Chapter 9

Afterglow

Morning came far too quickly for Takumi's liking. As he rolled over in Urd's room he heard voices in the hallway,

"Shh! You'll wake him up!"

"I'm not the one making noise. You are!"

"Both of you shut up," Skuld said sliding the door to her room open. His head on the floor, Takumi slid open his own door peeking out to get his bearings. Looking down the hallway he suddenly noticed a face standing over him. For a second he though it was Keiichi.

"Hello," Tai Morisato said as he leapt to his feet.

"So you and Sora have come down?"

He nodded as they looked at each other awkwardly.

"So . . . they named you after me. Bet you're feeling a bit ripped off ," Takumi said picking up the album beside him.

"A little," Tai replied smiling, only to spot Sora glaring at him from around the corner. "I just mean – I kind of thought you'd be more . . . heroic - if you know what I mean."

"I tell myself the same thing," he chuckled striding outside. Sora came around the corner smacking Tai in the head, - If you know what I mean. Ugh!"

"Well I don't know what to say to him!" he complained watching her hesitate at the outer doorway.

"What are you waiting for?" said Skuld giving her a nudge.

"I don't know -," she replied shrugging.

"How many nights have you ask me? If you ever wanted to know him, now is the time."

Nervously she stepped out on the veranda sitting down next to him. She looked at her hands, then up at the trees, then sideways at him tapping her fingers. "Dad?" she said finally.

"Yes?" he replied putting down the book.

"I . . . I don't want to disturb you."

"Don't worry. I've had quite enough time to myself lately," he replied. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I mean if you're not too busy, what was mom like?" she said, her voice filled with emotion on finally summoning the courage to ask.

He stood up looking at the clouds. "You don't remember?"

She shook her head sadly. "I was only three when, when . . . "

"Well let's just say she knew what she was about."

"What does that mean?" she asked furrowing her brow.

"It means she didn't let anyone tell her what to do."

"Including you?"

"Especially me!" he laughed.

His smile seemed to relax her. "Well . . . how did you meet?"

"They didn't tell you?"

The outer door slid open. "How could I tell her things I don't know you weirdo?!" Skuld demanded.

"Eavesdropping - nice. Well the first time we met she tried to crush me with a large rock. Several in fact."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. Then she dumped me in the back of the garage . . ."

"She did?!"

"Hey you were lucky to get that garage mister!" Skuld howled.

"I was," he agreed. "Because that was where I saw your mother and Keiichi clearly for the first time."

He saw her eyes light up. "Belldandy said mom swooped in and saved all of you."

"Well your mom was a bit iffy on taking me with them initially. It took her a little while to realize how into me she really was -."

Sora smiled.

"The truth is I was lost. I didn't know it then; but I was. I came to this land looking for something. Something outside of me, and within me. When it came along, I followed. Eventually that path led me to Belldandy. But the true path was toward your mother. There was a fight, Bell and I were losing. I assumed it was the end. Then suddenly there was a light from above, a great dark force in the night sky. A dark avenging angel that miraculously saved us.

"You thought mom was an angel?!"

"I suppose I still do," he said looking at the clouds.

"They say she was very beautiful."

"Yes she was very much like you," he said seeing her out of the corner of his eye. "She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said remembering. "But she was much more than that," he said drifting off.

"They say you two were crazy about each other," she muttered looking down into her hands blushing.

"We were," he nodded. "Often at the expense of others I'm sure. But then she was . . .," he stopped, putting his hands to his head as his tears fell quietly. For so long he had kept it out, remembering her only at a distance - not really remembering. But now at the temple with Sora beside him he could no longer keep it out. He sobbed, for himself and all that had been lost.

"I'm sorry!" Sora said sitting closer to him. "I didn't mean to upset you!" She thought of how to change the subject.

"Is it true, well I mean some people say that . . . she fought the underworld to bring you back?"

"Yes. There weren't many like your mother. She fought your grandmother and cut through half a dozen of her top lieutenants in the heart of their realm to get me back."

"I can't even imagine it! She must have been quite a warrior."

"Yes, she was fierce warrior, as fierce as your grandmother. She used to say I was her rock but the truth was exactly the opposite. It was she who held us all together, protected us and kept evil away. She was . . . we all relied upon -," he began but his emotions preventing him from saying more.

"I'm sorry to ask about this."

"No it's fine. It's - it's good to remember," he replied. "It is time we had a proper talk about it."

This was what she wanted. To know about them, about their life together. There was so much Skuld would not tell her.

"And - what was I like?"

"You? On our first meeting I thought you were rather imperious. You sent me away with a look in your eyes. Then when you were older, you would always crawl up when we were talking adding your own indecipherable contributions."

"She's still like that," Tai commented.

She smiled wrapping her arms around her legs. "Well . . .what was Skuld like in those days?"

"Skuld? Who knows? She was always sneaking off with Sentaro in those days."

"A total lie!" Skuld said sliding open her outer door now.

"I was the one that had to keep it all running!"

"She might have done that a bit," Takumi pondered. "Your Mother and I had a place on the coast. Did you know that?"

"Yeah, Skuld told me," Sora replied.

"Have you ever been there?"

"I've been there a couple of times. After . . . in the early years when Keiichi was on his own there - was a lot going on. Everything seemed to be falling apart and I couldn't handle it; couldn't handle anything. One day Keiichi said we needed to take a ride. We rode for a long time until we reached the coast. We walked the shoreline and he pointed out your and Mom's place. Sitting down he started to explain many things to me, how I was part of something greater than myself. Just because I couldn't speak to people any longer didn't mean their efforts weren't still pushing me forward. He said, "your mother commanded fundamental forces of nature, your father drew demon's power to him and subsumed it. You are their daughter, so you have nothing to be afraid of. Plus you had the benefit of Belldandy; and I suppose Skuld and I helped a bit too." He told me to imagine my future, not be held back by the past. It gave me the confidence I needed to go out and find Tai, and in time put his and Keiichi's relationship back together."

"So our place is still there?" he asked.

"A powerful earthquake struck that region about 40 years ago so much of it is in ruins." She saw a shadow cross his face. "But, several of the walls remain. Do you want to go there?"

He shook his head looking out at the pond. "No. You, Tai and Skuld - that's all that matters to me now," he replied. "It must have been a lot to grow up here. I suppose I've been a very derelict father."

"Belldandy explained things to me when I was old enough."

"Oh? He wondered what she had really said. "Then you had a good life growing up with them here?"

"Yeah. Skuld was a great aunt. She was always so crazy. Still . . . to be frank she's not really great at the Mother stuff. Especially when I was little. One day when I was hanging out by myself in the trees after Tai was born Lind came by, seemingly appearing out of nowhere as she so often did. She'd come by the temple to look in on the family but found me instead, looking down at her as I hung upside down watching her cross the forest floor. She looked up at me surprised, her eyes narrowing. 'You shouldn't be able to see me,' she said. 'I was trying to be quiet.'

Well I did!" I shouted at her continuing to swing.

"Her face broke into a smile as she plucked me down out of the tree. Strange, I don't remember what we talked about that afternoon except her final comment: 'You can do that because you have the instincts of a warrior.' From then on whenever she would come by I would hear her call, 'Where's that little warrior?' and of course I would come running from wherever I was hiding. In time I came to realize I truly looked forward to her visits; and I suppose she did as well. For it was something that was mine alone. In time she became a kind of mother figure to me, keeping me on the path, chiding me when I screwed up."

"Yes, well be cautious of replacements Sora. They may not be as good as the original."

"She's the most honest person I know."

"Is she?"

"How could you even think that there is something wrong with her?"

"Let's just say I wonder how good she is at telling the whole truth," Takumi replied.

"Well maybe you're not entitled to hear the whole truth!"

"-Speaking of whole truths, when were you planning on telling me about that other matter?"

"What other matter?" she said looking up suddenly.

"The other matter that's out there watching us," he replied.

Sora's eyes went wide, "You ratted us out Skuld!"

"I did nothing of the kind!" Skuld replied before suddenly shouting, "HE KNOWS?!"

Takumi shook his head, "Every generation thinks it's the first to discover love. And the most clever at it. I would have thought Keiichi's stories would have disabused you of that."

"I'm not skulking," Morisato replied appearing beside him so suddenly it made him jump. "Only standing guard."

"Does she need guarding?" Takumi asked looking up.

"He means from demons," Skuld replied. "But no they can't get in here."

"Yes from what I hear that group's been culled considerably."

"She always needs guarding," Tai shrugged standing closer to her.

"Don't believe him," Sora replied narrowing her eyes looking much like her mother's.

"What about the time you left with that band for a week? Mom and Dad were freaking out!"

Sora's face grew red.

"-And Belldandy had to give you that talk when you returned," Skuld remembered.

"Guys there's no need to bore our guest," Sora insisted waving.

"Belldandy giving a sex talk? I can't imagine," Takumi mused.

"Well she certainly talked a lot about not giving 'boys' the 'wrong idea'," Skuld muttered.

"Did you give them the wrong idea?" he asked.

"No!" she said shaking her head looking to Skuld and Tai for support . . . which seemed lacking. "Maybe once - possibly twice – at most!"

"You see? I told you - constant guarding," Tai nodded.

"I am so going to punch you," Sora replied chasing after him.

Takumi stood up watched them go.

"Hard to believe she's 121 years old and he's 117," Skuld said behind him.

"And you?" he asked turning.

"One hundred thirty-six, in your years."

"That's crazy."

"It's a fact of our existence. Beyond a certain point we don't intrinsically age. If Big-sis and Urd were alive today they'd look exactly as you remembered them."

"Except that they never got the life they deserved. Urd was only 34 the day she left. Belldandy . . . in her fifties?"

"Fifty-two," Skuld replied.

He nodded. They stood side by side silently for a moment. "Something tells me you're not here simply to recall dates," he said.

"No," she said drawing out the envelope from behind her.

"What's that?"

"A letter. From Keiichi."

"What does it say?" he asked.

"I don't know."

Takumi turned the letter over in his hands, debating whether to open it. He knew whatever was inside would only bring him pain. But then perhaps Keiichi wanted to tell him something, something he didn't want others to know? Of course it could be to curse him, he hadn't made things easy before he left. But with all that had happened part of him secretly longed for his council. Hesitantly he opened the letter:

Takumi,

I know that one day you will read this, read these words because you found your way out, found your way back from where you have gone. Regardless of anything. I know this because I know you will never stop. There is no way I can express how truly sorry I am about Urd - and everything that happened after. She was the bright fire, even now I sense her spark on the darkest nights. But then we both knew what a unique and remarkable woman she truly was. As for yourself, though Bell and I do not agree with your decision, you have our eternal gratitude for what you have given us. Belldandy and I now have a son! Can you believe it? I'm as surprised as you are. Also, Sora has been found and is here with us. Skuld will explain all. Bell and I have done what we can to keep them all safe and strong. Since I will not be there to greet you, I wish you peace in your time Takumi. I hope that you find the children well, and all of you find a way to live together, far removed from the terrible troubles of our time.

Keiichi

Strange to be reading this so many years after the fact he thought, when events were still so fresh to him. He decided it must have been written in the first years after Bell's return.

"Thank you, Keiichi. You were a kind soul. I hope you will not judge my actions too harshly now," he said folding the letter. He stayed outside climbing onto the roof as the others prepared dinner, watching the lights of the city below.

"What are you doing?" asked Sora climbing up some time later.

"Just thinking, about all of you," he replied.

"Oh?"

He nodded reclining on the roof tiles, watching Tai Morisato in the courtyard calling to the birds under the big tree, whispering to them before they flew off.

"What is it about him?" he asked.

"Tai? Well after Belldandy, Keiichi was a mess. I mean he tried to hide it but he was a mess. And then there were all these people trying to crowd in around him about it – Skuld, Peorth, some other woman I don't even want to talk about."

"Sayoko. She was a favorite of your mother's as well."

"Well I - I don't know why I got so jealous. I said some terrible things to Keiichi. Both Tai and I did. It's just - I mean you don't know what kind of mom Belldandy was. She really loved us - all those nights she would sit in bed reading with us on their side of her, her hands on our little heads, I - !" she began to cry. "Sorry - I'm sorry!"

"No I can imagine, part of it anyway."

"But then, I apologized to him. And he . . ."

"Told you not to worry, that everything was okay."

"How did you know?"

"Experience. And Tai?"

"He just left."

"Where did he go?"

"Skuld's, the Heavens, the streets of Tokyo . . ." It was during that period that Keiichi took me to the coast and we began to talk much more about everything. About you, about the people who came around after Belldandy's passing."

"Like who?"

"Peorth mostly."

He leaned in closer. "What did they talk about?"

"He told me they were just friends, yet when I would see them they would often be standing off outside the temple speaking in hushed tones. I would try to listen in the trees when I could."

"About what?" he asked, cursing himself for not interrogating Peorth further when he'd had the chance in the Heavens.

"It was about me I think; or what Belldandy thought of me. Things like – 'but Sora returned, perhaps Urd' – and 'their actions have secured out future Keiichi, what have we done to secure theirs?' It made me feel guilty - I know I got her killed!"

"Certainly not Sora. Given the information she possessed at that point Belldandy must have known where she was going was dangerous."

"But still -."

"I don't know why she did what she did Sora, but she certainly knew what she was doing. The part I don't understand is why she would do anything to risk separation from Keiichi or Tai? It doesn't make only thing I can figure is that whatever happened was far more dangerous than she anticipated. Perhaps an altogether different situation than what she had planned. Like maybe someone she trusted turned on her. That might also make sense in terms of what happened to Urd." If indeed Urd is really dead, he thought. 'But Sora returned, perhaps Urd' . . . after all Belldandy had a similar thought. If she did, who was it that was waiting for her? And why? He looked at Sora. "How does this relate to you and Tai Morisato?" he asked.

"I told you, I felt guilty. The light of our lives had gone away, and all of us: myself, Tai, Keiichi, Skuld, were left in darkness. Now Keiichi was whispering about the past. I didn't want him to go away. I saw now how lonely he was. Skuld and I were important to him but Tai . . . I had to get him back. I began to look for him everywhere. Leaving messages for him -everywhere. Places only he and I would know to look. Then on my birthday Keiichi took me for a ride into town at night; just the two of us fooling around. When we returned Tai was waiting for us outside in the alley, saying he'd been left behind. I just laughed jumping off the bike, but when I came up to him I could see he was really upset. It was then I understood – we had both been left behind. I just put my arms around him, I don't really know why. I began to understand then why I had really been looking for him. Yes, I guess that night is when it really started for me. That night was when I started to fall in love with him."

"And after that?"

"I made excuses so Keiichi and he spent more time together after that, they worked in the shop on this and that. I suppose I felt a little left out at the time. One night he was waiting for me, 'I came back for him,' he said. 'But the reason I could is because of you,' he admitted putting his head against me. And from that point we began. Began to live our lives."

"You two are different. You've never had any regrets?"

"No," she replied.

"Then I'll say no more," he mused trying to take it all in. There was so much, so much to get his head around. He looked up as the breeze swept around them. As if the air itself was waiting.

"You know what I'm going to ask you right?" he said.

She nodded looking over the now dark courtyard.

"What do you remember? About the time you were with Hild," he said softly.

"I – don't think I can help you," she replied.

"Just tell me anything you remember. Even if it's just a feeling. You know I was here the first time Hild saw you? Your mom didn't want to show you to her."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, they had a complicated relationship. Perhaps all mothers and daughters do," he mused.

"I only remember bits and pieces of my time with her."

"Well sure, the years between 3-5 aren't exactly the best for memory," he agreed.

"You know It's weird sitting here talking with you about this."

"Why?"

"Because all the stories I heard about my father were like - RAWR! A statue of you on the temple – fighting Hild and the demon army - going into the underworld . . ."

"Well technically I didn't have a choice on that last one but I get your point. And now you see me and think - he's just some old man."

"Yeah! I mean no - I mean, you just seem . . . I don't know."

"There's a lesson in there somewhere. Things have a tendency to get mythologized over time. The truth is we were just people fighting for what we loved - and love can make you do some pretty crazy things sometimes."

"Don't I know it -," Sora muttered under her breath causing Takumi to frown. "It's exactly the same with Hild."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, all the stories I've ever heard about her describe her as this malevolent super deity. But that wasn't the way I saw her at all."

"Must have met her on a good day," Takumi sighed. "How did she appear to you?"

"Like . . . like an old woman who lived in the forest. Like some wizard wandering the woods."

"You didn't live in a castle? A stronghold?" he said puzzled.

"No. We were always in the forest from what I can remember."

Takumi's hopes rose. "Perhaps you are remembering your mother? I mean you were young, they both had long white hair, possessed similar body types and were both powerful conjurers. Maybe you were traveling with her. This woman, she never walked with a private army? A group of bodyguards? Never lived in a citadel?"

"No. But I don't think it was mom. It felt different. I don't know how to explain it. I would always be looking at the decorations in her hair. She would show me things about how to survive in the forest, passing through portals she would create. She taught me all kinds of things, secret things, small magic, how to listen to the woods, work with animals of the forest, to tell good water from bad. These things were very important to her I think. I always remember her as a kind of majestic conjurer. Sometimes when I was tired she would call or summon animals. Then I would ride on the back of a bear for a while. Don't get me wrong. I knew even then she wasn't completely benign."

"What do you mean?"

"There were times she would tell me to go on ahead. And when she caught up to me later I knew she had ended someone."

"How?"

"The smell of blood on her clothes. Burns. From the pursuers."

"Pursuers? Did they come frequently? Did you ever see these pursuers?"

"Sometimes they came. No, I never saw them."

"You're sure? For instance did they have uniforms, like – like any you've ever seen? Or maybe something else?"

"No."

"And you camped? For how long ? Days? Weeks?"

"A long time I think. We roamed the mountains for what felt like years."

"Why camp? And for so long? Why not go back to the comfort of the city?"

Sor shrugged. "I don't know. We moved from place to place."

"When did it end?"

"We were moving a lot in the last few weeks. Then one day she said we would have a race down a forest path deep in the mountains. She said there was a magnificent palace at the other end."

"Palace?"

"I was kind of into palaces in those days."

"And?"

"She told me to run in the direction of the rising sun. She told me to run as fast as I could and not stop. Run quickly and she would follow."

"That was it? Nothing else?"

"I ran and I ran. I remember thinking I had never run this far ahead before. I wondered if I should turn back. I turned, but there was fire, as tall as buildings behind me, everywhere was being consumed. And so I ran, faster and faster as fell things closed in on me from the distance. I began to run once more but the shadow followed faster. I had never been so scared. I thought it would overtake me, but just before it did arrows of smoke seemed to come in from high overhead, descending from a great height as they screamed past me to the ground around me. For a moment battle raged all around and I felt a pair of hands come around me as a cloak came over me. I looked up and saw a woman in blue and grey and felt a bright light. 'I have you,' she said.

"And that was Lind?"

"Yes, as I would come to know. She took me to the temple and began to wash my face and, well you know the rest."

"Belldandy must have been beside herself when you arrived."

"I definitely remember her. I'd never met anyone like her before, or any of them for that matter. For a while I didn't believe my good fortune. For the first month I kept thinking it must be a kind of trick and kept looking for ways to run back to the forest. Skuld was eventually put in charge as my minder," she said, turning to see her climbing onto the roof behind them.

"She must have loved that," Takumi observed as she came and sat down beside him."

"Yeah, but eventually I put pattern recognition on Banpei so it all worked out," Skuld replied.

"It just picked her up?"

"Scooped her up and ran her back, but yeah."

"But I'd still run," said Sora. "Eventually I would often hear 'where are you going little one?' It was the same Valkyrie who had rescued me, standing in some glade or stream in front of me. It got to be a regular routine. Keiichi used to say it was because I wanted to see her, and because she wanted Belldandy's home cooking," Sora laughed.

"What stopped the running?"

"Keiichi. One day he picked me up carrying me around the waist beside him like a sack of potatoes back to the house. He asked me what was bothering me. I sat on his knee and we talked for a long time. We . . . used to talk a lot, even when I was little," she said starting to cry. "Sorry. It's been seven decades but sometimes I still - just miss him so much."

"Speaking of missing you -, Skuld interjected directing her gaze to the courtyard. Down beside the pond beneath the candlelight Morisato was busy playing cards with three diminutive assassins. "Gotcha!" one of them shouted.

"I'd better go check on him. He always loses to them," Sora said.

Skuld and Takumi sat side by side for a moment, quietly enjoying the night air.

"Well? What do you think?" she asked finally.

"I really don't know," Takumi replied shaking his head. "The whole thing is damned peculiar. If she was traveling with her mother, why wouldn't Urd come back to the temple, particularly if she was in trouble - even if she hated me?! If it was Hild where were her retainers? Is it possible that Lind was wrong in what she reported to us that day at the temple?"

"That doesn't seem likely. To me it sounds like she was traveling with Hild during the two years she was away."

Takumi nodded. "The vision I had during that period did seem to have something to do with Hild. But that would imply Hild was present when Urd . . . I just don't buy it."

"Perhaps the two of them did get into some kind of terrible fight? Maybe Hild tried to take Sora. Or maybe Urd did something very unwise."

"With their personalities anything is possible. But kill her? And if she took Sora why let her go later?"

"Have we considered the alternative possibility? That there is something out there more powerful than Hild?" asked Skuld. "It could explain what happened to Big-sis."

"You forget I've actually glimpsed into her power. The magnitude of - it's difficult to see how anything could have overwhelmed her."

"Unless she did it."

"In either case the key is finding Hild."

"Do you think she'd even tell us the truth?"

"It doesn't matter. If she's gone that far her look will tell us."

He suddenly turned looking at the trees.

"What is it?" asked Skuld.

"It's nothing," he said continuing to stare. His gazed moved down, spotting Sora, Tai and the ninjas as they continued to energetically gamble under candlelight. "It's late," he said standing up. "We should get some sleep."

After another night of fitful dreams Takumi awoke early the next day, searching the closet for his old staff. Quietly creeping outside, he took up position between the house and temple, setting his staff before him as he faced the alley. "What are you looking at?" he muttered to the silent statue. "A man has to start somewhere," he said flipping the staff with this left hand into his right, striking forward before reversing his stance with his hips striking the opposite direction. He continued on like this, striking to his right then left quickly before turning to the quarter angle, repeating the entire process. Again and again he practiced the motions as he had since he was a child letting his mind wander, his thoughts eventually turning to Sen - practice so thought and action are one, he would instruct - be fluid, flexible in your approach until the proper moment - do not root yourself to the ground, his sensei would admonish him as he moved from one exercise to another. From around the side of the building Morisato appeared, gauging his movements in silence. Watching him he believed now for the first time he was indeed watching the man etched in the temple wall. "Something to add Mr. Morisato?" Takumi said turning to him.

Tai Morisato smiled coming forward. "What movement is that?" he asked.

"The 8-sided defense for multiple opponents," he replied. "The aim is to maintain complete focus on one point at a time, vanquishing before addressing the next point in the path."

Tai nodded raising his hands, directing stones simultaneously on all sides.

"Yeah, I can't do that -," Takumi replied returning to practice.

The noise brought Sora out. "Have either of you seen Skuld?"

"You mean I wasn't the first one up?" Takumi asked disappointed.

"She went up to the glen with Kento," Tai said pointing.

"Did she have the package?" Sora asked excitedly.

"It looked like it."

At this news Sora rushed on up the path as Tai and Takumi followed. When Takumi finally reached them at the glen he saw Skuld standing in the center, proudly carrying an infant in her arms.

"My god Skuld, did you have another kid?!" he said astonished seeing the baby.

"This is baby Hayate you idiot!" she replied handing him back to his father who Takumi recognized now as the head monk.

"Should have known from the bald head," he observed.

"Sora, I know I said you were the cutest baby ever, but now that I see baby Hayate . . ."

"It is a cute baby," Takumi admitted. "Must get it from his mother," he muttered. He watched as Sora took up the baby, walking off with Tai as the two looked around before kissing.

He watched them as they stood together at the far end of the meadow waiting and soon saw the reason why. A portal of light arose in front of them and Lind and Peorth with it. Sora approached happily carrying the baby as the four began to chat.

Takumi continued to watch them silently.

"I told you," Skuld reminded him.

He said nothing looking to his left. "There's no such thing as having too many goddesses blessing your child," Kento remarked looking back. He nodded as Sora passed the baby to Lind who took him up uncomfortably amid Sora teasing until Peorth finally relieved her. Takumi stood smiling until her look remined him of something.

"Mr. Sato," Lind called upon seeing him, suspecting it was merely an excuse to extricate herself from her current situation. "May I speak with you?"

"The last time you said that it wasn't good news," he replied tersely. They walked until they were a short distance away. "You know of the ongoing problem with demons," she said.

"You mean your war."

"It's not my war. However . . . given your specific nature, it has been suggested you may possess particular skills which – could prove useful in locating individuals who may still be at large. As such you could play a significant role in helping to bring the current conflict to a close."

"You mean by helping you prosecute your 90-year war?"

"-The great majority of which is already over," she replied.

"You wouldn't just be trying to get me killed, would you commander?"

She smiled, or at least the closest thing she could manage to a smile. "At one time perhaps. Now – no."

"Because of Sora?"

"It would bring her unneeded sorrow."

"Commander you've been direct and courteous with me so allow me to return the favor. I've been away a long time. My concerns are here. Exclusively. I want nothing to do with your war – just like Keiichi," he said walking away to join Skuld.

"Here is what's at stake," she shouted before returning to Peorth. "Keep an eye on him Peorth,"she murmured. "Make sure he doesn't go back into old ways."

"It has been years," Peorth replied. "Time changes a man."

"Depends on the man," replied Lind.

. . .

"Skuld, does it ever kind of weird you out seeing 'Keiichi' and 'Urd' kissing like that?" he said looking across the glen.

"Eh, I've gotten used to it," she replied continuing down the footpath toward the garage. "Remember I've seen those two longer than the real Keiichi and Belldandy."

"I never thought about it like that," he sighed following her.

Skuld ushered him in, closing the door behind her as they stepped into the garage. "What's on your mind?" she asked.

"Skuld, what do you remember of the day the Valkyries came?" he replied.

"Only you and Keiichi fighting."

Why did I fight with Urd that day? he thought. I was so terrible to her. I've tried to seal it off – to not remember. Was it the trial? The lack of progress on Belldandy, or something else? No, the truth is things hadn't been right between us for a while. The trial revealed to me she could be killed. I didn't confront my fear then – so we fought about Sora. And after meeting Hild it flared again in full. She said I was using it as an excuse – that I no longer loved her and I snapped.

"Skuld, the day Urd left where would she have gone? Who could have possibly gotten the drop on her? And with her child?! It had to be a high demon, god or gods. Wait - are there other things even more powerful than them in your world?"

"Such things would be rare entities indeed," Skuld replied.

He rubbed his head. "Do we know if anyone – anyone showed any injuries of any kind on that day - burns, cuts, bruises?"

"A little hard to check after 120 years, but I can look into it."

"Ask your father. He should be willing to receive you, and have at least as much interest in the matter as we do."

"Don't you think he would have already investigated it?"

"Indeed. The question is - does he know anything? And if he does, is he willing to lie to you point blank about it. I'm guessing - no. If Urd really did go somewhere that day to try and affect Belldandy's release, wouldn't it have been natural for her to go to someone in the high council?"

"That doesn't seem likely. Any contact with the council would have been reported," said Skuld.

"If things were operating properly."

"- Except that Sora was found in the Terran realm, and says she remembers grandma, which suggests Urd went to see Hild."

"But would Hild really have killed her? Her own daughter?!"

"We know what she's capable of but I see your point. Even I doubt it," said Skuld.

"What's more, why would Urd even attempt to go there after everything that happened that day concerning Hild? How would it help her?"

"Maybe she went there to confront her?"

"Or someone wants us to think that."

"I don't know. The problem for me is that if Urd met some truly evil entity, why would they leave Sora alive? It feels more like something Hild would do."

"Which brings us back to . . ."

"Maybe it was an accident? What did Lind want with you?"

"She says she wants me to assist their efforts. Which I'm guessing means help find Hild. But that would mean . . .she does not know where Hild is," he said ruminating.

"What difference does it make? You should help her if you can," she said. He watched the back of her head tilting as she assembled the metallic rings of the spindle. His eyes narrowed. "You say you remember only Keiichi and me fighting but - did something seem off about Lind that day?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Something I saw just now - I don't know.

Is there anything you're not telling me Skuld? Anything more I should know."

"Like what?" Skuld said looking up at him.

At least she looked up at me, he thought. If she hadn't I would've . . . but maybe that just means she knows how to read me. The truth is I feel as though I'm still asleep. There are things here that just don't make sense. Things that don't add up. Like Belldandy. Skuld says was the spark for this war but she was always a force for peace when I knew her. Would the people that supported her really annihilate others in her name?

Skuld says the war is righteous. But she also revealed Keiichi kept them away from it while he was alive. Why? Wouldn't he be the most active in pursuing justice for Belldandy? Did it get out of hand? And what about Lind. She says the demon realm is largely beaten. Yet she clearly fears some aspect of their prowess. Is it Hild, some weapon unknown in my time, perhaps some aspect in the Heavens I'm unaware of? And this demonic group that 'may be' intact? Which is it? Are they on their last legs or a dangerous fighting force? None of it makes any sense. Something is missing. Something I cannot see. I need clear eyes, away from this place If I'm going to track my way back to Urd. But how to do it without freaking them out?

In front of him Skuld continued to work on the brake caliper with expert care.