"This is the Forest of Spirits," Luka explained. "Sylph, the Spirit of Wind, can normally be found here. I've heard that a few decades or so into the future, and well after the war is over, the nearby humans began actually worshipping the spirits."

Though, I've never seen it in person. Nowadays, it sort of started up again. Or at least Sylph is worshipped. She seems to be enjoying her position, but she doesn't take advantage of it. Other than asking for treats constantly, that is.

"Kyu, kyu."

...

Okay, so the first Kyu was slightly longer than her normal ones, and there was a long gap between them. So then, according to Tamamo, she might be saying 'that', or 'that is'. The second Kyu had a low tone to it and was fairly short... I think that means 'interesting' or 'intriguing'. If we add in the context, then...

"I think so too." He replied. "Huh. Since you're one of the spirits too, do you have a natural home, Nuruko?"

Sylph has this forest, Gnome has the desert, Undine has her spring and Salamander has her volcano. I wonder where Nuruko would live? Maybe the Tarturus?

"Kyu."

Negative tone. Of course, it must mean no.

"Odd. Where did you normally stay then?" Luka inquired. He and Nuruko were currently walking down a path that led to the Forest of Spirits. He was careful not to step on flowers, just like he did last time. This was the fourth time the Hero had gone through the forest to contract with the spirit, though he was sure this one wouldn't need the 'extra strong contract'. Doing it that way would require him to be unfaithful, something he would never do.

"Kyu, kyu-kyu. Kyu kyu, kyuuukyu." She explained.

That one seems a bit out of my league.

Luka nodded in understanding, even if he actually had no idea what she just said. Tamamo had taught him a few things about the language, but not much. She supposedly learned it a long time ago, when she was bored. While Nuruko doesn't speak the exact same language as the one she learned, which was one common among lesser scylla, it was close enough that she could understand it.

She had to spend those hundreds of years doing something, I guess. Still, what's the point of learning a useless language like that? She must've been really bored.

The Hero's senses alerted him to monsters nearby. A group of elves, he guessed. Learning from his past mistakes, he decided to avoid battle altogether by hiding behind a tree. When he first came to his world's version of the forest all those years ago, he had to battle the monsters head-on, which had obviously disturbed them. This time, however, he was more cautious.

I did that a lot on my adventure, now that I think about it. I could've avoided so many battles if I had just been a bit more careful. Alice was right. I really was an idiot...

And... they're gone. Now then, I should hurry up and get to Sylph.

Nuruko followed the Hero as he entered a wide clearing. It was here that the Spirit of Wind could normally be found, and this time was no different. In the centre, beside a small rock, there was a fairy, looking disheartened.

Is that Gnome's hat beside her? She must've made one for her before she died...

Gnome...

No. She's gone now. I can't dwell on my past mistakes. Not now. I have to keep moving.

"Sylph," Luka called out. The little spirit had no reaction. She had already sensed him earlier and decided to just ignore him.

"It's been a while." He said, approaching the fairy. "How have you been holding up?"

Sylph still made no reaction. The Hero noticed she was holding the hat in her hand with her eyes closed. Clearly, she was still grieving for her friend.

Not like I can blame her. Still, we have to end this war. I just hope she'll join me...

"I'll get straight to the point then," Luka said. "Sylph, will you join me? Will you help me take down Ilias and Alipheese and end the war?"

This time, the spirit shifted a little. After a moment of silence, she turned towards the Hero. "Why?" She asked. "Why didn't you take revenge?"

Luka sighed. He knew that question was coming. "I had no choice. If I went into Heaven with you and the others, I would've been defeated."

"But how can you be sure!?" Sylph shouted, flying towards the Hero. She flew in front of his face. "If we did it carefully, we could've killed the Daystar and escaped!"

"No. We couldn't have. Ilias was ready for that. She knew what we would do after she got rid of Gnome." He explained. "There was nothing I could do. I'm sorry, Sylph. I really am."

"N-No! You're wrong! You're lying to me!" She said. "You just want to let her get away with it because she's your mother!"

"..." Luka looked down. Even he was not sure whether he could really do something like that. Could he kill his own mother, even if it was for the greater good?

I'm not sure. But, Ilias was right. Some people just can't be redeemed.

But if that's true, then what about Micaela? Lucifina? What about Tamamo? They all turned out better after years of being sealed even though they were so horrible in the past. So then, that must prove it, right? If I seal them, then they'll eventually become good people...

Is that really the answer, though? Just seal them all? If even Tamamo turned into a good person after all those centuries of being weak, then it must apply to everyone.

But will Sylph accept that answer? Is it even my place to choose?

...Damn it. This is all so complicated. I miss my old adventure...

"I promise, Sylph. I won't just let her get away with it." Luka said. "But... I don't think I can kill her."

Sylph remained silent, her face a mixture of anger, sadness, and some guilt. When Lucifina killed Gnome, Sylph was the one who didn't give Luka the speed he needed to save her. It wasn't his fault, but hers. It had been eating her up from the inside for the past few weeks.

I gave him all the speed I could, but it wasn't enough. If I just wasn't so weak... I've always been the weakest spirit...

I need to get stronger, to stop something like this from ever happening again. I need to be strong enough to protect my friends!

Well, at least Luka is okay. I'm glad. And he doesn't look angry at us for abandoning him, even though he has every right to be...

Also, he was probably right about our plan being flawed. But that's not the issue; it's just... He sounds so sure, as if he has no doubt of it.

I should ask the wind. That should clear things up.

The Spirit of Wind took a deep breath as she began to attune herself to the wind, allowing her to hear its voice. It was desperately trying to tell her something, but she had been blocking it out recently.

No way... He really has seen the future? He was saved after losing to Ilias, then brought back to life and put to just a little bit before we tried to take revenge...

It's absurd, but not impossible. Reaper and White Rabbit... I've never heard of those two before. The wind has never lied to me, so it must be true...

So we're even bigger idiots now. Damn it.

"Fine." She muttered.

"Huh?"

"I'll join you. I want to fight back too." Sylph said.

"R-really? That was surprisingly easy... Anyway, that means we can contract now, right?"

"Hm... You know, there's actually another way to form a contract, one that will be stronger than before. You'll be able to use more of our power than before, but it will require you to—"

"I already know about that, and I refuse," Luka said. "I'm married now, Sylph. I can't just betray Alice like that just for some extra power."

The spirit's face actually looked slightly disappointed as she heard his answer, but Luka failed to notice. "I see... Well then, I guess we'll just do the normal one then." She said. Sylph then noticed an odd Syclla not far from the Hero, who seemed to be smiling as she looked at the fairy, even though they had never met before. She shrugged.

The Spirit of Wind flew close to the Hero, glowing as she went into his body. Her spirit connected to his, allowing her to give him power whenever he needed it. Once she was inside his soul, he was unsurprised to see it was already occupied. Gnomaren stood nearby but did not approach the newcomer. Sylph appreciated it.

Every time I look at her, I just get angry... But, it's not like she chose to inhabit that body. They made her, using her to save the world from destruction. I can't blame her for it...

Haah... This is all so complicated...

Sylph flew over to the centre, choosing to just ignore the other spirit. Gnomaren sighed, saddened by how the Spirit of Wind treated her. She hoped that with time, they may be able to speak to each other.

Luka and KyuKyu—I mean, Nuruko headed out earlier to try and contract with Sylph, leaving me all alone here...

Ilias walked around the campsite. A few hours ago, the army returned, beaten and bruised but still kicking. They had lost a hundred men in the fighting, a surprisingly low figure. They succeeded in protecting San Ilia, but they failed to take out any big names in the monster army.

It's no wonder. Humans might be strong when united, but defeating monsters like the ancestors? It would be almost impossible. Maybe with some better technology, they could do it, but the humans of this time period aren't very advanced.

The small goddess was doing her best to keep her distance from the only threat that was nearby. She knew in her heart that the Kitsune still held some resentment for her.

Not that I can blame her. Still, it's not like I forgive her either. She killed hundreds, if not thousands of my angels! And she ruined my plans for both Luka and Heinrich! Damn fox...

Though, I doubt she'd actually attack me. Apparently, that rabbit girl said they needed me for something. But what? I've been thinking about it for a while now. It's definitely not for power, considering I would still struggle against a slug girl in my current state. So what?

Ilias walked into one of the tents as she pondered her situation. Inside were two girls. One was Luna, the young child who had now survived two seperate attacks on Gelon, and the other was Promestein, one of her angels. Long ago, she had committed heresy against Ilias. She gave the gift of fire to humanity, thus brining them the first step into their development of technology.

And she got imprisoned for it. I was just doing as any good goddess would. She went against my orders, so she got punished for it. I think it was around, what, fifty thousand years? Though she only actually ended up serving a fraction of that sentence.

Hmph. In all honesty, I should've just killed her on the spot, but I am a merciful god.

Promestein did not react to the goddess as she entered. If Ilias was at full power, she would punish her for her insolence. All angels are supposed to bow as soon as they see her. It was only natural, after all. Who could even stop themselves from bowing upon seeing her majesty?

But I suppose I'll let her get away with it this time. And it's not because I can't actually force her anymore! I'm just... being nice.

Ilias was tired. The trip to the Tartarus had taken a lot out of her, even after a few hours of sleep. She walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, right next to Luna. The young human was currently looking worried, though Ilias did not know why.

"What's wrong?" She asked, not so much worried as she was just trying to make conversation.

"Rinoa looked really hurt when she came back. And she has a new scar on her belly. Do you think she'll be okay?" Luna asked, turning towards the angel. Her face was one of genuine concern. It seems the pair had gotten quite close over the short time they spent together.

"I'm sure she's fine," Ilias said, waving off her concerns. "She's a tough one. Besides, being Luka's Doppel means she has much more strength than any normal human, or should I say, monster."

Though, I'm not really sure what she is anymore. She was originally a monster, but then she was implanted with Luka's genes, which made her more like a human in actuality and a bit of an angel too thanks to his heritage. Still, being able to shapeshift means she must be mostly a monster.

"Huh..? What do you mean by 'doppel'? And Rinoa isn't a monster." Luna pointed out.

...Whoops.

"Uh, right. Yeah, what was I thinking?" Ilias nervously replied. "A-Anyway. What else is on your mind?" She said, doing her best to change the subject.

Suspicious... I should ask Miss Rinoa about that later. She'll clear it all up.

"I don't know..." Luna said, deflating. "It's like everything is backwards. I'm being protected by monsters, and angels are the ones attacking. In Gelon, they gave their lives so that no angel or monster would follow us. But... Ilias wouldn't really chase us down like that, would she? If those angels did catch up to us, they would've just brought us back to San Ilia to keep us safe."

"...No. If those angels had caught up to you, they would've killed you. They would've assumed you were all heretics since you chose to live with monsters." Ilias explained.

Luna listened carefully but did not seem to really believe the angel, even if she presumably would have the most knowledge about that kind of thing.

"Really..? I don't think she'd ever do something like that." Luna said, a hint of anger in her voice. "And just who are you anyway? I know you are an angel, clearly, but why are you here? Shouldn't you be in Heaven with Ilias?"

"It's... complicated." Ilias answered. "All you should know is that even though the goddess herself is magnificent and perfect, some of her actions are... poorly thought out."

Or just plain stupid. Or just... not very nice.

... I have to face it, don't I? Heinrich was right. I am evil...

But Luka still believes in me, and that's more than enough reason for me to keep moving forward.

"Well, that can't be her fault," Luna said. "It's probably those monsters interfering or spreading more lies about her."

"Some of those lies have truth behind them," Ilias commented. "I admit that not all my—I mean, not all of Ilias's actions were perfectly moral. I suppose she could've done some things differently..."

Like I could've just not started the war at all... But I couldn't just watch as Alipheese's children drained all my humans to death.

The worst thing that could happen now is if the war further escalates. If this world's version of me starts to fight on the front lines, or Alipheese does, then this planet might fold under the pressure.

We can't let that happen. Luka and I will stop that. Together.

"I guess," Luna said. "But still, Ilias is my goddess. She will lead humanity to a better future, one free from monsters!"

"Is that what you really want?" Ilias asked. "For all monsters to die?"

"... No... But, that's what all the priests said needs to happen for—"

"The priests are wrong." The angel interrupted. "I suppose there may be one or two monsters out there who don't deserve death... Maybe. But not succubi! They are all vile and evil!"

Promestein, who chose to not engage in the conversation, rolled her eyes at the goddess's ranting. When she was younger, before she was imprisoned, she would often hear rumours of succubi and how they were the most despicable type of monster, solely because Ilias seemed to hate them the most. She was never truly sure of the reason why, but it might've been because of the way they acted all the time.

It is odd to see her talking with a human child, though. This is likely the first time she's ever spoken to one of her followers without them knowing she's the goddess. Perhaps she can now see the fault in her actions.

"And then, when all the succubi are gone, humans, angels, and a few monsters here and there can live peacefully in coexistence!"

Or not... Well, it's better than she was before, I suppose.

The Angel scientist was currently running yet another experiment, this time on Nuruko's DNA instead of Luka's. Her cells were unique, to say the least. Like the other spirits, she was not a monster and only resembled one. She was a being made of dark magic, yes, but not a child of Alipheese. Another thing Promestein noted was her apparent weakness, which made her by far the weakest spirit, even more so that Sylph.

Perhaps chaos is the weakest element..?

No. According to my studies, chaos is the combination of light and dark, or more accurately, chaos is what light and dark were originally. They must've somehow split off from it, creating the first spirits, Ilias and Alipheese.

Then, was Nuruko always around and we just didn't know it? If she really is the spirit of chaos, it would only make sense.

But back to her power: why is she so weak? I doubt she could even take on a single monster, even a weak one. The other spirits have a level of strength closer to that of their element, so Nuruko should be the same, but she's not...

Unless... that form isn't her true one? In theory, she could be sealed or using magic to inhabit a weaker body. But why..? Is this due to an outsider's interference, or is she choosing to weaken herself?

I mean, I guess I could just ask her.

Promestein finished writing in her notes. On top of studying Nuruko's cells, she was also looking into the Makina Luka brought with him. The watch was now in pieces, but she could restore it easily. She knew it inside out by now.

But not yet. The technology could prove useful. To make a Makina that connects to souls... It would take a while longer, at least. I mean, I've already got an idea of how I could do it, but I'd need to test it first.

As she finished up her work, she turned back to see Ilias still sitting in her chair, now alone. Luna had left to go talk with Rinoa and make sure she was alright, leaving the two old enemies alone.

In all honesty, I still hate her. She locked me in that cave for millennia and kept my knowledge trapped. All that time... All those years... But science is more important than personal vendettas. She has knowledge that I must know.

Besides, it's not her that I hold a grudge against in particular. I will do everything I can to assist Luka in taking down that damn goddess. The Ilias of this world must be slain, and I will help him do it.

"Ilias, there is a question that has been on my mind for a long time now," Promestein said. "How exactly were you and Alipheese born? Or should I say, created?"

Ilias was surprised by the question. She thought Promestein would want to know about the future, not the past. The question she posed was one she had wondered about for a long time now, even since her birth, in fact.

"I'm not sure." She answered honestly. "It was billions of years ago now... But I do have one memory from that day. The first thing I saw was Alipheese floating in the middle of space. She looked so... lonely. Or perhaps I was the one feeling that way. So, I flew over to her, using magic to make up for the lack of air. But, when I got close to her, she stopped me. I think she was afraid."

They met as soon as they were born? And they were able to use their magic instantly. Most monsters or angels have to learn it over time, but from the sounds of it, they were both born mature, as if they didn't go through a growth period at all. This is highly unusual... Perhaps all the spirits were born like that?

"I tried to break the barrier, but it was too tough. And if I used too much power, I might've scared her off. It was a useless effort anyway, as she just flew away. That was the first time I had ever tried to talk with someone other than myself, and it ended in failure. I gave chase, trying to catch up to her. But I lost her in the darkness of space. I didn't see her again until I discovered Earth." Ilias explained.

"Before that, I spent billions of years roaming the universe, completely alone. There was no other life other than me. I watched as stars exploded into beautiful displays of light, and I watched planets form. I watched everything happen, things you couldn't even imagine. It was spectacular... but it was the only thing I could do. Just watch, and for so long... I hardly remember any of it now. I only remember how I felt."

Alone. I felt so alone...

"Out of desperation for companionship, I created new beings out of light. The first one was named Micaela. She mostly resembled me in both looks and personality, but she grew to be her own person over time. Lucifina, however, was different. The instant I created her, I could already tell she was unique. She was nothing like me. That was a few million years ago now. I also made Eden in that time."

"I see," Promestein said. "And what did you do when you found the Earth?"

"At first, nothing. I had seen planets like it before, you see. I only took notice of it when I saw that Alipheese was already there. For some reason, I thought that now was a good time to talk to her. I flew down to her and tried to speak. But we didn't have a language. We didn't have anything like it. I always spoke to my angels through magic, not words, so I was doomed from the start."

We ended up stealing the language humans spoke instead. Eventually, it spread far enough that every race started to use it.

"Interesting. What did she do upon seeing you?" The scientist asked as she wrote down the information.

"She just stood there, staring at me. It was awkward, to be honest. I didn't know what to say. So, I ran. I flew to the other side of the planet. I decided that I might as well stay there. I could try talking to Alipheese again later." The goddess explained. "But I never did try again. Instead, I started to experiment with creating a more unique type of life. Talking to Micaela, Lucifina, and any other angel I made was not unlike talking to myself. They were just imitations of me."

And what could we really talk about anyway? We quickly ran out of conversation material...

"So, I made a new form of life. They were called the proto-humans, and they were failures. They were not like what I wanted. I decided to try a different method. Instead of creating new life, I could nurture it. I helped humans evolve, bringing them to the state they are in now. That was a few thousand years ago. A few hundred years after that, you gave them the gift of fire." She explained.

She helped them evolve..? No wonder humans look so much like angels. She probably made them go down that route.

"Well, you already know the rest, don't you?" Ilias said. "I started the Great Monster Wars a thousand years ago... Or, I guess in this world, it would have been one hundred years ago. I only started it because Alipheese and her creations were feasting on my humans."

Hmm... I guess humanity is hers, in a way. But still, she is to blame for all the destruction caused by the war.

"I see. Well, thank you for the history lesson, Ilias." Promestein said. "It was very informative."

Ilias nodded as the tent returned to silence. The scientist turned to her table as she got to work. Interfering with souls themselves was an ambitious project. She did find herself wondering what Tamamo planned to use the technology for, but she trusted her. The Kitsune had given up most of her power to save the world, so her intentions were clear.

So, Ilias was alone for billions of years. I suppose I can see how that would drive someone to become like her. Those thousands of years I spent in that cave were just a moment of isolation compared to what she felt. Me and her are more alike than I thought...

I wonder, was Alipheese the same? Did she create monsters so she would no longer feel lonely?

Then, can she also be reasoned with?

"No, no, she wasn't a 'shotacon', whatever that means. She was just... She..."

"Liked kids!" Rinoa said. "Did you see the way she looked at you..? I swear, you're denser than I remember."

"Hey, I wasn't a kid at that point!" Luka pointed out.

"You had the body of one, and you still do..." She said. Rinoa was currently talking to the Hero as they walked along the camps. Earlier, they were discussing her battle outside of San Ilia.

I wish I could've been there to help her... Still, she said it was a victory in the end. We lost almost a hundred men, but we saved tens of thousands.

"All I'm saying is, keep an eye on her, alright? Don't let her stay alone with Nero for too long..."

"She wouldn't do that!" Luka said.

Actually, maybe she would... Well, at least I can trust Tamamo to prevent anything like that from happening, right?

Luka shifted his gaze to the walking furball who was on his left. She was in the middle of devouring a handful of thin fried tofu. She had apparently always kept a constant storage of the food, which she had year's worth of left. Magic helped preserve it and even enhanced the flavour, supposedly.

"Well, what do you think, Tamamo? Would Erubetie do something like that?" Luka asked.

"Hmm... Probably." She said bluntly. "She's always had a soft spot for kids... But Nero is only seven. She's not that bad. But when he reaches his teenage years..? I'm sure she'll make a move on him, as will the rest of us."

...Huh?

"What do you mean by that?" The Hero asked.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it. Anyway, how did your contracting with Sylph go?"

...I think I will worry about it, thank you very much. I better keep an eye on Nero. I should teach him to always keep his guard up around women, like I do. It's sad, but it's what the real world is like, and he'll learn that soon enough. As his father, I'll be sure to protect him.

"It went surprisingly well, actually. Now it's just Undine and Salamander left." He explained.

"What about Nuruko? Aren't you going to contract with her?" Rinoa asked. Luka shook his head.

"No, White Rabbit warned me against it. For now, she'll just stay here. By the way, do you mind taking care of everyone here while me and Tamamo are gone?"

"Sure. I don't think we'll be attacked anyway. What would Ilias or Alipheese stand to gain from it?" She pointed out. "We should be fine. But, you know, don't take too long."

"We won't," Luka replied. "And thanks. I'll feel better knowing you're here to keep an eye on Luna and the others. Oh, and make sure Ilias doesn't do anything stupid."

Like when she tried to talk to those angels, telling them that she was Ilias. That's what got her imprisoned in the first place, and something tells me she hasn't quite learned her lesson.

Rinoa blushed slightly as she heard Luka thank her. She turned the other way, instead looking off into the night sky.

Damn it. Do I still have a thing for him? He's married!

It's not like I love him or anything like that. I just... I guess it's probably Promestein's fault. She made it so I would want to rape him when she designed me; of course, I would still have some of that desire left...

Well, I can just ignore it for now.

Haah... And on top of that stress, I also have to deal with Luna. I swear... Ilias supposedly almost revealed my identity as a monster to her earlier, but I managed to convince her that it was just the angel being dumb.

... I'll have to tell her one day, won't I? That's going to be one awkward conversation...

"So, what will we do after we get the spirits again?" Luka asked. "Go straight to the Monster Lord's Castle?"

"Just like last time, right?" Tamamo mused. "But no, I think I have an idea for that. Luka, can you show me your ring for a second?"

"Uh, sure." He said as he took his glove off. The ring on the similarly named finger was dark black, made of a rare blend of steel and dark magic. It was the same one used on parts of Alice's clothing. Tamamo took his hand and looked at the ring. She could vaguely feel a different kind of steel on the inside, one not made by a monster.

So it's true. The outside is new, but the inside is the same as before.

Seven years ago, when an archangel attacked Iliasville and destroyed it, killing off many of the villagers, Luka became enraged and attempted to kill her. He was so mad that the ring his mother had given him broke, unleashing his hidden angelic power. Those shards were picked up by the Hero and later forged into the ring he wore today. It had lost its sealing effect, but it was only really there for sentimental reasons.

But that doesn't mean it can't be useful.

Let's just hope everything goes according to plan. If it does, we should be able to end this war within a week!