A/N: I'm about 23 chapters in, and upon reflection, going back, and looking through these older ones, it really is kinda cool to see how much my perspective on the characters have changed. Chapters 11-20 I think hold some of the biggest changes of all, so, I'm really happy that I get to rekindle that part of the writing again by posting them. Since this series spans about a thousand years, it's really interesting to put myself into the mindset that every hundred years is really just a blink of an eye, and that it really is all too fleeting.

It's helped me to put into perspective, more how goddess might react to mortal life, with all of that time condensed so profusely. So, that said, the other branching path is in the works, with Belldandy being Mortal. I know of at least three people here are really hoping for that storyline, and so, I've got a clear view now of what I want that story to be, and having started to write it side by side with this fiction. it's really cool because they seem to challenge each other.

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know, that branching path is in the works, and will start to be posted in late April or early May sometime.

Chapter 12

The chronicles of Keiichi's second century...

Dark times befell creation.

Though earth wasn't exactly a place he cared for anymore, he still chose to live there. He didn't dare relinquish his happy home, even though Skuld insisted that they travel to heaven, Keiichi wasn't willing to part with his tiny utopia. He had no intention of going to the underworld either, at least not when he didn't have to. His training kept him busy, yet, he would not part with the shrine.

If time was a cruel mistress for eternity, it wouldn't have surprised Keiichi. As Mars started to successfully colonize into sprawling cities, Earth faced total annihilation as many countries waged war with one another. Misfortune was on the rise, and along with it came great anarchy to the system force. Yggdrasil reacted violently, sending tremors and other ciaos to try and stop the senselessness. Finally after countless numbers of the human population had been lost, it reached a quiet period.

For a short time, Mars became the dominant power, and all of creation had to work especially hard to restore the earth to its former glory, without intervening with the natural order.

If his first hundred years in life were filled with a mix of great joy and great pain, his second hundred were filled with hard training by Hild. Often, for weeks on end, he would go to the depths of hell and learn topics that only she could teach him. He began to understand the basics in the demon realm, and the complexity behind the dark motivations.

He could finally accept them as factual, and strangely logical.

Hild was not an unkind ruler, as many would think her to be. She was loved by her people, and they were devoted to her without question. Still, she didn't tolerate insolence. Her ire was a great one, and though she never truly harmed Keiichi, he'd never given her a reason to. He was a slow but dutiful student, who would stop at nothing once threatened.

All she merely had to do was stall his return to his lover, and he would perform great tasks. Recently, he was the talk of creation itself. Heaven and hell murmured of him behind closed doors, but, Hild knew the truth. She understood what lurked in Nidhogg's deepest files, though she would never speak them to Keiichi or Tyr.

"I'm merely relaying information." There was one, however, that Hild would call. "You can take it how you see fit, Anzasu."

An angry, yet beautiful lilt came across on the phone line. "How am I supposed to take it?" The first class goddess rebuked. "Hild, if you planned this, I swear to all of the heavens, you'll pay dearly."

Hild was unimpressed with Anzasu's bluster. "Come now, I have no need to sully my hands by such off putting means." Though Anzasu couldn't see her, she smirked, overjoyed by the rage she found within the very breath of her good friend. "Bluntly speaking, you know that the heavens can't be forthright about this, I however, can be."

"I'm starting to see that." Anzasu said, venom in her voice. "Tell me then, did my husband agree to this as well?"

From the sounds of it, Anzasu was flipping through the mound of papers that littered her desk on any given day. It was one piece of paperwork particularly, that she knew addled the goddess. "I wouldn't say he planned it, but, when the system force shut down, I'm sure he saw it as an opportunity. We decided to open a treaty contract strictly after that."

"How did you find out?" Anzasu asked darkly.

"Urd called me." Hild replied coolly. "Told me to release Keiichi from training immediately, if not sooner. She even refused to tell me why. All it took was a quick look-see into Nidhogg, and I found out all that I needed to."

"You're playing hard ball, and Tyr is playing along." Anzasu said quite unhappily. "Your little game is going too far, Hild."

"I made a promise, and I intend to keep it." While she often wasn't one to make such risky moves, it was finely tuned, and had been calculated perfectly. This was simply the end result. "Belldandy will be gifted all of the happiness that can be afforded. That is all I have to say in this matter."

Without waiting for a reply, she unplugged her phone and thoroughly ignored it, and all of the ranting she was sure to come of it later. Instead, she amused herself with her abilities as a ruler. After all, it didn't takes lies and deceit to get to Tyr, or to make her point crystal clear. All it took was a simple little glitch or two, and heavenly orders to shut down the system.

After that, it all became so easy. She astounded herself with how simple everything really was, especially now. Particular interferences weren't in her way anymore, or, more accurately, Keiichi's way. There was more than one answer to perverting the system, and inadvertently get by particular codes. Sure, she may have cast a spell in her past to conceive Urd, but, that had been crude…

This was far more to her liking…and also, less damaging in the long run.

As if to play the devil's advocate, her young, but forthright attendant seemed quite bothered by her newest victory. "Lady Hild, don't you think this is unwise?" Xic asked when he brought the nightly reports to her.

She looked over to the large stone block. Onyx that she had personally chosen was slowly being chipped away to make a secondary throne. "He is to succeed me." Hild said with a bored expression, looking over the papers for all of the shares collected for today. "Is that a problem for you, Xic, bringer of death?"

"N-no not at all." He said, bowing deeply to his queen. "I meant no disrespect." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You see, it's just that those demons loyal to you, are devout to your power and judgment." He looked away a bit shyly.

"That is the way I intend for it to be." Hild said then, looking up from her papers. "Demons under my authority should be happy. I give them the freedoms to do as they wish within reason. Past rulers have not been so kind. I shouldn't receive complaint for my kindness." She quite liked this boy, a mere child though he was. "Come to me Xic." She ordered.

He did as he was told, and she put her hand over his beating heart, feeling his energy, and his fear. "I will protect you and this realm, Xic. Trust in my words." The boy nodded, but doubt still lingered. "Must I smite the heavens more?" She asked the boy. "Speak child…you mustn't be mute."

"We praise you for your kindness, because you are the queen we follow. There is no one better, no one more fitting than you." He agreed with a bow that she quickly halted.

"Then why, Xic, do you seem so concerned?" Hild asked him, pulling the young one into her arms with great care. "As a mere boy, you've already lost enough in my name. You have earned your markings, Xic, you don't need to suffer more."

"They seek your approval." Xic replied into Hild's shoulder before pulling away to face the woman who was the embodiment of hell itself. Her eyes were like daggers, but, she waited calmly, carefully…craving to find out just who she should punish. "They are curious as to why you treat your pupil with such reverence, while they toil continually, without your regard." As if he was trying hard not to commit blasphemy, he closed his eyes tightly, shaking in his terror of what backlash might come. "It's no question Hagall is very strong, and many thought she would follow in your footsteps."

Hild laughed darkly. "Is that so?" Hild asked, to which, the boy nodded. "Only a complete imbecile would grant Hagall the throne." Hild replied a bit disturbed with the mere idea. That particular demon was not a diplomat in the slightest. She was too brash, too violent, too willing to destroy what ought not to be fooled with…it was exactly that kind of future Hild endeavored to prevent. A humor, one she was sure Xic would not understand, found her voice. "Am I to assume that such statements reflect your own opinion on the matter as well, Xic?"

"Forgive me." He said, this time kneeling to the floor, again, she forced him to stand and regard her. She didn't like his fear, knowing where it came from. "It was not my intention to sound that way." Having never so much as raised her voice to the boy, such a child had no reason to fear her at all…but, it was what it was. "I didn't meant to sound as if I'm ungrateful for all that you've done."

She stood from her throne. "Xic, pick up your head and look at me." He followed her orders, and then she continued by kneeling down to his level. "Keiichi is worthy of the throne, and that is all you need to know." She told him simply. "However, should this come into question again, by anyone, allow them this knowledge; he is my chosen progeny." Hild told him. "My blood and power is the selfsame as his. I've intended it that way. To deny acknowledgement to him, is to scorn me."

"Yes, I understand." With another nod, he went back to his duties to inspect the onyx block for any imperfections. As a young boy, he was slightly curious about Keiichi's nature. "Does Urd also view him with reverence?"

Hild took a moment to think on that. "Urd views him with trust. She puts a great deal of faith in him." She finally nodded her head. "I would say she accepts him as her equal, despite what he's become." It made her angry to know that, jealous of Keiichi's luck in the matter. "In that way, I would say her respect for him is even greater than my own." Still, she would not cast such ire at Xic…she was a demon of perfect control, and she took pride in that.

Xic seemed to brighten at that. "She called you today, didn't she?" He asked, knowing that Hild had indeed receive an invoice from Urd. It was the talk of hell, when such a thing happened because it was both rare, and celebrated.

"Yes, but it wasn't for pleasantries I'm afraid." Hild replied casually. "She was looking for Keiichi. I'll tell him of her call later." Feeling parched, she took a sip of the liquor that she kept nearby. This boy suffered far too much, far too soon…and he would be a strong demon one day because of it…yet for now, she wished him peace of mind. "Xic, you should go place flowers upon the graves of your parents."

"Do you not require my services?" He asked then, feeling once again as if he was merely a burden to his people.

"What I require from you, is really very simple." Hild told him as she grabbed her sake bottle in one hand, and grabbed his hand with the other. "I need you to grow strong, and to vow to me every ounce of loyalty you have within you. If you can do that, Xic, you will always have a home, and a place within my domain." She took a sip, and regarded the boy. "Now, come along. We have flowers to place, it is time you mourn."

…

She hadn't been so pissed off in her entire life. "Tyr!" The goddess shouted, storming through the halls with an steel in her stance. Creation's law offices were stationed in a little nook found within the corner of creation itself. Everyone made way as the first class goddess, first category, searched for her husband. Her attendants were hot on her heels, until one sideways glance made them halt in panic.

Her sights set were set on Tyr, and Tyr alone. She entered his office, sending the door flying off its hinges in her wake. "What in the name of creation do you think you're doing?" She hissed.

"We're in trouble." Skuld rightfully crouched behind her desk when her mother glared at her.

"Trouble is when I catch you disassembling my appliances to build robots." Anzasu told her daughter. "This is more than common place mischief."

"Um, right." Skuld said, now completely under her desk.

"Skuld, come out from hiding." Tyr said, a bit gruffly. "Your mother is simply mildly annoyed."

"I'm fine, really." Skuld didn't budge. "I've got to fix the wires down here anyway." She chirped nervously. "They're all tangled."

"Skuld dear, you needn't worry. This is a matter between your father and myself." Anzasu said primly before turning to her husband. "Furthermore, I'm not mildly annoyed, I'm livid!" She bellowed before calming down only slightly. "Now I'll ask you again. What do you think you're doing?"

Tyr sighed at great length. "The same thing I always do, try to balance out the heavenly shares." He returned to his terminal, when his wife unplugged it. "What now, Anzasu?"

"What is this?" She asked shoving a piece of paper in his face.

"A transferal form." Tyr said, leaning back in his chair, his long black hair got in his way, and he flicked some tendrils behind his back.

"Do you think this is funny?" She berated him.

"Not particularly, no." Tyr replied with a dull expression. "Why do you ask?"

"That's your daughter, Tyr!" Anzasu shouted. "Find someone else!"

He knew this was going to happen when he'd first arranged the agreement, but now he almost regretted it. "There is no one else." He said sternly. "I have to do what needs to be done."

The goddess was unimpressed, standing her ground. "I have supported your whims for long enough." Anzasu told him. "When you wanted to give Keiichi to the demons, I was a bit worried at first, but I accepted it for what it was." She began, ticking her frustrations off on her fingers. "When you decided, in your infinite wisdom, to have Skuld trained here, I could understand. She could do with strict training that comes with her new job." This was one thing, however, that Anzasu would not agree with. "However, this is where the buck stops."

"Beg your pardon?" Tyr asked, quite indignantly. "I didn't realize you thought you had authority in this matter."

"Denied..." Anzasu scolded. ""You will not dictate Belldandy's life too. Hild's already meddling enough without your help."

"Everything is going as planned." Tyr said calmly. "You will not have to worry, Belldandy is a strong goddess." He said, trying to appease his wife.

"Tyr…" Anzasu warned him sternly.

"I speak only the truth." Tyr said then, befuddled. "Belldandy is a very well bread goddess, dutiful, and kind." Looking to his wife in sure confusion, he merely shrugged. "I don't see the issue." It was the wrong thing to say. Anzasu was on to him, he knew. Yet, he could not lie, nor deny that he did indeed, make a treaty agreement with Hild.

"If you do anything..." Anzasu steadied her voice, as her hands fell on her hips. Tyr rolled his eyes, knowing that stance all too well. "And I do mean anything else…anything at all to give Belldandy and Keiichi trouble, I will seal you in a teacup…"

She would do it too, and Tyr knew it. As was the way their lover's spats normally ended up. Most wisely stayed out of martial arguments that resulted in a sealing, especially if it was Anzasu's temper that was provoked. "Yes, well you won't have to worry." He said as he cleared his throat. "Belldandy will be learning her place here thoroughly. She is to take my place among the council, she'll be a fitting goddess for the task. Trust in my words."

Anzasu crossed her arms. "When I asked for one of our children to help carry on our line of work, I meant Urd. She could use some time to really get to know her mother, even if you do detest the idea."

"Urd has her place, down on earth. She has no intention of being friendly with Hild, anyway." Tyr replied easily, offhandedly disturbed by the thought of Urd and Hild actually getting along. He knew it wasn't very likely, but, he didn't approve of the idea either way. "I have decided that Belldandy would be best. Do not question my reasoning, I have spoken."

"I knew we should have kept trying for a son. Even if we had failed, it would at least have kept you busy." Anzasu sighed at her husband. "Now listen, I understand that you believe in your heart, of deepest hearts, that you know what's best for them." She shook her head. "I still beg to differ."

"Differ all you like." Tyr said, not giving an inch, nor bending to his wife's plea. "It won't change the fact that this was put into motion long ago. Belldandy will take her rightful place, and that's merely the end of it."

"Oh, it'll be the end alright." Anzasu grabbed the teacup that was on Skuld's desk, and poured the contents of it on the floor. "One good reason, Tyr." She said placing the cup in front of him. "It had better be exemplary."

He rolled his eyes, wondering why he decided to fall in love with such complicated women. Many gods would laugh at Tyr's choices, since both Hild and Anzasu were not women to trifle with. It wouldn't be the first time his wife had sealed him inside of something unpleasant, but he didn't want to be crammed into anything again, at least not any time soon. "I promised Hild I would leave behind a legacy that could not be thwarted, as long as she promised to do the same. It is a binding agreement."

"Explain." Anzasu frowned, letting that sink in. "How exactly do you plan to do that?"

Tyr merely shrugged. "You know, Anzasu, there are some merits to Keiichi being a demon." He wasn't happy about the agreement, but he had to admit, when Hild was right, she was right. She was not entirely unsound, as many in heaven would have liked to believe. Quite the contrary in fact, Hild's intelligence could easily be argued to be greater than most in creation. "I'm not saying that it has to happen, but, now that he is a demon, I would say it's only a matter of time. Hild's request is one we should honor. I see it befitting, don't you agree?"

"Why did I bed down with such a convoluted god?" Anzasu relented, her mouth dry, and her head pounding. This was truly not her fondest moment. "Alright, I won't seal you today." She finally told him, catching the hint of what he was saying. She still wasn't sure she liked it though. "However, let it be known, if you do anything like this again without telling me, you will thoroughly regret it." She told him, wagging her finger, as if somehow that would intimidate him further. "I mean it Tyr, no more."

When her mother left, Skuld looked up from her desk, blinking as she looked over at the shroud that concealed her father. "Dad?" Skuld asked a bit nervously.

"Yes?" Tyr was exasperatedly plugging his terminal back in so that he could power it back up.

"Mom was really, really angry. I was thinking maybe we shouldn't do this." Skuld said then, eying the broken door and the hall, as if she might come storming back in at any moment. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Skuld." Tyr nodded, though he knew his daughter couldn't see him. "Proceed to call Peorth and confirm Belldandy's license transfer. I want her to be identified as first class, first category, unlimited."

"Um, okay." Skuld dialed the number, doing as she was told, but somewhere in the back of her mind her worry crept up again. She began slouching in her chair, as if that would magically protect her from her mother's fury "Hey Peorth..." Skuld said when the other goddess answered the line. "I need you to do something, and you aren't going to like it..."