Journey Into Cocytus V

Year: Unknown, 15th of September

Time: Morning Hours

Half a day or so passed after Lilith's failed incursion attempt into Purgatory. The unwanted intrusion placed the entirety of the icy domain on high alert due to the rather unexpected nature of the attack. The four regions were in the final phases of a full mobilization in preparation for a war that could break out at any point in time. All races that called this realm home were ready to lay their lives on the line not only for their lands or their people, but for the sake of their Queen—Morana. In spite of these events, the Sovereign issued a proposal that shocked her closest retainers.

"I wish to have a banquet for all of Cocytus. Everyone can partake in this celebration," she said with a curt nod.

The Cardinal Four were perplexed at the time as they gathered in the throne room. They were unsure what to think of this, yet they did not to question it. Reading their faces intuitively, the dark-skinned beauty continued.

"The timing may be considerably off given the circumstances of recent events, however, we should think of it as a last bout of happiness before we wind up having to fight in a greater war. I wish this occasion to serve as a massive form of gratitude to all whom have chosen to follow me over the centuries. Truly there are times when I think I am unworthy of such loyal individuals. In addition, I wish this banquet to be a celebration of my Mas—ahem…I mean, Rai…zo's health," she coughed whilst finding it difficult to refer to her master so casually.

"I think one last hoorah would serve everyone well. Tensions are running high all across the various lands. The atmosphere is almost suffocating to deal with because of it. Perhaps a feast accompanied by fine liquor would do everyone well," Yaten-douji acknowledged.

"Though my kind does not normally indulge in such leisure, a celebration of the Son of Mercer's survival would put some minds at ease," Zion regarded.

"Plus it would give us an opportunity to show Raizo-san the exotic and rich culture that the various tribes have to offer, yes?" Garuda added with a sign of approval.

"Well if that is what Her Highness desires then we should do it! Heh, I can't wait for the girls back home to meet the kiddo!" Ashura Gozen nodded happily.

"Er…you…guys really don't have to include me in something of that nature. I'm not all that important," Raizo responded whilst scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Nonsense Rai-dono! If Her Highness declares a celebration in your name, then we must wholeheartedly throw the biggest banquet in our recent history. She places great stock in you and therefore you are just as important to us as she is," the Oni declared with pride whilst pounding his chest.

"Yeah Rai-kun, ya look like the type that needs some spoilin' every now and then," the Ryu-jin chuckled heartily.

"Y-you guys are really something else…" the youth remarked whilst he turned his head to the side to cover embarrassment.

"Since Morana-sama treasures you so highly, it practically makes you one our family…Raizo-kun~" Garuda winked playfully.

"Perhaps the child is not ready for such forward advances. Consider his feelings. I apologize for their actions, Raizo-sama," Zion curtly bowed his head.

"No, no…it's not a big deal, honestly. I just…wasn't expecting it. That's all."

"Apologies Master, they can be quite the casual lot from time to time. Regardless, you are one of us and shall be treated as such. Now then, my Cardinal Four, I entrust in the arrangements to be made by each of you. The castle is large enough to accommodate a couple thousand or so people. Transponder portals will be linked up for all of those who cannot make it to the grounds via regular travel. Or…I could always reshape the mountain and renovate the building…hmm," Morana pondered for a moment.

"Er…no disrespect, but that's a little much isn't it?" Shugo tilted her head.

"Hmm…is that so? But…I do not wish to let anyone feel left out," spoke the troubled ruler.

"Trust me, everyone will feel grateful just by your gesture. Please do not overdo things, Your Majesty," the leader of the Oni surmised.

"Just leave the preparations to us. Some people will wish to come meet the child in question. Others may feel unworthy of stepping in your palace; thus remaining at their stations. Regardless, your words shall be delivered and we all shall get to work to make it happen," Zion explained.

"Very well, I shall leave everything to you all."

As the Cardinal Four collectively nodded in response, they departed from the palace and went their separate ways leaving only Morana and Raizo to be alone once more. Silence wafted between the two for a brief period of time. The boy looked over the guise of the woman seated upon her throne. He admired the unique battle dress she wore whilst also sensing the incredible pressure of her aura. As his gaze lingered, the female turned to face him which got the boy to quickly turn away setting his gaze on a tree in the background. A slight blush crossed his cheek upon realization that she could mistakenly think he was staring at her breasts. A light chuckle from the Queen indicated her present thinking over the boy's gesture. The awkwardness merely grew before the youth finally spoke.

"So uh…that was…quite the unexpected show you put on back there. I didn't realize someone that powerful resided in a scythe."

"Well Mas…"

"Oi…quit with the Master stuff…come on now."

"Apologies, it is proving quite difficult. Rai..zo… mou… it is still too awkward."

"Then… just use a nickname with a slightly formal address…or something."

"I…I suppose I could take a page from Shugo's playbook. Would Rai-san suffice?"

"That's better than the 'Master' thing…but I still want you to drop all honorifics one day. Silly scythe queen…heh…"

"Baby steps Mas…I mean, Rai-san. Anyways, like I told Rudy-chan…only 10% of my power was bound to the scythe. As for the display you witnessed, if I were to put it in layman's terms the technique employed was less than 0.01% of my overall strength…perhaps an even smaller portion than that," Morana stated casually.

"E…Eh…wait…then…are you on par with Team AKARA?"

"Perhaps…perhaps not, I have yet to test the limits of the abilities Akasha has blessed me with. In addition, the Astral Ghost that was sealed inside that scythe gave me full access to the powers stored within it while engaged in all of our battles. So my strength has seemingly increased exponentially… it is no wonder why my chains were broken."

"Hold on…you mean…the major battles against like…Deus, Rias, Gilgamesh, and any other battle in which I've activated your ability…"

"Yes, every instance where you summoned me in a battle, or rather that small part of me, and every time I absorbed the many, many different powers those foes had to offer. Part of that assimilated strength went to you, but the bulk of it was kept within me. If only you were awake during my chat with Rudy-chan…oh well."

"Heh…you…really are amazing. To think I had someone like you watching my back the entire time," he spoke with his voice trailing off in the distance.

"So if I'm getting this right… your Astral Projection was the reason why you said you were watching over me for so long. Now it makes sense why you stepped in that…one time…" Raizo remarked as his mind flashed back to his lowest point after Shatterpoint. He recalled it vividly… that dark time when he attempted to end his life.

"Yes," Morana began before getting up from her throne and walking over towards him, "That was how I was able to observe you and much of the Omniverse for so long. It is much more complicated than that. But what matters is that I was there for you then and I am here for you right now."

At this moment, the female wrapped her arms around the boy thus embracing him in a warm hug.

"I shall never leave you, Raizo Mercer. Even if you try to reject me, our souls are bound together—our fates inexorably tied as one."

"Heh…right…who knew that I had a soul oath with the Queen of Super Hell."

"Indeed," she smirked slightly before letting go of him, "But I was not always the Sovereign of this realm. There was once a time in which I was a cog in its system…alone without anyone to help me—cut off even from the wisdom of the Goddess-Above-All. It was a different time then, and Purgatory was a different place."

"What happened?" Raizo inquired with a slight tilt of his head.

Morana turned away from the boy and walked towards her throne running her fingers across the surface of the seat. She recalled its original shape being made of diamond encrusted steel bones with the skulls of fallen kings melted into its surface. The dreadful image of the seat was just a symbol that reminded her of the tyrant that occupied this place so many eons ago.

"I was betrayed once upon a time by several gods in the hierarchy that believed I had no business standing amongst them. They could not kill 'Death' so they found a way to curse me. I was stabbed by their spell at least 700 times. Each time, the efficacy of the curse was multiplied sevenfold. This all but rendered me powerless before I was inevitably dragged down to Purgatory and left to rot for all eternity.

Humanity's depictions of Hell usually involved some form of intense inferno where condemned souls were sent for all eternity. That much was true; however, Purgatory's original state made that look like a peaceful summer holiday. Hellfire and brimstone was the epitome of what this realm was like. Volcanic eruptions, waterfalls of lava, heated wind gusts that could melt flesh, suffocating clouds of ash that cascaded over the land, tornadoes of acid that dissolved anything in its path, along with creatures that were the very definition of nightmares decorated this realm upon my arrival. It was the definition of pure chaos."

Raizo could only listen to the woman with shock and awe dyed upon his face. The visual that she was painting with her words seeped into his mind as if dragging him to that point in history.

"How…did you survive all of that?" he asked hesitantly.

"At first, I was unsure if I was going to. It was perhaps the lowest and darkest point in my life. I was caught off guard by the act of betrayal, and I was all alone. My connection to Akasha was severed which led to me feeling the most amount of fear that I could perceive. It was almost as if I was a child all over again at the mercy of an abusive parent. Amidst all of that fear and anger was hate…not only towards the people who took advantage of me, but at myself for letting my guard down like that to begin with," the Sovereign expressed whilst walking over towards the back wall and placing a hand over the root of the unique tree sculpting.

"How did you keep yourself together?" Raizo questioned.

"Admittedly, I did not think I was going to. I wandered through the wasteland trying my best not to attract any attention. There was no way of knowing how much time passed before I stumbled upon an internment camp where different tribes were gathered and enslaved. All of them were suffering people, not wicked souls, or undead fleshlings, but sentient entities of life that were banished here. They were being used in all sorts of ways for the amusement of their masters… seeing those horrors made me recall my original purpose.

I remembered what I stood for and what I tried to represent in life. My unending faith in Akasha that I had suppressed inside my heart restored my strength. I may not have had the power to escape, but I still had the power to make a difference. It took some time and a little bit of infiltration, but once I won over the hearts of the people…I organized a rebellion. This eventually brought me to crossing paths with the original King of Purgatory, the Primordial God of Fire—Tartarus. After our war, I eventually took his crown and his kingdom. Even though I insisted that I did not want it, the people I liberated advocated for it. And that was how I became Queen.

Upon taking the throne, I changed the entire landscape of the realm. In my time, I was not only a goddess of death, I was also known as the Goddess of Winter hence why Purgatory became the tundra that it is today. As a result, I also gave this place the name, Cocytus. Of course it was mostly aesthetics because I wanted the realm to have more personality…and…a proper name gave it the feeling of a home since we were all stuck here together for all time."

"That's…one hell of a story, Morana…I can't even begin to imagine how hard it was nor what your life was like before then."

"Indeed…that is a bit of a longer story though. I shall tell you about it one day soon."

"Fair enough, I suppose. So all of the people you were talking about…they're the tribes that your Cardinal Four hailed from?"

"Yes, Rai-san. The rebellion was also how I came to meet them. Ashura Gozen, Zion, Yaten-douji, and Garuda, these four placed their faith in me and convinced their people to do so as well. Perhaps if you ask each one of them, they may tell you more at the banquet or some other point in time. I would explain…but I feel it is not my place to do so."

"Yeah, maybe I'll do so…whoa…" the youth stumbled a bit before shaking his head.

"Master!" Morana rushed over to grab him before looking at him with concern.

"Hey…you're using that honorific again…" he chuckled weakly.

"Save your strength. You're still not used to your current state yet. Come, you need to lie down and recuperate. I shall not hear any protests or refusal."

"M-Mou…you…just wanna cuddle with me again…silly scythe…"

"Tch…nice to know your sense of humor is still intact…oh brazen Master of mine…"

The Queen of Cocytus carried the youth over her right shoulder to her bed chamber once again. Upon entering the space, she snapped her left fingers causing a futon to materialize with a fresh pair of bed linens added. As the material was laid out neatly on the ground, the woman gently placed her master inside the warm embrace of the sheets before backing away and crouching down to the side to watch over him. To alleviate her concern, she then began to meditate whilst allowing the male to rest.

Hours passed by. Without any sign of reprieve, Morana continued to meditate. Even within that trance like state, she was perfectly aware of the happenings around her and was perfectly capable of monitoring the sleeping man before her. During the entire time that the duo was within the space, they had gone unimpeded. That was until the transponder in the room received a ping.

Breaking from her Zen state of mind, Morana stood up to respond. As she looked over the console, she pressed the access key to allow the person into the room. Any time she was in her chamber, no one was allowed to disturb her. The only person whom had special privileges to do so was the Bird of the South, and that was mainly because she helped design the magic that allowed instantaneous travel between the floors of the castle.

"Morana-sama…the…oh dear…" Garuda began to say before her voice trailed off.

"I suppose he has not gotten used to the ethereal form completely, yes?"

"Correct…he nearly passed out in the throne room so I brought him here. I have yet to ascertain whether he is about to awake or not. Perhaps he requires more of that elixir?"

"That is one possibility or he needs sustenance via energy transfer. I placed an order for a special entrée to be prepared for him with the banquet. I instilled more of my potions and elixirs in the ingredients to help him adjust quicker, yes…"

"I see. How are the preparations coming along, Rudy-chan?"

"Surprisingly enough, the meals are almost completely prepared. The eagerness of the four armies was astounding. No soon that your proposal was delivered, numerous volunteers stepped forward to assist in any way possible. We should be ready to begin the festivities tonight, if you wish…"

"Yes, I figured the possibility of it taking a week to do so would be the viable option. However, with the eagerness of my beloved kingdom then I shall happily oblige. Are the transport gates being readied?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I…"

"We are alone, the formalities?"

"Ah…pardon me, my mind is rather business oriented at the moment, yes. Anyways, I have arranged for them to activate in the garden and the fields within the grounds. Those spaces alone should accommodate at least 1,000 people."

"Perhaps I should allow the banquet to come inside my castle. There is more than enough room here; however, I suppose the garden and the fields should suffice. Many would not feel comfortable entering its doors unless it was for official business."

"That is true, but shall I give word to begin setup the moment the gates are linked?"

"Yes my sister, you may. I shall continue to observe Rai-san until he awakes. Please ensure that the others do not worry too much when they begin to arrive."

"At once Your Maj…I mean, Morana-nee."

Another two or three hours crept past before the red-eyed youth gradually opened his eyes regaining his consciousness. To his immediate right, he caught a glimpse of the dark-skinned woman whom was sitting in the seiza-style position with her legs close together. Even though he felt a little groggy, he surmised that she was in the midst of meditation.

"Did she stay by my side all this time?" he pondered in his head before attempting to move around.

"Did you sleep well, Rai-san?" Morana inquired whilst opening her eyes gradually.

"Eh…yeah…sorry, I was not expecting to do that. How long was I out?"

"Long enough, I dare say at least 8 hours for a precise estimate. All that matters is that you rested."

"I…see…so I'm guessing I didn't miss the banquet right?"

"Far from it, in fact, it is probably just getting started. Come; let us get you a fresh pair of clothing. I have another kosode and hakama that would be well-suited for the occasion, and a haori to match. Then I shall get changed myself. Perhaps we should use the bath together?" the queen suggested as she pulled away the blankets over the boy's body.

"E-Eh?!!! Hang on…that's a little too much don't you think? Wait…I'm just a soul so…like…surely I don't…need such a thing right? I mean…hell I don't even know how I'm able to interact with objects and stuff. I thought I'd be all ghost-like and crap."

"Oh, did I neglect to explain? That is the purpose behind the ethereal body. Souls recognized by my authority are essentially given bodies that allow them to exist like a normal human being in Cocytus. You are able to do everything that you would normally do if you were alive; the only difference is that if your ethereal body is damaged too much, then your soul will simply cease to exist. You are already dead as it is."

"Well…then…guess I should be extra careful."

"Indeed, now come, my private bathing chamber is the equivalent of a hot spring. The water is truly rejuvenating. I shall even scrub your back for you, Rai-san."

"M-Maybe another time…I…um…I don't…" Raizo stammered as his voice dwindled to a mumble, "think my heart can handle such…s-stimulation…"

Morana easily overheard those words as a faint blush crossed her cheeks. She felt a slight tingling sensation tug at her heart seeing the rather adorable expression that the boy was making at the moment.

"If Rudy-chan was here…I'm sure she would have found a way to take the initiative on this young man. Such a bold one she is…"

"Rai-san…you managed to bathe with women before…"

"Yeah…and those times led to rather intimate encounters…" the male blushed even more profusely now.

His mind flashed back to when Adena joined him in the shower at a point in time where she used her hands to get to know a certain part of his body. In return, she led his hands to get to know a certain part of hers. There was also the time with Kimiko right after their training session and the morning of the very next day.

"Addy really doesn't shy away from anything…and Onee-sama…is very creative. Mou…"

There was another time as well with a certain member of Night Raid. However, his experiences with the two women in question were much more vigorous to the point where:

"Pretty sure that touch became irrelevant a long ass time ago anyway…"

"But…yeah…my bathing experiences with women always turn weird….so…with respect…."

"Are you saying that you do not trust me, Master?"

"No, no, it's just…like…I mean…we know each other but…I'm still getting used to all of this…so…I mean…c-can't we just…hold off for now?"

"I suppose that argument is indeed correct. It is rather logical; however, in order to make a timely appearance, it would be most effective to go in together. How about we settle for a compromise? You use the shower and I shall use the bath. Do not worry, there are privacy curtains so I will not see anything….then again it is not like I already have not seen what you possess."

"Mouuu…damn scythe…y-you're tormenting your master you know! Tch…"

"Tch…we will not get anywhere arguing. You are coming with me in the bath and that is final," Morana declared reaching down and grabbing the youth by his arm and dragging him behind her.

"Eh?! Morana!!! Listen to your Master; this is not what I want!"

"You are just procrastinating because of that tsundere attitude, silly Master of mine. And let us not forget that I am older than you…and as much as I dislike pulling this card, I am the Queen in this realm and you are in my room, in my house. My rules!"

"Mouuu…no fair!!!"

"You can bitch about fairness later. Get in the damn shower, Raizo!"

After a 20 minute debate, the two made their way inside the bathroom. Much to the boy's surprise, the interior of the bathing area was laid out like an outdoor hot spring area with so much steam that the visibility was quite low. Stepping on the marble stone flooring, the dark-skinned woman pulled the youth inside and showed him to the area where he could shower. As she stated, it was a simple standalone unit with opaque glass around it.

"Now then…" she uttered before snapping her fingers causing the fabrics on the boy's body to instantly vanish.

"Go on…"

"Eep…h-hey, don't do that without warning!" the boy protested.

"Rai-san…I will scrub you myself."

"I…I can do that…s-so…" the boy waned before getting in the chamber and closing it back. Upon stepping over the square, the warm jets of water instantly turned on thus dousing the boy's body. In spite of the entire struggle from before, the boy could not help but to relax.

"It's weird…even with my current circumstance…this is actually giving me some semblance of peace."

In the meantime, Morana had walked over towards the awaiting pool of water before snapping her fingers once again causing her "armor" to be stripped away; thus revealing her supple and elegant curvature coupled with a subtle musculature hardened by eons of battle. Upon her skin was a unique marking on her upper back in the rhomboid zone. It took the shape of a head of a black wolf previously seen on the background of the mysterious tree from her throne room.

As she stepped inside the warming waters, she relaxed her body and let every inch of her be soaked. She cast a small glance over towards the shower spot where her master was currently bathing. A small sigh escaped her lips.

"Eventually… It is fated after all."

*****

The evening hours had drawn in. Outside of the palace in the gardens and the courtyard, various crimson gateways were placed numbering at least 16 in all. These gates were named the Torri much like those found at sacred locations in the East back in the modern world. They were simplistic yet elegant in design. They were held up by two parallel posts on opposite sides separated by about 20 feet. At the top, one pole intersected both parallel posts horizontally creating a perpendicular space. Then a second pole was about a foot or two above the first one capping the parallel posts at the top, bowing ever so slightly in the middle. These paths could only be opened by the Cardinal Four and were generally used for special occasions such as today.

They were located in places around the grounds indicated by the four directions they faces—four for each area. Luminescent blue portals opened up as silhouettes of various sizes and shapes began to pour in. Some carried large pots whilst others pushed carts topped with silver platters on them. As more and more of these individuals came through, the aromas containing a mixture of spices, sauce blends, and other fragrant scents coalesced together indicative of the feast that was to come. The Cardinal Four were spotted leading their respective tribes of people from their respective gates.

All of these tribes had their differences. Some even waged war against the other in the past long before Morana's influence spread. They were all from different walks of life and could potentially clash against one another as much as mesh well together depending on the atmosphere. With the festivities, this was a time of unification and solidarity, especially with the threat of war looming overhead.

The Western tribes carried with them large meat platters involving mostly pork and beef along with barrels of wines. The Eastern tribes also carried meat platters mostly cooked with potatoes and carrots to create stews and soup recipes. From the North were offerings of fresh baked bread and cheeses churned from the finest ingredients known throughout the land. Lastly, the Southern tribes brought in a variety of salads and green vegetables, fish and crustacean dishes, rice, pasta and other poultry dishes.

The collision of the fragrances wafted over the grounds. It was not long until tables, stands, and sitting areas were set up. The hundreds of people that gathered here began to set up their dining areas passing around different dishes for everyone else to share. During this time, the people talked with one another and greeted friends and families that arrived. Meanwhile, the Cardinal Four made their way inside the palace to wait for their Queen's arrival.

"So far it seems like everyone is getting along," Yaten-douji remarked whilst turning his head to keep an ear out for any imminent sound of trouble.

"Of course they are, they know that they're in Morana-sama's house now. They definitely don't wanna fuck up around here," Ashura Gozen shrugged with a smirk upon her face.

"If anyone dared to start trouble, we would most certainly be able to take care of it ourselves," Zion commented.

"Well, as the generals and leaders of our respective regions, it is our responsibility to keep them in check. If anything were to happen beyond our control, then I am sure our Queen's personal enforcers would arrive," the Oni boss responded.

"Ya talkin' about the Tengu right? They're not really the type that would show up for some petty squabbles…unless Her Majesty ordered it," the Ryu-jin surmised with a slight yawn.

"Shugo-chan is correct…the Tengu do not show themselves unless it is by the will of Her Highness, yes… They have more…important roles to play, only showing up in times of great crisis. You see they did not even budge when Lilith arrived," Garuda explained, placing a finger on her chin.

The Cardinal Four were referring to the legendary shadows of Cocytus. They were an elusive species that remained an enigma only ever showing themselves under distinctive circumstances. Even before Morana's initial imprisonment, they remained a mystery. They only revealed themselves during particular scenarios. In fact, many residents considered them myths until they revealed themselves during the rebellion led by Morana. Whenever they did enter the scene, they were rather altruistic. Yet they never stuck around long enough for a simple conversation.

These creatures were known to have large, black wings, long noses, dark skin, yellow eyes, white hair, and used a pair of tall sandals. Some considered them to be like fallen angels who were cast out from the heavens for having tainted hearts full of animosity. They were described as disruptive beasts that were the harbingers of war and strife. However, their actions depicted them to be watchful guardians that stayed in the mountains only lifting their swords to fight when absolutely necessary.

"I still recall that day after the war ended…how the Tengu acted in Morana-sama's presence," Yaten-douji chuckled.

"Yeah, growin' up as a little sassy salamander, I heard tales about the Tengu. Hell I stirred up a lot of trouble in hopes of fighting one. Never thought I'd see 'em till that day," Shugo added.

"Indeed, even we—the Kappa—did not know too much of their existence. Even whilst being in the mountains, my kind never encountered them…until the day all of the chaos came to an end," Zion expressed.

"Yes…even I remember…" Garuda chimed in.

The Cardinal Four were sharing the memory of when the final battle was fought against Tartarus and his horde for the sake of freedom of all the sentient species within Purgatory. Morana defeated the Primordial being, his headless body at her feet, her body covered in the fire deity's golden blood when the unexpected happened. A number of great winged spirits descended—300 in all—and they kneeled before the woman.

One in particular stepped forward. He was an imposing giant that was at least 9 feet tall with six large muscular arms attached to his body. He had four swords—two on either side of his waist—with two more crossed over on his back. He wore a black karate-gi tied at the waist by a golden rope with a pure white haori over top. Six black angel wings with red streaks in the feathers along with a golden halo radiated from behind his back. He had long silver hair, yellow eyes, and dark red skin like an Oni. Given his imposing size and stature, he was perceived as the leader of the Tengu spirits.

The mass of muscle and intimidation then began to kneel before Morana as well whilst pulling out a golden blade in the shape of a double-sided key. He held it out with both hands thus presenting it to the woman. The woman who appeared worn out from the battle reluctantly reached out to grab the mysterious blade. At that moment, the figure spoke humbly:

"You are the Sovereign of this land now. We, of the Tengu, swear our undying allegiance to you."

At that moment, the Celestial Goddess of Death and Winter condemned to suffer for all eternity in the hands of Purgatory solidified her new position as the Queen of Cocytus.

"It seems you all are having a fun time reminiscing of the past," the voice of the woman in question rang out as she emerged from behind the doorway on the far side of the room. Upon hearing her voice, the Cardinal Four snapped out of their daze and bowed their heads.

"The Tengu will not be present at the festivities. You can relax. Besides, social events were never included in the contact," the Queen chuckled softly as she walked past her throne.

"Forgive us, Your Grace, we were caught up in remembering…" Yaten-douji was about to say before being interrupted.

"Forgive me for being blunt, but damn Morana-sama, ya lookin' pretty damn sharp!" Shugo boisterously declared upon seeing the outfit that the queen had changed into.

"Leave it to Shugo-san to be ridiculously direct," Zion sighed whilst shaking his head.

"We would not have her any other way, yes?" Garuda chuckled in kind, "But I do happen to agree with her, Morana-sama is truly stunning in this outfit."

Yaten-douji and Zion nodded quietly.

"You all flatter me, I just wanted to appear more casual before my people," the queen blushed ever so slightly.

The female was dressed in a black yukata with red and lavender snapdragon flowers painted on the surface with a black sash tied around her waist. Her long flowing hair draped like satin curtains behind her whilst her clothing adhered gently to her curvaceous figure. With the appearance of a mature maiden in love, the female casually made her way past her throne towards her trusted generals.

"Come along now, Rai-san. Do not be shy," she instructed noticing her Master was lagging behind.

"I can't believe you made me dress in something so uptight…" his voice echoed out from afar.

"Now, now, I had to make you look your best before showing you off before everyone in the kingdom. We have hundreds of guests out there with countless more watching from all corners of the realm. Let us not make them wait any longer."

"Morana…this…this isn't fair…mou…"

"Rai-san…must I send Garuda over there?"

"Ara, ara, is there a naughty boy in the house?" spoke the Sorceress.

"F-Fine…I'm coming…"

Hesitantly, the youth stepped out from the shadows and began walking towards the group. His visage was exposed for all present to see including the embarrassed expression on his face. The boy was dressed in a crimson kosode matched with a black hakama. Over his shoulders was a white haori with two golden wolves—one on each side of his chest—and a crescent moon on his back. Complete with black sandals, the outfit was relatively formal. His spiky heterochromic hair was straightened completely as his locks draped past his cheeks whilst cascading towards the upper part of his back from behind.

"Ara, ara, Raizo-kun, you look so handsome, yes…." Garuda complimented as she glanced over the boy's body inspecting his looks.

"Damn kid, ya sure ya wanna walk out there? Pretty sure there's a lot of single women that gonna be lookin' at ya like a prime snack. Don't worry though; you can count on this big sis o' yours to have your back," Shugo declared with a proud smirk.

"I mean…elves, dryads, and sirens would probably be relatively reserved about it, but the Manticore, the Ryu-jin, and the females of the Oni and Ogres? Not so much… the poor boy is gonna have a rough night," Yaten-douji concurred.

"Well…the Ryu-jin will probably look at the kid like I do—a cute little brother that deserves protection from his doting older sisters or somethin'. As for the Manticore…they might go completely feral…especially since they are spontaneous with their heat from time to time."

"Er…wh-what the hell are you trying to get me into?" Raizo gulped.

"Mou, would you all please stop scaring the child. He already had it bad enough with women," Morana sighed heavily.

"Regardless, I too am now feeling concerned over the boy's safety," Zion commented casually.

"Ara, ara, guess I shall take care to keep an eye on our guest, yes?" Garuda giggled behind them. After that brief stint of humor, the group moved outside the palace to finally take part in the festivities.

The crowds of mythical creatures were chatting and laughing heartily whilst waiting upon the main guests to arrive. The dining areas were all stockpiled with dishes from all of the tribes present and the drinks were already poured. Small samples were handed out to keep people from getting grouchy due to hunger, but the main course would not begin until now.

The Cardinal Four walked two by two before standing in parallel lines with Yaten-douji and Ashura Gozen on one side while Zion and Garuda stood on the other. As the generals bowed, a few of the Sorceress' attendants began to play music on trumpets and stringed instruments to gather everyone's immediate attention. In that instant, everyone grew quiet turning in unison towards the same direction before bowing their heads. The Sovereign of their nation appeared walking out gracefully. Raizo was unsure of what to do so he elected to hang back off to the side taking care to stay hidden since he was not well-versed in dealing with these presentations. Funnily enough, he hid beside Zion whose armor obscured him from sight. The Kappa merely glanced at the youth from the side to which the boy merely shrugged innocently. In the meantime, the elegant female in the yukata was about to speak. Garuda tapped her staff on the ground causing green circles to appear which acted as cameras to project the visage of the queen to all corners of the realm.

"People of Cocytus, warriors from all tribes throughout the kingdom, I thank you for joining me tonight on this joyous occasion. To those who are here on the grounds of the palace and those whom are scattered throughout the four winds; to every person listening to my voice, know that my most heartfelt gratitude is with you on this night. I called for this event not only to bring all of the tribes together, but as a cause of celebration in light of recent events," Morana opened up with a calm tone whilst pausing to take a breath.

"To those of you who have lived since the olden days in which Tartarus' tyranny held all of you in chains, you may remember when I first came to be amongst you. I was a fallen Celestial Goddess who was cursed to Purgatory after being betrayed by her fellow deities whilst in service of the Goddess-Above-All—blessed be her name."

"Blessed be her name…" those words reverberated among the multitudes including the Cardinal Four.

"I was broken, weak, and distraught on what to do. I felt powerless and useless until I was reminded of who I was and what I was capable of. Once I overcame my weakness, I splintered myself, sending only 10% of all that I was out into the Omniverse to observe and witness the fulfilling of a prophecy once told to me about the coming of a child who could one day change fate. Remember the words that were spoken when the Kappa passed along the prophecy that was spoken: 'It is finished when seven become one'. Well this banquet honors that.

After eons of being splintered, the part of myself that I sent into the great expanse beyond our borders has returned. In addition, I was made aware of the presence of a special someone whose arrival here was by complete coincidence."

The woman then turned her head over her shoulder. Raizo peeked from behind the armored giant. She motioned the child over to present himself. Gulping anxiously, the boy stepped forward to make his way over to her side. As his visage came into view, a unified gasp resonated from the crowd.

"Tribes of Cocytus, I present to you the Child of Promise. The firstborn son of the King of Elysium, the Crimson Harbinger and the Red-Eyed Stormbringer—I present, Raizo Mercer!"

With all of the titles thrown at them and facts from the buildup, the crowd was rendered speechless. They knew of him through generations of tales passed down to them by Akasha's word. The promises she made, the prophecies she foretold, and even whispers of the struggles taking place outside of Purgatory's influence. There were many deeds talked about and many names thrown around, one of the most recurring was the name of this boy. Seeing the boy presented before everyone, the silence was deafening but all at once a wave of cheers began to fill the grounds. These cheers extended beyond the palace and echoed across Cocytus.

"Umm…Morana…what am I supposed to do here?" the youth murmured towards the female.

"Just take a humble bow and embrace it. You are more famous than you realize," she advised, and he soon did just as she said.

A few minutes passed before Morana raised her hand to halt the applause.

"I am sure that many of you are wondering how the child came to be here. In all honesty, he was condemned to this place much like I was eons ago. However, unlike that time, all you see standing before you is a banished soul. By all rights, he technically still lives. He was a victim of the Demon King whom had already erased history as well as all of mankind. In this vulnerable state, anyone with a grudge is likely to target him hence why Lilith and her brood dared to invade our home. I have already used my power as the Sovereign to grant his soul a pardon whilst being here. I know not of what is to come, but rest assured we will have a fight on our hands that will likely decide the fate of this nation. I know that the idea of fighting for humanity may not be a welcome thought to many of you, especially given our history, but think of it as a war for the right to live…for all sentient species' sakes. And that is why this feast is taking place now.

Alas, I implore all of you to not think of this as a last supper before death comes for us all, but as a time to rejoice in all that we have built together…to all of which you entrusted me to do and to the union of all the tribes currently present. Join me in the happiness I have knowing that this boy is present and that he is the great promise of our goddess made flesh. Thank you," Morana concluded.

"ALL HAIL QUEEN MORANA!"

"HAIL TO THE QUEEN!"

Such cheers then resonated boldly from the crowds present and afar. With that the festival officially began.

"Come along, Rai-san, we already have a table prepared for us," Morana stated.

"Er…right…hmm…" the boy pondered as he and the dark-skinned woman began to walk together.

"What is wrong?"

"During your speech, I was glancing over the faces of all the people in the crowd as best I could. None of them are human. What is this?"

"Well you see…those are races usually considered to be fantasy or lost tales of folklore and fiction in human history. Once upon a time, they were all present on Earth during the Age of Gods. However, over time, human ignorance and the separation of God and men drove them out of the Human World and into the Reverse Side of the World, a layer of reality where the Age of Gods still persists. Yet some of them were not wanted there either. Before long, many different tribes out there were abandoned and left to rot in Purgatory. I had to win over all of them in order to stage an uprising. Once free, they made their home here and the rest is history."

"I see…so they aren't dead?"

"No, Cocytus is not just like some underworld where the souls of the dead can be transferred. No, the souls of the most vile and wicked whether human or divine are sent here yes, however, the living can survive here as well. In spite of its harsh conditions, if one wishes to come to a place where they are not judged at all by what they are and are not inherently wicked to the point of punishment by this realm, then they can stay here."

"I see…"

"Indeed. Speaking of which, be prepared. You are going to have a lot of people want to come and speak to you. Relax, I shall stand beside you to ensure that you are not lost in the crowd."

"Oh…meeting new people, that's totally my strong suit…mou…"

Like clockwork before the duo would even have a chance to sit down at the reserved table, a small crowd of people from all of the tribes lined up in hopes of speaking with the queen and the boy in question. To prevent a rush, the Cardinal Four had to play the security role and manage how many could approach the pair at a time. After taking a few seconds to organize this mess, the procession was created as the generals allowed for individuals to approach in a single-file line. The first group to approach them consisted of two Ryu-jin and one imp riding on the shoulder of their chaperone—Ashura Gozen.

"Don't you do anything to embarrass me or the Eastern tribes, got it?" Shugo demanded. Her troupe merely nodded in agreement.

The girls paid their respects to Morana before they went over to inspect the Child of Promise that had such a fancy introduction earlier.

"Hmm…this one does have a good smell to him, weird considerin' he's just a soul that came down here by mistake," one of the Ryu-jin evaluated whilst staring at the youth from a short gap.

"Oi, why do I feel the sudden need to protect this lad? It's like an annoying older sister level protective vibe I'm gettin'. Yo boy, ya sure ya ain't got some dragon aura about ya or somethin'?" the other Ryu-jin declared whilst patting the boy's head.

"Err…no…you'd probably have to talk to my older brother about that one. I'm more of the wolf in the family," Raizo responded, slightly embarrassed.

"Teehee…wolves are strongest in a pack-nyon… Maybe it's that familial instinct we sisters of the East like to advocate for is takin' effect-nyon," the imp of the group declared whilst flying around from one of the boy's shoulders to the other.

"Sorry about all this, Rai-kun~" the Dragon of the East apologized before escorting her group away.

"Not to be rude but…I think I'm done here. I'm not much of a talker so…can…can I just go sit down now?," the boy sighed heavily.

"Sure, go ahead and take a seat. You need proper nutrition to restore your energy. Yaten and Shugo can help keep onlookers at bay and Zion is more than enough to protect me. Rudy, will you please sit with Rai-san?"

"Yes, Your Highness, of course," the Sorceress responded, "Come now, Raizo-kun, let us eat together," Garuda suggested.

The youth was then escorted to a dining area in the gardens. The two individuals took a seat at a massive kotatsu decorated with extravagant plates prepared just for the Queen and her generals during the feast. The plates were already laid bare alongside chalices of the finest churned wine poured for each seat. As Garuda sat her staff down, she prepared a plate of a variety of dishes for the boy before preparing one for herself. Sitting directly next to him, she clasped her hands together.

"We give thanks to the Goddess-Above-All for this meal. We, the forsaken in the depths of this place, owe our hearts and minds to You, O' holy All-Mother. May your blessings shine down upon us and restore us as we enjoy what we have been given," Garuda prayed, "Time to dig in then, yes."

"Yeah…" Raizo nodded.

The boy never really thought of the idea of prayer before. He was rather caught off guard by it.

"I mean…I know her personally…I've spoken to her…laughed with her…and cried with her. I loved her…even now I still do. But…when I think of what I saw…am I truly worthy of her? Onee-sama…"

Before his eyes could well up with tears, the boy began to stuff his face with the food on his plate. After a few minutes of silence, a chord of conversation was struck.

"You know, it truly amazes me how we have all managed to come together over the millennia. Looking out and seeing all of the tribes together like this makes me amazed at our progress, yes…" Garuda expressed as she gazed at the boisterous festivities taking place.

"Morana was telling me a bit of what Purgatory was like when she first got here. So all of you came together as a nation because of her?" Raizo inquired.

"Yes, for you see…the tribal histories were not always bloodless. When everyone was a part of the human world, there was stark division. Hatred over one another based on race, cultural practices, wars over land and resources, betrayal by the gods, and so on…such were the reasons the tribes fought until eventually human persecution drove all of us 'mythical entities' into other realms. The divine realms rejected us so then everyone decided to go to Inferno. From there, our people wound up in Purgatory…in which we were truly drowned in Hell.

When Morana showed up, the petty differences that divided us waned, but pride got in the way of unification. So she had to prove herself to every nation to get them all to sign up and ignore the deeds done in the past. This unification came in the form of the forming of the Cardinal Four. I was the first to join her when I discovered her in the realm. Then Ashura Gozen came bringing the eastern clans, Yaten-douji with the west, and Zion with the north. The tribes that currently make up the south were scattered so they managed to avoid much of the conflict. However, Morana-sama was perceptive enough to find out about them and recruit them to her cause. If it had not been for her, Tartarus would have wiped us all out, yes," Garuda explained whilst sighing heavily before taking a sip of wine.

"Wow…that…is quite the story. You all have certainly come a long way. I was actually going to ask how did the Cardinal Four come to meet Morana and such…given the dynamic of the devotion I've seen, the bond must run deep," Raizo surmised to which the woman chuckled.

"Yes, but that was not always the case. Each of us had our own baggage to deal with which made us less than willing to trust. For starters, I told you about how I am the last Yakshini, yes…"

"You did…"

"Well I was not very trusting of divine beings because of what my mother put us through. I had more than 30 sisters, all of which were children of the same Lesser God. We were taught to guide humanity and bring harmony into the world even at the behest of our mother. Sensing her heart full of hate, we attempted to try and change her ways but she was not having it. She killed us one by one which led my sisters to force me to flee since I was the youngest. I grew distant from the gods and did not trust in them. This put me at odds when I first met Morana, but something told me I could place my faith in her which I did."

"I'm sorry such a fate happened to you. You mentioned your mother was a Lesser God…which one was she?"

"…..I…" Garuda tensed up unsure whether or not she should reveal such information to him now.

"Hmm?" Raizo tilted his head curiously.

"Her name…is Durga…"

"Wait…Durga as in…" the boy gasped knowing exactly who that name belonged to. In that moment, the visage of his biological mother's face came into view as his heart shook with anxiety and uncertainty.

"Yes, the very same Durga that is in connection with your mother. Morana told me about that situation. Durga is the older sister of Indra…so in a way, we are sorta connected, yes?"

"Yeah…that's…one way of putting it."

"I apologize if you no longer feel comfortable being around me. I have a feeling that my mother has done something truly terrible to your mother, but I pray that you do not disdain me for it."

"No, no, I don't feel anything negative towards you at all, Rudy. I just feel…so fed up by how much pain Durga, Indra, and other gods have caused. It's like there's no end to their ways."

"Yes, but their tyranny will not last forever. You shall be the one to see an end to them once you are free of this place."

"Heh…if it ever happens."

"Just give it time," the woman uttered before leaning close to the boy, "Until then, I wouldn't mind getting to know my kindred spirit a little more…intimately you know, yes?"

"R-Rudy…we're still eating dinner…and…we still don't know too much about one another so…" Raizo tried to back away with a flustered face.

"Yakshini experience love differently. I explained this before, yes? I shall continue to make my advances on you because of my interest. Forgive me, this is just my nature. Perhaps after the festivities we can bathe together. Skinship is an excellent way of bonding."

"N-Not another bath rendezvous…."

"Oi, finally able to sit down and eat at last; whatcha be talkin' about over here?" Ashura Gozen interrupted with Yaten-douji, Zion, and Morana coming to join them after the meet and greet finally finished.

"Raizo-kun was asking about the old days and how the people of Cocytus came together and such," the Yakshini explained.

"Ah…yeah…I remember when I and my sisters were forced here. Man…the stay in Inferno did not last very long for us," Shugo sighed before reaching in and grabbing a hunk of meat on a bone to take a massive bite.

"I recall how my people were all slaves forced to labor in order to consistently arm and maintain weapons for Tartarus' demonic horde. We were lashed almost daily for even the slightest hint of insubordination," Yaten-douji added on with his story.

"My people were exiled here because of our connection with the Counter Force. Many Divine Spirits felt that our wisdom would prevent them from reaching their ambitions. It amazes me how those who act on such lofty ideals are so foolish," Zion sighed heavily.

"Yeah…we didn't really trust anyone 'til Morana-sama came along and made us see why she was worth our loyalty—no regrets," the Ryu-jin raised a glass in the woman's honor.

"This one is for our Queen. Without her, we'd all be destroyed. She gave us a home in our time of need, and restored our will to fight for our freedom. To the woman who gave us a reason to live and the liberator of the lost. To Morana-sama!"

"Here, here," the others responded which then reciprocated out into the crowd and beyond.

The grand display of loyalty, respect, and affection pulled at the woman's heart nearly bringing her to tears.

"You all truly honor me," Morana smiled gently whilst nodding in gratitude.

"I could not ask for a better gift than the friendship and devotion of my people."

The banquet continued on through the night, the sounds of cheers, drinking, and indulgence of delicious food was heard throughout the night. For now, this was the opportune moment to enjoy the peace that was in the air. Preparations for what was to come would resume at first light. Even with the tension of war looming near, none of that mattered right now. What truly mattered was the joy of being around the ones you cherished most.

"If only I could share a moment like this with my family. I just want to see them again, even if it is for one last moment," Raizo thought to himself at one point. Even with all the revelry surrounding him, the pain of loss slowly but surely crept inside his heart.