Chapter 26
Heaven.
As expected, as soon as Ilse exited the gate at Outpost 4, Heaven, she was confronted by two no-nonsense Valkyries with battle axes at the ready. Their faces were stony and implacable. They stood before her silent and defiant as if daring her to make a false move.
Ilse stood there quietly for a moment, mustered up her courage and put her hands up in submission.
"Hey, I'm not here to cause trouble. I'll go peacefully. There's no need for hostilities and you don't have to apply restraints."
The taller and more senior of the Valkyries looked at her companion and nodded. The other nodded in return. Both soldiers retracted their battle axes in a show of trust, neither one saying a word to her. Ilse started to walk forward as the Valkyries fell in alongside her. Once the three moved away from the limits of the Outpost, the junior Valkyrie pulled out a message cube and set it to teleport them directly to Kami-sama's throne room. They escorted her into the space and silently stood guard at the door.
Ilse entered and saw the Almighty One seated on his throne. He was sitting there, arms folded, staring directly into Ilse's eyes. The throne room was set up the way he liked any room he was in, pure white, with no decorations or extraneous furniture. The effect successfully made Kami-sama look larger and more intimidating. His face betrayed no indication of his mood. Was he sad that one of his Goddesses had committed such heinous crimes? Was he trying to intimidate Ilse? Ilse stood proudly staring back at Kami-sama and trying hard to not wilt in the Mighty God's presence. But try as she might, she couldn't look him in the eyes. Everytime she attempted, the intensity of Kami-sama's presence and power overwhelmed her and she had to break contact.
After what seemed like an eternity, Kami-sama broke the silence. "Ilse." He sighed wearily. "What should I do with you?"
Ilse remained silent.
Kami-sama calmly continued. "I have the authority to seal you away into the Void for eternity. And judging by the charges against you, I clearly have the grounds to do so. What do you think?"
Ilse's stalwart demeanor faded ever so slightly at the word, 'eternity.' She remembered what she told Baldur about how deathly afraid she was of the dark, and his description of the total absence of all light, sounds, odors and other sensory inputs put a nasty chill down her spine.
She couldn't help but shiver involuntarily at the thought. And Kami-sama's quiet pronouncement of such an ominous punishment unnerved her even more. She almost wished that he would just blow a gasket and rage and bluster against her and let his will be done right then and there. At least, she would know exactly where she stood with Kami-sama. But at the risk of making a bad situation worse, she kept her mouth shut.
"So, you have nothing to say regarding the charges against you, Ilse? These are very serious accusations. You aren't doing yourself any favors by remaining silent." Kami-sama said, still remaining calm.
She stood her ground, and uttered not a word. As much as Kami-sama's presence was nagging her to speak out and confess everything, her stubborn pride wouldn't permit it.
"Are you afraid of what you're facing? You should be. The Void permanently changes everybody that experiences it. Even just one day in that place has been known to ruin the lives of those trapped there..."
"Kami-sama, can we just get this over with?" Ilse said, her voice quivering almost imperceptibly.
"You're in that much of a hurry to get started?"
"No, sir. If I'm going to be sealed away for eternity, it won't make any difference when I start. The sentence won't change. I won't get out any sooner. Eternity is eternity."
"Very perceptive, Ilse. Let's review and discuss the charges against you so I can have a better idea of what to do with you."
Hearing this, Ilse was tempted to believe that eternal condemnation could be taken off the table. But she didn't want to get her hopes too high.
Clearing his throat, Kami-sama said, "First, you are charged with moving Keiichi and Belldandy's contract out of its location in the wish servers. That alone is not a crime of serious consequence. It would have only rated a warning, or a short license suspension, at the most. But Hild was able to smuggle a virus onto that contract that could have crashed Yggdrasil had it not been for quick thinking by Keiichi, Chrono and Ex." Kami-sama leaned in very close to Ilse. " Do you know what could have happened had that virus succeeded? We probably would not be here right now. The universe would have been irreparably harmed, and I would have had to resort to some very drastic measures to perform a complete system reset."
Kami-sama's anger rose slightly. "Do you know how much damage you could have caused, Ilse? The billions of lives destroyed, all the progress of humanity up to this very point, completely wiped out! That alone rates an eternal sealing. And we haven't even gotten to the other charges against you yet." Kami-sama shook his head as he considered the ramifications of Ilse's treachery. "I say again, what am I going to do with you?"
Ilse remained silent. Not daring to give Kami-sama any more rope with which to hang her. Her current charges would do a good enough job of that.
"And still you remain silent. Let us continue. The second charge against you is espionage and the divulging of Heavenly secrets to the enemy, namely, Hild. Another crime that would condemn you to an eternal sealing. It seems that you engaged my personal adviser, Siggur, in an intimate relationship, and used seduction to get him to reveal important secrets. Do you confirm of deny this charge, or am I going to continue to get the silent treatment?"
"I confirm it, Kami-sama." It almost felt good to Ilse to get this confession off her chest. A quiet calm came over her that she could not explain. She should have been scared to death about what could happen to her, but an inner peace began to sooth her troubled spirit. She wondered if making up with Belldandy might have helped calm her down. Did the Norn say or do something to Ilse without her knowing, to create this sense of peace?
"Well, you should know, that I've been aware of Siggur's 'weakness' for a long time now. He does have a tendency to fall for any Goddess that shows him any attention, no matter how slight. I also suspected that his weakness would eventually get him in trouble in terms of divulging secrets. My other advisers informed me that certain sensitive information was being leaked from the Palace. But I needed proof that the leaks were coming from him. After all, despite his sordid reputation, he is my best adviser, and has proven his worth on countless occasions. He has earned the benefit of the doubt, as far as I am concerned."
Ilse said with a slight edge in her voice, "So what does this have to do with me?"
Maintaining his calm, Kami-sama responded, "Knowing that there was a chance that the leak originated with him, and that you were his latest companion, I gave him certain information that was false to see whether he would pass it on to you. Did Siggur ever disclose any information to you that he claimed, required a security clearance known as 'Magenta?' And remember Ilse, that for now, you are still a First Class Goddess."
Ilse thought for a moment and said, "Come to think of it, I do remember him saying a few times that certain information came under an 'Magenta' security clearance. And that clearance was held only by you, Lind, and select members of the Heavenly Council. Now I work in the IT department of the GAA, so I'm familiar with some of the various security clearances used in Heaven, but I have never heard of Magenta."
"That's because there is no such security clearance as Magenta." said Kami-sama. "There is a clearance that is only held by the people you mentioned, but it is not known as 'Magenta.' The code word of the clearance is a secret in and of itself and only those who hold that clearance know its code name. And I presumed that you passed the information along to Hild?"
"Yes I did. So does that mean?"
"Yes, it means that the information you divulged to Hild was fake."
"So…?"
"So, while you did commit espionage by compromising Siggur, you didn't cause any damage."
For a moment, relief flooded over Ilse.
"But I advise you to not get too excited. There are still charges that need to be addressed. Any of which could still put you into the Void for a very long time." Kami-sama rumbled.
"So, by saying a 'very long time,' does that mean that eternal damnation is off the table?"
"You said that, not I."
"Okay." said Kami-sama. "About freeing Baldur. What were you thinking?"
"Honestly, Kami-sama. I don't know why I did it. I guess that I was just so angry at not getting a field Goddess position in the GAA after graduation that I wanted to lash out at Belldandy for stealing my spot."
"You do understand that excuse makes absolutely no sense, right."
" I do now, but back then, I was just so angry that I wasn't thinking straight. I do understand the stupidity of my actions now, Kami-sama."
"As long as you understand, Ilse. It is important for all of us to learn from our mistakes."
Kami-sama continued, "Do you know that Belldandy intervened on your behalf to add you to the GAA as a field Goddess?"
"Yes, she told me when I was on Earth."
"That was a very important thing that she did for you. I am told that she had to do a lot of persuading to get the Selection Committee to reconsider their decision. She put her reputation on the line for you."
"I know, and we hashed out our differences. I apologized to her and we are now friends."
"That is good to hear, Ilse."
"I also freed Baldur because Hild told me that she would grant my desire to become a demon should I do what she asked. I have since found out that Hild did not write the message I received confirming that promise."
"And who did write it."
"Torvald."
"And you know who Torvald is, Ilse?"
"Yes, I do. Kami-sama, I feel that it is important to tell you that currently he has taken over the body and mind of Skuld. He lured Baldur and I down to Earth."
"For what reason?" Kami-sama said with a touch of rising anger.
"That, I do not know. He led us to the temple where Keiichi Morisato and the Goddesses are staying and there I faced Belldandy. After reconciling with her, I returned to Heaven."
"I presume that you now know that freeing Baldur and having him and Torvald working together is a very dangerous situation?"
"I do now."
"It is very important to find out what those two are getting up to."
"I agree."
"Which brings me to the conclusion to this matter. I am now ready to pass sentence. Do you have any final words to say before I do so?"
"No, except that I sincerely apologize for the damage I have done, and the people I have hurt." Ilse said with true contrition in her heart.
"No begging for mercy, or for clemency?"
"I do not deserve mercy. Not for what I've done. I accept my punishment fully."
As he sat on his throne looking down on the proud but penitent Goddess standing before him, Kami-sama sighed heavily once again as if he was bearing a heavy load that he could never put down. To be sure, he didn't enjoy inflicting punishment on rule-breaking Gods and Goddesses. Sealing them away into the Void did not really rehabilitate them, all it did, in most cases, was to make them more bitter and angry when they got out.
He would have much preferred to suspend Ilse's license and shunt her off to some forgotten corner of the GAA where she could have worked off her sentence doing some desk job. At least she'd still be contributing to the work of Heaven. But the crimes she committed, the treasonous acts of espionage, the freeing of a sentenced and incarcerated felon like Baldur, especially with him now down on Earth and at in the same place as Torvald, the most dangerous Rage Magician in Niflheim, such misdeeds could not go without an equally severe form of punishment.
And here was a contrite Goddess who let her hatred steer her into committing desperate and dangerous acts. Kami-sama could look past the strong and proud facade that Ilse erected and clearly see a frightened girl who was deathly afraid of what she was about to face. No doubt that the Void would have its way with her.
Goddesses who worked in the Goddess Assistance Agency were first trained in the art of working with humans. Granting their wishes. Interacting with them. Figuring out what made them tick. How best to grant their wishes so that they could be their happiest.
The competition for the limited spots available to each class of field Goddess candidates was fierce, bordering on cutthroat. And the selection committee was ruthless in determining who the best candidates were. Those who didn't become field Goddesses ended up having to find other jobs within the GAA.
Many, like Ilse, ended up working in the IT department, performing the endless and unnoticed work of running the various servers and other computer equipment that was the heart of the agency. These workers languished in the shadows of the field Goddesses who were responsible for making contracts with humans to grant their wishes.
Ilse only missed out becoming a field Goddess by the slimmest of margins. Her and Belldandy were neck and neck at the head of the class going into the final phases of training. They finished training in a dead heat.
But for some reason, known only to themselves, the committee chose Bell over Ilse. Both Goddesses were at the top of the class in all phases of the training. Both showed that they could relate to humans and their needs and wants. But in the eyes of the committee, Ilse had somehow fallen short.
So began Ilse's downfall, her obsessive hatred of Belldandy and the system that promoted her over Ilse. After starting work in the IT Department, she began her crusade against the Norn by starting to work with Hild, who directed her to move Belldandy and Keiichi's contract off the GAA wish servers.
Her actions combined with Baldur's obsession to remove Kami-sama from the Heavenly Throne ended up allowing Hild to install a virus on the GAA's wish servers which would cause Yggdrasil to enter a runaway status leading to a total system crash. Only the actions of Keiichi and Yggdrasil system admins Chrono and Ex prevented the massive system from doing very nasty things to the universe.
And now Kami-sama stood between Ilse and an eternity of soul and life crushing isolation. Even for the crimes that she committed, did the punishment truly fit the offense? Could Ilse be redeemed?
Kami-sama stood up and stared into the blue eyes of Ilse. He knew what he must do. And he hoped that he made the right decision.
"Goddess First Class, Second Category, Limited License Ilse." Kami-sama intoned. " I sentence you to complete Baldur's term in isolation. He was originally sentenced to ten years, but served eight months. Therefore, you will serve for nine years and four months."
Ilse cried silent tears. She was happy that she would not be sealed away for eternity, but she dreaded being in the dark for nine years and change. She was about to thank Kami-sama, before he interrupted.
"However, I am willing to suspend the sentence if you complete the following assignment: Belldandy did you a favor by intervening on your behalf before the selection committee. I offer you the opportunity to return that favor by going back down to Earth and figuring out what Torvald and Baldur are going to do and putting a stop to it. If you succeed in this effort, I will rescind the sentence, and will also talk to the selection committee about allowing you to become a field Goddess. However, if you fail, the sentence will be enforced as awarded.
"I will not guarantee that they will agree to my request, although they will listen. The selection committee has a mind of its own and even the suggestion of the Almighty may not sway them. But if they accept you into the field Goddess ranks, I will also recommend that you be placed in the Special Cases Division."
Ilse knew very well about the Special Cases Division. They were the field Goddesses assigned to handle the hard cases. The humans whose wishes were too unreasonable, too difficult, too maddening, and just too much of a pain in the butt for regular field Goddesses. Special Cases required a deft touch, infinite patience, and a level of determination to succeed that just wasn't found in ordinary field operatives. Wishes designated as Special Cases just barely passed acceptance by Yggdrasil, in that they didn't cause destruction to the Earth, but the system was programmed to not pass these crazy wishes to regular GAA. At one time, Keiichi's wish would have been assigned to a Goddess from Special Cases, but Kami-sama intervened and passed it on to Belldandy. While ordinary field Goddesses occasionally dealt with humans at their worst, Goddesses attached to Special Cases dealt with humans at their worst most, if not all of the time.
Despite their limited numbers and the nature of their mission, the Special Cases Division was neither an elite unit or a dumping ground for the GAA's cast-offs. Their members were all volunteers, and were all over the place in terms of their ratings. Some were at the top, some were at the bottom, and the rest were scattered in between. They didn't work in a separate facility nor did they wear special uniforms, or anything that displayed their unique status. They mixed in well with their fellow goddesses and didn't put on airs. But the one thing these Goddesses had in common was the innate ability to deal with irrational and unusual wishes that drove other field Goddesses crazy. It was as if they relished the challenge of granting these seemingly impossible wishes. And it showed. Their collective satisfaction rating was amongst the highest in the GAA.
Ilse knew she was being thrown a lifeline by Kami-sama. Considering what she had done, she had been the recipient of what could be called a miracle. However, what he had asked her to do was not easy.
Even if she could stop whatever plan Torvald and Baldur had up their sleeve, there was no guarantee that Kami-sama would be able to sway the selection committee to allow her to become a field Goddess, and even if that happened, she'd be dealing with the dregs of human wishes and desires. So many things that could not fall her way. But compared to floating in the Void bereft of the sights, sounds, and smells of Heaven for almost ten years, she'd be more than willing to deal with unreasonable and clueless humans.
Kami-sama said. "For the time being, your powers and license will remain in effect."
Ilse said. "Do you have any suggestions or ideas about how to stop Baldur and Torvald?"
"You're a resourceful Goddess, Ilse. You managed to hack into Yggdrasil and move that contract as well as free Baldur. I'll leave it up to you. I would suggest that you act as though you are still working with them and wait for your moment. I also would remind you that time is of the essence. The longer those two are allied, the worse things could get. Finally, understand that I am acting very much against my better judgement in granting you this opportunity."
Ilse could not contain her joy as she profusely thanked Kami-sama for sparing her. "I accept your offer, Almighty One, and I will do my best to comply with what you're asking me to do."
"You have many fine qualities that make you an excellent Goddess if you're willing to work at it, Ilse. It would be a waste to have your talent rotting away in the Void, unused." Kami-sama said.
"I won't let you down."
"See that you don't. Now run along."
After Ilse left his throne room, Kami-sama leaned back on his throne, exhausted. He thought to himself,
"Maybe Baldur was right. I am getting too old and soft these days. Not too long ago, I would have thrown Ilse into the Void straight away without any discussion whatsoever. I hope she doesn't prove me wrong."
Chapter 27
Tarikihongan Temple.
"So Torvald. I see that you're up to your old tricks again." said Urd casually, as she faced her younger sister.
"You know me, Urd. Always have to be the life of the party." said Torvald/Skuld as he mocked her.
"I thought that after we got rid of you the last time, you wouldn't bother us anymore."
"I said that I would leave Keiichi's mind. I didn't say that I would go away forever, or stop tormenting my favorite Goddesses. You know how fond I am of you, Belldandy and the little squirt."
"Why Skuld?"
"Why not? As the weak link of your little Goddess trio, it was too easy to take over her mind. Well within my abilities, at least. And while it was fun toying with Keiichi's puny brain, imagine what havoc I could raise in the mind of a Norn?"
Urd didn't want to give such a possibility any thought. Skuld was easily the weakest of the Norns, but she was inextricably linked to her sisters in many very complicated and multi-dimensional ways. Ways that could cause enormous damage to the universe, if not its complete destruction if misused.
He could use the bonds between the sisters to possibly transfer himself to Skuld's more powerful siblings. The possibility of either Urd or even worse, Belldandy being controlled by a master of Rage Magic was too much to consider. And unlike the Sacred Coupling that existed between Keiichi and Belldandy that could be shut down at will, the eternal bonds between the Norns offered no such separation.
Torvald/Skuld gloated. "Just think, Urd. I could drown the world in a sea of Rage and madness. Billions and billions of humans consumed with anger. Oh, the destruction I could cause. It almost makes me giddy with excitement."
"I bet it does, Torvald." Urd said. "You, locked away in the pits of Niflheim. With no one to visit you except my mother, whom you so foolishly allowed to toy with your affections. How does it feel to have been played for a fool, Torvald? Can't feel too good. You were Hild's most promising disciple. Her smartest, her most devoted. One of the few who could successfully survive that chamber of horrors that she put her best and brightest through."
Urd couldn't resist twisting the knife another quarter-turn. "But your one weakness popped up when she spread her legs...and you dived right in. And you pleaded with her to lock you away instead of having your dirty little secret getting out. I wouldn't blame you, Torvald. Demons can be so cruel. But that's the way Hild trains them. To pounce on any little weakness."
Flushed and embarrassed at his greatest failure being made known, Torvald stammered. "H-How did you know all that? She swore to me that she'd never let a soul know..."
Bingo! "Hello!" Urd retorted. "Not only am I half demon, but Hild is my mother. You think that I don't know everything that goes on in Niflheim? Just because I choose to live my life as a Goddess doesn't mean that I don't have my sources that fill me in on what happens in the Underworld. Information is a powerful weapon, Torvald. And maybe you didn't know this, but Mother can be such a gossip, sometimes."
"Y-you mean she told others about…"
"I don't know who else she told, but she definitely told me." Urd paused. "You mean you actually took Hild at her word when she swore to you that she would never disclose your stupidity to others when she agreed to your request to lock you away?"
"Y-yes! She's the Daimaikaicho! The CEO of Niflheim. Her word…"
Urd laughed maniacally. "Should never be trusted, Torvald! She's the Queen of Liars! She only speaks the truth when it will hurt more!"
Torvald raged. "And you're her daughter! Don't you take after her? Isn't the reason that you aren't a First Class Goddess because you won't stop lying?"
"Yes, but I refused the commission because I have no problem lying to protect my sisters. I will do anything for them. And regarding what I just told you about Hild and your little affair, are you willing to take a chance that I'm lying about whether she told anyone else about it?" Another pause. "Am I lying, or am I telling the truth because it'll hurt you that much more?"
While Urd clearly enjoyed toying with Torvald and taking advantage of what was clearly a sore spot with him, she had to exercise extreme caution. She hadn't forgotten that she was dealing with a Rage Magician, whose seething anger, his source of an almost bottomless pool of magic always lay just below the surface.
Torvald always prided himself on keeping a firm handle on his Rage, a skill that other Rage Mages often failed at mastering. But even the greatest of that school could never keep those torrential waves of destruction completely under control. It often would manifest itself at inopportune times if even the lightest trigger was pulled. A fact that was not lost on Urd.
Another thing that she had to keep in mind was that Torvald was also inhabiting the mind of Skuld. If he went off at the wrong time, he could irreparably damage the young Goddess, and in so doing, also cause harm to herself and Belldandy. The trick was to try and get Torvald out of Skuld's head, or to get him to expend enough of his magic that he would be weakened to the point that the sisters could seal him away, or at least send him back to his dungeon in Niflheim.
A third issue that Urd had to consider was the presence of Baldur at the temple. He and Ilse had arrived together, but after talking to Belldandy, Ilse left Earth for parts unknown. She had no idea why they were here, and she wasn't excited that they were. She knew that Baldur was sealed into the Void by Kami-sama, but didn't know how he escaped, although his arrival with Ilse gave her a clue.
Urd didn't know Ilse as well as Belldandy did. But her most pressing concern at present was what to do about Torvald. She knew that his involvement with Hild was a constant source of embarrassment to him, but was it enough to get him to blow his top and release his magic?
"So, Torvald. What was Mother like in bed? I'm told she tends to like it rough."
An uneasy silence.
"C'mon, Torvald." Urd prodded. "Velsper got your tongue, or are you so embarrassed that not only were you played for a fool, but that you weren't even good enough in the sack that Hild considered you no more than her personal boy toy?" Urd continued to poke at the bear. Torvald continued to be silent, but by feeling the psychic waves of anger radiating from Skuld like solar flares erupting from the surface of the sun, Urd could tell that the control over his rage was wearing thin and that he could go off at any moment. She had to time her next move perfectly. Subliminally, she spoke to Keiichi and Belldandy, and told them of the situation and the plan she had. They responded and prepared to implement whatever Urd had in mind.
"Torvald!" Urd said. You're supposed to be this big bad Rage Mage. The greatest of that school. Why don't you show me what you've got? I can take whatever you throw at me. It's just me, little ol' Urd. I'm obviously no threat to you." Urd spread her arms wide. "I'll even let you take the first shot."
Torvald broke his silence with a low and malevolent tone, "You will be sorry you said that, Urd!" Skuld's face twisted into a mask of almost indescribable fury as Torvald's rage built. The Earth shook under her feet as cracks spread on the surface of the ground. Smoke started to pour from those cracks as giant thunderclouds formed in the sky over the temple. Lightning leapt across the clouds in a savage display of the powers of evil, a display that could only come from the invoking of nasty, forbidden magic.
So much so that Urd herself, the Mistress of Electricity, could not help but be impressed by the exhibition. She was capable of calling forth such powers herself if she was willing to submit completely to the dark side of her origins. And there were times in which she was sorely tempted to tread that path. Walking the razor's edge between the Light and the Dark often ate at her soul.
It was only her calling as a Norn and a Goddess that provided the counterweight to the use of such powers. However, Torvald possessed no such thing. He was a demon with no restraints.
A deep sense of foreboding and menace descended over the temple. Nearby buildings burst into flames including the temple itself where Keiichi and Belldandy were married. The eyes and mouth of the giant Buddha within the burning temple opened and the mouth uttered foul and obscene words of Power as bolts of lightning shot from its eyes. Winds whipped around the temple catching the flames of the nearby burning buildings and turning them into destructive tornadoes of fire.
Urd knew that she only needed to make one more push before Torvald completely lost it. She was supremely confident in her abilities to provoke and to push buttons, but for a moment, she wondered whether she may have taken things too far. She also hoped that Keiichi and Belldandy would be able to carry out their part of her plan. She had no doubt that Torvald was going to bring his most powerful magic to bear. And it was only going to be with all their efforts that the Mage was safely contained and Nekomi City wasn't reduced to a pile of ashes. "Get ready, you two!", Urd said to Kei and Bell. "Standing by!", they answered in unison.
"Here we go!" Urd said to herself. "Well, I'm waiting, big boy! Come to think of it, that was what my mother said the last time you didn't perform in the sack!"
An unearthly howl of Power and wrath issued forth from Skuld's mouth as Torvald's control finally evaporated. His scream could be heard for miles as he let loose with his most powerful spell, Eternal Fury Maelstrom. A stream of infernal curses roared forth from Skuld's hands and mouth. At the moment he lost it, Urd screamed, "Kei, Bell! Go!"
Keiichi instantly summoned a large boulder to sprout from the Earth. Urd immediately put up her strongest barrier and braced for the impact. Torvald's spell roared from Skuld's hands and struck Urd's barrier. Mighty bolts of fire and rage fueled energy struck the barrier and while the initial impact drove Urd back and threatened to overwhelm her, she was able to withstand the powerful and hellish forces. She tuned the barrier to deflect the spell towards Keiichi's boulder. The spell's forces struck the boulder with a deafening boom, and it immediately turned red, and then white hot as it absorbed the power of the spell, acting as a natural ground driving the power deep into the Earth.
Keiichi's face was contorted in concentration and determination as he continued to pour his Earth powers into maintaining the boulder's integrity, and he opened his Sacred Coupling to allow Belldandy to help him. She added her energy to his as their powers combined to a level much greater than their individual efforts. Both God and Goddesses reached deep down into their reservoirs of power to keep the boulder from being destroyed. Keiichi hadn't used his powers to any great extent since the incident with Torvald in the limestone cave below the temple, so he was still a bit wary about truly bringing forth the depths of his First Class abilities. He still hadn't had complete confidence in his control, his powers occasionally did get away from him to sometimes comical and embarrassing results.
But he had Belldandy helping him this time. She filled in where he fell short, and encouraged him to do his best. Her love and commitment to him increased his confidence in his powers and helped him to maintain focus. Whenever he started to find himself weakening from the stress of bearing up under the relentless torment of Torvald's spell, Belldandy's subtle assistance provided him with needed support. Knowing that she had his back, he threw all caution to the wind and let his powers go. Belldandy felt him release his restraint and drew deeper into her resources to help her beloved. Their powers increased exponentially.
The boulder was holding up under the tremendous opposing stresses acting on it, but just barely. The relentless forces of light and dark from all sides started to place cracks on its surface. Waves of heat and light and a low rumble poured forth from the rock as it was being battered from the power of Torvald's spell and reinforced and strengthened by Keiichi and Belldandy's magic. It was as if the irresistible force was meeting the immovable object and the prize was the massive stoner in the middle of the temple courtyard.
Not to be left out of the battle, Baldur added his power to Torvald's spell. The sudden increase of energy caused more and larger cracks to appear in the boulder. Pieces of it were flying off into space as the awesome collision of powers threatened to destroy the rock. Keiichi noticed Baldur's actions and yelled to Belldandy, "Bell! Baldur's jumped into the fight! Can you increase your power?"
"Not without removing my power limiter!" answered Belldandy. The strain of putting forth that much magic was starting to show on her face. She was fast approaching the edge of her power threshold. Any moment, she could go dormant, leaving Keiichi to face Torvald and Baldur by himself. That was something she would not do. She'd rather risk the wrath of Kami-sama by removing the restraint on her powers, compared to leaving Keiichi in the lurch.
A license suspension was nothing compared to the guilt of letting her husband fend for himself. She would endure the lengthy and excruciating process of remedial training, and the interminable paperwork and bureaucracy of license renewal if it meant not having face Keiichi everyday knowing that she didn't do her best to protect him. And she knew that Keiichi would not hold it against her if she failed. He'd love her anyway. He'd forgive her most heinous transgression. But she wouldn't. She couldn't live with herself. To the extent that a Goddess could die, she rather do that then let Keiichi fall.
The battle between Good and Evil had only been going on for a few moments, but it seemed like days. The addition of Baldur to Torvald's side pushed the advantage to them, but Keiichi and Belldandy were able to hold on. Both were near the limits of their power, and they were starting to fade fast. It only seemed like a matter of moments before the lovers went down to defeat. Urd was also starting to tire. While she was stronger than Keiichi and Belldandy combined, the exertion of maintaining her barrier as well as deflecting the power of two very powerful deities was quickly draining her resources as well.
As much as Urd wanted to lend her aid to Kei and Bell, it was taking all of her formidable powers to keep up the barrier. She looked over at her sister and brother in law and saw that they didn't have much left. They were nearly spent.
Keiichi and Belldandy only had enough power between them to last, at best, another minute. But it didn't enter their minds in the slightest to quit. They quietly made a pact with each other to go down fighting.
They were prepared to act on that pact when a sudden rush of magic entered in support of them. The new power coursed through them bringing much needed strength and assistance. The couple looked around to see who had entered the fight on their side and were surprised to see their new ally.
Ilse.
"I'll explain later!" She screamed as she let loose a barrage of Water magic that struck the boulder and caused an enormous cloud of steam to rise from it. Despite her dominant element being Fire, Ilse also had the unique ability to cast Water spells with equal strength. She grimaced as she poured more and more of her power into the boulder.
In addition to giving support to Keiichi and Belldandy, she also turned her powers towards Torvald and Baldur's spells directly. Fire and Water Magic collided in a thunderous blast of steam and pressure. The temperature in the courtyard increased at least twenty degrees because of the great clouds of steam that hung over the temple site. Had there been any humans present, they would have collapsed from the increased heat and humidity, but being deities, both sides were unaffected.
With their strength and resolve reinvigorated by the addition of Ilse, Keiichi and Belldandy pressed their efforts forward. They had just begun to seize the advantage, when Torvald's magic abruptly stopped flowing from Skuld's hands and mouth. Her eyes opened wide in panic and her face no longer showed the presence of his evil which had overcome her. She let out an ear piercing scream, and fell to the ground.
Skuld started shaking and rolling uncontrollably on the ground as if she was being subjected to massive electrical shock. Her face had turned red and then pale as she continued to roll around, howling in excruciating pain.
Keiichi, Urd, Ilse, and Belldandy could only stand there and watch in horror as Skuld thrashed about, the victim of an unseen and malevolent force that had taken over her body. The four tried to come to her aid, but were held back by a powerful force field that blocked their way. They tried using magic to break through, but the field repelled their spells and pushed them back. Helpless to help their sister, Belldandy and Urd screamed in futility.
After a few more moments, Skuld let out one more cry of anguish, and collapsed. She lay there on the damp and cooling earth, lifeless. The force field disappeared, allowing the sisters to rush to Skuld's aid. Ilse and Keiichi stood back away from the rest, deciding that it was best for them to stay out of the matter, for now.
Urd looked into Skuld's eyes. They seemed dead and cold. Belldandy moved her hands over Skuld's body, and panicking, said, "I can't feel a heartbeat. I don't feel her essence at all. There's nothing here."
Urd agreed, "I can't feel her connection to us either. But I don't feel that she's dead."
"She's not dead." A calm and self-assured voice said behind them. The Goddesses whirled around.
Hild.
The Daimaikaicho appeared before them in her full demonic glory. Majestic and menacing. In the full livery of her office as the CEO of the Demonic Realm, with the unmistakeable aura of devilish power surrounding her. Completely in her "I'm-All-Powerful-and-I-know-it." mode. She was holding her right hand out, a sparkling, living orb of energy floating above it.
She quipped, "See? I'm getting better at my entrances. I didn't even destroy anything this time."
Urd said impatiently, "Mother, this really isn't a good time for a visit, right now."
"I disagree." said Hild. "It's the perfect time. Skuld's predicament is the reason why I'm here."
"What do you know, Hild?" rumbled Urd.
"I know that-as much as I hate to admit this- I owe you and Belldandy an apology and I have come to make things right."
"You, apologize? And make things right? Who are you, and what have you done with my mother?"
"I know that this might come as a shock to you, Urdie, but I come in peace...this time."
"Okay." said Urd warily. "I don't trust you as far as I can throw you, but you said you know about what happened to Skuld, so spill it, Mother dear."
Hild took a hard look at her half-demon daughter, and said, "My prize Rage Magician, Torvald? He's been quite busy lately: from taking over Keiichi's mind; using Sayoko to plant that Rage Token in the temple; using Ilse to spy on Kami-sama…"
She continued. "And I approved of the spying, and the Rage Token. But the taking over of K-One and Skuld's minds? And springing that idiot Baldur and bringing him and Ilse down here? He didn't ask for permission from me about that. And that's a no-no. I don't like it when my demons run around doing things behind my back and without my authorization. Makes me look like I don't have an idea of what's going on in my empire. And I have a reputation to live down to."
Urd and Belldandy looked at each other blankly. They couldn't believe that the great Hild, who was never one to show modesty or contrition, would apologize for anything. Much less want to remedy something that she or one of her minions caused.
Urd interjected. "So Torvald must have left Keiichi and entered Skuld's mind when she touched him in the limestone cave and then stayed dormant all this time. I'm actually impressed. So, Hild. What are going to do about him?"
"Here he is." said Hild, pointing to the orb floating above her hand. "At least the portion of him that I liberated from Skuld." A pause. "A-a-a-and, there he goes!" she snickered as she crushed the orb with one squeeze of her ring-bejeweled hand.
And as she did so, a loud tortured scream could be heard on the wind. As it died away, Urd asked, pointing to Belldandy and herself, "Are you sure there aren't any more portions of him floating around anywhere? I don't want him getting anywhere near either of our minds."
Hild said, "Yes, Urd, I'm sure. He won't be bothering you anymore. You see, as much as I detest you Goddesses being on Earth and causing the imbalance that makes it so hard for us demons to get humans to accept wishes from us, it's not good for business if a Rage Magician were to take over the mind of a Norn. Especially you or Belldandy. If that were to happen, the potential damage that would cause the universe would be incalculable. Even Torvald inhabiting little Skuld's mind would have been an unacceptable risk."
Hild floated above Skuld and her sisters, relaxed, legs crossed, hands behind her head. "We want you off Earth, Urd and Belldandy. We don't want to destroy the universe in the process. What's the use of getting humans to accept contracts from demons when there wouldn't be humans for them to contract with? Makes no sense."
Urd bristled at her mother's words. "So, you were okay with that damn Rage Token causing Keiichi to verbally abuse Belldandy?" At hearing those words, Belldandy flinched and shrunk back. The trauma of that ordeal still very fresh in her mind.
Hild calmly answered. "An unfortunate situation. But I knew that Keiichi would never truly harm her. He doesn't have it in him to do so, no matter how mad he gets. He loves her too much."
Belldandy recovered enough to speak up, "So, Hild. What about Skuld? What happened to her? Will she be all right?"
Hild waved her hand dismissively at Bell. "Of course. I had to remove Torvald from her mind. I regret that I could not do it more gently. He was in there pretty deep. And I'm very sure that Kami-sama isn't fond of demons messing about with the minds of Goddesses, much less Norns. So I had to be very careful where I stepped. You know, for someone as weak and difficult as Skuld can be, she has a surprisingly complex mind. And as you know, Urdie, I don't impress easily. Stand aside, you two."
Hild floated down to Earth, bent over Skuld, gently touched her forehead, and whispered with surprising compassion, "Rest, little one. Be at peace."
A few moments passed, then Skuld's eyes fluttered open, the color returned to her face, and as she awoke to find the Daimakaicho filling her vision, she started to cry out a word of warning to her sisters, before Hild put a finger to her lips and shushed her. "Be quiet, Skuld. You've had a traumatic experience. You need to rest." Skuld nodded her head in agreement, as she nodded off to sleep. Hild said to Belldandy, "Bell, take Skuld inside the temple and put her to bed. She will be all right with a few hours sleep. She won't remember Torvald's possession of her mind or the casting of Eternal Fury Maelstrom."
Bell did as she was told and carried Skuld off to bed. As she walked off, she turned and thanked Hild for helping her little sister. Hild smiled approvingly.
Urd stared hard at her mother. "Okay, Hild. Bell's gone. Enough with the nice girl routine. What are you really up to? You don't do things like this without some ulterior motive, or expecting something in return. What do you want from us?"
"Urd, you wound me!" Hild said theatrically, putting her hand over her bounteous chest. "Can't the CEO of the Demonic Realm do the occasional favor for her favorite Goddesses, no strings attached? Have you become so cynical that you cannot believe that I would do this purely out of the goodness of my heart?"
"Forgive me, Mother...but no. I know you too well. Remember, you made me what I am. This isn't in your nature. You've got something else going on here, and I WILL find out about it. Trust me."
Hild's eyes flashed for barely a moment. But she returned to sweetness and light. "Well, I think that my work here is done. I've got some discipline to mete out to Torvald…"
"Discipline?" Urd smirked. "I know your history with Torvald and I'm pretty sure that any 'discipline' you have to deal out to him will hardly hurt him at all."
Hild winked at Urd and said, "Did you really tell him that I liked it rough in bed? On the contrary, I'm actually quite the submissive."
"Yeah, and Marller is poised to succeed you as Daimaikaicho."
Both Mother and Daughter had to laugh at that absurdity.
As Hild turned to leave, Ilse walked up to her. "Hild?"
"Umm, your name is…"
"Ilse."
"Ilse, Ilse..." Hild hesitated. "Oh, I remember you. You passed along some information from Heaven to me. I seem to remember that I promised to make a demon out of you if you did some spying for me. You were fooling around with, um...um, Siffur, was his name? He was Kami-sama's principal advisor?"
"Yes, you did. And his name was Siggur."
"Ah, yes. Siggur. Some interesting pillow talk between you two. Too bad that information you wheedled out of him was fake."
Hild's statement caught Ilse by surprise, even though she knew it was true based on what Kami-sama told her. She tried to hide that surprise, not entirely succeeding. "You knew?"
"Of course, I knew. You knew as well as anyone that Siggur thought he was a ladies' man. You think you were the only Goddess he was bedding that I had recruited? Silly girl."
"But, but…"
Hild stared straight into Ilse's eyes and ominously whispered. "I strongly suggest that we forget that we had this conversation. I'm in a surprisingly charitable mood today, as you've seen with my helping out of Skuld. That charitability his its limits, and you are rapidly approaching them. Let's end this NOW!"
Remembering the deal that Kami-sama gave her, she said. "Agreed."
Hild said, "Smart girl. And one more thing…" She snapped her fingers, uttered a word of Power and Baldur, who was cowering behind the boulder that Keiichi had summoned, fell over unconscious.
"Take that one back to Heaven with you. I'm sure that Kami-sama will want to have a word or two with him."