Chapter 20

A blast of air, water, and fire made Keiichi and Skuld fly backwards. Keiichi flew directly into the ground, leaving an impression of his body in the soil. Skuld was catapulted high into the sky from the blast, finally falling onto the roof of the house with a hard crack to the head. Both sat up, unscathed, and yet out of breath. Keiichi jumped up first, dusting himself off, as yet another round was called to a close by Belldandy.

"She's getting stronger." Belldandy said with a smile. "I'm happy that she could turn to you for help, Keiichi."

"I need the practice." Keiichi shrugged. "Besides, I've been wielding fire for so long, it might be good to learn a bit more than low level water magic." Facing any goddess was difficult though, the sparring matches were much more complicated when he knew his partner was an actual goddess, equally matched when it came down to the wire. He was weak to water magic, Skuld's base attunement. He was at a disadvantage for that alone.

"Skuld, I want you to focus more on your ability to dodge his attacks." Belldandy instructed carefully from her place. Holybell was acting as a grounding medium for any of Skuld's wayward attacks, since Noble Scarlet was also merely an angel in training. "As a goddess with limited magical reserves, you'll need to consider your position. Utilize tactical offense, instead of total defense."

"Keiichi, that goes for you too. You've got power, but you're a glass cannon. If you use too much on defense, you'll have none for offense." Urd said, standing near Keiichi, using World of Elegance to keep his demonic power from doing unfixable damage to the earth without meaning to. These were intermediate level spells that these two trainees were using, and unlike simple elemental magic, this was designed to do abrasive damage. Earth was not a place that could yet deal with such raw, unchecked power. Even with a first class license, Keiichi had much to learn, especially with his devil making him stronger by the day.

The fact that Skuld was now training under a first class, limited, meant that she could cause undue amounts of havoc. A mere healing spell wouldn't be enough to offset the pure force that the two combatants had to use at their disposal.

"Belldandy, lets switch to some theoretical intermediate magic for today." Urd suggested, having noticed that both Skuld, and Keiichi were quite exhausted. Koiji looked ready to go for blows again, and Noble Scarlet seemed the same, but their masters were both unable to fight any longer without repercussions.

Belldandy considered this, and nodded. "Elemental barrier manipulation?" Belldandy then asked.

"That's easy enough." Urd shrugged in agreement. "Alright guys, let's go back to some rudimentary learning for a second."

"Elementals again?" Skuld sighed, and Keiichi rolled his eyes, but didn't complain.

Belldandy nodded. "As you know, there are four schools of magic in which all spells are derived." She stretched out a bit, going back to core magical values that even a child knew, thinking it best to review. "Elemental magic, barrier magic, psychic magic, and creation manipulation magic." It went without saying, that the final type of magic on the list wasn't often used. "Each one of these has four types of spells."

"We know, we know…" Skuld muttered. "Level one, or known as a base spell, is what every immortal needs to make the higher level ones work." She was starting to get bored, and half hoped to get back to fighting, if she could avoid the lecture. "Level two spells are known as intermediate level, and can only be used by immortals of a second class or higher. Level three, known as high level magic, can only be used by a second class, unlimited license holder, or first class immortal."

"That's right." Urd nodded. "The final class level is known as restricted. Those spells are the strongest, and can only be used by a first class, unlimited license holder." With that, Urd gave a weary glance over to Belldandy. "The only problem is, in order to use them, you have to have your seals lifted…either by breaking them, or by being granted authority."

"The wind arrow, for prime example." Belldandy nodded. "That's one of the restricted spells that I can use, when given the authority, or by removing my seal entirely. Ironically enough, even if it is classified under restricted, it is considerably weak compared to other spells that could be used."

"But that's the thing, isn't it?" Keiichi said, thinking back to the training Hild had given him. "The restricted spells are specific to the element we're most attuned to." That meant his was fire, as that was his strongest element. "I know yours is wind, Skuld's is water, and Urd's is electricity…but what about Hild? We've seen her use manipulation magic to restore Urd back to her proper self. Hild's strength is wind, just like you, Belldandy. How did she make a ground array so powerful?"

"That's because she used restricted creation manipulation magic." Belldandy told him. "Simply put, even if she could make the array on her own, she couldn't have cast the spell on her own. As a demon, she can't cast heavenly spells, even if she can work heavy code into her array."

"Restricted spells need teamwork." Urd went on to say, a shiver dancing its way down her spine. "Most of them require multiple casters to get the job done. Not that it really matters, at least not right now." Remembering Hild's raw power did horrible things to her brain. "Restricted magic is too complicated for either of you anyway. You guys would likely kill yourselves if you tried to learn those things."

"Yeah…no doubt." Keiichi agreed with a shudder.

"Keep something in mind." Urd said as she looked up at her angel. "There's a synergy with any magic that you use, and when you cast a spell, you can combine them." It was so very elementary to Urd and Belldandy, but for Skuld and Keiichi, combining two schools of magic was like diving into the deep end of the pool without a lifejacket. They simply couldn't do it safely. "Elemental barrier magic, is one such combination."

"What I'm going to teach you now, is a very powerful, yet intermediate water type attack." Belldandy said, as sat floating in the air. Her combat garb hugged her form and her staff floated at her side. Since water elemental magic was not her specialty, she had to be in full combat form to make use of the spells made for destruction. It had no incantation, unlike a high level water spell, but it did require quite a bit of time to prepare.

She pulled droplets of water together out of the condensation in the air, forming a funnel around her body. It stayed there, whirling around, and she sat floating in an open space. "This is a basic level one, water spirit defensive funnel." She said, her voice muting quite a bit from the water that surrounded her. "However, even if it can be a defensive maneuver, water is just like wind. It can be very easily manipulated." Once she had collected enough water, she cast her hand to the side, and in doing so, the water froze, shards of ice went flying towards Urd without warning.

A single bolt of electricity was enough to crush the ice into a fine mist that made the air spark until everything had dissolved. "Water can be a double edged sword. Anyone can manipulate it, even your opponent." Urd retorted. "Don't forget that." Electricity was much more complicated to change at will, and using her hand to fire off an electric burst, low level though it was, it forced the water around Belldandy to dissipate, least the funnel amplify the shockwave.

They could sense crying from the house, and Belldandy rolled her eyes. It hadn't even been an hour, and already, Megumi had awoken from her nap. "Well, I guess that calls training off for now." Belldandy said, as her angel when to retrieve the little girl. "We'll have to do more with it later."

Skuld looked over to Keiichi. "We should regenerate, and then have another sky dual." She said, wanting to get in as much practice with an actual demon as possible.

"Sounds good." Keiichi smirked, his devil offering an indignant snort in reply, enjoying the idea of another good fight.

…

It was a mother's job to worry. To sit at her place, and watch her children grow. Anzasu had been blessed with two daughters of her own blood, and a child that had come to her when the child's heart chose to be a goddess. Hild would never admit it, but, she so loathed not being able to stand at her daughter's side. It would often tear Hild apart inside, when her child so wished her to be there, and as a demon, she wasn't able to be. Hild hated creations laws for that, even now.

Anzasu knew…she could see it in Hild's eyes.

The journey they traveled together was a special one. They both followed the strict paths that had been placed before them by their parents. They both struggled to find themselves among creation. They, both loved the same man, and gave birth to his daughters. Now, they both stood watching what they knew they could not stop. There was no point to intervene. For all of the power they knew ran through their souls, they could not stop the illness that would forever change creation.

"Watching this, reminds me of our youth." Anzasu said with a soft smile, the distant memory was one she held so fondly in her heart.

"Well, they're only children, after all." Hild returned with a laugh.

"Well, not so little." Anzasu replied, watching Skuld glide through the air was more magical than any spell. "Belldandy is a mother herself…I'm a grandmother. It seems so unbelievable that I'm fated not to see the new age. To think that these young souls will bring forth a brighter future is a bit overwhelming."

"That's exactly my point." Hild's joy fell, and something grew hard in her eyes, and in her heart. "Even my little Urd is still so young. It's easy to forget that they're only a few eons old…struggling to find their place. Urd and Belldandy have many trials ahead of them, and little Skuld is just a babe in the grand scheme of things." It seemed befitting, in all of her years of life, she had never found another man like Tyr, never sought for a different god or demon after him. "They're all still so very naïve. Every single one of them"

"Urd has your eyes, Hild." Anzasu had always felt that way. That Hild and Urd were indeed mother and daughter in a way that the young goddess would never understand. Perhaps it was befitting. "Urd cares for Keiichi. She watches over him in the same way you used to watch over Tyr. It's not a coincidence, it's not fate. That's merely how is."

"Then she will be burned." Hild said distantly. "She will know little more than pain if she falls for that demon, because that is what Keiichi has become."

"Perhaps not." Anzasu murmured in thought. "Urd and Belldandy are a united front, they've always supported each other."

"Anzasu…if I…" Hild cut herself off, a scowl making her displeasure known. "Never mind."

"You would resort to cowardice?" Anzasu laughed. "That's unlike you."

"I loved Tyr." Hild said pointedly with a darkness that seemed to engulf her. "With every ounce of my heart. My very being was to be his." She sighed with a shake of her head. "I do not regret having his child, nor do I regret that my child is a goddess." What made her angry now, was watching Urd live through such a hell herself. "However, she will be damned if she makes the same mistake. Living as long as we do, it's a very painful thing to be alone."

"Don't tell me you're going to confess all of your sins now." Anzasu didn't turn to look at her friend. She didn't dare to find out what was lurking in the eyes of the demon. Chances were, there was a deeply burning pain, and Anzasu knew better than to pick at old scars. "There's no redemption in that, Hild."

"No, I suppose there isn't." The demon said quietly. "Yet, there is no solace in solitude." She turned on her heel, she couldn't watch anymore of the display on the screen. She couldn't accept what she knew she saw…what would never be addressed…what would remain unrequited. "I admitted defeat because it was you, Anzasu." It was far too close to the old days, and a struggle she understood too well. "Urd will not act on her feelings, because it is Belldandy. The cycle continues."

The goddess merely let out a sigh and closed her eyes. It was clear, the things the demon would not say. Hild would never let her pride down long enough, but, Anzasu could read between the lines. It was so easy to see, so easy to remember a time when things were so much more simplistic than they were now. "I love you too, Hild."

"That's the thing I hate about goddesses." Hild smirked, just the tiniest bit of gentleness behind her words. "They babble on about things best left unsaid."