Slay the Blame II

Adena's eyes opened whilst capturing the peaceful night sky atop of the Garan no Dou building. Upon taking a moment to get some fresh air after the previous night's confrontation, she had unwittingly fallen asleep unbeknownst to anyone else. The girl raised a singular hand above her head whilst staring at the surface of her palm covered by a black glove. As her mind slowly came to full awareness, she heard a dark voice creep into her mind.

["Why do you stand idly by accepting this fallacy of peace? Do you not desire revenge? Your beloved died right before your eyes. Does this not infuriate you still? Time does not heal all wounds."]

The mysterious entity bellowed from deep within to the very recesses of her soul. Ever since that fated day with Indra ripping her powers away from her, she could no longer feel Agni's warmth. Instead, she felt the grip of something far more horrific. Something she had not felt since she was in her early adolescent years.

["My other is gone…I am all that you have. Are you not the same girl that defeated me all those years ago? Or have you truly become so pathetically weak that you cannot seize the opportunity before you? The fact you never made that boy yours only reflects how soft you have become. Your reservations only allowed the very woman you currently resent to claim his heart. What a sad child you are…"]

"Tch…just shut the hell up already!" she shouted out as her chest heaved up and down due to the hardness of her breath.

"Damn it all…it hurts…" she winced whilst clutching her chest.

There was an uncontrollable anger welling up inside her that she tried her best to keep repressed. However, that monster was incessantly trying to push it to the surface. It was reminiscent of the vengeful feeling she had when Rin corrupted her soul during the Pandora Conflict.

"No…this is much worse…I'm only being held together thanks to Prometheus," she muttered whilst feeling the warmth of the Primordial Armament surrounding her body.

"Good to know I haven't fully lost it. Can't imagine what I'd be like…"

In that instant, a funneling spiral of dark flames spawned over the ground as the molded form of a person appeared before the woman causing her to jump up.

"So you're my counterpart huh? Wow, how underwhelming you've turned out to be," the voice of another female said in a voice somewhat similar to that of the girl nicknamed "Benihime."

She had on a charcoal grey and red military officer's uniform reminiscent of the Devil Queen except with a skirt around her waist. Over her shoulders was a black trench coat that flowed freely like a cape with dark red trim on the inner panels. Black, knee-high heeled boots, black gloves, and a matching black military hat completed the outfit as the visage of a woman with cream-colored skin, cobalt eyes, and long, flowing, crimson red hair filled out the rest. Laying eyes upon the female was like looking in the mirror for Adena Zao-Long.

"You…You're her…the other…me…" the jaded female echoed whilst recognizing this darker version of herself from the old memories of the Shatterpoint World Line. The essence of murderous intent oozed from this woman's being causing the girl to step back.

"Yes…Adena Arashi at your service, but that name means nothing to me. Worry not; the gracious Horsewoman of War will permit you the honor of joining Akaro and Raizo in the afterlife!"

Upon that explosively bold declaration, the woman snapped her fingers. In that moment, the aura clad around her body spiraled out of control as her red hair shifted to a magenta color. Her body became encased in dark armor that featured a great metal breastplate with a red, glowing V-shape on the front and black fur coming off the color. Her mid-section down to the bottom of her abdominal region featured silver fang-like plates wrapping around her akin to the ribcage. Flowing from there was the bottom half of a black paneled jacket with red flaps flowing in the wind. Black plating covered her legs and her upper arms, alongside crimson gauntlets, glowing ruby jewels and other insidious decorations. In her right hand, she wielded a great sword that featured a ruby red crystal blade and dark black spikes coiling around its crossguard and black handle. The enhanced, blood red-eyed warrior took a form that seemed like the demon knightess version of the Dragonheart form that Adena utilized. With a wicked smile, she grinned at her foe.

"Let's get this party started," the girl confidently declared only to then casually swing her blade through the air. Instantaneously, the entire city block was consumed by a massive, omnidirectional blast of black fire. The force of that attack obliterated the Garan no Dou building and sent Adena flying like a ragdoll through the air causing her vision to be lost.

A few seconds later, Addy's eyes blinked as she regained conscious while on the ground at some unfamiliar part of the area. As she did so, her retinas took in the sight of nothing but a burning inferno that consumed the proud metallic marvels of human innovation in the immediate area. Blood curdling screams rang in her eyes as she could perceive mysterious silhouettes draped in black flame armor slashing their way through crowds of people. Buildings began to spontaneously combust one after another due to the scorching cataclysm.

Seeing this, Adena patted herself to ensure she was okay. Thankfully, her remaining abilities left her mostly unscathed except for a few bruises and scrapes on her body. The girl then elected to stand up in order to get ready for whatever would come next. However, one of the fiery skeletons in armor decided to spring from the shadows to attack the woman. Before it would even have the opportunity to graze just the smallest lock of hair from the girl's head, the creature was impaled by a crimson lance. A mysterious moan escaped its mouth before it turned to ash. Standing before Adena was the purple-haired beauty sporting her signature purple body suit in black and silver plates of armor.

"Never thought I'd see the day when you'd step in to save me, Scathach," the girl scoffed in astonishment.

"Yes well, no one whom I've recognized as a rival should fall to the blade of an unworthy heathen such as that lowly creature," the elegant Celtic beauty said whilst twirling her lance in her hand.

"You really are set on a rematch, aren't you?"

"But of course, I am eagerly waiting for the day to come. For now, I shall join the others in repelling these foul beasts. Do try to take care of yourself if you have finally elected to emerge from your feelings."

"Oh shut up, you pain in the ass…"

Cracking only a satisfied smirk, the lancer leapt from the ground to jump onto the scene of battle. In the short distance, Adena perceived the figures of Altera wielding the Sword of Mars, Fran swinging the massive thunder mace, and Jeanne sporting her great sword as they sought to save the civilians from the oncoming horde of beasts.

As the dark-haired female's back was turned, War reappeared from the vortex of dark fire to challenge her counterpart to a one-on-one duel. Sensing the evil mass of energy, Addy turned around to see the magenta-haired woman in dark armor pointing her blade at her with a wicked smirk. Gathering the Primordial Armament she wielded, she channeled its divine energy into herself to power up. The dense conflagration of vermillion flames swirled around the beauty as her eyes shined their brilliant cobalt luster whilst her hair shifted into the iconic shade of red that she was normally credited for. Gathering the flame aura to her hand, the long heavy blade she began to sport had spawned whilst taking on a battle stance.

The woman emboldened by the first light bestowed upon mankind versus the inescapable burning hatred born of a world that was no more. She who carried the torch to become the keeper of the light against the one who let darkness fall, the battle between the twin fire princesses began as they burst off the ground at the same time. In a flash, their blades collided creating a twister of vermillion and shadow to churn the atmosphere about.

From there, sparks of steel clashing against steel decorated the area around the two women as they dueled by exchanging a series of blows with their chosen weapons. Adena's two-handed blitzing attacks that maximized power behind every swing which could send just about any unprepared enemy stumbling back thus disrupting their footing was matched against the one-handed style that War utilized. The Horsewoman's techniques were brutish and crude as they uncaringly sought to exploit any and all weak points in the enemy's stance.

The whirlwind of strikes seemed to be even. Neither side gave the other ground. The rapid collision of their swords suggested that they not only shared the same face, but the same prowess for battle. The incessant, lightning fast strikes created echoes of birds chirping in the atmosphere whilst threatening to incinerate the very essence of space around them. It would seem like a constant debate between the two; however this was not the case for long.

If this fight would have taken place at any other point in time prior to the final confrontation against Goetia, Adena would have easily edged out her counterpart. She possessed a greater aptitude for power and boasted greater combat experience due to the foes she's encountered prior due to her affiliation with Team AKARA. In this situation though, she was only half her former self. Without Agni to back her up from within, the woman was essentially fighting on borrowed time.

Regardless, the female still put up a brave front. In the midst of a deadlock with her counterpart, she summoned as much strength as she could possibly muster to push War off balance. The slight hint of a stumble gave Adena the room she needed to make her move as she swiftly dived in with her sword for an overhead swing. However, War merely grinned amused by this gesture as she instantly corrected her posture and met the attack with a swift counter strike from the opposite direction to parry the blow. This left Adena open for a second in which War capitalized on by kicking the girl in the gut to send her sliding back.

"You're trying so hard to hide just how weak you really are. Those fumes are about to burn out aren't they? I expected so much more from the version of myself that was allowed to live, while I was condemned to die. I'll have to thank Arayashiki for the opportunity of killing my weaker self later. It's a shame though…I kinda wish your Raizo was alive. I'd make you watch as I take him for myself before torturing him to death….hahahahaha!"

"You…bitch…I'll kill you, I swear I'll fucking kill you! Don't you dare speak his name! You're trash!"

Adena forced her way through the pain to rush at her counterpart once more. She pushed her weakening body to the limit as she dedicated all of the time left in this powered up state to attempt to break through War's defenses. Mocking this brave attempt, the magenta-haired warrior merely smirked smugly as she effortlessly blocked all of the oncoming strikes by her vermillion-haired other. After about 10 solid seconds of futile efforts, War elected to tighten the grip on her blade before swinging full force towards her foe. Seeing this, Adena tried to parry but the force was enough to send her through another building nearby back first.

Having elected to not give the broken girl a chance to recover, the Horsewoman smiled greedily as she snapped her fingers again.

"Time for your meal, Hametsu!" War declared.

In response to her calling, a portal of fire spawned a wolf-like monstrosity decorated in silver armor plating along its front paws with dark crimson flames flowing from its white and black fur. This mythical looking beast was War's loyal steed. Its large claws could seemingly tear through any material and eviscerate any living thing caught in its path. This same creature was rushing towards the female whom was already flying through yet another building due to the momentum of the previous blow.

The beast rushed after her like a heat-seeking missile almost instantly catching up to her. Hametsu's large claw which was at least 10 times the size of a heavy load carrying truck was just about to tear through the vermillion beauty's chest to end her life. In that next second, the steed froze in place upon entering a nearby intersection that merged two highways and exits. The mighty savage animal quaked like a scared kitten. His cold, soulless gaze was turned up towards the heavens as fear overwhelmed the senses. Silence wafted from the heavy spawn as it emanated pleas of mercy. This sudden stop in movement allowed Adena's body to land whilst sliding across concrete. She still had mustered enough strength to sit up to see what was going on.

A painful howl echoed as Hametsu's entire body—every nook and cranny of it—was sliced apart leaving only a large hill of small cube-shaped chunks of meat. In that next moment, a lone figure walked atop the gruesome hill of bloodied matter. The woman was none other than the Sovereign of Purgatory herself, sheathing her blade and holding it at her side.

"Wind Stance—Mugen, sen-mai no Arashi," she muttered to herself before setting her gaze upon War.

That technique was translated in the common tongue as "Boundless, Storm of One-Thousand Blades". It was a move that emulated the "unseen drawn blade" technique that served as the precursor to the lightning or flash sword style. By taking hold of her weapon and drawing it faster than what her enemies can perceive, the oncoming attack from her sword are sustained outside of space and time until the blade is sheathed again. Once that occurs, the target in question is enraptured in webs that bifurcates their bodies thus bypassing and ignoring any means or rules of durability. In addition, the force applied is maximized by the amount of momentum carried by the strikes as they "cross" the dimensionless void outside of space-time.

The technique was unknown to the enemy present as she could not hope to follow those movements nor fathom the true identity of the haunting person. Adena was also rendered speechless as well.

"Baba Yaga…" War spoke a particular name in disbelief. However, her surprise would not halt there.

In a series of flashes that could only be described as a series of crimson lightning strikes, the forms of Akaro, Mercer, Raizo, Akame, Kimiko, Esdeath, Hikari, the Symphogear relic users, Nightingale, and Semiramis, all appeared in unison to battle the deadly Army of War that had amassed in the background. Scathach, Fran, Altera, and Jeanne also reappeared on the other side of the battlefield before running over towards the group of familiar faces in preparation for round two.

Morana slid down the hill of bloody cubes before doing a backflip and landing perfectly in the certain of the first group right beside her master. Realizing the immense overwhelming odds, War's frustration quickly became visible.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?! HOW?! How the…you two are supposed to be dead! And you Esdeath, what the hell are you doing on their side?!" War screamed aloud pointing a finger at the group. However, she was swiftly ignored by everyone present.

Another reunion scene played out in that moment.

"This child is truly full of surprises," Scathach smirked as she took note of Raizo's presence.

"uuahh!!" Fran nodded happily whilst seeing the youth as well.

"It's good to see you again, Raizo-san," Jeanne smiled happily.

"Se-Senpai…it's really you?" Altera asked in disbelief.

"Yeah…I'm back," he smiled casually to which the dark skinned girl instantly ran up for a quick hug.

"Heh…jeez, how many hugs am I gonna get today?" the boy chuckled in amusement.

"Master, you truly are more popular than I realized," Morana remarked off to the side.

"Eh…this…was accidental I swear," he sighed a bit before pulling away from the girl.

"You're really becoming like your brother, my student," Akame said whilst walking up from the side.

"Aka-sensei!" Raizo called out happily.

"I knew you'd be back soon enough," she nodded approvingly before gently patting him on the head.

"Eh well…it helps when Death is your big sister," he chuckled.

"Ahem…" Morana coughed.

"Oh yeah…and when the Queen of Purgatory is literally the scythe I've been carrying into battle for so long."

"Morana has a true body?" Akame raised an eyebrow whilst observing the female.

"You seem strangely familiar, have we met by chance?"

"Not exactly, but we are kindred spirits. Of that I can assure you. An explanation can come at another time," the beauty professed.

"Duly noted, oh and Raizo…there's someone else who has been waiting for you," the raven-haired swordswoman said whilst gently nudging the youth to walk past the small crowd.

Doing just that, Raizo casually circled around to head where his sensei directed him to go. Getting a little bit of space between him and the group, he came into view of a particular girl.

"Raizo…" Kimiko silently called out as she began to slowly walk over to the youth.

The boy was frozen in place as he recognized that voice. Upon its timbre filling his ears, that bone-chilling fear crept up within him again as the voices clawed at his thoughts showcasing the vision of Kimiko he had in Purgatory.

["She regrets ever loving you…she'll abandon you. You're nothing in her eyes anymore…"]

In that next moment, his body was captured by her as she wrapped her arms around him so hard that he stumbled over onto the ground.

"You're really here….you're…really here, I'm so sorry…for everything," Kimiko said whilst a tinge of sadness filled her throat.

"Onee-sama…you don't have to say that…" he said with a blush before sitting up with her in his arms and hugging her close.

In the background, Akaro went over to his best friend's side to check on her.

"You look like you got into one hell of a scrap. Ya good bestie?" he asked in concern.

"Yeah…" she haphazardly answered for she was distracted by the visage of the man she loved just a few feet in the distance.

"Is that…really…"

"It is…why don't you go get some hugs too? I know you want to," the Envoy chuckled before patting the girl on the head to heal her injuries so that she could move freely.

Without further delay, the girl did just that. She moved as quickly and as promptly as she could to get into the scene. Raizo and Kimiko stood up together and were still embraced in a long hug. Adena did not care about that as she pressed her body up against the youth from behind and stole a hug for herself.

"It really is you…dammit…how the hell are you gonna scare a girl like that? I may be a hard ass, but I got feelings too idiot…" she said with tears in her eyes.

"Addy…heh…yeah, sorry about leaving you like that. But…I'm not going anywhere now," he nodded whilst attempting to hug her as well.

As the two women tightly clung to the youth, their eyes met for a moment. Kimi's expression was flat whilst Addy's still reflected a hint of resentment. The Son of Mercer felt something was off, but there was another pressing matter to deal with. All proper introductions, catch-up stories, and the like would have to wait until the current issue was settled.

War gritted her teeth furiously. She couldn't help but feel offended by how she was dismissed as second class while all of Team AKARA and friends elected to hold a little reunion party before her. The anger over this then began to turn to sorrow as she realized something.

"If you're here then…"

Yes…if the Crimson Brothers were alive, then that meant that the Horsemen of Conquest—her husband, Raizo Arashi—was no more.

Her blood red eyes began to emanate an ominous glow of unrelenting fury as the heat around her began to pull everything in like a stellar mass black hole. The rubble, the burning structures, and even innocent people were transmuted into fire that was digested by War's aura.

"All-Devouring Master of War! I will consume you all! I will prove my worth, the worth of my world!"

This ability that she was showcasing was one that allowed War to transmute any and everything into fire to be absorbed into herself. Once she does, she attains all of the memories, traits, abilities, and everything else that made her victims distinct individuals. Anyone devoured by her had their soul dismantled before effectively being wiped from existence.

Team AKARA, Hikari, Esdeath, Mercer, and Morana were unaffected by this and just stood there in mild amusement. However, the various servants and Symphogears began to reel in pain as their bodies began to dissolve into flames. Upon witnessing this, the Sovereign stepped forward as a dark hue of black and indigo gathered in her blade that she held up in the air.

"Siphoning Fate," Morana muttered to herself.

In a split second, the dark energy swirling around War was redirected like a changing tide. All of that power, all of War's might was stripped away from her and swirled towards the dark-skinned swordswoman. The energy was then channeled into the length of her blade.

"You are finished," the female said pitilessly towards the girl.

The battle was indeed over. The dark fire that afflicted the city had dissipated, the fiery skeletons faded away from existence, and War was essentially as powerless as a human being. She dropped to her knees in the nude as she realized all of her power was gone.

Adena went to walk over to the female to bring this battle to a close, but Raizo extended an arm in her way.

"I got this…I am responsible for her existence after all," Raizo said before stepping away from the group to walk towards the defeated redhead.

"…Are you happy now?! You slew armies in my world then let it die! My world gave you everything, yet you took it all from us and left us behind!" the hysterical woman screamed out as she watched the male approach her.

Raizo merely shook his head and sighed.

"You're both wrong and right at the same time. I did blame myself for it, yes, but it wasn't me. I never took the leap into that abyss; I never let myself change the past. All I ever had was that Raizo's memories and the consequences of his actions. Though I never actually experienced it firsthand…it was enough to push me to a point where I tried to commit suicide. However, now I know better than to run away. Addy, a boy has to become a man. I now understand that the tragedy of one small pack of wolves gave a chance for the many more to flourish. There is no true reward without loss, and as much as I loved the company of Assana and the others—sometimes you just have to move on."

"That's…really what you have to say? I…I'll never forgive a traitor!" she proclaimed in pure rage. Struggling to get up on her feet, the naked woman clenched her fists as her eyes were filled with hatred towards the man whom shared resemblance to the man she loved.

Upon getting her balance, she immediately goes for a strike to the throat in order to cause Raizo to back off.

"I HATE YOU!" she shouted.

"I know…" he mused in a reassuring voice uncharacteristic of his former self.

"Ugh!"

Raizo grabbed War's wrist and bend it with the greatest of ease before letting her back away.

"AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!" she charged again this time relying on her superior martial arts abilities to try and take down the youth.

Unfazed by her naked body, Raizo effortlessly sidestepped and evaded War's punches and kicks as his body maneuvers around the attacks unlike any movement in previous fights. His mind was simply focused on the idea of "flowing like water."

"Oi…he can move like that since when?" Adena gasped in surprise as she watched her best techniques get shrugged aside by Raizo's newfound combat abilities.

"You bas-…" War was about to yell before being cut off.

"That tone doesn't suit you, Princess. Requiem of Nirvana!" Raizo shouted whilst cutting the woman off.

"Ughhhh…." War howled in pain.

Her body was torn apart from the inside out by invisible blades. It was almost as if she was locked inside an Iron Maiden device, except that device was inverted within her body and pushed its walls outward whilst penetrating every vital organ at once. The overwhelming internal damage caused the female to fall to her knees and then collapse over on the ground. Raizo merely loomed over her watching as the woman's life faded away. He then crouched down and held her head and upper body in his arms.

"You'd…have done the same…if you could," she claimed.

"Once perhaps, but then I learned what becomes of those who lift themselves above others," he responded.

"And what…is that?"

"Here…let me show you."

Golden electricity swirls through Raizo's arm and into War's broken body. In an instant, the woman is fried up to the point where only bone fragments and ash remain.

"Rest in peace, Adena Arashi. May you know in death the peace you could not find in life," he said over her remains.

In that instant, a unique laughter fills the boy's ears.

"Kakaka…so you did notice my presence. Not bad, my master~" Nirvana complimented as the blonde girl materialized beside the youth. The girl quickly pounced on the freshly resurrected male.

"N-Nirvana, hey…what are you…"

"I missed you too, you know…"

"Master…is it fin…ished…ahem," Morana walked up discovering a rather provocative sight.

Nirvana wrapped her arms around her master's head and had swiftly stole his lips, but not only that, she also inserted her snake-like tongue into his mouth for an intensely intimate kiss. The sloshing noises of her tongue overpowering his whilst her soft moans filled the air for a moment before she pulled away.

"Mmm…Master's taste is so delectable…kaka. Hey Master, wait until my body matures a bit…I'll show you even finer tuning you won't believe~"

"Nirvana…must I slap you into the void, you spoiled brat?" Morana uttered in anger.

"Oh my…it seems Senpai does have a body; but you are quite provocative yourself. Look at your curves…though I suppose we can have a proper contest once I am fully grown. I can assure you that I'll be bigger than you~"

"You underestimate my prowess as a woman then."

"Um…Morana, Nirvana…can we not do this right now?" Raizo sighed.

"Truly never a dull moment around here, man I missed this," Akaro chuckled whilst watching from afar.

"Indeed, it is good to have the family together again," Akame nodded in agreement.

"Yes, but I'm afraid this is far from over. We should do what we can to help bolster recovery efforts then make our way south," Mercer suggested.

"Yeah…there's a lot to catch up on too. Best to get all the good vibes going elsewhere, I know there's more reunions to be had and such and a lot of explaining to do. Especially with all the faces here and what not," Akaro scratched the back of his head.

"Devil Queen…" Kimiko said plainly.

"Goddess-san," Hikari responded in a flat tone as well.

"Oh man…this is gonna be a headache," the Envoy sighed.

"I'll get to work on spawning the Hanging Gardens, we should head to Chaldea," the Wise Queen of Assyria proposed.

"Indeed, Chaldea would be the best place to get away from prying eyes and protect the people. But we servants have another issue as well," Nightingale surmised.

"Yes, the reserves are running low," Scathach added in.

"Don't worry…we'll figure it out," Akaro reassured them.

"Guess it's time to get our songs in order," Hibiki proposed. Her fellow relic holders nodded in determination.

As the conflict with War drew to an end, it was now a matter of what would come next.

*****

Year: 4250 A.D., 14th of October

Time: 07:45 A.M.

Location: In Transit to Antarctica

Hours passed after the battle against War. The heroes did what they could in the limited time given to make sure everything in Mifune was okay. Upon ensuring the injured were taken to the proper care facilities, the group had to depart. As a result, Semiramis released her Noble Phantasm—the Hanging Gardens of Babylon—to be used as a transport in order to get to their next destination: Chaldea.

Nightingale arranged for a special rehabilitation pod for Lucy to rest inside of while she was still comatose. As for Vesta, she was effectively discharged from the hospital but the combat nurse insisted on further testing while they were on the road. Aboard the massive anti-world Noble Phantasm controlled by the Wise Queen of Assyria were all of the other servants in Mifune—Nightingale, Altera, Fran, Jeanne, and Scathach—along with all of the Symphogear users including Miku, Team AKARA, Mercer, Morana, Esdeath and Hikari.

Riding atop of the mountainous structure was a culture shock for the seven females. They wanted to thoroughly explore the entirety of the structure while also taking in the view from above. However, they were encouraged not to do so by the Crimson Envoy. The reason was for a massive meeting to be held in order to determine the next step. As a result, except for Lucy resting in another part of the fortress, all party members were gathered in the central control room where Semiramis was steering the vessel.

"Arayashiki is growing more and more into a serious threat with each passing day. We've managed to thwart Conquest and War while converting Death to our side. However, what concerns me is how multifaceted her plan seems to be. Goetia and the Demon Gods was just the beginning and we still don't know what Indra plans to do now that he has the Arcana Crystal along with Agni's essence," Akaro began to explain whilst laying out the problems on the floor.

"With human history still effectively erased and Elysium's disarray, we already know that we cannot count on the intervention of the Counter Force," Mercer added on, "So everyone in this room and at Chaldea are the last vestiges of hope for mankind to continue."

"Well that should be enough right? The band is basically back together and with the added help, we should be more than enough to stop this chick," Adena surmised.

"Normally I'd be inclined to agree, however Raizo still doesn't have his complete arsenal of power, our Heroic Spirit friends are running low on juice, and…"

"Our relics are running low on phonic gain. Without that, the Symphogears are just about useless. In fact, they won't even manifest," Hibiki interrupted Akaro to add the last layer of bad news.

"The situation is getting bleaker and bleaker it seems, Arayashiki is looking more and more like the winning side," Esdeath casually expressed.

"Oh please, I am sure we have more than enough power to compensate for these conditions. Well…I know I do at least," Hikari shrugged.

"Perhaps but…there is something that still concerns me, this goes back to what was said about Indra," Morana began to speak as the attention in the room focused on her.

"What is it, Morana?" Raizo inquired first.

"Indra has possession of the Arcana Crystal and he stole Agni's presence away from Adena, correct?"

"Yeah…otherwise I would have kicked the shit out of the edgier version of myself," the redhead replied with a frustrated sigh.

"Then the situation is much worse than you realize. Especially if you do not know about the true origins of the Arcana Crystal and the Devas…"

This caused a bit of a stir amongst the group as they looked at each other in disbelief before diverting it back to the woman. The raven-haired swordswoman was the first to press for more information.

"I suppose there is an explanation for this, yes?" Akame proposed.

"Indeed…when the Deva Gods and the Arcana Crystal come together, an even bigger threat is unleashed. I should have destroyed that damn thing eons ago…" the Sovereign cursed.

"Oi uh…Mo-chan, care to give us more details? The suspense is killin' me here," Akaro said whilst the group agreeing as such.

"Allow me to digress for a moment to properly explain. Master…and Vesta-chan too, what do you know about the origins of the Order of the Blood Wolves? Preferably around the founding of the clan," the dark-skinned female asked.

The two children of thunder looked at one another with the Rose-Eyed Stormbringer nodding for her male counterpart to answer.

"The Blood Wolves were formed around the end of the Unification War, about a thousand years ago when the Empire was founded. The Conclave was formed shortly after when many of those whom fought with the original founder of the Blood Wolves elected to pursue different paths due to different ideology and goals on how to best serve the realm. Historically, women never led the Order. My biological mother, Hestia, attempted to break that cycle but her ambitions were subverted when she was forced to marry my fa…my stepfather—Raiden—whom was chosen to lead the clan," Raizo explained with Vesta nodding in agreement.

"That's about the same information given of the Blood Wolves of the universe I hailed from," the girl responded.

"I see…so that much was changed. Was there ever any mention of Mercury in the clan's history or a registry of exiled members?" Morana pressed.

"No, there were people of dissenting views known as the Lost Ones, but it was said that they were abandoned to the ways of the world and either killed by fellow Blood Wolves, members of the Conclave, the Imperials, or lost in the wilderness at the mercy of Danger Beasts," the red-eyed male answered whilst rubbing his chin in wonder.

"As I suspected…" the Sovereign remarked.

"Why? What's up, Morana?"

"You see Master; the history of the Order is incomplete. In fact, there is an innumerable amount of history missing from whatever texts were passed down in the clan. I bet there was no mention of the Age of Gods either."

"No, not even remotely…"

"The Age of Gods was a period of time in which mankind had direct contact with the Divine realm on a regular basis. Heaven and Earth were literally all but joined together, but everything changed when the Great War broke out. Gods fought against other gods out of jealousy or spite with mankind caught up in the middle. It was the dark ages where all hope was lost in a period of constant bloodshed. That is just a taste of the events that took place before the founding of the Empire."

"Wait a second…how do you know all of this?" Akaro asked whilst engrossed in the story speaking up for the group.

"Yeah and…what does this have to do with the Blood Wolves?" Raizo further questioned.

"I lived through it all. That is how. Before I became the Sovereign of Purgatory or held the title as the Queen of Cocytus, or was addressed as Morana and held the power that I contain now, I was but an ordinary human being. I founded the Conclave and was the first leader of the Order, which was previously known as the Obsidian Wolves. I also helped bring humanity together. My true name is Reina Arashi."

"Wait…WHAT?!" Raizo shouted in disbelief.

"That's…that's…insane," Vesta stammered over her words unsure of what to think.

"So that means you're Raizo's…" Akaro raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I am his ancestor…and Vesta as well though there does not appear to be any other version of myself throughout the Omniverse."

The information was still settling in throughout the room. For those unsure of what to think, they merely watched as the revelation settled within the room. For those more intimately connected to the events, only astonishment could be felt.

"Why are you not recorded in our history?" Raizo asked.

"What was your role during the Age of Gods?" Akame then added on with greater curiosity.

"Still waiting on that Devas explanation too," Akaro raised an eyebrow.

"Give her a chance to answer," Mercer calmly expressed.

"Yes, well my answers to those questions all tie together ironically. For starters, I believed that there was more to life than bloodshed…I believed in something greater. All of my knowledge, my understanding with the sword and the techniques I developed in my life was documented for future generations. However, I struggled with what the next step of my life would be so I took a hike through the mountains. I encountered a bad storm which led me to taking refuge in a cave amidst the rocky peaks. While inside, I heard a voice call out to me. I proceeded deeper into the cavern where I found a burning bush dyed in pale blue flames. Upon seeing it, I felt peace. There was a voice that filled my head and said to me:

"I am the one believed by your father and your forefathers. I am the one who is all there is, will be, and ever was. I am she who is above all things."

I was then told that my womb would be blessed with a child and a certain gene. The gene would flow from generation to generation until the day that the Seventh is born and Destiny would be made flesh. Of course I did not believe that someone of my stature and my past would be afforded such kindness, yet she assured me otherwise."

All eyes then turned to Kimiko whom merely shrugged innocently as she was just as shocked in a small sense.

"I tried to bring the Order in on this. I had a new perception on life and I wanted to share what I felt with my comrades. I thought that we could change the way the Conclave operated and help reform the world to a point where one never needed to pick up the sword again. Within the Obsidian Wolves, some agreed and some did not. To avoid further division, I left it alone whilst practicing the faith of my ancestors on my own.

At a later point, I attempted to share my faith with my fellow clansmen; however, the divide would only continue to grow. News of my pregnancy broke at a later date which some held the optimism that it would reunite us as an order…if only. A sect of conspirators led by a man named Ventus grew in power biding their time to attack. I went home to my original clan, the Okami clan that settled in the lands of Mercury, and gave birth to my child. A few months later, my enemies made their move.

I was attacked by my foes as I was training in a temple in the mountains. They got the better of me when my child's safety was threatened. I was stabbed 12 times as Ventus stabbed me with the 13th dagger. Left for dead, my child was taken from me and my name would be stricken from the records of the Order. Everything about me was rewritten to make me appear as a myth and a taboo. That is also what led the Order's name to be changed to the Blood Wolves. As I treaded on the realm of death, the Goddess whom blessed me had appeared and took me under her wing. That is how I became Morana. She said to me:

"Your life as a human being may be over, but your fate is not at its end. Become a blade that shall strike through the heavens and rid creation of the folly of the gods who have lost their way. Be at peace, for the promise I gave you within your child shall live on. Be not concerned with vengeance for the fate of those who betrayed you will be repaid sevenfold from generation to generation until the days of the Seventh come to pass."

In that moment, I trusted my all to her will and became her sword," Reina paused a moment to take a breath. Brushing aside the hair that fell over her face, the woman quickly inhaled then exhaled before continuing on.

"Now then…as far what I got myself into. You see, there were many wars during the Age of Gods…but the greatest struggle involved was the daughter of the Primordial God of Thunder, Relepagus; her name was Sakinah Vashti, or known by her divine title: Legion. Her power was beyond great…in fact, when she was a child; she was often trained by Izunia—or, the Architect rather. She was taught on how to best use her powers which involved the manipulation of concepts and energy to become someone that was supposed to keep balance in the world. Yet, the panic and fear that turned the Architect's heart during the war also turned her against everything in existence. Her power grew out of control. This actually caused a temporary truce during the first Great War which brought all of the strongest gods and heroes together to stop her; but she was too powerful.

Relepagus created the antithesis of the conceptual laws that composed his daughter's power which were Life, Death, Creation, Destruction, Heaven, and Earth. This device was the Arcana Crystal. As immense as the jewel was, it could only take away half of Legion's power. The remaining half was divided up into six equal spirits. These spirits had their memories wiped by the God of Thunder and were set to be raised differently. As for the crystal, it was dispelled to the furthest reaches of the Omniverse. This technically drew an end to the war, however, that was merely the end of part 1.

Before any of you ask, the six spirits that I mentioned prior would later become known as the Deva Gods: Durga, Kali, Indra, Shiva, Agni and Rudra. Though they were recorded as Lesser Gods, each of them was just one part of the greater whole that was Legion. Each one of them was gifted different abilities which ironically reflected what fragment of the power they represented to the greater whole. And each one of them inherited a flaw that ultimately corrupted Legion's personality. Eventually, the six of them were drawn to finding the Arcana Crystal which eventually was discovered again. This led to another conflict among the gods until I personally stepped in and shattered the jewel thus scattering it beyond space and time.

I thought that it was the end of that, but I was sorely mistaken. Unfortunately, I was betrayed by one of the Goddess of Night's daughters which led to my being cursed to Purgatory. However, I was still able to observe the Omniverse through my Astral Ghost waiting for the promise to be fulfilled. I never would imagine that my descendant would have to come face to face with one of my oldest of foes."

As the Sovereign's story drew to a close, the room became silent trying to process it all. That was a major walk down history to take in, but it only further proved the severity of this situation.

"If Indra has Agni…and the Arcana Crystal, then…that means…" Raizo was about to say before the woman nodded.

"Yes, Arayashiki's true goal is to resurrect Sakinah Vashti and rewrite everything we have ever known. If Legion is brought back to life…then she will become the greatest threat any of you have ever faced. Goetia, The Architect, Rias Makiri…none of them can compare to her. That is what gave her the titles of the Progenitor of the Six Paths, The Second Origin, and the Primordial Goddess of Harmony."

"Senpai, if I may call you that," Akame called out in reference to the woman.

"Ah yes…I am the predecessor to the title of Goddess of Death, am I not? You do not have to be so formal, calling me Reina or Morana works fine," the female expressed.

"Reina-senpai, you said that Arayashiki plans to resurrect Sakinah. Indra has Agni and the Arcana Crystal, which is a total of 8 parts. What of the remaining 4?"

"Regardless of Goetia erasing history and all sentient life, the Devas and the Arcana Crystal fragments are all conceptual fragments that exist beyond the laws of space and time. Unfortunately, even with their hosts no longer in the picture, the other remaining essences still exist. It is just a matter of finding them."

"Then it would seem that time is not on our side. Looks like we've got a lot of work to do," Akaro sighed heavily.

"Yeah…my head hurts after all of that info dumping," Vesta groaned.

"Yes, well it is time for another one of your checkups actually," Nightingale responded.

"Oh come on…I told you I'm fine…"

"I refuse to acknowledge protests from a patient I have yet to personally clear."

"Oh boy, well…for now, I think everyone needs time process what we just heard. Go rest up people. Once we get to Chaldea, we'll address all the other problems and start training for what is to come," Akaro ordered.

"That was quite the intriguing history lesson," Hikari nodded in approval whilst mulling over the details.

"Mou…my head really can't comprehend this stuff," Hibiki sighed.

"There, there," Miku patted her on the back.

"Muscle heads never listen," Chris sighed.

"My head hurts too, desu!" Kirika whined.

"Jiiiiii….." Shirabe casually stared as Maria and Tsubasa both appeared to be wrapped up in their own thoughts.

Scathach, Fran, Jeanne and Altera elected to chat with Semiramis off to the side. The topic of discussion was regarding the mana levels again. Meanwhile, Esdeath remained silent just thinking to herself.

"Oi…you and I need to talk," Addy called out whilst tapping Kimi on the shoulder.

"Fine…" the girl sighed as the pair went off on their own to another part of the structure.

Akaro and Mercer were talking together whilst Vesta and Akame decided to talk with Reina more in order to get to know her more. Raizo was processing the stuff he heard before noticing the two women go off to the side. Believing in a gut feeling, he casually slips away to follow them. Reina gave a slight glance seeing the three people disappear which created a small sense of urgency in her heart.

After what felt like a lengthy, silent walk, the two girls reached a small antechamber on the far side of the fortress to discuss a topic of debate that was a long time coming. Undisturbed by prying eyes, the fiery female had to release what was on her chest over the past month.

"I'm glad that Raizo's back and all…but something still doesn't sit right with me. Why the hell did you stop us back then? Are you that damn submissive to that other side of you that you can't act on your own judgment? I don't get it, you're in love with Raizo…but you let him die. No tellin' what kind of bullshit he endured in whatever place he was at because of you. I mean, have you looked at the kid? He's not the same at all! You can tell by the look in his eyes and the way he speaks. A part of him died down there…don't you feel any ounce of responsibility?" Adena began with visible frustration filling her throat.

"I do…but I had no choice. I tried to step up, but I couldn't. Why do you think tears flowed down my face that horrible day? But he's alive now…so should we really be playing the blame game over this?" Kimiko challenged.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Are you seriously trying to hint at the idea of just letting it go when you know my heart was in turmoil for the past month? Do you know how much hell I've been going through trying to suppress my anger towards you? The shit that goes through my head telling me to let loose just so I can get some form of solace? Even now…I just heard a beast within me begging me to lose control just so I can feel better."

"You're not the only one with demons on the inside…it's not easy being who I am, knowing what I know, and sifting through the things I see. It's a struggle trying to differentiate what separates me from…her, the side of me that is all powerful and all knowing. Some days I feel like I'm losing my sense of individuality…I've never felt so vulnerable before, but that's something you can't understand."

"Don't try to sell me a pity party, Kimiko Hanate…"

"That's funny coming from you, Adena Zao-Long."

"Dammit, you-…"

Just outside the room, Raizo overheard what was going on. He sensed that there was about to be physical contact which caused him to run into the room. However, just as the one also called Benihime went to swing her fist, a shadow dashed inside the room between the two grabbing hold of Adena's wrist.

"That is quite enough," the voice of Reina Arashi echoed out as she appeared from thin air.

"What the hell? Hey, I don't give a fuck who you are…let me go!" Addy cried out.

"Adena, stop it!" Raizo yelled out.

His voice was accompanied by the resonating echo of a slap in the air. The Specter of Death swung her right hand ridiculously hard thus slapping Adena across the face which sent her tumbling onto the ground. In the next display of motion, the woman dashed over and drew her blade whilst stabbing it in the floor next to Addy's face. The entity's amber eyes glistened with fury as her chest heaved up and down with visible anger.

"You ever think of disrespecting her like that again…and you will die regardless of who you are to my Master. Stop acting like a spoiled fucking child. I thought you were a proud warrior whose passionate feelings were conveyed by her vermillion flames to protect her family. Now look at you, just one footstep away from becoming that wicked beast we eliminated in the city," Reina lectured.

"Er…um…" Raizo stammered unsure of what to say. He wanted to tell the woman to stand down but his heart shuddered with blotches of terror as well.

"It's okay…don't worry, I'm fine. She had her chance to vent and she did," Kimiko sighed heavily.

Reina pulled her blade out of the ground and sheathed her sword before she reached down with a singular hand to the female. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Adena grabbed said hand whilst being pulled up to her feet.

"I called out to you once when my master was going to take his life. It was because I saw that heart of gold inside of you and perceived you as a worthy woman that would care about his interests wholeheartedly. Do not make me regret that decision," Reina said to the female.

"Yeah…you did speak to me that time. Heh," Addy sighed whilst looking down in shame before facing Kimiko.

"I'm sorry…it was wrong to pin all of my negative emotions on you without thinking of your feelings as well. I should have been more understanding towards your situation. And…at the time, I should have been there for you so we could have grieved together. I didn't want to understand because I was too caught up in my own insecurities. I truly apologize, Aneki…"

Kimiko just reached out and hugged the female close to her.

"I forgive you. And I'm sorry I never reached out to you as well. We're sisters, now and always," the Goddess responded.

The females pulled away from one another and smiled gently to the approval of Raizo and Reina.

"Good…now then," Reina began as a small crimson glow emanated from her hand.

"Adena-chan, I give this to you," the Sovereign said before reaching out and pressing her hand against the girl's chest.

In that instant, jolting warmth washed over Adena's body. A spiral of vermillion embers spun around the girl causing her dark-colored hair to flush with the red hue once more.

"I purified the remains of War's power and gifted it to you. That should tide you over for now," Reina explained.

"Oh sweet…I'm feeling like myself again. Heh, thanks Reina-chan," Addy chuckled with her usual cheery self.

"I know you wish to train, but try not to overdo it."

"Yeah, yeah…time to go find Aniki and get him to hang out with me!"

Before any words could be spoken, the girl rushed off. She paused for a second to give Raizo a kiss on the cheek then disappeared like a little kid that just got the toy she wanted for Christmas. This left the remaining trio alone.

Reina turned to Kimiko as her expression softened and her eyes glistened with tears. She clutched her chest before stepping close only to then hesitantly reach out for a hug.

"I never thought I would have the privilege of seeing you again, Akasha-sama…will you please grant this humble servant of yours the honor of an embrace?" the dark-skinned woman asked.

Kimiko's mind tapped into the recesses of stored information from the brief time spent as Grand Ruler. The story that she heard from the woman before layered upon small visions of what she managed to pick up allotted the girl to grasp some familiarity. As such, the shorter female reached out to embrace the woman as they shared a lengthy, intimate hug.

"It truly has been more than a lifetime, hasn't it my longtime friend?" Kimiko responded.

"Yes…it has. Forgive me for failing you. If only I could have served you better and carried out your will. I truly apologize for my ineptitude," the Specter of Death said whilst tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Nonsense, you did everything that was set out for you. I never stopped watching over you…even during your time in Purgatory. You carried out everything I ever tasked you with perfectly. Welcome home."

"Yes…I have returned."

Raizo was merely silent during the exchange. He dared not to ask questions during the tender moment between the two. Regardless, he felt his heart touched by the scene as he smiled tenderly over it. The two females turned and faced the youth at the same time.

"Er…sorry, was I not supposed to see that?" he asked perplexedly.

"Come here you," both women declared before reaching out and pulling him in between their bosoms before embracing him as well.

"This is…kinda déjà vu," Raizo blushed ever so slightly but he did not fight against it. In that moment, both girls leaned in and kissed the youth on the cheek from both sides. The heart-warming scene was enough to melt ice as the Hanging Gardens was approaching the tundra hidden base of Chaldea.