Lucifina's dreams were empty. Her sleep was nothing more than a mindless slumber for her damaged mind. Nothing made sense to her anymore. When her eyes did eventually flutter open, for a moment, she did not know who she was or where she was. She was in a sparsely decorated room, lying down on a bed. Somebody had covered her with a blanket.
Her first instinct was to draw her blade, kill anything and everything within a mile radius, then fly back to heaven and figure out what happened from there. Thankfully, she did not listen to that instinct. She sat up in the bed, rubbing her eyes as she surveyed the room. Sitting beside the bed was a small, purple-haired boy. He was asleep.
Again, her mind told her to kill him now while he was vulnerable. Again, she did not listen. When she looked at the boy, she felt odd. It was as though she recognised him from somewhere—not as an enemy she had seen before, but as her son.
The thought terrified her. She knew this boy was not her child, and yet she felt as though he was nonetheless. She did not see an enemy to be ripped apart and forgotten about, but a boy in need of a mother.
On top of her already clouded thoughts, she had a splitting headache. Her hands shook with every laboured breath. Eventually, she forced her way out of bed. Even standing up was hard. Her sword was nowhere to be seen, but the boy still had his close at hand. Its appearance was truly grotesque, but Lucifina didn't have many options right now.
Again, when she tried to approach him, she suddenly stopped. Every thought she had was immediately followed up by another one contradicting it. She had never felt so lost. She no longer even felt like herself.
When Luka finally woke up, he turned to see the bed empty and his mother nowhere to be seen. Eventually, his eyes found her, peering out a window. The word 'Mother' reached his lips but did not escape them. "Lucifina. You're awake..."
The Daystar did not turn when she addressed him. "What happened?" She asked, her voice a mere whisper.
Luka stood up and walked closer, but Lucifina noticed he also kept his sword close at hand. She could've taken it earlier if she wanted to... but part of her didn't. "You mean you don't remember anything?"
"I... something happened to me." She said. "That is all I know."
Combining two souls was bound to have some side effects... But she only seems to have forgotten what happened yesterday. If that's all, it shouldn't take too long to explain.
The Hero sat down on the bed as he started to tell Lucifina all he knew. Tamamo had come up with a plan to take care of her, and it worked. The Daystar had many questions, and Luka had to try his best to answer all of them. He also had to explain where he came from and who he really was.
"You mean... you really are my son?" She asked. Luka didn't know what to say. When he looked at this... angel, he certainly didn't see his mother. His Lucifina was a kind, loving woman. And his last memories of her were of her dying from a sickness Ilias had given her. Seeing Lucifina act like this, like she didn't even know him was... hard.
"...Technically." He finally said. "Part of your soul is now her, as far as I know. The other half is... well, was you."
"So I am two different people in one...?" Lucifina asked, turning towards her son.
"More or less," Luka said. Lucifina rose with all the grace of an angel, but not the composure of one.
"This... can't be." The Daystar muttered. "Luka... tell me this isn't true. How could I be... my old self?"
She sounded just like his mother then, Luka thought. "It... It was either that or... we would've had to kill you."
Silence returned. Lucifina stared at something outside of the room, but Luka couldn't see what. "Where is my sword?"
Tamamo had taken it last night. For now, Rinoa would use it as a second weapon. Luka was nervous as he told her. "We took it."
"Give it back." Lucifina calmly muttered.
"It's too dangerous. You could hurt somebody or worse." Luka explained.
"…"
Lucifina continued to peer outside. Luka moved, and from this new angle, he could see what she was looking at. Humans were walking by, and some monsters too. The Hero said nothing.
"What will you do to me?" She asked. Luka sighed.
"I'm not sure." He admitted. "We have to go do something first, but once I'm back, I'll figure something out."
"...You seem busy," Lucifina said as she watched the Hero prepare to leave.
"Can I trust you here on your own?" Luka asked, sheathing Angel Halo.
"Why are you here in the first place? Why did you stay by my side as I slept?"
Luka ignored the question. "Can I?"
"...I don't know," Lucifina admitted. The Hero appreciated her honesty, at the very least. He locked the door when he left and made sure to tell the king to guard the house. Tamamo and the others were all waiting for him.
The Hero looked around him. Rinoa, Ilias, Promestein, and Tamamo stood nearby. The kitsune was in her original form, with the immense power of an ancestor radiating off of her. Even just by looking at her, Luka could tell that she was an extraordinarily strong being. Ilias, on the other hand, still looked and sometimes acted like a child. She was also envious of the ancestor for her luck in gaining her power back, while Ilias had yet to get anything close to what she had before.
But there was nothing she could do. For now, she just had to suck it up and move on. "Remind me again what we're doing here?" She asked.
Luka spoke up first. "Apparently, we have Ilias 'on the run' now. She has no more seraphs or other strong angels to hide behind. Now, it's time we face her."
The small goddess thought about the plan again. Going straight for Ilias right after dealing with Lucifina was risky, not to mention tiresome. "Would it not be better for us to rest first?" She asked Tamamo, who had made the plan in the first place.
"No. Currently, we're lucky that I timed our plan so well. With Ilias occupied, we were able to deal with the Daystar before she could even react. Now we have no time to waste. We rush to Heaven, carve a path through her army, and reach the goddess herself. Then, we deal with her." Tamamo said.
"Wait a second, how did you time that plan so well?" Ilias asked. She crossed her arms as she studied the much taller kitsune's expression. "And how can you be sure that Ilias is even in Heaven right now?"
"A good kitsune never reveals her tricks!" Tamamo said.
Promestein decided to reveal them instead. "Firstly, she used an observation spell on Ilias to check in on her. Supposedly, Ilias left heaven for the foreseeable future—a day at least. She left an archangel in charge and told her as much. At least, that's what Tamamo told me. Afterwards, Tamamo initiated the plan when Lucifina was confirmed to be on the Ilias Continent. If either of those two pieces hadn't come in time, we would've been waiting for quite a while."
Tamamo No Mae had a proud smile as Promestein explained her plan. "Secondly, she knows she's in Heaven thanks to, yet again, another observation spell. Apparently, she's just sitting there."
Almost like she's waiting for us. Tamamo said she had red eyes, presumably from crying.
What a pathetic goddess. Her child lives and yet she still mourns for her. She's so craven, hiding away in Heaven instead of coming down here to face us herself.
Well, it matters not. We'll be there soon, and then there will be nowhere for her to run.
"How... boring," Rinoa sighed. The disappointment in her voice only served to annoy Tamamo.
"What else would you have me do? Observation spells are simple to cast and only slightly harder to properly conceal." Tamamo pointed out. In actuality, it had taken a lot out of her to successfully hide her spell from Ilias, but as far as she could tell, it had all worked out.
Rinoa shrugged. She moved on, taking charge of the group. Luka walked beside her, with the others following closely. "So, what happened with Luna?" He asked.
The Doppel sighed. "Well, she isn't running away, at least. But she's acting distant, and... I don't know. It's just not the same now."
"Have you tried talking to her about it?"
Rinoa nodded. "I did but... She really didn't want to talk about it. I suppose I'll just have to leave it for now. Maybe once we get back, I can try again."
The Doppel stopped. "This looks like a good spot."
"Very well. Is everyone ready?" Tamamo asked. The others nodded. "Go on then."
In the centre of a clearing, the group huddled together. Rinoa started to cast the spell. A ring of light surrounded the group of five.
We're close enough to the Navel of the World for the spell to work, thankfully. Dealing with all the angels guarding it would've been tiresome...
Luka shielded his eyes upon hitting the water, causing a large splash. Once more, he swam towards the lake's edge. Eden's garden remained in pristine condition, even after her passing. The Hero had felt sympathy for her upon learning about her fate. The Third Seraph had never possessed the strength or intelligence of her sisters, so her demise wasn't entirely unexpected. Yet Luka had always believed she harboured no inherent evil; it was the goddess she followed that led her astray. He was certain that if she were given a chance, she could have been a good person.
Micaela talked about Eden sometimes. Apparently, she wasn't treated very well when they were all together. She was always looked down upon for her weakness...
When they finally all got to the land, they each began to dry themselves. Tamamo started to shake all the water off of her, much like a dog would. Rinoa squeezed her damp cape. Ilias simply used a spell to instantly dry herself, and Promestein just didn't care. Luka did the same as the Goddess of Creation. The spell was one she taught him for everyday use and an exceedingly simple one at that. She noted that he was improving with holy magic but still had a ways to go in terms of controlling how much he outputs.
"The garden hasn't changed a bit," Promestein said as she scribbled something down on her clipboard. "Her subordinates must have been taking care of her after she passed. I suppose that is to be expected."
"You've been here before?" Luka asked as they started to walk along the soft, cloud-like ground.
"Hundreds—no, thousands of years ago. When all the others were away training to be fighters or healers, I would come here and read. Sometimes I would experiment on the organisms here, or I would talk to the Seraph Eden and see if she knew more than the teachers who only preached Ilias's word. I was quite disappointed once I found out she was just another mindless follower. The other angels always spoke so highly of her and the other seraphs..."
I'm surprised she remembers anything after so much time. Being stuck in a cave alone for that much time... I can only imagine how horrible it must've been.
Promestein pointed at a nearby tree atop a hill. "One time I was studying just below that tree when an apple fell on my head. Suddenly, I started to think about why the apple fell. What pulls it down? That led me to discover gravity, and then things escalated from there. A few decades later, I was studying antimatter and the possibility of interdimensional travel."
The red-haired angel looked down to the ground, her face suddenly sullen. "Then Ilias started to grow suspicious of me. She knew I was different from the others... and it scared her. When I refused to swear my loyalty to her, she locked me away in a cave as punishment. My sentence was an eternity of isolation. If it wasn't for you, Luka, I would've been there for the rest of my life."
Luka smiled. "Don't worry about it." He said. "Besides, Tamamo was the one who made the plan to get you in the first place."
Promestein looked at the now-taller kitsune. Her ancestral form terrified the angel down to her very core. Every one of her instincts told her to flee, to run away back to Ilias, and to hide behind stronger angels.
But I am no coward like those others. I do what has to be done. If I have to make a deal with the devil to take down Ilias and free my fellow angels... then I will.
A long silence passed. The group started to walk along the golden path under them, which was said to lead directly to Ilias's personal temple. Tamamo said she would almost definitely be there, along with a flock of angels.
They shouldn't be too much of a problem. Maybe a few archangels and a cherub, but not much more than that. Besides, the strength I'm feeling right now is... incredible. Is this just the spirits, or is it something else...?
"Hey, Promestein. For some reason, I'm feeling... weird. Like I'm stronger than usual... Or no, maybe that's not it. Like I've got more energy than usual." Luka explained.
"Hmm... Right... This is your second time in Heaven, isn't it? Tell me, did you feel anything like this before?"
"Maybe. I don't really remember it all that much."
"I see... This should explain it. Heaven is home to the angels, as you know. It is filled with holy magic, so dense that even the air is reported to glow with divine power. When an angel leaves heaven for whatever reason, they start to leak this power. If they spend too much time on the surface, they will eventually become as weak as a human."
"This stops when they go back to heaven, and their magic is quickly restored. Since you've spent most of your life on the surface, you've likely been draining holy magic ever since you were born. Huh... Now that I think about it, you should've run out of most of your magic by the time you were an adult. I wonder... perhaps it was Lucifina's ring that stopped it? I never did get to look very closely at it."
"Probably," Luka said. "I only started to wear it when I was—"
"Shush!" Tamamo hushed, crouching down low. The others followed suit, all crowding behind her.
"What's wrong?" Luka whispered.
"Angel patrol ahead... Wait for them to pass."
Luka peaked out from behind Tamamo's tails and watched as multiple angels flew by. He counted at least thirty of them. One of them turned towards the kitsune Luka was hiding behind, eyeing the area suspiciously.
We're right out in the open... How does she not see us?
Tamamo must've used a concealment spell. That's some quick thinking...
The angel flew close. Her blonde hair and blue eyes were just as vibrant and beautiful as the thousands of other angels who shared the same features. If he looked closely, even in a common angel like this one, he could see some resemblance to Ilias in her appearance. But in terms of raw power, she wasn't even close.
"I swear I could sense something..." The angel muttered. Before she could continue her investigation, one of her friends called her back. Reluctantly, she returned to the patrol. The group let out a collective sigh of relief as they moved on. Ilias's temple was not far.
"When I imagined my storming of Heaven, it was much more exciting," Tamamo admitted. "Hundreds of angels, each of them untainted and pure... It would've been an incredible feast."
Luka could see Tamamo start to salivate. "Ahem." She wiped her mouth with her hand. "I certainly never expected to be taking down Ilias alongside... another Ilias, the Son of the Daystar, a Heretic, and a Doppelganger."
"Well, I never expected to be freed from my imprisonment by a hero from a thousand years in the future," Promestein said. "Its absurdity might lead some to believe this was all fate, that this was all predetermined."
"And you? What do you think?" Luka asked.
Promestein gave him a light shrug. "I don't know. Nobody does. But I will find out. Even if it takes me a million years, I will find the truth of everything."
Seeking the truth again... Well, as long as she does it in a moral way this time, I think it should be fine.
Closer and closer they crept to Ilias's temple. She must've known she was here; Luka knew. There was no way she didn't sense them.
And yet, she's done nothing. But... why? Why not surround us with her entire army and obliterate us? It wouldn't be hard... We are deep in the lion's den now.
Well, it's not like we have much choice anyway. If we leave Ilias alone, she could try her hand at killing another spirit or attacking us or Alipheese with her full power. No matter what she does, thousands will die. We have to take her down now before she can do anything.
The temple was truly a sight to behold. Pillars of pure white, cleaned meticulously by Ilias's faithful servants, shone as the group approached. The building itself seemed to glow with holy magic, much like the other buildings they had seen along the way. Strangely enough, few angels could be seen this close to the temple. They all seemed to be avoiding going near it, which was convenient for Luka and the others.
Tamamo said Ilias's mental state after what happened with Lucifina would be... poor, to say the least. I assume the angels know that as well... That's probably why they're avoiding going near her.
The inside was even grander. Golden chandeliers, mirrors framed in platinum, and long tables covered in fine silk. Luka felt that even for Ilias, it was a bit too extravagant. "I haven't been here in so long." Ilias sighed. "After the war ended, I refurbished the temple a little."
She pointed towards a large portrait of Lucifina and Micaela, aptly titled 'The Daystar and Sword of Heaven' in a plaque underneath. "And I quickly took Lucifina's part of that down once she rebelled, and once Micaela did the same, I took her one down as well."
Ilias, who was suddenly very talkative, told Luka of all the changes she made in the temple. Even someone like Luka could tell that she was just trying to distract herself from the impending encounter. The group progressed through the temple quickly, being sure not to be spotted by any of the patrolling angels as they did. Eventually, Luka thought of a question.
"Say, whatever happened to my mother's sword in our world? I assume she took it with her when she rebelled."
Ilias looked weary as she answered. "She tried to." She quietly admitted. "I sent Micaela down to stop her rebellion. Of course, they quickly began to fight. Micaela eventually got the upper hand on Lucifina and took her sword… but not her life. Her hesitation gave Lucifina the time she needed to slip away. It took me many years to find her again."
And by that point, she already had too many ties to the surface to ever consider joining me again. Even after I more or less begged her to return, she refused. That's why I… gave her that illness. I didn't want to, but…
It's… It's her fault! She couldn't accept that sometimes we need to work with our enemies to win! Millions of years old, and yet she still acts like a child!
"There," Tamamo said, suddenly stopping. "Ilias is just ahead." The kitsune's tails stopped swaying.
"Now what?" Luka whispered, coming up beside her. "Do we just barge straight in?"
Tamamo No Mae turned. "No. We need to corner her. First, I'll set up an anti-teleportation seal strong enough to stop even her. Then, Rinoa, Ilias, and Promestein will wait back here while Luka and I lead the attack. Rinoa, you'll keep Ilias and Promestein safe as they attack Ilias with long-ranged arrows and spells. Luka, you'll—"
Suddenly, the grand doors began to move. They creaked loudly as they slowly opened, eventually revealing a pale hand. Golden jewellery could be seen along the wrist. It didn't take long for Luka to recognise her. Ilias's outfit was as grand as ever, with silk so smooth it felt alien to the human hand. Her wings hung low as the door opened. Her blue eyes looked almost red from crying.
The Goddess of Creation was wordless. She said nothing as she looked the group up and down, her eyes eventually fixating on Luka. "You…" She muttered. "You have the audacity to appear before me after all you have done?"
Luka's face grew sullen as he drew Angel Halo. The others followed suit. "Ilias… We'll stop your tyranny here and now!"
"Tyranny? Since when am I the tyrant? Alipheese is the one who started all of this... You believe it is wrong that I defend my humans and angels against those whores who wish to defile them?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Ilias! You know as well as I that you started this whole war!" Luka pointed out. "You should just give up now while you still can!"
"Why? So you can kill me like you did my daughters!? Every single one of my children... my Seraphim…" Ilias looked to the ground for a long moment. Luka felt his hand start to shake when she looked back up at him again with a red glare. "You caused all of it. If not for you, they would all still be alive. Micaela, Lucifina, Eden…"
"This is pointless," Tamamo said. "Let us kill her now and move on."
Even if I know it's Tamamo, the way she said that just now… It reminded me so much of the Tamamo No Mae of this world…
"Tamamo No Mae… You dare speak in my presence? I will punish you for such insolence. You, that Hero, the Heretic… All of you shall die in the most gruesome ways imaginable."
"And once I am done with you, boy," She turned her gaze to Luka. "I will turn time back over and over again and kill you every single time until my desire for revenge has been sated."
Luka's hand shook harder. He took a deep breath, remembering everything that led to this moment. His adventures with Alice, his life with her... His separation from her... All of it led to this. Once Ilias was defeated, only Alipheese and her meagre forces remained. Destroying them would be simple.
"We're not going to let that happen." The much smaller Ilias said. She raised her crossbow.
The goddess did not look frightened. A mad smile appeared on her face. "Hehe, is that so? You mortals sure have gotten arrogant over the years. It seems I'll have to remind you of your place! Besides, what makes you think you could ever defeat me!?"
Luka had a weary smile. "Well, we already beat you once. And this time, you don't even have the power of darkness with you… It'll be a piece of cake!"
Ilias did not like that one bit. A bolt of lightning struck where Luka was standing. Thankfully, he dodged just in time. Tamamo No Mae laid waste to everything around her with her fire magic, yet somehow the flames seemed to move around her companions, leaving them unscathed. Luka followed suit, summoning all four spirits to aid him.
Arrows rained on the Goddess, each one doing little damage but not a negligible amount. Promestein focused on defending the group from Ilias's spells rather than outright attacking. For a brief moment, the goddess's smile widened. Her aura began to radiate with holy magic, her body glowing with divine power.
The attack came too fast for the naked eye to see. Luka, who had already known the attack was coming, used his mother's skill to counter the attack. The comet crashed down on Ilias with enough heat and force to crush an army. However, the spell was rendered useless against her incredible defence.
But when she focused on defending herself against Luka, she left herself open to an attack from Tamamo No Mae. Her fist smashed into the goddess's stomach, launching her back. Luka harnessed the four elements, creating an arc of wind, earth, water, and fire and launching it at the goddess.
The battle continued like this, with Tamamo and Luka attacking in unison while Promestein and Ilias supported them. Rinoa stopped any spell Ilias aimed at the pair while she unleashed her own holy magic. The goddess felt overwhelmed by their attacks. Pain coursed through her body as she stepped back, taking a deep breath. They were even stronger than she thought, but she was a goddess. Losing a battle to mere mortals was unthinkable.
Ilias used her immense magic, building up enough of it to kill even the strongest of monsters, and launched it at Luka. This time, he was too slow on the parry and was sent flying backwards. Blood spilled out from his shoulder to his chest, but was quickly stopped through meditation.
Again, she launched the spell. Her hatred for the Hero drove her forth, with every attack launched with the intent to kill. The Hero recovered quickly, channelling his power into defence with Gnomaren. Her powers helped him lower the damage he would've taken. Once he was ready to fight again, he ran towards the goddess.
Ilias was tired and alone. Now she knew taking Luka first would be impossible, and taking Tamamo wouldn't be much easier. The arrows and barriers of light coming from the two supports in the back were a mild annoyance for the goddess, but taking them down now would make the whole fight easier.
I'll take the two weakest links down first, then that doppel girl, then the other two...
Divine binds formed of light wrapped around the red-haired heretic and pseudo-goddess, constricting around them so tight that Promestein feared she might pop. Rinoa quickly cut through them, freeing the pair. Tamamo No Mae, seeing that her companions were safe, focused her attention back on Ilias, delivering a low kick combined with an attack from all nine of her tails.
Ilias was either too slow or too weak to stop the attack. Tamamo's tails coiled around Ilias, but not with her usual gentleness she might use on a lover, but with a fury and hatred only an angel could resurrect. The goddess struggled in the kitsune's grasp but was seemingly stuck for the time being.
Perfect, now we can do it!
Ilias, now!
The small goddess ran over, almost tripping on the now-cracked floor. Once she was close enough, she used her spell. A small amount of the goddess's power seeped out, filling the first Ilias with new-found strength. She continued this, taking more and more power from the still-struggling Goddess of Creation.
Luka and Rinoa helped keep her down, while Promestein used her own magic to assist Ilias in stealing the goddess's power. Ilias struggled harder and harder, eventually breaking free of Tamamo's tails. A wave of holy flames crashed on the group but were quickly dispersed by a single slash of Luka's sword. The Hero could already see just how much power had been taken.
So then, we just do that over and over until we take all of her power. Shouldn't be too hard, and it will only get easier with time.
The now-weaker Ilias shot the Hero a glare of hatred. "Why… Why do you do this!?" She shouted. "You come into my world; attack my children! Steal my daughter from me! Look what you did to her! She… She isn't even herself anymore!"
A small tear went down Ilias's cheek. "That's…" Luka didn't know what to say. "We… We didn't have a choice."
"Death would've been better than doing… doing that to her! You call yourself a hero, and yet you do something like that to your own mother!?"
Wait, she knew Lucifina was my mother? But how…?
"It was the only way!" Luka shouted back. He pointed his sword at the goddess with sudden anger. "This is pointless, Ilias. You're only trying to distract me!"
The air began to crackle with lightning as the goddess's smile grew. "My angels, come to me! Destroy this child and his friends!"
Tamamo acted quickly. Another wave of flames seared the goddess's flesh. Luka and the others also started to attack, with Ilias getting another chance to steal more power from the goddess. A constant barrage of spells, arrows, and swipes cut through any defence the goddess tried to set up, rendering her a punching bag for the group.
Luka felt it was time. Crossing the Star and Sword once more, he unleashed one of his strongest moves. Now imbued with all four elements of nature, it was even stronger than when he used it on Tamamo No Mae. The comet crashed into Ilias, dealing a massive amount of damage.
Rinoa joined in, dual-wielding the Daystar's sword and the Sword of Heaven to shatter any defence the goddess had. She swung the blades in unison, using them for both defence and attack.
Suddenly, the small Ilias could sense angels approaching. An idea came to her. Using her own magic, she sent out a message contradicting the one they had just received. This naturally greatly confused the angels. She could still sense some approaching, but far fewer than before.
I'm sure we can deal with them before they spread the news of our presence. If they knew we were enemies, our plan would fall apart.
Over and over again, the group cornered the goddess, restrained her, and stole more power. Each time, it only got easier and easier. Eventually, she was only as strong as a seraph, then an archangel, and after that, there wasn't much more power left to take. The Goddess of Light was barely even standing by the end.
The previously small Ilias was no longer looking up at her companions but instead looking at them from an equal height. All except for Luka, of course. She was now far taller than he was. Her body had returned to its full might once more. She had never felt better. However, when she looked down at this world's version of her, her happiness disappeared.
"Phew… Well, we did it. That was a lot easier than last time." Luka sighed. "But still not easy…"
"Well, last time she had Alipheese's power along with her own. It's a wonder we ever managed to beat that version of her. Anyway, what should we do now? We have her power, but that still leaves this version of her." Tamamo pointed to the now-weak Ilias on the floor, weeping.
Luka didn't know what to say. Tamamo was surprised when he didn't even suggest sparing her. Instead, he pointed out a more pressing issue. "What about all those angels she called?"
"I'll deal with them." His Ilias said. When the angels did arrive, they immediately stood in front of who they thought was the goddess and pointed their swords at the others. All in all, over forty of them arrived, even after Ilias attempted to sabotage their communications.
"Angels, stand down," Ilias ordered. "They are not our foes."
A Valkyrie turned back to her. She looked taller than the average Valkyrie, possibly an archangel. "But my lord, is that not the Hero you ordered us to—"
"What was that? Are you questioning me?" Ilias asked. She didn't even have to do anything else for the angel to immediately stand down and kneel.
"Please forgive me, Lord Ilias. I did not mean to—"
"Forget it. Leave us now." The goddess ordered. It worried Luka to see her act like that. It reminded him of the Ilias he just fought.
Speaking of… What do we do with her?
Promestein walked over to the now much weaker Ilias with an oddly sadistic smile. "Do you remember me, Ilias?" She asked with a mocking tone. "Some Goddess…"
"How dare you speak to your lord like that, you damn heretic!" Ilias shouted, trying to seem intimidating.
"I've heard that humans believe in the concept of karma; do you know of it?" Promestein asked. "They believe that what goes around comes around, basically. Perhaps there is some truth to it after all. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd see you like this…"
Promestein's creator now looked small, figuratively. Her power was all but gone. Even Promestein, who never focused much on fighting, could easily defeat her. The thought brought her joy. For thousands of years, she had been locked away in that cave, and now, finally, she could get her revenge.
But I am not the only one who wants revenge… It would be selfish for me to be the one to do it…
Tamamo and Luka walked over to the weak Ilias. Tamamo No Mae had her signature smug smile, while Luka had a neutral expression. Promestein and Rinoa stood beside them.
Suddenly, Ilias spoke up. "Leave it to me." She said calmly. "Go, return to Gelon. Make sure Alipheese hasn't made any moves while we were distracted."
"Are you sure…?" Luka asked. "I don't want to leave it all up to you."
"It is my duty to rid the world of this… other version of me. Go, now." Ilias ordered.
And so the group did it without a word of complaint. All except for Promestein, who at first requested to watch but was disappointed when Ilias told her the method of execution she would be using. Soon, she gave in and left with the others.
Now, Ilias was alone with this world's version of her. The version of her that started this whole war was the one who was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people, if not more. However, when she looked at the small, weak angel, she did not feel the hatred she expected to feel, but instead someone much stranger. She felt pity for her. Her state was one she could relate to.
She should be thanking me, really. If I let Promestein do as she wanted, she would still be alive thousands of years from now, being tortured over and over… this method will, at the very least, be quick.
"W-what are you doing…?" The vulnerable Ilias asked. "Y-you are me, are you not? From another world? W-why would you h-hurt another version of yourself?"
"Didn't you threaten to kill me outside of the Tarturus in Safina?"
"B-but I didn't!" Ilias pointed out.
"Only because my death could risk making everything worse."
"Th-That's right! The same goes for me! If you kill me now, who knows what might happen? It isn't worth the risk!" She reasoned, slowly backing away. Eventually, her back hit a pillar.
"No… You are not the same as me. It is true that if I died, the effect on the world would be immense… But if you died? Well, you are nothing but a cheap copy of me. You are nothing, nothing more than a fake. I am the true Goddess of Light, and I will rid this world of you once and for all."
"B-but how can you be sure!? What if something does happen!?"
"Then the White Rabbit would've already shown up to stop me by now. But as far as I can tell, she is nowhere to be seen."
"T-that's… I…" Ilias mumbled. Tears began to run down her cheeks. "This… This isn't fair!" She shouted. "You… This is all part of your plan, isn't it? You plan to replace me as the goddess of this world? Then what? Win the Hero's trust? I know you… You are just like me. You haven't changed, not one bit."
The Goddess of Creation had a faint smile. "Wrong. If I really were the same as before, I wouldn't have even taken the time to talk with you. You can believe what you want to believe, but I can assure you of this. My time as a weakling was brief, sure, but it was enlightening. I know now what I must do."
"And that is…? What? Are you going to join the Hero and live happily ever after? Don't make me laugh!"
"As a matter of fact, that is my plan. Once we defeat Alipheese and her granddaughter, I shall lead this world's angels into the future. My time with Luka and… as much as I hate to admit it, that time with that fox has shown me the error of my past ways. Being powerful but alone is not worth it."
"What are you even talking about!? Power is everything! You can go shove your—"
The Goddess of Creation waved her hand. A light wave of holy magic gently descended upon the small Ilias. After a few moments, she was nowhere to be seen. Once she was done, Ilias walked away. There was still plenty left to be done, and she still had an army to assemble.
Well, then, let's get to it. Since we have no more seraphs, I can only imagine how abysmal my angel's morale must be. Announcing an alliance with humanity may bolster that, or it may send it crashing down… Let us see… What do I even say? It's been so long since I've been a goddess…