Chapter 28

"This is stupid." A young voice muttered unhappily. "Why hasn't she come back?" Megumi asked, more to herself, than the woman behind her, who feared to go back to heaven with her family at war with themselves. "Where is she?"

Keiichi was summoned to the hells, but Belldandy had not yet been called back to heaven. She took advantage of that, pointedly ignoring her duties. She wanted to stay on earth for as long as possible. As she hung clothes on the line, she found herself unsure of the answers to her child's questions. It was troubling, Belldandy had to agree. Yet, she also knew that time was something both very cruel, and universally important. Waiting was a game best learned while young.

Urd seemed to think Hild wouldn't come back, but Belldandy suspected otherwise. Still, even if waiting was the answer, silence was not. She had to say something, but knew most of it would sound empty. "Hild is a very busy immortal, Megumi. She doesn't have the luxury to do every little thing she wishes, even if she acts like she does. Hild's bound to her duties too, and she takes them with grave severity." Belldandy offered, but the young demon didn't glance at her at all…didn't even acknowledge that her mother was worrying about her. "You're bruised again, did you fight?"

"Does it matter?" Megumi muttered, climbing the branches she could reach.

Belldandy sighed. "I suppose not to a demon." She had to relent that, it was their way of life. Aggression was so much to them, their part of creation drenched and delighted in such natures. Even Urd was quick to aggression, and not all goddesses were above the idea. It was easy to forget how kind Keiichi really was, and, adversely, how gentle Hild had really been. Some animal in creation ate their young, and, it was such a truth founded by the demons themselves.

To say they could consume their own offspring's power wasn't far from the truth…as some demons were never meant to reach adulthood, finding their demise much younger than that. Yet, Megumi had been spared much of that, in the way of merely a slap on the cheek. It was odd, and yet, that selfsame confusion seemed to pain Megumi greatly.

In that way, this waiting was perhaps the worst torture of all.

Belldandy couldn't stand to watch it, knowing that Urd was hiding her true fury, and that Keiichi hadn't a clue how to feel about Hild's actions. Her own wavering soul wanted little more to reach out to her daughter, but the child sought only Koiji. The devil who knew nothing of his true origin could never be enough, or so Belldandy felt. "Megumi, what in this creation did I do? How could I have wronged you so terribly?" She asked quietly, looking up to the tree that her eldest daughter found shelter in. "What can I possibly do to atone for that? I will do anything within my power to help you, anything you need of me."

"Stupid…" Megumi said from her place high above. "Grandma's right, goddesses don't get it."

"You're right about that." Belldandy said as she finished hanging the linens. She came to sit at the foot of the tree, looking up into the branches. "Despite my ineptitude, because am a goddess, because I know that can never possibly understand the way you feel, I will still continue to try." She hoped the admittance would get the girl to look at her, just once. "I vow to you, Megumi, I will always love you. I will use that feeling to give me the strength I need as your mother, and hope that it is enough…that you will at least accept my endeavor, even if it is inadequate."

"Whatever..." Megumi muttered, unsure how to accept that.

…

During his long visits at the deepest part of hell itself, Keiichi stayed in the same residence as Hild. As such he had his own room, lavished with all of the comforts that his status had to offer him, and when Megumi had her long days of training, she too, found herself a place to stay in the unusually quant home that Hild called her own.

Hild was an odd demon, lavished with luxuries in front of the populace, but, much more casual when on her own. As much as riches, fame, and fortune might appeal to her nature, so too did a glass of liquor and hot bath. One might even say, Hild preferred the simplicity from behind closed doors, as it was far closer to the life Urd, herself, enjoyed.

Hild had house guests occasionally, gentleman callers who at first he assumed offer services of a sexual nature. He later found out, much to his surprise, that although she might take a female demon into her bed on occasion, she had not once taken a man to her bed since her short lived romance with Tyr. She had no qualms about satiating particular needs, nor the questionable manner in which she acquired such a thing. However, Hild was very prideful about keeping her loyalty to the only man she cared about at any length.

To say that Hild loved Tyr, even now, went without saying…

Her motives were always carefully weighed in everything she did. Keiichi knew that. From love, to motherhood, to leading her very people, Hild was a woman who seemed chained by the ideal of consequence, because even if she damned herself by it, she also respected it. Perhaps, sometimes too much. As the demons themselves often overlooked such a thing, he found it strange that Hild held those details above even her own whims, as direct as they could be.

Now, he felt empty, as he considered just how long it had been since his child had come down to receive formal training, and, how much it was crushing her to be left behind. Keiichi found himself bothered by the string of events, but there was nothing he could do. This was another one of those heavy chains of consequence that Hild had carefully instructed him about. Training any young demon was dangerous, because they could so easily become bloodthirsty monsters. She advised him against coddling Megumi at any length for the time being. Her outright order was to ignore Megumi for the present moment.

As Hild had told him in a seemingly uncaring shrug, the nightmares of the heavens were not exactly unfounded myths, but merely truths tainted by time.

It was hard on him to pretend he didn't care...he sighed as he made his way down the long corridor, and into the only bathroom that Hild kept in the home. A large spring was something that she kept hot and roaring with life. Through the mist, he could tell she was within the depths and he was going to turn around, but her voice called to him. "Bathe with me." She told the man.

"I-in here?" Keiichi asked, a bit incredulous.

"You're a demon, Keiichi." Hild told him calmly, with just a hint of aggravation at the edges of her tone. "Do try to act like one, would you?" Her smoky voice echoed gently on the walls. "It wouldn't due to leave behind a leader who can't squash down his modesty, besides, this too, is training of yours."

Her point was a strong one, but furthermore, he knew better than to refuse. For all he knew, she might very well disrobe him and toss him into the water head first…that wasn't an outcome he deemed appealing. The mist was thick, and the most she would be able to see was his shadow. He sighed his agreement. Keiichi disrobed quickly, and got into the waters, being sure to stay as far away from the demon queen as he could. The silence was a cold one, and, in his mind, quite awkward.

"Keiichi…" She sighed, and he jumped a little.

"Y-yeah?" He replied, a bit of a squeak to his voice.

"Your future edges closer, and as it nears, my rein comes closer to an end." She wondered how best to tell him without causing undue alarm, but found it quite difficult. "I'm growing ill, and with each passing day, it slowly gets worse. Those of us in creation who are unable to progress evolutionary ideals any further, will cease to exist. The magnitude is a great one, and the price will weigh heavily on those who are left behind. You are to carry my burden upon your shoulders to the best of your ability."

"I doubt I'm ready to do that alone." Keiichi said hesitantly. "I'm not strong enough, and at this rate, I know I won't be given the respect I deserve." He spoke as the future patriarch of the hells, the ruler who would be known as a father to many orphaned young demons, and as the great king, who would preside over all demons within creations fold. "I thought I would have more power."

"You will not be alone." Hild replied then, in the depth of the fog. "If I promise you anything, Keiichi, it's that you will have help of some nature…though the nature itself is questionable." Using her hand and the murmurings of a spell, she pulled the powers from the mist, visions of a future sat before them. "This isn't just any spring, but rather a seer's spring...it tells of the future."

Keiichi couldn't see anything, only the fog. "I must not be favored by the spring." He said. "I don't see any visions."

"That in and of itself, may also be some sort of prophecy." Hild said, taking humor in his confusion. "Perhaps it remains unclear, and the mist is simply telling you that."

Keiichi considered this with a gulp, and then he nodded. "Well then, what do you see?" He asked her.

"I'm afraid that's for my eyes, alone." Hild told him with a guilty smirk. "Become strong, Keiichi." She told him, exiting from her place in the bath, and summoning her robe, such a task becoming difficult for her, even with her immense power. "The coming trials are going to prove difficult, I can only hope you'll lead creation soundly when my time comes."

He could only hope so too, though, there was a lingering sense of doubt that he found unbecoming of himself. He sank deeper into the water, wondering just what sort of discourse the mist took with him, as it seemed unspeaking, even in solitude.

…

"Big sis, we've got trouble." Skuld said as she went flying into the tea room at record speed. "A phone call came from heaven and…" Skuld cut herself off, her once raging mind coming to an abrupt stop. "What the heck?"

"Not now, Skuld." Urd replied first, as the two older sisters glanced at the door, where the younger one stood. Urd wasn't normal, her appearance a befuddlement not only to herself, but reflected clearly in the eyes of her siblings, who were clearly still trying to make sense of the sight before them.

"What happened to your face!?" Skuld shouted, in disbelief.

"I told you, not now." Urd repeated again darkly. The question was a frightening one to one such as herself, as it wasn't common for her seals so suddenly take a shape that wasn't goddess in nature.

"We don't know what happened Skuld." Belldandy said with a shake of her head, sighing as she gazed upon Urd, and the seals left there. She gathered her elder sister's face in her hands, cupping soft cheeks. Getting a closer look at the seals, she hummed to herself before touching a warm glow of light to Urd's face, receiving a small shock in return. Belldandy frowned, unsure of what force was responsible for this. "What were you doing before the seal manifested?"

"I woke up like this." Urd explained, confused, with a hint of anger dripping into her words. "I told you, I don't know why."

"No weird dreams?" Belldandy pressed then. "No spiteful memories coming into play? Nothing?"

"Nothing unusual." Urd replied, eliminating the possibility of a mental transfer of power. "Aside from the seals on my face, I don't even feel differently."

"You wouldn't until your body demands power." Belldandy told her gravely. "I don't think I need to remind you of the raw power you have the ability to consume."

"Or to release." Urd agreed, afraid of that alone.

"Maybe it's because of Yggdrasil." Skuld replied quickly, finally finding the courage to get a closer look at those red markings for herself. Urd seemed the same, so Skuld deemed it safe. "Peorth called down to the offices looking for you, but when you weren't there, she said I had to find you quickly." Skuld told Belldandy, eyeing Urd with alarm. Every time those red seals turned up, trouble followed. "Mom's sick, and she won't wake up. A lot of the elders in the heavens are starting to disappear for good, but all of the systems are normal, and we don't know why."

"Lind isn't alarmed, is she?" Belldandy asked sadly.

"No, but you don't seem to be either!" Skuld felt a sense of urgency mingle with possible failure, and she grit her teeth. "Why aren't you freaking out?"

"Because there is nothing I can do, Skuld." Belldandy sighed, feeling a lump in her throat beginning to form. "I wish this wouldn't sound so absolutely cruel, but we don't have the luxury to mourn right now." Examining the odd demonic markings that normally stayed well away from Urd's face, she sighed. "This is probably temporary, Urd. I wouldn't worry about it, so long as you feel alright." Inwardly however, Belldandy cringed, an illness rising up in the pit of her gut. She felt disgusted, at herself, and at the greater creation.

"Aunt Urd?" Hikari stood in the doorway, unsure of what to make of the sight. "Why are you pained in red?"

Urd swallowed hard, forcing herself to find an answer that the little girl could understand, but, what was once a cold, frozen anger, was beginning to heat up into an inferno. "It happens sometimes." Urd bit out for lack of anything better to say…though, truth be told, she had no explanation for this, or, if the seals would revert back to normal. She prayed they would, yet, she had no way of knowing. "I told you before, even we hybrid goddesses have a dark side."

A terror slipped onto her face in such a way, that her eyes found Belldandy as she took a step backward. "Mom...you two are going to fight now, aren't you?"

Belldandy couldn't lie, her inability to do so cursing her greatly. "We might have to if your aunt loses control of her power." Belldandy offered, it was all she could say to that. "We simply don't know Hikari." Her eyes fell to Urd then and nodded. "You mustn't worry, whatever happens will always be forgiven among this family."

Urd nodded then, following Belldandy's lead. "It's the promise we made as sisters when I first came to the heavens."

"Besides, if Urd wanted to blow everyone up, she would have done it by now." Skuld nodded, pulling Hikari to her side, forcing the girl to cross the threshold of the door. "It's fine for right now."

…

Urd had tried to maintain a sense of calm. Even when Belldandy returned to the heavens, which she had to do. It left Urd in a tight spot, and as she continued to look after the wayward youth that Belldandy couldn't quell, Urd began to realize things best left buried in the depths of her past. She was a villain in her own despicable drama. Hikari seemed torn, fearful of the very aunt that so raised her, when Belldandy was unable. To say Urd felt a sense of inward illness at that, of horror, and self-loathing, would not be enough for her. Panic was a secondary bubbling that Urd had no use for.

When the night was deadly clam, not even a snore from the sleeping young ones permeated the air. Urd couldn't sleep, feeling as if the weight of the world was upon her, and yet, no potion she knew of could force the seals to return to their normal state. It worried her, sickened her so greatly in fact, that all she could do was sigh as she gazed up at the never-ending darkness of the night sky.

Only immortals knew where those stars truly hailed from, and what power they held at the very core.

"It was only a matter of time, of course." Hild smirked, though it was quite clear from her outward appearance, she was not at her best. "Oh, don't look at me like that, I had no part to play in your little mishap." Hild then said when Urd shot her a deadly glair.

"I don't believe that." Urd hissed dangerously, keeping her voice down. "What are you even doing here, anyway?"

"Taking a little time off." In truth, Hild was exhausted from her mere travel to earth, and Urd wasn't blind. She knew her daughter could see the distinct edge of darkness that laced her eyes. "If I don't, I'll only hinder Keiichi." She meandered over to the window, looking out to the very sky that so entangled her, and those she cared deeply for. "He must learn to act without my guidance, and such a skill is best learned before I'm lost to the creation that so spawned me."

At first, Urd said nothing. Her eyes traced lines across her mother, a search that came at the price of knowing just how frail her mother seemed to have become. Urd knew that Anzasu and many others were reaching a state of weakness unheard of, and yet, Urd had never taken the time to assume Hild was among such immortals. It seemed as if such an outcome was implausible. Now, she could do little more than swallow hard, seeing indisputable proof of the fragility the rulers of the heavens and hells could become. "You should go back from whence you came."

"I won't linger." Hild assured her. "Even so, I have always dreamed of seeing you walk down a crimson isle, hand in hand with the immortal of your choosing." She closed her eyes and sighed. "Man or woman, I cared not, so long as you returned home to take your place among your people." That hadn't happened though, and, the image she saw in the mist assured Hild that nothing of the sort would ever happen. "It may sound silly, but your rivalry with Mara was such that, I thought even if it was with her, I could accept that."

"I respect Mara." Urd murmured quietly. "But that's all."

"I know." Hild said then with a dark sigh. "I wanted to see you take the throne, regardless. I'd always felt that with you and Belldandy side by side as opposites, that you could do great things if you ever were to accept your demonic power." It seemed pointless to say now, and yet, she found herself with such little time left. She might as well speak it, if it so helped her. "However, I'm also sure that one day, Keiichi will be a far better demon than even myself."

Urd could agree with that, if nothing else. "You look old." How had her mother seemed to age so much? She would never know. Still, slight wrinkles that were never there before and the loss of weight made Hild look frail…well, at least as frail as an immortal could look without losing all sense of dignity. The once powerful queen even seemed to use the very window she lean upon as support that she seemed to require.

"Quite frankly, I feel old." Hild offered a waning smile. "I'm dying out, so it's to be expected."

"That doesn't bother you?" Urd said awkwardly, nothing else seemed to be able to come forth. Still, there was something wrong about just leaving this woman and storming out of the room. It was Urd's initial reaction to want to do that, but her feet stayed planted firmly to her spot.

"It bothers me that creation deems me to be expendable. I don't feel as if now is the right time, but, it's not my choice." Hild relented, though, it was pretty clear creation had other plans. "You were made to be a goddess Urd, and I believe one day, those red seals will change back to the way they were intended to be." She tapped her knuckles on the wood in thought, before deciding she had nothing to lose by speaking her sight from the mist. "You will undoubtedly become a goddess again, when the time is right, but for now, you have a family that requires your expertise, and being a demon is the only way. Creation sees that, it knows, and it has responded to its need."