EPISODE 21: THINE GREATEST SIN PART 1

EPISODE 21: THINE GREATEST SIN

Ai opened her eyes. She lay on her bed…in the Kirisawa residence. Her room looked slightly different and her body felt much lighter, though she didn't understand why. Her room also looked slightly bigger than usual, she noticed. She sat up and looked around. There were a lot of anime DVDs scattered on her bed and the ground as well as some PS1 CDs. Toys Ai had misplaced for a very long time now, the things that brought to her a great feeling of nostalgia filled her room. Ai stared at everything in wonder and placed a hand to her head.

"What just happened? I was supposed to have been captured by Decay…the fifth soul of evil…or was everything a dream?" she wondered.

She stood up and explored the room. It almost seemed like a treasure trove of memories.

"Ai dear, won't you see your sister Ayu off to school this morning?" a familiar voice called to her.

Ai opened her eyes in surprise. She was shocked by how familiar the voice was.

"It can't be…! It can't possibly…!" she thought as she turned around to see…her mother, Saito Kusanagi.

Ai took a few steps back. She didn't know whether to feel afraid or overjoyed.

"It…it can't be! This is just an illusion! You're not real!" she screamed as tears flowed down her eyes.

But the person before her had the same kind look her mother had. That look couldn't possibly be a lie. That smile, her mannerisms, no one could imitate another…so perfectly, Ai thought.

"What are you saying Ai? Did you have a nightmare? Are you alright?" her mother asked with a smile and approached her.

"S-Stay away! I know this is a trick! You can't possibly be…my mother! My mother…is dead!" Ai0 words screamed.

"That's a cruel thing to say Ai. You must have had a really terrifying nightmare" her mother said as she approached Ai and hugged her.

"N-No…stay…away…" Ai muttered as she felt her willpower slowly drain away.

The person holding her was warm…and real. The person before her wasn't dead. She could feel the gentle breath of the person before her…and that person's eyes were filled with light. The person before her couldn't be false. But Ai noticed something else…she was far shorter than the person before her…and her body was smaller.

"Mom? Are you really…my mother?" Ai asked, almost naively.

"Of course Ai, I'm your mother, or do you need a whack on the head to prove it?" her mother asked.

Ai laughed. In the past, that would have sounded like a terrible threat but this time it felt really reassuring. At least…she knew the person before her…was alive…and not false.

"Wait a sec mom…did you say…Ayu is heading to school now?" Ai asked.

"What's wrong with you today Ai? You almost seem confused. Did you really have that frightening a dream?" her mother asked.

Ai shook her head.

"It's nothing mom! Don't worry about it! At least…I know it's all over" Ai said with a sigh of relief.

"Unfortunately, you just missed Ayu…she's already left for school" her mother said.

"Then I'll catch up to her in a jiffy! No one in this family drives faster than I do! I'll just borrow the keys to the jeep!" Ai said with a wink.

Her mother laughed hard.

"You sure have suddenly grown a great sense of humour Ai. Would your feet even reach the pedals? That's funny, a ten year old girl already thinking of driving! You could ask me to hand you the keys in eight more years!" the woman said.

Ai opened her eyes in shock!

"Wh-What did you say Mom? I'm ten?! That's impossible! I'm supposed to be twenty next year! It's December 27th, 2011 isn't it Mom?!" Ai yelled in shock.

Her mother laughed and shook her head slowly.

"No it's not Ai…did you suddenly return from a time travel ten years into the future? Ai, it's November 27th, 2001. You really do have an overactive imagination" she said.

"Wh-What?! Mom! That's impossible! It's supposed to be December 27th, 2011! Wh-Wh-Where is Zan?! He should be around!" Ai said.

Mrs Kirisawa opened her eyes in surprise.

"Ai…where did you hear that name?" she asked.

"I'm telling you! Zan's supposed to be here!" Ai argued.

"There is no one by that name living with us" Mrs Kirisawa said.

"Mom, can I head to Ayu's school? I need to speak with her" Ai asked politely.

She waited for a reaction. She wasn't so naïve that she didn't at least retain a bit of suspicion. She couldn't understand what was happening. Could she have dreamt more than half of her life up…or was she actually still battling an evil soul? And even if she was…why was this particular evil soul giving her exactly what she had always wanted?" she thought to herself.

"Of course Ai, you're Ayu's sis aren't you? Just wait till after lunchtime. I don't want you interfering with Ayu's classes" Mrs Kirisawa said.

Ai nodded and headed downstairs.

"If the date mom gave me is correct…then…it's already been one year since Ayu summoned Pyrogeysers…but I'm still not able to summon the Mysterious Oceanic Blades…yet" Ai thought as she arrived in the hall.

Her father sat reading a newspaper leisurely.

"Hello Ai! How are you doing today? I hope you did not have any nightmares" he said cheerfully and headed over to give Ai a morning hug but Ai kicked him before he could get close enough.

"Still as annoying as always…ain't you dad?!" she growled angrily and then realized what she had done.

"W-Wait a minute! D-Did I just do that?! Did I just say that?! Why did I do that?! Aaaaah! What's going on here?! I don't understand!" she exclaimed in exasperation and scratched her head in confusion.

"As expected of a daughter of the Kirisawa household. Your martial arts have really improved. You're far stronger than you were yesterday. Let's see if your mind has grown sharper as well Ai?! What's the equation of a miracle?!" Mr Kirisawa blurted out.

"A miracle is basically an unconsidered probability. The equation of a miracle would thus be the sum of probabilities within a sub event divided by the sample space of the sub event, multiplied by the main event housing the sub probabilities and all its possible outcomes plus all other considered probabilities of the said experiment" Ai said.

Mr Kirisawa stared at Ai in shock.

"Huh? Tensai shoujo na no ka?! (Are you a genius, maiden?!)" Mr Kirisawa exclaimed in shock.

"Mo?! Urusai uzai oyaji! (Oh! You're annoying old man!) Huh?! D-Did I really just say that?!" Ai exclaimed in horror!

"Hidoi koto musume! (Such cruel words daughter!)" Mr Kirisawa exclaimed in pretence horror.

Ai laughed as he playfully attempted to punch her. She blocked while still laughing.

"Dad was really happier and friendlier when Mom was alive" Ai thought happily.

NOVEMBER 27TH, 2001…AT APPROXIMATELY 12:15PM GMT

Ai arrived at Ayumi's elementary school, Fermented International, located in Central Dream City, the part of Dream City containing most of the commercial and educational facilities. Hope I got the name of the school right. I just remember it began with an 'F' name and had to do with stones.

(Temae! Your point being…?!)

The point is…you're not supposed to get it.

Ai went around asking for Ayumi and found out that she was playing with some kids in the school's field.

Ai hurried there, excited about meeting Ayumi's friends and Ayumi. She wanted to see how well Ayumi was getting along with everyone.

When she arrived at the field, she found Ayumi surrounded by a group of children. Ai felt happy because it looked as though they were playing until…she noticed Ayumi crying.

"Witch! Witch! Witch! Ayumi is a witch!" she heard the kids chanting while holding hands and moving around Ayumi as though they had trapped her.

Ayumi seemed hesitant to fight them.

"Why don't you do it again?! Why don't you summon that devilish sword of yours again Ayu?!" they hurled curses at her.

"Stop calling me that! I-I-I'm not a witch!" Ayumi yelled back defensively.

"Ho ho! The witch is angry! Maybe she'll summon her sword! Everyone knows only witches can summon things from thin air!" the children teased.

"Leave my sister alone!" Ai screamed angrily as she charged towards the kids, accidentally summoning her blades in the process.

"Ai no!" Ayumi screamed but it was already too late.

Ai charged towards the kids with her blades but before she could attack any of them, a flying stone hit her from behind.

She fell to the ground causing her sigils to disappear in the process.

Ayumi stared at her sister in shock. She was bleeding from her head where the stone hit her and she held her head crying.

"It looks like both Ayu and her sis are witches. Why don't we give them the treatment witches deserve" the voice of some more kids said and before Ayumi could react, both she and Ai were being stoned.

Amidst the many stones flying at her from all directions, she began to discern a figure walking through the children. The figure looked feminine and its form seemed to be made almost purely from flames. Then a stone hit Ayumi in her gut. She fell to the ground clutching her gut in pain as another narrowly missed hitting her in the forehead.

The fiery figure drew closer and closer till it stood right before Ayumi. Ai opened her eyes and saw the figure approaching Ayumi.

"W-Wait a minute! I-Is that…Cowardice?!" she wondered in horror.

"Greetings Ayumi Kirisawa…I have been watching your progress for a long time now…and I have seen your sufferings. I sympathize with you so much it breaks my own heart" the figure said.

"Who are you? Wh-What are you?" Ayumi asked the figure.

Her body was beginning to become numb to the pain.

"I am Cowardice, the first soul of evil and the ultimate embodiment of flame in this world. That is why I can say with great certainty that you have the greatest potential of a flame wielder than I have seen in any human…but sadly…it looks like you are the self-destructive type. You've been deceived into believing that forsaking yourself for the sake of others…is love. But…you do not love yourself do you Ayumi? That is why you suffer. You suffer because…you keep trying to protect the very thing that keeps hurting you" Cowardice said.

Ayumi cried.

"Look at those filthy creatures! They call themselves 'human' when they do not even have the faintest idea of what they truly are. Those foolish creatures wilfully limit their own potential. They even believe that they are scared of things they know of; 'witches', of 'dragons', of 'monsters', and 'demons', when in fact, the very thing they fear most is their own ignorance. They only fear what they cannot understand and whoever they cannot understand…they brand 'insane', if not 'inhuman'. Time and time again, people like you have tried to protect them…even their very own God…and you know what they do? Even after watching those that love them take the brunt of the wounds and pain they are meant to suffer, those pitiful creatures still stand in the range of the archer's attacks. Their naivety…and stupidity is far more infinite than the borders of the universe itself. Are those the kind of people you want to protect? If you do…I have no qualms about that but I'll give you some friendly advice, prepare to be betrayed all your life, left behind, abandoned, lied to and denounced, prepare to be called all sorts of names and taken for granted…and at the end of your life, when you're a granny, prepare to be called mentally deranged, a witch. If you die alone in some room no one can find you…consider yourself among the fortunate ones" Cowardice said.

Ayumi shivered uncontrollably.

"I-I-I don't want that. I don't…want to be alone…" Ayumi said.

"You're still quite naïve Ayumi Kirisawa. Give or take you'll be alone no matter which path you decide to take…Ayumi. However, there is a better path in being alone. You can be alone without ever feeling lonely. You won't have to endure the endless ridicule of these pitiful creatures…and you won't have to fear them anymore. You will never feel hurt, your heart will never break…nor waver and above everything else…you will be truly strong" Cowardice said.

"What can I do…to achieve that?" Ayumi asked worriedly.

"First of all, rid yourself of the notion that flames symbolize 'courage' for they don't. Flames symbolize fearlessness. Flames do not have to keep moving in the face of fear for they know no fear, no hesitation…flames burn away all fear. To achieve your dreams Ayumi…love no one as much as you love yourself. Love yourself above all else…destroy everything that causes you pain and look down on everyone. Become an inferno that destroys everything…yes…everything…even water! To preserve your humanity, you must denounce being human!" Cowardice roared.

Ayumi frowned.

"What must I do to obtain this power? I want to protect Ai…my little sis" Ayumi said.

"Then…love only yourself and Ai…and take me into your heart. I will do the rest" Cowardice said. "How far are you willing to go…to protect…your sister?" Cowardice asked.

"I'd even sell my soul to the Devil!" Ayumi roared angrily.

"KUUUUKUKUKUKUKUKU!!! Good answer Ayumi Kirisawa! The deal is done! Just remember…love only yourself and Ai…and no one else. The day you decide to love another person other than the two of you…will be the day…your heart will shatter into a million pieces as you watch the person you love become everything you've ever feared…and all the things you've wanted to avoid…will immediately become a reality for you!" Cowardice laughed as she entered into Ayumi's body.

Ayumi opened her eyes.

"How do you feel now Ayumi?" Cowardice asked as Ayumi's wounds slowly closed up.

"I feel…wonderful!" Ayumi said as her eyes took on a sinister crimson glow.

Her lips curled into a malevolent smile.

In an instant, a wild flame was released from her body and the children tormenting her received terrible burns! Ayumi stood in the midst of the burning children laughing maniacally. As she laughed, her laughter overlapped with another sinister voice's laughter.

"Magnificent, Ayumi Kirisawa! Destroy everything! Erase with your flames…existence itself!" the sinister voice laughed.

"AYUMI, SIS! DON'T!" Ai screamed as she lost consciousness.

FOUR HOURS LATER…

Mr Kirisawa and his wife sat in the corridor of Second Chance Hospital. They had been called to the school earlier and informed that their daughter, Ayumi Kirisawa had burnt her mates and other children including her own sister. The victims had been rushed to the hospital. Luckily, there were no fatalities but some children were seriously burned.

Ryuuji and Saito were shocked to hear that their daughter, Ayumi, who they'd always known to be kindhearted was capable of such a terrible act. When they asked her whether it was true, she made no effort to deny it;

"So what if I did?" was the answer she gave without showing any remorse or emotion.

Saito was so angered she actually slapped Ayumi.

"Does that satisfy you…mother?" Ayumi said without showing any remorse.

When Mr Kirisawa stepped in and told Ayumi how seriously she had hurt Ai, Ayumi shrugged it off as Ai being too weak to protect herself.

In the end, Ayumi was confined to her room till further notice.

A week later, Ai returned home, saddened by the fact that Ayumi never paid her a single visit while she was on admission in the hospital.

Ayumi acted cold towards Ai and her coldness continued.

That evening, as the two girls lay on their beds, preparing to sleep, Ai told Ayumi that she didn't hate her but Ayumi retorted saying that she didn't care much for Ai's feelings. Ai told Ayumi she understood if Ayumi was angry with her…and that she knew it was her fault in the first place.

Ai shut her eyes finally and fell asleep.

Then morning came; and Ai woke up…

FOUR YEARS LATER…

"Wake up Ai Kirisawa! Wake up!" she heard a desperate voice calling to her.

She opened her eyes. She was in a cart with other Dream Knights.

"Jeez! You don't have to be so rough Aidan!" Ai yelled angrily.

"We've got bad news for you, Captain Kirisawa!" a girl rushed to Ai's side.

Ai looked around herself. Many bodies lay littered around her. Bodies of both comrades and foes. Flames spread all around her as destructive elements flew in all directions.

"I know this setting! This is…!" Ai exclaimed in horror.

MAY 25th, 2006, 1:00 GMT, THE BATTLE OF BLACK WATER BRIDGE…!!!

"Captain Ai! All our defences have been breached! Your sister, Commander Kirisawa has already engaged the Gamma Knightmares at the final fortification, Black Water Bridge! We are all that remains of the Dream King's advance forces presently! The Chancellor, and your father, Sir Ryuuji Kirisawa have requested for all remaining forces to join his squad in defending the Castle Of Dreams! Things are definitely not looking good for us!" Aidan reported the situation to Ai.

"Turn the cart around Aidan!" Ai ordered.

"You can't disobey orders Ai! Especially in a situation like this! All of us Dream Knights were prepared to lay down our lives to protect the Dreams Of Humanity, our dreams when we first took our oath!" Aidan argued.

"He's right Ai! Please respect the wishes of our men!" another Knight under Ai's command, by name Cromwell supported Aidan.

"And if we die…whose Dreams do we protect?!" Ai yelled angrily.

"That's the whole point! We must live to repel the Nightmare King's forces at all costs! Even if we have to do it by sacrificing our comrades!" Aidan roared.

"I understand…but if we're sacrificing humans…to protect the dreams of humans…then what are we really protecting you naïve idiots?!" Ai roared angrily! "This is not my first battle and I understand your concerns…but the Battle Of Black Water Bridge is just one battle in the whole war! If no one lives through this battle! All we're doing is telling humanity to die in the name of heroics at a latter date! You should all know by now that the Nightmare King is not the real threat! The real threat…is probably behind all this…controlling everything from the shadows…and if we die now…who will repel him when he decides to surface?! Before deciding to weigh the lives of your comrades according to the present situation…think about the future!" Ai scolded her comrades.

"Captain Ai!" her comrades exclaimed in admiration as Aidan and Cromwell walked up to her.

"We're ecstatic to see how much you care about us Captain!" Cromwell exclaimed happily.

"However…" Aidan said.

"Do it now Eghan!" Cromwell roared.

"Ultimate Holy Submission Sucker Punch De Gozaru!" Eghan roared as he, who had been creeping up to Ai from behind suddenly leapt at her and held her in a tight lock-hold!

"Cromwell! The ropes!" Eghan called out as Aidan and Eghan struggled to restrain Ai!

"Temae-tachi! What the hell do you think you're doing?! Traitors! Assassins! Mutineers!" Ai yelled angrily.

"Yeah, yeah, we get all that Ai. How many times do you think we've heard that from Captain Haddock? Stop exposing your otaku nature any more than you're already doing Captain Ai" Aidan said.

"The treacherous first mate finally shows his true colours" Cromwell said with a bored expression on his face.

1:47 GMT…THE SAME DAY…

Ai's team had finally arrived in the Castle Of Dreams. Ryuuji Kirisawa, Fenrir Sabrefang, Aileen Atlas, William Arthur, Jonathan Kenyah and Reia Krauser, six out of the former Seven Great Knights Of The Valiant One, with the present exclusion being Saito Kusanagi awaited the remaining forces.

Many other squadrons and battalions had gathered together for a final stand. The stronger warriors had been kept out of battle for as long as possible while those of a lower hierarchy were made to tire out the enemy until they finally made it past all fortifications between the Border Of Dreams and Nightmares and The Castle Of Dreams.

The Battle had started with the Dream Knights on the offensive. In fact, they were the ones that had instigated the conflict in the first place in their desire to recapture the Lost Lands Of The Dream Realm which were now under the Nightmare King's authority. They had expected the Nightmare King to fight defensively like he usually did…however, the Nightmare King had changed very much since the loss of his wife and he was reminded of the day he lost both his wife and son and had one of his closest friends cursed.

In a rage, he summoned all Gamma Knightmares scattered across the Nightmare Realm and marched right into Dream Territory. "The Gamma Knightmares" was a term used to refer to the most frightfully powerful of Nightmares that retained a sense of sanity and personality. They were of the highest breed of Nightmares and included Wraiths, the Omnicron and the Giga-Wraiths. Other Dreams and Forces of a Higher Hierarchy that detested the Dream Knights' ideals allied themselves with him including, Darag-Arokna, the Fearful Flame Winged Mandragon of the distant lands, Aralpheisl, the Wise One Of The Unison Courts, Rikishin, the One who protects that which must not be severed, Rai Of The Ondai Race, the Mysterious and Proud Jumen-Orkan race that appeared to be crossbreeds of the Unicorn and the Omnicron and many other embodiments of heroes that remained unallied with sides until present.

Immediately the Nightmare King arrived on the Battlefield with his army, the Dream Knights' offensive was suddenly turned into a defensive of great peril. In an instant, their morale was shattered and they began to scatter as the Nightmare King marched straight onwards, shattering the forty fortifications the Dream Knights had set in place. After shattering the last fortification, the Nightmare King finally came face to face with Ayumi Kirisawa and her small team of nine extremely skilled knights.

Ai was informed of the situation in detail and watched her father closely as this piece of information was being reported. Her father seemed unnaturally composed.

Ai requested permission to back Ayumi up but her request was immediately denied as she was assigned to protect the castle.

"Please, Chancellor! Ayumi is my sister!" Ai pleaded.

"Everyone on the battlefield shares relations with other warriors in one way or another! If we were all allowed to act selfishly, our defence would immediately crumble!" Fenrir scolded Ai.

"Do you agree with this Dad?!" Ai exclaimed in anguish.

"Daughter! The Chancellor is right! We can't act selfishly on the battlefield! Every choice must be made after careful consideration! However, if regardless of the choice we make, we'll endure heavy losses, it's much better to make the choice you'd least regret! Put in a hundred per cent so that you don't have to worry about what you could have done!" her father said.

"Ryuuji!" Fenrir scolded his comrade.

"One little girl shouldn't make much of a difference in a battle of this magnitude! I'll just double my efforts to make up for the lack of her presence!" Ryuuji said.

A man you truly are Ryuuji Kirisawa! In other words, "musume" (daughter), I know you can take care of yourself so leave these selfish "sai aku" (archdemon) natured bastards and go die randomly in a battle I can't watch your back! You absolutely reckless image of a father!

"Dad!" Ai exclaimed in joy and ran out of the castle.

"That was underhanded Ryuuji! It's true! One little girl can't make much of a difference on the battlefield…but that's not the case…if that one little girl can literally move the moon!" Fenrir said with an angry glare.

And here's me making a face…

TROLOLOL!!! Now that's a bit of overkill, ain't it?

Ai raced towards the borders of the Dream World to aid her sister. Her subordinates and other comrades joined her to defend the last key fortification situated at Black Water Bridge. Black Water was a large expanse of water, which stretched on through the River Of Blood and all across the Dream World dividing the realms. To enforce the security of the Dream World, a huge wall was built at the Dream Side of Black Water Bridge with skilled archers lining the walls all across Dream World. Just behind the wall, for every kilometre, there stood skilled spearmen, positioned before even stronger walls. Behind the Spearmen were warriors skilled in using flexible expansive weapons with which they dealt with nightmares that made it through the spearmen.

Behind the third wall was the same formation but this time, the distance from the third to the fourth walls was reduced by half a kilometre constricting space. Swordsmen and all kinds of close range weapon experts as well as hand to hand combat specialists were positioned behind these walls. All throughout the endlessly stretching wall and river was just a single wide bridge. The Dream Knights made sure to decimate and destroy any attempts to create more bridges.

This single bridge was meant to destroy the Nightmare King's offensive formation from the onset. There was only one gate through every wall as well and these gates flowed in a single path. The archers dealt with Nightmares that attempted to make it through the gate. Those that made it through had their progress, offensive charge and fighting spirit crushed by the spearmen. By the time the Nightmares made it to the third gate, they'd be overwhelmed by the ambush of the warriors using expansive weapons and those skilled in close range combat.

Ayumi Kirisawa guarded the third wall and was concealed among the rest of her warriors. Watching their backs, she parried and decimated any threat to her forces, dealing with the nightmares while simultaneously boosting the morale of her subordinates since they knew they didn't have to fight while watching their backs.

This ruthless strategy was designed by the Commander of the third battalion of the Dream King's Seven Valiant Armed Forces Formation, the stand in knight for the Seventh Great General of the Dream King's Army, Ayumi Kirisawa Of The Pyrogeysers, ranked among the Highest Order Of Dream Knights as The Successor Of The Seventh.

As Ai raced on to aid her sister, she felt her mind being pulled from her body.

"What's going on?!" she wondered as she felt herself lifted higher and higher till she eventually found herself in…

THE HUMAN REALM, AT AROUND 2:00 GMT, THE SAME DAY…

Saito Kusanagi sat on her bed, in the Kirisawa mansion. Her health had waned a lot and she knew she didn't have much longer to live. The previous night, she had had a dream about her close friend, the Princess Of Dreams who had perished on the night the Dreamweaver was cast through the Mirror Gate.

In her Dream, the Princess Of Dreams seemed to be in great anguish. She did not seem to be at peace at all, and she was pleading with Saito…to help her. Saito had made a decision then. For almost ten years since then, she had feared to approach the Mirror Gate. She had discussed it with her husband. She was still scared of dying. She had fought on the battlefield countless times and had always imagined that she'd die a glorious death protecting those close to her, and having her beloved standing beside her.

But now she knew the fear of death. It could come at any time. It wasn't something that could be planned so nicely unless you'd reached the "yanderic" level of suicidal stupidity. Death could really come at any time. When everyone goes out to buy stuff, or when everyone else has something important to do. Even when everyone is around you at that time, the one person you might want to see for the last time might be absent. It was only those that were blessed enough to have everyone they loved beside them in that single hour of transformation…that single painful moment of transformation; those were the ones that could go off with a smile. Saito realized that now as the fear built up within her. Ai watched her mother tremble. Ai knew that this was the day, the day her mother finally disappeared forever. On that day, everyone else was out fighting a losing battle, a battle in which regardless of victory or defeat would result in the most terrible of tragedies…and that was the weight that made "The Battle Of Black Water Bridge" an Unforgettable One!

Saito looked very uneasy. No matter how much she had comforted her family and her husband, she now felt that she had been lying to them for no one could feel as fearful as she felt now.

One of the maids walked into her room.

"Dinner is ready ma'am. Would you like to come down to the table or would you prefer it if I brought your food upstairs?" the maid asked.

"Is there any news regarding my husband and my daughters?" Saito asked.

"No ma'am. We haven't heard anything new concerning them. Last we heard Ayumi had engaged the Nightmare King at Black Water Bridge" the maid said.

"I see" Saito said downheartedly.

"Pardon me ma'am, it would be out of place for me to say this but…you look really scared" the maid said.

"Of course I do. I know I don't have much longer to live" Saito said with a sad laugh.

Some tears escaped her eyes even though she tried to look strong. She wiped them and struggled to speak while maintaining her composure.

"Forgive me for showing you this weakness of mine" she apologized.

"It's not weakness ma'am. It's 'human'. It may sound naïve and insensitive to say this at this point in your life ma'am but…though fear is inherently an evil force and a terrifying one at that…I don't believe all forms of fear are evil. At times, fear can help one grow" the maid said.

"Why do you say that?" Saito asked.

"I'm not talking of the kind of fear we've come to know ma'am. It may sound conceited coming from a maid like myself but…sometimes humans just need to know their place. When we realize that we're weak alone, when we realize that we can't go it all alone and that we need someone to support us when we lose balance…then we can be truly strong" the maid said.

"You must either be pretty bold or simply too inexperienced to say such a thing. I once believed in that as well…but no matter what we say, some forms of fear are just…too crippling!" Saito said as she burst into tears.

"Ma'am, I'm not as inexperienced as you may think. I've been called a lot of names because of my Christian faith…and because I try to be kind to as many people as I can be…even if it brings me disgrace. I've been denounced many times and betrayed because I keep on trusting people. I'm not naïve ma'am and every single day, I fear betrayal but I know there is one person that would never betray me, my own God. That is why I can keep on reaching out no matter how many names I'm called…no matter how disgraced I'm made to look in the eyes of others. It may sound stupid to you, and though this may surprise you…even we Christians fear death…but not as you do. We constantly worry about whether we'd be prepared to give our lives in sacrifice if our God demands it. We worry about the future, when we'd be forced to choose between our mortal lives and the souls of the people our deaths are meant to bring into Eternity. We realize we're 'meek'. Yes, to you we're weak. We're supposed to look weak in your eyes…but the difference between meekness and weakness is that of ignorance versus knowledge. A weak person is ignorant of the strength he possesses. A meek person wilfully suppresses his true strength in order to avoid hurting others. And more than anyone else, I know you're not weak ma'am but you're afraid, afraid to trust someone you've never known but that's also the same reason you fear death so much. It's because to you…it's a finality and everything after is unknown but we see what's beyond death ma'am. But even then, we're still human…and we still fear death to be honest with you; but not "death" in itself, but "the process of transformation" it brings. Whether the process be for an eternity of bliss or torment though depends on the person who undergoes that transformation. It's the second baptism…by fire" the maid said.

Saito stared at the maid in awe. Being a knight, she knew how to read lies and uncertainty. Even in people who were knowledgeable about a subject, when pressured enough, uncertainty revealed itself but the woman before her had no look of doubt in her eyes. She spoke of difficult things in very much the same way she could speak of going to the market or carrying out her chores; like they were an everyday occurrence. Saito stared at the girl before her in awe and noticed something else. Before her eyes, a small person stood but every single sense within her told her that the person before her carried herself about, almost as though she were royalty.

"What would it take to understand the things you understand in a single day, to be able to view things from your perspective?" Saito asked.

"It takes one to forsake oneself and others…for the sake of oneself and others, and most importantly, for the God who loved us so much that he died for us, so that we could enjoy an eternity of happiness with him" the maid said.

Anywhere else and that'd have sounded pretty annoying but Saito could tell this girl definitely knew what she was talking about, and even knowing full well she could be fired from her job if she were not careful with her words, she still dared to speak directly of death to Saito's face knowing her condition…but she had also presented something Saito had felt doubtful about…Hope.

"Do I have to abandon my family and everyone I love to gain what you have?" Saito asked.

The maid chuckled at Saito's question.

"I can see you're quite the manga fan, aren't you Mrs Kirisawa? Fortunately, it's quite the other way around. It's not people you have to forsake. It's the things people have come to place their trust in like say…money, insurance, security and a ton of bodyguards, maybe an awesome badass sword or rocket launcher. I'm quite a fan of rocket launchers myself!" the maid laughed.

"Wait a sec…is this…a Christian expressing love for weapons?" Saito wondered.

"I must sound pretty weird. But you know, I've always found it cool how some movies combine guns with acrobatics and some games are just awesome! I soooo love Devils May Die!" the maid said.

"Hmm, how did a serious topic about life and death suddenly turn into manga, movies and videogames? I must say, this girl is quite interesting" Saito thought.

"Are all Christians like you?" she asked.

"I can't speak for all of us but I'm just me" the maid said.

"Well, you seem like quite an interesting person now that I've had the chance to talk with you like this. At first, I just thought you were either extremely introverted or just dumb" Saito said.

"That's pretty mean Mrs Kirisawa" the maid said with a tearful look.

Saito patted her on the head.

"Sorry, sorry. You know, you remind me so much of my daughter Ai. She endures so much from her sister Ayu. She really has a strong heart and I know if anyone can pull Ayumi out of darkness, she definitely can" Mrs Kirisawa said.

Ai shed tears when she heard her Mom's words.

"I know! Since I have nothing more to lose anyway, why don't I just follow you to church! You will be going today won't you?" Saito asked.

"We don't really have an official service today and it's probably too late already…but why not. Let's go see what's going on there. You can be sure something interesting's always going on there if your eyes are opened" the maid said.

"And there she goes, dropping off one of the most hated Christian bylines" Saito sighed.

THE BATTLE OF BLACK WATER BRIDGE…

The Nightmare King and his army finally stood before the fortification defended by Ayumi Kirisawa Of The Pyrogeysers! The Nightmare King looked around at the littered bodies of his subordinates who were killed in the cruellest way imaginable.

Then he stared at Ayumi.

"You are the daughter of Ryuuji and Saito Kirisawa…are you not…Ayumi Kirisawa?" the Nightmare King asked.

"That has nothing to do with this battle" Ayumi said coldly.

"How pitiful, your parents were such loyal friends too. It is sad to see how you dishonour them Ayumi Kirisawa" the Nightmare King said seriously.

"Do not insult my parents!" Ayumi roared.

"So you do have a shred of humanity nested deep within that icy heart of yours now, do you Ayumi?" the Nightmare King asked.

"I'll destroy all my enemies…without any hesitation! It does not matter who the enemy is; as long as he stands in my path!" Ayumi roared.

"Hmmph! It's ironic to hear a Dream Knight repeat the words of Zanfar in exactly the same manner! I see you've chosen your life over the lives of many others. You've chosen your pride over moral virtues. Well then Ayumi Kirisawa…as my final duty to your parents…I will end your life here!" the Nightmare King said.

"It's ironic to hear all that come from a Nightmare! You sure know how to crack a good joke! I haven't had such a laugh in a while" Ayumi laughed.

"But before I take your life…tell me Ayumi Kirisawa. Is there any justification for this cruel slaughter? Do you have a good reason for slaying my citizens…in this way?" the Nightmare King said as the shadow around his face extended.

"Do I need any justification? They're nightmares! They harm people and you are their king. Anything that threatens humanity will meet its end by my hands!" Ayumi roared.

"Beautiful words for such cruel actions. You say you want to protect humanity…yet you despise humans even more than these nightmares. All the anger within you that…you cannot take out on humans…you take out on these nightmares. Nightmares exist to be defeated…that…I will not deny…however…such cruel slaughter…even of nightmares…is something…I cannot forgive!" the Nightmare King said.

"Haaaah?! Am I supposed to understand what you're saying?" Ayumi asked with a smirk.

"It is precisely because you ignore understanding…that I will force you to experience the pain of all the hatred within you! There are four types of flame…do you know that Ayumi Kirisawa?" the Nightmare King said.

"What are you talking about?" Ayumi asked.

"The warm fire, the kind flame, the unyielding blaze…and the raging inferno. The warm fire is the flame of life; the warmth humans experience…the warmth of emotion, the warmth that keeps the world alive. The kind flame is the flame of courage, the flame that shields and protects and at the same time, the flame that hurts most…the one strong enough to stand up for others…the unyielding blaze marks the point where flame splits into two paths…the unyielding blaze…or the raging inferno. The unyielding blaze is the flame that has the power to burn away evil…no matter how terrifying or powerful the evil is…and it is a combination of fire…and light! However…the raging inferno is darkness itself. It consumes everything…irrespective of good or evil…and in the end…it consumes its very own self. An inferno will destroy everything and everyone around it…and that…is the path you have chosen Ayumi. Be it for good or for evil; if you are willing to sacrifice a life…to protect a life…then you are no different from Zanfar…for life didn't come by your hands. Taking a life you did not create is theft of an abominable scale. It is attempting to steal from God himself! So before you become completely engulfed by the dark path you've chosen…I will steal your life here! It is not a good thing…but in the face of two evils…I'll choose the lesser evil over the greater evil!" the Nightmare King declared.

"Then aren't you just doing the same thing you're accusing me of?!" Ayumi roared.

"Hmmph! That's true Ayumi Kirisawa! But there are two differences between us! One, the difference between the weights we must carry is far too great to be measured on any human scale! I'm fighting for people I care about, people I've come to love…no matter how ugly they may look in your eyes! At the same time…I must protect the creatures I despise the most and give them the strength they need to face their own lives and become organisms worthy of the lives they possess while dealing with you abominable dream knights and your senselessly instigated wars. And at the same time, ensure my son is protected from your stupidly prejudiced miscalculations and worst of all; I must watch you become more and more stupid with each passing second! However you Ayumi…fight for the people you hate, tell yourself you do it to protect them; your only reason being that you must carry out orders when in fact you're afraid of your own life! Your naivety runs much deeper than the emptiness of a black hole. This is reason one. Reason two is…I'm already recognized as an evil presence to begin with so nothing I do should surprise you…moron" the Nightmare king said.

Ayumi looked very irritated.

"You'll pay for insulting me! Your army has already been…!" Ayumi was about to say when she suddenly noticed something strange.

"My army has already been what?! I already told you…the weight you and I have on our shoulders is different. No matter who my subordinates are…whether they are ugly, hideous, beautiful or otherwise…the fact remains that…I AM THEIR KING AND IT IS THE DUTY OF THE KING TO PROTECT HIS CITIZENS! I have lived much longer than you have Ayumi…and you are mistaken about a lot of things. I did not become the Nightmare King because I was the most terrifying monster in existence at the time. It is quite the opposite actually. I became the Nightmare King by defeating the most terrifying creature in existence, the previous Nightmare King…the evil dragon that took the form of an abominable rhinoceros to terrify my village! The animosity known as Ziri, the King Of Lies! My name Sanziri…is also my title as… "The Destroyer Of Lies!" and as such…every Nightmare in existence that contains even a fraction of truth within it…yields to my call! Who the hell do you think I am?! When I began to battle…you were not even born…no…even your great grand-parents had never even imagined they'd be married. Your strategy is impressive Ayumi Kirisawa Of The Pyrogeysers…your fortifications and barriers are almost invincible…but who is foolish enough to pass through a danger he can fly over?! The only reason Black Water Bridge has remained standing is because I never considered you dream knights a threat to begin with. Then I married Ariel…and she taught me how to forgive. However your cruelty took my wife from me…and now you've chosen to go after the life of my son as well. I hid my son well enough to prevent his discovery and I didn't think you'd be foolhardy enough to instigate a war by attacking me a second time at the borders of my very own territory. When a kitten catches a mouse…it thinks it is a cat. When a cat attacks a dog and escapes unscathed…it believes it is a lion but when this cat in its overly inflated pride threatens a real lion…it will learn that…a lion does not need to start a war…to win one! How nostalgic…Ayumi Kirisawa…after almost five generations…I will get to utilize my sigil to a greater level than I've done this past century.

FINALLY I SPEAK MY NAME! MY NAME AND MY DESTINY IS TO STAND IN CONSTANT ADVERSITY TO LIES FOR ETERNITY!!! I AM KING SANZIRI NIGHTBANE!!! WIELDER OF THE ULTIMATE SIGIL OF LIGHT…BEARING THE GRUDGE NESTED IN ZANVIEL'S HEART!!! I UNIFY THE POWER OF THE MAKERS, WEAVERS, SOLVERS AND BREAKERS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE DIMENSIONS OF EXISTENCE!!!"

The Nightmare King began to call out!

"I CALL UPON THE POWER OF THE WEAVERS! ENTRUST YOUR WILL INTO MY SWORD! HAND ME THE FAITH YOU HAVE IN ME…NESTED WITHIN YOUR VERY OWN SIGILS!" the Nightmare King called as the entire battlefield began to quake as though existence was being torn apart! A great number of the Nightmare King's forces flew over the battlefield and they were not so ordinary they could be taken down by the arrows of a few skilled Dream Knights. Ayumi stared at the Nightmare King's aerial forces in horror!

"Damn you Nightmare King!" she growled angrily.

"You do not have time to admire my army Ayumi Kirisawa. It's also about time I got serious…" the Nightmare King declared as a tremendous amount of energy began to escape from his body!

"Unlocking the limiters I imposed on the Black Bane!!!

To those that must not die…

I protect their lives!

To those that must not be separated

I protect their bonds!

To those that must not be forgotten

I preserve their deeds…

In my hands…

I wield earth and Endregen!

Man and Endreginian,

Light and darkness…

He that protects that which must not be severed…I call on thine sword…Rikishin!!! Limiter one! The seal of Endregen…unlock!!!"

The Nightmare King called as two swords appeared in his hands. One bearing the colour of the Sun, the other, the colour of Night!

"I hope you are not intimidated by this display Ayumi Kirisawa…I have six more limiters to remove!" the Nightmare King roared.

"An Unending Wind With Words Unspoken;

Indestructible, something from my past appears to be;

Memories I know cannot define things

For things such as these I've never known

A Star, a Storm, an enormous vessel;

Moving faster yes, than the rays of Light;

A warm light shines and calms my fears

The Solemn stars shed no sad tears!

Limiter two! The seal of Kolmnid…unlock!!!"

The Nightmare King roared as his dark armour shattered and was replaced by bright rainbow armour. His dreadlocks came undone and his hair grew wild like the mane of a lion! Seven elements swirled around him in harmony though they appeared threatening in the eyes of his foes.

"At this point Ayumi Kirisawa…two choices lie before you…and both are cruel. First choice, you give up and die! Second choice…you fight me till my stamina runs out…however…if your stamina happens to run out first…I'll curse your weakened body…with the sum of all the pain you Dream Knights have forced me to endure all these years! Don't be surprised…if all that pain ends up killing you!" the Nightmare King roared.

Ayumi's body was already trembling. Every cell in her body told her that the enemy before her was far beyond anything she had ever faced.

"Ayumi…I will warn you beforehand…that the stamina of this current form of mine lasts at least…three days of continuous battle against any army…and when I unlock the third limiter…I recover all the stamina I've already lost plus a three time power boost. So what will you do? Do you think you can defeat me? Especially when you're fighting for people even you…probably detest?" the Nightmare King asked with a slight chuckle. "Hesitant? Where did all that arrogance suddenly disappear to? If you can't defeat me…then you don't hold a candle to the power my son possesses" the Nightmare King said calmly.

Ayumi frowned.

"You really think I'd be intimidated by something like this? It looks like…you're the one that's naïve!" Ayumi declared as she shut her eyes. "Listen to me…all of you that call yourselves my allies. If you do not wish to be caught in the battle I'm about to fight…get as far away as you possibly can".

"I AYUMI KIRISAWA! TRUE HEIRESS AND SUCCESSOR TO THE BURNING PATH OF DESTRUCTION DO SUMMON THEE PYROGEYSERS!!! UPGRADING PYROGEYSERS LEVEL ONE TO INFERNAL SIGIL LEVEL MINUS ZERO!!! AWAKEN…INDIGNANT DEVOURER!!!" Ayumi roared as the Pyrogeysers melted and extended to form two long sharp chain blades that could extend almost indefinitely.

(Now you're just trolling! Trololol!)

"As expected Ayumi Kirisawa, your sigil has fused with Cowardice's sigil almost perfectly. I presume it is safe to say you've lost all sense of personality. You're just a living Cowardice in the body of a human. If I defeated your eldest brother Ziri…you should know your place scum!" the Nightmare King exclaimed with a sinister sparkle in his eyes.

Then he charged to battle Ayumi.

Ai and her advancing team simultaneously had themselves blocked by the rest of the Nightmare King's Gamma Knightmares that had flown over Ayumi's barrier. Ai felt herself suddenly pulled from that memory into another memory which wasn't hers.

THE HUMAN REALM…AT AROUND 2:30 GMT…

"Thine spirit is stubborn and tis tiresome to crush! However Ai Kirisawa, we are fast approaching that moment when thou defineth, with thine own actions, Zanfar's victory as inevitable" Decay's voice sounded in Ai's mind.

Mrs Kirisawa and her maid sat in church listening to the priest. The priest spoke of Jesus' sacrifice and his homily centred on the two kinds of baptism every Christian would have to undergo. (Coincidentally).

"John the Baptist said of Jesus; I baptize you with water as a symbol of your repentance but the one who will come after me will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Spirit!" the priest said.

Saito did not understand what he was saying but at the moment he said that, for some strange reason, her mind was drawn towards Ayumi. Being in a church for the first time, she raised her hand. Her maid nearly slapped herself on the forehead but chose to remain calm.

"What is this baptism you speak of and what does it signify. And how is it logical to be baptized by two contrasting elements that stand in opposition to one another constantly" Saito asked.

The priest smiled. He liked curious minds and especially loved those that liked to debate over topics like this without arguing senselessly since he had come to believe that challenges like this were opportunities to strengthen one's faith and learn more.

"To answer your question ma'am, I'd first like to ask you…what makes you think water and fire are contrasting elements. They may actually be two elements of a similar nature. Can you explain that?" the priest asked.

"I think you might be wrong there. Water is a gentle element. It is soothing to touch and it almost never hurts. It cleanses almost everything in nature and can almost always be seen through. Water allows us to see ourselves" Saito said.

The priest smiled.

"That is true and I'm amazed at how much you know. However, when water becomes mixed with too much dirt, it is a disgusting thing to look at is it not? It can be violent and destructive and at times, it can very much be unpredictable" the priest said.

"But it's always soothing to touch" Saito said.

"I don't quite agree with you ma'am. Even without the presence of fire, water can still 'burn'. When water becomes too cold, touching it almost feels like a sting especially when it's frozen. If you drink it in that state, it can feel as though all your teeth are about to fall out and your brain feels like exploding" the priest said.

Saito laughed.

"I can't argue with that" she said.

"And what do you think about fire?" the priest asked her.

"Fire is a destructive element even when it is calm. It is energizing though and is the reason we can live. It is warm and beautiful in nature but very destructive as well" Saito said.

"You've admitted that both Water and Fire are destructive and at the same time soothing elements" the priest said.

"But water purifies almost everything" Saito argued.

"True, yet fire purifies that which water cannot. It is only through fire that the beauty of the elements in nature, the minerals can be fully revealed. Fire burns away dirt. Water washes it away. But for the dirt to be gotten rid of…it must either be completely immersed in water…or consumed by fire…by drowning or burning…and in both cases, something of a nature dies so that another nature, even more beautiful can be revealed" the priest said.

"I think I understand…" Saito said.

"However, in the case of us Christians, we must both be drowned and burned for the beauty inside us to be fully made manifest" the priest said.

"What?! Suicide?! Don't tell me you all attempted suicide in order to become Christians!" Saito exclaimed in horror.

"In a way, we do…but then again…it's not quite an accurate way to put it. To put it in a way you can understand better, take the 'drowning' and 'burning' as symbolic processes meant to kill something…and that thing…is our individualistic nature. Baptism in a way portrays the wisdom of God in the law… "for one thing to be gained, another must be lost", "for one to live, another must be sacrificed"…but in this case…in following the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "for the sake of ourselves and others, we forsake ourselves and others. A sword has been placed between our spirits and our minds. An enmity over confronting wills. At the same time, that same enmity between Light and Darkness can tear us from our own loved ones…and that is precisely why Jesus said of Himself that…he came not to unify but to place enmity between even relatives. For every Christian is faced with a moment in life where he or she would have to choose between God and family. It's like some sort of riddle, a tricky riddle, but the beauty of this riddle is that the answer will not be realized immediately. Making one choice will mean forsaking the other…but there is the chance that making a choice between one and the other will save the one making the choice as well as the choice he/she decides to forsake" the priest explained.

"But why do you need to be baptized by both water and fire? One of the elements could just symbolize a cleansing. Do you really have to burn yourselves as well?" Saito asked.

"We 'drown' ourselves through baptism to symbolize the perishing of our selfish nature…but we don't burn ourselves. It is the Holy Spirit Of God that burns us" the priest said with a smile.

He seemed really happy but there was a sorrow mingled in his smile that made his smile even more beautiful.

"Why would your God burn you if you worship him? Shouldn't he always protect and shield you and grant you the power you need to trample your foes?" Saito asked.

"He has given us all that power you speak of ma'am" the priest said.

"Call me Saito" Saito introduced herself.

"But…what good would it do us…if our God shielded us from every single evil thing in existence? What good does it do a parent to raise his child by hiding his child from every evil thing in the world? If you give the child everything he desires, you will give the child the things that will hurt him even more in the future but if you give the child the things he needs…even against his own desire, you will heal his wounds and strengthen his heart. However, that will not change the fact that the child will have to suffer and endure pain first. A chick only becomes a bird when it risks its life to flap its wings…and there is no guarantee that it will not die. If it doesn't die, it will be injured several times by falling…and even when it doesn't fall, it will have to endure the strain on its wings. A cub only becomes a lion after being cast into a crevice and finding its way back up. No matter how cruel it is…it is parental love. The offspring of many a spider feed on the flesh of their own mother to survive, then they have to live as orphans for the rest of their lives…and a human child endures falling many times…and the strain of weight before learning to walk effortlessly. No matter how cruel it may seem, it is God's way of showing love…and that pain is the baptism by fire every human must face. However…only few can truly understand the significance of the suffering this world endures…but as Christians…we've come to believe that…a victory is more enjoyable after suffering many trials and defeats. For the sake of ourselves and others, we must forsake ourselves and others" the priest said.

Saito stared at him in surprise, then she frowned.

"Isn't it all wishful thinking? Isn't it your way of running away from the cruelty of death? Your way of justifying suffering and death and trying to escape the finality of our lives?" Saito asked.

The priest smiled.

"We've never seen God with these human eyes but we know…we don't need to see him to believe in him. We feel him within our very hearts… and that is why even when we endure pain, we can shed tears of joy. Tears are a symbol of sorrow…but why does extreme joy lead to the shedding of tears? The joy of the Holy Spirit isn't fanciful pleasure…or a happiness without sorrow. It is a sorrow that can be expressed in the language of happiness…or the happiness that can be expressed in even the language of sorrow…but does the existence of God really have to matter in this case? Just think about this Saito. Which sounds more logical…if God exists, accepting him means eternal life and bliss. It means eternal happiness and even happiness in this fractured human world. On the other hand, even if God does not exist…isn't it better to want to believe he exists so that you don't have to endure a death even worse than death…which is the fear of complete erasure; than to endure the fear that you could die any moment, and be forgotten forever? Why do you choose to believe your existence is meaningless even if…deluding yourself into giving your existence meaning will make you happier than facing a harsher truth that you're just a random accident? And even then…chances are, that harsh truth you've decided to accept might even be a lie" the priest said.

"But there is no scientific proof that supports any theory of the afterlife!" Saito roared.

"I am a scientist as well Saito…and you are wrong. There is indeed scientific proof that supports the theory of the afterlife…and to reveal your ignorance, that truth is universally accepted and at the same time…its spiritual fulfilment and completion is denied. That truth is the law…'Energy can neither be created nor destroyed…but can be transformed from one state to another'. If energy is indeed neither created nor destroyed but 'transformed', then even when the vessel containing the said energy wears out and disappears for good…the energy itself continues to exist in a renewed transformed state. More can be added to energy…and energy grows by borrowing from other energies…but nothing can ever be taken away from energy. For such a thing to occur, a thing known as 'minus energy' would have to exist and that thing is what we commonly refer to as resistance…but even resistance is never negative is it? If resistant energy is indeed negative…then by adding resistant energy to the flow of positive energy…energy can be cancelled out yet you accept that energy cannot be destroyed? The chances of destroying energy are very much the same as the chances of erasing a memory completely. Yet you know, memories can never completely be erased. Memories can be rejected…and they can be altered…but they can never be erased. If memories can be erased…then knowledge can be erased. If knowledge can be erased…by implication, the human soul can be erased. If the soul can be erased, then energy can indeed be destroyed…and if energy can be destroyed by anyone but God, then that would make God a liar, in effect, rendering his claim as God void, but then again, that would make humans liars as well since we've all come to accept that law as truth. Yet if humans can find a way to destroy energy, that means that, the means to destroy energy does indeed exist…and if it does exist…it means that God is indeed truthful since it is humans that declared the law of energy…thus in humanity's efforts to render God's existence and claim as God, null and void…we endlessly contradict ourselves all the while proving God to be truer and truer and exposing his magnificence even more. We willingly decide to stand in opposition to God and declare ourselves intelligent, yet our intelligence exposes God's wisdom to the truly wise and makes we, the discoverers look like fools when we deny God's existence. If we end up proving the power and wonders of a supreme force even we cannot comprehend…in an attempt to deny him…that must tell you that…one of us, between God and humans is a liar and I don't need to tell you which is the logical pick" the priest said.

Saito was silenced.

"Saito…you may have lost some precious friends…many of them in fact, but you remember them don't you? How do you remember something that doesn't exist? You remember them…their names, and how they looked. These memories last for a long time…yet you will realize that the very first thing you forget…is 'how they looked', their physical appearance. That is why we keep pictures and paintings to remind ourselves of our loved ones. You cannot remember anything that does not exist…even when we forget form…we carry the memories of a smile, of a happy unforgettable moment in our hearts forever…even to death and beyond. It is also precisely why a grudge can carry on even after death. After vengeance…bitterness and dissatisfaction remain; even after taking away the life of the object of our hatred. This dissatisfaction is simply because… 'Though our minds tell us that our foe is gone forever, our spirits tell us that our enemy continues to exist in some form…somewhere'. Memories cannot be destroyed because the soul cannot be destroyed. You cannot create something that does not exist. Everything man has ever made reflects something already existing in nature, and applies rules existing within God's creation. It carries on even into art and literature. The depths of good you can portray in any work created by your hands…portrays the good you yourself are capable of. Needless to say, the worst character you could ever create in any literary work only portrays the very depths of evil you yourself are capable of" the priest said.

(Wait what? THAT'S SCARY! IN THAT CASE I THINK I SHOULD STOP WRITING DREAMWEAVER!)

"For that reason we continue to endure, realizing that though we dwell in weak suffering bodies, within each of us dwell the spirit and soul of God himself…and each of us has the power to reflect his divine attributes" the priest said.

Saito was shedding tears by then.

"I'm dying…" she confessed.

"I know" the priest replied.

Saito stared at him in shock.

"You were seeking comfort when you walked into this church, and right now, more than anything, I can see that you wish to be baptized…but it is not the will…of my father that your baptism occurs here and now" the priest smiled as a dazzling light flashed all around the Church.

Saito looked around and saw many heavenly beings. Many of them held musical instruments in their hands. They smiled at her and waved. Some even winked and some…haaah, were daring enough to blow kisses.

"Saito…I am Jesus Christ…the Creator Of Everything that exists and the Light darkness can never comprehend. I am the Son Of God and the same person that died as a human…so that you and all your family can live" the priest said with a smile.

Saito opened her eyes in shock.

"It may be hard to believe Saito but through you…I will redefine my will for all of humanity" Jesus smiled.

"I…" Saito burst into tears.

"I know I am nothing like the image of the 'gods' you've come to know. I did not create you for entertainment and I did not create any human for the sake of entertainment either. I am God so I can't ever be bored…however…I can feel the aching need to express my love…and that was the sole reason I created everything. So I could display my love...in and through everything. It's true as well, I do love writing epic dramas…and of course I am the Chosen One, that's hard to dispute…but in this story…every single person gets to write out how they wish to contribute to the Eternal Kingdom I am about to establish and the Ultimate Defeat Of Evil. My Kingdom is a large one built upon the foundation of the good deeds of my people and their deeds never fade. You asked why I don't share my power with humans and protect them no matter what? But you are wrong about that Saito. It is not just my power I share…I share nothing less than my very own self. You have everything that I am;

A Soul bestowed upon you by My Father;

A Body modelled after My very own;

And a Spirit that never ceases to move…just like the Spirit My Father And I Share. You are everything that I am…and everything I've ever wanted to make. You are a perfect image of me, and an aspect of myself I want to show through you, more than through anyone else.

You…are courageous…

You…are kind…

You…are strong…

And above everything else…you endure…and one of your daughters has taken after you wonderfully" Jesus said.

In an instant, Jesus revealed to Saito what the true image of a human looks like. The beauty made Saito cry.

"Why can't I be baptized now?" Saito asked.

"That is because…it is my will…to baptize you with fire, water…and My Spirit at the same time" Jesus said.

"But what is the point of that…if I die before learning more about you and the gifts you've given me. On top of that, my husband refuses to accept you…and Ayumi, well…I hate to say this but…she becomes more and more bloodthirsty every single day" Saito said sadly.

"In every family Saito…there is a black sheep, however…regardless of whether a sheep is black or white or multi-coloured like the rainbow, a sheep remains a sheep…and not every black sheep…is a bad omen, or a failure" Jesus said.

"I dreamt of so much when I was young…but…I'm not even…going to see my daughters get married" Saito cried.

"You probably wouldn't have…however…thanks to the stubborn nature of your husband…I promise you…that you will indeed live to see your daughters get married. You will see Ayumi happy and Ai united with the man of her dreams…and your house will become one of laughter again…and in time, people will come to call you, the Sister Of The God Who Is So Pacifistic, He Even Threatens Threats. I must say, I am very fond of some of the names humans have come to call me by. I will keep this promise, after all…I was challenged by a man making a desperate plea that put his very soul on the line…and as a fellow man…raised by my earthly father Joseph…who taught me…a real man never runs from challenges…I say bring it on Ryuuji Kirisawa" Jesus said with a laugh.

AROUND THE SAME TIME…THE BATTLE OF BLACK WATER BRIDGE…

Ai stared at the Nightmares that surrounded them. The aura they emanated was terrifying, but their animosity didn't seem particularly directed towards her and her comrades.

One of the creatures that decided to side with the Nightmare King, the Silver Reaper, Rikishin, stepped before the other Nightmares and approached Ai. Ai and her forces put up their defences.

"Listen to me Ai Kirisawa. We've been sent to hold you at bay. Today, your sister Ayumi Kirisawa is one step from becoming a raging inferno. Before she turns into a force that supplies "the ultimate evil" with a great amount of energy, the Nightmare King, the destroyer of lies…will sever her life" Rikishin said.

"Wait a minute…you seem…very familiar. Have we met?" Ai asked.

"Ai! Don't tell me you've been acting as a double agent this whole time!" Aidan yelled.

"Shut up Aidan! We all know you're only after Ai's seat as captain!" Eghan yelled back.

"It's no surprise you find me familiar. You might have created this image of me as you read Edwin Mwintome Bozie's "Legend Of Raygaard".

(Jerk! Promoting your upcoming release in your own book! How twisted can you be?!)

Can it Zan! It's much better than just writing a list of random books at the end of the story that no one has ever heard of! I call it my ultimate crossover advertisement no jutsu!)

"Why is the Nightmare King after Ayumi's life?" Ai asked.

She was still confused about everything that was going on.

"He isn't after your sister's life. He is after the soul of Cowardice that is nested deep within your sister's own spirit" Rikishin said.

"What are you saying?" Ai asked.

"You may have already realized it Ai Kisirawa. Ayumi's character is slowly decaying and she has begun to lose sight of herself. The reason for that is her fear of abandonment and that of seeing the ones she loves hurt. Cowardice took advantage of that and filled Ayumi's head with lies about fearlessness. A truly fearless person has no attachment to anything, no sentiments for anything…no love for life…not even their own and that is the difference between self-sacrifice and meaninglessly throwing your life away" Rikishin said.

Another figure stepped forward. He was a being with angelic looking wings, six of them and his features looked as though they were a mixture of man and beast…to some extent. He also seemed to radiate a lot of light and warmth.

"I am Aralpheisl young Ai, the Wise One Of The Unison Courts, one of those that mediate between man and forces. Rikishin's words may sound harsh but they are true. Ayumi is fighting to protect humans, that I will not deny…as are a lot of you. However…regardless of this, you are very much serving Zanfar's purposes even without full knowledge of the significance of your actions, and that is why even Celestial creatures like us sided with Sanziri, the Destroyer Of Lies. Your actions are true; all of you Dream Knights…but you are following false intentions. Think about it, Dreams and Nightmares have existed since time immemorial. Many Dream Knights have sacrificed their lives for the sake of humans…and many of those Dream Knights…were in the first place human. Yet, no matter how hard they fought, Zanfar grew stronger until even Zanviel…the ultimate embodiment of Dreams succumbed to Zanfar's grudge against humans. Zanviel loved humans so much…and he sacrificed so much for them…but he was forsaken…and his pain was what created a force much more terrifying than Zanfar alone, a force called "The Deplorable Dream". Zanfar does not care so much for how much you Dream Knights fight to protect humanity, and he doesn't view you as a threat at all. In the end, it does not matter to him young Ai. It is indeed shocking how naïve humans can be. Can you still not understand the difference between Self-Sacrifice and throwing your life away?" Aralpheisl asked.

"Say no more Aralpheisl. The beauty of any riddle is in the quest for its answer, not the solution itself. Until you can understand the difference between Self-Sacrifice and throwing your life away, all of humanity's fate is inevitable destruction" Rikishin said.

"So what are you saying? I should just abandon my sister and all of humanity?!" Ai screamed.

"That is an interestingly narrow choice" Rikishin said with a smirk.

Aralpheisl laughed much to the surprise of everyone.

"Young Ai, I will leave you with a clue that may save your life and those you love in the future. In every choice, there are not only dos and don'ts, but there are also 'intentions' to consider as well as empathetic feelings. Humanity isn't vulnerable to Zanfar's malice because it has no choice…but because you refuse to believe in the path that can heal all your wounds. It's always one over the other for you, get hurt for the sake of others…or let others get hurt for your sake. However, realize this young Ai, that…forsake is the only human word we know of, that can simultaneously be applied to the subject of any action and the recipient of that action and then contradict itself" Aralpheisl said.

"I don't understand anything you're saying! Jeez, you're speaking to a kid as though you're talking to an adult! But regardless of the meaning behind your words, I'm going to save Ayumi!" Ai yelled.

"That is fine too but…why do you want to save her? Is it simply because you possess the same blood? You have no reason to risk your life for hers. You do not know what is in Ayumi's heart. For all you know, this person you call 'sister' secretly despises you within her heart. There is no way of knowing what dwells within her heart when she smiles at you…but for years now…Ayumi has hardly smiled at you…has she? To say you wish to protect Ayumi…just because she is your sister is no different from washing your clothes because you need to, or eating…or any other biological process. So why do you wish to protect with your life…someone that despises you…and clearly shows it?" Rikishin asked.

Ai smiled.

"Sister is just a word. I understand what you're trying to say Rikishin, even though I'm only fifteen. Somehow I can understand what you're trying to say. Ayumi may only be linked to me by blood now…or by a meal we shared once, or by lineage, by videogames, or even by debates and heated arguments…but regardless of the type of bond I share with her, it is undeniable…that there is a bond!" Ai declared.

Rikishin sighed and sheathed his blades, changing his intimidating stance into that of surrender. Aralpheisl laughed again.

"The beauty of a human child has beaten you again, hasn't it Rikishin?" he said.

"It is as Zanviel once said, 'babes are wiser than adults…but adults are more intelligent. However, intelligence does not necessarily make one wise but he who possesses wisdom is always intelligent…and that is why the future of humanity is always rightly entrusted into the hands of its children.' Ai Kirisawa, I praise your earnest nature. I've always said humans are naïve as is a common saying amongst us forces…but not all forms of naivety are evil. Trust…is a beautiful form of naivety…as is kindness and hope…and all the Souls Of Virtue that stand in opposition to the seven souls of evil. The element closest to your nature is the element of water, symbolizing purity and kindness, as well as birth and rebirth. Though unlike one of water's many attributes, you lack it's attribute of mystery due to your earnest nature, you seem to possess its power to cleanse. If you are set in your path, I will not hinder you young Ai but I will at least warn you. The person you are trying so desperately to save now is closely tied to the fate of humanity, be it for good or for evil. In the future, you will come to realize…that your greatest sin…was your kindness" Rikishin said as he motioned to his forces to pull back.

Aralpheisl walked to Ai and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Ai looked worried and she seemed to be crying.

"Young Ai, Rikishin's words may sound like a curse now…but they are indeed a blessing for you. There are two ways to deal with any problem. The first is to avoid it, and the second is to solve it. An unsolved problem can become a hindrance in the future. It's the same as what is happening to your sister now. She wants to avoid pain by 'feeling no fear'. However it will lead her down a path of regrettable solitude in her future. 'Feeling no fear' does not solve the problem of fear, but 'facing fear', Courage, is what gives all of creation the will to proceed towards an unknown future. However, Courage cannot come without Trust…either in one's self, one's relations or one's God. Do what you feel is right young Ai, and have the confidence to face the tragedies that will confront you as a result of your actions. Regardless of the pain it may bring, kindness…is never…a mistake…for the kind are the truly strong…for they confront their own hatred…every single moment" Aralpheisl said as he spread his wings and flew away.

In an instant, the Nightmares in Ai's path disappeared.