Chapter 21
There was something very strange about a devil holding his child in his arms. It wasn't something males did, as it wasn't in their capacity to understand the needs of others. Children were unable to fend for themselves, and that didn't particularly appeal to devils in the long run. Sure, once in a while they might take a passing interest. Yet, like a kitten to water, it would yield the same result. A very befuddled, often unhappy creature, with no idea what to do. Koiji however, knew his master partook of the duties befitting of a sire, and even did things that weren't natural for a demon to do.
Keiichi was very active in his daughter's life. Though the devil hadn't a clue why, Koiji envied Keiichi his position, and saw fit to try and mimic Keiichi's actions.
Koiji may not have understood the feelings behind the happy giggles, and Megumi's insistence about being near him, but Koiji also didn't mind it. In fact, he often demanded it. Below him, there was one very annoyed goddess and her angel was tittering away at him. They kept their distance, least he would swipe at them again with his claws. The goddess, Urd, was spouting invectives, and her angel did the same in a heavenly tongue.
He shook with silent laughter. There was nothing they could do to stop him, so long as he kept holding Megumi. He hopped a little higher in the tree, and fluffed out his wings, protecting the little one from the gentle breeze that was just a tad cool for the season. He simply didn't care that he was addling the goddess that remained on the ground. He continued to fly about, ignoring them.
The toddler in his arms would start to fuss when their shouting became too loud, and Koiji, unwilling to relent, went off in search of a quiet place once again. That was when Urd had reached her wits end. Even if she couldn't get the wayward devil to listen, she knew there were others who could.
Belldandy had been absentmindedly listening to the ruckus outside, but, it was so normal to hear shouting on any given day. She merely stretched out, reclining in the bathtub, trying to chase away the sense of foreboding that crept up on her. Somehow, she knew she was going to be unduly interrupted, as that was the running theme whenever there was a shouting match. Still, she put up a small barrier, least the tranquility of the bathroom find itself in shambles with her inside. It wouldn't be the first time, and she knew it would be far from the last, if her family had their way about it.
"Would you do something?!" Urd roared, coming into the bathroom in absolute fury, flinging the door aside and marching right in.
"Do you mind?" Belldandy sighed, unhappy about her bath being disturbed. Still, she had no intention of moving if she could help it. She also didn't take the time to cover herself up, either, considering that it was merely her eldest sister making the fuss. "It wouldn't hurt any of you to learn a bit of common courtesy." She asked, leaning over the side.
"Tell that to Koiji. That damned devil took Megumi, and he refuses to put her in her to bed." Urd groused, and Belldandy could tell there was no point to linger in the warm water any longer. "Where's Keiichi?" Urd nearly barked, when she saw that her sister seemed uninterested in Koiji's little tirade.
"Leave him be, Urd. He's in the forest with Holybell, helping with advanced barrier training. Skuld needs to learn to deflect demonic attacks, and who better to help than Keiichi?" Belldandy said, hoisting herself out of the bath. On the counter, she had her blue glowing potion waiting for her, and she drank it slowly with her eyes closed, saying a soft prayer. As soon as she finished, she dressed herself in her garb. "Now then, where's Koiji?"
"Who the hell knows?!" Urd ranted. "He flew off, with Megumi in his arms."
Belldandy sighed. "You calm down, and I'll deal with Koiji." She could sense him strongly, and knew that he was actually floating just above the house, hiding away in a nook that wasn't easily seen from the ground. Huddled there, he cradled Megumi, holding the little girl to his chest. With one clawed finger he very carefully, and gently pushed her bangs to the side, and fluffed his dark wings some more.
"There you are." Belldandy said with a soft smile.
He soundlessly snarled at her, his fangs and claws extended as his wings reared back, contorting unnaturally in an aggressive manner.
"Koiji…" Belldandy warned, knowing full well she couldn't exactly use her powers on him. At least, not while her little girl was in his possession. "Be civil, or I'll call Keiichi."
Koiji seemed to think on that with a roll of his eyes. That threat didn't appeal to him, and he quickly rethought his greeting. He retracted his fangs to a normal length, but that still didn't mean he was interested about having the goddess so close to him. He was less willing to revert the long spikes at the tips of his fingers back to their normal length, but he begrudgingly complied.
Having noticed that the he was waking the little girl, he purred in a tone that rumbled deep within his chest, ignoring the goddess. The tiny creature seemed to like that.
"What are you doing up here? You can't possibly find this place comfortable." She said to him, much more at ease now that he didn't look like he was going to take a swipe at her.
Mine… He spoke to her directly through the bonded link he shared with Holybell, something he wasn't normally interested in doing. That half goddess is irritating, and that Elegance of hers is surely a creature from the bowels. The devil said, as he curled his dark wings around him a little more, as if to shelter the child from even the goddess in front of him. She is mine, so I brought her away from the noise. The tiny one didn't seem to like it.
"Megumi is ours. Keiichi and I are the parents to the form she takes now. When she hatches her egg, then you will meet the embodiment of her soul, and the child that is in your image. Her deity will be the child that you and Holybell have made from your deepest feelings for one another." Belldandy corrected, as she took the chance to sit beside him. "Megumi's soul reflected."
Mine anyway… He growled again. The little one curled into him, and his chest swelled with a feeling of pride. She wanted his attention, not the goddess's. It made him smirk a little, quite happy at that knowledge. She seeks me.
"You do love Megumi, don't you?" She asked him softly with a gentle smile.
Love was not something he had the capacity to understand. He was a devil made for combat, for protection, and making a statement among other males in a place where war and arguing ran rampant. He was the embodiment of the darkness held within Keiichi, and he made it known. Even now, he didn't understand the reason behind taking interest in the child. He looked down at the little girl as if she were an odd trinket, or a plaything he had never seen before…yet, he was careful not to jostle her, as she took rest in his presence.
He cocked his head to the side, growling again, this time in confusion. I am a devil. I do not require love.
"You love Holybell, don't you?" Belldandy asked him, already knowing that much was true.
She's my soul mate, and also mine. He groused, as if the goddess in front of him was clearly very stupid. This is not a soul mate…this is my pet…this Megumi.
That made Belldandy giggle. She forgot how young Keiichi was in terms of his immortal soul. The devil reflected that as well, it seemed. Belldandy pulled an egg from around her neck. It was the egg that had been made with the powers of blessings given to Belldandy the day Megumi was born. It would one day become Megumi's other half. The magical part of her soul, sealed away, until she was ready for it. "This is your daughter, Koiji." Belldandy said. "This little egg, right here."
He looked at it, and then gave it a sniff, wondering what in the world seemed to dangle from that chain like a pendant. Then he frowned, and became disinterested. I have no use for a bauble. He explained, returning to the task at hand, watching over Megumi. She's satisfactory. I am pleased.
Belldandy sighed, trying to not look nearly as amused with his antics as she felt. "Megumi should sleep in her own bed."
I am pleased, goddess. Koiji growled pointedly. She is resting, she doesn't need a bed.
"You'll hold her through the entire night?" Belldandy asked. Koiji nodded. "Then I suppose there is little else we need to discuss. I know you'll protect her, but if she begins to feel a chill, it would be best to bring her inside. Do you understand?" He growled, but nodded one last time.
There was no use fighting with him. Holybell… Belldandy called to her own angel, who she could feel was offering Skuld some sort of magical reinforcement.
Yes master? The angel asked, though she seemed strained from whatever she was doing.
Koiji is being stubborn, not to mention, acting quite strangely. Belldandy explained, she could hear her angel giggle. Belldandy knew angels and devils could communicate with one another, and also used each other to communicate with their masters, but even so, Belldandy was not very familiar with the devil. Holybell, however, knew Koiji quite well. I've never seen a devil do the things he does.
Master, I assure you that all is well. Megumi will be okay. He's quite fond of her, even if he is a little possessive. She stopped speaking as she cast another spell. The incantation took quite a while. He listens to me, so I'll tuck her into bed once I'm done ungluing Keiichi from the tree.
Ungluing Keiichi from a tree? Belldandy asked, slightly alarmed. Do you need any help?
No, Skuld and I can manage. It's not as bad as it might sound. The angel reported. It's late, you should go relax. I know I've become a drain on your powers. We will return home soon, I promise.
Please do. Belldandy said then, with a yawn. She was indeed quite sleepy, and craved a nice long rest.
…
Hild had several reservations about creation, and most of them admittedly came as answers when nothing else could. The laws of creation were made to be tried, tested, bent, and broken. They were not the wisest plans, and not without fault, but at least they were effective. She knew that, but, she also despised sloppy work. It was because she would not forgive the past transgressions, that had so utterly wronged her, that she refused to let the realities maintain their vice-like grip over creation.
Hild also refused to leave the cleanup to the new generation.
"I do not understand what this will do." Anzasu replied, having been brought to a chamber well away from most areas in creation. This had to be a pocket universe. "Just what do you intend to do."
"Just simply watch and learn." The demon said, with little in the way of explanation.
Her power might have been limitless, but creation was not, and her mind had toiled away for quite a long time before Hild found an adequate solution. She could not simply cast a spell and blow the judgment gate into irreparable dust, though she dearly wanted to. She could not simply render it useless with a curse either, doing so would strike fear into the hearts of many, and those who dared to pass through would only receive the curse she placed upon it.
She also couldn't cast a barrier…that had been tried, and proven to fail every single time.
Hild simply had to do something though…something that would render the gate meaningless. Something that would prove it was not a gate to be coveted, but rather, despised. That it was nothing but a malignant tumor, upon which those of creation set unfounded ideals. That however, was not the only issue she took with creation. Though, it was her personal hatred towards the gate, that sent her ire into an unending flame.
She was after all, a woman scorned by that damnable rock mouth.
"Xic, disrobe and come before me." She ordered. Wordlessly, the boy nodded, doing as he was told. She positioned him directly into the center of the circle, and began chanting an incantation, that made the circle glow, then, she turned to Anzasu. "What you're about to see is a forbidden practice, and it stays between the two of us. Not even a murmur of its use will be spoken."
"Is this some sort of pact?" Anzasu asked her. "A formal contract?"
"Yes." Hild replied. "In return for not ratting me out, I will teach you how to build this array. You'll find it to be invaluable, trust me."
"Alright." Anzasu breathed unhappily.
The other issue Hild took with creation, was the doublet system. She saw a good logic behind the system, but, it had to be a logic used by good, forthright people. Demons were not such creatures, and even the heavens had minds that could snap at particular implications. Further addled by the judgment gate, the doublet system caused an unforeseeable influx in unhappy immortals. It drove anger and resentment into souls that should not have kept such feelings.
What was two systems, necessitated by war, and driven by tradition, fell by the wayside for this younger generation who didn't need them.
In fact there were many who denied the sanctity of the doublet, and reached for their furthest memories, to discover who they were bound by. If that were not enough, many from the heavens and hells both, fled to places far from the center of creation seeking a homeland where no such laws existed. Due to such extremes, there were biomes under Hild's control, where she gave shelter to those questionable immortals in need of guidance.
She knew for a fact, that harmony could be found among likeminded, logical, self-serving creatures…ones who knew better than to disvalue life, or bring it into question. It wasn't without its fair share of strife, and it had its limitations. Some beings were simply incompatible, and that was merely the way of it. She could not change the truth, but, she use it for example.
That example, lead to her choice in Keiichi.
For all of her true intent, earth was now a similar biome, simply one within its infancy. Still, the fact that his shrine could maintain both holy, and unholy entities…that mortals could live alongside of immortals, and strive to reach beyond their limitation, proved that there was indeed hope. However, there was no quick and easy solution...however, if anyone could find a way to make creation into such a place, that person was Keiichi.
"Are you sure about this?" Xic asked, as Hild's powers painted his body in seals from head to toe.
"You are a bringer of death, but, more than that, you are a vessel for you magic." She told him. "You are a powerful young lad, but, you will never be able to harness such power, as it stands now. Simply put, it isn't within your jurisdiction." She could use his raw power for something though…something that would give her a resolution to one of her problems. "Fear not, because I have chosen you to be the first of many."
Giving power to the magical inscriptions upon his person, Hild pulled forth her own portal to the judgment gate, her only key, and sealed it within the boy. When the glow subsided, she studied him as he began to dress. The seals had dissipated, and the no one would be the wiser. That made her smirk, it was much easier to hide the gate in plain sight, than it would ever be to destroy it.
"As you can see, Anzasu, it proves useful." Hild replied. "If the holders of the gate, can't call forth the gate themselves, it'll force couples to travel there on foot. Xic will never know the incantation, and, if we do that with every key, it will eventually lack someone to summon it. " She crossed her arms, giving her goddess friend a smirk. "If we can hide away all of the keys, we shall only have that damn rock to contend with, and that can easily be thwarted."
"It won't get rid of the gate." Anzasu replied sternly. "It won't get rid of the traditions."
"There is no need to destroy, what will eventually have no use." Hild said with a smirk. "Creation must adapt slowly, I do not deny that. Slow and careful planning will yield the greatest result. All that we must to, is make the gate a burden to bear...make it so that creation itself, condemns its very use."
"Of all the ways, why this?" Anzasu queried. "Why the boy?"
"Creation is incapable of sudden changes, and I do not seek war." Hild could only be a little bitter about that. "This plan will only see fruition after all of the keys have been removed from play." Even so, it was the best she could do, to accommodate the most natural removal of the gate. "Our job now, is to render the idea of interspecies trial as useless."
"I don't see why you strive to promote this anarchy." Anzasu shook her head. "I agree that the gate is not failsafe. I understand that it casts harsh, sometimes even undue judgment…but it is our way. It is a thing of our creation, our livelihood."
"The gate will die out with us, and be reborn anew." Hild shrugged, her eyes returning to Xic. "I see nothing wrong with such a truth. They have no need for it as it stands now, so they simply won't use it. Step down, Anzasu, let our traditions die. This is the first step into the abyss...trust that I understand what must be done."