Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction ❯ Valkyrie's Mirror ❯ Act XII B ( Chapter 18 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Oh My Goddess! - Valkyrie's Mirror

Volume II

Act XII B

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...tore it!!!

Incarnum eyes FLARED, the same of snapped voice!!! "Sunder this Trap, of a fools make!!!!"

A sudden whip of his arms up, a great scope of pinpoint focused power, allowed the moment he focused on where the trap of enemy troops lay, and unleash a combined torrent of Incarnum angel sliver blades, warp gravity bursts, and a sudden shot out projection of Evolution, that spent a micro split-cyclon of that moment, crushing back every Marian trooper in range, with this entire combined effect.

Voluspa's Champion was caught off guard, the whole monologue spat causing it to be caught off guard, causing him to be shoved back! "BLAST YOU!!" The stunned effect, allows Lind to catch a stunned Nossi off guard, smacking Nossi's nose with the back of her head, and quickly ducking under the energy dagger before Nossi could react! Mara the same rolls under from Satorna's pointed blade, as Ishara shoots over and knocks the Demon enslaved back as well!

"Whoa!" Three watching mortals manage, before Imladris snap commands. "Conduct unto 'them' both!" ...this Lind, Mara and Ishara hear to know who to tackle for this affair.

It leaves only two others to react in eying each other, only as Imladris vehemently strides over, as Evolution dives back in backside, to allow his Master a MASSIVE overarching stroke of his activating energy blade Morphemic! Caceroth reacts just as fast, the energy blade version of Caceri Blade locks with his foes, to the effect of bending actual microspace between them, with 'that' stroke!

"I won't pretend this is not personal!" ...a Knight reactively shoves his blade a second time with!

Lind quickly takes Nossi on, like any other foe, as the corrupted goddess shoots back and spell chants.. "Away with this foe with my stabbing light of daggers!" ...to effect of shooting blades of starlight at Lind, who swerve tumbles under the initial strike, to just punch the offending author back with good force!

Satorna meanwhile reacts to his immediate two foes. "This is not a fair game. How can either of you beat me."

Ishara just squints her Valkyrian begiven eyes, and tries to figure out...

"Why!? Why Satorna why!!?!" ...Mara then shouts, as Ishara hears a tone meant for the breaking of a lover's heart! She fully realizes, as Mara stabs out. "How could you do this!?"

...and in return of a hateful measure. "Not how. WILL!!" ...such is his first swipe to decapitate Mara's head off with! Ishara throws her form to shove them both away in bare nick of time, the gray undeath blade clipping at Ishara's slimsuit heel of boot!

"Hey! That's good fashion you should know!"

Satorna just snarls in response, the eyes a burning gray hatred, that Mara had never seen before.

"What... what did..." ...as behind, the initial, and rather conventional combat exchange between two ancient foes, unfolds, to the sight of Mara looking back at... "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY LOVER, YOU SCUMBAG!!!"

Caceroth barely notes time, only to be smacked across the jaw for it! "Let me answer for her!" ..Imladris seethes, to continue with!

Ishara and Mara then dive and tumble away for all dear life, as Satorna fires off a strange Firebolt shot from his free hand. Ishara yells as they dive each behind nearby consoles that 'had' been the Commanders Station. "We need to know how they were brought under control."

Mara has to yelp/dive for cover near Ishara, as the console around her exploded, before she snaps back. "How the hell do we do that!?"

Discourse is cut short by a gray energy blade that cleaves their hiding spot in twain. The two split up, but Satorna seems intent on assaulting an old love, above all else. "Come here and face my blade!!"

"Like hell to that!!" Mara blanches, and keeps rolling, diving, and yelling through a cascade of vicious attacks!

Ishara only halts long enough, to see Lind holding her own better with Nossi, as the Valkyrie General just treats her unwanted foe, as any other.

"Daughter." She remarks, an eye then at the main bout itself, as two Ancient foes hammer at each other, with 'still', only a few moments into the whole ordeal.

The Lower Seat goddess then looks at the cage and nods once to know what to do. She wordlessly shoots for the entrapping cage, as she sees Keiba, Meg, and K1 just blare cheering at the fight they semi wanted to see. (No offense to the other two fights.) Meg for one. "Common! Give that moron all he deserves!"

"Yeah! For my Megumi too!"

"Kick his arse gold dude!!"

Meg and Keiba just eye blink back at... "Arse?"

K1: "He's rubbed off on me." ...this before all three just keep on cheering for a moment. Belldandy meanwhile sees Ishara arrive. The high goddess takes a cautionary look back at the main battle, before nodding to the Norn. "We should be able to get you out, but they say some kind of teleport scramblers are interfering. Likely in both directions of transport."

"Sounds stupidly normal." Keiichi hears and reactively blanches, before Belldandy comments. "We need to know what happened to Nossi, and Satorna. This is all too unique for us to ignore."

Ishara half nods. "Only if we can avoid harm to the Lord Knight's charge."

"I got a name you know."

"Later." Keiba and Meg just quip at Kei. Belldandy however rebukes at Ishara's assertion. "I've been holding back my powers for that very concern. I'll protect Keiichi with my life, without hesitation. However, it is Nossi and Satorna I'm worried for, and whoever their Doublets are. We absolutely need to free them, with all that we have at present."

Further response is cut short, as a hard slam makes Ishara dive around the energy cage, metallic debris atomizing upon the energy shield, as Lind erratically avoids Nossi's empowered spell fire. The General realizes, and jerks her avoidance direction away from the cage, as Nossi chases with ash blinded hate. An erratic series of spot and go, hit and miss maneuvers, has Lind at first, trying to discern... "(I need to know what she's capable of. And what the blazes is wrong with her exactly.)"

Nossi however, wasn't thinking. Such was her blindness in all other vectors, save for this 'prodded' intent. One that just kept her attacking a former ally. It didn't matter then what else was in the way. Period.

No less as the two pass by Mara, trying desperately to gain breathing space from her lethal adversary. Satorna speeds with equal blinded intent, much to Mara's blanching retreat!

"Will you give me a damn chance here moron!?"

"NEVER!!" ...a harsh retort from the Demon Agent absconded, before his blade attempted another stroke to lethal intent! Mara keeps her managed distance, though she's fear blinded for a moment to think of what to do! All she can manage for that moment, was avoidance, as they zip by in as many random directions, in the so-called Throne chamber, as Lind's own fight is causing.

One fight that isn't, rather conventional at that at present, is the main fare. Such was one sapphire colored energy blade, upon an ashen foe's own.

Lord Knight and Lord Wrath only lock eyes, of their blades, long enough for both to shove off of each other. A knight's counter thrust, throws his blade in another harsh, over-arc, atop Caceri Blade. It's shoved off to force Imladris to shove-spin back around to catch a vicious set of parries, the two trying to measure each other out, in 'their' first few moments of conflict. It's however slowly drawing away from the others, the backdrop of the main star battle, framing their own personal war.

One very much so.

Caceroth shoves off hard and begins his own vicious counterattack, one that Imladris keeps blunting off and trying to swerve back into his own assault in kind. Caceroth side parries to either side, as Imladris fights them off to stroke in two slashes of his own. Two entire sets of exchanges, blast apart two consoles apart, into blasted cinder, such are the power of the blade exchanges. Caceroth then tries to follow up by force throwing some of the debris at the knight, who fights them off from any actual harm, and pushes forth to continue the exchanges, before he finally counters with a heavy Incarnum blast, one the wraith blunts off with an ash 'field', of shielding sorts.

The two trade another hateful look, before both attack again, drawing close to the vast viewport pane nearby!

Meg and Keiba see all this, and can't find tongue to put words to. Ishara and Belldandy do however, of greater impart, as Keiichi listens.

"What about that spell thing?" Keiichi offers, the other two listening... "That thing you all used the last time, to beat that guy with?"

Belldandy answers. "If we had most of the original goddesses and demons present, to reactivate the old code of that Mandala with. However with Hild absent, I'm not sure we could get the same effect."

Ishara hazards, knowing enough by ancient reports, of the prior conflicts with the Wraith Lord. "We'd need to know 'how much' of Caceroth, we're dealing with here. I remember that, that spell Sealed him from System-Terra (i.e. Earth,) which means he's still connected in some form, to that seal, since all of space is connected, via the Space-Time fabric."

"We might not need the full blast this time to..."

Keiichi's hopeful realization, is literally shattered short, as air pressure smashes down suddenly. The cause seen afar, as one harsh blade stroke too far, thrust both angry blades into the viewport! Space is ruptured into the open as a result! Everyone else struggles as best they can in reaction, as Keiba holds Megumi down beneath him! "Ah... erg... feels weird..."

"Belove!!" Lind shouts to the far right, farthest away from the impact area, just before Nossi shoots in and tackle grabs her to another heavy crash! "Die already!!!!" ...before Lind tumble flips Nossi off!

Meanwhile, the authors of the wreckage, only seethe at each other endlessly, even as their arms are held in the bare openness of space itself! Imladris then shoves off suddenly, just to push away in time, before a large force field crashes down, and around Caceroth's right arm!!

"Jeeze!!" Keiichi balks, as air pressure resumes normalcy, as Imladris rises and smirks.

"Having fun sport?"

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The shield impacts kept making Chihiro fire her weapons port, in more reaction than anything now. Her nerves were becoming too frayed to accept it all anymore. She looked over with one of those helpless faces she hated to give, ever, this Tamiya looked back and gave only a gulping smirk in kind. (Someone gave a better show of it, than intended.)

"// All fleets report effective encirclement of enemy fleet pockets. We're beginning to strangle them."

24 looked across the viewport, as the battle still seemed endless to her eye. "It's all still taking too long. What about reports from the primary solar body?"

"- // No new projectiles have approached us, as of recent. -" ...the Synthetic Commander of the remains of the Solar Defense Fleet. 24 wanted to fully believe that, as much as she wish she understood why the star wasn't obliterating them all, 'already'. As various Alliance starfighters shot about, chasing down ever dwindling numbers of enemy starcraft, she just whispered, open enough to be noticed. "I thought brother's excuses were too elaborate."

Talos looked over at that, even as the battle continued. "You never believed them?"

24 looked over in kind. "You 'did'?"

Chihiro finally cracked. "I hate miracles anyway. Too flashy."

"That comet bombardment Excellency conducted in prevention, at Uizees V, was more than that." Ackronus imparts, to anew stares. This is quickly cut short however as another warning chime-klaxon stabs at everyone's ears. 24 sees on holos, and orders... "Incoming starfighter wave! TAKE THEM DOWN!!!"

Chihiro does her part, as the fore screen, and around the ship, the angelic Warship, and several protective, flanking Alliance cruisers, fire heavy anti-starfighter craft fire, in thick interlaced torrents. Somehow a particularly large wave of Marian starcraft approach from Zenith high, to the direct upper bow. The wicked shapes scream in on a suicidal attempt, reminiscent within moment that Chihiro recognizes it. As one of her own blast shots rips a Marian fighter apart... "Are they trying to Kamikaze us?!"

24 looks over off-kilter kookily. "A what?"

Chihiro blanches back. "What!? You dopes never read a history book?" ..this 24 looks back off kilter. "Apparently not yours."

A heavy ship cannon blast bursts a Marian fighter apart, within a few hundred meters of the bridge itself, suddenly, killing the converse outright. Chihiro just blasts away again, complaining. "I just wana get back to my shop!" ...two more cannon blasts following.

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The Wraith just seethed a angry fang back, before then just 'pulling' his arm back out through the scalding effects of the force field. The scalded skin, combined with the pressure bulging of the blood, exposed to space, turns the entire left arm, at the forearm on, into a gray pus, pulsing mess.

No further words are wasted, as Caceroth shoves his blade forth again, a severe six parry exchange, ended with a quick spin away, as a knight avoid a cleave that destroys a third console suddenly! As Imladris recovers around, however, Satorna suddenly leaps at him! "You hurt my Master!" ..this Imladris turns and suddenly parries off an overslash, one he shoves off, reactively parries off another thrust by Caceroth, before then just shoving Caceroth back, and then catching Satorna's blade on a spin around.

"You're not my foe!" ..and grabs the demon's dress collar, and head butts the demon agent back! Satorna stumbles back into a sudden tackle by Mara! "I got him!" ..this Imladris then spins around, to catch another shot from Caceroth. However this time as he locks blades... "Ah?"

"You cannot win this!" ...just before a full power gray-ash code Wraith blast, hits the knight in the chest, and shoots him back to a brutal landing! As Caceroth starts to follow up however, Ishara plays a hand, from afar, shoving her hands forward! "Interrupt his momentum, as a ploy of a desperate child's swipe!!" ..which 'catches' Caceroth at the left foot, and starts to trip him up. The Wraith however proves combat adept in balance, and flips around to face this new attack. Ishara sees and gulps as Belldandy shouts... "Dive away!"

Caceroth however, with venom in his eyes, and a hand of death charged, before He's smashed into from behind, by a desperate tackle by the knight in turn! Both roll off, and reach a standing position, back near the throne chair, before Imladris spouts... "You call that damage!? TRY THIS!!" ..and slams an Incarnum-Holia beam suddenly, shearing the throne chair at the Wraith Lord! The blast sends the Wraith tumbling into, and over the far edge of a shadowed area, that stops only as the beam impacts an outward curved wall.

Imladris sees this and shoves his hands forward. "Enough of this. Rip the dark Veil, as a curtain that hides the Light!" ...to then strip the sheer darkness of the area away, to better see all detail by. After, Imladris shoots over and after his quarry. Ishara however hears on the quick pass by. "Thank ye." ..and then a knight's flip down to continue battle!

Ishara then looks back to Belldandy. "Can we use ourselves, in Hild's infernal place?"

Belldandy hazards out. "Maybe we can use it to instead remove the veil from our friends, under enslavement."

Ishara blinks. "Not sure Nossi and Satorna would be called that easily."

"They are to me." Belldandy asserts. Ishara nods knowingly enough. "Fair enough." Keiichi offers, however he could. "Maybe if we clear up their heads, and get us all out of here, gold guy can finish off that idiot, without anyone else to worry about."

"Except of us, for 'him'." Ishara remands. Keiichi then actually asserts. "Let Lind worry about that."

Ishara comically objects. "Who named you their marriage counselor?"

"Who named 'them' my bodyguards!? Huh!?"

"Keiichi-kun has a point."

Ishara droops her head, at Bell's counterpoint. "Does a mother's whim, mean anything here?"

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"Apparently not." ...two 'other' eternal mothers, stuck in Heaven's Council Chambers, quip dryly. Jora next to just teardrops, and says zilch. Chrono lacks the same wisdom to prevent mention... "Should it not be about... EEK!!" .....this before she DIVES for cover, over the side railing, at the stare she gets in kind, from Frig and Hild.

Only Almighty, at that moment, made light of a chuckle, as 'all others' witnessing, held their collective breaths. Just like the previous battles of this unwanted saga of the epic, the audience was beheld in such awe of something not to occur ever again. As if the previous battle was the same as this version.

And as before, it was one of the rare in rare times, that Almighty watched, as a spectator that truly didn't know, what would eventually occur here. The agreement with Voluspa tantamount, in this case. The holocron the key that bound this as so, from that moment of apex of Invasion.

As such, Trust was where the key was now.

...and they watched.

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Megumi then suddenly screams... "Watch out!" ...as an energy blade arcs at Ishara. It's stopped in wake of arm blocking reactions, as all then see Lind's own right blocking arm, holding Nossi's arm at bay!

"Pardon, but do I suddenly bore you?"

Nossi fang seethes back, the act making her face actually plane in an ashen color. She then shoves her free hand, fully spell charged at Lind's face! The Valkyrie ducks this, as Ishara throws up an ablative shield, that blunts off a strange star power spell effect, a 'side' form of the Fire element. Either way, the blast makes Belldandy duck down and protect Keiichi. (Who was prevented the same a split moment sooner than he could do.) As Lind then left elbows in an upward direction, then a follows up with her left back of wrist. Nossi is spun around, and proactively kneed in the back hind as Lind keeps following through on her counter assault.

Nossi spins about like a toy top, then lands a bit too expertly as Lind tries to follow up once more with a body slam, one Nossi slides away from to her right, Lind landing and starting to follow through with a simple punch. Nossi manages to blunt it off with a good welt to her shielding hands, before Lind just gut punches Nossi in the chest, crashing her back into yet another flimsy enough console. (Seemed like every console of otherwise study make here, was tissue paper with these beings about them.)

Lind stops, and grumbles enough to assert. "This is no fun. You're no challenge."

Nossi just looks back, Lind trying to still figure out how much of Soulless was in her. The corrupted goddess then simply stands, acting as if all that damage was nothing.

And then she proved it. "Then we'll give you another."

Lind blinked... "Was that..!?" ...before she is shot back by a sudden gray ash powered pulse, Lind ending up somewhere near the ledge Imladris dropped down from. The General recovers, her suddenly slight ash scarred face looking back at a gray ash eye glowing foe, one both of not be wanted, and one... "Was that Voluspa's voice? How much of..."

Lind suddenly realizes to stab roll away, when another energy blade stabs down, rupturing the deck plating in so doing! Lind ends up escaping through the speed of her Golden Eye attack, as Satorna seethes at the missed chance most impure.

One Mara then shoots in and decks the former equal number with! "HEY! Stop breaking 'our' fight!"

Satorna reactively spins around and forces Mara to duck, clipping her hair at the very ends, as Satorna snarls back. "You of all should know, an open foe, is an easy foe."

Mara stops and remembers... "But... I told you that once."

Satorna makes a swipe again, Mara avoids, and such Mara flip avoids three more attacks, as Satorna seems keen on blind assault. This however before Mara ends up many meters away from the throne area. She only stops in time to then see Satorna, wordlessly stab ash-power code, in a lightning arc format, one that Mara gets clipped in the leg from. She screams in pain, as Satorna notes, and then starts to trail his 'fire', to where Mara lays prone.

And such when two separate spells hit Satorna in the back. Afar Lind and Ishara the source, before Nossi reacts to this, to attack her chosen primary target. Lind acknowledges, as she finally pulls her Axe into the open, and forces Nossi to pay too much attention to her.

Such is the familial way that Ishara nods, and then notes Mara rise up.

"The Hell with this." ...and projects some hellish energy blade of her own, into her open hand. (Mara and Ryoko might have more in common here.) Satorna rises... "You bitches cannot... ARGH!!!" ...as Mara swipes in, and snarls back. "Pay attention to 'one' bitch here. Time to set you straight!" ..to the effect of twin energy blades of the demonic, at full force here unto each other!!

Finally, Ishara looks back at the cage. "I think enough is enough here." ...and makes a quick blast at the cage apparatus. As the field deenergizes, Keiichi holds a hand in front of his face. Dang, everything looks red to me here!" ...this Meg and Keb snap back wackily! "Not the time Bro/Bub!"

Belldandy giggles, then trades a hard stare with Ishara.

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Skuld and Frode just sigh, the latter... "This star lost about several Ages of its life cycle, I fear to tread."

"Cousin said these guys were good at the xenoscaping of star systems, maybe this was common for them." ...she puts, with a seconded, wary... "I hope."

Urd then suddenly shoots down. "Guys." ...this Frode looks up. "We've stabilized the star, not that it's gratified."

"Good enough, Belldandy and Ishara need us."

Skuld blinks. "Us? Who us?"

Urd... "All us!"

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"Concentrarsi. Concentrare. All together as one with the Seed."

"Oui, oui, with the Arbre de Vie. Like we need further reminders Secur."

Peorth's chide however has no barb back. This as the Bianco goddess focuses all she has, to help boost the power of the Seeds, and whom it's meant for. She presses nonetheless. "Don't worry my beloveds, we're coming with new help."

Troubadour focuses, but Sentaro asks, the lot sitting around the Seed in the Seed Core chamber. "Is it just 'for' them, we're doing this? What about the others around us fighting?"

"I fear figliastro, that the battle around us, is only a short term farce left to it all. The real terror seems to be with Her."

Peorth gulps. "Then you felt it too. Not just the corruption."

Troubadour blinks. "But.. was that Nossi at all, or what?"

"Sì o no." Eihwa creeps back, in a tone that makes Troubadour gulp out. "I think I'm wetting myself again."

Peorth growls back. "You do, and I'll tell Urd. Now concentrate. Chevalier and Vicaire Général need this infusion! The rest know what to do now from here." ...this Peorth already knowing what was going to happen, though Troubadour and Sentaro don't need the clue, to just concentrate like never before.

Peorth then looks at the Seed. "Please forgive us, Graine de Ange Lumière."

"Of such, there is no things to Forgive." ...a mindlink is caressed with. Peorth sheds a thankful tear for it.

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"- The ranks are disintegrating! We're winning!! -" Commander Itarth's image reports. 24 however remands in a stiff tone, as she looks back. "Not until the Excellency says we've won! We've faltered at this point before."

Itarth's image nods, and pops off. Tamiya looks over. "So whens do we wins this? Not like I've got a clue." ...this Chihiro and Talos note, wondering now as well. However... "We win when Brother says so." 24 repeats. She then simply commands. "All ships, fight like we were losing this one. We may still, if we are not careful now. All commands acknowledge!"

Of the many that Net-link back acknowledgement, one adds in of specific holoimage. "- Don't know what's going on over there, but my new friend just teleported over there! -"

24 blinks. "Eh?" ...and looks over at Chihiro. The lass just balks back. "What? I don't know what Sigrun's doing!"

"We have enemy fleet contact approaching. High velocity!" Ackronus suddenly snaps. Sceta amending... "Seven Marian cruisers, Mark 118 Z- 90! Ramming thrust!"

24 seethes in kind. "Really. I don't do Coronian Holo-Tragedies. Focus fire and blunt their assault off." ...this as to the fore, two other seen cruisers (and dozens further of note all around,) all reorient to the blare their strongest weapons concentrations, to yet seen of moment. The few flittered on by starcraft of added view, is traded for a view of the Citadel beyond.

24 then decides... "All free vessel crews, not engaged, begin combined-concentration fore on that oversized piece of star scrap!" ...as she leans forward and whispers... "Let's see if we can do a good part here too."

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Imladris lands, a good distance further down, than he anticipated. A look up, and now the fights above, are father off than wanted. A look around, and the technological-mechanus nature of the area, takes on a more infernal coloration. The sight reminds him of his time in Nidhog. A shudder that then realizes...

...before he then feels and turns to his left, at the Enemy in waiting place.

Imladris silently reorients his stance for a readied attack.

"Her Will saw all of this." ...a morose tone that Imladris detests. "Every time we meet, you mention Her, as like some poor form of a mantra.

Do you 'really' believe you are going to end us all?"

The wraith then adopts a strange tone, one hard for the knight to recognize, not without thinking in terms that had terrible truths to them. The decayed being waves a free, decrepit right hand, between the two present, of itself, and nemesis. "If you only knew, the connection between us. I would ask, if you felt it, but Her Will already knows what She need for you. For myself."

Imladris adopts a terse stance, drawing back only a tic. "Maybe. Not that I honestly care. The only connection between us, died the day I regained all that I truly am."

"Are you so really." ...a flick of Caceri Blade to the level side left. Imladris waits, almost just attacking to shut the Enemy up with. Caceroth then cranes his head about, acting all like he'd just pull his own head off with, by strain of movement alone. When the head cranes back, the being attached in horrid soul, just growls. "What truth, is there when not even your Masters tell you all such things.

I know so much more. And when you die here in moments, I will tell you this, so to watch you agonize in the revelry of Her Will's Absolute Majesty!"

Imladris rolls his eyes and draws back. He then cranes 'his' own head at the beast before him, and snipes. "Then, I suppose I will remain ignorant." ...and BLASTS at the Wraith at optimum force! The clash of blades screeches through the Citadel's vast open core levels. All of it lost on two, that eye each other, before several more standard blade exchanges end with another lock down of Kensai.

"No... Her Will demands that you know. It is all WHY everything is now occurring. The truth that set all of this entirety of affairs, in absolute motion!

All of it, because of 'us'! All untold years of years, because of US!"

Imladris just decks him. "Shut up and fight already." ...and makes for a HUGE overarching slash, one caught by a hand, Imladris does not expect.

"No... no my mirror. Now we start our 'real' fight." ...as The Lord Knight, sees a third wraith hand, holding his own right. One of ashen in ashen bone, like endless ash made up the complete skeletal structure of it, this as the attached format, begins to draw away from the 'proper' arm that was hosting it.

It's of this theme, that Imladris sees the most grotesque thing, he'd ever seen in ANY vein of Existence.

Wordlessly, he breaks grip and draws back, his own gripped arm burned into, by a sight that burns at his vision of sanity.

Caceroth snickers. To do so, of such emotionless vein, makes for it all, to be framed worse.

His dark Angel... "Like Her Will did not anticipate, your new offering, of what was stolen from Her as well.

Like She does not know the secret of the Soul either. My Soul is now displayed. revel in agony before it, of MY true self!!!" ...all of, an angel, a real like angel, all the beauty stripped away for the undeath of format. Ashen utterly. Death waves out in spades from it. Terror breathes from its own breath.

"Now... my Incarceration, let us demonstrate the Truth of Her Will." ...and steps forward to kill.

Imladris outright explodes Evolution forward, and snap-chants. "Pulse and Grind!!" ...and SLAMS a gravity spell burst around the twin Wraiths! Caceroth reacts just as fast. "Sever and Scald!!!" ...to a Ash spell burst of hateful power! The twin spells erupt in the immediate area, and quickly SLAMS power waves all over the place!

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"Keep them both occupied!!"

This however was just before the pulse blast, hits them all. Enough that Lind dives again and gasps as much as anyone, in what is now felt. "Belove..." ...and then switches sight to Nossi, then finally reacting to... "I heard you Mother, and sure will obey." ...and shunts her Twins out, and immediately... "Swirl and snarl, like the winds that never cease, that which is my Breath. That which is my Wrath!!!" ...to a slamming torrent of General empowered Ice Powers.

At this, Ishara, looks away from her previous command said, kneeling down with the others at the former cage still, then turns to reflect the same to Mara. Course Mara notes Ishara look over and... "I got the dick head here occupied! Just work it all already!!" ..and goes back to hammering at Satorna!

"Nice to know I don't need to repeat myself." ...this with a look back at Belldandy, Keiichi and his kin, keeping dear and equal close. Ishara then notes. "How much can you remember, of that Mandala."

"Not for a full recreation. Plus, we don't have any Spirits nearby to access."

"We don't need to."

Belldandy blinks, before Ishara informs, and the Norn double blinks. "But if that is all..."

"ARGH!!" ...a sudden yell of pain, stabs out, as the lot look and... "EH? Isn't that, that Angel of Mara's?"

"Familiar." Ishara corrects, though Belldandy remarks. (To Ishara's cocking eye.) "Yes, Mara's Angel is... eh? No Mara! Don't kill him!!" ...this as afar, Mara and Intimidator stare down at their mutual prey. Satorna rolls back from being literally flambéed by a Hellstorm bolt spell. Mara just snaps back. "Just do your crap, I'll do mine!" ...as Satorna scrambles to rise, but suddenly, it's Mara that's not giving an inch.

A few more of these bolts later, and Megumi judges accurately. "She's one pissed broad."

Megumi then notes, as patterns are literally drawn on the deck plating before them, by nothing but by goddesses fingers. Belldandy and Ishara the authors continue, as the latter imparts. "We'll need to do it with only part of the code. but we'll need a proper focusing agent."

Just then, a sudden snap-shout of half-surprise, before everyone looks as Nossi afar, balks at the sight of... "What madness is this!?" ...as Lind suddenly shows of everything aglow, like a star was burning fiercely in her! Lind looked herself over, and realized... "One some friends wrought." ...before Lind takes advantage, of a serious Hikari power boost, to attack Nossi with! The goddess actually blanches, before buckling under two expert hits, above and below the chest line, before a flat blade Axe swipe, slams Nossi through a technological looking pillar, before stopping to a rolling crash, some thirty meters away!

The three mortals look nice and pip eyed. "Where'd that come from!?"

Ishara however judged from what she sensed in the Network, one as accessible to the goddesses, as it was to the Alliance here. "Peorth and Eihwa are doing their excellent part.

Now we must do ours."

"Heard that." ...this two goddesses and three mortals suddenly look up, as... "Skuld!?" ...ala Keiichi.

"We got the star stabilized. (I think.)" ...the goddess lass lands. Belldandy appreciating what this meant. It was not the only surprise however. This as back to back surprises would turn heads, which way and back!

--------------------

Imladris didn't have time to recognize the glow, such was the blinding speed that battle suddenly undertook. This as Caceroth chased him, both fighting with all previous conventional effect, spaced out the airlock. Many levels blurred by, as one foe fought another off, trying to learn the new tactics of a foe that beheld new, ashen secrets to behold.

The first seemed the most obvious, two ashen nemesis was worse than just one. It 'was' taking all Imladris had to keep up. This was no small matter. This as at the end of a furious exchange that finds them both, 'far' away from the others, unknown how far in true distance they both were now, nevermind landing in the middle of an area that on impact landing, Imladris quickly takes note of.

A chance to look at the dark gray metallic pillars of technological make, with hovering red in gray crystals that seemed to spout random subspace tears of terrorizing dark purple and gray bordered into the pitch voids seen in each and every one noted. It's cut short by a split second later assault of Caceroth's blade. Imladris catches it, as mere grunts of fury only lead to another prolonged exchange. Ones with attacks that start doing real damage to the area, this as one of Caceroth's gray-ash lightning-friction bolts, misses Imladris, and smashes one of the pillars nearby apart, showering everything in strange, subspace tear plasma arcs, nevermind debris of aforementioned kinds.

Imladris notes this and draws back in locked blade posture. "Isn't that important to you sport?"

Caceroth snarls back. "Like it will deter anything. None the same of you protecting the Abominations, no less."

"Wow, so you can talk."

Caceroth snarls again, and shoves his blade at Imladris's again, before then suddenly, diving and shooting Incarceration dead through the wraith's own chest, at Imladris! The knight however spins away to his left, but just as reactively, having Evolution slam it's fist across Caceroth's ashen face! Imladris finally draws back, only to quickly have the beats right back at him, a counter the wraith Supplicant's own fist has at the Angel in kind! The impact yanks Imladris back, and crashes them both through another discharging crystal pillar. Imladris hollers when Evolution's left wing, clips the shattering crystal, hard, from heavy energy burn.

Caceroth sees this, and the mutilated format the left wing of the Angel, down the center of it. The Wraith seethes of this. "Yeeeesss... The Will saw this, a burnt wing, one piece sundered, as another comes along with. Each tear, a piece at a time. And another...

...and another."

The angelic knight duo, manage to rise, as the wraith combo, just seethe out in all hatred. "There is nothing you can do. This weapon is all but ready to unleash it's power for the Will! As such, there is no place the Abomination can hide, once this weapon unleashes.

It is already all over, AS THE WILL DEMANDS!!!"

Imladris rises simply, and then just stares at his foe. A moment looked over, at a cocked head, with his own.

"She is still wrong."

That sets Caceroth off, into a three part exchange, one that ends with another smack of a knightly armored fist, into an 'Emperor's' cheek! However more is quickly halted when a HEAVY weapons impact, slams into the Citadel! The knight looks around as both he and Caceroth stumble of footing for a short moment.

"And the battle is essentially won now." ...this he takes cue, to hammer home another round at the wraith foe! This as the initial impacts of Ionic weaponry, warp white shimmering energy, in spots around various sight.

--------------------

"- All unbound ships are now firing at the Citadel! -"

Ackronus notes, just commanding for the Illistrum bridge crew... "Do not stop until beyond obvious victory!" ...this as the Earthly-alien lot gasp at the very now clear sight of the vast Marian Citadel, being pummeled more and more, by large weapons fire emissions, some from the opposite side of the entire Star System. 24 nods. "Hopefully we can disrupt it, and end this threat ourselves."

"I hope it's that easy." Talos quips, though Tamiya accents as he fires his own weapon port at the Citadel. "Wes can makes it that's eazy. I just wants this whole crud dones with!"

"Hear that." ...of a Whirlwind blast of agreement, of weapon port alike too.

24 smiles at some form of equal understanding. This as the all but victorious Alliance Fleet, attempt to put their own exclamation mark on it all.

--------------------

-Illuminara Homeworld-

Other's had more of a simple whimper in mind. However what it turns into, is not what was originally engendered.

"Sing?"

Gaitha nods to one of her Advisors. "Can you not feel the Energy in the very air? Everyone else has done so much to help us. We should do more."

Another Illuminaran aide comments, shaking her glowing hair about in uncertainty. "If the utilization of the mirror apparatuses was not enough, then what else can we do? What will singing engender?"

Gaitha smiles, and realizes a microcosm of realization, of a form the rest of the galaxy should have learned better by now. "Did you not feel the souls that saved our own star? One not even theirs to save? Everyone is working together. For us. For everyone.

And I believe 'that' may be what we're missing, for both our Goal, and our salvation. Here, of all relevant forms. I felt the air, the life of it all, despite the death of so many around us. I truly believe we can combat this. This because if I felt right, one of those fighting for us, may already 'be' of us. One that 'we' should already be equal to."

The looks of confusion from the various aides about her, just lent to a simple stance, reminiscent of a Present goddess, in orbit at that moment. The one Gaitha swore she felt, in the middle of all of this fracas. Somehow. Gaitha just asserts simply again. "Have all that call themselves of our civilization, simply link their minds with me. Then follow my lead."

"Uh... okay." ...the first aide nods, and relays this order, this starting a chain of communiqués, leading to something unprecedented.

But it would take time to begin. The same as the waning pitch of night, the vast battle a now tremendously hopeful symphony for the shielded masses below. The same of the light of day, slowly approaching, like the veil of ascendance coming.

As with all things of timing.

--------------------

"Sorry." ...this after a rather flattening punch, that knocks a surprised Nossi back! Lind reacts... "Father!" ...as Frode looks over, after smacking the corrupted goddess, rather blindsided! The two just then look back as Nossi flip-flies suddenly back over at the offending god! Lind however snap-shoots over and slams Nossi off to the left of them both, crashing her 'again'!

"Thank you Daughter."

Lind shrugs. "Eh, what else is family for." ...this both trade a professional smile, before both then attack Nossi in unison!

Meanwhile, Mara's own battle, suddenly has an ally of her own, when she snap yells at... "URD! I don't need your help, dammit!" ...as Urd's arrival, was followed with an Urd Bolt, that blasts Satorna back, just as the corrupted Demon Agent was moving to attack Mara and Intimidator again! The Norn lass of promiscuity just smirks. "What else is new."

Mara however recognizes well enough when World of Elegance appears, that all bets were off here anyway. The two trade 'their' version of a knowing smile, and then shoot at a still recovering Satorna! Urd just shouts. "Just overwhelm him till he bursts!"

"Just shut up and beat some sense into the bastard!"

Satorna blanches, of some tone Mara recognizes. "This isn't fair! Two on one!?" ...before Mara and Urd in simult, shooting in. "We know!" ...and deck the demon unto both cheeks at once!

This is the sudden intro, that the planning group witness, as Belldandy... "Urd?"

"And my beloved." Ishara adds, with a proud smile of her own. Just then, Keiichi notes on sound of shimmer. "Hey! Sigrun! Up there!" ...as heads upturn to see the fourth Norn arrive from above! Skuld notes... "What's going on?!"

"Master's Fleets have the enemy all but wrapped up." ...this before a heavy weapons sudden, impacts the Citadel, near them. Eyeing looks at the scene outside, show all but only Alliance ships, starting to impact the Shield Array of the Citadel. Some of the impacts close enough, ripple white energy about the shields, causing some of the Ionic impacts, to seep through the shields. Sigrun snarls at this a bit off kilter comically, by arm waiving at the blaring artillery scene! "EROS YOU DOPE! Fire on lower below us already!!"

Sigrun however then looks back, and sees some rather (also,) off kilter comically snickering faces. Sigrun defensively retorts. "What!?"

Skuld... "We didn't say anything."

Keiichi... "Not me."

Megumi... "Don't need to."

Further comedy, is killed outright, when a HUGE detonation, suddenly shakes the Citadel, far more than from even the incoming Alliance weapons fire could cause. Eyes and senses realize... "Master..."

"Dang, that sounded really bad."

Belldandy goes off of Keiba's assessment, with a steely... "We need to set the Mandala now. However we can. It will likely take all that we have to achieve the result however. The old code lines to Voluspa's Network however, may be too changed to access Caceroth like before."

Ishara denotes this to a tactical vein. "Enough distraction may be all that's needed. A kind that Caceroth cannot remain attached to his victims with. It's through him, that we should focus, and not on any victims individually."

"Wish we had that cube thingy that gold dude carries here." ...this Megumi inputs. However Skuld remembers something... "Maybe we don't need to." ...as she goes 'into' her blouse, and pulls out of it, a small lab grade, microscope glass slide. One Keiichi blinks. "Huh? Isn't that that... ugh... blood from that moron?"

"Yeah, thought it'd be a good idea to hold onto that stuff, from the last time and all."

Keiichi then blinks. "You mean you had that in your... uh... in there, all this time!?" ...this Skuld blanches back! "Don't remind me! I plan on burning all this, when we all 'really' done with this crud!"

Ishara takes the glass slide, and sees the long inert code string, of the Lord Wraith, still encoded into the inert ash-cake. She nods at this... "Remind me to consider you for Accolade before the Council, my good Goddess." ...this Skuld really blushes unto. Sigrun then imparts. "What do we do then."

Ishara sighs a bit, more worried about the tactical venerability it all is going to cause. "Well... uhm... we vocalize the code string for the Mandala, and... well, sing it."

Even Keiichi blanched... "Put you guys in the open like that!? We'd need to make sure those two are really clear to make sure 'you' guys aren't attacked!" ...this put with a look at the nearby twin battles still raging. Seeing Frode meanwhile, say sorry every time he hit Nossi, was bizarrely baffling. (Old habit ingrained from 'his' Master's old teachings.) Ishara sees this much, then nods to Belldandy. The Norn of famous note, responds... "Then we trust that our safety in our family's hands. They are our Blades."

Keiba blinks at this. "Mara is family?"

"Sorta." Skuld in part, semi agrees. Keiichi then trades a knowing look with his eternal goddess. He nods. "Do it."

--------------------

Four blade exchanges, then six more, with various vicious martial motions, replete with jostling for position. The Angel and Supplicant then fire every increasing power shots of energized spell fury, causing some of the largest explosions to date! One even rips part of a nearby 'skin' of the Citadel superstructure, open to space! Then six more exchanges, and fire more martial maneuvers. The fight is endless for them both, as their fight goes everywhere it seems.

And then Caceroth stops and has enough of it. He makes one more exchange with Imladris, then spin kicks off, to land some six meters away. Imladris sees then when he recovers from the kick he takes, and sees his foe standing in a relatively open area.

The knight then eyes his nemesis, this to then hear. "Yes, we know each other 'so' well. Her Will was so detailed of us 'both'."

"That crap again?" ...a retort as barbed as the sound of a weapons impact upon the Citadel, nearby sounds.

"No. This time, I will demonstrate." ...this the Wraith suddenly thrusts his 'and' the Supplicant's right arms out in mirror action, with a sudden unexpected spell of. "Code Parameter 1231.900. Code magnetize and adhere to my Agony!" ...this Imladris outright suddenly doubles over in serious burning pain. He feels such white pain from it, he can't even think for a sudden moment.

"Yes, My Mother, her incredible Will, knows All. You simply have no idea how underestimated you all are, against her Power!" ...as even Evolution reflects this pain, as entire intricate lines of Intracellic code, all over the Angel's form, burns of everything, as intensely hot ash. The heavy burning wisps that flow out, are as if skin was burning. The cause being the very nanites in Imladris's system, that were suddenly, as if an endless number of tiny white hot ash-suns, at the peak of endless heat and infliction.

The white animal of pain blocks out all his usual thoughts, and then even ones he'd somehow fall back on, leaving only the animal agony that barely sensed anything. This he feels, as Caceroth walks over, the left hand with Caceri Blade, readied for a coup de grace.

"Empty threats, unwholesome lies. A foe only meant to exist as fodder for a story that continues to insult HER WILL! Is 'that' what I all that I am to you all. I only care to speak this much... because I don't care for the fact I have a mirror that exists, supposedly to defeat me!"

The edge of the ash eaten, rust rotted blade, presses unto the back of a foe's agonized neck. A slight wrist twist, that burns the blade into the neck, that much more pain inflicted. A wraith breath of something unheard of to it: satisfaction.

And a horrid look down at a knightly form, cowed under the intensity of a pain induced by a power beyond what even Thor had inflicted through all of the eternal training. A power of a Progenitor. The Wraith hears echoes of darkness from it all, and seethes a ash spewed breath, as if all was cold here, yet was 'not'.

"And now, I no longer have a mirror to haunt me." ...and a sudden blade raised to fell with!

One that is slammed back with its master, in a wave of vast Darkness! Caceroth is slammed back into a nearby wall. The Supplicant looks like it's suddenly in pain, as strange dark warping energy froths around it for a moment. When it all clears, the Wraith Lord sees of clear, ash eyes, an enemy 'of' and enemy.

One of a forced nightmare. One with a iron clad voice, seething out... "Thank my animal, that you released of it at last!" ...of a Dark Lord's tone. Caceroth barely registers this, when the Nidhog enforced Dark Lord, and equally void pitch Angelic 'partner', take their leave of Caceroth's space of moment, and crushes the Wraith Lord with it, in a sudden flurry of anew blade attacks, with a opal Dark Morphemic Blade! The anew vicious routine of battle, only stops, when this time, the Dark Lord pulls back off a vicious kick, and repeats the same manner that Caceroth conducted, moments earlier!

"REVENGE IS MY MASS OF HAND HERE!!!" ...as this time, Caceroth is the one at the focused end, of an angry Angelic arm. One with a sudden Gravity burst behind it, that makes the Wraith Lord jerk all about suddenly, before then all looking like, its entire body is being caved in, as well as crushed from the outside! Untold what 'else' the spell does, but the results look horrifying for a good long prolonged moment, as this time, a Dark Lord looks all satisfied.

That was, until suddenly, the nearly crushed form of the Wraith, EXPLODES out, with a gravity warping bubble, filled with ash. The Wraith somehow recovers, to a Dark Lord's spat of... "You are indelibly more than just a supplicant with a leach."

"And you, are as an ABOMINATION AS 'THE' ABOMINATION IS!!!"

The Dark Lord hears this, as far more than the words unto him is meant for. In fact, the Wraith then looks 'up', and screeches...

--------------------

...to the horror of one, that already sensed the change, in her Melded heart!

"MOTHER! This one is as corrupted for our Plan, as Ragnarok demands of all of it!! USE MY NEMESIS INSTEAD!"

Lind and Frode gasp, and look 'generally' in the direction, that Caceroth's voice, came from! (Given how far away, well over five kilometers now, from the Throne chamber area, the voice came from...) Lind fearfully creeps out through her teeth, her meld swamped with the sackcloth soul of Hild's horrid impart. "Oh no. It is happening all over again."

Frode about responded back, when 'another' familiar voice strikes chord in all hearts and fearful minds that know better. ": That one is corrupt, and far too attune! Focus on the Primary, above all else! :"

Frode and Lind look, as much as Mara and Urd do, in opposite vectors, when Nossi and Satorna speak as 'one', of the Seer's own malevolent voice!

--------------------

One heard... everywhere.

--------------------

-Earth-

"What the heck was that?"

An elder Yamano's voice, looks up, as Satoko and Otaki shiver in realization. The latter... "Is all that stuff happening again!?"

A lot of other mortals just didn't understand, what they just heard.

Planetwide.

----

"Oh dear god." Sora says best, as suddenly she sits in Suzuki's 'seat', sitting in the ol TV room, during their self assumed duty of looking after the Temple. One that now seems even emptier than before. The comedy of the moment, that Suzuki would have noticed, is 'that' struck down by the Voice heard. A moment that leaves them both shivering 'that' much.

Nearby, a wacky rat, reincarnated cat, and reinstituted dog, all trade looks with each other. Gan just simply listens to the two that know better.

"Are we really that screwed?" ...ala a neko reincarnation.

Of a better tone instead. "Only if we are gone. I feel still, that we are not."

"Then 'I' still feel screwed." Velsper quips of his in progress punishment. A chuckle from Celestine annoys the neko, but nowhere near as much as... "You screwed yourself, little runt."

The usual tiff of growling, falls short here.

"Ahhh..." ...they both then hear... "...to think those so high, are as low as me. I feel so... wait... WAIT! I wana keep on feeling here!!" ...ala two reincarnated stares of animal fang. (Yipe.)

--------------------

-Nidhog-

A Nidhog Operator shot back to the V-CEO (Administrator equivalent,) with a terse voice. "The voice just registered System wide!"

Hard it was, for them both, floating in an extended platform-walkway, surrounded by a pitch black void of video screens of all kinds, of the same format that Intracel uses, (to an extent,) to feel real fear, where fear was on display here regularly.

The V-CEO, an infernal High Councilor in place of Hild's presence (for once,) felt this. And he hated it.

"I wish I could control this kind of fear." ...to a point.

He then hears behind him. "We have our own." ...this a look back, at a familiar Horde Warlord. One or recent promotion in fact. (Another rarity in these parts. Such was how the former 'fell' to, of same recent note.) One that had a plan to eventually come. By Hild or darkwater, she swore silently.

But this one, at that moment, was no fool against... "We cannot control 'that' kind of fear. It'd ruin us."

Again the V-CEO hated it all.

--------------------

-Heaven-

": The Voice, would have been moreso, if we'd directly intervened. :"

Hild however shot back at the Almighty, to a fearful look from Jora and Chrono. "You unmitigated bastard! How long do these games go on for!"

": To a point, when the Rules 'I' am governed by, finally are discarded with ease. :"

Frigurina was even stunned by that one. "So rare to speak of a weakness of your part Beloved."

Chrono gulps in kind at this. "I get the feeling 'rare', isn't about to be."

Frig and Hild look back in decent amazement. "Insightful." ...ala both.

--------------------

-Gate-

"Y... you... know.... was that.... everywhere? All at once? Ah, gosh, you know?"

The other Valkyries still waiting on the entire ordeal to resolve, found their own resolve faltered. Without fail. A General no less. Her silver hair shuddered as much as she did. "Yes. I have a terrible feeling that, that is indeed so."

Phosus gulped. She didn't say it. No true code Valkyrie would. But she was suddenly split on going to the area of battle, that she had a short enough time before, wanted all dearly to be a part of. The main reason of focus, comes out as, in prayer stance form... "Come on, you can win this pup."

--------------------

-Comm-News Bot, edge of the Illuminara System-

- We're not sure what just occurred. Some voice just yelled out, like it was all over the place! We... wait one...

...just received reports that other Comm-News Bots in the battle zone, also heard it. Scattered battle comms also are reacting to the same. Whatever it was... -

--------------------

-Alliance Council, Forresai Prime, Forran Homeworld-

Even in this place of refuge, a world of high energy beings of natural evolution, the voice cascades across them all. All the way to a set of souls, waiting on their final fate.

"How can a voice, be heard all the way out here?"

Kaia looks over at the Furbrath High Councilor, and shudders... "We seem to have entered a realm, we were right to guess the Excellency withheld from us. we are 'not' as advanced as we all thought. Or... is it simply... prepared."

Ere`ith then amends with assertion, beyond all recall. "Then we are agreed finally to this final course?"

"If we survive this." ...the Forran Councilor remarks. Kaia however snaps that to proper form with. "We 'will'! All of us! Or does the Unity we hear of our self titled, and vaunted Excellency, mean nothing of anything at all!"

The Councilors, finally realized better. This time, once and for all.

The same for Fate.

--------------------

"You know your duty." ...was all that 24 spoke of, into the Comms, and into the Network. The rest of all those uncountable souls acknowledged. All those that fighting and dying for an ideal what was as possibly, no better than a faint whisper, a hope that kept fleeting away with every loom for it. For one, that the One believed in, did not do the same for himself, all this, for their own homes and families, that were safe, knowing that One, that... Excellency, gave them all, their needed anchor. They acknowledged, and fought harder. 24 as much as any of the Alliance crews, felt this, and was proud.

Chihiro saw this look, and held speechless awe at such a sight. "I'm taking mental notes."

--------------------

"Tell me we have something else more to help with?"

Troubadour looked at Sentaro and a bare glance at the two goddesses, still concentrating with all their might, just remarked back at the lad, rather calmly. "More will come. All that we can give trust, when that more comes."

Sentaro dryly snips back. "Was that supposed to help any?"

"Only Fate." Peorth quips. Sentaro looked, and decided to trust 'that' instead.

--------------------

"I think it's time we started." ...of an apparent Portfolio of such things.

Ishara and Belldandy trade their looks, with Sigrun's own. Skuld aside the lot, quickly adopts the same facade. Keiichi notes it all, for what it is. He then notes over to Megumi and Keiba. "We'd better get over and away from here a bit."

The others hear, as Megumi asks. "Why not just... whatever they do, us out of here?!"

"I don't think it matters, where I am, at this point." Keiichi responds, and trades a knowing look with Belldandy. Belldandy just keeps simple reminder, to her betrothed. "No Angel partner this time, I fear."

"Felt too weird, the last two times." Keiichi cracks back. Meg blinks. "Does that mean about those... hey!" ...as Keiichi pulls her and Keiba away to the throne chair. (Best focal place as any.) Megumi cracks. "I can scramble all well myself, thank you!!"

Belldandy then nods to her familial kin. (To her, anyone near, was such here, and now.) "Let's begin."

This starts the sonnets, encoded deeply of the code-strings of Heaven. Keiichi saw and was dearly reminded of that previous battle, though this time, the participants were different, somewhat, and of their producing Angels as well. Their first high code song, makes of a strangely misplaced sound, where all else sound, was of constant battle. Megumi made light of this... "Are they going to be able to sing over all this fighting?"

"It's not the point." ...this Keiichi and Megumi look at Keiba, as the lad looks back at them. "Is it?"

"No. It's all been better than all of that." Keiichi replies with, as the song begins cascading out. As it does so, from the four goddesses present, their four beautiful angels on display, the song flows out visible code, that swims towards the glass slide Skuld produced, slips through it, extracting a bare hint of Soulless code, and dives on down, several strings of these encoded strips of light, into the two-dimensional Mandala below the now floating goddesses.

However as 'soon' as the code touches the Mandala! "IMPURE!!!" ...this of shock reaction that four foes, three mortals and four singers hear of two Enslaved!! Urd of the fighting, bares her teeth out of... "I think they know already guys!"

"Hurry it up dammit!" Mara snaps, and reactively attacks Satorna once more! Lind and Frode attack as one, accenting from 'their' afar end... "Like the broad said!" ..before unto Nossi with double force! Mara 'afar' just balks for a split moment. "That's bitch, not just broad!" ...before catching a counter blade shot from her former lover! Urd just shakes her head. "Watch the lingo girl. Jeeze." ...and then promptly blasts in with a charged Urd bolt, to Satorna's chest!

In any and all crashing cases, Keiichi agrees with... "Just keep going!" ...this the four return to singing, double quick!

--------------------

The battle seems to degrade into something animal, of a combat vein of viciousness! Energy blades long since reverted to base, egregious formats that hammer at each other without mercy. They clash just as brutally, by example of when Caceroth makes a high swing strike, one the Dark Lord cruelly shoves off, slamming the Wraith into a wall. One that is ducked away from in time, as the Dark Lord's blade, utterly slashes through it, to a strong explosion of plasma and sparks. The Wraith then suddenly shoots back some, and fires off a powerful wave of soulless electricity, slamming into the explosion, causing it to triple in detonated size.

One the wraith has no time to see through, as suddenly, the foe shoots out and slams into Caceri Blade, with the Dark Lord's own again! The fallen knight then snarls... "Some of your own eldritch? FOOL!" ...and shoves a free hand full of Nidhog energy at the Wraith! The sudden explosion tosses the Wraith back some, before Caceroth then suddenly counterattacks with his own charged bolt. This one impacts the Dark Lord in the chest, ripping his form through another wall, the exit vector, covering the Dark Lord in flowing hot plasma!

It's in this said form, that the Dark Lord erupts right back at the Wraith Lord with, the plasma trails frothing off, seemingly nothing in the midst of another multi-parry exchange that spreads in seemingly multiple directions at once! And through all of that, the Angel and Supplicant war at each other, essentially separate from their masters, causing even more untold damage in the immediate area. Some of the damage, cause large enough gouts of open space to appear, that the emergency shielding is having trouble keeping up now. More and more atmosphere vents off, causing a strange wind that keeps whatever blood that appears on both enemies, to froth off most repulsively.

One example, is when Evolution counterattacks a strange ash-blade shot that Incarceration used, with a black-purplish set of gravity 'balls'. Ones that the Supplicant catches bare nicks of, showing the Supplicant can apparently 'bleed', as the atmospheric froth demonstrates. The rest of the shots, crumple whatever superstructure material they come in contact with. (Not that the Ash-blades weren't just as destructive. A cut that they gave Evolution, shows dark splotches that froth forth in the lower atmosphere pressures.

It's in the midst of all this, that finally, the two main antagonists stop, as sheer exhaustion forces that moment. As such, the two eye at each other, with the first words spat forth... "And to Her Will... 'this' is proper... demonstration... of why All... should end!!"

The Dark Lord just seethes back. "Care not... for the flavor... of your defeat... as such!?"

Caceroth readies to attack again, but then feels the actions of the goddesses from great afar! He howls in objection, the screech the Dark Lord almost assaults upon, before hearing... "THERE SHALL NOT BE TWICE OF THIS OFFENSE! NOT UNTO HER WILL!!!"

The Wraith then starts to command from afar... "ATTACK THE ABOMINATION, SLAVES!!! KILL IT NOW!!!"

"NO!!" ...a 'previous' voice suddenly slams in with, including his own fist with!! Caceroth sees... "ARGHH!! What be this madness!!" ...as the Dark Lord, is replaced with the Knight Lord, one that barely reacts to Caceroth's surprise, instead just having at the Nemesis once again!!

--------------------

Their song is suddenly cut short by Caceroth's dire command! Belldandy snaps a look at... "Keiichi... NO!!!" ...as suddenly Satorna and Nossi, in too much of a simultaneous move, to be their own natural 'own' movements, break off from being pummeled by their four foes, and SHOOT right out at where Keiichi is hiding!

"AW CRAP!" K1 yelps, before he's suddenly... "Get down Brother!!!" ... "COVER HIM!!" ...as Megumi and Keiba reactively cover him!! The two foes are already at them however, just as already, Lind and Frode react in quick SNAP arrival, as Satorna and Nossi start to attack! Ishara sees this and suddenly reacts as well!! "Protect him!!!" ...as she shoots over, just as Lind and Frode, already are barely deflecting attacks that the two corrupted beings are trying to lay down! Urd gleeps, as Mara reacts just a split bit behind! "Dammit Satorna, don't ignore me!!" ...as she quickly joins in, as Ishara shields Keiichi's 'pressed' form, as the battle literally swirls dead around him!

"G... guys!"

"Just stay down Brother!" Megumi yells, very much in fear for her Brother. (Completely forgetting her own self at that!) Keiichi however blanches, with a decent wheeze... "Not... if... I can't... breathe! Dang you're both.... oomph! ...heavy."

Meg and Keb however just blanch back. "Oh just shut up already!" ...this Ishara manages to get the shield around them all, 'and' a quick wind spell to allow Keiichi needed breath. She however does all this, in the clear line of blade fire, as Satorna sees and... "You will not stop Her Will from..." ...and makes to decapitate the Lower Council goddess's head with.

Something that Lind sees to a serious objection. She wordlessly catches Satorna's blade, and 'then' has enough of it all, when Nossi tries to blind side Frode in a similar stroke! Her Axe is reactively shoved unto both offending energy blades in an overarching stroke, something that she sees angry objection in kind from the twin enslaved Soulless.

As such, she's fed up with it, to a point, she explodes forth and slams them 'both', away from the lot at the throne chair (now well trashed,) smacking them both to the open pane viewport, pinning them both under it! Mara sees and objects... "Will you stop smacking Satorna around like that!? That's my job!!"

"It is?" Keiba quips, to a hazardous glare returned. This to the hearing of afar... "Now you both are miffing me really off. How can you two, so weak against our combined might of protection's grace, still be standing up to us?!

You both are so frail, it makes me sick!"

Ishara blinks as much as Frode does. "Uh, was that you speaking there, or me? I'm not sure who gave Daughter 'that' bit."

"Some voices are their own?" ...comes of Keiichi's voice. Meg just blinks. "Do you always have something smarmy to say, like that!?" ...this Keiichi just groan wheezes from weight again. Urd and Mara however watch, a touch fearful that Lind might overdo it here. (The whole unsealed bit, included.)

It's all heard to a justification though, when Nossi's voice snarls out, her hair frazzling to an ashen effect... "Your measure of violence, is 'Her' measure of everything. It's pointless what happens in the Final comparison."

"Is that all that these Soulless talk about?" Sigrun balks at hearing. "To think I liked her format." ...speaking of Nossi's former goddess-styling.

She finishes this however, when Urd suddenly shoots over, and Sigrun sees her other sisters, trade a knowing look. Sigrun recognizes it, and prepares in concert. (Literally.)

Lind meanwhile suddenly loses her trap, when Nossi and Satorna as 'one', erupt Soulless code from out of their very bodies! Lind is 'yanked' back by a psy pull from Frode, only a bare hint of code 'scratching' her right arm. The so doing however tears the slimsuit fabric apart, leaving a gray scar, and a harsh yell of pain. The rest of the blast is avoided barely, by a twin effort of Lower Council shields.

The two corrupted, act all as of undead beings, starting to wrench forward, with gross intent. Keiichi sees this, and balks. "The night of the living... ugh... okay, need some air again." ...this Meg almost pops K1 for. This before all of a sudden. "Wha..? MARA DON'T!!" ...ala Ishara's late call of warning, this at the sight of the Demon literally tackling into both foes, and rather smashing them though the view pane behind them, ends up sloop melding them all past it, into open space! The sudden momentum shoots them all fast into the stars! Keiba for one... "H.. HEY! Mara!!"

"She's fine." Lind spats back, as Keiichi blinks. "Fine!?"

"They can exist in space." Frode imparts. Meg then blanches manically. "Then what was with the 'MARA DON'T' crud!!?"

"Sorry, force of habit." Frode and Ishara 'both' teardrop in remarking. Lind just sighs austerely in kind. The mortals however don't get further with this, (even to facevault or such,) when suddenly, four equal sonnets of Norn purity, suddenly spike the very recirculated air. It is such, that a Valkyrian family looks in split sudden shocked awe, as in mere moments...

"I guess I wasn't really needed." Ishara remarks, as in 'such' quick fashion, the four Norns encircle the Mandala, the same code effect as before, acting all like thrice so now. Their respective Angels above them, amplifying an effect, one sorely needed!

"Belldandy." Keiichi manages out, as Meg and Keb finally slide off him. As they do, they then note a strange thump of... "Eh? OH CRAP!" Meg yelps, as Satorna tries to bust through the view pane, before Mara shoots in and tackles him away. An attempt by Nossi ends the same way. Frode judges. "A fine job there, but only for so long I fear."

"I sense their objection to the new song." Lind judges correctly.

She then senses....

--------------------

Gaitha blinks, as she's preparing for her part in the coming song. When the Norn Song of Disruption penetrates enough of ease, she whispers... "I can hear..." ...and then a sight unto her own arms... body... even blue of hair.

All of it glowing.

She's not the only of her race to note this. None of her civilization is remiss.

She then nods. "We will soon sing too."

After all, so many billions takes time to prepare, for a final step.

--------------------

Another had too many left.

Increasing cascades of Ionic firepower hammered more and more by the moment. The equal same afar, to near, that two blades kept hammering harder and harder at each other. This deeper and farther the two fall into the relentless depths of the Citadel, such that a Wraith is chased after, as much as a Knight is pursued, as much as a Dark Lord follows!

SLAMMING into yet another heavily charged section of the Citadel, the deck plating here buckles into a heavily warped depression, that Caceroth avoids being a part of, as the Lord Knight follows as the cause. The Dark Lord phase attacks forward, as Caceroth blocks another dark empowered attack, before duck spinning of froths of ash, to avoid a low left to high right blade swipe, a phased through Lord Knight attacks in follow up with!

Each attack the Wraith Lord makes, the one the Dark Lord takes, before the Lord Knight phase attacks through in turn! And then each defense of the Knight, the Dark Lord then ejects back with a dark powered blast, that the Knight Lord ducks away in retort from, of a vehement Lord Wraith in kind! And then each block the Dark Lord takes, the Wraith double attacks back, to a counter blow by the Lord Knight!

The bewilderment seethes forth as... "Your perversity is DEGRADING to endure!" ...to a howling screech of an attack in follow up, one the Lord Knight takes in kind, then avoids a ash-energon held fist of agony, to then get gut kicked to the chest in added follow through!

It's at this, after the Lord Knight-Dark Lord recovers after being slammed through a shattered console station (again,) that the Wraith Lord sees.

"Disgusting!!" ...this seeing the Nemesis stand.

Strange melded-phased parts of Dark Lord and Lord Knight, show in places, like each was a tear of reality's fabric, every few long swaths of inches. Gold, silver, crystal, diamond, and angelic white, mesh with opal pitch dark, obsidian, and hateful blood red, the merging areas are a strange haze of white and dark energies, almost mimicking the same energy haze, the Wraith constantly exudes.

"You have no idea." ...one voice of two speak forth, as 'much' to an Enemy, of two forms. (Possibly three really here.)

Two however, then look at One Wraith foe, and snarl. "But then, there is worse things, of nightmares.

And I like killing them off." ...the Dark Lord tone stresses more heavily. The Wraith then sees the Angelic Evolution swath down, his own Supplicant Incarceration hazing down behind him. Such that the tone then changes strangely.

"Which of us, is the corrupted one here."

The calm tone, however is shot silent...

--------------------

Belldandy with her arms held open and wide forward. Sigrun more clenched to her chest, of soft note. Skuld of beheld over her head. Urd low and spanned wide to her own behind.

A Present sonnet of such beauty, a Past tone of deep intent, a Future hope to see all better days, and a hand of Fate, on the tongue of beauty. Their hair flowed with such grace, their goddess cloth of regal serenity, their Angels fluttered as soulfully as they sing. Their mind of one song.

And the code they make, shows the power of four incredible Norns, acting as one, through a mode of such peace, to a mode of such power.

For an intent that needs only a moment.

One that Frode judges at the stoke of the moment. "Is that it?"

Lind nods, as she then feels it...

--------------------

A Wraith suddenly clutches at his head again!! "Further and AGAIN!?!" ...of an annoyed tone. It however was the mistake of mistakes.

And the Knight version just acts with it! "Quit yelling you blimey turd!" ...and in frenzied motion, pulls out his Holocron cube from his chest armor, and to a shocked reaction of a Nemesis, the Knight snaps off of Spell.. ":: ~ By the Title Hand that is given unto me! Sever this bind! Crush this agony! Strip the bonds of enslavement! Do this as of His MIGHTY WORD!!! ~ ::"

One incredibly blinding screech, deafening blast of light, a vast wave of both that becomes of each other, to the point that it becomes an initial burst wave, that blows out large portions of the nearby gantries, tears apart portions of the vast, endless power core towards within the Citadel, and even gouts open space very openly again! It's all unheeded as Imladris pours much of his will, into the Holocron sponsored attack!

All Caceroth can scream at first... "Mother!! AAAAAAAGGGGUUUHHHHH!!!!"

--------------------

Frig and Hild, no less the rest of the Council, gasp fiercely at the sight of Almighty's Seat, glowing of a newborn fire!! It wouldn't be the last of such sight here.

"Husband!!!" ...comes from more than one voice! Jora and Chrono nearby, lose all sensation at the sight. Many an arm covers by hands over shocked mouths.

The impacts are not Progenitor singular here.

--------------------

...and not alone elsewhere.

"/ Massive gravitational wave burst!!" ...24 and Ackronus suddenly 'see', as much as Chihiro... "Holy cow!!" ...the massive wave burst of Holia-Incarnum light! One that swiftly passes right by them all...

...unto... "Eh?! Where's the ship shattering ugly ride at!?!?"

"Itz not meant for uz!!" ...this Chihiro looks over at, in agape bland note. "How tha heck do ya know that!?"

No answer just yet forthcoming, as all SORTS of yells gush off the Network! 24 just then snaps off.. "What the Light just happened!?!? Someone report!"

"- No darn clue yet madam! -" ...a random Commander of the Fleet responds. As good a blank answer as any. 24 however retorts that with... "Then get a clue!! NOW!!"

--------------------

Of a closer vein, a Wraith's holler is then met by two enslaved minds, suddenly clutching at them of both, in dead space! Mara sees, and then at the near enough scene of the Norns and their majesty of action, before looking off, as the blast wave shoots off 'very' quickly! The Demon then reacts by shooting over, 'collecting' both struggling celestials, and quickly phases back through to a sturdy crash unto the deck! Keiichi sees for somehow 'knowing'... "Mara, don't hurt them!"

"Oh can it dork! I... EH!?" ...as she then gets smacked back by Ishara suddenly! "Watch it! Their code is being exposed!" ...as Mara gasps, looking forth and back in abject real fear! "No! Satorna!!" ...as both beings sport seemingly endless ash-code 'tattoos', ones that seem to burn of all of a fierce hot white fire, that is anything but proper to look at! Mara tries to reach for Satorna on reflex, but Ishara 'really' has to hold her back! "No! Not yet!"

"THEN WHEN DAMMIT!?!"

...and then they 'all' react to the explosion...

--------------------

"CEASE THIS!!!" ...of a Wraith screech of worse than shorn metal, to wit, a powerfully charged ash-code hand of gauntlet, shoves of rusted decay forth, to be met by a well expecting Dark Lord Knight hand! Like two Force users about to wrestle through the force, the two connect, to a massive amplification of three great energies, to the point the breach of critical, annihilates all space between them for a sudden moment!

As much as the explosion rips through the interior of the Citadel for dozens of kilometers! Such as it reaches...

--------------------

"Another gravity eruption blast!" Ackronus snaps. 24 shoots over a look, as Chihiro... "No more..." ...a tone just could stand no more. Of more to be had nonetheless.

--------------------

"NO MORE!!" Megumi unknowingly accents, as Keiba and Keiichi cover 'her' this time, as the blast hits very hard. Hard enough to shear entire parts of more open air decks, gantries, and technological more, into great twisted heaps! The same as 'heaps' of Soulless energy begins to froth off burning ash gray code, from the twin enslaved, as the process continues! Both howl of this stripping pain, as at the same time, both feel 'less' weighed down, as this all continues. However other sinister actions were only now beginning, for them both. Nossi for one blankly looks over at Sigrun, for no real reason.

Sigrun does not see this, trying to brace herself against the pressure wave.

Frode however has closer, and equal concerns. "Shield my love, SHIELD!!"

"You need to say it twice?!?!" Ishara screeches, the two high dimensionals pushing all 'they' have, into their mutual shields! In the midst of this, Keiichi realizes he's being covered by four Norns, his usual Norn of Wish, of close in absolute contact with her Ring bearer.

Nevermind... "(Ugh... need air again.)"

"( - Sorry dear, just hold on! - )"

"(Oh... no... ugh... problem.)'

However another concern, comes of a mind link, she suddenly has trouble feeling.

"Belove..." ...as a said hand, clenches at the deck plating, to more such damage of.

--------------------

The initial Holia-Incarnum blast wave, races with the solar winds, meshing through entire starships, orbital platforms, fighting units of both sides, and everything else in between. It even bypasses through the planetary shielding, of even large scale orbital worlds, inSystem. How is not noticed, in favor of the energy washing over everything, and then through the same, as the wave passes through the entire Illuminaran Capital System. the Wave exponentially races so fast, it passes through the Oort Cloud boundary of the System, within microcyclons.

As such, every Alliance soul, feels no ill of it...

--------------------

-Citadel Hangar Bay-

A torrent of hellfire verses heavenfire, as Marian and Alliance troopers fought just as ferociously.

Until that strange wave, and the Commander of the local unit here, crumpled down to a balled cringe, along with the rest of her unit. The Silveren tries to see, but the rattling from the detonation, kills attempts to see by, as the whole galaxy going to end bit, didn't stop for a good minute.

And then a microcyclon after 'that', before.. "Commander?"

Silver glossy eyes pop open, as she then sees an Assat and Furbrath hovering near at a crouch. The Commander suddenly scrambles to a risen stance. "All troopers sound off!" ...off of Network induced training. However the return of... "We're okay!" ...a waving off kilter Katath trooper responds, the yellow with white tattooed skin look, making it all look kookier, than the situation was supposed to call for. It's backed up by a Synthetic trooper's query of... "/ Where's all the firing at?"

The Silveren Commander looks about, as the same query varies, across the dozens of nearby units that the Commander could see.

None of which, were firing anymore. Nor 'being' fired upon. The Commander then met the eye of a Glassian Commander, and thought the same thought, 'not' of the Network.

What's going on here?

And then of... "What's all tha gray smoke?" ...an Griffional trooper remarks, as eyes turn to a formerly nearby, and dangerous Marian trooper. The Commander then hears afar... "It's like they suddenly just... died."

A lot of minds, a lot of them, were reflecting that same thought, all across the Inter System battlefield.

--------------------

Ackronus and 24 confirmed this, as in moments, the calls cascaded off the Network. This as they hear... "// The enemy has ceased all combat activity, throughout the System. despite how it all sounds to logic."

Talos for one, balks back at Sceta with... "How the heck did that happen!?"

"// Uncertain, frail and meaty one."

"Hey!" ...the Slayer defunct, spats back at Sceta.

Chihiro however just reacts in the same mode. "Wha... what does that all mean?"

"Dids wes win this battle?"

24 for one, 'wanted' to respond with an affirmative. She informs instead, for whatever measure of it... "I think Brother did something."

As such, Sceta then notes Scetu's Iso-cortical comptroller unit, is suddenly into logic computing overdrive. This as Ackronus then snaps out... "All Commands report status."

Eros's image then pops up. "- They stopped firing. There's no scanned power cores active on any of the enemy ships! This makes no danged sense! -"

24 gulps out. "Okay, then Brother 'really' did something. But what..."

"- GUYS, we got a problem! -" ...this Chihiro blinks at. "Eh? Peorth?"

--------------------

"(How do I live through things... like this?)" ...as a first thought that came to his mind, as it 'reactivates', or whatever miracle the nanites perform, once more. A silent thanks to them, is cut short, as he immediately looks up, and in equal succession, jumps up to look for...

...and finds.... his.... foe?

Of such an empty voice of alarm, Imladris bares teeth of... the sight of...

"Oh my dear Goddess."

--------------------

Lind could appreciate it, seeing love for what it is. Just as much, for the terror of seeing a love, screaming in tears at another, unto a limp form below. This, seeing Mara hold 'so' frightened, unto the unconscious form of Satorna. She gulps a cold fear of a selfish form, when then she sees...

"Hold on Nossi, just hold on."

Lind rises to all fours, on her hands and knees, seeing Ishara, cradling an apparently former foe. One, she notes, that Ishara has no apparent withholding against the same now. Lind semi-knee kick crawls over, and sees Nossi's eyes are no longer gray-glazed, far more nominal now...

...for another unwanted reason. Lind gasps... "No she can't..."

"NOSSI!" ...Sigrun suddenly rushes over, bumping Lind aside rather boorishly, to her nominal nature, one that Lind realizes quickly enough, as Sigrun then cradles Nossi in her knees. Ishara sees, and notes the purity of goddess trust, where it's all usually supposed to be. One not even Lind, or Frode, are remiss of either.

Keiichi meanwhile, finally with some breathing space. "Okay, what the heck all just happened here?!"

Belldandy of perfection's note. "We conducted a partial Mandala, meant to access Caceroth's Soulless code, just enough to distract him. The rest, I am certain, was Cousin's part of the equation. It's likely the results freed everyone under Caceroth's enslavement here."

At that, Urd gasps... "What about the battle?" ...as Skuld looks up, as much as the rest in relative succession, at the scene of space outside. (Save for Sigrun and Mara.) "H.. hey! The battle stopped! It stopped!"

Urd is in amazed agreement. "Cousin did it!"

Keiba in an absent Imladris's proper form. "Wouldn't he say, 'we all did it', or... you guys anyway?"

Urd in the same amazed tone, looking back at the mortal. "Distraction only goes so far. The secret of breaking Caceroth's grip of minds, always seemed to be Cousin's prerogative. Got me how."

Megumi then blinks, as much as Keiba did. "I woulda thought that you'd take more credit than that."

Urd just looks down at Skuld, who also just shrugs. it was a strange moment, one Keiichi is cut off from making mention of, when...

"Wh... wha... what's going on!?" ...ala a triply terror stricken Mara now, Ishara sees Satorna, and gasps... "He's phasing out of..."

"Nossi!?" ...this Sigrun's impart, Ishara looks, and... "What? Both of them?" ...this everyone is scrambling near unto both inert forms now! Keiichi sees and... "Did you have the same problem once Belldandy!?" ...this Belldandy nods fearfully. "When I cut off my converter medium, keeping me visible in this third dimension." ...this Skuld remembers from that original Bug incident, that she herself originally arrived in lieu of too.

As such, Ishara hover's a spell orb empowered hand, of a medical scanning format. "- Heed and deliver to my Trained eye. -" ...as she hovers a hand over both, for a moment, before then gasping. "They're both dying.

But... they shouldn't be... plus..."

"What is it?" Keiichi demands of an ask, one that Meg gulps of... "Is it because of that creep's enslavement of them!?"

Lind notes however, as she sees Ishara suspect something. She then looks at Frode. "I fear something. Bad. I need your help with this one dear."

Frode nods, and then sees Ishara hover her hand again, this time of a Spell of... "- Heed the cloaked veil, to the eye of the authorized Eye. This of the Doublet we Command of Truth, and of Mind!-" ...this Frode half finishes with, both in mutual note then hovering a single gold colored spell orb of tightly packed Intracellic code. One held over, and...

"Both?" ...Belldandy whispers, as wary succession, as before all hearts can realize the horrifying truth, a single chime gong sound, clarifies this 'for' them all. As does the gold field glow, that pulses from Satorna 'and' Nossi! Keiichi gasps in realization. "They're Doubleted! But how!?!?"

The horror only grows from there, when a suddenly heavy slithering sound, strikes their ears with slow, as much as sudden warning. As if snakes were sounding all about them, from as much out of nothing of sound, as of unwanted of realizing sight. Urd gasps... "Oh crap! It's ash!"

Nossi suddenly explodes awake of shattering gasps! Sigrun clutches at her just as much! "Nossi! Nossi, stay still!"

"No! No!! She's here!! She's here!!!"

Skuld... for one... "What!?" ...looking about in terror, as much as them all. However Lind realizes... "NO! BELOVE!!!"

--------------------

"- It's all over the place! -" ...example Comm over a strikingly panicked Network! 24 feels it, to a terror she can't explain! "Wha... what's going on?"

Suddenly, of the Overcomm... "- It's ash code! All over the place! -" ...Eihwa's voice stabs out! Worse, when the Hikari onboard Seed-AI, then strikes over the Network. "- Projections place the trajectory of the unnatural mass, towards the Citadel complex. Speed of the mass is exponentially increasing, the same of the Wave that may have caused it. All of the mass seems to encompass the Capital System, and will accrue within, within microcyclons. -"

"// We must get all units out of the Citadel now!"

24 reacts off of Scetu's command, with her own! "ALL UNITS ABOARD THE CITADEL, EVACUATE NOW!!"

Chihiro lot all senses at that point, Tamiya was just as glad for the embrace.

Talos just ran his dickens, to find Peorth, all the same.

--------------------

-At start point...

...a local Marian Destroyer.-

"What the Light?!" ...an Furbrath trooper, standing with a Machiner and Assat trooper, just see the gray ash wisps, froth off, towards the starboard bulkhead. they also see more the same, behind, and... through them. They are by far, not the only ones to witness this. Nor note the ash literally flow through them. (And not in a euphemistic Force sort of a way, either.)

To this version, a dark bare feathered echo of death, comes with. This the Machiner in fact whispers... "/ Is this what... mortal death, feels like?"

"Oh jeeze."

...and then 24's command over the Net.

"OH JEEZE!" ...the Forran Commander to their rear, just snaps. "All units evacuate now! Now by Light, now!!" ...this echoing across the Fleet. Massive cascades of teleports follow in near panicked succession!

All reacting to something terribly wrong.

--------------------

-At End point...

...Level 642-A Block, 566, Deck 32.-

He didn't want to make sense of it. It was supposed to 'not' make sense.

But Imladris knew better, to ever have thought, of having seen of everything. Such by unique format here, as the sight of a Wraith, acting all like a true black hole, a being with a glowing white-ash halo of unnatural light, as a great accretion disc of ash material, plane swirled around him, as well as an upper and lower polar like funnel, of more said unnatural material, accumulating into the horrid center of what Imladris can only surmise...

"The Soulless Realm."

The Wraith snaps open its eyes, a powerful glare of white ash, and burning hate. Only one being is in its sights.

"You never got it."

"And?" Imladris prods, to learn of ill wanted. In dire return. "Her Will saw it All. Wrote it All. This battle. Your coming. The Trap. The sundering.

The Alignment. The Schism.

The Final End.

How possibly 'else', could this ALL end!"

Imladris reactively pulls back with his blade at ready again. "It's not all ended yet!"

"Yes it all is. You no longer matter to Her Will!"

Imladris blinks at this, and then fears... "This makes no sense! I broke you! The spell should have...!!"

"Also Written!" ...a dire retort, that the Knight fights with terrible fear in hearing. Worse, because 'now', the tone is meshing, between a Champion, and a Seer. Such was the terrible fang of teeth that snaps back with... "To be the Titled Use, of a Tool, that breaks the Will of the Champions, 'both' at the same Time!

I foresaw you breaking the Will of my Son, to attempt to break ME! FOOL! This was Written Code, to induce the Final Act! All Written, BY YOUR OWN HAND!" ...this an actual spell force suddenly is felt between the two great foes. Imladris snaps in realization it's a key to activate the Citadel's own weapon! "N... No... NO! STOP IT!!!" ...he then starts to rush forward with, before worse, when a Gong sound, then sounds Citadel wide! Imladris stops cold, heart and movement alike, in then hearing...

"- Critical Acceleration Mass, has been Achieved. Critical Acceleration Mass, has been Achieved. Schism Pulse now ready to activate! -"

"You were Always too late." ...and the spell key is formally used, with a mere flick of an Progenitor's mind.

Imladris felt his knees hit the deck, apart from his empty senses. "No. No it's not fair."

"What 'is' Fair! Fool! The Crime upon Me?! All that Exists off my Will's Theft!? SPIT I do at the All!"

"You can't kill everything. It's all too vast. It's..."

"A mere alignment of wait, perched at the moment coming for All Time, this as thousands of corrupted galaxies, all Corrupted as the Existence off of Me, will be assured of the task of the End. I am the Progenitor that should be, in Place of the Crime you call Master! I am the Voice that moves by words, already Written against my Will! I am the Blemish that has been stained for too long!

And now, All is Over!"

He felt it, as much as they all did, as worse of what nearly happened to the Illumina Sun, now becomes of Activation of the Citadel's core weapon.

Caceroth for one, at the center, relished in the feeling of, sensing that the End had finally come.

It started simply, when the Accelerator, overcharged the particles of thousands of subspace layers, all at once, searing them all together in the act of collapsing all ten Dimensions, along with other various reality Dimensions, all at once. As soon as the collapsed state appears in the core Weapon chamber, one set of thousands of decks tall, the blast wave occurs.

The Abomination, dead in the immediate path, stood no chance. Neither did the Vessels that scalded his sight, for so long. The Schism Nexus that Voluspa seeked for so long, then literally feel into her grasp, a split moment later. She immediately uses it to open a time-space schism warp, that she herself maintained into forever. One comprising of every moment, of every Invasion, that she stood in that damned Hub, facing down her equal Progenitor.

And of that moment, was a portal to shatter space time with, from the Tenth Dimensional Layer, on down. As such time was shattering, at the same time space was, in equal parts particle overcharged annihilation, as much as spatial over expansion, and entropic over gross feeding, of the Entropic layer, also now fractured forth, from it's held bonds. Of local note, the Citadel ruptures in a vehemently growing schism, a blazing white border line, that annihilates all that it touches, as at the moment past that event horizon, the immediate void aftermath, is the remains, shorn apart. Utterly.

The nearby Fleets are destroyed in this matter, in the moment that time for all crews, all souls, all beings alike, all falls dead to senses. They die without fail, as do the planet, and planets, and moons, and planetoids, and comets, and on and endlessly on. The Acceleration cascades unto further amplification of Ragnarok's final intent. Voluspa allows this measure of satisfaction, to see all Existence, all it's Works, everything she detested, fall asunder. However the End is needlessly witnessed, by the now impotent souls of all Existence, all as various forms of the End, funnel out from here, through Space-Time, the portals of Her, destroying Heaven and Hell, in equal absolute effects. No translation medium exists anymore, as the puncture of the dimensions leaves all to fracture and die. Withering of a death, of a single rare, monolithic 'happiness', only the Seer dares to enjoy. And only 'that', at the bare hint of the malice that just cries for the Crime to just end. And that End, soon envelops all in a fast track path of death upon death, end upon end.

Star Systems fall. Nebulae fall. Star formations fall. Galactic Arms fall. Galaxy Cores fall. Globular Clusters fall. The adjacent spiral galaxy falls. The local group near 2189 falls. The Archonis intergalactic Supercluster falls.

The race of the End, racing to complete an End itself had no sentience of, ran along the tethers of the gravity lines that Creation Point (ala Big Bang,) flittered out, and created all galaxies, and below-beyond upon. The End also expanded the same upon the Voids, and annihilated all Dark Matter, and subsumed all Dark Energy, to continue to amplify further upon. The process was now out of all control, and Voluspa just felt her own Existence, start to die along with it. Caceroth felt this, and felt nothing left, save for what Voluspa felt. How he 'still' felt at all, meant nothing.

All that there were, was cascading endless screams. Layers upon painful layers, that kept dying over and over. They were the dying echoes of the already dead, past their own deaths to even realize it. Of all those, the formerly attached of realizing Existence, then felt it sundered from them, and they all cried from it. They then felt the immediacy, despite the lavished time given the same, for Voluspa's 'feeding', of their existence around them, torn apart, 'at' the atom, and beyond. So many impossibilities, made so only because Voluspa held her one absolute contempt, for even beyond that of Almighty Himself. The one for Existence itself, and the Lifestream it had created, 'after' Almighty's own Creation Fact. As such, she withheld the last Blasphemy, as the Schism, made those torn apart, cry for the ones they loved most, torn apart 'to their very senses'. They were 'made' to sense the evisceration of all love, from 'each', and every single heart that Voluspa knew, caused Existence to expand forth. However impossibility she could not understand of it all, she shorn of it all the same.

The same that saw another familiar galaxy, with another familiar world, of a familiar species of readers note, then made Asunder, to the End.

Milky Way fell.

Cygnus Arm fell.

Perseus Arm fell.

The Orion Arm fell.

Polaris fell. Rigel fell. Betelgeuse fell.

Oort Cloud... Kuiper Belt... Pluto... Neptune... Uranus... Saturn... Jupiter... Planetoids... Mars... Venus... Mercury...

Sol...

Luna...

The oceans... the land... the life...

Colors fall. Life falls. Hope falls.

Everything of worth, he felt End. He felt it all End, like a dream he never knew that could ever be truly fulfilled. He felt her Awesome Power, sense the moment for what it all was. A dream that had no reason for the life that it ever had. The hope that never should have been. The will that never should have been impinged upon. That words find place to tell of an event that...

He snapped his eyes open.

The back of Her mind, started realizing a terrible truth. One that She was still realizing!

And then she saw the Gold-Rubicon eyes that glowed endlessly, of something She never thought she'd witness again!

And Caceroth's words made Her own horror realized! "What have you done!!!!!!"

--------------------

"Did... -shiver- did everything... die.... for a second?!"

Belldandy heard Keiichi say that. For the only time in her existence, she had reason to doubt that was supposed to 'be'.

Lind for one however... and then she looks at Frode...

Both feel it.

"Master. / Belove!"

--------------------

Voluspa saw through the eyes of her Champion, at the Champion that took a fateful step, for all seems thereof.

She felt the raw power, that comprised the locked version of what was once Tyr himself. And the Nemesis had the full fury of eyes of this, without question.

She screeches... "What perversion is this!! How dare you use Tyr as your measure of...

No... I see it 'now'."

Imladris does not respond at all, at first. The entirety of the moment of realization of unleashing the Seal of the fallen God of Strategy, is spent on interrupting the 'exact' moment of particle overcharging of the Accelerator. In all literal sense...

"I put a cork in it. Yes. Gravity 'is' one of the four makers of the Universal Laws. Yes, I feel that for certain now." ...a voice speaks in kind, of open general speech, as much to himself, as realization rams back into his usually thick skull. At that, the reality of it, clacks back into fully mindful mode. And of sight of what is before him. He also sees what he did, all those innumerable charged particles, encapsulated in tiny black gravity balls, preventing the particles from reacting with each other.

Caceroth for one, sees as well... "You blocked the Schism, by merely blocking the charged particles, from interacting with each other. Yes... Yeeeessss, such a simply ploy." ...as a Seer mind... senses lost? As such, the Wraith mind quickly surmises for the facet of 'its' mind, that is of equal merit to the Nemesis he mocks. Done so fully.

"At the cost of so much Power. Employing that much uncontrolled power in a desperate act, is so like you, my wretched Mirror."

Imladris hears, and then realizes the danger. Caceroth echoes it openly. "The Schism didn't start, because you're merely holding it back, with Powers you barely comprehend. Desperation that simply means: If I kill you now, the End is assured anyway. And to merely falter now, means you 'still' will see all to Death!"

The Wraith Lord then subsumes the last of the ash energy, the last pulsing his body in white-ash powers of hate, and of such, he even flaunts it with... "And while you have the weakened power of a old Fool, to struggle with, I fall upon the power of several million Soulless fools, that dared to consider themselves merely enslaved to an Emperor's will.

And 'now', they are my will, to command to Her Will, to use to ensure your final failure!!"

A Caceri Blade reforms, into something that nightmares run away from. Imladris manages to reform his own blade, but he feels some dreadful weight, verily on his literal mind. Worse of such scalded unto his very body! Caceroth suddenly then attacks with a screeching howl, only blocked barely by a slowly of haste, raised blade! Three strokes of this tell the Wraith... "How unfortunate. You cannot even move properly, with the weight of all that power upon you. The weight of true failure, on you very mind!"

Voluspa's Voice, then stabs forth, or the same Mouth! "Take my Ability, and kill him to the End! TAKE IT!!" ...and such empowerment, immediately feeds down the arms, and the Blade that pushes back, and scald cuts into past Imladris's own armor, at the left chest plate! The holocron in his secondary held blade of hand, burst fades apart suddenly, before the Knight is tossed back, and aside the same, to the mangled deck!

Imladris, struggling with the End on his sheer mind, looks up at the Enemy with End on its mind!

He tries to rise, but Caceroth quickly parries off one swipe of this, and then all too easily, flips his blade over, and cuts Imladris's own exposed right hand off! Gauntlet and all! The agony is too much!

--------------------

"BELOVE!!!"

"Go Daughter go!!!" Frode explodes out with!

It's all Lind needs, and she immediately shoots off, twin Axes and Twin minds of hand and back, through the most intact piece of viewport left, her window she immediately portals to exactly where she needs to be!

Ishara just snaps to the rest. "We leave now!"

The next teleport, is to the Illistrum.

--------------------

...the prior...

As a Blade is raised to End it. "I will enjoy this." ...and a Knight falls...

...to a rolling side, as the blade misses it's cut! Caceroth raises to a second try, but one never made, as the closest viewport pane, only a kilometer away, is nothing as Lind erupts from it, and crashes through everything in her path, and a shocked Caceroth along with it! The sudden icy arrival of wrath, Imladris sees Caceroth crushed into the wall of the Accelerator Core, and also to his sight of...

"L... Lind!!"

"Not so loud... ah! Love!" ...she at first chides for usual banter's worth, but stops dead cold, at the sight of... "Oh my goddess, your hand it's..."

"Gone."

Lind snaps a look up, as if nothing even moved the Wraith, he stands near already again. And with a mere reach down, picks up the decapitated hand of his foe, into his left hand.

And ashes the hand into dust. Armor, skin, bone, and all.

Lind half shivers, half gulps. And then half seethes, and half burns.

"What have we here." ...a cold tone at first, as then on recognition... "Yeeeessss... I remember 'you', Vessel.

Of how weak you are."

Lind growls a bit.

And then Caceroth blinks, as suddenly, both warrior lovers are gone! Or so it seems, as he quickly senses. "Hiding from me, are you!? You postpone pointlessly!

It is inevitable!"

--------------------

Chihiro gasps.. "GUYS!!" ...as Keiichi and his kin look over, Belldandy no less. It's cut short however, as Ishara snaps off. "To the Medical chamber at once!!" ...as she holds Nossi, and Frode of Satorna. Mara and Sigrun keep in absolute close concert with both unconscious souls, as 24 just snaps up into Intra-Comms. "Medical, you got patients incoming!"

Chihiro and Tamiya just follow without further heed, the former just yelling. "Hey! What's going on!?!? Are you guys okay!?!? And where's gold dork at!!??!!"

"Explanations later I hate to say boss!" K1 just yaks back, this Chihiro DRYLY mocks back. "Why the hell does everything gotta be like that?!??!!"

"It's not our story, I fear to say." Belldandy remarks out, her heart still of other fears to tread. Tamiya just quips in kind. "Yuhs, that's ols Bells there for sure."

Chihiro just rolls her eyes at that, waving her arms all about, as she runs! "Oh sure it's just like that too!"

Keiichi would have actually retorted, but his fears more than echoes Belldandy's. Both of them own, and each other's.

--------------------

Stuck in some wrecked section of the Citadel, Lind looks down at Imladris's stump of a right limb, at the wrist. "Oh lords."

Imladris winces in pain again, as he wheezes out, as much as the calm atmosphere around them, laces in off random sparks, in equally random places, where the area is literally that wrecked around them. A strange red-orange glow hues around them, a strange meld of a corona from Imladris's Sealed powers of breached, and the Citadel's own technological atmosphere, where wreckage spews orange like energon, in places.

The knight then announces his pains. "The cut burns deep. I can still feel it eating at the flesh and bone. Ugnh!" ..he winces severely at, this Lind starts in attempt.. "We can just get you a new hand back home, but..."

"Not if this power... ERGGHH!!" ..a massive wince that turns Rubicon visible, such was a moment of anew fright for the Valkyrie General. Imladris huff-whines out in resultant.. "...I can't... can't control this..

...my body... ergh... feels like it's bloated... heavy... burning... I can't control my body... right... ARGHH!! I just can't move. I just can't..."

"Get your grip Lord Knight." Lind yelps at first, shaking at him. Imladris doesn't heed, with... "I'll lose control... I just can't control this..."

And then he gets a reality deck, across the chin!

"I SAID GET A GRIP LORD KNIGHT!!"

Imladris just blinks agape at Lind, who just snarls back, finding her own backbone code in the process. "Are you going tell me, that you're that weak!?!? You mean to disappoint me?! When it all counts, everything you ever said to me was a lie!?"

Those steel blue eyes were intensely captivating. It made her words easily heard. (This time.)

"If you fail now, I'll never forgive you. Ever."

That calmed him down, as much as the allowance past burning pain allowed. (And it was serious enough there, as such was.) He manages out... "S.. sorry."

It was enough, as Lind applies a simple 'ice pack' spell, to his cauterized stump. A strange icy bandage that pulls away the burning, of enough balance to think with, such Imladris then imparts... "This power I'm using, is so heavy inside of me."

"And yet you 'are'." Lind imparts, holding her hands, at his stump of an arm. "You're a magnificent god, and you're already made us all proud. I'll keep believing that, and protect you all the same."

"I demand to differ."

Lind and Imladris hear their foe, as Caceroth is seen, some of the orangeish light behind his wretched form, haloing and ray beaming about him, in a monolithic fashion. Caceri Blade seems to drip ash like blood off of it, within its own cast shadows. The Wraith Lord just seethes out, taking a step forward towards them. "Come, and let our Epitaph, be expunged Forever."

Lind has none of that, and flicks her hands out, still kneeling near Imlade, in so doing, casting her Axes, back into her hands, like they were ever a part of her. She then stands to face the Wraith, her Diamond Axe of gift, in her right hand, positioned with the shaft, for the business end pointed at Caceroth. The Axe of left hand, leveled behind her, the Axe pointed to her right. Her stare was as sharp, as her Axe blades, this she stands with, protecting her denuded love, at that moment. Her technological slimsuit glowing fiercely along it's seams, as much as her demeanor was.

"You hurt my love, wretch!!"

"Like you could ev... ARGHH!!" ...such was the absolute retort Lind reacts with, Axe in fist, rocking the Wraith back with no mercy. And she attacks with further ferocity, to an icy hurricane of anger. Caceroth blocks back at the first, as his blade blocks spinning twin in coming assaults, her twins shooting out to shoot shirt burst spells, empowered by Lind's unSealed nature, to freeze and interrupt Caceroth's mere movements, at the same while trying with all ability, to hammer that advantage home!

"Stay still!"

A follow up back to back reversal spin strike, that hammers her Axes each, at a different area, before following that up with a high kick, ducked under to then be kicked in the back heel, when Lind swing drops her lower leg down fast with! She flip spins about to reorient for a follow up...

"You sod of a fool!"

...with another twin Axe spin attack, with the Twins frothing an icy wind about their great mistress. The Wraith keeps retreating under a heinous assault, that at one point, causes whole 'blocks' of ash, to freeze up and shatter off. This in the midst of all those constant (really constant,) Axe attacks!

"I'll gut you unalive, for each particle of ash, if I have too!!"

"If only you... ARGH!!!"

Imladris sees all this, and then realizes his own somber state. He readily tries to move, but finds 'sheer weight', pressing down on all his senses, and even physical measure!

"What the blazes is wrong with me!!" ...decried as all of a sudden, Lind's assault is blasted back by an ash code attack. One Lind counterattacks back, off from another shattered console, swiftly! Imladris sees this, and tries to actually yank himself forward to move. However he quickly stops, when his mind feels suddenly 'fuzzy', from the movement. Enough that he direly feared losing control over his powers, and the spell keeping them 'all' alive.

He curses at himself as a result, after regaining control. "Blast it. I'm still always too weak in this one vein."

"Yes you sickly well are!!" ...Caceroth suddenly launches at the far too venerable knight, and is only stopped by a sudden in time slam tackle that Lind forces, that crashes them both, to the far right of the knight's position! Lind rolls away as fast as she can, but still can't avoid a clipping swipe of Caceri Blade, to her back! Lind's screech of pain makes Imladris WRENCH a step forward, but then almost loses control again! Instead he just thrusts his hands up...

"Try this, by Holia's Hand!" ...and a bright pulse of spell power slams out, catches the Wraith in the chest, and explodes the wraith all about! Lind sees and flip rises to a spell chant. "Cage the fury in an icy tomb, this be my mistress of anger's command!!" ...with a multi-prong ice cage of stalagmites, that suddenly slam in, in exacerbation of damage to the Wraith Lord! She however does not enjoy it all one bit, when Imladris doubles over, clutching at himself! Lind... "BELOVE!!!" ...before Caceroth then suddenly erupts forward, again, despite all apparent damage! One Lind notes, as her neck is grabbed by a ashen rusted gauntlet, from and by the ashen gouts of cavities that adorn the Wraith's face.

None of it apparently true ill to any of the effects.... "You think you can dispatch ME with such paltry spells!? FOOL!!"

Lind struggles, then Pulse flares an ice blast, and breaks free, flip spin landing a good distance away. The Wraith screeches and howls of two voices, as she tries to ignore the deep ash scars on her neck and arms now. Ones that try to burn in their damaging effects.

Lind just haggard with breath now, just seethes... "Where's your limit this time? Show me so I can gut it from you!!!" ...and attacks with expert fury once more!

Imladris then afar, just SLAMS his fists into the deck plating, almost crushing him down to another deck in the process. "BLAST IT!!! I can't do anything else, but concentrate on that damned Core energy!?" ...this as he sees Lind of raised eye, fighting a battle for him, he wants to help dearly of.

Of a sight he fears Lind cannot win, because he could not...

...of moment he realizes. "...I cannot win alone.

And neither can she. But where can I begin to help again?!" ...he wrenches at his soul, needing an answer, buried under panic. One a layer of Lind dying. Another of failing the Existence. The one of Almighty's trust, struck dead by the same failure. The worse of the souls that they wished for him to save. And the torrents more that he could look past, all seemingly fueling the spell that kept the End at literal bay.

And seemed only a matter of time before...

...which is why...

--------------------

Sigrun looks helplessly, as Ishara tries to feed code life giving capability, back into Nossi's form. However doing so, seems to sap it, to Satorna. Something that Ishara actually curses at... "Blast it! I don't have the code for Satorna's bioform code! But I won't give up." ...and keeps working at it, her spell orb of medical nature in hand of right, working fiercely again.

Something Frode fears is starting to tell of a growing problem. Mara just spats out. "I don't have that code. Dammit, why is this happening!?"

Most particulars that followed from the bridge, witness helplessly, as Belldandy herself is just as helpless. She's wordless, as all Ishara can seem to do, is feed stabilizing energy, into Nossi's inert form, and then watch it somehow get siphoned into Satorna. None of which seems to stop Satorna's slow slide into code death.

Keiichi then speaks up, looking wary in the offering. "Okay, this might be a long shot."

"Yes Keiichi?" Bell quips, Kei remarking... "What if, like you all concentrated your power or something, like what you did for gold dude that one time?"

"Against Hild." Urd quips, Belldandy remarking in concert with Keiichi's idea. "If we channeled just enough of our power to stabilize Nossi."

Ishara is forced to object, at a turn of her head. "Not until I can figure out why my healing energy is being siphoned to... Sigrun!!" ...the high goddess suddenly screams, as Sigrun suddenly feels her left arm grabbed. Sigrun bares teeth in surprise... "Nossi?!"

"No... d... don't do... it."

"Nossi, just stay still, we're going... AHH!!" ...Sigrun yells as Nossi suddenly channels energy into her gripping hand, this Sigrun gasps in realization... "N.. no! Don't connect with me!!"

"What!?" Skuld exclaims, Urd shoving on top of that with a charged bolt in hand! "Get off of my Sister!"

"No! Wait Sister!"

Urd looks back harshly. "For what Belldandy!? For..."

"I'm... you..."

Chihiro blinks as much as anyone. "What did she say?" ...this as Sigrun notes, given it was said unto her! "Wh... what she said... what do you...?"

Nossi just strengthens her networking grip, as much as her physical one. Ishara sees and is surprised enough from what she hears, to halt her own actions. Nossi's tone strengthens as well.

"I... don't even... really... exist."

--------------------

Lind keeps fighting, but hits the same ashen wall that Imladris couldn't defeat. One Caceroth is fully aware of.

A crashed together set of Axes, into Caceri Blade, has them both in dead eye lock. Lind risks burning her own eyes, looking at Caceroth's trans-phase version, worse that Voluspa's own eyes are 'in' them now. And of a Voice for both versions... "You only delay 'his' death. You're not powerful enough alone, to stop Me!"

Lind answers with a hard head butt. "Just shut up and fight!" ...following up with all expert skill applied!

It's enough unintended distraction of, as Imladris looks, with two visions. One real and before him, the other impossible to describe. The second comes with a simple Voice.

": Simplify all that you are, my Tool. :"

Imladris whispers up, knowing it's louder than even shouting is. "But... how can I do that?"

": Your weight, is your own fear of power. Your complicate it all from this anchor. As such, you must loosen the anchor completely, and Trust in my Word. :"

Imladris had a blank moment in his mind, that he had to face down possibly his worst fear. But then he sees Lind knocked back, and Caceroth following up, this time not giving Lind quarter. Imladris sees 'that' worst fear for what it is, and as such to his mind.

": If you do not heed my Word, you face to lose her as a penalty I'd expect you to never accept. If you accept this, the Tool is fodder. If the Tool is 'not' to be Fodder, then accept the Word, and accept the Destiny you Wished for! :"

"S... simplify then... simplify... a power that overwhelms me? But... but no... it's always just been... just a tool. As I am. As I always am.

And I only need some of... the tool, not 'all' of it." ...and as such, he felt his weight of all that power, accentuate to only what he realized his mind could accept. The rest, just literally shunted off the rest of the Power, like the weight it actually was. Trans-dimensional physics was forced to accept 'his' mind, and from that...

Lind ducks under twin swipes, blocks with her own, but realizes... "More... impressive. Barely."

All that is snarled back, as Caceri Blade catches the shaft of her Axes, within its serrated grooves... "You never were! Just die already!" ...and shoves her Axes off, and all too quickly pulse blasts a force-ash code to a Lind tumbling crash! Lind recovers, to see the same hand, charged to lethal effect.

And fires to obliterate the deck Caceroth stands on, to the point he has to flip away from a vast crash of screeching metal, that takes entire stories of decks with it.

But not the intended target!

Lind blinks, as she realizes she's in the arms of... "B.. BELOVE!?" ...her usual savior. This as he lands far enough away to give breath of space again. Lind's Axes clatter to the deck they land on, to a realizing hug. (One out of place, but all the same...)

"Thank you for saving me."

Lind blinks and draws back, to look at him. "Me!? Who just yanked me out of that blast!?"

Imlade snickers, as Lind then pops him on the left shoulder. "And 'who' was whining like a first day Valkyrie trainee back there?"

"The one who realized a simple thing. One of many still working on."

Lind got half of that, the rest to another heart stabilizing hug. Both realize they needed. Then both realize the sound of an approaching wail of horror. They both look off to their far extended right, of Lind's mutual note. "You about as tired of this all, as I dang well am?"

Imladris nods to his love's notice. He then growls forth in kind. "I also realize something else of simple note."

Lind looks at her in armed (and stumpy,) lover, and smirks.

"Took you long enough."

--------------------

"If she... knew you... existed... you'd be of my... same fate."

Sigrun was as numb as she was hearing, as anyone else in the chamber, of what Nossi made of very real penance. "What do you mean?" ...said back so helplessly. Nossi continues a heart tearing tale. A frightening one. Revealing...

"I remember. I died back in the Hub, the new one, that 2189 Sector. I just got assigned...

...I saw my Administrator... that day.." ...a growing tone of shivering tears... "...I was so proud, and then... I heard them...

I saw my Administrator... oh no, Hassi... sister..."

Belldandy for one, grabbed onto Keiichi in horror, as Nossi shatters out... "...I was hit? No... felt so cold...

...and... and then She took me." Nossi's eyes glaze over at Sigrun, a mind completely blank. "I was turned... into a Fate clone. Yes... she called us that. The... ones that she took... in the Invasion."

"What?" Frode says hollowly. Nossi steels out, like talking through after being stabbed. "She took our code, when we fell. The Doublet code too. I was turned into a clone, for this very purpose. V... Voluspa... knows what is happening here, before it all happened. She also gave me... the empowerment of familiarity, to falsify my way... into all your trusts...

I only 'now', have a will back... to realize this... only to now... die with."

Belldandy shoots over at this, grabbing at Nossi's free left hand. "You can't die! You deserve a chance to live!"

"But... I'm... not alive. Not... truthfully." ...this Belldandy asserts akin of her Lindful code. "You look of Truth to me. That should all that matters. You still matter too!"

"Not... of the code... forced into me." ...this Nossi holds Sigrun's hand tighter. "The same into the rest of our Doubleted kin. The same she... did to you."

Sigrun goes cold. "But that... that's impossible! Frigurina borne me, and then Hild stole me! How could..."

"She knows. She... knows..." Nossi puts so slithered, that thinking it false, was fallacy there instead. Nossi looks strangely peaceful, as she professes. "The Soulless code, it contains the hints of her Seer power. The power of Absolute... Foresight.

She... she knew that to place an extra Norn... in the timeline... was easily... in her Power. This during her time... as Gaea."

"Noooo!!" ...Sigrun collapses to her knees with, Skuld and Urd shooting over to help brace her, as Nossi's grip is beyond just absolute, it's now melding. Sigrun sobs out... "That can't be right! It's False! It really has to be!!"

--------------------

A ashen-slithering motion of sickly movement. Wisps of acidic ash corroding at deck surfaces that were supposed to resist such elements excellently. A blade looking for blood of enemies.

": Find them my Son, my Champion. I fear to tread of my own Visions with every passing moment that Continues! :"

...the same of same mutated mouth. "I will kill them. I swore this as Payment for the Bargain!"

"Not a proper Bargain then." ...the Nemesis halts, and sees where pale white and orange light mesh in another halo behind his armored form, the cape casting proper shadows towards the mania driven Wraith Lord. An acid retort back, of warped mouth. "Nothing is proper, only the Will! Now die by it!"

"Sorry, been dead once already. Not happening here. Not today for certain."

"It WILL, as all is Written!!"

"Always with the mantra, of such moronic play." ...this making the Wraith foam and froth. The knight mocks further, even of actual comedy for it. "Written this, Will that. Always with this death and decay thing. Blech. It all gets even older than She is, you know."

"YOU HENIOUS UNCOUTH SCUM!! HER WILL IS THE 'ONLY' WAY, THAT IS OF PROPER AGE HERE!"

Imladris blinks, not sure that was supposed to be a joke there, certainly not intended anyway. However he keeps mocking... "I prefer a better vintage." ...of the voice that the knightly shadow plays out with. Caceroth just snarls, but is cut short of attacking just yet, as Imladris then makes note of his own raised stump, of what was once a right hand. He looks at it, and jokes of himself. "I should thank you. Took ya to cut my hand off, to realize I'm still better here, than you are."

"What!?"

"Oh aye. Ya see, you have still, despite two mouths of fools, only two hands. All with one voice, and well... I can up that one better.

I have two mouths, of one equal voice, and yet... I have three hands." ...this as twin Valkyrian shadowed arms of Axes held, splay out from behind the facing Lord Knight. Nice and iconic a moment, that are themed by words of... "And they have the same voice, of you of us: Destroy you!!!"

Suddenly, the Axes are released into the Knight's gravity grip, and off that, a Wraith if BLASTED back by a sudden Valkyrian Golden Eye attack, one that throws Caceroth back, into the waiting path, of a knight with a pissed off swipe of a left handed Morphemic Blade! One blared of stroke with... "Have some ambidexterity on the HOUSE!!" ..and swipe it, and both axes about him, in a simultaneous three blade spin strike that crushes the wraith back in the opposite direction!

One with Lind waiting on the opposing end, within only two meters, where a waiting knee uppercut kick, in the crane style, with both Twins in vaunted appearance along with! The Wraith blanches from this, but his retreat is outright halted by an Evolution sponsored gravity blast ball, the effect tearing into the Wraith, the deck plating, and into the near enough power core wall, the screeches of metal and wraith cascading! The Wraith Lord assaults again to enter a six parry exchange, before Lind flips in, nabs her Diamond Axe, and as Imladris traps Caceroth with a high swing strike, Lind blares in and makes a HARD Axe swipe that blasts out even more ash material!

Such is the format for the next microcyclon, as Imladris keeps trapping Caceroth into shots Lind levels, ones Caceroth tries to counter back, but finds one form or another (or both at once,) of Angelic spells waiting, nullifying Ash spells, as martial maneuvers are forced back, with expert ease. Ones Caceroth makes narcissistic light of. "You call yourselves warriors, to assail me by more than one form of enemy!! At once of worse even!?!?"

"FOOL!" Lind 'and' Imladris just spit back with, Lind hearing it best from her Knight. "Of so many simple things to learn here, what we represent of the Existence we love.

No one of Heaven ever fights alone!!!"

Caceroth finds no quarter left to beseech upon!

--------------------

"I don't know how I know... but... I know this. She plays the same manner, with Time, and History, that... Almighty does. She can wait for the right time, that she 'still' knows enough... of, to then place any act... she chooses.

Such as how I was twisted... and... how 'you' were made in your... mother's womb."

Sigrun is frightened blank, but also feeling more and more of Nossi's code... and more...

Ishara for once, looks as helpless as she feels. The truth of the matter... "Then no matter what we do, Voluspa already sealed your fate, no matter what."

Nossi in turn... "Yes... I am fodder now. I lost my original identity long ago, but... I also was forced of Doublet... to 'him', in all the same... act." ...this she looks at Mara specifically. "She knows all."

"No, you can't mean...!'

"We are Doubleted, after the fact. Satorna.... died from a fallen goddess, and when Satorna was found of Seal, one that... Voluspa knew where to look for... she.. forced us together, of the Code. I die with him.... because... she knows the harm it will cause."

"Oh god." Chihiro gaffs out in dejection, such that Mara covers all over Satorna's inert form. "No... No, not when I just found him again!" ...at this she raises her head, and openly pleas... "Please! I love him! Someone please save him!"

"I... can..." Nossi puts, before a look over at Sigrun, helpless as a child ever could be. "...as she... will."

"W... why me?"

Nossi smiles. Her first honest smile in over twenty years.

--------------------

Lind enjoys this moment, as much as Imladris's just flat out attacks with it. A joy of a battle at the apex of all possible known type such battles. Moreover, as Lind knows to save the enjoyment in memory, of the moment she fights alongside her Belove Lord Knight, against the Cursed Wraith Lord Caceroth, the Bane of Heaven and Hell, Yggdrasil and Nidhog alike, inclusive of all Existence, for the fate of the same Creation of Almighty's Grace.

Boy it was not lost on her, nor the leveling punch she decks Caceroth across the decayed cheek with, as more and more of the Emperor is lost, leaving behind bare Wraith in unwanted kind. Lind then sees her enjoyment is alone of this vein, as Imladris follows through with outright pure wrath, in his stumped arm, one with diamond hard Incarnum energy, steeling out of it. The Knight's methods, and force of punch on the other cheek, never fails to amaze the Valkyrie. General or nor of any present or previous vein.

More of the same that Imladris fully follows through with, as he spins with his hard Incarnum punch, and quickly double buckles Caceroth back, with a blade held back fist! The Wraith crashes through mangled wreckage of the Citadel interior, much of it just a magnificent wreck now. Moreso as Lind follows up, and her own attacks spin fresh wreckage at the reeling Wraith!

Caceroth then flip doubles back, catches Lind's Axe twice of parry, before she shoves forward with an icy blast, and then spin flips back, as Imladris in turn, screams in with an overarching slash of all slashes! The Wraith is crumpled deep into a deck plating, electromagnetic waves and sparks spewing everywhere, as he catches the immense attack!

A bare screech, before Lind... "Shut up!!" ...ala so, with a snap into punch at the chin! More wreckage ensues. Lind takes a bantering moment to pronounce.. "This is fun."

"Only for you, my barbed sweet." ..of whit both see Caceroth recover again, to another prolonged duet assault!

--------------------

Mara keeps a whimpering beg, as she holds entirely around Satorna's inert form. Nossi just prods it all to the conclusion she's fully aware of. "She... that Seer... knew I'd die, and even ascertained to make of Satorna, a trap to... keep any healing energies, for me... shunted to... him...

...She knew I'd be the one to save in preference. She knew then, to channel it all to my forced Doublet, and let the energies detonate forthwith.

Terror is all... she cares for."

Keiichi gulped... "Damn."

"Precisely." Frode agrees with. As such, Nossi then turns the page unto. "She however, is not absolute, on all things. Her Sight, is clouded over 'most' other events, save past what she chooses for her... focus. For each Focus of choice to enact upon, ninety-nine percent of the rest... is muddled.

As such, she did not... care to see... your place to come." ...a growing meld, deeper, and stronger. Sigrun feels it, as Nossi remarks. "I'm already dead, as is possibly, so many... other clones.

But a child of Norn Light... incarcerated... in Darkness... and... yes, I know... Liberated... is beyond Her bounds of Sight.

Such I give to you, the chance to redeem us all of the Fate clones, and... save everything else... the... same." ...as suddenly, Nossi's form starts to strip and fade of inter-phased decomposition. Ishara drops the globe, and quickly grabs the hand of Belldandy, who looks with a soft-Valkyrian demeanor. One that breaks down into Keiichi's arms at the shake of the high goddess's head. Meg into Keb's arms, the same of Chihiro into Tamiya's. 24, Sceta, and Ackronus witness, as Urd and Skuld cry at the death of a goddess. The same that saved Satorna's infernal life.

A death, that flows the deeply encoded remains, to a chosen vessel.

One that has no idea what to do.

Of one tone... "Now... I hope that gold dude and Lind, blow him away."

No one was remiss on what Keiichi meant by that.

--------------------

Imladris follows in with a double set of overslashing arcs, ones that force Caceroth's attention again, crashing him into the sudden incoming force of a Valkyrian long side kick, one with follow up spinning fists from both Mints in severe succession! Caceroth's thrown back form, is launched into as quickly, as he shoots in, misses with a hard blade shot that scalds the wall behind Caceroth, even as if it was still of energy blade format, before Caceroth counters with a energized hand, just missing Imladris's chest, as the knight spins about reactively and makes a counter slash with his Blade, only just missing a second time.

Lind blinks and pulls back for a moment, as a titanic series of blade parries, thrusts, and pulls, a prolonged chain as speed and intense fury overcomes them both, with shocking speed of the empowered moment! This extends into two more broken apart chains, before finally, Caceroth is caught in a parried low cut motion, blocked by a back caught Morphemic Blade, this starting to force the Wraith to move back to reengage momentum.

One cut short when he suddenly can't move his left foot, seeing down at the ankle, where a quick snap General grade ice spell froze it! Down to the deck plating at that! "What be...!?!"

Imladris didn't give him a further chance, and decked him at the absolute magnitude his powered fist! It however then takes an equal powered Angel fist in succession, to then cause the sickening sight of Caceroth's entire left ankle down, snap off! The screech of sundered armor of grey, equal to the voice, as is horrendous as intended!

"That one is for Nossi!!" ...Imladris snarls, as he then follows up on this hatred, with another empowered fist, snapping out a titanic beam, with the same three ring atmospheric burst effect as afore the last time the two Nemesis battled, with the same traumatic effects upon the wrecked scenery about them!! By the time this is done, Lind is already upon his side, as the effects of the entire battle are now telling. Imlade huffs and wheezes a bit, as Lind Looks at where Caceroth, by all rights of normal measure, should be incinerated beyond atomic structure. They both knew better.

Lind just snips over in the meanwhile... "Well, at least you are even with that wretch, one limb as such." ...before she then suddenly hears Imladris grunt in pain again. Lind snaps a look down, as he grunts out... "Thanks for the... ergh... reminder..." ...as Lind grabs a look at his severed limb, the ash still eating into the wound where his hand was cut off. Bone is actually being seen, white pus starting bubble out where ash is actually causing diseases in the wound. Lind gasps at the realization, as her own ice pack spell was useless against it.

"Sorry, for the shift from focus there." Lind gleeps out, this Imladris smiles in wincing pain at, both realizing... "To think wrath has a good use."

Lind however only grows a angst driven anger from this, as they both then see their mutual foe begin to rise again, once an unwanted more. Afar, they see the ashen haze float, the loss of one entire foot apparently just seeing in result, the blood froth from it, into ash, the same that surrounds the horrid entity. More and more the Emperor is lost back into the decaying force of the Wraith Lord.

One Imladris dies make note of... "So sport... you... like being pinned down... in this reality?"

Lind cocks at an eye at this, then hears an unexpected truth from the Enemy. "Her Will is as indeed limited, of my place amongst you chaff. My usual powers, are still sealed enough from the last encounter. Enough to prevent my imagination to your proper demise."

The wraith then gleans a wicked grin. "But then Her Will exceeds all other concerns, where even handicaps are replaced by. You fools have no foresight against Hers, and no defense to call upon against it!"

Lind seethes as much as Imladris just mocks back, as much as pain from his stunted arm allows. "All this talk again about our... inability against Her Will. Sorry... sport... but Her Will never once defeated any of us, Almighty to Existence alike. Not in all this time. And now, not here and definitely... not now!"

Caceroth just snarls, as Imladris just readies his weapon again, his focus of honest, actual hatred, overcoming his pain. Lind readies herself as well, all further was to one end now. Imladris just snaps off to snarl at the Wraith Lord with... "You both are the ones without any true imagination!"

"Really." One sudden retort makes both warriors blink. The Wraith then raises his right hand, and begins discharging into it! The twin warriors tense, and almost attack, when the energon used, starts to act strangely in Caceroth's hand. Instead of a standard tactical blast of any form, it instead triggers a strange shimmering energy field before the creature.

Lind blinks at this... "What is he..."

"Wha.. that's a teleport beam matrix!" Imladris recognizes all too better! Lind gasps...

...worse, when the beam quickly brings the form of...

"He cannot escape Her Will!!" Caceroth screeches...

--------------------

"Do we keep attacking the Citadel?" ...the lot in the Medical chamber hear, as Ackronus asks an obvious question. 24 only shakes her head. "I'm not sure 'what' to do now."

"Keiichi!!" Belldandy suddenly screams, on top of a chime sound that makes everyone look at once! Meg... "What the hell!??!" ...as one second, Keiichi is holding onto an in close Belldandy, and the next...

"Teleport beam!" 24 shouts, and snaps into the Sentient Overcomm... "Discriminators!!"

"It's too late." Frode shouts, having already tried to thrust out his powers to interdict the beam, but failed, unwilling to risk real harm to the mortal in the process. As a result, they all feel dead and cold again, for the third time this battle.

Keiba couldn't help it, since they all knew. "We're dead."

--------------------

It was no less shocking to sight, as Keiichi appears in that teleport beam end node, and finds his sight staring dead in Caceroth's face! One grinning of absolute victory. He freaks... "Oh crap!"

"Her Will is Done!!"

Lind flies in fast, to try and grab Keiichi out of the way! She manages to get a hand on his left shoulder with her left, as Caceroth has his hand ready for the truly lethal blow. One that is fast than Lind's actions.

Both of which are superseded by... ": Encage my Enemy in a cage, this by the Word of Pain, I Title Command!!! :"

Caceroth suddenly screeches of another howl, of another Title empowered counter, to the Wraith's own counter! This as Lind and Keiichi blink, and then the Valkyrie pulls the latter away, with a decent spin! At this, they both catch a glimpse of one of the dozens of glowing blue-white mini-triangles, that form the spell cage Imladris uses via his Holocron! The same that he 'still' holds a semi-'bottom' end piece of in blade held hand, the rest surrounding the Wraith Lord, in the high Progenitor energy base 'cage'!

The sight is barely noted, as Keiichi is spun about to a stop suddenly. Lind the cause, then makes another of pressing her left hand on Keiichi's shirt! He blinks down at... "Eh?!" ..the suddenly light blue-glow of her slimsuit's handprint, this Keiichi blanches at... "I hope that doesn't stain!"

"Sorry!" ...as Lind activates the emergency function, one of several discovered during a crash course in the slimsuit functions, she had Skuld impart in that meeting before the battle. (The one Imlade was kicked out of.) One of them, a nanite handscan teleport lock print, that appears on Keiichi's shirt, as in the pattern of Lind's normal handprint, of bare skin contact of norm.

Keiichi keeps blinking through this, as Lind snaps.. "Emergency Teleport to the Illistrum!" ...this causing another teleport beam to encapsulate around the bloke. One that just complains. "If I end up losing a finger because of..." ...back unto safety proper! Lind snickers a tic at the comedy the mortal could still have.

--------------------

This as Belldandy rushes with 24 in quick tow. She for one never gave up... "If we can just quickly get back his signature to..."

"Aw man!!!" ...this a LOT of bioforms, and dataforms suddenly screech to a halt, Belldandy for one hybrid bio-dataform being... "Keiichi!?"

Keiba for one, looks back at... "Eh!? He's back here in that... whoa!!" ...as Belldandy BLASTS by and enters the nearby Teleport chamber, this Keiichi patting himself over. "Nope, nothing feels crispy or... ACK!" Belldandy just tackle hugs into him suddenly! "Oh Keiichi!! My Keiichi!!" ...all huggy stuffing away and away! (And turning blue.)

"What the heck happened!" Urd shouts, as Keiichi is about to explain.

However before this can happen, the Intracellic types all suddenly clutch at their heads! Frode and Ishara of slightly less note, look at each other, as Keiichi now shouts. "Now what!??!"

--------------------

...and before Lind can recover from her brilliant action, she herself suddenly doubles over. One that only stops shot when she hears... "ARGGGGHHHH!!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD SEER!!!"

The Valkyrie General manages to fight through the intense pain, to reach one that is the focus of a direct attack by Voluspa herself!! The effects are as noted, aren't localized, by any measure of nearby simply alone! Of dire local note however, Lind slaps dead onto the back of her Belove, on utter reflex of fear! They both then hear, as Imladris's mind is literally assailed... "Thank you for breaking another part of the Bargain Seal! I will relish in crushing your mind Myself!!!"

Lind gasps, as Caceroth's form is partially transformed, the ashen format, now look as of thick overlying clouds of death, as 'beneath' that, a strangely slender like form, is partially seen within, Incarceration nowhere to be seen now. A slender form of anything of humanoid format. In fact, Lind sees it, and almost loses her own actual mind, from some strange illogical paradox! She squeezes her eyes shut and on reflex... "Not while I'm here Witch!" ...and immediately Melds her Twins, Evolution dives in as well!

The final battlefield, takes place from within. The portals of minds.

--------------------

"She's here. Voluspa attacking Cousin directly!" Belldandy manages out, her own head, a vice all of a sudden! Keiichi holds on tight, as sight of effect, is noticeable on 24 and Ackronus's facades as well! Chihiro gulps out, far overly tired of feeling so helpless. "What the heck can we do!?"

No one can say anything now.

--------------------

": To think the great Charge of my Progenitor Brethren could possibly stand up to me! Now your pitiful diminutive mind is Mine!!! :"

Imladris couldn't stand it. The searing pain was beyond logic to comprehend. He was about to break. And Lind couldn't do enough to brace against such power either! The Dark Lord tried to help within, but was failing just as hopelessly. The god power was too encapsulated on the Schism chain, and couldn't concentrate to help now. The child just cried out for help. Lind again couldn't do more, as Imladris feels his mind truly going blank!

And there was no manic laughter. Just raw force reaching out beyond a the Soulless Prison, into the mind that had no defense against that kind of power. The use of the holocron Voluspa 'allowed', made the Knight realize it was a trap of 'said' use of!!

Imladris just helplessly noted... "It's my fault."

Lind despaired. Voluspa finally was about to win!

--------------------

"I can't concentrarsi!" Eihwa shouts, her head feeling the agony being inflicted. The Network of all minds feeling the trauma. Peorth just doubled over into her lap, from the same pain. The same that was incapacitating most of Intracel right there and then. Sentaro sees this, and a wobbly motion by Troubadour. He tries to help snap them all out of it all, with a simple. "Come on guys! It can't end like this!"

"It won't, my... child." ...Sentaro gasps in hearing from the Seed.

--------------------

The same that filtered on down, to where just a moment before, Gaitha received word of readiness.

From an Aide next to her, as the closest to her sat. (The same of pretty much every other Illuminaran at that moment.) "Are you sure, this will work?"

Gaitha nodded. "Yes."

It was enough. And what occurred next, was the salvation desired for, as well as a Goal at long last achieved.

Such, Gaitha began to sing, in a familiar tune of a familiar goddess, that she'd never met before. As the first sonnets filter out, the next cascade aside to each side of her. And more from there. More that serene into the Network, and the more the Illuminarans began to each, hear at first, a mere fade of a soft sonnet's approach. Such that more voices, and more voices...

...and more voices...

...and more voices...

The count, was lost in that song that gave Gaitha her first true sense of self clarity. And she understood it, as the unity in her own soul. The same the more and more, slowly saw, within, of a true growing, glowing light.

----

The song first was of the Illuminaran Network, but was in quick moments...

----

She was distracted. Voluspa's Mind started feeling something odd. It disrupted at her, with a growing, terrible realization.

Imladris felt something as well, despite the blinding agony...

----

...felt by the Hikari. The Seeds felt it all first.

Such a beautiful song. was another cascading agreement, before 'they' sung a different, symbiotic tune.

----

As the sonnet of the Illuminaran, grew across each world. Each asset. Each mind that was filled with hope and promise. Serenity and clarity. Unity and destiny. As such, the song, began to tell of a very visible light.

----

A random Silveren Commander, at the time, clutching her own head, (one of the few at the time, to be aboard an Illuminaran vessel in the wake of emergency escape,) saw her hosts of their impart, of this unifying song. It was such a tone, so open, she couldn't help herself to join in.

--------------------

"Do... ah.... you feel that?" Belldandy gasped, as the distraction, began to waver off the sharp pain. One that Keiichi was glad to see leave her face. However the other Terran mortals just eye her, off of Chihiro's snippy. "Feel what? My blood pressure on the rise? I'm too young and hot for that!"

"I feel it too." Ishara noted, Chihiro blinking over.. Urd then next. "Oh.... wow." ...Skuld in kind... "Is this really happening?"

"They're singing. The Illuminarans are singing!" 24 accented, as the Alliance types, are now hearing it too. Ackronus's voice then suddenly starts to tone, making Chihiro freak a bit into Tamiya's blushing arms. "What the heck?!'

...and then Belldandy starts to sing as well! Keiichi gasps, as no warning is given, to a Song beyond many of any other Songs. One that the goddesses, high and low, god alike, all start sonnets with their Networked brethren of the Alliance, as 'they' do likewise, off a Song, with a fathomless consequence. Even in the teleport chamber, a marvelous moment truly begins. (And a number of mortals are treated to the rarest of events.)

--------------------

": No.... no... this... THIS CANNOT BE!!! :" ...as She and Caceroth hear it all now too, and have no ability to Combat of it! Imladris and Lind now hear it too, and find their despair fading along with it. As it all progresses, the Sing actually disrupts at Voluspa's links, with magnifying effect. To the point all this becomes beyond worse than fingernails on a chalkboard to her! Her concentration suffers exponentially by the second, as the Song grows!

--------------------

The Song begins to encapsulate the Souls, of the multitude Billions of Illuminarans, all across their region of space. The given fact that they all were concentrated in their own region of Galactic space, intensifies and exacerbates the expediency of the growing effect of the Song.

The basest technological explanation, was one that made technology fail. Even magic was crude against this forming reality. The souls, through the Network, were becoming One Song, across an entire Civilization! And as the Song shifts and waves of endless beauty and variety, it also states the final course of each soul, as not unlike the same of what the Hikari Seeds and Trees, do for each other.

The same that makes each glowing Soul, begin the long wanted goal of ascension itself.

--------------------

Voluspa decries against this! ": NOO!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! NOT THIS!! Not this detestable Blasphemy!! :" ...as the Song, now beginning to 'pick up speed', brings with it into the Network, Voluspa is sensing far too readily. This as billions of Illuminaran Souls begin their true hallmark process of ascension! And along with it, the Song of the Hikari adds unto. The Silveren adds unto. The Glassian. The Griffional. The endless numbers that understood their part in the great cog of the Unity. The Trillions of souls of the Galaxy, their own sonnets, into the Song that was quickly, growing so Galaxy wide, Voluspa was literally trapped into hearing it!

It drove her MAD!

Caceroth whined and howled. Voluspa screeched and decried. (Like immature looking really.)

And then however, She attempted... ": I CAN STILL END TH... AHH! :"

...to the vision sight, of a fully solidified mind of a chosen Excellency. One Lind gasped in Meld mode, in seeing 'that' clear a mind, with one intent. Voluspa tried to act on her Threat, but the end of things to her Plan, came down to...

": This is our Existence! Our Right to exist! GET! OUT!! :" ...and a Mindblast of a kind never to be seen again, SHOVES Voluspa 'out' of Caceroth, and OUT of the Physical medium of Existence! Right there and THEN! Caceroth suddenly loses his Link, and a mind link form of a version of a Singularity suddenly forms because of it!! Lind immediately senses this... "OUT NOW!!" ...and yanks them both out of the Meld, and 'back' onto a seeable reality that has two distinct sights to it.

The First: The afar view of space, towards the Illuminaran Homeworld, is absolutely glowing! (The same was tantamount across all of Illuminaran space now!)

The second: Caceroth's physical form, is collapsing into of itself!!! Lind just shouts... "We gotta go!" ...and pulls at, to find Imladris apparently knocked out cold from it all. Lind actually shakes her head, and then just uses her goddess General strength, to carry him oft, like a song bird. One done at GREAT speed, as the same begins of Caceroth's apparent demise, and along with it, his utter collapse creates a REAL Singularity!

Such is that rips apart, and wrenches at the Citadel, and the weapon along with it! Imladris actually is barely awake enough, to realize the effect of the Singularity. Seeing the gravity spaghettify everything around them, to the point that much of the superstructure actually disintegrates into particle clouds, he wrenches out, such that Lind gasps when she hears a final last spell...

"Take... the Tool... of the Enemy. Save the Tools... of Salvation. My... end... Word... of..." ...the rest falls off, before a weak looking gravity spell pulses in his scabby stump, before he 'is' out cold. Lind doesn't stop to see the effect, as she yells out, with the ENTIRE Citadel crashing about her into the Singularity! "Someone get us the heck out of here! By Heaven's grace!!!"

A Citadel crumples all its seemingly endless kilometers unto, as a tiny Teleport beam snatches the two, from the fate...

--------------------

"- It's collapsing!! -" ...comes from Eros's Network, as 24 reactively stops, and races to the bridge, Chihiro, Tamiya and Talos in tow. They reach the bridge, as all others in the Fleet range of the Citadel, not of Illuminaran, see the proactive collapse of the Citadel. They don't realize Lind and Imladris in her loving grip, have teleported nearby.

This as from the view of space, the Citadel is regressively crushed, several times in the silence of space. The Singularity takes only the Citadel with it, as the last moments soon pass with a strange pink halo, where the mass of the Citadel is sucked into. Once it does, the Singularity then pulses seven times, then finally fades.

After that, everyone is numb. It takes a good while to realize, it is all over.

That they won.

The long earned celebration comes more than soon enough. As do other long coming concerns.

--------------------

//////////\\\\\\\\\\\\

--------------------

-Two Solar Cyclons later

...or just days on Earth, ala...-

"My son went where!?"

"She's taking it as expected." ...this Sora quips, before a rather peeved off Ichigo stares back at her, making Sora dive behind an equally teardropped Suzuki. Frigurina and Hild. (Yup, both together.) just eyed each other side long. This before they all hear a strange kiddy whine from Fusuchi, off to Ichigo's left. This as she hope whine jumps of... "Ohhhhhhhhh!! My dear dumb brother got to go to the greatest battle in space, ever? And I missed it!?!? ERGH!" ...this making most the rest actually teardrop. "Where do I get a get a great love, and get sucked up into all this!"

"Fusuchi!" Ichigo blares at dryly! Frig then chuckles. "I could find you one." ...this Hild rolls her eyes at in annoyance. Ichigo of course blares back. "Don't get fresh on my daughter too!"

"Fresh?" Frig blinks at weirdly, as much as Hild giggled hard at. Suzuki just hazards out.. (really,) "Well you do like to..." ...this before a Motherly stare, makes Suzuki dive in behind Sora, in turn! Sora looks back dryly this time. "Gee, my hero."

"Such a fun bunch, you all ever are." ...this Hild looks down at the fallen god dog. "Who asked you Lassie."

"I of myself of course." Celestine just doggy pants back cutely. Frig just giggles. "Got you there." ...to Hild's expected frazzle. (One that makes Fusuchi and Ichigo huddle near each other.) Celestine then hears to 'his' left. "So the armor dope did it eh?" ...of a Velsper version of a compliment. One hardly that, to be certain. Hild just imparts for her vein of taking credit. "Aye, our investment has begotten a fine gain. Don't you think young one?" ...this she eyes Frig with. One whom barbs back readily. "Yes old chum, we seem to have many heroes, about our fine personage. I for one thank him for that."

Hild just rolls her eyes. However she then hears... "One should take credit. For it all in fact."

Frigurina blinks as she sees Hild fold her arms, one eye open eying her canine accuser. "Oh? What of it Droopy?"

"Of it all, of all I mean." Celestine presses again. Velsper next to him, just snips of neko fang. "Is all that dog food rotting your brain Fido?"

"Oh, I believe we know better." This in turn, comes from a knowing CEO. Celestine just eyes her as eyes all about, eye them both, back and forth. Celestine just imparts to a suspicion to engender. "I only started to suspect, when the Lord Knight returned from his Original campaign.

Strange that you pressed that entire affair, as hard as you did, knowing the facts were not in your favor. I could not help but wonder why."

Hild just played coy, as Frig started looking at her. Celestine just finished, to whatever end of imagination. Hild however just remarked. "Interesting that anyone of the High, and Us of Low, have the gift of foresight. It's pointless to walk through time, and not have an idea, what to do with it all."

Celestine just left it there, garnering as much as he knew he was going to get. Frig kept eying Hild, as she then got it. "Oh you and your overbearing schemes."

"Like you haven't been doing likewise with that Band thing of yours?"

"You wana really start then?" ...this leading to them both lacing eye bolts at each other heavily! This time a lot of souls try to hind behind others. Celestine just rolls his canine eyes about. (While also shivering some.) "Such a brave soul I'm reincarnated with."

"Oh pipe it Unlucky!"

"Do you both have to be that way with each other?!" Sora blanches, this time she the brave one behind Suzuki. This results in a kooky scene where the two look all arm in arm, buddy buddy! "Nay, we're always of a fun mind!" ...ala Hild and... "Best of friends, we ever are!" ...Frig alike. Sora just sees this and frazzles anime dryly. "Oh I feel so much safer now."

Frig then claps her hands and announces. "Okay everyone, our ride will be here in a bit." ...this she amends to.. "Sorry you two, you have to stay." ...this Velsper and Celestine just eyes each other, the former quipping. "All the better. All that goody galaxy stuff will just give me hives."

"Actually, we agree." Hild puts. However she is too interested in what is to come. Of whit Ichigo asks. "Ride? For what?"

Frig blinks, as she feels it enter near Lunar orbit. "You wish to see Sentaro in person, yes?" ...this Ichigo can only blink at before Fusuchi SQUEALS at the realization... "You mean we get to go into space too!?"

Hild just snickers at Fusuchi's enthusiasm. "Maybe we should have sent her there too, and learn her a lesson." ...this Fusuchi stutters at. Frig however... "Nay. There does not need to be a lesson of 'that' kind, for every being Existence. Sometimes the better lessons are from just living in the living moment."

Hild bade that off with a wave. "Eh, be boring then." Frig just rolled her eyes.

"- We have your target signatures on our screen now, our Mistresses. -"

Fusuchi chilled out. "What was that?"

Frig smirked as the Teleport beam, began to engage. "A fine chariot, to be sure."

Velsper and Celestine just beheld a strange smirk each, in their true absence of any other souls. Was a rare chance they had too.

--------------------

"Mom!! Dad!!"

Keiichi and Bell had just heard as they sat in the Illistrum mess hall, as did Megumi and Keiba over in the arboretum. (The vessel had many peaceful surprises,) when they were told over overcomm, of a certain pair that has just left stasis. Such that Keiichi and Meg say it best first, for a truly joyful hug in turn from Keima and Takano waiting! Belldandy and Keiba alike beheld a joyful smile of their own, (as do many of the Medical onboard staff witnessing,) as the family reunion occurs.

One with the usual... "Keiichi my boy?" ..said K1 boy looks up in Keima's arms. "Yeah?"

-Bonk!- ...to a wince from most of the onlooking. (Bell just keeps on smiling nonetheless.) "Ow!"

"I'm alive, back to the old rules." ...this Keiichi looks with head rubbing pained eyes at Keima. "Yeah... ooch, no kidding."

Not that Takano gave Megumi much of break either. (Wasn't as traumatic lookin though.) Takano then comments out. "Wow, you goobers went through a lot. Are you... okay?"

Megumi blinks. "Eh? Wait... you mean you...?"

"Someone put something in that device." Keima thumbs behind him, at the stasis unit he exited. (Looking a bit more youthful to the eye at that.) "Something that told us everything of what happened. Felt strange."

Takano agrees in off key fashion. "Where was that thing at, when I was back in eight grade Algebra?!"

"You must mean the reeducational apparatus." ...this heads turn over, as Ackronus pokes his head over in between Belldandy and a freaked out Keiba. "Dang it bird man!" ...the Griffional ignores it. (Used to it around humanoids.) Takano however looks buggy eyed. "Whoa, biggest Thanksgiving turkey I've ever seen!"

"What was that teaching bit?" Keiichi blinks back, the Avian thankful for it. "Standard practice for all wounded and resurrected troops, to be data-fed while in stasis, for expedient duty arrival."

Keiba just blanches a good bit at all this. "Why does it sound like, all this stuff was meant for only war?"

"A standard practice of technological advancement." ...this eyes turn to, as Lind slips in under the Griffional Lord. Takano then surprises Lind, as she comes over from near Megumi, and hugs her. Lind blinks decently at this. "Takano?"

"Thank you for helping protect my precious babies." ...this Keiichi and Megumi trade an off kilter look.

Lind however heard a couple more 'thank yous' laden out, as she looks at a smiling Keiichi and Megumi. (And a proud enough looking Keima too.) She then hears from Belldandy. "They know." ...this Lind quickly remembers the aforementioned technology Ackronus just espoused. (Ala, very good hearing. Also she heard this a day prior for other reasons.)

"Ah." she just heard, as Takano looked a bit too snuggly, for Keiichi and Megumi's comfort. (Keima just was the usual. Scooting away.) Belldandy then asks. "How is Sigrun?"

At that, Takano backs away, as Lind informs. (Again, the reeducational bit was that effective. "She's getting better. But I think a session with Belove is coming, once he gets over himself some."

"Still?!" Keiichi blanches, this making Megumi jump a bit! He then grumbles a bit and actually starts to walk out. "Okay, two days is enough of that." ...and heads off. Takano blinks when she sees... "You're not going?" ...Belldandy stay put. The Present lass just cocks a slight smile. "Keiichi mentioned he wanted to... ah... kick his butt... uh, straight... was it?" ...this she looks at Lind, as Belldandy's Lind 'hints' don't come out effectively enough. Not that Lind isn't remiss. "It'll be enough. In their own way. Not that it was unexpected, what with all Belove went through.

Being a hero has its price, as I am understanding for once." ...this some looks get traded about.

"Drollig." ...comes from an unexpected source. Not the most welcome either, this as One demonic soul, saved by Sigrun's unintentional acceptance of Nossi's soul-code, didn't all sound like one that merited this. Such is the first sight of Satorna to the likes of Takano and Keima. "Oh dear."

And the first time, they see Mara happier than she's ever been, her version of such... "Quiet you." ...with a good slap to the back of Satorna's head! The off platinum blond haired demon, a hair color that was like Urd's, but more 'rusted' looking, just snarls back comically! "Watch it broad! I'm still healing here!"

Mara just looks strangely happy beamy, as much as Belldandy usually is around Keiichi. It's noticed. "Holy cow! Then that ding dong info was true!?" ..this Takano gets a near dose of Satorna's bite. "Mind your own damn business! The life of a high class demon agent, isn't for trilobites like you to.. HEY! watch the hair Mara!!" ..Satorna seethes, whit Mara just asserts her ancient dominance over the infernal bloke, with a simple... "Okay, you're still too spunky for my tastes right now. Let's go!" ...and promptly drags Satorna with her, to the pip eyed reactions of the others. Satorna just spats... "Where the hell are you taking me broad!?!"

"It's been nearly thirty years dammit, we're getting laid!"

Satorna just goes blank pip eyed himself, as the others see this spiel trail off in strange German style cursing. Keiba for one, when the trail of insolvent language fades, just quips. "Okay, really didn't need to hear that."

Everyone else, including Belldandy, just nod their heads.

Takano just drops it all like a proper lava rock, and asks of subject change. "Where's everyone else?"

Lind promptly informs of Urd and Troubadour, milking every bit of time with the Hikari Seed, in the engine core. (They finally had something together to truly share.) Tamiya and Chihiro, seen last at the same mess hall K1 and Bell arrived from. Skuld and Sentaro were probably still in a scientific area of the ship. (Sentaro the proper gentleman, to be honorably sure. Plus Sigel and Banpei were with them.) Sigrun, despite her current uncertainties, found Eros's company of a heaven sent note, over on the bridge, along with 24, as the final Fleet tally is conducted. Talos and Peorth... they don't need to be as honorable as Sentaro, given obvious 'age' concerns to conduct. Course after a couple of Solar Cyclons now...

Keiba: "Don't need to know that either."

Eihwa was last seen on the Bridge, which made Lind nervous some. (She didn't know whom she'd scheme to be near, in the near term.) In actuality, she was awaiting Lady Frigurina's and (ugh,) Lady Hild's arrival, in the same said area. Lind and Belldandy quickly realize this off the Network.

Lind: "Wow."

Bell: "It is as efficient as back home."

Lind then inquired about her parents,, and found that Ishara and Frode were...

...such was her poisoned looking facade. "Okay, that I didn't need to know of." Such Keiba looks a bit too blushed at. Such that Megumi chides over with an irked face. "What are you imagining about?" ...this Takano half giggles at, (and half rolls her eyes the same.)

It just made Lind reconsider all that again, in fact.

--------------------

The grand Alliance chamber was alive with souls, that were of one mind. The first time in a very long time. The deep recesses of the chamber, felt more raised to Kaia, as she looked across the gilded arena of galactic politics. She had to admit... "I like this better."

A Net-comm real-time voice from Ere`ith just quips over, even from across the chamber. "There is a time that wars must end. Hate faded for better things in much more natural stead."

"We cannot do that without the old voice to guide by." ...a Glassian voice imparts, from another part, somewhat lower in area, of the chamber. The voices come one after another...

Katath Senatora: "We are not perfect, but are we not supposed to learn from our mistakes?"

Furbrath Senatora: "Not until we get past our own hubris. The kind that resulted in this situation in the first place!"

Kaia: "No need to yell. We all made the same mistakes together."

Forran Senatora: "We will only make the same mistakes, bioform, energonform or Synthetic alike, if we don't have a proper focus to unify behind."

Assat Senatora: "We need that unity to keep ourselves in proper check. Someone we can trust. One that we know of now."

Machiner Senatora: "That unity is here 'now'. The course of the Resolution was already clear, prior to the battle. There should be no mistake this time around."

Kaia sighed, in a reminiscent tone. "To do that, would be a gross violation by his standards." ...this she put, in a strangely coy tone. She expected from the Machiner Senatora in return. "And one of his, unintentionally led to 'our' gross violation. We should make the message clear."

Ere'ith replies in a growing unity that was coming all along. "The galactic census for the Referendum is ready as we speak. If we are to conduct this, we must do this now, while we have the chance.

To lose it, may force our hand back to the destruction of all we cherish. We 'are' foolish enough to enter that path, as far as I for one, can discern."

"Then we for once, also agree."

The new, and far more fathomless voice than before, tone of the Illuminaran leader Gaitha, imparts her wisdom, in effective, ascended fashion. (The physical-ethereal glow thing helped accentuate attention.) It was a sight that made for a lot of allied gasps. Gaitha, and two of her own Advisors, made the Forrans, and other energon types, look like diffused light bulbs, in comparison. It made for an enlightened mindset. One that made for a purpose.

The long blue-glow haired being in cloth that was very reminiscent of Intracel, just spoke in a nigh Belldandy like voice.

"If not for this situation, we ourselves, my civilization and I, would not have achieved our own unity. A goal that only ascension could begot for us. But this should not be celebrated alone. We lost our hope when one soul departed of us.

That soul is returneth, and we should not let him go again. After all, it is in the end, his Unity that brings us here this Solar Cyclon. We must not lose the chance again. We just cannot."

It was about as weird a moment, for those that didn't know better, as it was iconic for those that were there. Those that cared for their own civilizations of representation. They truly did. They also understood where the caring for each other's civilizations, had more than just a passing place. Many looked at racial features, not of their own. And they found the good in it. Not the ill. Given how many thousands of representatives there were to look upon, where ever they looked of any specific note, it was easy to see all of this.

There were consternations to be sure, and that was what was realized in what was needed now.

The voice that they decided to guide them from then on, started with a light chime breeping tone, that echoed like heaven's thunder, in that vast chamber. All are drawn to look towards, where Kaia's platform station, already had cast her vote. She for her part smiles, as her aides see this.

And then their own votes are cast, upon arm holo units, small kneetop units, or just mentally into the Network.

Such that more chime breeps spot out in small cascades, as others just ply the cilimatized air. In soon enough note, another Song was being sung now.

--------------------

And this song was a simple one. One that only needed the same Trillions of galactic scale citizens listening, to merely act on an ideal, five Overcyclons in the making.

One espoused so passionately by their very choice of focus, as now that very choice of Unity. And indeed it was a forced choice, to avoid the very thing the lack of Unity was leading unto, prior to the Marian-Soulless attack. A worse effect of the same, galaxy wide.

As such, the simple trust of appointment H One made by those that wanted to Trust above all else.

To choose their Leader.

--------------------

-In the meanwhile-

Keiichi just blares open the hatch door to the ready room. (Every self respecting starship had one.) This with a irked tone of... "Okay dude, you gonna stay like this for... ah... ah?"

Framed with the gorgeous majesty of Illumina Prime in the cosmic background, the light casting brilliantly into the dusk interior of the Command ready room, sat in a standard chair of random seat, the hero of the introspective hour. One looking only at his new right hand. Keiichi saw this, and blinked. "Ah... how's the hand?"

"Fine." Imladris quipped, in no sound of put off tone at all. In fact, he semi welcomed it. "Quite fine."

Keiichi saw the new hand, a genetically regrown hand off Imladris's own bioform data, it was imprinted with a more technological format, as places where veins were usually seen, were overlain with similar effects from the slimsuits. Ethereal lines of blue, white and green points of light, ran along the ethereal lines, on both sides, all along his right hand, only stopping about where the wound originally was.

Keiichi remembered when Lind brought him in. It was clear the battle had made a wreck of the knight, given that Lind was gray ash splotchy at the time too. It took a good day for gene-unit recovery, and some fancy gene splicing that the others witnessed to a wonderment, that made Belldandy reminded of the miracles of the Medical Section. Such that Ishara's expert guidance, helped expedite things, to a point here and now. Indeed even now more than ever, Keiichi for one saw that medical wonders were awesome for physical injuries.

"But not for the mind."

Imlade looks up at Kei. "Pardon?"

"You gotta snap out of this."

Imladris drops his hand, and sighs a slight smile out. A poignant one to be sure. "Lind said it such. Eihwa did. Heck even Frode tried. Not when the damage is staring me in the face." ...this with a raised look at his techy looking right hand again. Keiichi just snaps back with arms waving. "So the damage is done already! So what?!"

"That none of this ever should have happened. I shouldn't have been so careless."

Keiichi stops, as Imlade presses his worries into the open. "That the nightmares of battle, that I've been conditioned with great help, will come to you all, far too easily. That scars where trust fails will take hold, no matter what.

That all of this still doesn't tell me how to defeat Voluspa, as is my Commandment. That it took literally everyone at stake, to help defeat Her power, and the next time, the same help won't be there."

Keiichi then shivers at the eyes that were welling up, towards him at that moment, something that he for self impotent reasons, could do in front of Lind or Eihwa this time. Such was his torment of not telling this truth yet, to his closest of heart, though he didn't realize how shortsighted such sentiment, this was. Keiichi was as close in that heart, more than Imladris realized.

As said... "I used terrible powers. Conducted myself in horrible ways, and even broke my own Seal, and nearly had us all undone by it. I was a fool to ever think I could ever stand up to Voluspa. That I had any ability over my own Almighty given powers. That I'm really supposed to save everyone.

I'm such a sodden fool for all of it." ...this Keiichi eyes downward a bit. Imladris's own, were completely in his hands.

The next moment however, Imlade feels a form walk over, and put a right hand, on his left shoulder. Such a Champion of Heaven hears... "Well, we're always pretty screwed up anyway. But, were always screwed up together dude."

This makes Imladris look up at him, into eyes that looked as if everything that happened, didn't affect him in the slightest. To be sure, Keiichi felt unwelcome twinges in his mind and soul from it all, but it was already bulwarked by a simple realization. One Keiichi also espoused. "And because you and Lind defeated that thing, we're all together now. It all comes down to that. As far as I am concerned. The rest you can help us all with, when things come right and all."

"How the heck do you do that?" Imladris quips out in shallow of voice amazement. Keiichi cocks an eye, Imlade quipping. "You always hold hope over anything else that happens."

"Belldandy taught me that." Kei informs. "In more than one way or another, over all this time. She's really good at keeping up hope, in the face of anything. After all we've gone though, I've learned to really listen to her."

"The Melds probably help." Imlade prods, Kei blushes a good bit at. Course Imlade then blushes himself. "I know how that feels. I shouldn't need reminders like that, with what Lind always challenges me for. The ability to be as strong as she sees in me, is not easy to uphold."

Keiichi gleans a new understanding of a rather complex relationship. One Imladris professes much more easily of, if done uneasily. "Her standards are so impossible to uphold. I cannot foresee how, or hindsight the same, how she still attests at my side, as she does. I saw her fight at my side, and how proud of her that she did, against my worst enemy.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm being too false, in holding myself up through all of this."

"And why you cried in front of me, instead of her." ...this Imlade looks of being caught red handed. Keiichi just slaps at Imlade's shoulder again. "Don't worry. One of those guy things and all. Course forget keeping secrets and all."

"Eh, not really the type anyway." ...Imlade just sighs, then cocks a face. "Secrets tend to wilt the soul, if held too long." ...he then sports an even stranger, introspective facade. One that Keiichi almost asks about, until...

"- KEIICHI, GET COUSIN OVER TO HIS BRIDGE QUICK!!! -"

The sight of two friends holding their essentially busted eardrums (and almost the viewport behind them,) just has its own comedy. Keiichi just gulps. "Okay, I guess ol Bell is excited about somthang."

Imlade stands, then senses something in the Network. Something he quickly really doesn't like.

"Oh Light, I hope I'm wrong." ...Imlade starts off of foot with. Keiichi just yelps in behind. "Of what!? Gold dude!? What?!" ...such trails off to...

--------------------

-Various images from across a verily joyful filled Galaxy.-

-...the scene still repeats over and over, over tens of thousands of Alliance worlds, as the fears of a renewal of the old Galactic War were allayed by the miraculous return of the Legend himself. As you can see, here at the Alliance Capital world of Forresai Prime, what was once a world where mainly energon formats wandered the hover-roads, now many citizen souls celebrate, all as one. Something not seen since the early Solar Cyclons, after the end of the War. And this atmosphere is truly confirmed to be repeating itself over and over, amongst the said thousands of worlds that had the same effective fear, just two Solar Cyclons ago.

It is in the spirit of this unprecedented celebration, that another unprecedented event just took place, on the talon points of the recent battle. One that seemed everything like the clarion call of providence, that most didn't believe in enough of, until now. As such, the new Alliance Council Resolution 2189-762/A33.917 is already being actively tallied, for the creation of the Throne Office of the Excellency of the Galactic Alliance. Already seventy-two point four trillion alliance citizens, have already voted in favor, via secure Network voting. This puts over ninety-eight percent of available voters, which already exceeds any other common voting referendum, in galactic alliance history!

For more, we send the holo-feed, to the Alliance Council complex on Torech En Celeb.-

--------------------

He stood there in utter shock. It took a lot nowadays to cause this level of shock, compared to all the other kinds he'd endured over the course of his life (multiple.) The more recent events even moreso of note. As such, a knight stood before a holo-imager screen, the data lain out in a digital format that shown the results of something he never expected to happen in this Galaxy.

One he never thought he'd return to.

One that... “ARE THEY MAD!?!?”

Keiichi, looking at the same monitor, blinked, seeing numbers he never thought could exist. “That is a lot of people dude.”

Imlade just yanked at his hair. “Impossible! This... this...”

Peorth just gulped.. “Le plus impressionnant.” ..this Imlade just snapped back, all but wringing at his hair. “Don't encourage it!!”

Lind just blinked as much as Eihwa did. “Wow.” ... “Caspita.” ..Imlade in turn shouts more girly like. “Stop that!!”

All around him, an equally stunned family, the stars in the background outside the trans-parasteel, plasma and magnetic bottle aided viewports, a planet not of Earth beyond. A moment transfixed forever beyond...

Urd just smirks (this time.) "This feels more like it." ...this a look over at the new arrivals that arrived, on top of a situation that only a select few didn't see coming. (The rest were actually casting their votes, as soon as the Referendum was mentioned on Holo-news Net. This makes Imladris suddenly look over at... "HEY!! 24!!!?"

"What? I get to vote too, right?" ...24 blinks back simply enough. (Like there was all there was to that.) Imlade however just blinks in kind blankly. "Uh... well yeah... but."

Urd was acknowledging Frig's presence, as well as Sora and Suzuki, who were just only recently nanite translator 'upgraded', to understand any of this, as well as noting Sentaro and Skuld win unexpected mutual joyous (and scolding arms,) of Ichigo. Fusuchi was only acknowledging the sudden news that hit everyone present. (Hild, Urd just refused to acknowledge. The likewise was readily too much so however.)

This left the rest to realize in amazement, in hearing the next of, and sight along with it. The latter as Belldandy then immediately moves to bow in regal fashion. This Keiichi hears as much as the rest, of the former. "Your majesty."

"W... w... wait... wait a ticking minute! Er... or microcyclon! What the heck is all of this!?"

Suddenly, he feels the Network act strangely, as save for the mortals about, the goddesses then snicker, when a mental holo-credit account 'switch of hands', takes place amongst pretty much all of the crew! (And not just on the bridge deck either. I.e. the betting kind.) Imlade just immolates a snarly thought image in his Network mind, right there and then. Ackronus just exacerbates it, by a look over at Eros. "Why did I bother to make that wager with you."

"For theatrics." Eos rubs it really in, meant for a doubly immolating thought bubble of 'victim' Regent.

That gets interrupted outright, when Lind suddenly latches possessively onto his right arm, shouting rather needlessly. Everyone else just reacts with kooky smiles, with attached words of... "He's mine! All mine! Mine mine!"

"Down grrl. Down." Chihiro just quips, (actually Takano about to say the same thing.)

Imladris just shivers several weird shades of feelings and colors at that moment. Hild remarks in noticing kind. "And here it comes..."

"Get me to the Council at once!!"

24 just snickers, as Scetu nods. "// Already prepared, Folding in thirty sect-cyclons." ...this Sceta just snickers in. "// And I've alerted the Council to wear lobeplugs."

The thought bubble that came next, just made Skuld jump behind Sentaro. Ichigo just cocks a weirded eye, as Skuld quips warily. "Okay, that one was bad."

Lind just snickered at it all. Some of the happiest snickers in her entire life.

--------------------

(End XII-B, Vol. II)

--------------------

AN: I suppose after long enough, something hard just becomes something done. If done right. Dunno, could be the same of an artist, working on a painting, a bit at a time. I'd sure not be meeting any publisher schedules, at the current rate I have things going now. I just hope, I did this all right. And that it is all enjoyed. Also tried to make it readable, better than usual. Course there's likely mistakes as usual. But for now, this will do.

I decided to eventually make a third Volume, once the next Act is done. There's some things I want to expand upon, that would have felt rushed, if kept to only two Volumes. Plus, there's always a triad of sorts of anything out there. Guess I can make a sloppy trilogy too, if one far reaching and all. Trust me, this stuff actually will pale in comparison, to what will end it all. But all that for later. It'll be good to eventually get the crew back to Earth, where the genre is comfortable.

Till the final act in this volume, you'll all have to just agonize reading through this I suppose. Just hope I made 'someone' reading it, react with a 'what the heck are you writing' thought, in some form. A good writer has a goal in mind, after all. And that goal is done. For now. Enjoy.