Chapter 3: Greatness For Me

"The ol' man was about to send us straight to Tartarus, I can't blame him though, he's never even been down here," 

I turn to see Madam Flora behind me and standing next to Natos. I immediately ran over Natos and hugged him : "I honestly thought that was the end."

"It wasn't but this may well be." Madam Flora says as she begins to hover.

"What does that mean?" I ask

"You can't handle the holy sword, it's slowly killing you."

As she says this, I come to realize that my body is still shining, and I can still feel the pain, but it's significantly less than before and my voice is back.

"My body is handling it now, isn't it?"

"No, that is just the effect of the underworld; This place is flooded with Demonic energy, weakening the Angelic energy flowing through the holy sword. In a sense, the "Darkness" is dimming the "Light."

"So what does that mean for me, am I not gonna be alright?"

"You will for now, but the holy sword can kill you while down here, so we better get a move on."

"I understand." I say as I firmly grasp my sword.

"And don't worry about Thanatos, we may be going to his blood, but he's way too far from us to notice, or even care."

Natos and I follow Madam Flora, as we make our way deeper into the area.

After a while of walking a figure appears before us. Its monstrous body and its wicked horns can only tell me that it's a demon. 

My body acts on its own, without a thought I swiftly dash through the demon, slicing it in half. 

I look behind me as the demon attempts to scream, but only falls.

Madam Flora hovers past me:"Look at you, getting the job done."

This pattern continues on throughout the entire journey, I feel little to no fatigue, as I slaughter countless demons.

Eventually after a long walk, we encounter a large wall with a facial stature chiseled into it.

I try to slice into it with my sword, but to no success. Behind me Madam Flora closes her eyes and touches the wall. For a long few seconds she stands there, and the door eventually begins to fade away.

"Are you ready Aldith, for maybe the greatest battle of your life?"

I turn to Madam Flora, as serious as I can be: "Yes, as ready as I'll ever be."

The wall disappears, and I see Thanatos' pool of blood. Without thinking I grab Natos and immediately rush towards it.

When I get there rocks begin to come out of the ground, covering the blood.

I try to cut through it with my sword, but the rock stays put.

"Stay focused Aldith!" Madam Flora shouts as a giant red figure lands next to me. The monster breathes heavily. His deep, frightening, and raspy voice calls out:  "Whaddya want with Thanatos' blood?"

In an instant, I jump towards the giant's head which is well over fifty feet in the air. I take out Agneon and strike at the giant, cutting deep into its eye. The giant grunts and grabs me. I try to wiggle my way out of his hands, but soon flames begin to cover my body. 

"A human with Angel energy; I haven't seen one in a long time." He says with a menacing grin.

I focus only on myself, using the Angelic energy to wipe the flames off my body.

The giant grunts in annoyance and throws me straight to the ground. I feel no fear, even when falling at a high velocity. I only search for a way to land safely. 

As I fall, a giant crow flies under me, bracing to catch me.  

I manage to  safely land on it and regain my focus on the giant.

The giant grows annoyed, he holds his hand out and a flame cover club appears in it. 

He wields the club with two hands, and strikes down on the crow.

 The crow swiftly maneuvers out of the way, and guides us to the ground, next to Madam Flora, who seems to have defeated a few demons herself.

"Don't forget Aldith, you're slowly dying down here, hurry this up." She says.

I nod and prepare to jump back into the fray.

"The heck is a witch doing down here?" A high-pitched voice calls out from far away.

Madam Flora and I search around for the source.

Before I know it, Madam Flora is sent flying backwards. 

Her crow quickly reacts and catches her.

"Thank you Croft." Madam Flora says as she looks in distress.

As I try to grasp the situation, something collides with me, and the impact sends me flying into a wall.

I instantly recover, but as I do, a scrawny red figure  appears in front of me. 

With long black hair covering his eyes, he smiles wickedly and impales my chest with a spear.

I scream as I grab the spear and try to pull it out of me.

The demon laughs mockingly as I struggle.

Eventually I'm able to get it out. I clutch my sword and jump towards the demon. As I close in on the demon, I'm knocked out of the air onto the ground. 

I look around the cave, and I notice dozens of demons in the area, all laughing and enjoying themselves. 

I look and see demons with weapons aimed at me, obviously trying to kill me.

As I desperately try to dodge out of the way, Madam Flora quickly appears next to me.

As she stands bloodied and fatigued, menacing demons approach us. Before they close in darkness overcomes us and everything around us  goes pitch black.

Madam Flora chuckles: "This is honestly more than I expected;I've basically brought us to a suicide mission."

"Where are we?" I ask.

"We're in between dimensions, you could say we're nowhere." Madam Flora says

Madam Flora looks at me: "The Angel's energy is gonna blow, should we get rid of it and abandon our mission?"

"No!" I shout ferociously. "Not before the demons meet their end!" 

"The demons are your priority?" Madam Flora grows confused.

"What else is there to worry about?" 

Madam Flora shakes her head in disappointment: "You've barely had the power, and you're already letting it get to your head."

I frown and grow frustrated: "What are you talking about?"

Madam Flora points behind me.

I turn to see a weird creature with horns on its head, and it's fur constantly shedding.

"What is that?" I say as I frown upon the creature.

"It's the reason you're here, Aldith!" Madam Flora snaps at me.

The reason I'm here? I'm here to experience the higher power that this sword has granted.

This opportunity shouldn't even come once in a lifetime. 

"I only have a few seconds before I run out, I need to end this." An enchanting voice calls out

I turn to see maybe the most beautiful woman I'll ever see. 

I can't see anything else, nothing but her. Her shining white pupils, her smooth, glorious blonde hair, dressed in her shining white armor. 

She's so beautiful, but she looks so sad. She looks so lonely. 

As the Angelic energy flows through my soul the woman slowly fades away, and I can finally recognize the woman, it's me.

My senses come back to me and I see Madam Flora standing in front of me.

"You're gonna explode Aldith, are you going to kill the demons, or will you let go?"

I clutch my sword as my body begins to burn: "Natos will live." I say "Let's go back Madam Flora, together." 

Madam Flora nods, and begins to wave her hand.

The black eventually fades away, and I find myself in the air, back in the underworld. 

All of the demons look in the air: "They're back!" One of them yells, but I pay them no mind,

I rush towards the ground, and attacks come flying towards me, all types of magic and abilities. Before any of them hit me, each one of them disappears.

Madam Flora's raven flies next to me, holding her and Natos on it's back "We're here with you until the end Aldith, do what you need."

I nod, and my feelings become conflicted. Demons or Natos…demons or Natos? I have to choose my priority.

As I close in on the demons, I drop down on the barrier covering Thanatos' blood and pierce right through with my sword: "I don't need to live as something greater, I only need the ones I love." 

I regret nothing, I only need Natos and my friends to live. I'm going to die here, and I wasn't going to be able to kill those demons anyway. 

My body shines,and I can feel my soul fading, as I exert all of the Angel energy I have left. 

I close my eyes and accept my fate.

"The Garden won't accept her Flora, and I won't let a duplicate pass into the Underworld!" After a while I'm still not dead, and now I hear an all too familiar voice, it's Thanatos. 

"She'll do well in the forest, Thanatos." Madam Flora says

I open my eyes, and I see Thanatos with all of the previous demons behind him.

In front of them, exploding with power, and holding my sword, I see myself.

"What's going on?" I ask as look at Madam Flora behind me

"I'll let you cheat death Aldith, it's a token for not completely losing yourself." 

She points at my right arm: "But it still had to cost you in the end"

I look down, and I only see where my right arm is supposed to be. 

"What happened..?" 

She points to the woman who looks like me in front of us: "That's you, I replaced you with yourself from seconds ago. I had to sever your connection with the sword first, so I tore it from you, I'm sure you don't mind?"

I look back at Natos who can finally get his rest. I can't help but smile, and I can;t help but hug him.

Madam Flora grabs my shoulder and points towards the other me: "That's the fate you accepted for your friends, I'm proud of you."

Madam Flora and I watch as she explodes into a white light, and Thanatos' blood is visible.

My body begins to feel weak and I try to keep myself composed.

Madam Flora looks at me: "Don't worry Aldith, all will end well."

As she says this my eyes close and all I see is black.

                           ***   

I slept in a coma for about two weeks. Monitored by Madam Flora who claims that my friends visited me daily.

Natos has been healed, and he's been jumping for joy ever since I woke up.

As another day begins, I find Madam Flora drinking tea and reading.

"So Aldith, what are we gonna get into next?"

I smile at Madam Flora and Natos who's running around beside her: "Let's just help those in need for now."