Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction ❯ Valkyrie's Knight ❯ Act X ( Chapter 13 )

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

Oh My Goddess! - Valkyrie's Knight

Act X

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-three days later-

Keiichi couldn't help it. It was like reliving the same nightmare all over again, this time almost three times as bad!! Of course `that' was why he wasn't around by this point, having gone to the NIT Materials Lab to rectify all this, having been gone since the dawn of the third day. That left poor Megumi, with on occasion, with wary assistance from Takano and Keima, whom were coming around less and less often as the mess piled up, (at least where also around at present,) to baby-sit the utter chaos around them.

Takano just groaned, seeing her own cleaning efforts were pointless. “This is dang nabbit hopeless!”

Megumi just twittered an eye, at the living room area, (TV room area, all kinds of areas, etc..) as Urd, Skuld, Peorth, and Eihwa could be seen, completely trashed, completely... um... disturbing to see, as all around them, were their particular `alternate energy sources' splayed around them in outright HEAPS! All around, Ice cream buckets and Popsicle sticks, sake bottles and cans, many, many empty perfume bottles, and a TON of 2-gallon whole fat milk containers, (glass and plastic..) all splayed about as all SPLAYED about can hazardously get!!

Keima just looked, as they all were asleep for the moment, tired out from gorging on their particular sources. He did so with an eye that made him feel more out of it, than the current cause of the crash of Intracel.

“I can't believe they need `that' much energy.” ..said fath.. uh.. Keima commented.

Megumi just creeped out. “I can't believe how much they stink!” ..this as all four goddesses had `fumes', and `goop' residues actually extruding forth, from their various parts of the body that took ingestion / exposure. Ala, Skuld too much ice cream drool, Urd too much sake `syrup' drool, Eihwa with `drool' that was ready to be made into cottage cheese, and Peorth just too outright stinking from spraying herself over and over, and over and over, with perfume.

Takano just quips in kind. “At least metal guy's account can hold up this time.” ..this Megumi blinks.. “I can't believe Kei-kun went through all of this once already.” ..before looking about, one particular, as well as `smart' goddess, not in sight. “At least Bell's subdividing thing is an actually help.”

Keima just shivers, remembering the first time, after this `crash' crisis began, second version as Keiichi explained, that the elder Morisato saw Belldandy like that. The smallest, cutest button you ever saw.

A far cry from the others here. Takano just sighs. “At least dat girl has some sense. Can't believe these pigs. All because of some computer crash.”

Just then, the three hear a shuffle, and look over to see.. “Oh, Sigel?” ..Takano notes, as the feminine construct leans past the slide door, as the `child-bot' sees Skuld's pasty, eye swirly condition. She just remarks.. “/ Will mistress be okay? It's been so long now. \”

Keima just remarked, a fatherly tone that gave the Synthetic, unexpected comfort. “My grown-up Keiichi said he knew how to cure this. Just trust in him.”

Takano saw Sigel smile, and gave her own proud version to her Keima. This just before the sound of tires screeching pierces the air! Takano just beams.. “Keiichi's home.” ..with the sound of pounding footsteps all bout smashing through the slide door! Keiichi just shoves said door open, for thank of habit, and shouts! “We got them!!” ..this with mini-Bell on his shoulder! “Enough for everyone!”

Megumi and Takano just lunge over comically and exclaim! “At last!” ...hugging the freaked out K-boy, this before they just shake him in the same motion! “Both: TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!!!”

Keiichi just decries! “Hey! You know how long it takes to make these things!” ..as he pulls out several moon rock bracelets! Takano pokes at the top most band and remarks.. “Hardly Paris style fashion!”

“Gimme a break Takano!”

Bell suddenly pops to full form, which SHOOTS Keima to the back of the room, causing `debris' to fly everywhere! “They should last just long enough for the System to come back online.” ..this before Bell suddenly gets dizzy from lack of energy. Megumi and Keiichi catch her, as Keiichi just yelps. “Here! You're first!” ..and slips the same top most bracelet on. Within seconds, Belldandy suddenly looks like her old self! All three helping to hold her, just sigh in relief. “Oh thank god.” ..Keiichi remarks.

“Oh, thank you Keiichi.” ...Bell chimes, which.. “Oh Belldandy.”

Takano and Megumi just egg in.. “”Oh my.” ..which just kills the mood for Keiichi. “Aw geeze!” ..this as Megumi takes the other bracelets. “I see you're busy, I'll help with the others.” ..this Takano elbows in. “I always wanted a grandchild.”

“HEY!”

Bell just smiles at the banter, as usual, not realizing the significance. Keiichi meanwhile looks around, seeing Sigel's relief when a bracelet is placed on Skuld's right wrist by Takano, but also noting. “Well, at least they didn't change much in age this time.” ..this noting the emblem program fluctuation problem from before. Keima manages to get a bracelet on Eihwa's wrist, as if treating her arm as leg from a bug. Megumi just remarks. “From the amount of garbage they stuffed themselves with, no wonder I guess.”

Keiichi just sighs, as Belldandy offers (quite content in Keiichi's arms.) “At least Cousin was understanding in giving his finances to this emergency. When he was awake that is.” ..this Keiichi readily agrees. “No kidding.”

Takano just remarks.. “At least `his' lil troop know how to handle a crisis like this in stride. These broads need a good lesson from them.” ..this as Urd warbles out, the first to start recovering.. “Who's a broad? Skuld?”

Skuld just moans back.. “Urd's a what now?” ..this as all four begin to awaken, albeit with signs of hangovers from Nidhog.

Keiichi looks back, as Takano gets up. “Wonder how they're doing? Been awhile since they were all stuck here.” Bell wonders that as well, among more worrisome details, as Takano heads outside, and over to the temple proper to check just that. She calmly heads up, and sees Frigurina still in her meditative state, before the Buddha statue, graceful as ever, as well as unconscious for conservation reasons. (She amongst them all feels the System aberration moreso, since the planet wouldn't survive `her' alternate needs.)

Takano smirks, then looks over to the habitation area, where she sees a sight that once again gives her a quirky smile, as well as a serene one.

There, a knightly slumber is wrapped around by five Valkyrian forms, as Lind, Phosus, Demesus, Thrud and Tsuyana all cuddle around Imlade, like they all were holding a dear teddy bear or something, as they all slept their own hibernation solution to all this. At least the Valkyries anyway, though they too had been exhausted by the battle that they fought so furiously against the very one they now were clutched quite endearingly unto.

Lind moreso than the others, being in the optimal lover's glom of positioning.

Takano gave appreciation to the scene, but looked at the knight, and felt a memory of the battle, one of him as something too dark to be logical. She felt it, and shook it off. “Steady girl, steady.”

“You won't be alone.” ..this Takano spins around, and sees Frigurina looking at the `teddy bear' like scene. Takano quipped.. “You're awake?!”

Frig just smiled all but Belldandy like, as suddenly the phone is heard ringing in the distance. A moment later Bell exclaims. “The System's back up!”

..and Keiichi.. “Already!?! But I just `made' those bracelets! AUGGHH!!!”

Takano and Frigurina share a good giggle at the short lived intentions of their mutual mortal of good intentions. Takano remarks.. “Guess you got first dibs on the energy.” ..this Frig just shrugs. “Being first amongst goddesses tends for such. I'm an indicator if anything for all other goddesses away from Heaven.

They'll all be fine now.”

Takano just nods. “Good ta hear.” ..she then looks back, as the still forms of the warriors of various note. Frig remarks a moment later to the same. “They'll wake up soon. They were all depleted of their life forces, such was their spells.

And then some real problems will have to be addressed.”

Takano hears and then sighs, turning. “I'm not ready for any more of that, to be honest.”

Frig sees Takano go, and then looks back, suspecting she won't be alone in that. The Goddess of Light looks at the sleeping mortal, immortal.... quasi-god? Who the heck was sure now.

She just sighed. “No one of us here will be. Least of all him.”

At this, she thinks she sees an eyebrow twitch. A dour indicator from within?

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

That engine block wasn't getting much work on it this day either.

“You know..” ..Chihiro was shaken out of her doldrums, at the voice of... “...putting things together with just brain powers, isn't done yet.” ..this Chihiro just blanched at Keiba, whom was wiping his hands of some engine oil. “You'd be surprised. I'm magic like that.”

Keiba just rolled his eyes. “Yeah-huh. You're doing about as well as those so called `workers' you said worked here.” ..this Chihiro suddenly got defensive for another reason, not for herself at that. Keiba just knifed at further.. “People get fired for less when they don't show up.”

“That's enough cousin.” ..Chihiro suddenly snapped. Keiba looked and saw eyes that were `far' more glaring, than he ever expected. “Eh?” ..was all Keiba just marked out, before Chihiro suddenly shot up, and grumbled over to the shop door.

“Where're you going?” ..Keiba quipped, as Chihiro just snapped back.. “Air. Space. I need both right now.”

Chihiro disappeared, leaving a more than curious cousin to start doing more than just wonder what was going in.

He decided he needed to `know'.

Outside, Chihiro just sighed, heading out back to the empty back lot of Whirlwind. She looked at the empty area she hoped one day to hold a full fledged workshop, building, garage, tons more.

But for the moment, all she saw, was an empty area as wide as her own heart was. She clutched at herself, and shuddered. The memories of how `roughly' she had been handled. Those piecing eyes that she couldn't actually `look' into, as one should be able to do of another person.

And that dark voice that made her shudder away from fitful sleep.

Her mullings over an unfinished engine block, for the past three days since that traumatic event, had been as much gazing from said memories of dour note, in as much as from sleep deprivation. Her fearful state wasn't one she cared for.

And so she clutched herself, voicing.. “He was so good... a good person. How.......... why?” ..she shuddered, wondering something that was not alone in thought.

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

“Thank you Father.” ..this a moment before Belldandy replaced the receiver. Peorth wondered, as she was still wiping her face with a goddess induced `wash-cloth', for her `pungent-problem', this in voice of.. “Everything back to normal up in Hub?” ..this Bell looked back. “For the most part.”

Megumi afar just remarked.. “Well, at least that mess is behind us.” ..this as Skuld and Urd are cajoled on to help clean up all their `trash'. Takano and Keima watch on as Keiichi imparts. “Boy, Hild really likes messing things up.”

Urd just sighed. “She's a `fun' one at that.”

Keima just huffed. “Apparently not the only one.” ..this Takano eyed warily over. For good reason, as the goddesses eye him as well, this Skuld remarks. “It's not his fault.” ..this Keima isn't so certain of. Peorth just voiced further at this. “Still, I never knew he'd become `that' evil. Pour l'amour de Dieu, what did Hild `do' to him?”

Keiichi heads off a more dour version from Keima, in asking.. “Was it that kiss? Just being in... um... ulp.. that place?”

Bell sighs. “Not even I am sure what happened to him.”

“Frig knows.” ..this everyone looks and smiles at seeing Lind and Phosus in the hallway now. The former also adds.. “Mara does too.”

Urd leaps up wackily to Lind, at the word `Mara', and offers.. “Let's let Mara sleep her own self off.”

Lind squint her eyes, knowing Mara had gone back to whatever hovel she used for a hideout, rather than stay here as was suggested. A proper mode, given the unsettled air of this all. Enough problems without a demon to add to the chaos. Even if not an actual part. And better not, given what was going to occur shortly.

Keima just kept chipping away, enough of his own distraction anyway. “To think I trusted him.”

Lind blinked, as Phosus felt a tremor the same. The goddesses other, suddenly grew unsettled, at the tension Keima was creating.

Lind just remarked in kind. “Then he feels worse the same.”

Keiichi just traded a `huh?' look with Bell.

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

Tsuyana asked worriedly, at the still, though for not much longer, unconscious Lord Knight. “Is he going to be.... stable?”

Frig nodded. “I've reSealed his tenth level powers. All Hild's damage is done, for the empowered part.” ..with the elder goddess sighing. “My Doublet never should have gone that far. His works unto the knight are supposed to be handled more evolutionary. Not in such baneful displays of enforced... teachings.”

Thrud sighed, half relief, half worry. She just remarks. “Better as he `should' be for now. Thought sparring with my Father was tough enough.” ..this Tsuyana quips over, arms folded. “But you `came' here for such a fight.”

Thrud just blanches back.. “Not `that' hard! I'm sore in places I never thought I'd feel again.” ..this `feeling' for them in areas that risk ratings problems. Tsuyana just rolls her eyes and just creaks her own arms, commenting.. “Agreed.”

Frig just shook her head, then noted a groan from the sleeping... whatever he was.. “He's waking up.”

Tsuyana nodded. “Better tell Lind.” Thrud follows, quipping however.. “Do we need to? She probably already knows.”

Frigurina giggled as the two warriors left. She then floated a distance away, just as he was finally regaining full consciousness.

---

And Lind `did' feel it.

...and a moment later, they all did...

---

Everything was bright here. Did he remember when he opened his eyes? Something felt off, but looking around in this white haze that was clearing off, as he thought he saw two beings... no.. he didn't..

...where was he? He couldn't tell as he felt himself awaken.

He felt empty for some reason, the darkness of sleep beforehand being very comforting and close for some unknown reason. He missed it.

His mind then started to click on, his extremities feeling again, soreness that was palatable for reasons his mind started reminding him of. And then the nanites started clicking back on, and in succession, the rest of his body and mind in a few short moments.

And at that moment, he was awake. And he was remembering.

And then he felt a guilt he was far more remorseful to have realized.

The Contract...

.....the Darkness......

.......the Conversion.....

.............the Actions........

...................the Power........

The God...

He then realized another iota that crept into memory. It all but swamped his senses, rational thought, and even his normal brakes of second thought on what would be consideration of the thought he then had. He remembered the looks of the facades that had too much reservation and fear of him.

He realized..

“Is everything..... over....?”

He almost went with it.

He didn't. He didn't know why yet. He sat up, and remained so for a groggy moment.

His next thought, was on a cat that suddenly appeared at the steps, and walked up to him. He smirked, knowing something of `norm' in this action, as it thumped in front of him, a plain brown tabby of decent girth.

Imlade sighed, and reached to pet it.

As he started petting it however, he noted the cat tense up for some reason. He petted a second time, and it reacted the same. Something off he and the cat suspected.

“Un...comfortable..”

He saw the cat look up, and then raise to back off. This as the knight looked at his own hand, and in so doing, saw something `too' off about it. He felt he saw more than he could previously. Frig, mini and all, just out of sight, as she watched the scene unfold, grew justified of her own fears, as Imladris realized he was not `right' for some reason.

This as the knight grabbed at his hand, as it started shaking. (Enough to scare the cat off.)

The day didn't start off well as a result, as an all too fresh trauma, and a `secondary' reason for it, suddenly rumbled him into a disjointed mind. One that was focused on...

“What am I!?!?!?”

Before he knew it, he felt his power suddenly surge, without consent!!

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

Lind had `just' felt the first fleeting consciousness fade, when she asked openly. “Are we going to give him another chance?”

This made even Keima's stoic demeanor change. Keiichi just blurted. “What do you....”

...and then the SPIKE in power made all the goddesses look towards outside! Then the visual component of confused reaction, the same for the mortals!!

“What!?” ..more than one shout, as they race outside in time to see a rather large copper-bronze globe of Intracel code make, suddenly expand to just outside the temple perimeter! Bell gasped, as everyone watched in renewed uncertainty! Lind then sees Thrud and Tsuyana shoot up! “Lind! It's that new angel of his!!”

Lind gasps, just before they feel a shifting of the ground, and many look below in time to see dirt and sand rush by, and up to join into the globe! Bell then hears Frig shout! “No you dang fool! That's not the friggen answer!” ..as the elder goddess, floating just away from the globe perimeter, sees the sand merge into it in decent quantity, and as soon as enough gathers..

Lind realizes.. “He's caging himself!” ..Keiichi shouts.. “What!?”

..at that, the globe suddenly contracts fast, and quickly after vanishing, a SCREECHING sound of a high pitch variety, makes everyone hold their ears! Keima shouts out.. “Sounds like glass being squeezed together!”

That's when they understood enough, as the piercing sound ends as soon as it started, to all then rush up to the temple, and from there, a sight `most' unique. Lind blinks at first sight.. “Wha?”

Frig moans and holds her head, as they all see a new dome of apparently dense glass, set in a turtle like shell of a dome shape and pattern! Keima just points, kooky eyed, and remarks.. “What the `heck' is that?” ..this Urd just moans out, rubbing her melon. “He's being a big baby, that's what `that' is.”

Of note, Skuld hops over, and taps at the `glass' with a finger, then raps it a good hit, which makes a good glass -echo- sound in reaction, before just yelling. “What the `heck' did you do that for!??!”

Suddenly, a muffled echo from within yells out.. “Don't want any! Go away!”

Takano just grumbles, as they all realize what just happened. Even Keiichi decries.. “Is `this' any way to handle this?!”

..and in return.. “Stay away please! I won't hurt anyone anymore!”

Lind just huffs with Belldandy pleading. “Cousin, please! We know it wasn't truly your fault!” ...before Phosus stomps over and starts kicking hard at the `dome'. “Yeah, stop being a wuss you freak!”

“Go away!” ..with Phosus kicking hard once again, a bit too hard, as she then suddenly grabs her kicking right leg in mild pain. “Ow! That thing is hard!”

Keima just sighs at this. “Can't stand up to your own actions I see.”

Eihwa decries against that with.. “That isn't fair to him mortal.” ..with Takano adding. “Didn't we have enough of this already?”

Just then, a more dire tone echoes out of.. “Please stay away! I can't control my powers anyway now! It's safer if you all don't come near until this thing is removed from me!”

This of note, makes the goddesses more than reserved. It even nearly makes Belldandy cry! Peorth walks over and echoes out this in unease. “You... you can't mean that!”

Urd however remarks.. “He may be right though. That thing in him, it's not even normal as it is. That Familiar in Velsper, even the one in Mara is safer.” ..this Bell responds.. “Even so, he's been too attached for too long now.”

Frig sighs. “True.” ..everyone else looks, as the elder goddess imparts.. “..we'd have to return him to Heaven to restore him. Even then, it may be a long time before he can return here. The risk of withdrawal symptoms, as per an angel being forcibly removed, are too severe.

Especially considering the `type' of angel within him now.”

Keiichi blinks, and then asks.. “Is it that angel that caused him to...” ..before Frig makes a `shush' move of her right finger to her lips. “Not here.”

Before he knows it, he `is' alone, as per Frig's hand gestured request. Within, he feels `all' too well, the roiling fury of a separate soul that represents all of his soul, of a frightening mode to possibly witness. He cringes, blaming Hild all with fury, as well as blaming himself for what he is, and all he has done over `all' those years.

The Arch-angel in the end, isn't the evil one. It's only a reflection of the soul, it didn't expect to be attached unto. One it never thought could be in more pain than even the Angel itself had been in

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

Keima just blared out the obvious. “What the heck is with him!? One day he's someone decent enough to be around, the next, he's like a visage form some sci-fi flick, but ten times moreso! What is WITH him!??”

“Excellent question.” ..Skuld remarked. Everyone else now in the same TV room, just heard as Belldandy started remarking. “Did Hild really mean what she said of him?

Frig just sighed, not wanting to divulge too much. But from looking at the facades of the all but stricken of fear mortals, even Keiichi whom had already seen more than a fair share of such things, it was clear if answers didn't come, in enough detail, they might not get their knight back.

She sighed again... and a third time, as she looked over at Lind, and commented. “You at least understand enough of what this is all about?”

Lind cringes, and looks down, a sight not even Phosus was expecting. Lind just remarked to that. “My worry over the matter hasn't had much time to dwell upon. The battle even less so.” ..she then looks over at Frig and all but demands. “Does the situation really call for such a drastic measure?”

Frigurina cocks an eye. “Drastic? Husband has had this planned from the moment the knight made that Wish. Voluspa's and Imladris's destines were apparently intertwined from that moment on..” ..this Keiichi blinks at. “Destiny? I... wait... ..okay I'm confused.”

Skuld just raises a hand.. “Seconded.”

Urd just eggs that at. “You kids nowadays.” ..before Peorth chides. “Like you know any better than we all, save Lind apparently.” ..this Urd raspberries back unto.

“I sort of knew.” Eihwa remarks, looking over at Frigurina. “Is that why that child was seen with you recently? ..this Frig almost shushes her about, but then only remarks. “That is part of Almighty's long term solution to the problem.

The one Hild had no right in breaching.”

Takano just suddenly echoes Keiichi. “You're losing us lady.”

Frig rolls her eyes, and responds. “Okay, you want to know? Then listen and give the metal guy a break while you do. As it is, and `all' of you here that know better, `better' accept the fact that our mutual knight is meant to a purpose that all but essentially will prevent the end of all we know.

And I don't know yet even, if that won't consume him in the process. What I all say here is probable conjecture.”

Lind gasps.. “Beloved may die!?” ..this Frig exacerbates.. “As he gave his agreement unto. As you know him of why, should answer `that' much.” ..this Lind looks at the table, and clenches her hands.

Frigurina pressed on.. “Understand. Please try to at least. He started as a willing servant for Heaven. And for all we stand for, the one tool we nominally do not ascribe unto, is the true fathoms of the warrior. The ways of war. Even despite what we have the War Section for. We don't fight to kill each other, us of Heaven and Hell alike. Not normally at least.

We have in the end, the Doublet Hostage exchange, the treaty between the Systems, Intracel and Nidhog, and the actions of the mortals themselves that determine where souls go unto, at time of death. All of that normally, is meant to prevent a war, one Hild warned, but never intended to breach in actual, that has all capability of ruining all that Existence is, as we know it as.

One we all here take for granted.”

The uncertainty of mind, was focused on these words. Frig noted this, and dropped her tone a chord, and continued. “We aren't meant for a war. We go through existence, supporting through the System, realities that have their own conflicts, but ones we do not go so nearly any far, in the viciousness of. Despite even our temptations, we avoid war and conflict at all costs. The kind that we here know that Caceroth inflicted upon us, all those years ago.”

Keiichi quipped to the unease of his kin.. “That invasion thing?” ..this Frig nods. “The kind that if `it' were to cause lasting damage, would cause impossible repercussions for the lower dimensions. All we do, at the apex of creation and existence, in support and in reality of, reflects below in the greater degree. We are the example that usually is never seen by the lower beings, ones whom are too busy with their own evolutions.

As all they well should.”

“High standards.” Keima remarks.

“Ones that one being over all else, wishes destroyed, down to the 1st Dimensional microbe All because of acts at the beginning of existence, one where all laws and all of everything came from, even beyond imagination of the simplistic kind to appreciate, that caused Her to create an endless jealously over all else that Is.”

Frig sighs, stops in seeing the jittered faces about her, and then continues to the creeped out gathered anyway.

“Voluspa, just hates us all. It doesn't matter whom. It's Her that is somehow the one being that `can' cause everything to vanish. One where there will be no second beginning after. One that as a precursor goddess, knows the secrets of Existence, to cause just that in effect. One that `can' happen, according to the Existence Laws.”

The mortals and goddesses all gulp in hearing. Megumi just remarks.. “Are we hearing too much?”

“You `better' hear it. Voluspa is at this moment, trying to cause actions for herself to catalyst unto this Plane. From that, she knows where to find the Focus to use as her medium to cause her version of Ragnarok. One that in her way, wouldn't have a new world to breed out from the ashes.

She wouldn't even leave the `ashes' behind, the way she wants things.” ..she puts, growing her own migraine of a celestial kind.

Bell shudders, but manages to ask. “Is.... is this why our Cousin is so involved?”

Frig vectors the story to her version of what needs to be heard. She sighs and continues. “For Voluspa to enter this realm, she needs her own Catalyst. To explain that, I say all to the following to clarify.” ..she took a breath, and imparted, knowing she wouldn't be interceded by Protection Programs and such. All the better here.

“In the Beginning, she was the one that held the knowledge Almighty seeked.

I was after, from that knowledge, but Hild a moment before I did. It was from this, we both knew of the First Knowledge. However we learned at that time, where the knowledge came from. We also knew, that Voluspa asked to create her own separate Existence, one she could be equal to Almighty of. One that if Almighty allowed, would cause something unknowable.

One even Almighty did `not' know. And for that, to know something unknowable, would make Almighty question all his future works. The ones we know of now, the ones that give all Existence it's actual stability.” ..a shuddered breath..

“Without that actual stability, we may all `not' be so stable as a result. Existence may not have been able to form at all from that. For Existence, it's the same rules for a foundation of a building. But the rules for that foundation, are too complex to just say: `Go ahead, we can anticipate a foundation that isn't stable, to even basis of basic things like physics, and even thought.'

Trust me on this. If Voluspa had succeeded in her own Existence, there is `no' telling if either Existence would have survived. Voluspa, for some reason, didn't have power over the knowledge of Creation after all. She only held the complete knowledge of all history in all Existence, but not power therefrom. Worse, that Knowledge I suspect, could only be `used' in one Existence anyway. Not that Voluspa seemed to heed that.” ..Frig just exasperated. “She needed my Husband's permission for the same power to cause Creation for her own.

And He would have more than likely had been the source of that second Creation. As `that' stands, that power actually may have been the key reason for His refusal in the Beginning. Between stability of two Existences and the lack to power both, well...” ...she slumps a bit, actually fatigued from giving such `deep' information out. The rest listening were in various states of shock at this, the goddesses now numb at that.

And all of this, was a simplistic wording of such a fathomless event. Frig just sighed out.. “As it is, when Voluspa was refused, she grew jealous of Him. It extended over the Existence she couldn't control, and her relegation of His refusal turned her Will into her own pocket existence that became nothing more than a separate reality, in `this' Existence, in the end.

She... was miffed, as a result.”

She then furthered.. “And yet, she didn't have the power to sunder this Existence. Even Hild at the time of her Fall, was more powerful than Voluspa, since Hild had the understanding of Power, if not the emotional control over it. I was the same, after He chose me as his beloved. Hild says she dumped him, but that's a poor excuse for her actual failings, for her own lust for Power.

With no reference to temper her lust for Power, Hild grew infatuated with too much of it, Falling after she gained her Angel, the first of Angels in fact. Oblivion was her mirror of how engrossed in Power she was. But that angel was only one of three that were meant at first, as Almighty's mending of Voluspa's anger toward Him, and us all.

However the eggs were different back then. Hild showed that when she was overpowered of mind to prevent her own Fall, where she created her own System shortly after, meant to simply oppose Almighty, and `subsume' the same, hence how the War of Souls originated. He then tasked me to help finish creating Heaven, and the lower dimensions at the time.

The egg I received, became second, to temper against Hild's own, my Light of Creation. I somehow was more reasonable compared to Hild, and was the one that built Heaven and the rest of the goddess sub-structure and culture we appreciate. I also was the one to reformat how the angels were created, programmed to behave, and all such. The reason was too obvious given Hild, and the unused Arch-angel egg.

This as original the first egg, one meant for Voluspa, became third. It was supposed to give Voluspa a stability to temper her jealous thoughts, and hopefully bring Voluspa back into the fold. That would have ended the Jealousy that was such a danger to His works. However this did not come to pass, when Voluspa hid herself after her sub-reality was subsumed by the current Existence. As a result, the first egg was unused, and it became angry. This an emotional function of the early eggs before we learned better.

Almighty at this time realized beyond, that if `that' egg became of Voluspa at that moment, she would become powerful enough to Sunder all of Existence. Voluspa would realize her power, and that's be it folks.” ..she enunciated with a slap of her hand to the tea table!

Keiichi was dry in the throat, as the story progressed. At least he wasn't alone. Frigurina continued despite her own similar feelings.

“So, there you have it. An early Existence, one with a Fall already, and not even all of reality formed yet. If the Seer had the angel back then, she would have been powerful enough at the time, to act on her Jealousy. This isn't a matter of Voluspa giving such a capability a second thought.

She was insane. The meaning of such things came from her. Power came from Hild. Existence and Knowledge from my Husband, this as he powered Existence the same, governed it's basic rules for all dimensions and such. From this, I grew the remainder in between from that all, balancing everything out, after forming Heaven, all to at first as much combat Voluspa, as Hild later on, the former who I recognized at the time, even when Hild wouldn't, such was her blindness of Power at the time.

I however realized that with further time and examination, as did my Husband, the Existence would grow it's own power, and from that, it's own defense to prevent Voluspa, from causing her own goal. Even if that goal killed Voluspa all the same. And this is all a primary cause for her needing a catalyst to enter this realm, one that is touched of the realms the Seer hates most.”

Keiichi gulped... and gulped... “It... is... ah... is that... I mean..”

Frigurina sighed, as Belldandy held unto the boy. Frig nodded. “You are that catalyst, for her goals to succeed from. I'm sorry, but this is truth. It is the interaction of light and dark within you, that has the keys that the Seer wants. That key, can access enough of all needed data relevant to destroy tenth dimensional reality.

You can guess what happens to all the rest, if that happens.”

Keiichi however balks. “Why me?!” ..looking around, at the severely worried souls around him. “Aren't there other people like me out there? It's a huge universe!” ..he said, not realizing his words.

Frig sighs, and really pressed. “Hate to say it kid. But you have as rare a relationship, of unique note amongst the universes, between our apex dimension, and this lower one. You held heaven and hell in your soul, more than once now.

And unlike most, you're stable with such. That makes you a rare key as far as such things go. You shouldn't be alive, after `all' you've been through. As you are, you hold a unique place in this Existence, though all it's myriad realities.” ..she keeps on sighing, and continuing.. “If there had been others, and there may be yet still, that Voluspa seeks, we'd `not' be having this conversation in such singular detail now. She may know all, and `where' all are, but she can't be more than in one dimension at a time, even one place in the same. It's not like she's Hild, who can split off a portion of herself.

She holds knowledge the same as Almighty, but her power is severely limited to the souls she can feed off of. Her Soulless are her `battery', and she's been trying forever to use that gain power to act off from. As such, she can only concentrate with what she has, to act on, for her goals.”

Keiichi should have fainted. He however just remarked. “So... um... if `I' die due to her, we `all' are screwed?”

Frig shrugs. “And `only' from her. That however isn't your singular gift here. Belldandy is. Your relationships here, with us primarily, has caused a tertiary reaction to give Voluspa this opportunity. And now that such has come to pass, you can't simply have us leave, and such a danger go away now.

You are already too imprinted to be changed back now. It's been too long.”

Takano gulps. “My... my Keiichi is a target of a god that wants to kill off... everything?”

Frigurina nods, and then looks at Lind. “There is only one thing that can stop her. At the levels this all has become, it's only one way now even.”

Lind looks over. “Make my beloved a god to stop her?”

“Counteract. That's the key word here.” Frig sighs, keeps her mind from rambling too far, and refocuses. “I go back to our problem. The one where Heaven and Hell don't like harming each other often. That has become a rather prickly problem for us.

Voluspa, after Eons, hasn't changed one bit. She's done this course all this time, and yet hasn't the power to act on it.

Until `now'.”

Eihwa gulps.. “The Soulless.” ..Frigurina nods. “No one else knows of this, but I tell you all here and now. I've calculated that Voluspa has had enough time, despite previous Invasion attempts, to build up her power from the same Soulless. (There have been many over the Eons and Ages.) She is about ready to enact the sending her Catalyst to enter this Dimension, without the need of Keiichi.

Remember, Soulless are the souls of mortals that never believed, and never chose their spiritual path in life. Not just simply an atheistic belief, but true dispassionate choice in beliefs. However they so chose as such. The result is that over all these Eons, and all the uncountable souls in all of Existence, there has been enough time now for `that' many Soulless to become trapped from their own rather real mistakes, to empower Voluspa more and moreso upon. Soon, she will have enough of this, to no longer need a catalyst.”

“How horrible.” Peorth struck out. Frig just kept continuing.

Beforehand, She needs him, Keiichi that be, at her current level of power, to breach the Existence layer between her reality, and here, to attack us up high. That was the original intent of the past battle here with Caceroth. Before even that, she used a copy of herself, as Gaea, to attempt this. Before even that, other methods used that didn't need direct actions. And the attempts have been many.

Her goal step however, is to be `as' powerful as Hild, at least, to breach the high dimensions, and sunder Almighty's link over Existence. She doesn't need to kill him. Without his Link to Us, We are history.

He won't have the power to stop her in time, if that happens. Guess the rest, even to Him.

Again, a price of her knowing all things. Even Him.”

Keiichi was confused. “So does she need me, or not?” Frigurina continued. “It doesn't matter. The calculations show, that she may not need you for much longer. It's a probably `short-cut' still, but soon, she may be able to transcend that. Enough power, and she will arrive on her own.

The only way she can be stopped then, is an element our high realms do not have readily access unto.”

Lind just remarks.. “The Human element.”

“It's more elemental than any of you know. Mortal element is more apt, and this as such, only can happen once in this existence. More than one, may mean a being that can become as powerful as Voluspa on their own, to challenge Almighty. The rules, ones the Existence made of themselves, not of I or even my Husband, were set to prevent such, but allow the `possibility' for such anyway.

Something I believe Almighty anticipated in his Evolutionary programs. It may be His want, that the Dimensions fight back against the element of End that Voluspa makes of herself. That, may be what caused Imladris. The mortal of beforehand.”

They didn't know how to be shocked. What kind of such to be as. Lind just espoused.. “It... what?”

“Good, you are shocked. I was easily quite so when I suspected. It makes sense though, given Infinity and all such fathomless powers we never can consider in short terms, even within spans of a few Eons and Eras. Such things take all of gathered time to even consider in the grandest scale. An evolutionary one at that.” Frigurina smirked at the Valkyrie with. “I am by no means a true mind of my Husband. But I guess from the echoes that history has wrought, from all the Rules I do know of, that this may be the Will of the Universe in formal power.

And if you tell Imladris that, you `won't' get a sane reaction from him. It's better he isn't hearing all this, so for GODS sakes, don't tell him!”

Urd just blares out! “Can I react in that way `for' him!??! You.. you're saying that he...”

“It fits.” ..Keima suddenly remarks. Everyone looks, as Keima just smiles in a calm fashion. “You only need something, when you really need it.”

Lind sighs. “Like a tool.”

Frigurina pressed with dear imprint further. “All this time, Imladris has been reformatted to become, like it nor, a god. It's the `only' way he can stand up to the likes of Voluspa, when the time comes. We are essentially helping the Will of the Universe along, as far as such things go.” ..this Belldandy remarks.. “Is that what the nanites are for?”

Frig nods. “Again, say any of this, and I'll strip your minds of this. Mortal or goddess. However know that the nanites, over all this time, have been doing more than just giving him `enhancements'. If it was simply that, he'd never survive the kinds of events he has. Those nanites have been `evolving' him, down to cellular levels that exist as in much physical format, as they do in multi-dimensional ones. They're essentially a second `frame' that covers his basic mortal frame, for now. Eventually, they'll just become no more than cell bodies within his final form. For now, they're his celestial life support system, as well as give him his current slate of abilities.

They also are his partial Seal, the one that Hild broke. They hold back his burgeoning powers, the rest kept in check by Imladris's own emotional barriers and very real mental restraints. Ones he needs not even know of for now at that.” ..this Keiichi just quips. “We won't tell. Not after what we saw.”

Frig smiles, and then imparts.. “When the time is right, the Nanites will unlock his Seals, when he is ready to accept them. He will be a god in full tenth level fashion, at that time, and face his destiny. All else will become our written accord at that time. As it is, his conflicts with Caceroth so far, are precursors of what is to come. Caceroth, is nothing more than a misguided `offspring' of Voluspa's own demented self.

He `is' what She is. Imladris is reconstructed to stop her, at the time of that Wish. She will have only one chance to breach out of her realm, and that is the moment Imladris was made for. He is therefore the tool of our salvation.”

Peorth throws a nice wrench into all this then, freaking Eihwa and Urd out all the same!. “Then what the HECK was Hild up too?” ..this Frig rubs her forehead, and sighing like a dead cow's after exhale. “Her actually trying to `help'. I think. She has only as recently as of the Invasion, realized the threat of Voluspa. Yes, even after `all' this blasted time!

She was so dense about that of such, she just didn't `get' it until now!”

Urd, amongst anyone else, just MOANS in comic dejection at! “That `would' be her alright! Oh holy jeeze!” Belldandy wilts the same as the others, however presses her own thoughts. “So Hild, in her own way, was helping him prepare for what is to come?

Then how does that Angel fit into all of that?”

Frig sure sighed at `that' one, enough to make Keiichi lose emotional feeling. “Another of Hild's shortsighted considerations. However, and I `seriously' hazard this, she may have done a favor to us all. Course given the Angel's instability and all, even I cannot say what the heck this all means!

As much as everything is supposed to be planned out for Imladris's dealing with Voluspa, nothing was ever certain of how to go about it. This Angel could help, it could hinder.

There's no way to be sure.”

Urd remarks, the same tone she used during the Blue Lance event between Bell and Keiichi. “Do we remove it? It seems dangerous to leave him with something `that' iffy.”

Lind however stands up against that assessment. “I don't believe that. I just don't.” ..this Frig asks.. “How so? You actually know him better than I.” ..this Lind nods. “Indeed. I once here said of Keiichi and Skuld, how strong their souls were.

I said that, knowing still the comparison Imladris `has', and `is'.. It may be he was made to be a god to stand up to another, his destiny and all such. But it `still' can not explain how powerful a soul he has.

From what I have experienced, Thor of most is `not' the kind to give any fashion of compassion, that includes to the soul. I have seen times when my love would be so broken in training, he `shouldn't' have begotten back up.” ..she looks at Frig. “He took a lot off of you, with his manners. Thor knows how to punish others, when he `really' wants to.”

“To an insane level.” Frig admits.

Lind then puts in a proud tone. “And he `never' gave up, even when his body gave out, his `eyes' never did.” ..she smirks. “..and now that we've Melded, I can see why. I've gained so much strength from his soul since then, that `it' was how I could stand up to him, when we battled against him a few days ago. Beforehand, I wouldn't have been able to. I do not admit this with harm to my ego.”

Everyone listened, as Lind echoed to her fellow Commanders. “We all should know. He `knows' what is at stake if he should fail.” ..she then leans back and openly admits to a pride she didn't expect. “He's going to be a magnificent god. For however long such lasts.”

Urd smiles over.. “You `have' become so much stronger since he Confessed.”

“Thank you.” Lind offers. Keiichi however adds.. “You however give `him' the same in return. He's strong because of you too.”

Lind nods, and then offers.. “Given that, I suspect the Angel already has reacted enough to that. All Angels, even the precursors, `were' made to obey their mistress, be a part of their soul, whatever the soul took shape thereof.”

Frig blinks and nods. “I see. I should have realized better. All the Angels were made in the same manner. The Arch-Angels were only more sentient really.”

Belldandy offers to the hope of. “We just need to make him realize how to trust himself.”

“That... is the problem.” ..Lind suddenly offers. She looks over at Frig. “I suspect you mean of our lack of warlike tendencies, Heaven and Hell alike, even amongst the War Sections, where brutality and such are concerned.

Something the lower planes are far too much more used to.”

Frig sighs. “Hild helped that a bit. She brought out his dark side, the kind that `all' warriors have within. Even with all our works unto him, he `still' is a soldier that died in a war. He knows the consequences of war. He's seen things we cannot stomach. Travesties that would tear even me asunder, horrors that occur despite all logic.

Celestine for example couldn't, and look what happened from `that' mess. We just aren't strong enough for such gross fallacies. It may be a fallacy further of us, but we've been better off from on high for it. Our example as such. Voluspa of course does not see that, and `can' judge us weak from that. She can't from Imladris, not from the wars his mind still mulls over. The one's that burn the soul.”

Belldandy understands, a shudder that makes Keiichi have to actually lunge for her. “Belldandy?”

“The Angel. It'll reflect all the horrors he's witnessed. The ones most burned into his soul.”

Lind nods. “It's possibly something that Angel never could have prepared for. Jealous notions are `not' scars. It takes real cuts to cause scars. If we let the Angel remain, it will be forced to adapt. If we take it away... well... he'd all be as of us if we are stripped of ours.” ..she sighs of this. “A step between his mortality of understanding, and the reality of the immortal he aspires us of. The scars sewn within all of that.”

Frig just moans. “He's more fit for a... what.. a Seventh? Eight? One of those dimensions, as he is now? He'd comprehend as such if he were exposed. All that tenth level exposure before just means he's all but a step away from `as' us, and where he needs to be to be a weapon against Voluspa.”

Takano just fops backwards onto the flooring, moaning out. “Is `that' why he's like this? Trapped behind a dang wall of glass?”

“Physical manifestation.” ..Phosus imparts, which Demesus adds.. “He'll `never' stop being handful.”

It's Keiichi however that strikingly remarks to all this in his best manner. “And he's still one of us anyway. I don't care what of the rest of this stuff. I mean, if he doesn't know what happiness means, what else does it matter to defend all we know and love?”

Belldandy is surprised at this, like the others keep in so doing, yet is the first to nod in kind to this. “We made him a Cousin for a reason. I know he wants to be of a family. When the time comes, even if he sacrifices himself, he won't regret his life, and will appreciate more what our Existence means.

If it's one with love, and family, then everything else will take care of themselves at the appropriate time.”

Frig nods, knowing this truth better than anyone. Hearing it from her daughter and her probable son-in-law, makes her proud. Lind then adds.. “I want him to be at full peace and capability with himself, in this same light.

But it won't be easy.”

“No it won't.” Frig nods again. “We have our work cut out for us. And he needs to grow up some more as well, dang knightly dope.”

Keima however SLAPS a hand onto the flooring, and stabs out with.. “But what about that crap he did the other day?! If it happened once...”

“...yes again it can.” ..Frig remarks, all too calmly. “Being the shadow, and the light, is the weapon for being able to face Voluspa's elemental nature. As such, he `can' turn again. But I believe there was a catalyst for such a change to begin with.”

Lind gasps.. “Mara said something about a Conversion!”

The goddesses alike gasp.. “Conversion?!” ..the same, while the mortals just look on with pipped eyes.. Megumi of them, ekes out.. “Uh... explanations?”

Urd just suddenly stands. “He's like me, of us all here. Let me handle this first.”

Skuld just dryly retorts. “Great, make things worse why don't you.” ..before ducking a Urd `pillow'-bolt.

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

...and through all that, he wasn't an ear to listen of.

All he did instead, was shudder in the soul of mind. All he could do in fact. Sitting there in his glass cocoon, he swam in a chaos of mire and muck. This made up of all the memories of his wars, his traumas, his failings. Seeing what he did in falsehoods. Seeing what he did in the Darkness. Seeing things that he didn't realize were as much remembering..

..as they were of his unwitting `soul', looking them over, as if in a library of his mind.

Given formal lack of understanding, as well as... “They..... they'll never trust me.... again.” ...that.

The dome was still porous enough, the angel `helping' enough, to allow breath to reach him. A nice miracle of unintended powers. The manner it was so, was something that would take a bit of thought to crack.

The voice outside that suddenly spoke, considered different routes.

“Having fun in there?”

Imladris groaned, and tried to ignore the all too obvious voice of Urd suddenly nearby. Urd however just keeps chipping away. “You know I saw this store along the way one day, while I was getting my Koa Leaf and Gapura oil, for some potions I was trying out, and saw these nifty swords that I knew you'd drool over. I told Lind about them, so you can come out anytime and..”

“Not coming out.”

Urd dryly looked down at the `dome' she was sitting on, and tried a different tactic. “Aw come on. I think Sis made a cake you'd love to try out. Has some exotic vanilla flavoring I think.”

“Forget it.”

Urd just snapped comically at the dome. “You can't stay in there forever!”

“Try me.”

Urd seethed, just as Skuld suddenly BUMPS her away! “Move loser!” ..as she holds some all too hyper-advanced-from-another-Sci-fi-series-device in her hands. “Hey Cousin! I made this palm sized communications device, one that can tap even into alien communication standards!”

“Too busy.”

Skuld just huffed, then fished in her blouse for a laser gun like thingy. “Try this then! It's a device that can shoot a laser all the way to the moon from here!”

“Humans can already do that.”

Skuld feels like she's sinking.

Skuld then just snaps! “You can't stay in there forever!”

“You sound like Urd.”

Skuld blows a fuse! “Oh yeah!” ..this Urd zips over, her hands nice and charged. “Maybe we can make you come out!” ..as Skuld pulls out a uber-Skuld-bomb! “Yeah!”

---

Keiichi just looks with all too knowing dryness, as he and most the others see Urd and Skuld come out, all nice and soot covered. Peorth just rolls her eyes.. “ImbÃ©cile.” ..this Lind adds bland eyed.. “That glass makes a fine shield.”

Skuld and Urd just cough soot out, in simult.

Takano just comments. “Maybe a more loving touch is needed.”

Lind just remarks. “More likely to just get frustrated and punch that dome.” .this Phosus comes up and comments.. “What if we all did it? You and we of Valkyrie.”

Lind wonders, a good bit actually, as Eihwa offers.. “That might be needed as a last resort.”

Keiichi just quirky quips. “Would like the Temple to remain standing too!” ..this Thrud actually giggles unto. Bell then offers.. “What if he's talked to by ones he thinks are against him?”

Of them, Keima just sighs. “If he'll listen, not to mention if we're serious about it.”

Keiichi just comments to that. “Wonder how Chihiro and Sentaro would feel about that. If anyone, they were hurt most of all.”

“Tricky proposition.” Takano offers. Keiichi then nods. “Yeah. Plus she's working today, like we should be. Not sure if she'd come beyond that.” Bell just sighs at this, and offers.. “The first step to healing, is the trust that has been damaged. If that can be healed, so can the rest.” ..this Keiichi nods. Keima hears but can't wrap himself around the fact yet.

Course, things would move things along on `that' front anyway.

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

Chihiro was `still' at the back of her shop, the passage of time completely oblivious to her, when she suddenly heard the HARD rev of a FZ1, and a rather harsh screech of tires in quick succession! She stumbled to the road side corner of the building, and saw..

“Keiba you.... uh...”

..she stood there for a moment, and saw her cousin shoot off. She didn't outright suppose anything. However she went inside, and `then' saw a note, complete with a short intention!

We need to talk later, some workers...

That Krauser hadn't been so hard started and turned around in it's lifetime! Neither had the driver of a tiny Honda `monkey' bike, been so freaked out by this sight! At this, Sora shot her head out! “Wha!? Chihiro?” And as said womanly was mad as all hornet-hell! She just screamed in her helmet! “Why does he have to take after me so damn much!”

Ahead about ten blocks, Keiba was huffing as all hornet-hell as `well'!

Under his helmet.. “No one makes my cousin cry like that!!”

A nice chase, full of manic short cuts and a police chase that didn't do very much other than just get other drivers mad, and trap two cops between buildings, and one police biker in a water fountain, as Chihiro used `all' her short cut tricks to head off her cousin! (and tricks a Krauser shouldn't fit through.)

And all of that with no more than a cracked headlight or dented door through all of it. For `anyone' actually!

And this was just to head up towards the place Chihiro mentioned a few times, high in those hills.

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

He remembered...

Riding down the plains of Direfold, an army trying to be headed off as his attached Calvary of knights were flanking one of two orc mobs, at least the size of a regiment each. This in a place the old Faras peoples had no business to encamp townships in.

Having caught one and suffered each other with enough casualties to break off the first `mob', the Knight Lord was determined to stave off the second from reaching a town full of recently settled villagers.

He remembered, seeing the carnage in progress, as they crested that tree strewn ravine. The sounds of those children that didn't understand what was killing them.

He remembered...

Shooting across the sky as he saw the volcanoes erupt with elementals, the sick work of mages on a path or ruining a good nation. He flew his griffon through a land that was once pure and green. He saw kilometers upon tens fold more of the same, as help came too late for hundreds of thousands.

The day the Opraii civilization died.

All he could salvage from that, was helping surviving troops hunt down and take their mage driven mad enemy with them. This he stood as the `last' in the midst of a dead land.

He remembered...

The victory of the Gadsath republic, as they won their victory over the Dark Hawk peoples, or such as he was told was `dark'. This as the Gadsath armies poured through the lands of a peoples that hadn't caused anything, save for the ire of a seer that was cast out.

Whom falsely set the indigenous peoples here, to be invaded after a raid they never committed.

And a king and council overreacted to a few paltry dead.

Paltry, compared to three hundred thousand villages that died soon after. A `holy' crusade that turned god forsaken wrong

He remembered...

A very real god of it's own right, summoned in time at the brink of victory, as a good Tarquillian ruler and her people, fought to throw off the shackles of a month old occupation. A moment where all that went well, did not. Sixty armies laid waste in an instant.

The kingdoms that allied, died with them a moment later.

He still didn't know how he survived, nor the help that allowed him to fell the same god, back to whence it came. And the anger that ruined the oppressive Undack empire from existence as well.

He...

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

...remembered!!

He shot his eyes open.

“Not the first time!”

“Awake are you?”

Imladris gasped and heard the one person he was fearful of hurting anymore, over all others! He shouted.. “Lind! You have to get away from me now!”

Outside, Lind whom leaned on the dome, did `not' move. “No such thingggggGGG!?? YIPE!” ..as Lind was surprised at the sudden action of the dome collapsing into sand! She falls to this surprised tone, as at this, Imladris shot past her, and out the temple door!

Lind shot up a split moment later and gazed.. “EH?”

Outside, Phosus and Eihwa, keeping a mundane watch, suddenly feel the sudden shift in power, as they `then' see Imladris explode out the temple door, and WAY away! Eihwa.. “Ma che me ne importa!?” ..before Lind SHOOTS out after him! The wind gust-burst alone knocks the White goddess flat, and others `summoned' outside from the residence to see the commotion! Urd just snaps.. “He's running again!”

Frig sighs, and then sees Megumi and Takano race out with plain reaction! Megumi just shouts.. “I think we need another of those plaques.”

Takano just yells a step astride.. “Keima might be more acquiescent this time too!”

“Hold it folks.” ..this Takano, Megumi, and with surprise, Skuld and Thrud in mindless tow, as they all look back at Keiichi of all people. “Just `how' are you going to keep up?”

Megumi and Takano just blink, and then teardrop. Skuld and Thrud reactively a moment later. Frig just remarks to this. “Please.. please marry my daughter. At least `someone' can think around here.”

Kei blushes, Bell blushes, Skuld throws a fit at, and Megumi just remarks.. “But... it's not right to just..”

Just then, the phone suddenly rings. Keiichi and Keima look back. “Who would call this time?”

“Chihiro?” Keima quips, though Frig for some reason remarks.. “Uh... I have a feeling. A `bad' one.”

They all wonder at this, as suddenly a snap of sound causes head to turn at the sight of Lind holding a `package' in a bundle of wrappings, one's made of ice `fabric'! This as the knight struggles mightily at the bondage. “Lemme go blast it!!”

Lind just smirks as Urd and Phosus jump in to poke. “Still a ways to go to outdo us.” .. “Plus he's still weakened from the battle.” Lind just sighs, just before Imladris all but roars out! “Let me GO! I've gone out of control before!”

Urd blinks.. “What? That battle? Don't worry, power is a marvelous thing you... OW!” ..as Frig suddenly comes over and silly-slaps her! “Poor words daughter dear.”

Imladris however impresses.. “No! I mean back when I was on other worlds! I`ve been empowered out of control before!!”

Even Lind blinks, as Peorth quips.. “What does `that' mean?”

Imladris keeps wriggling to the point Lind has a hard time keeping her side hip `grip'. “It means I've fought another god before! Ruined one even! You have to get rid of me!!”

Everyone is shocked, when all of a sudden, Takano walks over and punt kicks him from Lind's grip, to his hiney a short distance behind her! Imladris has those nice anime eye-dizzy spirals, as the motherly huff comes out as.. “Oh will you grow up and stop saying stupid things like that?!”

Frigurina meanwhile rubs her chin. “Wonder if that was that evil god that made a stink a while back. Undack I think it was. Seriously deranged deity. Like totally..” ..this Urd quips to Imladris. “Maybe you did a favor with such a guy then.” ..this Imlade just growls at.

-and meanwhile no one notes the phone ringing through this-

Imladris blinks as he looks from a side-laying position, as Megumi just quips. “You're scary for sure, but it's scaring us more with you acting so childish!”

Imlade blinks.. “Childish? I'm a ticking time bomb from Hild, and I'm acting childish!?”

At this even Keima comes over. Imlade shivers at thought of harming them, which causes him to suddenly stop as Keima imparts.. “If you don't face up to your mistakes, you `are'.”

Imladris was surprised at the sight of these mortals, who should be staying far as all heck away from him, were doing the opposite!? He kept blinking, as the goddesses didn't seem to miss this point. Imladris just ekes out.. “Are.... aren't you guys scared of me?”

For a moment, the Morisatos do `hesitate', but Megumi comes out next with.. “Was that `you', that did all that yester.. uh.. whatever day that all was?” Imladris just looked away, swiveling eyes with uncertainty. “I... I don't know. I'd like to think it wasn't. I just can't be sure.”

Keima looked up at Lind. “You said he had some... what.. conver... conversion...?”

Lind blinked and wondered openly. “Mara warned of that.” ..and looked to Frigurina. “An explanation would help.”

Frig looked over at Bell and Keiichi. “Did you not have a problem with Mara and some valentine chocolates once? I've been trying to figure something out since I heard of this from Urd's uplink.”

Belldandy blinked, as Keiichi was hovered around by a few goddesses and mortals. (Kei: “Yo, personal space guys!”) “Well, the custom for Valentines day, I simply wanted to please Keiichi for missing out on the previous year.” ..she then blinks.. “I think I need to make up for this year too!” ..she actually hops, as Frig leaps over and grasps her shoulders.. “Wait! Wait! I'll help later.. but the info first dear.” ..this as Megumi elbows in.. “You sure are lucky Bro.”

“Heh, I guess.”

Bell offers further.. “Actually, it was something Urd did that tried too..” ..this Urd shoots in and blared out with hands defensively raised! “I just wanted to help them.. uh.. you know.

It was Mara that also did something, though I only noticed because of her booster demons at the time.”

“What else do you expect.” ..as everyone shoots a look over at the temple entrance arch, but above it where Mara is `standing'. “I was on a job at the time.”

Keima finds reason to really shout out.. “What do you want? To have this guy hurt us again?!?” ..a finger pointed at a teardropping Imladris. Mara just shudders.. “Forget that crap! He's scarier than even Hild wanted the boy to be!” ..this didn't make Imladris feel better. Mara just continued.. “I just came over to pester Urd and Skuld some, since I'm stuck here for a while.”

Urd blared back, as Mara `landed' “I thought you were resting.”

“Eh, I'm sick of coffins.” Mara espoused, making the mortals look like they're facially poisoned, this as Frig asked simply.. “You were helping us explain?”

Mara just groaned and looked at the tied up quasi-mortal-something-or-other. She smirked.. “A wish come true.”

“MARA!” ..more than half the gathered shouted at her. Mara just freaked back.. “Hild used her angel on him!”

Frig gasped, moreso than most of them! Frigurina just exclaimed.. “Why that far!?”

“Pardon?” Keiichi blinked and wondered. Urd groaned.. “That explains the chocolate bit back the too.” ..again from Keiichi.. “Pardon please?” Mara imparting.. “Did more effectiveness than my plan originally ever did.” ..Bell gasps.. “My poor Keiichi could have been..” ..this Keiichi blinks. “Please pardon?”

Frig just sighs.. “I can't believe I had to Doublet with that witch in the first place. No sense at all I tell you. Never did!”

“PEOPLE!” Keiichi accidentally snaps, which Keima just shoots over and smacks him up. “Yelling isn't polite boy!”

“That don't look better.” ..Thrud quips. Takano just enunciates.. “Let a parent use his discipline.”

Keiichi just asks, through the pain and bruises. “Could someone explain all of this?!”

Frig is about to, just before the sky suddenly, gets nice and dark! A stark sudden shift in the sky this is! Megumi quips out.. “What the!? Who turned out the lights!?” ..this a split moment before Frig gasps, and Bell rushes inside.. “I think we missed something!!” ..Frig yelps out in the chase. Keima just quips out, still holding a puffy looking Keiichi. “Pardon?”

“Don't you start.” ..said Kei blunts out, before he's slapped some more. Meanwhile, the sky rumbles a good and dear amount of energy all of a sudden, as Urd remarks.. “Aw don't tell me.” ..as Lind feels something awesome approaching, through a...

She spins around at the sky.. “He's coming here!??!”

Of them all in fact, the one not standing knows who is about to arrive, this before Belldandy and Frigurina shout out.. “HE'S COMING!! NOW!!” ..each! This Takano quips pip eyed.. “Who now?”

At that, the sky turns nice and gray, as a swirl of battle gray clouds form in seconds, and the massive gate after that brings something this planet was not meant to endure! The outright spike of power is something even the mortals can feel without needing to focus senses!

Lind even gasps, shocked at the obvious of whom.. “Why would he come down here of all places!??!”

Imladris meanwhile is freed with a snap of Frig's fingers, as he scrambles to his feet in realization! Mara just screams and scrambles away! “I don't wana die!!!!!!!!!!!” ..with Urd gulping at the raging sight incoming.. “She's playing smart for once.” ..and then the portal beam opens, and through it without `any' warning, a god that needs no thunderous introduction!!!

The mortals freak at the sight, the goddesses gasp at anyway! The Valkyries shout. “Master Thor?!!”

Frig tries to shout at the Hammer endowed effadice, as he slams to the ground and near stampedes at the lot of them in a vehement huff!! “Brother! Will you cut that crud out!!” ..which isn't heeded in the very least!! Imladris sees this and yells. “I know that look!” ..as Thor starts to near bum-rush right towards him! Urd just shouts, her hands almost tearing at her own hair!! “He wouldn't!”

Lind and Phosus just yelp.. “He `is'!!”

Thrud just quips.. “Daddy's mad.”

Tsuyana just eyes over in the instant before.. “You both are mad, you know that?” ..as Thor suddenly hefts his Hammer for a massive blow! Imladris sees it and flicks his hand to summon Morphemic in hand, set in a decent sized broadsword fashion. Lind looks and yelps.. “A bit plain dear!”

“Cut it out!!” ..as Thor raises his weapon and flat out HAMMERS down!

-!CLANG!-

Oh yeah, he remembers `that' kind of pain. It's the only kind `of' it's kind, to endure, done all so fast, Imladris didn't realize he only needed to fricken move to avoid this!! Such was Thor's brute approach, and the manic fear laden aftereffects this left in this initial wake!

So much to cause Takano, Bell, and Skuld to end up in Keima's, Keiichi's and Urd's arms from freaked out shock! Urd, the latter, just dumps Skuld in realizing, as Bell remarks.. “This seems rather familiar a scene.” ..Urd adding.. “Actually.. yeah.”

Skuld (and Takano, Keima, Megumi, Peorth, Eihwa, Phosus, half of Earth reading this..) just yelp.. “When the HECK would `that' be!?!?”

Imladris just grunts out under the intense pressure of his bones creaking.. “A problem Master?” ..this more than a few raise eyebrows at, as Thor grunts back.. “: Thou has made me disappointed! :”

“And you had to come here to say it!?” ..Imladris snaps out, before his arms do! Thor just growls and suddenly shifts the blunt of his hammer, and catches it onto Morphemic. Before Imladris.. “Eh?” ..can react, Thor suddenly uses the Hammer to THROW Imladris right into the sky behind him, like a fricken meteor!!

Megumi just whistles. “Woo, he's strong.”

Lind gulps, just before she suddenly is grabbed by her shirt, `by' the same War Master! “: You too! :' ..and tosses her just as comically right in the same `exact' direction Imladris just went!! “YEOW!!!”

Thor then snaps at Thrud. “You! Here! Stay!” ..and then turns and ROCKETS off after the two victi... uh, warriors! Thrud gulps, just before Urd suddenly zips by. Thrud sees several others follow in robotic suit, with her shouting out. “Didn't you hear my father!?”

Urd just quips. “And miss this fight? Heck no!” ..this Frig adds nearby.. “He don't rule me. He don't own me.” ..and zips off. Thrud blinks and shrugs. “Good enough.”

Keiichi gulps suddenly as he sees Bell in his arms. “Uh...”

Bell just ekes back.. “Sorry, Thor scares me.”

Suddenly, Keima, still holding an equally freaked out Takano, grabs Keiichi's collar. “Come on you two, we need to see `this'!”

“Are you nuts Keima!?”

“Actually it's rather entertaining.” Bell remarks. “Looks it.” Takano equals.. Keiichi just moans. “I give up.” ..and they all follow in a nice gaggle.

Behind the residence, Mara shudders, poking her head around a corner. “I th.. think I'll... wait here guys.” ..and ducks for cover again!

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

Imladris never knew flipping over and over this fast could be so cool. “I forgot this feeling.” ..before he double flips and faces where he came, just a moment before he sees.. “Eh? Is that... YACK!!” ..and gets a face full of Lind!

Lind flips off, flaring into her combat jumpsuit.. “He actually tossed me! ME!!” ..yanking an earring off in disgust! Imladris just yelps. “Why!?” ..Lind must shouts.. “Let's ask him!” ..and points at the monolith shooting right at them! Imladris gulps.. “Do we have to?!” ..just as Thor roars in! “: Disappointed!! :”

Imladris gleeps, but manages to hold his own unto a second MASSIVE strike! Lind for her part, sees the effects of this in the up close this time, which doesn't make her any less frightened! Thor wackily in succession, just starts swinging his Hammer all around, in titanic arcs that causes both warrior-lovers to scatter like ants!

Lind eventually ends up behind Imlade, as he hears from her.. “Do something!”

“Like what!?!? He's more pigheaded than Urd when he's like this!!”

Somewhere, Urd looked hurt. (And being laughed like crazy from Skuld and Peorth.) Thor meanwhile just huffs out, almost minotaur like even with nasal huffs that can be seen. “: This isn't what I came for!! :”

Imlade/Lind just balk as Thor charges again! Imladris just in turn swing spins Lind out of the way before he takes a good swat of the Hammer, and shot back like a mile! Lind just yells! “Who said you could do that!' ..and suddenly gets miffed and shoots right at Imladris!

Thor chases in kind, as everything just gets ridiculously chaotic in one morass of a moment!!

Imladris ends up with `two' miffed beings about to pound him!

Imladris however half balks, and half growls.

“FINE!”

---

The clash that occurred next, makes Urd drop her jaw! “Dang he takes a lot of crap!” Frig, Skuld and Peorth just lean in.. “SHH!” ..this while Frig kept part of her mind on the invisibility spell she has dynamically following the carnage. Frig just sighs. “Why did I get such a blowhard for family?”

Skuld eggs over at Urd. “I ask the same question.”

“SHH!” ..which Skuld just flusters hand slaps at Urd.

The Valkyries meanwhile keep a more objective eye on all of this. Phosus and Demesus in particular. (Thrud just takes after her father, so she's focusing more on Imlade and Lind.)

Phosus rubs her chin. “He's holding back.”

Demesus nods, but then blinks as.. “Did Thor just attack her?”

Tsuyana gulps. “Free for all?”

---

This as Thor suddenly makes a hard slash at Lind! She counters with `barely' matching strength to parry off! Imladris sees this and suddenly roars in with a sidelong slash at Thor! This is countered by a spin of his Hammer, as the knight is shoved aside all too easily! Thor sneers.. “: You call this a spar?!! :”

Lind hears this and shoots past Thor to attack Imladris in turn!

Imladris reacts by parry off the attack, but not effectively enough as Lind remembers.

Lind suddenly shouts out at this with.. “Stop being so afraid of yourself blast it!”

Imladris just shoves her secondary thrust off with a weak blunt meant to give him space. He yells in the same.. “And lose control with this thing in me!? Are you insane!!?”

Thor suddenly shoots in and clobbers them both on the side right hand swing! They both crash into each other, and then through some thick cumulus clouds, with the War Master grinding.. “: This is `not' appeasing me! :” ..and chases after with near insane levels of agitation!

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

Bell, Eihwa and the Morisatos chase in from below, on street level of conventional note, as they look up at the heavy flares, and sight of the more close in goddesses on above. Keiichi just yelps. “This is got to be attracting other attention!”

Bell just openly admits. “I never thought a High God would come to this Plane! But Mother more than likely knows as better as we the disturbance this is causing.”

Takano just yelps, looking up wide-eyed. “I sure dang hope so!” ..before she covers her sight with a hand, unto a renewed flare of combat! This as they all pass over a street without looking..

..and this in the `same' area, as the sound of a familiar bike suddenly blares from just under the hill rise! Megumi hears and then sees, rushing to suddenly push Takano and Keima clear! “WATCH OUT!!”

Keiichi and Bell look back, as they see the same Yamaha FZ1. They see another problematic moment that calls for the following from Bell and Eihwa in simult!

“Oh of hearing, friction between sky and ground! Slip bonds free and momentum at our heed. Obey to keep harm from those we love and protect!”

All of a sudden, Megumi is `shoved' forward by her pushing momentum, Takano and Keima suddenly `lifted' by theirs, prevented from falling too hard, and the bike in particular, `slowed', and then `sped', as soon as Megumi is clear!

All of which means both safe form to end up yelling at each other with!

Megumi just shoots up and anime big head shouts.. “That's twice in a dang week! What's with... eh?” ..as the biker, stunned by the `momentum most strange', pulls his helmet off, and...

He sees, Megumi sees.. they both then point at each other like CRAZY!

“YOU!” ..both also say.

Takano looks up from checking Keima over, before seeing Megumi and the stranger (to the rest of them,) pointing at each other. Keiichi blinks and asks.. “Eh? Who's he?”

Megumi just huffs. “He's the guy that nearly ran me over the other night!” ..this the stranger is suddenly ZIPPED up upon by Takano! “HE WHAT!?”

The stranger just balks.. “But.. but I said I was sorry!” ..nevermind a defense with pedestrians watching traffic and all. Belldandy looks at the stranger.. “He looks familiar.” ..this Keiichi blinks.. “Uh, how so? (Really..)”

They all wonder for a split second, just as a second bike engine ROARS up into sight! Keiichi sees.. “That's Chihiro!!”

The stranger sees and moans.. “Aw man!” ..as Chihiro SCREECHES to a halt, and all but tears her helmet off! She just snaps.. “You dope! Running off like that isn't... eh? Keiichi? Bell?”

For a moment, everyone is stunned looking at each other. That of course is stunned to a snap look upwards, as the flares resume with double strength this time! And as if that wasn't enough..

“Not again!” Chihiro yell, just as they `all' hear.. “Guys! GUYS!” ..this as Eihwa quips.. “Sentaro now?”

Keiichi quips.. “We keep going through this a lot.” ..as Sentaro screeches to a stop on his BMX. “Is he at it again?!” ..this as Chihiro and the still (to the lot) unnamed stranger look, as Bell simply remarks.. “It's a different kind of chaos this time.”

“A what?” ..the stranger quips, as Chihiro snaps.. “Stifle it cousin!”

“Huh!?” ..comes from most the rest of the lot, before a HUGE flare causes a crash somewhat nearby towards the forests! Keiichi yelps.. “I think gold guy got creamed!”

They all start off on foot, though Chihiro just yells at Keiba. “Keep up and shut up moron.” ..and revs after the running `mob'. Keiba blinks and sees Sentaro suddenly ZIP by! He just.. “Wha.. wa.. wait up!” ..and floors the throttle!

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

Plastered... was a kind word to use.

“I think I broke something.” ..the gold dude creaked out, before he pulls a broken branch from his backside. “Ohhhh..”

He then hears a shrill, looking up in time to react agape! “What's with them today!?!?” ..and manages to leap away in time from a slam-thrust from Lind's angry Axe point! He barely gets to treetop level however, before Thor shoots in and SMACKS him across the chin! The trees that are hit in result, don't stand long.

Imlade just moans again, rolling a broken trunk off of him in a thump.. “Maaaaan... what a dang week.” ..and then `cracking' his nose back in place. He then notes at the head, and foot, his apparent foes. Thor just huffs at the display he's dealt with. A traded look with a somewhat equally dejected Valkyrie, before Thor imparts. “: I suspected something was indeed wrong. :”

Imladris just groans. “How?”

“: That last gravitational pulse. The fact no one answered the dang phone down here. (Really rude.) The fact I'm here now on a hunch, and am proven correct. Where has your bone of the back, iron and steel bred, gone my supposed equal? :”

Imladris just sighs, and openly admits. “I'd answer, if I had the same steel to answer back with.”

“Bull.” ..they both hear Lind suddenly snap. Lind in fact on sight, is squeezing her Axe shaft, with a tension she should be seeing in Imladris instead. Thor sees, and appreciates, the concern, a kind only Lind of singular note can offer.

She just seethes out.. “You think Hild has ruined you! I see it in the way you hold back now! Something that is in no way true if you'd like my heeded opinion thereof!”

“Tell that... to this... thing... in me!”

Thor just rolls his eyes, and reacts appropriately. The kick sends the knight, W-A-A-A-Y up into space, without Lind realizing for a split moment, he `was' kicked that dang high. Thor sees this in Lind's WIDE eyes and chuckles.

“: Mind helping me recover the truth in him? :”

Lind simply looks at the War Master, and nods. “Recover isn't the point. Acceptance is.”

They both shoot up, not heeding they end up shooting RIGHT by Skuld, whom spins in two Newton driven directions! “Make it stop! Waaaa!! Gonna hurl!”

Urd looks up and blinks. “Are... are they working together?”

Phosus smiles. “And more I'd wager.”

Demesus just blinks at this however. “It sounds like Thor anticipated all this.”

Frig however smiles. “No... anticipated `for' him, I'd wager more.” ...this the others wonder about, though they really shouldn't.

Lind and Thor meanwhile cruse along with decent speed, while wondering if indeed Hild `overstepped' boundaries and all. (Nevermind they are rushing things outside the mortal tendency to need time to heal.) Lind just wonders out loud, passing through the high atmosphere.

“Why is he so hard on himself? Why can't I get through to him?”

Thor just groans, a cloud wisp passing between them both. “: We'll ask him. :” ..before they both suddenly hear a TREMENDOUS ROAR from the starry heavens! They both are stunned when all of a sudden, a different response comes right back at them both!

One wielding a HUGE double sword!

Lind just quips. “He's mad.”

Thor just snaps back.. “: GOOD! :” ..and they both charge with their usual ferocity!

Poor atmosphere.

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

Megumi just quips dryly. “Cousin? This dope who nearly killed me and my family, is `your' cousin?”

Keiba (now introduced,) just decries.. “Don't they have crossing lights over here too?!” ..as Chihiro just snuffs back.. “Yeah, this dope and me go way back. Even when I was doing professional racing and all.

Still a pain in the butt. Never knew when to stop and look.” ..this Keiba frazzles at. Takano `agrees'.. “Apparently not, with the way he drives over a hill.”

At least Keiba hears a defending voice. “They `do' need to put something up here.” ..this Keiba hears from Keiichi, course in turn the same. “But I don't go that fast up here usually anyway.”

Megumi just eggs. “Not when you're about to get home.”

Chihiro `agrees'.. “You're as bad as he sometimes K-boy.”

Keiba chuckles, Keiichi no less, as Keima just sighs. “Nice to know we're all just sitting here.” ..as he looks over and sees Sentaro looking up all over, wildly at that. Belldandy doing the same, with `no where' near as much difficulty, just remarks.. “At least we're all together. And we made a new friend.” ..she looks back with a beaming smile at Keiba. (Whom blushes as easily as anyone else on the planet would. Dimension-wide even.)

Chihiro sees and `warns'. “Sorry bub, that's Keiichi's girl.” ..this Keiba just retorts.. “I know, I know. You've told me ten times a day.” ..as he eyes `something else' nearby.

Takano notes this. Hard not to given the `same' on Megumi.

Sentaro kept looking up, before Eihwa came up, whispering to Belldandy. “Chiedere scusa, a query.”

Bell just looks over, Sentaro eyeing over on pure habit. “Of course.”

“Should this stranger know anything of what's going on today?” ..Bell looks over at this, and openly wonders the same. “I admit, the apparent continuance of people that learn more and more, seems to be an aberration that would cause more than a few uncertainties.

I don't want such to come to harm to my Keiichi, because of such.” ..she however remarks.. “But I trust in Keiichi's kin to handle this situation. We should not worry. Chihiro of note seems more level minded than I expected of her.”

Eihwa nods. “Your faith is a glorious thing. I'll keep the same for your love.”

Sentaro heard this, and reactively felt the same for Skuld. A rather mature viewpoint to have, but hard not to be such, even despite the nuttiness at times.

And all of that a point of the flashes that keep billowing forth in the sky. Sentaro just remarks. “How come we don't have the army on top of us right now?” ..this Bell and Eihwa giggle a bit at the otherwise eerie remark, Eihwa just glomming to the boy a little.

“We have some `motherly' assistance there. Non disturbarti preoccupante.”

“Ahem.”

Bell and Eihwa looked over as Skuld, on her hammer-broomstick-device that defied laws of gravity-etc, hovered in front of them. Eihwa and Sentaro in particular. Eihwa just quips, as Bell looks on. “Geloso sei tu non?”

Sentaro suddenly finds himself on the same `broomstick' and mocks back. “You're zero for two now.” ..and actually took Sentaro `up' with her! Bell remarks a bit plainly. “She is actually correct.” ..this Eihwa already fuming like an overheated can of tomato sauce, just grinds. “Why is that?”

Keiba of course, saw `some' part of this on a glance, and.. “Did they just.” ..before Chihiro shoves his head over at Megumi. “Knock it off and beg for forgiveness some more.”

Keiichi meanwhile leans over and `quips'. “Yup, all grown up.” Megumi blanches back. “Says you, still unmarried older brother.” Takano meanwhile just sighs at this. “Are these `my' kids?” ..and then looks over at Keima, scooting away from all the females around (again.) Takano just moans. “Eeyup, they are.”

All of a sudden, the air got a `bit' heavy! They all feel this, as if.. “Nngh.. did the air pressure just rise?” Keiichi almost coughs out. Even the goddesses feel this, to their amazement.

As soon as they felt it, it stopped. Bell looked up and exclaimed.. “He was using that angel again!!”

Keiba exclaims. “Who and what now?!” ..before Chihiro shoves his head back over at Megumi! “Save that yappin for apologizin!” ..this while Keiichi looked at the uncertain look on Belldandy's faÃ§ade.

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

Thor and Lind looked around, as for a second, the atmosphere retracted back around a formal energy rift, one caused by the form that reappears from the energy distortion, one shuddering as he clutches at his Morphemic weapon with dear effort.

A fear driven one.

Lind gasps.. “Is that angel `that' powerful?”

Thor wonders.. “: Such were the precursor legends even I was not borne unto beforehand. :”

“Leave me be blast it!” ..the quasi-mortal gasped out, realizing he lost control again. (So he thinks.) Lind squints her eyes suddenly. The next split moment, Lind suddenly is gut kicking a shocked Valkyrie Knight! Hard enough to cause a bit of blood to cough out! Lind growls at this.. “Never you twit!”

Thor holds back for a moment, as Lind then swings her whole body around to deliver a hard over swing unto Imladris's open backside! “Stop feeling so dang alone!” ..which hit hard..

..and is blocked by a surprise sight of a `small' fluff of copper-bronze angel winglets, before she sees Imladris spin around in the same retroactive motion, to swing his own blade up, one Lind shifts her weapon in time to parry the attack!

Lind shudders at the unexpected fury of this move, as such could be sensed as more than a mere counterattack, and stammers out.. “Which... one did that?”

Imladris heard that and suddenly broke off the parry. A rather poor mistake, as Lind doesn't give quarter, and just swats him about a kilometer downwards! Thor just smirks, as Lind shouts all manic like! “I didn't say to stop!” ..and shoots downwards after! Thor suspects something, and follows at a somewhat more sauntered pace.

Imladris meanwhile is floating downwards, not realizing he `is' floating, not careening down at an insane level of speed. His mind doesn't fully comprehend, since it's not the only one `using' it. This becomes noticeable suddenly, when he feels his head turned upwards, and `redirects' his hands to an obvious parry position!

A split second before Lind levels her displeasure at him!

“Fight back already! Stop holding back!”

Imladris feels a `wanted' anger fill him to do just that, but he then `feels' that anger turn into a second completely different kind! He then realizes as he spins his weapon, the `fuels' are different. He yell.. “NO!” ..and shoots back before he even finishes his attack! Lind reacts by pursuing, and Imladris feels his body perfectly reoriented again!

“No! Stop dammit!”

Lind yells back.. “Why should I?!”

“Not you!”

Lind is stuttered back, as Imladris shoots back under his own control again, before holding both hands to his head, the handle of his current weapon style, smacking up his head, as much as he is doing. This as Imladris suddenly realizes that all along, including that last gravity driven burst of anger..

“STOP CONTROLLING ME YOU ARCH-ANGEL!!!”

Lind gasps her worst yet, as Thor suddenly remarks. “: A probable cause. :” ..as Lind looks back, and then at the mind struggling knight! Lind then realizes. “Is the angel controlling him? Or is he holding back because of it?”

All of a sudden, the gravity pulses again, but is shunted back, as Thor realizes. “: He's trying to control the anger from the angel. :” ..and throws up a hand to suddenly clench it. As a result, a large Intracellic code cage forms, formed from yellow lightning based energies! Lind realizes and throws both her hands up, still Axe held.. “Cage in ice to keep control to one within, this to keep anger contained and force resolution unto within!” ..as this causes a second, ice element cage of similar make to form around Thor's first cage!

Which both are shocked to see, torn to shreds, when a good extension of the copper-bronze wings explode out, and some gravity driven energy just shreds both spells to ribbons!! Almost as soon as this happens, Imladris screams out again.. “I can't control this thing!!” ..and suddenly SHOOTS down all the way to the ground!

Lind races down after with dear worry. Thor seems not wanting to follow, reasons of his own he already sees need a different direction to approach. He remarks to this to himself.. “: A mirror is a difficult challenge. :” ..and `then' saunters downward.

Imladris meanwhile shoots downward so fast, he doesn't realize the harm he's about to cause to himself!

Luckily.. “Got him!” ..as Imladris suddenly feels a swirl of angel feathers surround him, as around him, the four Valkyrie Commanders not of this fight, act on their overriding worry! He then sees them and freaks! “Stay back!” ..and flips out of the feathery funnel, as far away as he can!

And ends up with Lind all but smacking into him unto his backside! Imlade screams all girly like! “ACK! Lind!”

“Fight it love!”

The reaction to that, is unexpected, as Imladris is suddenly turned around and feels his arms gloms onto Lind a bit too tight! Imladris realizes.. “Cut that out! You'll hurt her!”

“That is TIGHT! WOW!” Lind suddenly exclaims, which makes the other Valkyries twitter eyes, Phosus to the tone of.. “Will you both be serious!”

Imladris just grips control enough, to suddenly let go and ZIP backwards as he grips at his head some more! So fast at that, he shoots by Skuld and Sentaro, who were trying to angle for a better look. Sentaro just yelps at the sight.. “He's not looking good!”

Urd suddenly zips by, which makes Skuld shove her arms out.. “You almost hit my Sentaro you dope!”

Urd however is focused on what she `can' understand, as it's obvious to her now. Lind suddenly zips by, as Urd notes to her vocal yell.. “Watch it! He's warring with his own soul Lind!”

Lind looks back.. “Warring!?” ..and unto the suddenly stopped knight, who looks ready to very real so, tear off his skull! She sees and recognizes the same look from a few days ago. “But, the Seal is..”

“That's not a Seal breaking again.” ..Lind realizes as Frig keeps up a bit more easily than physics normally allows. Frig adds to her own sighing.. “The angel as I said, is a problem.”

“No kidding!?” ...this Urd behind yelps, as they reach the balled up warrior of note. They then see Imladris look like he's in a pain that just can't be looked at. The goddesses mutually worry for many things of the knight's health, as the wings start sprouting out again, but are `pulled' back in by the soul power of the knight's own will!

Imladris just realizes how much he'd lose control, if the angel decided to run his life for him. In a very `real' sense! He just snaps out generally.. “What do you think you're doing blast it!??!”

Urd shuddered, not seeing something like this, since Blue Lance.. Since Blue Lance.. Urd realizes.. “That's it!” ..this Frig looks back as Lind suddenly reacts on her own accord. Frig and Urd see in time, as both Mints are brought out! Frig yelps.. “Don't be so rash!”

Urd just dryly adds.. “Have you `met' Lind yet Mom?” ..this as Lind grasps Imladris in a major vice-grip of a glom! Imladris doesn't realize in time, as Lind suddenly dives her angels right into him! Urd is shocked as she ever will get! “You can't Meld now!?!?” ..which is unheard, as Lind finishes what she intends.

To know the truth of a knightly mind.

---

She sees...

...all the memories all of wars, spread around an infinite expanse of a dead battlefield, melded all the thousands Imladris had ever seen. It was as if seeing the end of all wars, as they all ended at the same time, in the same place!

She sees...

...the sorrow and blood was putrid and thick here, all of it boiled to the surface, which she could still `see', as his original soul! She realized.. “All his horrors are being forced to the surface! Oh my goddess!”

She saw...

This was the physical manifestation of the soul, that an angel actually forms itself off of! However the sheer power and character of the Arch-Angel, was so overpowering, so delving, it was all but gutting into the open, every last pore of a wound that Imladris had ever suffered, all the traumas and truths that were better kept hidden.

The Angel it seemed, was even delving into the subconscious, things a soul never dares open doors of.

And yet, Lind was uncertain about something as she saw, her (naked) form floating along with her Mints behind, as they saw in the Meld, an Angel not knowing the harm it was actually causing. One that it didn't see as one. In fact...

She realized...

“The Angel wants to see everything about him. It `is' entrenched too deeply now!”

She suddenly stops, as suddenly, she hears...

Off to the.. well.. left, of her soul driven vision, in an area that seemed grayer than most, was a strange sound of sobbing. She approaches, and gasps at the sight of the apparent child that was in such a ball of fears and crying. She realizes she's seeing the `original' mortal, the soul within all those lives, where it all came from!

“Oh my..” ..she exclaims, and sees the `boy' version of the mortal, of the more, look up with eyes that almost broke her. She reacted differently, and lunged with her angels to grasp unto the `child', and hold onto dearly. She spoke with her own sobs, mixing with his. “I'm here my love.

I `am' here.”

They `then' heard...

At this, they suddenly hear a thunderous tremor, and look up to gasp at the sudden sight of what seemed, a monolithic, towering mass of the Arch-Angel, it's intimidating expanse that gave Lind rare insight to what `real' terror can be.

Lind just shouts out at it.. “You're hurting him! Don't you understand it!?”

The Angel silently looked at her, and then around with wide arms at the `battlefield' that had been dredged up. Lind realized it was.. “You are forcing him to see everything. And you think you know how to control his life after that.

Angels are not that demonic!”

The Arch-Angel reared back in shock at being called such, having only learned recently the basis of demons, from the side of the `Imladris' that had been corrupted. The Angel seemed that it `had' to react, and threw a hand over to it's right. Lind looks, as she sees...

“It... it can't be..”

...there, memory still held the moment that set it all in motion. There, a patch of muddy ground, several doughboy soldiers of that forgotten war, all diving away as one of them, threw himself onto something. All of a sudden, the `image' Lind saw, exploded, and the `battlefield', sky and all, flared from the cause of his original First Death.

Lind realized she was seeing him die. Lind realized. “You were looking for this?”

“No.” ..Lind shot her head, her Mints as well, as the saw last thing she expected. A... well.. naked adult form of.. “Beloved?” Lind blushes at, but also realizes the one in her arms, is `also' the same.

The adult version just smirked back. “Well, that third time is a doozy no?”

“I don't.. I don't understand.”

“I just did. Took me a while too.” ..the adult replied back. He looks over at the dead `form' what `was' him originally, and speaks of.. “It ran out of scars in my soul to dig up. I never realized just how much of war I had seen. So much of it, this was all of it, buried underneath things that had better things to show. Things I wanted to remind myself more. Things this `scene' now buries.”

The Angel looked at the `adult', done with a rather dire glare. The adult looked back, Lind not seeing the previous fear that was ruling him out in the real world. A nice moment of kooky confusion wavers over the scene, as Lind just then shout out.. “Will you get to the point already!”

“He thinks he needs to know true suffering, to equal his own. The angel is getting far more than it expected. It's overreacting as a result now. Lack of emotional guidelines can do that I guess.”

Lind blinks, as the adult stares down the angel. The former continuing. “All those endless eons of loneliness, all because you were locked away to prevent use on a being that would have destroyed us all. Yes, I realize this from this bub, and my leanings from the Holocron.

It thinks it needs to control me, to protect us both from more harm. It's been trying to override me, in all real sense of such. It was about to succeed when you dived in and interrupted us.” ..the adult looked down with a smile. “Thanks for saving me.”

Lind squints her eyes, still holding the befuddled `child'. “You don't look like you needed it.”

“That Meld just ensured that.” ..the adult readily admitted. “Otherwise, it would have overpowered me. I needed a.. `shock', of a fashion. Something to anchor upon. Just smacking me around from the outside wasn't enough.

Just proves I needed you more than I realized.”

Lind just blushes. “Too much credit.”

The Angel reacts with a bit of dour, and tries to approach. Lind looks, her Mints suddenly surrounding Lind and the `child', and then she sees the adult suddenly stand in front of them, arms spread wide in defense! Lind yelps.. “Beloved!”

“I won't allow this! You're going about this all wrong pal!”

Lind cocks an eye. “Pardon?”

“That child version of me. It's my core. That is the soul that anchors everything else! It's been digging everything up to find my original self. That is what I still feel to this day, the adult with child within, with all the marvels I've witnessed since my First Death.

My very real childlike wonder that I never let go of. With all I've seen and endured, I don't want to either.”

Lind just looks at the `child', and blinks out.. “How can `this' be your soul? Then what the HECK are you?”

“The Second Life. Surprised?”

“Oh you have got to be kidding.”

The adult looks back at the bland faced Valkyrie-soul, and smiles. “What? That amnesia was my entire life, this -pointing at himself- is that and everything combined since First Death. I think the gods overlooked that fact when they reworked me after that Invasion thing.

The human mind can be a complex mess, in the grand scheme.”

“You need Belldandy's cleaning touch in here.” Lind blandly admitted at the `mess'. The adult looks back at the Angel, and growls. “Blame that thing Hild put into me! This `was' more serene a place to look at. Before this thing dug me open like this!”

Lind gasps, and then suddenly feels the `child' vanish into a glob of light, one that she sees `take' the hand of the elder version, and meld into it. Lind then heard it say. “It's time I grew up. Even after all this time, I wasn't facing the truth of my existence.

I might not understand it all yet. But I know `what' I want to fight for! Now more than ever!!”

Lind sees the `full' being glow fiercely, and demand of the Angel. “You won't deny me `my' truth for your own desires! I `TWAS HERE FIRST!”

---

Lind suddenly felt herself `shot out' from her Meld with Imladris, as he thrusts himself into open air. Urd and Frig gasp.. “Lind!” ..as the stunned and falling Valkyrie is clutched by Phosus and Demesus, her Mints grasping to either side the same, as Lind gasps out.. “It's going to happen now!”

Everyone watches, as a knight all but throws out an Arch-Angel into the open! The sight isn't a mere one for just the nearby, as the entire angel's breadth of wings, sprouts `well' above the tree line!

From afar, the sight of the copper-bronze wings seem to glow a rubicon glow again. Takano afar sees and gasps.. “He `is' losing it again.”

“No he's `not'!” ..Belldandy exclaims, more hopeful sounding than she realizes. She and Eihwa suddenly shoot off after, as Keiichi yelps.. “And were running again guys!”

Keiba snaps.. “For what?!” ..before he's grabbed by the collar by Chihiro! “Shut it and just follow!”

Up close, The goddesses watch was the `full' form of the Arch-Angel, one that is of dark `brass' colored robes, different from the void colored ones of a few days prior, but clearly still as dire as ever. As it finished emerging, Imladris turned to face it. It in turn suddenly grabbed his shoulders in an obviously painful grip!

Imladris snarled back.. “Oh no you don't!”

For a moment, a tug of war now is seen in the external, as the mortals with goddess leading, approach! Keiichi sees.. “HOLY JEEZE!”

Urd just yells out to Frig. “Can we Seal it?!” ..this Frig outright snaps.. “We won't need to.” ..this Urd balks at with all due intent.. “Mother, are you insane! Mortals can't handle angels normally, (Keiichi sure was a lost cause with Blue Lance,) and `this' doesn't even stay in `that' definition normally!”

Lind however remarks hopefully nearby, in a weary tone.. “Angels obey their host. That is their original purpose. The current angels begot this from somewhere!”

“Exactly!” Frig nods, having reason to trust. She was hoping to finally give the Arch-Angel a purpose at last. She never liked the incarceration of the Angel, over all those Eons, all because it's intended host was too insane to see reason. She hoped this would end such an unfair existence. However the sight at the moment, didn't give her as much hope as she'd like. This as nearby, the gathered witness, with Eihwa gasping.. “What's it doing now!?” ..this Takano and Megumi shout at her back. “How should we know?!”

Imladris meanwhile faces his very visible, personal demons, as the Angel faces down one it thinks is too weak to be a proper host, not without controlling the knight for it's own! It was trying to be so brazen, it was trying to adopt in control of the knight's traits, character, social place and all, all of it to then react with three times the outward effect than Imladris normally would `act' with!

Which was already seen with the brutal gasp the angel had on the knight. The knight reacted the same, and reflected back thrice fold even `more'!

The sight was so tense, Skuld and Sentaro afar gaped.. “I think `my' shoulders are going to snap!” .. “No kidding! Yeech!”

Imladris looked uncertain, as if looking `at' one's soul is ever easy. However, he realized the angel was being sentient enough on it's own to force him to see too many things he didn't want to actually face. The angel tries to take control again, by suddenly acting with a physical lunge for Imladris's neck!

One caught by the knight, with equal tone of.. “I am the true being here! You won't rule me!!”

The angel suddenly realized the power in the grasp, as it then realized it's connection to the knight's soul was changing in nature. Imladris just seethed out.. “You.. you think all there... is... is my traumas? My battles and wars!? All there is.. is the horrors of war I've endured?!!!”

..at that.. the knight strained `at' his core soul, the angel reacted by jinking it's head three times, as the wrestling match came to a head. At that, Imladris suddenly snapped his eyes and voice to the same formal tone..

“Is this all you think I AM!?!?”

The Angel shot in an arced-back upwards, it's glowing eyes into an Incarnum blue, as Frig realized. “That's it.”

---

..as inside, the confrontation suddenly takes a wholly different turn. The Angel suddenly sees a `different' side of the soul it was ignoring. One that it saw as too weak in nature to look at. It should be ashamed, given the sight of the vastness of Heaven, in his very `soul'.

The Angel looked around in shock, at how `much' this seemed of Heaven. All of it, as if...

“You're seeing only a part of me.”

The Angel looked back, it's cowed and cloaked head seeing through it's burning eyes of amber, it's host appear in `basic' fashion again. However, this time the voice is more `mending' in effect.

“Yes, I've seen so much war. But all those scars came after a battle that turned me into a false being. Before that, is something that helped, in a way, form the person that was far more. Here it is, what I `prefer' to see.”

A wave of the hand over the very Heavens that Imladris was so enraptured with. The Angel saw a version that was not false, and not one it ever got to see.

Imladris just sighs. “I don't... don't know if I ever really will deserve the gift I begot, from that Wish I never could have dreamed of. For all that has happened since then, one thing `still' is clear to me. Now possibly more than ever.”

The Angel saw this..

---

...and externally heard the words... “I know myself as of Heaven. I am so utterly proud to be a Knight of Heaven. It's what I want to be, now and forever, no matter `what' else comes along my path. I can't worry too much yet with things I can't yet fully understand. Things `you' want me to face for your own imposed curiosity.” ..the Angel looked glum in kind, the knight adding. “I need to have a proper focus first before all of that.”

..at that, his plain clothing suddenly flares into his formal knightly armors that cause a lot of gazing, Lind of endeared note of notes. Imladris states in direction for the angel. “I am a Knight of Valkyries, Heaven's Servant! Beyond that, I am a flat out imperfect and even stupid mortal! Accept it, because I guess were stuck with each other! And I don't like being ruled by my own soul anyway!”

Phosus just cracks.. “Tell that to your emotions pup.” ..this Demesus shushes her. Imladris actually chuckles, as he realizes the angel has stopped grasping at him. He looks up and sighs. “Now I know why I didn't want to consider having an angel. A scar riddled soul is a terrifying thing, an angel forces the worst of this to be seen. And double so with all the pain you've endured. The power alone also is a troublesome thing to contemplate.

Not sure I still should have one.” ..the Angel reacted with a slight angle downwards of it's cowled head

“: Still putting us on a gold platter I see. :” ..this they all note Thor finally float in on approach. Keiba below just gaffs.. “H.. h.. ho... how..” ..before Megumi nabs his ear. “Please don't do that. I'm nervous too here.”

Imladris meanwhile admits. “You guys were so special to look at. To experience. All the things I shouldn't be. And now, facing my `own' mirror, and see all the truth that I really am, it just seems I'm just a bad example the other goddesses don't need.”

Thor sighs, and comes over, before he SLAPS the knight on the back. So hard, the Arch-Angel even visibly winces! “: Mortal fool! It's all simply a matter of just accepting things as they come, with a need for true responsibility. Titles come in all forms. Tools and power as well. Heed this did you not in our own discussions? No? I called you my equal for a serious reason. I don't do such likely. I can still take the honor away if I so wish, so don't believe the privilege is to be taken lightly.

You should be one with your powers and abilities. Just like breathing. Even if you become more than you even are now! :”

Imladris just smirks out.. “Only to keep myself under lock and key. I think Hild just showed us all why I should.”

They all then hear all of a sudden, as Frigurina floats over, and nudges aside Thor in a rather blunt manner. “Pardon me young one, but can I ask you something?”

“Being?”

“Did Hild Meld with you during your Contract?”

They all gasp when Imladris nods. “Aye, that dark angel thing of hers. Oblivion she called it. A fitting name at that.”

Urd exclaims. “Factor Conversion! No wonder he turned so damned evil!” ..this below the mortals hear, Keima of note blabbers.. “A who `what' now?”

Belldandy explains back. “To all beings, their natural tendencies are in part determined by positive and minus factors that exist in all sentient things, in all dimensions. These determine in part, a person's character and mannerisms. For some, factors can be a simple equation of equaled out minuses and plusses, with varying degrees determined further by one's own actions, and other influences.

In Cousin's case, his factors had been magnified by his exposure and treatment in Heaven. In addition to his other traits, and instilled ones by the goddesses in Heaven, he had `many' plus Factors that attributed to his lofty nature.”

Keiichi gets it in words explaining.. “So he was one seriously `good' dude? Jeeze!”

Lind for some reason, had a strange and giddy smile on her face, in hearing all this. The other's hear this as.. “So my beloved, was `so' good in the first place, that the Factor Conversion from Hild's angel, was `that' opposing in effect!”

Urd just simplified. “That amount of evil was `that' good first? Yipe.”

Everyone just looked at the knight. He just quipped back.. “What? Being good feels.... good.”

Eihwa just shoots up and swoons. “Just the kind of guy I was made for... eh? HEY!” ..as Lind suddenly zips over, bumping Thor and Frig alike in the same action, all just to nab her knight! “You were made to just be a problem.” Eihwa frazzles and grabs at Imlade's right arm. “You just won't share!”

Urd then hears from behind her. “She can spoil a mood.” ..as Urd looks back at Peorth. “Where'd you get to?”

“Author kept forgetting me.” Peorth snaps with a miffed tone. Urd just laughs at her. Imladris meanwhile exclaims out during the amusing scene. “Gals! Migoddesses! My moment of time please!” ..as Lind and Eihwa, as he looks back and up at his Angel. They both back off some for the next panel scene.

Guess he had to accept that now, along with a lot of things. With his emotions finally settling down for the first time in days, he sighed and asked.. “Think we can reach a mutual coexistence together? I still have to protect my kin here without fail.”

Lind and Eihwa smile as Imladris looks down at Keiichi, and Megumi nearby. He openly imparts.. “I still have a Lord and his Lady to protect.”

Keiichi blushes as Takano quips blandly. “'Lord'?” ..this Keiichi offers.. “You keep the title. Please.” ..this Takano blanches. “Please. I'm too simple a gal.” ..which just starts a weird `please' shouting match back and forth.

Imladris has eye on them during, when all of a sudden, the area flares a magnificent level of light! He looks back as all of a sudden, the angel makes it's `own' decision! Everyone watches as a gauntleted hand of pure white, gold etched of more pure, soon extends from the light and to grasp Imladris's left shoulder, this time with a more `accepting' format.

Thor is actually taken aback.. “: It's actually accepting his soul? :” ..Frig no less agape! “Incredible!”

Lind looks back.. “Why? Did we not raise him properly?” ..and then floats back over as the acceptance becomes complete, a sight indeed as a formal Knight, and a matching Arch-Angel, one now with it's colors of the purest white of robes, lined in golds that sheen more in the copper and brass, which equal the gargantuan wings of a `much' lighter dual tone of copper and bronze, though the very tips of the wings were of purity, equaling the dark that melded into the cloaked back, through the now white of pearl color angel cloth.

He admitted at accepting sight.. “This will be interesting.” ..the Angel nods back in kind. None of the other goddesses are of a dry eye, as Belldandy of note responds of joy.. “He's so beautiful now. So amazing.”

Imladris heard this with a nervous teardrop, and then noted as Lind approaches. He just offers quickly. “I'm sorry for anyway, what I... eh?” ..and is stopped as Lind suddenly puts her right finger to her forehead, the left to Imlade's. His eyes roll up kookily, as Lind demonstrates her imaginative, and possessive nature, as she suddenly causes her forehead sigil to glow, and in retroaction, his `own' to appear.

“Hey! Wha?!” ..comes from more than a few, as Lind `copies' her sigil, while making his new one glow, with the `copy' pasting in three tiny circles, two between the wing festoons, and a raised third within the `hilt' of the sword part of the Sigil! Imladris just snaps.. “What's going on? I can't see!”

Phosus hovers in as Lind finishes. “Goddess, you sure know how to mark your territory.” Imladris just balks.. “Say what?!” Eihwa in turn balks, in finger pointing kind.. “Donnaccia! Donnaccia!!” ..this Lind sticks her tongue out at simply, before looking back at her endowed knight. “Since we just Melded our third time, it seemed proper to ensure my final intentions are clear.”

“Of...?” ..Imladris just drones out, Lind smirking.. “That I'm going to be `your' guardian from now on. Since you can't control yourself without me. You need a goddess touch.

Permanently.”

Imladris just gulps, while a lot of mutual blushes come across the goddesses and mortals alike. (Save for Keiba who just is a mind blank slate by now.) Below, Chihiro and Keima of note, find reason to give the knight a chance again.

And Sentaro just wonders how'd he look like that, a glance to a enraptured Skuld.

Eihwa just tries one last time however, shoving her goddess cloth sleeves up her shoulders. “I still have one chance, if..” ..before she and her Test of Purity are hoisted by Phosus/Burning Wrath and Thrud/Star Blade in respective and nicely grasped shoulder fashion! “You lost your chance a hundred years ago.”

“No io avere non!” ..this Thrud pats her head. “You keep dreaming that.”

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

-Temple residence yard-

Urd just squeals. “Ah, the magic of a quick scene transition. Saves a lot of writing.” ..this Skuld rolls her eyes. “We're not supposed to mention that stuff.”

A nice and HARD hand slap to a knight's backside just cuts this short, as Keiichi starts to see.. “That's why he's so dang tough.” ..as Thor boasts. “: This pup o' mine just causes so much trouble anymore! What a celestial card! :”

Imladris meanwhile just tries to `feel' again, amongst other things in tactile, while Frig just sighs. “Now I see the problem of this place.” ..this Skuld and Urd just blame.. “Keiichi started it.”

Keiichi just waves meekly, as well as bleary from all this action in just a short couple of days. Belldandy just smiles beside him, ever the gorgeous peach of anime. Frig just remarks to this. “It takes more than two reserved characters to cause `this' amount of chaos.” ..this with a `glance' at her two Norn daughters of manic note. Urd and Skuld don't look happy for some reason.

Keiba meanwhile just looks all gaga with confusion. Chihiro just rolls her eyes and quips. “Someone take this dope away before he makes `me' go nuts with all this?”

A few take a look at Megumi at this, whom reacts all too Keiichi like. “Why the heck are you looking at me?”

“Because you're a bad drunk.” ..Keiichi says, prodding her to the gaga-mortal.

Just then, a rather heavy FOP of a sound is heard, as all of a sudden, as Keiichi looks down and freaks.. “What are you doing gold dude?!”

Imlade looks up.. “Prostrating like a humble bastard.”

Chihiro just remarks.. “He better use that tomorrow at work.”

Imladris just continues.. “I am so beyond sorry for what I apparently did. I never wanted to ever harm you like that. Forget giving forgiveness. I just hope I didn't cause lasting harm. Don't let what I did alter your lives. I'll never allow such again. This I so swear!”

“Swearing is a bad habit.” Takano quips, as Imladris looks like a whimpering dog. (Even more funny as his new Angel is copying him!) Keiichi just jitters out.. “This is actually just as unsettling.”

“Tell me what I need to do to make amends.” ..Imladris begged. “I'll.. I'll... I'll make your beds. Shovel manure! Do all your menial labor! Keep the skies sunny! Clean Skuld's robots!! Call Urd Queen!!!”

“Like the last one.” ..Urd quips, which gets her a dour glare from Peorth and Skuld. Keiichi just stammers out. “Dude. Just chill.” ..Takano and Keima chuckle as well.. “Gee, you'll get wrinkles if you keep that up.”

Chihiro just chuckles out, in her own evil way. “I'm sure I can make you busy for years to come.”

Keiichi shudders.. “I'd buy that.”

“: I think we'll leave you to that. :” ..this everyone looks, as Thor imparts. Frig blinks. “Leaving already?” ..this Thor remarks. “: Can't stay too long, health of this dimension and all. :”

Thrud just remarked. “I thought it was to beat up the mortal?” ..this Thor chuckled.. “: I don't spar as healthily as I used to. :”

“And you had to nearly break the earth to get satisfaction?” Frig blanched with a drypan fluster in turn. Thor just chuckled, and said little else. He however `did' impart. “I was also sent to gather much of our kin here.” ..this the goddesses look back as Thor imparts.. “: Save of Contract, Norn, and Guardian, the rest here are recalled. Eihwa and Peorth as well. :”

That surprises the lot of them, as Frig imparts `plainly'.. “Of me as well?”

Thor just balks with arms waving. “: You crazy goddess? I know my limits. Even Almighty does. :” ..this Frig huffs her own `singular' satisfaction of. Urd and Skuld just shudder at the truth of such a thing.

Peorth just imparts. “Vacation is over again then?” ..this Thor nods. “: Still of that Time management thing again. And Eihwa has a report to deliver in person, and duties to ascend to. :”

“OH THANK ALMIGHTY!!!”

Demesus almost jumps out of her skin, as Phosus exclaims her realization of it all. Demesus just chippers over.. “Be happy why don't you?”

“I'm `finally' going to not have to watch over that dang Hub! How a place can be so `controlled', yet run like bugs in thermodynamic heat, and still run everything is beyond comprehension!”

Urd just leans in on the miffed Valkyrie, and quips in a `soothing' tone.. “Aww, you just need to live life away from beating other's senseless to appreciate the job.” ..this Phosus just hand swats Urd away silly like.

Lind remarks.. “So, a sort of goodbye.”

Eihwa sighs, and then looks over at Lind, considers, and then walks over. She then angles a look over at a rising Imladris, and offers.. “No. We'll meet again. Heck, we're always thinking of each other. I'm sure you'll have something `else' to think about, until we next meet.” ..this Lind gleaned a hidden sidelong `look' where she knew where a certain knight stood. A `smile' between them told all the rest.

Urd and Skuld meanwhile just looked at Peorth. A short moment of sorrow between them, before Urd and Skuld remark.. “Can you `actually' stay away this time?”

Lind looks at Peorth as she screams. “But our agreement.” ..Eihwa gasps.. “Non! Non! Tornare a casa Peorth! Andarsene!!” ..this Peorth rubs her chin, but then admits. “Guess Urd will have to take over then.” ..this Urd squeals happily at. “Ah, such a challenge!”

Somehow, Imladris felt unsteady, as Keiichi and Skuld blanched.. “That sounds unhealthy.” ..for whatever they were thinking. Even Takano had an inkling given the tone of things. She eggs over at Imlade. “You're life will be busy enough without us hawking over ya.”

“I don't feel well.” Imlade just quipped in response.

And then of course, that didn't include... “Lind `better' take care of you.” ..this Tsuyana suddenly adds, for whatever her own reasons, as she sees the others looking, this she adds unto.. “The swath of Heaven isn't going to take him any less lightly now.” ..this she leans in on Phosus and elbows. “I think that display before he Contract broke, is a hint to this. Eh? Eh?”

Phosus blushes badly, and swats away.. “Stop that! I was just worried about them both at the time!”

Demesus just sighs. “I'd have to agree actually.” ..not exactly hiding her own blush. Belldandy and Frigurina see this and realize. “Oh dear.”

“STOP!” ..Imladris just shouts, which even jilts Thor's hairs straight! “I don't like where this is going!!”

Eihwa just sighs, and comes over to caress a knightly cheek. “Nope, you won't.”

Lind of course steps in, and takes his arm. She offers further.. “But then, as Tsuyana just said, I `better' take care of him.” ..she even pulls a `cute' finger to her lips. “I am the Confessed unto here, over all others.”

“Egoista.” Eihwa dryly quips.

Thor finally just snaps his fingers. “: Okay, you all got work to do back home. :” ..this as a new Gate driven portal opens. One that makes Keiba finally faint, Chihiro just sighing. “He's got a lot to learn.” ..before Keima faints as well. “Other's won't ever.”

Belldandy of note, still sheds tears, as the Valkyries and sister Admins gather around the War Master. Urd and Skuld try to yank each other into the beam before Peorth kicks them away. “Don't give us an excuse you children.”

Thor just calls out at a last, an unexpected goodbye that is now happening. “: Keep them safe. `That' is your service to Heaven now! :”

Imladris just blinks. “Is it right he knows of all this too?”

Frig just shakes her head. “How he `can' know, by word of definition, after that many blows to the head. Why o' Husband, just `why'?”

Lind giggles a bit at this as Imladris nods, and gives a look in kind to Keiichi and Bell. They `were' his mission now. Until Voluspa come and dealt with. This he silently swore in this look.

And then, the beam fades, taking a good number of their goddess number with.

Imladris felt a bit of reminisce, Keiichi another pang of plain loss.

Urd and Skuld just yelp out. “YES! We get more speaking parts again!!” ..and hoop and holler like monkeys. Imladris and Bell share a exasperated sigh. “Lucky us.” ..the former says for the latter. Takano just remarks. “Eh, just like most families. They'll come around again someday.”

“Excluding Eihwa.” ..Lind just blurts, Imlade just chuckles.

“Still, it'll be fun when they come back to visit again.”

A good number of smiles at Belldandy, before she then considers. “Too bad they couldn't stay to help.”

“With what?” Lind comments.

“Cousin's atonement. He needs one does he not?”

Imladris blinks (and shivers somewhere inside.) Takano slaps her right fist into her left palm. “Ah! That is perfect actually!”

Imladris sighs, as Lind and Frigurina adds.. “I know what else can help.” .. “Same here.”

A knight suddenly sees a `few' shadows close in around him.

“When will it end?”

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

-hour 44 of 168-

-ACHOO!-

“Bless you. -munch-munch-“

“-muffled- This isn't furry-fair.”

“Hush dear. More cake Tanako?”

“Sure dearie.”

Just then, the sound of a couple of motorcycle engines pull up. The authors appear, with Belldandy squealing. “Keiichi dear. And Chihiro too?” ..this Keiichi just sighs in content. “Wow, I forgot how good it is to get all oil and grimy!” ..Chihiro chimes as well.. “Yeah, ain't it the greatest?”

Keiichi meanwhile looks over at the still unmoving sight of a mound of fur, which is comprised of a few dozen cats of many furry and purry breeds, and one buried `sinner' within. Keiichi just quips. “I see he's more quiet today.”

Lind realizes this and puts down her plate, to the turn to the fur pile, and zip a bit of ice laced static into it, which in turn causes the `pile' to suddenly shift. The `shift' includes a lot of claws, and a nice.. “YEOW!!” ..ala..

Lind just quips. “There, you're supposed to stay awake through all this.”

“Claws hurt!” Imlade yelps from within the furry morass, this as he tries not to sneeze as a thick Persian tail keeps thumping his nose. Chihiro just chuckles. “Still won't let him sleep eh?”

“Only five more days worth to go.” Lind imparts. The mound within starts to whimper at the prospect. At this, Bell offers.. “Some more cake Keiichi dear? How about you Chihiro?”

Keiichi and Chihiro just sigh. “Guess we better.” .. “Yeah, this might be harder than it seems.” ..and walk over to take a marble layered cake piece each. This as Frigurina appears. “The Chocolate-Chip cake is ready!” ..this as she looks down at the `girthed' forms of a anime sick and splayed on the ground, Urd, Skuld and Mara each. Frig just mocks. “You need that belly-vacuum antacid girls. We got a ways to go.”

Takano just chimes. “They just need to know how to pace themselves.” ..this as she looks over at Megumi, whom is `also' knocked out cake-cold. “And not binge at that.”

Another whimper comes from within the fur pile, before it then `purrs' in response. Bell and Lind get in a good giggle, as Lind offers. “It's still interesting the type of atonement you chose for him. Rather inventive and unorthodox.”

“Cousin needed a frame of reference to go by, since we can't have him go on a life long quest of sorts. One's vices seems to work better than more conventional, and expected means of sacrifice.” ..this Lind giggles at. “Well, he should be suffering by the end of all this.”

Keiichi sighs, looking around and wondering where Keima went to. In any case, seeing a knight `suffering' through a week long endurance, smothered in cats, which is more treacherous a thing to endure than it first seems, while `knowing' the others are eating mounds of cake, (will be more meaty and veggie faves the knight prefers later the following days, with more cake. Lots of cake, which just makes Imlade's senses go nutz.)

All of this while the goddesses, using special Spirit converters (ala Frig's and Bell's further ingenuity,) to keep themselves awake for the week, to just keep this all up, while they keep the bloke awake.

For an `entire' week. `You' try staying awake for that long normally and think this is a silly event here.

“`ACHOO!!” ..all of a sudden, with a `puff' of dome like fur, before it collapses back, more than a few claws.. “YEOW!!!”

“We keep telling you to hold your sneezes.”

“HOW!?” ..Imladris muffle-shouts at Lind.. “I can't even move!” ..oh, and there's the whole frozen in place thing. And he's `really' frozen. By his own `honor' of thin air, and the occasional help from Lind's `icy' link.

Lind just sighs. “Stop complaining dear. Poor form.”

Keiichi just hears. “Sheesh, he whimpers a lot.” ..and munches some more cake. (And thinking of pie for some reason now.)

Belldandy meanwhile asks Chihiro.. “How's your own cousin today Chihiro?”

Chihiro just shrugs. “He's getting better at accepting things now. Keiichi helped straighten some things for us both.” ..this Keiichi just sighed. “It's not my fault you keep treating it as special effects.” ..this Chihiro defensively blurts back, running a hand in her hair. “I'm simplifying things. I don't really get this stuff anyway.”

The still upright and chewing goddesses just smile at this, before all of a sudden, to add to it all, a new short lived portal suddenly opens. Bell rises and cheers. “Good, it's here!” ..and leap-floats over to pick up a strange looking tome set in gleaming white and silver-gold trims. Keiichi notes as she comes back.. “Looks like a heavy book.”

Lind looks over and blinks. “You serious?”

“Now what?” ..comes muffled out, as Bell imparts. “Now cousin, you'll have to endure this too. Even despite humility and all.”

“Eh?” ..comes from the mewing pile, (how'd they get the cats to do that?) ..as Bell opens the tome. “here we go: `The Noble works of the Valkyrie Knight, Templar-Holia and Hero unto Intracel. - Eddas Memoirs Expanded'.” ..she then flips through the `intricate', and numerous pages. Lind and Takano lean over, the former quipping. “What's this? His biography?”

Bell explained. “It's a long and detailed story of every adventure and accomplishment Cousin has achieved.” ..this Lind quips in kind. “Almost a hundred years of such at that.” ..Bell remarking even more. “The result of the Six and their `detail' of Cousin.”

Keiichi and Chihiro suddenly.. “You have `got' to be kidding..” ..they start, and then hear in muffle form. Chihiro leans over as Bell flips a random page in a book, about the same composition as a thick telephone book for New York City. “The orcs and the orphanage?” ..this they hear in moan-muffle. “No, not that one too! Auuugh.”

Keiichi and Chihiro get it, with Chihiro then snipping.. “Start with that one.”

Imladris, when he survives, sure will feel humbled at the end of it all.

And hungry. Very...

(End Act X)

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

-A certain galaxy far far away, in a nearby Globular Cluster of refuge.-

Her Will wasn't to be denied.

A heavy shunt of a door opening, with a dark clad officer walking down, with two dark clad shock troopers at their usual parade posture, plasim-rifles set across their black armored chests. They approach the dark `throne room' center, where the dark figure within has been sitting for what seemed years now. Pan-viewscape windows of tremendous size, supported by plasma-magnetic fields, shown two massive cruisers of gray Marian Imperial make. A few starfighter patrols flew by, as did one mecha-suit patrol, booster assisted. Signs the military was nicely bloated enough for their plans.

The commander however in seeing the shadowed figure in the center of the depression built `throne', surrounded by gray data-screens and equally gray holo-projections, didn't bother consider how the being he was approaching, was still alive. He just approached and saluted with a hand slap across his uniformed, left side chest. The dark cloth matching the environment.

“Emperor, the first scouts are arriving back from the Alliance Galaxy zone.”

“Indeed.” ..a rather eerie voice only steels back. The commander just nodded. “Should we keep to the schedule then?”

“As if we have anything else to do. Comply.”

The commander just saluted again, and left with his needless escort in short order. That left the shadowed over being to mull over the news that he was expecting all along. It only meant to him one thing.

Within six months, we can ruin them as we were ruined in turn.

The `Emperor' just growled, hating the fact the old imperial vessels they were using, were still limited to basic hyper-fold drives. The attempts to acquire Alliance Fold-jump technology hadn't met with success in the past two decades.

All too much time to plan and wait out the vigilance of the Alliance. They were all too willing to forget their ghosts. The `Emperor' savored the opportunity to exact vengeance because of it. He then decided, and turned to a nearby computer terminal, one of an LCD display set in a rather gray coloration, hardly anything vibrant about the display.

And all he did, was place a hand onto it. It then sped across in random directions, and what seemed to also `dove' deep into the display, celestial code strings that only one Being he wished to see, would see it.

He then betrayed a glowing gray eye from within the shadowed cowl. Something ran back to the hand in burning gray code, and from that, he raised his shadowed hand, the wisps fading into the still stable skin. This body was holding up so much better.

A curious omen, given the source was better proliferated technologies from the same enemy being planned against. Something that just only helped his intentions along.

All of it...

.............for Her Will.......

(End Volume I)

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

Author Notes: Yeah, another long chapter, but I wanted to finish this first volume with the reasons the second one will be coming along for. I also wanted to sorta work in a mythology for all this, while answering questions for why events in Act IX-b occurred. Again, this isn't official canon, so don't quote me.

Was still fun to work out, even if it's complex to digest.

And yes, I am going to `finally' reduce character numbers. Was sorta planned in as I said, but won't be the last time some of them show up.

I however wana angle away a bit from the `Imladris' focus here, since even I am concerned about it. I'll be spreading stories out a little, a few mini-stories in each chapter, come to mind. Still considering things out so bear with moi. (I keep writing that huh?)

And so since it's also a part of the story now..

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

(Valkyrie Drabbles - Part Fifteen)

Gan was crying. “Oh thank you so much!” ..happily? What the!?

Urd and Skuld just waved `Happy Birthday Gan-chan' banners and flags. “Happy birthday rat-fink!” .. “Only three or four more years to go if you're lucky.”

Gan just teardropped. “Don't mention it. Please.” ..this while all sorts of out of the way critters join in on the festivities. Mini-Bell and Mini-Lind meanwhile bring in the cake! Gan looks at it and seems pleased. “Wow, that looks yummy.”

Bell just chimed as the mini-goddesses all gathered around, guests too. “It should be, though we weren't sure what rats liked beyond cheese.”

Gan just snipped. “Cheese gives me gas.” ..which Urd snipped. “You `are' a gas.” ..this Skuld leans over and inspects the cake. “What else did you use to decorate it?”

Bell and Lind almost answer, when mini-Kei and mini-Imlade appear, the latter seeing the.. “CAKE!!” ..and zips over. Kei walks over, creeped out by all the roaches, bugs, rats, things-never-knew-under-refrigerators. “Gan's party as you said?”

Imlade meanwhile forgets his manners, and dabs a taste of the `'frosting'. “Yum..” ..and tastes it.

Gan looks wide eyed as the gold mini-bloke suddenly is doubled over the page panel... um... retching. Gan just gaffs.. “What the HECK?!”

Keiichi looks, sniffs, and backs off. “Uh... um... what `is' that icing?”

Lind just replied. “We used Urd's suggestion for interesting flavors she and Skuld discovered while trying out stuff around here.” ..which of course, makes Gan realize Urd and Skuld's cast iron stomachs. By now the other critters are in China or someplace else far away, as Bell remarks. “We only used the rat poison, toothpaste, and my favorite: shaving cream.”

Keiichi didn't stay long, as Bell looks at the cake and takes a `taste'.. “Mmm.. still fluffy.”

Lind just shrugged as Imlade just wouldn't stop... um.. hope there's a bucket behind that panel. Gan meanwhile just keeps edging backwards, which Urd sees and mini-yells. “Aw come back here you big wuss!”

“No! Living means something to me at my age!”

Skuld just rolls her eyes. “What a one year old.”

Lind just adds for her own `addition'. “Guess using mothballs for part of the cake won't do either huh then?”

Gan isn't around anymore. The mini-goddesses just shrug as mini-Peorth suddenly appears. “I got the Tidy-bowl!”

(Fin Fifteen - Keiichi was found later under Whirlwind, when Chihiro felt something go `squish'.)

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

(Valkyrie Drabbles - Part Sixteen)

The mini-goddess bunch were hopping and cheering, at the end a long boss fight, their fallen digital foe under the heels of a mini-digital Keiichi and Imlade. Keiichi just sighed.. “Wow, we survived over two hundred hours at this game. And I don't even know the name of the game!”

Mini-Keiichi just looked over and cocked an eye, as a big fat `XP Gain' counter went up a few million points in a few seconds. Keiichi just chuckled. “Nice to have goals.”

Lind was happily cheering at the end of the Final Boss, some big fat dragon emperor-mage-warlord -thing that took up twenty monitor screens and at least a dual graphics card, just before they all heard behind them. “HEY! Hey! Wait up you guys?!”

Urd blinks. “Gan?”

“Did I miss the... ACK! NO WAY!!”

Gan sees the end of a pointless run through a hundred final boss levels, just to miss the four hour end of all bitchin RPG fights. Gan just throws a tiff. “NO FAIR!! NO FAIR!!!” Skuld just moans. “He shouts too much.”

Gan just decries. “I got stuck behind at the dang front `door'! Why didn't you wait for me?!”

Urd just quipped.. “I thought you had a key.” ..Gan yelps back.. “YOU HAD THE KEY!” ..”Oh, forgot I had it.” Urd plainly rubs her own sorcerers hat at, rummaging through her all too tight clothes, pulling out a key that was more fit to come out of Skuld's clothing, given the lack of reality in the move. “Here it is!”

Gan facevaults, as Skuld just mocks back. “Gee, don't tell me you had to go all the way back to town for another one!”

Gan just jumps back up and shout-points.. “And I had to give up the last of my worldly possessions to do it too! And then I had to catch up for hours, past all those puzzles that were already triggered, and doors closed behind you!"

Urd cocked and eye. “How'd you get here then?”

“I know a hacker.”

“CHEATER!” Urd and Skuld just snap back, Gan screaming in kind. “Well you left me BEHIND!!”

Lind just rolls her eyes, as Bell just remarks. “You missed a glorious battle. Mini-Cousin even used a move that used him and Keiichi to attack the boss over a hundred times in a super move!” ..Bell just hops on a sorcerer laden foot. “My Keiichi is so cool.”

Lind adds. “It was awesome.”

Gan just anime cries. “No fair.”

Just then Keiichi appears, carrying a dizzy eyed gold dude. Lind gasps and asks.. “What happened?!”

Keiichi just chuckled. “He actually got an overdose of XP Gain “

Gan: “Don't rub it in.”

Urd then just wonders out loud. “Now what do we do?”

Everyone just looks around. They can't see the end credits playing just yet. In fact, as Urd asks Skuld.. “Um, isn't this game supposed to end now?”

Skuld blinks.. and then fidgets her fingers. “Um.. ah.. I think I forgot to put in ending credits.”

Urd just blanches as she shakes Gan.. “Get us outta here before I go anti-ASPCA on this fella.”

“You.. -wa- ..always.. -yeek- ..treat.. -ugh- ..me.. -urff- ..like.. -green- ..this!”

Keiichi just sighs as he lets Lind hold a dizzy Imlade in a baby hold. (In full shown measure at that.)

“How bout a simple Fin instead.”

(Fin Fifteen - Keiichi: Thank you.)