future Time and there are many different paths to choose from. Once you learn to control your heart, Skuld, you will be able to do anything that you set your mind to. You might even be able to surpass myself and Urd and rival The All Mighty One."
Skuld found herself back in the present time with a bleeding Belldandy lying before her. As Skuld allowed her left foot to fly in front of her, she felt the solid form of Belldandy fly through the air under the sheer force of her kick. As Skuld watched Belldandy fly backwards through the air with a satisfying grunt, she couldn't help but smile at what she was just able to do.
"It seems that I have already surpassed you with sheer power and force, Sweet Sister. I suggest that you hold your tongue or else I'll show you the true power that I posses as a Demon/Goddess."
"Me first, please," stated the dark sultry voice of the Demon as he appeared to the left of Skuld. His right fist shot straight out and into the side into Skulds head sending her flying through the air and into the ground where she laid on her side. As she lifted her head towards where he was, she was greeted by the base of his boot as he smashed her face inwardly with a great force. Skuld felt her jaw bone dislocate under the pressure and three of her teeth fly out of her mouth. Without a moments hesitation the Demon reached out and grabbed Skulds leg and snapped her leg in mid air before throwing her across the meadow to where Belldandy laid.
"Crap. That Demon is much stronger than I anticipated. What can I do to stop him," questioned Skuld to the voice that had answered her questions earlier within her heart. Instead of getting an answer, she only heard her heart pounding painfully within her head. It seemed as though the fight was over and she was the loser.
"Skuld…remember the power that you posses within you is the power to control Future Time. Once you are able to see that, then you will be able to stop him without wasting all your energy. Look within your heart and you will know what I'm talking about."
Skuld turned her head to look at Belldandy as she lay next to her with half of her face covered in blood and broken and fading smile on her face. Even after everything had happened, her sweet sister still did her best to make her stronger.
Skuld slowly sat up to look towards the monster as he began a slow and painful walk towards her to finish what he had started. Skuld felt the anger swelling up again in her chest. She was not going to allow this thing to stop her from doing what she had set out to do. She was going to stop him and stop Keiichi from interfering with her life and make things go back to the way that they were in the beginning.
When he was within range, Skuld jumped through the air in one last attempt to kill this thing that was before her. As she launched herself into the air towards him, she didn't see the blade of the sword within his hand until it was too late.
With one quick thrust, Skuld felt the blade of the sword shoot through her body stopping her in mid air. Instead of falling to the ground as she thought she was going too, she just hung there with the demon holding her in the air. As her eyes began to fade, Skuld could not help but to notice the sword that he was carrying with him.
The blade of the sword was black as night, but shone with a magic aura that was white as snow. The guard was solid gold with magical markings that told her that this sword was intended to kill demons. The hilt looked as though it was carved from a white stone. However, the hilt and guard was now covered in red as Skuld continued to bleed over the sword.
"It seems as though you battle is finally over, little sweet Skuld. Just close your eyes and give in to the darkness. It will all be over soon."
As Skuld closed her eyes, she saw many different things flashing through her minds eye. She saw Belldandy and Keiichi getting married; their first daughter together; Urd becoming a First Class Goddess; Ren and an older version of Keiichi's daughter practicing martial arts; Skuld accepting her License to be the Main System Administrator; finally she saw Ren standing before her with wings of pure white telling her that Belldandy and Keiichi have found Heaven together for all eternity.
THE FUTURE!! It was the future that Skuld saw within her mind. She wasn't going to die at this moment with this demon because she had to save Belldandy. Not for her but for Keiichi because they were to have a daughter together someday that would save the world. She was Second Class Goddess Limited License Skuld and she was not going to be stopped.
As Skulds eyes snapped open she felt her true Goddess power swelling up within her blasting the demon backwards into the field. Skuld felt her body aging and finally stopping at a point in time where she would be able to control herself appropriately. As she looked down at herself she saw a woman in her mid-twenties with a body that was just as beautiful and luscious as Belldandy's. Noble Scarlet presented herself before Skuld. She had looked just like Holy Bell with a body that was pure and innocent.
"Noble Scarlet, it is time that we show this Demon that he is not welcome in our plain and that the future is ours to decide." Skuld turned to look at the demon standing once again before her. "Ren-san, you have decimated this world long enough. I can see through your veil and I know your true face as you really are. As a Goddess I will destroy you and save this woman who calls herself Belldandy. Prepare yourself to enter the next life, Demon Ren."
Skuld spread out her arms as Noble Scarlet positioned herself behind Skuld with her wings spread out. Skuld felt her true powers within her body. It all suddenly made sense to her and she knew the true way to kill Ren and save the future world from what he was about to do.
"Forgive me, Ren. I pray that your spirit finds its way to Heaven as I have seen you. Gomennasai (I am sorry).