They were bright…so distant…so beautiful…why had I missed this part of the stars? I drifted amongst the wreckage, floating beside the dead as I awaited my time to join them. A stream of my blood marked my passing, floating away until it vanished form my sight. The nanites in my body, at least those I hadn't brunt out already, kept me alive even in the cold of space. The Flayers would come soon. There was no way they could have missed our forced drop. I hoped I would die before they found me, then perhaps my body might not be taken by them to be violated.

I drifted watching a thousand points of lights pass by. There was no energy to turn my head or even try to avoid debris of ships. I hit slabs of metal and was sent tumbling, but always the same sight greeted me. Here in the silence before death the stars, stars I had fought and killed for arbitrary territorial lines greeted me. They mocked, I had tried to take them and now their light would be the final sight I would see.

Death was slow in coming. The nanites would freeze soon enough and then I would die. I wanted it so, to end it all, to escape my damnation. There was no hope of avoided that fate for, not now. Perhaps I could have deflected to another Warlord or taken the Whitefire and fled into rouge space. Why didn't I? The White Devil had reared me perhaps that was why. I couldn't leave the woman who I saw as my mother and I didn't want to hurt her. To betray her would be slap in the face of everything she had done for me.

For that reason I know faced death, ironically to escape the punishment she had left. I was so like the child I had thought I wasn't. Truly immortality set one apart, a life a once mortal was never supposed to live. Mortals simply weren't ready to deal with or responsible enough to deal with the price of immortality and its demands. It sounded good on paper, but was far from easy or simple.

I wondered if my Lady ever felt this way. Perhaps all the Warlords, true immortals, had death with the issue I now saw in the hour of my death. It would be a testament to their maturity as mortals if what that book had said was true. They, even as mortals, were demigods of maturity and truly worthy of immortality. I was not like them; it was foolish of me to assume that. The difference between us was as vast of the galactic core.

Suddenly I heard footsteps. That was impossible! Here in the void of space there should be no sound, yet I heard them clear as day. Even with my eardrums destroyed from the explosion of the Whitefire I heard those footsteps. It wasn't possible! Or…death was coming for me. This was hallucination of death incarnate coming to claim me. I had no strength to seek the source of the noise; if they came from my head then it was a pointless endeavor.

"Oh my!"

No…a voice, that was impossible. None could walk in the void of space and talk like normal. There was no way!

"What have I done?"

The voice was female and so very familiar to me. Why was it familiar? Why? My slowly starving brain could find no answer. Something moved beside me, I felt my body hit something firm, something unmoving. A smooth hand appeared in front of me then touched my cheek. Warmth flowed into me, sending shivers down my crippled spine.

"I never meant for you to do this, daughter," the female voice was firm, yet filled with self-loathing. "Yet again I have ruined another of my children."

The warmth had blinded me to something else happening to my body, cascading black tendrils began to cover me. That hand moved over my face and gently placed itself on my eyes.

"Sleep, Anastasia. Rest and when you wake all will be right again. Sleep my darling daughter…" the voice cooed gently.

I knew that voice! It was familiar to me. A thousand nights I heard that voice, yet here I didn't recognize it! I truly was a fool to be pitied if I would forget…sleep…That word began to shut me down, magical power was contained in that word, a power older than old forced me to comply. Yet I felt no shame in following its command, after this was my… … …

"The silence is deafening," Harry muttered as he tried to stretch out with the heavy rings around each wrist. The rings had been slapped on his wrists the moment the other TSAB had landed. Its own Enforcers didn't take any chances with him and had thrown into a dark room on the ship the moment the Asura's good captain had turned her back. Some kind of magical blocker was embedded in each ring, effectively keeping from his magic, but there were heavy. It was wearisome to just more with them on.

How many had passed since they had been rescued he did know. All sens of time had been lost to him after he had hit the floor of the dark cell aboard. The Valkyrie might be the Asura's sister ship, but its captain was nothing like Lindy. He was a rough man with a inclination towards violence and brutal treatment of the law breaker, even if they had broken no law or it had yet to be proven one way or the other.

Those days, at least he thought he had been in the Valkyrie for days, were marked with silence until the day he suddenly got roommates. The Wolkenritter and Hayate were tossed into his cell with harsh words from the guards, Enforcers. After helping the girl up and getting the four Knights oriented with the small, empty room there was nothing to do but talk.

Hayate informed him that Lindy had gone straight to the Valkyrie's captain when he had thrown him into the cell and she had demanded that he be released into her custody. The demand was refused, forcing Lindy to take Hayate and the Wolkenritter into her own room. The standoff had been intense by Hayate's accounts. Fate, Nanoha and the rest of the witnesses were confined to their rooms, guarded night and day by the Valkyrie's Enforcers. The Enforcers from the Asura took it upon themselves to protect Lindy from their fellows and much to Harry's surprise the pup had demanded that he be released into proper custody. Apparently the pup had insisted he was only following the rules and the Valkyrie's captain had no jurisdiction over a prisoner taken by the Asura's Head Enforcer. That had nearly led to blows. "I suppose I owe the pup a bit then…damn," Harry said to himself. "Why did Lindy capitulate? I had thought her made of sterner stuff…"

There was a click and he knew it was time to begin. Off to his right Azriel, in her scythe like necklace form, lay on a pedestal. Before him three lights clicked on revealing an old woman with greying hair sitting at the desk in a white uniform with black stripes and a blue collar. The other two were younger women, twins by the look, in similar uniforms as the old woman, each with a folder set before them and pens in hand.

"So you're the person in charge," Harry drawled. "Was wondered when I'd get to meet the boss of these parts." This was situation he didn't like at all. He was alone, cut off from support, even Azriel was beyond his reach and he had to stay cool. There were two ways he would get out of the hands of the TSAB, through the airlock or as one of them. That much he was sure of. He had to attack though, maintain control of the conversation and put his opponent off guard if he wanted to get the best deal.

"I am Bureau Chief of Staff Miget Crowbel." She pointed her to the women beside her, "These are my aides." She paused and raised an eyebrow in his direction, a hint of a smile in her thin lips. "What? No cracks about AIDS?"

He smirked. Apparently his reputation had preceded him or she had already read the pup's report about the whole deal with the Book. "Nah, I maybe a joker and a mocker, but I know when the time to keep my mouth shut comes around. I see no need for such juvenile jokes at this point in time."

"Good boy," she replied warmly. "It seems the war knocked some sense into you. At least one of you wizards is serious, but let us proceed." She coughed suddenly, a bit of blood trickled from her mouth. Quickly she wiped it away with a small cloth then continued. "Harrison James Potter, Lord Potter, Hero, Boy Who Lived, Man Who Conquered, etc, etc, and last, but not least the Warsmith."

Her voice turned to ice as she mentioned the title he hated the most. "I don't exactly like to hear all those titles, though I would ask how you know about all that, but that would rhetorical. Wizards have been on your watch list for how long know? Since the Second World War? Or was it before that?"

"That is not the matter at hand," she said stiffly. "I'll be blunt with you Mister Potter. You are a threat to the TSAB and magekind because of that Lost Logia." She was pointing to Azreil.

"Er…" he cocked his head and shook his head at the old woman. "Miget look-"

"You will address the Chief or Director Crowbel!" one of the aides snapped in anger.

"Ya, ya, ya," he shout back dismissively. "The pussycat should just lick her milk and the adults talk. Take your notes in other words," Harry finished with a smirk as the one woman turned red in anger.

"Control yourself, Evelyn!" Crowbel commanded with a sharp look. The woman relented in a moment. "Mister Potter, I must ask you ignore my aides as they are of no importance in this issue."

Harry nodded, he could live with that. "Tell me the threat you think I am and I'll tell you what it will take for me to spare you," he challenged boldly. He could have waited, let Crowbel explain, but he was tired of the charade. "Somebody wants me here and they have a lot of power over the Enforcers and the TSAB at large. The question is, why me and who gave the order to bring me in?"

"Look here young man; do not accuse us without facts. I find such judgment to be…irritating." Her tone bared the steel that wasn't dead in her old age, it still shone though age had worn away at it. "Your Device is a completed form of the Deathly Hollows. The Ring, Cloak and Wand unified into one Device with a bloody past. The TSAB is well aware of the Master of Death and the weapon that makes one into such a being."

"Oh lovely! Now I'm a being!" Harry drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, yes you are. You are a monster that stands where no mortal should stand. There's a reason we've tried to get our hands on the Hollows," she said icily. "The Master Death has access to a number of spells the like of which can cross dimensions and rip holes in space time. Such spells are a danger not only to the worlds of the TSAB, but to the stability of the multiverse as well."

"So? Get to the point. I'm a monster that stands diametrically opposed to you. I could have told you that when I was a wizard, or after the war. Hell, you could have read the pup's report and seen that much," he exclaimed. "Moreover, why am I even here? You people have no jurisdiction over Earth, let allow a wizard and let's ignore that fact that as Warsmith I am supposed to have diplomatic immunity. That would make me immune from your laws as well."

Crowbel sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Lost Logia are our business. We will go wherever, whenever and however we must to secure, contain and protect the dimensions from the threat of Lost Logia. If we have to reach beyond the diplomatic bounds then so be it. Besides, as the Warsmith I'm sure you know that the TSAB never acknowledged wizard sovereignty after the fall of Arcadia after the death of Arthur. So far as we are concerned you are a Belkan colony with a direct bloodline tie to Mid-Childa and magekind. Ergo, you are fall under the mandate."

What a weak argument! That catch-call phrase lets them get anyway with anything. Genocide and murder would be easy with that clause; I'll give you points for such a great excuse though. "Oh please! Spare me the drivel of your justification!" I snapped. "Trying to claim the moral high ground; 'it's for the greater good of the multiverse', bullshit my good woman. I do call bullshit on your bullshit. Let's have a bullshit hearing from the Intergalactic Bullshit Committee on your massive, steaming pile of bullshit." He knew he had butchered that line, but it did cut to the heart of the matter. "Let's be honest then. You fear me and what I COULD do, so that justification to detain me?" He asked with an eye brow and a confident smirk.

"Aye, it's enough."

He gave her a flabbergasted look. "W-W-What! Are you people bloody mad?" he repeated over and over again, shaking his head is disbelief. "Did you really just…you want to…you control things based on thoughts of what might happen?" It was so far off the deep end of sanity and reason he had trouble believing her words. To think that such a group would claim they authority previously only given to gods by idiotic humans and then say they were fine accepting the mantle of judge, jury and executioner… He had seen arrogance before. Wizards had arrogance in spades, but this was a new high.

"The Hollows represent a threat that had taken many lives across the ages. Mage, wizard and civilians have fallen to it. In every era, every master falls to its lust for battle, for death and the lust to bring utter ruin upon everything in existence. You know that is true, you've heard her speak of such things," the director told him pointing an accusatory finger at him.

Wasting no time he answered her charge. "Yeah, I know about that little…quirk in her personality, but what of it? For one thing I control her, not the other way 'round. As for the rest, when haven't you just wished for everything to burn? Some days you just want to wake up and tell the world to go to hell. What's to say your 'examples' are nothing more than powerful people on a bad day?"

Surprisingly, she sighed in relief, "True, too true Mr. Potter. Most of the evidence we have against you is based not on current fact, but historical examples and as you and I both know when certain people want something they are more than willing to change documents of historical nature."

Harry cocked his head to the side. That had been an interesting line, but what did she mean by it? "I'm afraid I'm not following you." This conversation had taken a rather abrupt change in direction and it looked like this old woman had planned it from the start.

"Little wonder I suppose," she said regretfully. "I will not explain it fully, but I'll give you the brief version. Those documents you found in your mother's laboratory were altered because they are copies of altered originals. Every book, parchments and scroll that passed your desk as Warsmith regarding the mage and wizard relationships was altered in some way. Information on our two peoples was not excluded by these people."

He blinked in surprise. False? It was altered? What? Who? Does that mean… He was suddenly faced with the realization that his treatment of the TSAB might not have entirely justified if it based on false information. The idea that he might be wrong… Crowbel went on, kneaded her forehead slowly in a surprising sign of annoyance; whatever she was about to tell him had caused her many annoyances.

"Games are being played Mr. Potter, dangerous games with both our peoples. The trouble lies in the fact that we have no idea who is behind the alteration," she explained, her voice held tightly in check. The lack of the natural inflections and other speech hallmarks was discontenting, but she didn't want anyone to misunderstand her words and he was sure she wasn't only talking to him. "I can assert this fact as truth. Certain documents within the Infinite Library were changed; the originals are still missing though only a handful of people know that. As you can imagine this person or persons are very good at covering their tracks. It is my understanding that you have experience in this sort of matter," she frowned as she finished as she disliked admitting her lack of experience.

He couldn't help, but raise an eyebrow at the TSAB's audacity. Suddenly everything made sense. The command to bring him in by any means since he was away from his base of power, the elaborate deceptions to get him to this place where their mysterious third party thought he would be punished for having Azriel, and this unspoken offer she was making him. He knew it was an offer to root out their Death Eaters, to drag their enemies to the surface while looking like they had no hand in the affair. In a way he had to give to them for the sheer audacity behind their plan. The fact they thought they could read him well enough and where powerful enough to control might speak of their arrogance and unjustified self-confidence, yet he found he didn't care anymore.

This third party that manipulated documents and directly spread false information to him of all people was enough to bring his bloodlust to the surface. He gave the Director a savage smile, "These bastards tried to give me false information on purpose. They thought they could control me, turn my hand against you. They tried to mess with me. I want their heads, not because they are a threat to my people that I spent so much time saving from themselves or for your people, but because they wanted to play with me. I still don't trust you people not to stab me in the back, but for the time being I'm willing to hunt these worms. I'll drag them into the sunlight, kicking and screaming as I cut them a thousand times." He paused thoughtfully, "I'll give you their bodies if there's anything left once I cut various limbs and shove them were they don't belong."

She gave him a level look and nodded once. "It's good to have you on board with this…task," she said with evident distaste. "This cloak and dagger operation is nearly over then. We have but one task left to address then; Your Device and what your punishment will be."

Harry leaned back as much as he could and crossed his legs casually, "Give them what they want to see. Though…"

"You have conditions," Crowbel said knowingly. "You do not trust us and never will so you want to safeguard yourself."

"What can I say?" he said with a shrug. "I have to look at for myself after all. Though I tell you this; I will turn against you in a heartbeat. The moment I feel threaten by you or your people I will burn, kill, main and slaughter my way through your ranks. As the Master of Death I swear this to you, such is the deal when you deal with Death incarnate," he said as gravely as he could. For the first time he felt that using the title Master of Death was appropriate for situation. He had technically earned it and even if he didn't want to be known by it, Crowbel deserved to know the true face of man she was about to strike a deal with.

Guarded eyes from that old face kept their emotions hidden, but she opened her mouth slowly and spoke. "I can accept that. In addition we are prepaid to pay you handsomely and offer you your own squad which we will offer suggestions as to additional personnel. You will only report to me, but will be officially a part of the Navy. In the books you'll become another mistake in accounting, lost funds that an organization such as the TSAB always has."

"Full command and a ship," he demanded. There was no doubt their suggestions would be forced upon him. Those brought into a new division would not be loyal to him; they would be loyal to the TSAB at large. If these worms hid within the TSAB he would need to strike at TSAB targets and anyone with him would need to follow that without running to the media or other commanders.

"No ship, not yet at least. As for your division selection," she paused for a moment and considered it, "I think we can arrange for you to select men and women you wish to command, but I have to insist that at least a few of them are TSAB officers."

It was a reasonable concession on their part. A few officers would be easier to control than a command full of them. He could fill those ranks with men and women he could trust to obey without hesitating. "And the name of this black op team?" He called it out as it was. They wanted him to lead a black op division against an enemy even the TSAB couldn't find. "I can accept the deal on the officers, but I'm afraid I can't back down on the ship."

"I don't think you understand the balance of power within the TSAB. I cannot hide the fact that I transferred a ship, its crew and aborted all its missions for however long your investigation takes. It is simply beyond reason if we expect to keep your mission hidden from our worms, as you called them," she explained calmly. "The name is your to pick, but that is not important," she added after a moment.

"It was worth a try," Harry admitted. Baby steps had to be taken; getting a ship was the equivalent to a taking a leap. "Couldn't you make some funds…disappear? Siphon them off to some third party ship builder. I'll need a ship at some point, especially if they can control information on Earth and among your people."

"That is…reasonable," she answered after a moment of thought. She lapsed into silence. The only sound in the room was the scratching of pens as the two aides took notes. Clearing her throat she spoke, "I'll speak with the other two Directors about your plan. It seems we have drifted though, your punishment still needs to be addressed."

"Ah, that little thing. I still hold I did nothing wrong and strongly protest your unethical treatment of me as a wizard," he said with no real venom. Sure the blow to the head had hurt and the crash landing had sucked, but the cloak of secrecy was gone. All that was left was to drive their dagger into him as he drove his own into them. "What's your standard practice for those of us with the oh so dangerous and life threatening Lost Logia?" He couldn't help, but let the sarcasm fly.

"Normally we'd force you into the TSAB, place you in basic and make you a contracted mage until you could join us full time. You would normally be watched over until you swore an oath to serve the TSAB and repent of your old ways. Upon refusal to join us then we have to incarcerate you and place you on one of the orbital prisons for the rest of your life," she deadpanned.

"You do know you all but admitted to a form of slavery?"

"No, its service work…on a permanent scale for your crimes. On the plus side you'll never lose your job. Think of it as job security," she said as if they were talking about the weather.

"You people are honestly the most delusional, egoistical, self-centered, self-righteous bullshitters I've ever has the displeasure of meeting. And that not to mention your god complexes!"

"Are you in Mr. Potter?"

"Hell yes! Besides, my old job was stuffy what with no war and all that. Damn me for being too thorough in purging those Death Eaters," he said with a self-depreciating laugh. He wiped the smile from his face as quick as it came. "I want to you to go easy on the Wolkenritter. I intend to use them." He was already mulling over a few different plans were he could use the four Knights and Hayate. They were a packaged deal or so he had seen.

"We will see what fate they will choose for themselves. Beyond that I can offer you nothing more. As for the Hollows we will hold them until tomorrow when you are sworn in as a member of the TSAB under my personal command. All documents regarding her existence on this base will then be destroyed or removed from the record."

He nodded, he hadn't expected as much as she was willing to give. It honestly surprised him that he was able to get away with what he had. "It seems we have a deal then. As they say back home; let the games begin." There can be only one winner in this game, you or me. You win this game or you die, that is truth when you have to face when dealing with worms, death worms that is.

Sometimes I wished I had never awoken from my dreams. In dreams I was a true master, yet they were temporary things, fleeting and worthless. I came to in an all too familiar room. The dark wooden walls with their earthy scent, the artwork of master artisans on the wall, white gold trim intricately inlaid between precious stones along the trim, there was only one place I could be.

I had gone from the wreckage of my folly to the Devil's Fortress. How I wondered, as my memories of floating in the void began to come back. The slowly creeping death, the bodies, wreckage, my despair and the female who saved me.

Mother!

She had come!

I blinked and tried to rise, but failed. Looking down I saw my wrists and ankles were bound to the bed in which I was lying. What was going on? I was home, yet I was imprisoned. Why? At least I could move some and adjust my position to a certain extent.

"I'm so sorry," the female voice sobbed. "So sorry…"

Mother, my Lady…was sobbing? For…me?

"My darling daughter…I really messed up. I never…never…should have condemned you as I did. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me like your eldest sister does!"

A Warlord…sobbing…for…me. That was inconceivable. That did not happen, the universe would not allow for it. Warlords did not cry or sob over failures; they were supposed to be above such things.

"I am a failure as a mother…" her sobs continued. "I never wanted to have any of you hurt so…"

I turned my head and nearly died. The White Devil sat beside me, her head in her hands sobbing, tears trickling down her face. It was impossible, was this the afterlife? A hallucination of my mind as I died? Was I still in the wreckage field, too far gone to even have the remotest chance of survival? Did I…really want to survive when I had this before me, my Lady, my Goddess shedding tears for…me…

I tried to open my mouth, to say something, anything to confirm what this was, but no sound came forth. I heard the hollow wind sound, but no words come from my mouth. Apparently my Lady did though. She grasped my head and kissed my forehead, tears still in eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes didn't deserve to have unholy tears in them. I wanted to wipe them away, but couldn't.

"Forgive me, forgive me," she repeated over and over again.

I tried to talk, but all I heard was that hollow wind sound. Why couldn't I form words? Maybe my throat was dry? That had to be it! I just needed some water then I would be fine! I tried to speak again, but once more I heard the hollow blowing sound.

"Once again I've failed as a parent. That seems to be the story of my life…" she despaired between sobs.

Why? Why couldn't I speak? What was wrong with my voice? Why is all I heard that hollow sound? Why? Why? WHY? It was frustrating, so frustrating. I need to speech! I wanted to speak! I needed to scream! Anything! Anything to prove my existence! Was I dead? Was I alive?

"You must be so confused,' she said soothingly. "I understand. Any human would be in your position."

She stroked my cheek and I knew I was blushing. I watched that perfect form stand up and then lay down beside me after she undid the bindings on my hands and feet. She laid my head on her shoulder, whispering sweet nothings before she began to explain. I had given up on speaking for now, but the fear of never speaking was slowly growing in the back of my mind so I forced it down. This situation was one I had dreamed of for so long; this had to be heaven.

"You are still alive." Her words and breath on my neck sent chills down my spine. "I came to you after the battle and saved those that I could. Unfortunately there were very few who might be saved. The conceptual weapon, Horn of Valhalla, is a soul claimer type so it is to be expected. The fact that you survived is miracle in and of its self. You were raised near me, constantly exposed to my true nature and I believe that is the reason you lived."

I was confused, what true nature was she referring to; her status as a being that existed on another higher plane? How could that have saved be just by being around her? It didn't make sense, but I wasn't about to try to speak right now. I was enjoying the closeness to much to annoy her with my questions. I knew I could still speak, but it escaped me. That had to be the reason!

"You, as a human, have a soul; an energy field given sentience that will never die even when your body does. People like me, Warlords, do not have that field. We have no soul to speak of, no eternal field of energy, because we gave it up. We changed, though I guess you could say we forced it to evolve in ways it was never intended to. We pushed the soul forward through brute force and became more, higher dimensional beings with one foot in this world and one in a high plane."

I pulled away to look at her radiant face when my Lady frowned as she finished. She looked displeased with her explanation and she must have sensed the confusion in me. What did all this have to do with me? How did I survive an attack from a conceptual weapon, the most powerful weapons in existence that rewrote time and space as easily I might write a report, when hundreds of billions hadn't over the course of the war?

"That is a bad explanation," she said after a moment. She forced my head into her bosom and I nearly died again. "Lie still daughter. You cannot risk opening your injuries again," she chided me. I was more than willing to obey her. This position was too good to pass up. "As I was saying, don't quote me on any this though… you lived near me and to a certain extent my concept, that is the concept of the WHITE DEVIL, rubbed off on you. In some small way, you have the endless energy of the WHITE DEVIL concept tin your body. The blood in your body might be allowing this to happen due to the fact your body has accepted my blood as an acceptable foreigner in your body."

I made a wheezing sound in my shock. I was more like her than I had ever though! I was chosen and blessed more than I could have ever thought! I had a part of her in me all this time!

"The Horn of Valhalla destroyed the Whitefire. Your crew and followers were slain almost instantly. Now their souls are trapped within Valhalla's dark chains, beyond my reach. You were brunt when the bridge exploded, yet not killed outright. I believe the temporary nanites are the only reason you survived."

I was reeling in shock. Somewhere in my life I had transcended mortal beyond even what I had thought was possible without even knowing about it. To be so close to my Lady, to have a part of her become a part of me…was I really Anastasia anymore?

~Here~

Her voice responded in my head dripping with power yet it…I could feel her mind! When I had felt her mind before it was so utterly alien, but know…it was…familiar to me. It was as if I was linked to another human mind. It was different, yet familiar. It had to be this concept I had become. My transcendent state was the only answer I had. Did that mean my mind was as vast and utterly alien to any mortal who touched it now?

~As you have no doubt figured out, you've become more like me than anyone else. I raised you as my daughter, but now…you are closer to my literal daughter. The price of this power was my ability to have children, yet now I have you and your eldest sister.~ A warm smile came over her face at that. She pulled me closer and I soared on the feeling closeness, love and warmth. "You need to name your existence though."

~Name?~ I dared to ask. To my surprise telepathic speech worked fine, even though my voice was gone.

"Yes, name. Names are more important than anyone thinks until they reach my state. Most people never realize the truth about the need for names. It is not matter that gives shape, nor intent. Everything has an energy field, as all things are a part of creation, and intent came be as simple as existing. Intent is nothing in the larger picture, but it is the base of everything. A soul is just an energy field until it's given a name. Then it becomes something due to intent. It becomes Anastasia, Kozo, Ramond. In that moment the greatest event in the universe takes place." She paused and sighed wistfully. "It's a beautiful sight. Once you see it you never forget. The moment when the infinite universe bends into a new shape. Across infinite realities a soul is born as time and space yield to it. Even the infinite variations across infinite worlds add up to a single number, one. One is all there is. A fixed point, the person, the soul with a name given shape that's leads to intent."

My head was spinning. To think if even half of what she was saying was true…did that change anything? Were souls that special after all? To think we used them as weapons, as punishments and power sources… I had thought I was steel, but this new knowledge rocked me. Had everything I done…been an affront to the majesty of this moment my Lady loved so greatly?

She must have guess at my thoughts for she favored me with a warm smile and kissed my forehead. "Do not fear. The actions you and others took at my command in regards to the souls of the dead are not burdens I will allow you to bear. Those souls weigh on me, not you. Such is the way of the Warlords. You, our allies and friends, armies and servants are truly shielded from the horrors of the dark beyond life by our hands.

As I was saying about the need for a name. A soul needs a name to make it more than a field of energy. For those who rise above even that a name is more important than anything else. Human names have power, but CONCEPTS…need more I guess you could say. Far more power…no power is the wrong term, but I'll call it power for now…the power needed to maintain concept is like trying to keep an idea in your mind. You have to focus on it, but a CONCEPT needs more. It literally has to become you, the center of your being. Like the soul a CONCEPT it just a field, albeit one that transcends time, space, and all the rest. It exists and doesn't exist. Sort of like a cat in a box, it is both dead and alive, neither is true, yet both are true. Hence the name, to start the process of creating a CONCEPT you have to work backwards. Intent must become matter and matter becomes a field dedicated to this intent. When I reached your stage I had to name myself, the pinnacle demands a remembrance so that it will exist or risk becoming nothing."

She apparently found some amusement in that statement as she laughed a little. That pure and sweet sound was an aphrodisiac to me. The tinkling a bells in a cool evening luring one to lower their inhibitions made one never want it to end, but it came to an end too quickly.

"In short order that's why you have to name you. No one else, not even I with all my power, wisdom and might can force your CONCEPT. The question is now what is the name? What is the name of the CONCEPT you have become my daughter, my keeper of secrets?"

I thought of it for a moment. She had sent my world reeling, I didn't understand half of what she had spoken of and I was sure she had used lesser words to describe greater concepts that defied the words of mere mortals. Truly language was such a limiting factor. The stigma of my actions still hurt, she wasn't ready to let me forget the actions that had led me to this place. It made sense in a perverse way, not letting me forget that is; my intent had been shaped to some extent by those actions I had taken and the punishment that followed. ~I've decided… I'll try to find it.~

"Good, the process is simple as naming a baby. Say it with all your will, mean it, shape it, power it, give it everything! My daughter…" she trialed off happily, giving me another tight hug before she let me go. She stood and stepped away, not bothering to smooth her wrinkled clothes.

~I cannot speak.~

"Not true. You merely think you cannot speak. You can speak because the limits of flesh are not the limits of CONCEPTS. You are a CONCEPT now. Embrace it or you will vanish into true death, beyond the reach of any hand, even my own," she said in all seriousness. "Defy them and be reborn as one of us!"

A name formed in my mind, the CONCEPT I was becoming. The intent shaped by matter born from a field began to reverses. I felt it starting; my left hand began to unravel. Skin dissolved, muscles began to unravel, and bone began to return to dust. ~Help me!~ I cried in panic.

"No, master yourself," she said oddly cold. All warmth was gone as she watched me unravel before her. "Name yourself and live, daughter. There is no other option for you now."

I wracked my mind. What had I centered my life around? What was the core of my existence? Service to my Lady? War? Death? I couldn't do it! There were too many things to consider! My legs were starting to vanish and I desperately thought back. ~I can't! There's too much information!~

"Focus! You've come this far!"

Her encouragement gave me some faith. She had faced this process and defeated it. She had mastered herself. I could do it. I had to do it. I thought back, recalling memories, half dreams, thoughts, ideals anything that might give me a clue. It was there somewhere the CONCEPT of me existed. I would find it. Failure was not an option! My Lady commanded me to stand with her until the stars died; such was the oath I had sworn as a member of her Inquisition. To fail here was to break that most solemn oath I had sworn beneath of the White Throne.

Then I found it!

There it was!

A name!

Sounds!

Me!

The true me!

The CONCEPT that I formed my life around!

I knew it!

I wanted to laugh. I had always known it! Every moment of my life I had seen it and never noticed it. I focused on that CONCEPT, I made it everything. There was nothing else, nothing more or less than the summation of my CONCEPT, my everything. So hauntingly beautiful, yet hideously sad…an entire existence summed up in a single CONCEPT. It seemed cheap, contrived, but exciting, joyous and beautiful. A purpose…many went without it, but here was mine. The reason of me, the start and end of me in this one thing. Vastly large, yet infinitely small…

[….]

"Speak it!" My Lady commanded excitedly.

[…]

"Embrace it," she cried happily.

[…]

I said it.

[…I…am… … … … … … … … …]

"Do not fear it! Embrace it!"

[… … … I … … … am… … … … … … … … …]

I said it, shouted it, birthed it, shaped it, commanded it, and I changed. Now and forever I was beyond humanity. I was with my Lady. My love and devotion had brought me to this point. One out of the infinity of man, chosen to become more than just a human. Singularly unique in the whole of creation…

[Well done, my daughter. Rise and embrace the new world!]

A/N: Thus ends Chaos Stars: Chronicles of Ascension. The first leg of this saga is done. It's been a hell of a ride for me just trying to write this little thing. The ups, downs, blocks, mad hours of typing away and I wouldn't change a single experience. Yes, this fic has faults. Most of the early chapters need to be redone and expanded. I'm not happy with the first arc at all. In light of this fact, I plan to rewrite the first chapters and when the second season is complete combine season one and season two into an anthology with new, extended scenes as well as extra scenes. In essence it will be a completely new fic.

To those who have read this entire thing I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You put up with what is the equivalent of a first draft of a novel and all the faults. I hope I have delivered an adequate read in spite of all the faults.

Anyway, new twists revealed in this epilogue! Questions will not doubt be forming in the minds of my readers as to what is fact and what is fiction, who is right and who is wrong and hope they do. There are many shades of the truth, lies and poorly explained ideas the characters present in the story. More will come to light in the next season of Chaos Stars. For those of you who are fans of the Numbers I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of screen time they are going to get. Certain holes in cannon will be addressed and this AU universe is about to get real hot as the storm approaches.

So until we meet again I bid you all a fond farewell. May we meet again in the madhouse of the Warlords where the rest of the saga will start to unfold in darkness of the future that turns the idealistic into monsters, where the mad ones rule forever more (or never?).

The question is how.

The answer is why.

The time is when.

The end is now!

Bonus Section!

The epilogue was supposed to have Anastasia fighting planet side only to be cut effortlessly by Death's Princess as she tried to take the gate to the Princess's city. This was cut by by beta who suggested something that gave me inspiration for her current end.

The battle in the dimensional sea was supposed to only take place within the Sea, but the Flayers proved to be a nice addition to the setting to come.

Ironically, I wasn't aiming for as many horror type elements in this story, yet here they are. Aiding flavor or ruining the fic? That choice I leave to the reader. To think this was originally going to about deconstructing the magical girl genre and shining paragon model.

In the original outline, which I recent found by accident, the Cathedral of Ice arc was supposed to take place nine years after the Book of Darkness after an arc called Trial of Blood. A great number of ideas were taken from the original outline and incorporated to the one I am currently working under.