"Her blood pressure is 110 over 70. Her heart rate is at 90 beats per minute. Her leg has healed, and the bone has been set. She won't be able to put pressure on it for a while. Normally, it could take several months for her to fully recover, but holy magic can assist us there. I expect she will be able to walk within a week or less." Someone said.
"Good, good." Another voice replied. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. When we went to Gelon, she was the only human left in the whole city." She explained.
"I don't know either. I suspect Ilias is behind this. Or maybe Alipheese took the humans before they could be harmed. The girl might've been left behind by accident, or because she wouldn't be very useful to them."
Luna's eyes slowly opened. The first thing she saw was the cloth above her. It was supported by sticks and fibre, signalling to her that she was in a tent of some sort. The girl suddenly remembered what had happened earlier, and looked down at her leg.
Not so long ago, you could see her bone sticking out of it, though Luna didn't like to look at it. Now there was skin covering it, and not even a mark remained. It still hurt, but far less than before. Luka had saved her from the ruins of San Ilia, and now he was nowhere to be seen.
Beside her was a Kitsune, looking down at the girl. She wore strange, foreign clothing, and had three golden tails swishing behind her. Her eyes were like green gems, glistening in the darkness of the tent.
"Ah, good evening," Tamamo said. "You've been asleep for quite a while now."
"Huh? Where am I..? What happened?" Luna asked.
"After we saved you from San Ilia, I brought you here. The girl over there, her name is Promestein, helped me fix your leg. It should be fine now." Tamamo explained. "We're in the southeast of Safina, almost at the border. We plan to move further east in the morning, but for now, we can get some rest."
A monster... Wait, where's Luka..?
"Where'd Luka go?" Luna asked.
"Oh, he and his Doppel should be here soon," Tamamo said. "Promestein, why don't you go see if anyone else might need your help? A few of the refugees looked badly hurt."
Promestein nodded and left the tent, leaving Tamamo and Luna alone.
This monster... She hasn't eaten me... She even said she saved me...
No, she must be lying. I bet she's just waiting for her chance.
I have to get out of here as soon as possible... But how? I can't walk...
I'll have to wait for Luka to get here, and then we can escape together...
"Luka told me about you, you know," Tamamo said. Luna looked up at the Kitsune.
"I heard about what happened to you and your parents in Gelon..." She explained. "I'm sorry... No child should have to go through something like that."
"Why would you care?" Luna asked. "It's your kind that killed everyone."
"...I know." She said. "But-"
"The world would just be better off without monsters," Luna said. "Mommy and Daddy... They would still be alive, and so would everyone in Gelon. Daddy always said that if we all just followed Ilias's will, she would kill all the monsters and build a pure world for her followers."
"...I'll tell Luka to come visit you when he gets here," Tamamo said. "For now, try to rest, okay?"
Luna did not respond. Tamamo sighed and left the tent, but looked back at the girl one more time before she did. Luna stared into her eyes for a moment. Suddenly, she recognized them. This Kitsune... She had seen her before.
"I hope Luka can talk to you about all of that," Tamamo said. "You're not wrong to hate monsters... But... Not all of us are like that... At least, not anymore..." Tamamo left the tent wistfully.
...It can't be... Her golden fur, her eyes... Even her clothing...
Was that... Tamamo No Mae..?
"Woah!" Luka shouted as he fell. He splashed into the pool of water below him. It was fairly shallow, meaning that he actually hit the sea bed. Luka stood up in the water, his head rising above the surface. His eyes had to adjust to the immense brightness of Heaven. It looked just like it did the last time he was here. The hero's attention was diverted when he heard someone scream above him. He looked up to see Rinoa about to fall on him.
"Wah!" Luka attempted to dodge out of the way, but the water slowed him down. Rinoa crashed down, right on top of the hero.
Rinoa quickly regained her footing, her head peeking over the water's surface, although she was slightly shorter than Luka, so her chin was actually dipping into it.
"Oh, sorry about that," Rinoa said as she lifted her original up from under her. Luka shook his hair as he surfaced.
"I thought you said you were good at teleportation!" Luka complained. "How come we appeared in the middle of the air instead of on the ground?"
"I said no such thing." Rinoa shot back. "It's a hard spell! And I only had common angels to teach me. How about you do it yourself next time!"
"No, no. It's fine." Luka said. "Where are we anyway?" He asked.
"I'm not sure... did you not go here the last time?"
"Me and Alice didn't exactly have the time to take a tour." He explained. "So... How do we find Lucifina from here?"
"It shouldn't be too hard," Rinoa said. "Since she's a seraph, she's fairly easy to find, thanks to her immense power. And with both of us searching for her, we should find her pretty quickly."
"Yeah, you're right," Luka said. He started to swim out of the lake. Rinoa did the same. Once they reached the ground, Luka looked around him. Heaven had an apt name. The ground was made of fluffy, warm clouds, though they were still solid enough to walk on. There were trees on them, with fruits hanging from them. They were of the sweeter variety, as angels preferred them. And although they technically didn't need to eat, it never stopped them from having a few every now and then.
"Hmm, actually, I might know where we are," Rinoa commented. "This lake, this garden... It's exactly like what the rumour says it looks like." She explained.
"What rumours?" Luka asked.
"Back In San Ilia, the preacher talked about the land of angels. He told the tale of the Garden of Eden. They say it's where Eden often rests, and where she creates new angels. Back when Ilias first created humanity, she supposedly had a test run here. The first two humans, Adam and Eve, lived here. They say that one day, Adam fell to the temptation of a monster, the first human sin ever. Ilias was enraged, and banished them both to the surface." Rinoa explained.
"From there, she made more humans, but couldn't find it in her heart to kill Adam. He made children with the fallen angel Alipheese the first, thus starting the monster line. Alipheese was also the monster who tempted him in the first place."
"...That makes no sense," Luka commented.
"Duh! I know that," Rinoa said. "I'm just repeating what he said. Though, he probably was telling the truth about this being where Eden resides, and where she makes new angels." Rinoa said.
"So we better be on the lookout for her," Luka said. "Let's get going. Lucifina isn't anywhere around here."
Rinoa nodded and the two set off. Their steps were light along the soft ground.
"So we're just going to wander around aimlessly until we find her?"
"Like I said, It shouldn't be hard. Lucifina isn't exactly the stealthy type." Rinoa said.
Luka agreed verbally. They followed the path for a while, always on the lookout for an angel patrol. To the surprise of both Luka and Rinoa, they encountered no one. Not a single angel, nor even felt one.
Why is Heaven so... empty? What happened here?
"It's not like I've ever been here before." Salamander began. "But, it really shouldn't be empty. Angels have always been the race with the lowest population... But, this is absurd. No... this has to be something else."
Yeah, I think so too.
Luka and Rinoa continued walking down the path.
"So... what else did you do when you were on your own?" Luka asked.
"I served as a bodyguard sometimes, protecting people from the less... civil monsters. I made a decent bit of gold from that. Then I kind of just walked around... I don't really know what I was looking for." Rinoa said. "I'd often hear tales of the Hero Luka. I used to be pretty jealous, actually."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, but, that was a long time ago." She said. "I visited Gnome once, you know?"
"Really? What did she say?"
"Nothing, as per usual. This was around a year after I gathered enough energy to unseal myself." Rinoa explained. "I was going to talk to Sylph but... I changed my mind once I remembered how annoying she can get."
"Hey!" Sylph said. Rinoa didn't hear her.
"What did you and Gnome do?"
"Not much really. I talked to her for a while, only getting nods or head shakes in response." Rinoa said. "After a while, she walked over to a nearby pile of sand. I didn't know what she wanted at first, so I just started messing with it. After a while, she showed me what I was doing wrong, and eventually, we had made a small castle." She explained with a faint smile.
And now she's gone, forever... Or at least, this version of her is.
"...Sounds like fun," Luka said. "...So, why were you in Yamatai in the first place? What were you doing there?" He asked.
"Hmm? You mean when I got the jump on Tamamo?" Rinoa asked. Luka nodded. "I kind of just happened to be there. I was just walking around Yamatai, exploring the village, when all of a sudden I saw the Four Heavenly Knights and Alipheese walk into Tamamo's house. So, I decided to follow them. I hid in the corner of the building, and then the rest happened." She explained.
"I see..." Luka said. He was about to ask another question but was cut off when he felt a familiar presence.
Lucifina... She's here!
Luka looked at Rinoa. She had already taken out her sword and shield, ready to fight. Luka turned towards where he felt the presence. His mother, the Daystar, was close. And, she was alone.
Strange... Everything here... It's all so weird. This was far too easy...
Somethings up... But what?
Rinoa walked past Luka, closing in on the Daystar. Luka followed, and the pair made their way to her. Once they were close enough, they hid behind a tree. Rinoa peeked around it, searching for Lucifina.
"There she is." She said quietly. "Let's get closer."
The two slowly approached their target.
"Oh... Took you long enough."
Luka looked up. Lucifina had spotted them. The hero expected to feel fear at this moment, but instead, he only felt anger. He was ready to fight, ready to avenge his friend.
"Two of you..? She never said that..." Lucifina said.
"What?" Luka asked. "You've been expecting us..?"
"Oh well, I suppose it doesn't really matter," Lucifina said. "Now then, Hero Luka... Slayer of Kanon... Let's see what you're really made of..."
Lucifina started the fight in an instant. A single, elegant, almost beautiful swipe. Fast enough that it was almost imperceptible to the human eye. Luka raised Angel Halo, stopping the sword inches away from his neck. Apparently, Lucifina had no qualms when it came to killing him.
"Take this!" Rinoa shouted. She leapt towards Lucifina, prepared to stab her. Lucifina's eyes turned to the girl. The Daystar did not turn, nor did she prepare any form of defence. She simply looked back down at Luka with a wide grin. The hero noticed that her body had begun to glow.
"No, Rinoa, don't!" Luka shouted, but it was too late. Rinoa's blade was stopped by the magic of the Daystar. It simply bounced off of her, not even grazing her skin. Lucifina finally turned towards her and spoke.
"I am the Star of Morning... the Child of Dawn..." She said. "The star thrown to the Earth shall obtain victory..."
Lucifina had a crazed smile as she finished the spell. A huge, glowing comet appeared above her, crashing down on Rinoa. The girl was flung back, her body smashing into one of the trees. Blood was dripping from her chest.
Shit! Rinoa!
Luka attempted to run to his Doppel but was stopped by the Daystar.
"The jaws of the Rakshasa come to make the wicked pay..." Lucifina said calmly. She flew close to Luka and started the attack.
"The jaws of the Rakshasa come to make the wicked pay!" Luka shouted. The swords intersected, the blades hitting off of each other, parrying every attack.
"Oh..? You know that skill too..." Lucifina said. "Let's see what else you can do..."
The Daystar readied her sword, pointing it towards the hero.
"Alright, Luka! Let's do this!" Sylph said.
Right...
Luka summoned the spirits, giving him a huge boost in power. Lucifina raised an eyebrow.
"Oh..? Is that the power of the Earth..? Strange... I thought I killed that one..." She said.
"This is for Gnome!" Luka shouted. His sword flashed as he swung it at Lucifina. The Daystar was faster, however, and almost completely dodged the attack.
"Impressive..." She muttered. Luka saw a drop of blood fall from her leg, where his sword had managed to cut.
"Ilias said you would be powerful... She even said you managed to defeat my sister..." She said, her unnerving smile still present.
Wait, Ilias told her about me? Did she know we were coming!?
Luka had no time to think about it. He would have to defeat his mother and leave.
"Very well..." He muttered.
To use Daystar... I have to say the words... No exceptions... It's an essential part of the spell...
Then... You'll fall knowing the truth, Mother...
Lucifina remained idle above the soft ground of Heaven. Her wings kept her afloat. Her breathing was calm and slow, and her wound had healed completely. Luka channelled his mother's power through him. He prepared the spell, the one that his mother was known for.
"Now then, child... It's time we end this." Lucifina said. "You two... You're here to avenge that Spirit, aren't you?" She asked. "I too, have someone to avenge... My sister, Micaela... You're the one who hurt her. And it took her quite a while to heal..."
Luka listened to his mother. He was ready. He could take her on. With all of the spirits by his side... Or at least, three of them, he could defeat her.
"Then, I'll get revenge for her as well..." Lucifina said. "Now die, child."
The Daystar flew towards Luka at a speed near that of sound itself. Luka did not move. Lucifina swung at the boy's head, ready to chop it off.
But her sword stopped, an inch away from his neck. Lucifina's eyes widened as she watched the boy glow.
"...My mother is the Star of Morning, the Child of Dawn." Luka started. "The star thrown to Earth shall obtain victory!"
"...What?" Before Lucifina could investigate further, a blazing comet appeared. It slammed into the Seraph at full force, aided further by the Spirit of Water. The angel was flung into the ground, taking huge damage.
Nearby, Rinoa was waiting. She had been watching the battle for a little while. She was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. For now, Luka had this. If he looked to be in trouble, she would step in.
Now, while she's down!
Rinoa ran over to the seraph. Before she could cut her, Lucifina flew back a few metres. Luka and Rinoa stood side by side, their weapons readied.
Lucifina smiled. "Well, that was surprising..." She said. "...Boy, just how is it that you can use my skills? I'm the only one who can use that attack... Just who the hell are you really?" She wondered aloud.
"Lucifina! For what you did to Gnome, we shall kill you!" Rinoa shouted. "And once we're done with you, we'll come back for that pathetic woman you call a goddess."
"You dare insult the Goddess?" Lucifina said, now scowling. "I will rip you to shreds, child... As for you, boy... We shall see what Ilias wants with you..."
...I don't like what she's implying...
"You can try," Rinoa said. For a moment, each member of the fight remained still. Rinoa's was stiff. Luka was too, but Lucifina was not. She was calm, as calm as before the fighting had begun. Blood dripped down from her shoulder, where Luka's blade had cut. It was a fairly deep wound too. Lucifina looked as though she had not even noticed it.
Without a word, the fight resumed. Surprisingly, Rinoa was the first to strike. She jumped towards the Daystar, holding her shield in front of her to protect herself. Luka followed suit, running towards Lucifina.
The Daystar activated her signature move once more, and both of her would-be attackers backed off.
"...Oh? So you know how my skill works... I suppose that does make sense." She said. "Still, you're so strange... Both of you, you look the same, like family... Except... Boy, your eyes are different... They are not those of a human, rather..." Lucifina stopped talking all of a sudden. A flash of understanding shone through her eyes.
"...That is... But how..?" She wondered. "This is why you have so much power... This is why you harbour holy energy... That's why it's so similar to mine... You, Hero Luka... Are my son..." She said.
"Uh... Nope, that's ridiculous." Luka said. "You must be mistaken."
"No... I'm sure of it... I was so blind before..."
...What's going to happen now?
Rinoa looked at Luka in confusion. What do they do now? Lucifina had figured out the boy's lineage as soon as he used her skill.
Well, it won't matter once she's dead.
"Let's end this, Luka," Rinoa said.
"She's right Luka, we have her cornered!" Salamander said. The other spirits agreed.
"Yeah... We'll do it together." Luka said. Rinoa nodded. The two looked at the Seraph.
"I wonder how you're body works, boy... How about I look inside for myself? Let's see what makes you tick..." Lucifina said with her signature, insane grin.
To think Mother would say something so... disgusting...
"This isn't your mother, Luka," Undine said. "Not really. I know it's hard, but you have to do it. For Gnome, and for everyone else she's killed. You'll be doing the world a favour."
Luka hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. Rinoa and Luka attacked in tandem, both aiming at different parts of the Seraph. Lucifina countered Luka's attack but failed to stop Rinoa's. Her sword sliced through the Seraph's wing, leaving a gash in it. The Daystar made no reaction, only swiping at the now-open Rinoa. Angel Halo stopped her sword in its tracks.
Lucifina looked at Luka, surprised by his speed. It seemed his powers with the wind were stronger than when the two had last battled. She attempted to grab the boy, but he dodged.
Hmm... If this goes on... I might lose...
Then, I'll have to call her in...
Luka and Rinoa attacked at the same time once more. Rinoa aimed high and Luka low. Lucifina took the safe option and simply flew upwards. Both attacks missed.
"Damn it... We'll have to wait for her to come down." Luka said.
"Right," Rinoa said. "Ill-" She was interrupted mid-sentence. Luka turned to see what happened. His eyes widened as he saw Rinoa, on her knees. A large, gaping wound in the middle of her chest. Above her stood a new angel, with a now red, bloodied sword in her hands.
Micaela! What the hell!?
"Rinoa!" Luka started running towards the girl but was stopped when Lucifina landed in between them.
"Well, two-on-one would hardly be a fair fight, would it?" She asked. "Now then, let's continue our battle," Lucifina said.
I can't get passed her! So then, I'll have to take her down first.
"What shall I do with this one?" Micaela asked. Her foot was on Rinoa's back, keeping her down.
"Kill her," Lucifina said. "She is of no use to us. The Goddess only wants this one."
"Very well," Micaela said.
No! Rinoa!
Luka suddenly felt a burst of energy rush through him. He had to protect her, but to do that, he would have to get past his mother.
Sylph! Give me everything you've got!
Luka dashed past Lucifina, even quicker than before, allowing him to stop Micaela's sword. The Seraph was surprised by the sudden burst of speed.
"Rinoa, get out of here!" Luka said. "I'll hold them off!"
"Right..." She said. Rinoa started crawling away, holding the wound in her chest. Thankfully, Micaela hadn't stabbed her in the heart, but it was still dangerous.
Micaela pulled her sword back. Luka backed up slightly and countered the swipe which came from the angel. The two continued attacking each other, each one being countered by the other.
"You let me live last time, child," Micaela said. "I shall extend the same courtesy to you..." She explained.
Luka had trouble keeping up with the furious attacks which came from his aunt. Each one seemed to only increase in speed more and more, getting faster and faster the longer they went on. That was until a scream was heard from behind the hero.
What!? Rinoa!?
Luka parried Micaela, which gave him a second to look behind him. What he saw was... Lucifna, standing over Rinoa, her sword piercing her body.
"Pathetic..." She said. Her sword had cut straight through the shield of Rinoa's back.
No!
Luka ran at Lucifina, tackling her. He pinned her to the ground. Using Gnomarens power, he kept her there. Rinoa coughed up blood beside him.
Shit! We need to get out of here!
"Rinoa, teleport us out!" Luka said. Rinoa's eyes drifted towards him.
"Right..." She said. "Just... give me a second..."
Rinoa stopped her spell, her eyes slowly closing. Lucifina began to push Luka back. He struggled to keep her down. Micaela walked over to the hero and pulled him off of Lucifina. Luka struggled out of Micaela's grasp. After a while longer, he kicked his way out, jumping towards Rinoa. He grabbed the girl.
"Let's go Rinoa!" He shouted. The girl did not respond. Luka looked down at Rinoa, her eyes were closed. She was still breathing, but she was unmoving. The two seraphim approached. Luka waved his sword, ready to protect both himself and Rinoa.
"That is enough." An imperious, divine voice said. Luka recognized it instantly.
No... This is... Ilias?
The Goddess of Creation appeared in front of Luka. Her face had a haughty smile, as per usual. She looked down at the boy hero. In his arms was a girl, one which looked exactly like him, except more feminine. She was bleeding from the chest, but alive.
Well... This all turned out quite nicely... Almost everything went exactly according to plan...
"Surrender, Hero Luka. You are surrounded, and alone. If I wanted, I could bring down the whole might of my army on you. You have no escape, boy." Ilias explained. Eden teleported in beside her. She bowed immediately when she did.
"What...? Ilias... No, this... This isn't how it was supposed to happen..."
"No, this is exactly how it was supposed to happen," Ilias said. "Micaela, take the girl."
"Yes, my lord."
Micaela walked over to Luka and Rinoa. Initially, the hero tried to back up but realised the futility of it. He could fight no longer. His mother, his aunt, and Ilias herself surrounded him. He stood no chance in a battle, and there was nowhere he could flee to.
The seraph took Rinoa from his hands forcefully.
"What will I do with her?" Micaela asked.
"She is strong, is she not? Heal her wounds. Then give her to the lower angels for... re-education. With her power, she may even reach seraphim tier. A fourth Seraph could prove useful... Eden, you go with her." She ordered.
"At once, my lord." Both said in unison.
"What shall I do, my lord?" Lucifina asked. Micaela and Eden flew off.
"You've had your fun, daughter. Leave me with the hero."
"But, you said I could-"
"I've never known you to need to hear a thing twice, Lucifina. Go." Ilias commanded.
"...Yes, my lord," Lucifina responded. She took one last look at Luka, then flew off.
"Now it is just you and me, hero," Ilias said, her smile still as radiant as ever.
"What is this?" Luka asked. "How... How did you know I was here..?"
"Ah, I was wondering when we would get to that... You see, young hero, I've been planning this for a long time now. Ever since you're fight with Kanon, actually." The Goddess explained. "You've told me so much... I must thank you for it."
"...What? What are you talking about?"
"Quite dull, aren't you?" She asked. "I suppose I'll have to spell it out for you. Once I saw you use my daughter's skill on Kanon, I took a great interest in you. It surprised me, at first. So I continued to listen, continued to watch your every move. Then, once you freed that Heretic from her prison, you told her everything... Of course, you did try to stop me from listening, but that spell was far from enough. I am the Goddess of Creation, remember?"
...No, that means... She knows everything...
"A thousand years from now, give or take, you struck me down, along with the sixteenth Fateburn and her soldiers... And even my own daughter... I didn't believe it at first, but... It made some sense, I suppose. You are from another world, are you not? A world where neither side won this war... Needless to say, the information was quite useful." Ilias said.
"So then, I formed a plan. Sending my daughters down to kill you could risk one of their deaths, or at the very least have them use a lot of energy. That would leave us vulnerable, so that wouldn't work. Instead, I wanted to bring you to me... And now I have. I had Lucifina kill the Spirit of Earth. Before that, however, I saved my followers from their doom." She explained.
"What? So... that's why..."
"Yes, That's why there were so few people on the ground, from your perspective at least. All those who followed me were brought up here, to Heaven. Normally, I would only let the most loyal ones up here... But this is war, and sacrifices must be made. Once I was done with that, I watched the world break apart. I watched Tsunami's crash over my own continent, I watched my capital city crack in two... But it was all worth it in the end." She said.
"Alipheese was part of my plan too, of course. She never was too bright. I doubt she understands anything that's happening... I knew that she would try to save her own, just like I did. And now look, all her troops, all her people, in one place. A small, isolated continent. Starving them out would be child's play... Eventually, probably soon, they will run out of humans. The ancestors have never been ones to hold themselves back, after all."
"And once that happens, they will feast on each other, and then I will swoop in when they are done. I will crush their entire race within a day. Alipheese will fall... And I will have won this war... And it was all thanks to you, Hero Luka." Ilias explained.
"Of course, my victory would mean nothing if the world were destroyed. Gnome's death would surely crack the planet's surface itself, over time. In a matter of weeks, there would be nothing left for me to rule... That's where you came in, little one."
"This is..."
"Shocking, is it not?" She asked. "When I saw Tamamo No Mae herself, along with one of the smartest angels I've ever seen together, I knew you could restore Gnome. And even if you failed, I would just wait for Alipheese to restore her, or for the spirit to reform on its own... That would take a long time, though. Years upon years, in fact. So I'm glad you managed to bring her back."
"After that, there was only you left to oppose me... And the other spirits would want revenge of course... So I thought to myself, how could I bring you here, willingly? Then it hit me..."
"No... Luna... San Ilia..."
"Yes... Good, very good, hero. I see you've caught on. Did you think it was a mere coincidence that out of every person in San Ilia, Luna was the only one who was forgotten? No... I took her down from Heaven and placed her there, removed some of her memories... And broke her leg. Then I waited for you to come along and see it... I knew this would enrage you." She explained.
"But, how did you know I would come here..?" Luka asked.
"To be honest, I thought you would be angry enough to storm Heaven on your own, but it looks like you needed another push. Gnome's death was not enough for you, it seems. Thankfully, your spirits seem to have done that for me. Ironic, is it not? In seeking revenge, they have accidentally given me everything I ever wanted. To be fair, I didn't account for that girl you brought with you... But it seems she was little trouble for my daughters."
And even if he did decide to not come up here for revenge, I would've just cornered him myself, eventually. But this way was far easier, and cleaner.
"I don't get it... Why wait? Why let us fight Lucifina at all?"
"Hmm? Oh, that was her doing. She wanted to fight you on her own. When she started to lose, Micaela stepped in. And after enough time had passed, I ended the fight." Ilias explained. "Truly, I thank you, hero. You have given me everything I could've ever wanted. Alipheese is in the palm of my hand, and the world is mine. I'll send my daughters down to finish those that survived the earthquakes, as they were not my followers."
"After that, I will destroy Alipheese, then rule this world... And then once I have a firm grasp on it... I will go to yours." Ilias said.
"W-What!? No, you can't mean!" Luka shouted in surprise. Angel Halo dropped from his hand.
"Yes... I've heard all about it from you. I will re-educate my little heretical scientist, and that other Tamamo No Mae... I will have them research a way to travel between worlds, and if they don't comply, my own angels can research it themselves. Then... Well, I will have two worlds to rule... Once you're one is purified, of course."
"N-No, this... This can't be true..."
"Don't cry, little hero. I'm going to save them, all of them. Anyway, that was a lot of talking, and I'm feeling quite tired... Initially, I planned to re-educate you myself... But seeing you now, I just don't have it in me anymore... As payment for what you have done for me, I will save you from a painful death."
Besides, I no longer need him. The Doppel will serve as his replacement. I'm sure he would've been a fine seraph, but Lucifina would've complicated things. This way is far easier.
"Alice... Tamamo... Everyone..."
"Look at me, Luka," Ilias commanded.
"Nero, Neris... They're all going to die, aren't they..."
"I said, Look at me." She repeated. This time grabbing Luka's face, forcing him to look into her eyes.
"This is the end for you... I don't give evaluations to my enemies... Goodbye, Son of Lucifina... Hmm, I suppose I will have to make sure she doesn't rebel against me like she did in your world... Anyway... Go now..."
No... No, I can fight back. I can... I can run, I can go save Rinoa and leave!
Luka broke out of Ilias's grasp and picked Angel Halo back up.
"Damn you, Ilias! I won't let you destroy everything! Just like last time!"
"Hah... Like last time, eh?" Ilias laughed as she grabbed Luka's throat, flying towards him at a speed he could not dodge. "This is no fairy tale, boy." Ilias tightened her grasp on his neck. "You are alone, surrounded by enemies for miles upon miles around you. You are hopelessly outmatched, and yet you still try to fight..? I suppose that is admirable, but pointless..."
N-No! I won't fall here!
Summoning as much power as he could, Luka broke free of Ilias's grasp once more. He fell to the floor, gripping Angel Halo as he did. Luka had some fight left in him. Ilias was an opponent he had faced before, and she was weaker now. The spirits power was raging through him. For now, he would do as much damage as possible to the Goddess. Perhaps, if he did enough, Alipheese may stand a chance against her.
Though, she would probably just heal... But still, I won't go down without a fight.
"Come now, Son of Lucifina. Do you really think you stand a chance against me?" Ilias asked. "I am the Goddess of Creation, child. No matter what you do, I always come out on top. That is the one truth of this world."
"Not in my world it isn't." Luka said. "I've beaten you once... I can do it again..." Luka said. Using meditation, he healed any wounds he had suffered earlier.
It's a one on one. Me against her. For the sake of the world, for the sake of everybody, I will defeat her!
"I'll turn you to ash!" Ilias shouted. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning appeared above Luka. Thankfully, Undine had warned of this attack beforehand.
Her bloodlust is high, but not as much as Mother had...
There, another attack!
Luka dodged the second bolt gracefully.
My turn...
Luka jumped high in the air, assisted by the Spirit of Winds power. He started a spell he had only done once before, but was confident he could pull it off.
"My aunt is the Sword of Heaven, the first angel..." Luka said quietly "Fall before my sacred blade!" Luka finished the spell. He swung Angel Halo in a wide arc, with holy energy making it up. Combined with the power of fire, he launched it towards Ilias.
The Goddess was not surprised by the attack. She had seen him use it before. Taking it head on would be foolish, especially when she saw it coming. She summoned a barrier of light. With a little luck, it would hold back the attack.
The arc cut through Ilias's barrier, cracking it in two. A large, deep gash appeared on her arm. The Goddess groaned in pain, but pushed through it. The boy landed back on the ground of heaven.
"Hmm. I have no desire to play with you any longer." Ilias said. "Lucifina. Return to me. Help me deal with this Heretic."
Yes, my lord.
Lucifina appeared quickly. Apparently, she had not gone far in the first place.
"Morning star, I command you to destroy the Hero Luka, an infidel of Humanity." Ilias ordered. Lucifina bowed.
"At once, my lord." Lucifina responded, a smile on her face.
Damn, Lucifina is here now too... Can I fight both at once..?
Before Luka could think twice, the fight had already begun. Lucifina flew towards the hero, slashing at his side as she did. Luka diverted the blow with Angel Halo, the two blades meeting caused a loud screech to ring out.
"You move well..." Lucifina said. "Even better than your the girl you we're with. I wonder who trained you. Was it me...?" She asked. Luka did not respond.
Luka contiued to dodge and weave through the attacks. Using both the power of water and wind to dodge, and the power of fire to attack. Ilias noticed this.
"Unfair, is it not?" She asked. "With those spirits of yours, this becomes more like a five versus one. I think I should even the playing field." Ilias then waved her hand. Using her holy power, she dispelled the power of water for Luka.
With his connection to Undine cut off, Luka found it far harder to dodge the bloodthirsty seraph. He barely managed it, but his hope dwindled when Ilias took another Spirit from him. With the wind gone as well, he stood little chance.
The first slice appeared on his shoulder, then his arm, then his head. Thanks to his remaining spirits, he had not yet fallen. His angelic power further assisted him with stopping Lucifina's attacks.
"Hah!" Luka shouted as he swung at the Seraph. He landed a lucky hit on the angel, cutting straight through her wing. The seraph was flung back a metre or two.
"Ouch..." Lucifina complained as she stood back up. Blood appeared along her side. Luka had cut deeper than he thought.
"Let us end this." Ilias said. She waved her hand for a final time, taking away the last two spirits Luka had. With nothing to protect him, he struggled at stopping the Daystar.
He channeled more and more holy power into himself. His aura was radiant as he did, one of his eyes burning with a bright glow. A large, holy wing burned on his back. Luka felt his own flesh erode as he poured more and more power in.
Luka shouted as he repeated move after move, and skill after skill. He used Ninefold Rakshasha, then Flash Kill, then Daystar. He did it over and over, until his opponent fell.
By the time Luka was done fighting, Lucifina was panting. She was on her knees, surprised at the sudden burst of strength from the boy.
"... An impressive show." Ilias admitted. Luka walked closer to Lucifina, and put his sword to her neck. But for just a moment, he hesitated. And in that moment, Ilias teleported her away. "But not one I need watch any longer."
"Ilias..." Luka said. He was panting, and he turned toward the Goddess. He pointed Angel Halo at her. "I... I won't let you... I won't let you kill everyone..."
"And how do you plan on stopping me?" She asked. "Look at your hand, hero."
Luka stared at the Goddess for a moment, but did as she asked. He took off his glove and saw something he wished he had not.
"Damn it..."
"Encountered this problem before, I assume?" Ilias asked. "How exactly do you plan on stopping me when holy corrosion is destroying you from the inside out?"
Ilias walked over to the hero. "The answer is you can't. It's impossible. But I offer you this. Kneel before me. Accept me as your goddess... And I will let you live."
"...Never..." Luka said. "I'll never serve you, Ilias..."
"Haah... Very well." Ilias sighed. "I tried my best, but you would not listen..." The Goddess walked over to the boy, and looked down on him. He had so little energy left that he could hardly even stand.
Ilias started a holy spell, which took hold of Luka's body. It was not painful, but not pleasurable either. It gave the hero a strange, calming feeling, tempting him to just let go and surrender.
Luka's body began to turn to a white dust, starting with his arms and legs, and then spreading to the rest of his body.
"Goodbye, Hero Luka."
Luka's eyes closed, and his body disintegrated.
...Alice... Forgive me...
"Now then, I have a lot of work to do..." Ilias said as she flew off.
Luka's body has completely turned into a speck of holy dust, blown away by the wind.
In a realm filled with void and dark, a new soul appeared. The realm was home to little life. In fact, only one thing there was living. A red-headed woman, wearing a coat of black, waited for someone to arrive. She had done this many, many times before. Though, that was with a different version of the person. Her scythe scrapped along the floor as she waited.
So far, they're plan was going well. Only time would tell whether this was a good choice or not. Was he the right one? She did not know. But she believed in him. Through him, all things were possible...
Hero Luka... It took you long enough. I'm impressed. You'd normally lose far quicker.
The Red-haired woman had a faint smile as the soul arrived. She had always enjoyed speaking with him, even if their visits were normally quite short.
Here we go...
The woman grabbed the soul, and a boy fell from mid-air. He hit the ground below him and groaned in pain.
"You'll get used to it." She said. "You did last time, at least."
The woman walked over to the boy and gave him a hand.