JC: Chapter 31 is here now! Hmm… This story is getting longer and longer by the minute. I don't know when it will end. Hehe… Oh well, let's just get on with it.

I want to thank all my reviewers who have supported this story up until now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam SEED.

Gundam Seed: Mythical Legends

Phase 31: A Difficult Battle

In the nick of time, Stellar jumped in and formed a barrier to avoid all blast spheres. "I won't let you harm, Shinn!" yelled Stellar as she glared at the red-head goddess.

"Skuld, you shouldn't be protecting that scum. You should join up with us." Fllay struck her beautiful red hair.

"There's no way I'm joining up with Odin! Can't you see he's just using you, Fllay?!" Stellar retorted, taking up defence. She couldn't believe she just heard Fllay badmouthed Shinn again.

Fllay charged straight at her with blinding speed and blasted her into the air with her magic. "How dare you say such things? Odin-sama will never do anything like that!" She threw a blast sphere at Stellar.

Regaining altitude, Stellar evaded the sphere. She faced Fllay vaguely and turned to Shinn, who was still watching his daughter in despair. She felt hurt seeing Shinn like that. I have to save Fllay for Shinn's sake. I just have to… She encouraged herself as she prepared to battle Fllay.

"Are you seriously going to battle me here? Don't you know what place this is, Skuld?" Fllay asked harshly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You're in my world." She showed a malicious grin.

Well, Stellar knew the place beforehand and she fully understood her disadvantage. But she was still willing to take on Fllay to save her. "I'm sorry if I have to do this…" She spoke softly as she raised her arm. "Divine Entity of Heaven, I call forth thy power to aid me in this torment. I beg thee to save thy goddess from thy lord's rule…" She spelled out the incantation and a glowing orb generated on her palm.

"Is that supposed to intimidate me? Let me show you what true power is!" Fllay said and formed a black orb on her palm.

Shinn was foreseeing a gruesome battle between the two and he didn't want it to happen. It would pain him to see either one of them to get hurt. Fllay and Stellar were very important to him—more important than his life.

The two goddesses fired their orbs at each other and contacted. A powerful force was unleashed followed by a blinding light, which rendered the goddesses speechless. As the light vanquished, the goddess of death flew up to Stellar's level and prepared to attack again.

"I can't believe you managed to block my power," Fllay muttered with gritted teeth and clenched fists. She gave Stellar one hell of a death glare.

Stellar was a bit concerned of her predicament. She managed to block Fllay's first attack because she gave it her all, but Fllay only used half her power for it.

"Things aren't looking good for Stellar," Kira said, sensing Stellar's aura. His facial grimace showed deep concern. "She will lose…" He lowered his head and narrowed his eyes. Although he doesn't possess the power to look into the future, the outcome of the battle was very clear.

"Kira, what do you mean?" Cagalli spoke up upon hearing her brother's words. "Stellar will lose? But…she's strong…"

The browned-haired god turned his head away from Cagalli's gaze, which was enough to worry her.

"Stellar will not lose. She'll bring back Fllay to her normal self. She'll win!" Cagalli held Athrun tighter as she trembled in fear.

On the other hand, Athrun was doing his best holding on to the pain he was feeling. He has no idea how long he can last, but he bowed to stay there for Cagalli. He held her hand, kissed it softly, and looked up at her with weary eyes. "J-just have faith…in Stellar…" he stuttered, sounding like he was about to give up. He winced in pain again and clutched his chest.

"Athrun!" She quickly turned back to Kira. "What should we do, Kira?"

"We can't do anything," Kira replied hesitantly, "but to wait."

"But Athrun will…"

"Yes, I know!" Kira cut her off. He turned around and knelt to Cagalli's level. He placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "The only way to save him is to get him out of this realm. But there's no way out of here except by defeating Fllay."

"But that will take a long time. I don't think Athrun can hold on for that long."

"Don't worry… I can hold on." Athrun managed to say. He was breathing heavily and his pulse rate was increasing.

Cagalli held him securely and let him leaned his head on her shoulder. She used a magic to restore his some of his energy back. "Hang on, Athrun! Don't give up on me!" She continued using her magic and planned to do so as long as she could to maintain Athrun's life force.

Meanwhile…

Fllay jumped up to avoid an attack and with one swift action, she threw dark fire balls at Stellar. But Stellar was quick with her feet as she dodged every single one of the fire balls. Fllay grew irritated by this so she launched a constriction spell around the blonde goddess. "I got you…"

"I can't get loose," Stellar muttered, struggling to undo the spell. She tried powering up, but it was ineffective against it.

"My power is much stronger here. Resisting won't be of much of a help, Skuld." Fllay landed and walked to Stellar. She touched Stellar's cheek and played around with her golden locks. "Now that I've caught you, you have no choice but to be Odin-sama's slave."

"I will never be Odin's slave!" Stellar shook her head vigorously and glared at Fllay.

"You can't do anything anymore." Fllay extended her arm, attempting to touch Stellar's forehead to place a spell until…

"Get away from her!" Shinn jumped in and pushed Fllay back with his power.

Fllay regained balance and took a few steps backward. "Oto-sama?" She was surprised to see her father attack her. "You're finally going to battle me?"

Shinn didn't reply. He released Stellar from the spell and faced his daughter hesitantly. He had eyes that were soft and concerned.

Fllay held her smirk as she prepared to attack Shinn. "If I destroy you, my dear oto-sama, Odin-sama will be very pleased and worried-free." She raised her hand and a dark sphere formed on her palm. "Die!" she shouted as she threw the sphere at her father.

Despite the danger he was in, Shinn didn't dare to move a muscle. Stellar was getting worried and wanted to defend him, but the constriction spell took away some of her energy making her powerless at the moment. She asked Shinn to move away, but he stayed put and lowered his head sadly.

Cagalli and Kira shouted out Shinn's name as the sphere was about to hit him.

Shinn extended his hand and caught the sphere. A flash of light burst and got absorbed into his body.

"You absorbed my power? How is that possible?!" Fllay fumed with clenched fists.

"Hel…" Shinn called his daughter's true name. "You may have gained more power here in the Underworld, but I'm still stronger than you." He crossed his arms in front of him.

She released some negative energy around her, making the wandering spirits floating around surround her like a barricade. "What nonsense are you talking about? There is no way you can be stronger than me here in the Underworld!"

"As my daughter you should know very well what I'm capable of…" Shinn said confidently, though he was actually nervous inside.

Fllay grew irritated and threw several black spheres at him. But every attack she made was futile. "Why don't you just die already?!" yelled Fllay, and tears unexpectedly formed in her eyes. She stopped for a moment, shocked to feel the tears streaming down on her cheeks. "Why…? Why am I crying?" She stared into her hands while trembling.

"Hel…" Stellar could feel the presence of the real Fllay. "She's struggling…"

Fllay held her head and dropped to her knees. She kept on trembling as she seemed to fight off something from inside her. She closed her eyes, trying to control something inside her. Then she opened her eyes and looked up at Shinn. "Oto-sama, please help me… I don't w-want to…fight y-you…" she spoke softly and wearily, as every breath seemed precious to her.

Back in the Warehouse

Gilbert, Auel, and Rey were observing the events in the Underworld through a large crystal orb hovering above Gilbert's hand. They were rather shocked to see Fllay's real consciousness trying to fight off the spell Gilbert placed.

"Hel is stronger than I thought or is it probably because she's in the Underworld?" Gilbert wasn't sure how long the spell could last on her now that she was able to resist. But he still had a backup plan in mind just in case Fllay fails to eliminate her father.

Of course, both Auel and Rey couldn't bare watching Fllay crying and struggling. They were starting to regret for letting Gilbert manipulate her, especially Auel since he was the one who abducted her. He thought it was a severe punishment for Fllay to let her fight her beloved father.

"Odin, stop this… Hel cannot continue in her state," Auel pleaded, looking at the crystal orb then back at Gilbert.

"Why stop? This is actually very entertaining. Besides, a part of Hel's mind is still mine to control." Gilbert laughed sinisterly.

Auel flinched and wanted to talk back at Gilbert, but he decided to stay quiet. The same goes for Rey as well, who couldn't stand hearing Gilbert's laugh. He just turned around to hide his angered expression and clenched his fists hard.

To be continued…

JC: Looks like the two Fllay-admirers are having second thoughts about Gilbert. Fllay is going back to her old self, but Gilbert would probably do something to her again. Athrun is dying out there, but don't worry! He's going to be fine in the next chapter, I assure you. Please review this chapter and no flaming. I'll update soon! Ja ne!