Holy High - IC 2 - Open

[Luminesa]

Xavier glared down at Chaos for a few moments, and then he sighed. "Fine...go ahead..." He held Zhan back for a few moments, and he held his Staff in his free hand.

Chaos closed his eyes and spoke. "...I am not actually Adam...I am...Arael...the Vision of God..." he began. "I...I am merely a servant...Oblivion...that is the Adam you are truly seeking...Looking upon him without...without being completely pure...will bring instant death...I was...sent as part of his mission...to purify the world...to bring it to him...to allow him to control it...But that was when I...when I realized that this was a world full of suffering...I wanted to use my powers to get rid of the suffering, instead of using them to purify the world..."

A tear-a blue one-fell from his eye. "...I disobeyed him...trying to save a world that I did not understand...by methods that were truly wicked...I am not angry that I have met my end...I have...failed my mission...All I can do now is tell you...please...your world will continue to be in danger, unless you destroy Oblivion...unless you destroy Adam...Others like me...will not be kind...they will seek after their missions utterly...I am...defective...Having sought to understand other beings instead of destroying them..."

He then opened his eyes once more. "Please, finish me...if I am found, I will be returned to Adam and punished...I lied when I said I had never felt suffering...I have, at his hands...and I do not want to feel it again...Forgive me...forgive me...for what I have done...I knew not what I was doing..." he finished, his voice a quiet whisper. He then looked at Zhan, who stared at him hungrily. He reached up weakly and put a hand on his nose, smiling kindly.

Shocked by his confessions, Xavier turned and looked over at the others, unsure of what to say. "...Arael..." he muttered.

[Ranoria]

Giftzhan looked up at the immense figure before him, and growls in frustration, "You're really starting to get on my nerves, you know that?" Grayish, foreboding mist begins to roll off of his form, the gas seeming to spell not death, something infinitely worse, as it emerged.

"Now, I sincerely hope," he says with a malicious, disturbingly pleasant grin, "That you won't give me indigestion. I haven't fed for awhile you know...and the longer I go hungry, the more I need to eat. It is my job, after all, isn't it?"

He whips out his scythe and jumps into the air, black blade spinning about him before he descends upon the creature who had called itself Adam. And then, suddenly, there isn't a man with a scythe.

Instead, a thousand pound wolf with fangs flashing and a smoke-like haze wafting off of his massive, heavily muscled form, and his massive canines tore into the motionless Chaos, and then he tore his head away, eyes flashing with bloodlust, but while what everyone expected a disgusting mass of tissue to be ripped violently out, none came, the wolf's savagery yielding only that same mist, different only in its black color, with red flecks sparking, the substance swirling in agonizing fear. It knew what was coming. It had been the soul of the incarnation of Chaos. Now it was the wolf's dinner. And And the wolf was hungry.

He leapt off of the massive god, skidding to a halt on the ground, more of the mist coalescing around him, and he pinned it to the ground with his paws once it became about the size of him, and began tearing into it with a terrifying vigor, swallowing every last bit of it. Screams of thousands of voices could be heard as he did this, the terrible screams of the dying.

And then he ripped up the last bit from beneath his massive claws , downing it with an immense satisfaction that could only be described as horrifyingly fitting, and tossed up his massive head before letting loose a great howl of victory, closing his eyes as he did, the sound somehow full of despair, doom, and sorrow as he did.

Then the wolf looked at the hollow shell that had once been Chaos, and in his voice was a horrible echo of something much deeper, darker.

"Your allies have departed from this world, and only a fool would hunt alone in the black of night, for there do the great Amaroks prowl in our eternal hunger. Your foolishness is what grants us our eternal feast, and for that I must thank you. You have sacrificed all, the chance of heaven, the escape of the burning pits of hell where you shalt now dwell in an eternal night, even sacrificed your very soul to sate my starving gut. Your reward is one final descent from the grace and the power of God into the undying night where even He has not the power to reclaim your broken remains. Farewell and good night, my prey."

He began to howl again, the sound mortally disturbing to those who could hear it, the night sky blackening to an extreme, but the aurora borealis emerged as well, revealing its true purpose.

It was the sign that another had fallen to the fangs of an Amarok.

And with that knowledge, all of those present could all see what lie beyond the farce of colorful light, the souls of those damned to the eternal prison where the great hunters of the north send their prey, screaming and crying out in terror, clawing at the light as they saw those below.

They cried for help in so many words, so many tongues, so many different voices filled with horrible, unimaginable pain worse than Hell, an agonizingly certain doom of eternal damnation, and a plea for their rescue from the dark realm where they resided.

But no one could save them now. For now, they were beyond even the power of God.

[Charlia]

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

She started glowing black, the symbol on her forehead beginning to glow as well.

"I... don't want to go..."

Genbu pulled back a little at that, looking her in the eye. "I love you, Rachel, with all of my heart. I love you more than anything, I'd do anything at all. If I could, I would sacrifice myself, and everyone else on the world for you..." he whispers, rubbing a thumb over the symbol lightly, before leaning in and kissing her.

"Love you..." she whispered, weakening as Chaos died.

She let go.

---

You're shattered like you've never been before

---

Something inside Charlotte gave her the strength to move, just a little bit, over to Rachel's side.

---

The life you knew in a thousand pieces on the floor

---

"Are you scared of dying?" she asked gently. Rachel pressed her lips together and nodded. Charlotte took her hand. "Would you like to hear about Heaven?"

---

And words fall short in times like these

---

A new grimace tightened Rachel's features, and she breathed out a quiet "Sure."

---

When this world drives you to your knees

---

"Okay." What would be the best way to describe Heaven? What did Rachel need to see in her mind's eye? A glimpse of Jesus in glory? Or maybe something more personal...

---

You think you're never going to get back

---

"Once upon a time, two lonely girls met in a darkened mind. One girl had been assaulted and cast from heaven, broken and changed. The other was assaulted and murdered. The first girl once ran for her life through a driving snowstorm. The second girl was changed into a personification of all she had died for, with beauty, power... and a broken heart."

---

To the you that used to be

---

"They were both trapped in new lives, leaving behind the tragedies that destroyed their souls. But what lay ahead at their mysterious destinations? They had no idea. Fear of that unknown brought shivers. Would it be better there? Worse? And going alone made it feel like running through a dark tunnel with no light at the end."

---

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in

---

Fighting against a shiver, Charlotte sneaked a glance at Rachel. Although pale as a sheet, her eyes seemed alert. Charlotte took another deep breath before continuing. "Then the two girls met. One tried to rebuild her life by torture, and one began to believe she was nothing. Then they reached separate destinations, and entered different lives, one as a daughter of God, and one as a reborn goddess, but still trapped in loneliness."

---

Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace

---

"The first girl found herself in the midst of fantastic but dangerous adventures, while the second suffered the throes of loneliness, not finding anyone to love her."

---

Yesterday's a closing door
You don't live there anymore

---

"The first girl died and went to heaven. The second girl lived in hell."

---

Say goodbye to where you've been
Tell your heart to beat again

---

"The first girl walked on streets of gold. She conversed with angels. She luxuriated in the arms of the Savior of the world. The second girl walked streets of darkness with no one to talk to, no one to hold her. She walked alone."

---

Beginning, just let that word wash over you

---

Rachel's respiration grew shallow and rasping. Each breath came out as a moan of agony. Tears in her eyes, Charlotte continued again, laboring to keep her voice in check. "The first girl rose from the dead and brought news to the world that a better place exists, a place of rest from all labors, the end of the path of suffering, a city of light that never sees a sunset. The second girl felt in her heart that her own city of light had to exist somewhere. So she followed a path back to her childhood friend, the one she loved."

---

It's all right now, love's healing hands have pulled you through

---

Rachel shivered hard. "...She... loved... him... so much..."

---

So get back up, take step one

---

"Yes, Rachel. She definitely did." Charlotte swallowed through a lump in her throat. "Now a new shadow has crossed the path, and the horizon is dark. The two girls are together once again, this time in a frozen world that is hurtling towards the unknown."

---

Leave the darkness, feel the sun

---

"But is it really unknown? To the second girl, yes. Her ticket has no destination printed on it... this train's final stop is a dark mystery."

---

'Cause your story's far from over

---

She took Rachel's hand--cold and clammy. Rachel returned the grasp with a weak grip. "But if the two girls stay together," Charlotte continued, "they will both go to that city of light. They will walk hand in hand on the streets of gold. They will share the Savior's embrace. They will live forever."

---

And your journey's just begun

---

Rachel whispered, faint and wheezing, voice strained with agony, "How can we... stay together?"

---

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in

---

Charlotte rubbed Rachel's cold knuckles with a thumb. "The way to keep holding my hand is to reach out for God's hand. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, suffered a cruel death on a cross. He died to set you free from all the wrongs you have done. Just forsake those wrongs and embrace faith in Him, and what He has done for you."

---

Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace

---

A new shiver rocked Rachel's body. Her teeth chattered, and she let out a loud moan of anguish. "How... do I do that?"

---

Yesterday's a closing door
You don't live there anymore

---

Charlotte forced her own body to stay calm. "Confess Jesus as your Lord. Believe that God raised Him from the dead. When you confess faith, God will put to death the person you were and resurrect you to new life in your heart. And since you will be a new person, you will be issued a new ticket, one with heaven written as the destination."

---

Say goodbye to where you've been
Tell your heart to beat again

---

"You make it sound... so real..."

---

Let every heartbreak and every scar

---

"It is real, Rachel. I've seen it with my own eyes." Charlotte compressed Rachel's hand. "Will you join me on the train?"

---

Be a picture that reminds you who has carried you this far

---

"So... I just... how did you say it?" Her trembling subsided. "Forsake my wrongs and have faith?"

---

'Cause love sees farther than you ever could

---

"Exactly. It's really all about love--loving God and other people."

---

In this moment, heaven's working everything for your good

---

"I do feel love. I really do..."

---

Tell your heart to beat again

---

"I know you do. God loves you, and if you love Him, you'll follow Him on a new path that will lead to Heaven's gates."

---

Close your eyes and breathe it in

---

Paler than ever, she whispered, "So now... I just... confess?"

---

Let the shadows fall away

---

Charlotte brushed Rachel's ashen cheek. "Yes, Rachel. Just say what's on your heart."

---

Step into the light of grace

---

"I... I confess... that I hurt Genbu... Would you tell him... I'm sorry... sorry for breaking his heart?"

---

Yesterday's a closing door

---

"Of course!" Tears streamed freely. "Of course I will!"

---

You don't live there anymore

---

"And... and I confess that... I love..." As she exhaled, her head drooped.

---

Say goodbye to where you've been

---

"Rachel?" Charlotte pressed two fingers on Rachel's wrist. No pulse. "Rachel! Oh, Rachel! Why did this happen to such... such an innocent lamb!"

---

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in

---

Cold and gray, Rachel stared upwards, as if mesmerized by a wondrous sight. Her flawless skin seemed to glow.

---

Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace

---

"What do you see, Rachel? Heaven's glory?" Charlotte looked up, crying out. "We're on the train... The city of light is the next top... And it's so beautiful, Rachel... It's so beautiful."

---

Yesterday's a closing door
You don't live there anymore

---

"I can't get off the train... Not yet... But it will come through again... And I hope you're there to greet me... when I walk down those steps to join you... in the eternal light of His presence..."

---

Say goodbye to where you've been

---

Using two fingers, Charlotte closed Rachel's eyes. "Your confession, precious lamb, is the most beautiful of all... 'I love'... On those words hang all the law and the prophets."

---

Tell your heart to beat again

[Luminesa]

Giftzhan looked up at the immense figure before him, and growls in frustration, "You're really starting to get on my nerves, you know that?" Grayish, foreboding mist begins to roll off of his form, the gas seeming to spell not death, something infinitely worse, as it emerged.

"Now, I sincerely hope," he says with a malicious, disturbingly pleasant grin, "That you won't give me indigestion. I haven't fed for awhile you know...and the longer I go hungry, the more I need to eat. It is my job, after all, isn't it?"

He whips out his scythe and jumps into the air, black blade spinning about him before he descends upon the creature who had called itself Adam. And then, suddenly, there isn't a man with a scythe.

Instead, a thousand pound wolf with fangs flashing and a smoke-like haze wafting off of his massive, heavily muscled form, and his massive canines tore into the motionless Chaos, and then he tore his head away, eyes flashing with bloodlust, but while what everyone expected a disgusting mass of tissue to be ripped violently out, none came, the wolf's savagery yielding only that same mist, different only in its black color, with red flecks sparking, the substance swirling in agonizing fear. It knew what was coming. It had been the soul of the incarnation of Chaos. Now it was the wolf's dinner. And And the wolf was hungry.

He leapt off of the massive god, skidding to a halt on the ground, more of the mist coalescing around him, and he pinned it to the ground with his paws once it became about the size of him, and began tearing into it with a terrifying vigor, swallowing every last bit of it. Screams of thousands of voices could be heard as he did this, the terrible screams of the dying.

And then he ripped up the last bit from beneath his massive claws , downing it with an immense satisfaction that could only be described as horrifyingly fitting, and tossed up his massive head before letting loose a great howl of victory, closing his eyes as he did, the sound somehow full of despair, doom, and sorrow as he did.

Then the wolf looked at the hollow shell that had once been Chaos, and in his voice was a horrible echo of something much deeper, darker.

"Your allies have departed from this world, and only a fool would hunt alone in the black of night, for there do the great Amaroks prowl in our eternal hunger. Your foolishness is what grants us our eternal feast, and for that I must thank you. You have sacrificed all, the chance of heaven, the escape of the burning pits of hell where you shalt now dwell in an eternal night, even sacrificed your very soul to sate my starving gut. Your reward is one final descent from the grace and the power of God into the undying night where even He has not the power to reclaim your broken remains. Farewell and good night, my prey."

He began to howl again, the sound mortally disturbing to those who could hear it, the night sky blackening to an extreme, but the aurora borealis emerged as well, revealing its true purpose.

It was the sign that another had fallen to the fangs of an Amarok.

And with that knowledge, all of those present could all see what lie beyond the farce of colorful light, the souls of those damned to the eternal prison where the great hunters of the north send their prey, screaming and crying out in terror, clawing at the light as they saw those below.

They cried for help in so many words, so many tongues, so many different voices filled with horrible, unimaginable pain worse than Hell, an agonizingly certain doom of eternal damnation, and a plea for their rescue from the dark realm where they resided.

But no one could save them now. For now, they were beyond even the power of God.

Xavier watched with horror as the Amarak devoured Arael's soul. He shuddered, as he heard the howl. Yet it was done.

Suddenly, all the darkness around them began to fade away. The school was turning back to normal. The sky and the bright moon could be seen above them once again. The cities and towns that had been devoured were also rebuilding themselves, to the shock and awe of all people watching.

Slowly, Lux awoke again, having been revived by the death of Chaos. He stared in awe at Raphael, as he was healing him. "...Ra...phael?" he whispered, his eyes widening with shock.

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Giftzhan looked up at the immense figure before him, and growls in frustration, "You're really starting to get on my nerves, you know that?" Grayish, foreboding mist begins to roll off of his form, the gas seeming to spell not death, something infinitely worse, as it emerged.

"Now, I sincerely hope," he says with a malicious, disturbingly pleasant grin, "That you won't give me indigestion. I haven't fed for awhile you know...and the longer I go hungry, the more I need to eat. It is my job, after all, isn't it?"

He whips out his scythe and jumps into the air, black blade spinning about him before he descends upon the creature who had called itself Adam. And then, suddenly, there isn't a man with a scythe.

Instead, a thousand pound wolf with fangs flashing and a smoke-like haze wafting off of his massive, heavily muscled form, and his massive canines tore into the motionless Chaos, and then he tore his head away, eyes flashing with bloodlust, but while what everyone expected a disgusting mass of tissue to be ripped violently out, none came, the wolf's savagery yielding only that same mist, different only in its black color, with red flecks sparking, the substance swirling in agonizing fear. It knew what was coming. It had been the soul of the incarnation of Chaos. Now it was the wolf's dinner. And And the wolf was hungry.

He leapt off of the massive god, skidding to a halt on the ground, more of the mist coalescing around him, and he pinned it to the ground with his paws once it became about the size of him, and began tearing into it with a terrifying vigor, swallowing every last bit of it. Screams of thousands of voices could be heard as he did this, the terrible screams of the dying.

And then he ripped up the last bit from beneath his massive claws , downing it with an immense satisfaction that could only be described as horrifyingly fitting, and tossed up his massive head before letting loose a great howl of victory, closing his eyes as he did, the sound somehow full of despair, doom, and sorrow as he did.

Then the wolf looked at the hollow shell that had once been Chaos, and in his voice was a horrible echo of something much deeper, darker.

"Your allies have departed from this world, and only a fool would hunt alone in the black of night, for there do the great Amaroks prowl in our eternal hunger. Your foolishness is what grants us our eternal feast, and for that I must thank you. You have sacrificed all, the chance of heaven, the escape of the burning pits of hell where you shalt now dwell in an eternal night, even sacrificed your very soul to sate my starving gut. Your reward is one final descent from the grace and the power of God into the undying night where even He has not the power to reclaim your broken remains. Farewell and good night, my prey."

He began to howl again, the sound mortally disturbing to those who could hear it, the night sky blackening to an extreme, but the aurora borealis emerged as well, revealing its true purpose.

It was the sign that another had fallen to the fangs of an Amarok.

And with that knowledge, all of those present could all see what lie beyond the farce of colorful light, the souls of those damned to the eternal prison where the great hunters of the north send their prey, screaming and crying out in terror, clawing at the light as they saw those below.

They cried for help in so many words, so many tongues, so many different voices filled with horrible, unimaginable pain worse than Hell, an agonizingly certain doom of eternal damnation, and a plea for their rescue from the dark realm where they resided.

But no one could save them now. For now, they were beyond even the power of God.

Xavier watched with horror as the Amarak devoured Arael's soul. He shuddered, as he heard the howl. Yet it was done.

Suddenly, all the darkness around them began to fade away. The school was turning back to normal. The sky and the bright moon could be seen above them once again. The cities and towns that had been devoured were also rebuilding themselves, to the shock and awe of all people watching.

Slowly, Lux awoke again, having been revived by the death of Chaos. He stared in awe at Raphael, as he was healing him. "...Ra...phael?" he whispered, his eyes widening with shock.

Raphael smiled down at him.

"I'm tired."

And then he slid of his brother, turning over and looking at the ceiling, a single ray of light running along his body, illuminating his gray eyes.

"So tired..."

[Ranoria]

Giftzhan looked up at the immense figure before him, and growls in frustration, "You're really starting to get on my nerves, you know that?" Grayish, foreboding mist begins to roll off of his form, the gas seeming to spell not death, something infinitely worse, as it emerged.

"Now, I sincerely hope," he says with a malicious, disturbingly pleasant grin, "That you won't give me indigestion. I haven't fed for awhile you know...and the longer I go hungry, the more I need to eat. It is my job, after all, isn't it?"

He whips out his scythe and jumps into the air, black blade spinning about him before he descends upon the creature who had called itself Adam. And then, suddenly, there isn't a man with a scythe.

Instead, a thousand pound wolf with fangs flashing and a smoke-like haze wafting off of his massive, heavily muscled form, and his massive canines tore into the motionless Chaos, and then he tore his head away, eyes flashing with bloodlust, but while what everyone expected a disgusting mass of tissue to be ripped violently out, none came, the wolf's savagery yielding only that same mist, different only in its black color, with red flecks sparking, the substance swirling in agonizing fear. It knew what was coming. It had been the soul of the incarnation of Chaos. Now it was the wolf's dinner. And And the wolf was hungry.

He leapt off of the massive god, skidding to a halt on the ground, more of the mist coalescing around him, and he pinned it to the ground with his paws once it became about the size of him, and began tearing into it with a terrifying vigor, swallowing every last bit of it. Screams of thousands of voices could be heard as he did this, the terrible screams of the dying.

And then he ripped up the last bit from beneath his massive claws , downing it with an immense satisfaction that could only be described as horrifyingly fitting, and tossed up his massive head before letting loose a great howl of victory, closing his eyes as he did, the sound somehow full of despair, doom, and sorrow as he did.

Then the wolf looked at the hollow shell that had once been Chaos, and in his voice was a horrible echo of something much deeper, darker.

"Your allies have departed from this world, and only a fool would hunt alone in the black of night, for there do the great Amaroks prowl in our eternal hunger. Your foolishness is what grants us our eternal feast, and for that I must thank you. You have sacrificed all, the chance of heaven, the escape of the burning pits of hell where you shalt now dwell in an eternal night, even sacrificed your very soul to sate my starving gut. Your reward is one final descent from the grace and the power of God into the undying night where even He has not the power to reclaim your broken remains. Farewell and good night, my prey."

He began to howl again, the sound mortally disturbing to those who could hear it, the night sky blackening to an extreme, but the aurora borealis emerged as well, revealing its true purpose.

It was the sign that another had fallen to the fangs of an Amarok.

And with that knowledge, all of those present could all see what lie beyond the farce of colorful light, the souls of those damned to the eternal prison where the great hunters of the north send their prey, screaming and crying out in terror, clawing at the light as they saw those below.

They cried for help in so many words, so many tongues, so many different voices filled with horrible, unimaginable pain worse than Hell, an agonizingly certain doom of eternal damnation, and a plea for their rescue from the dark realm where they resided.

But no one could save them now. For now, they were beyond even the power of God.

Xavier watched with horror as the Amarak devoured Arael's soul. He shuddered, as he heard the howl. Yet it was done.

Suddenly, all the darkness around them began to fade away. The school was turning back to normal. The sky and the bright moon could be seen above them once again. The cities and towns that had been devoured were also rebuilding themselves, to the shock and awe of all people watching.

Slowly, Lux awoke again, having been revived by the death of Chaos. He stared in awe at Raphael, as he was healing him. "...Ra...phael?" he whispered, his eyes widening with shock.

Giftzhan looked over at him, the Northern lights still hanging over them, the souls of the damned wailing for the aide of all of those who could see their pain. It was maddening, especially for those who knew such pain.
The black wolf's voice still seemed to carry doom with it.
"Will you help them, angel of God?"
He knew Xavier had no power to do so. No one did. But he asked none the less.

[Ranoria]

Xavier watched with horror as the Amarak devoured Arael's soul. He shuddered, as he heard the howl. Yet it was done.

Suddenly, all the darkness around them began to fade away. The school was turning back to normal. The sky and the bright moon could be seen above them once again. The cities and towns that had been devoured were also rebuilding themselves, to the shock and awe of all people watching.

Slowly, Lux awoke again, having been revived by the death of Chaos. He stared in awe at Raphael, as he was healing him. "...Ra...phael?" he whispered, his eyes widening with shock.

Raphael smiled down at him.

"I'm tired."

And then he slid of his brother, turning over and looking at the ceiling, a single ray of light running along his body, illuminating his gray eyes.

"So tired..."

And suddenly, he's pulled to his feet, and it would take a moment for him to realize he was looking into the eyes of Otohime. It would take another to realize she was angry.
"You! I told you to stay safe! You're beat up, exhausted, and obviously drained! What do you have to say for yourself!? I told you to make sure you were safe! Is that so hard for you? One simple order!"

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Genbu sat quietly on his knees, Rachel's head resting on his lap, her pale skin still clammy from her last moments. He hair unmoving, her fingers cold to the touch, no matter how much Genbu tried to warm them.

Unresponsive to even the loudest of whispers.

Beautiful in death as she was in life.

Her pain and loss as heart-breaking in death as it was in life.

And yet... she had a smile on her face. A smile, a tiny smile, that filled his heart with joy, with hope, hope that she had found peace at last.

That she had found enough peace for both of them.

Because he knew he would never have any peace himself, not on this Earth, not in Life... not for thousands of years.

Not till he saw her again.

Not till he held her in his arms again.

"Why..." he whispered, his tears dropping from his eyes like snow flakes, landing on her skin lightly and staying there, at home on the cold of her pale, cold skin.

Why is the world so cruel? All I wanted to do was live my life, to help people, to defend the weak and strong alike. To free my people and make them happy. And for that, I was made a slave. I lost my free will.

I gained my freedom, thousands of years later.

And I found a new purpose.

I found her.

And now she's gone. She's gone, really gone, forever gone.

Why does the world hate me?

What did I do?

Genbu sat there, trapped in his thoughts, snowflakes falling from his eyes, in a forever twirling spiral.

"I love you Rachel... And I miss you..." he whispered.

And the ice slowly started spreading.

Not in the physical world.

But the ice started spreading slowly over Genbu's heart.

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Raphael smiled down at him.

"I'm tired."

And then he slid of his brother, turning over and looking at the ceiling, a single ray of light running along his body, illuminating his gray eyes.

"So tired..."

And suddenly, he's pulled to his feet, and it would take a moment for him to realize he was looking into the eyes of Otohime. It would take another to realize she was angry.
"You! I told you to stay safe! You're beat up, exhausted, and obviously drained! What do you have to say for yourself!? I told you to make sure you were safe! Is that so hard for you? One simple order!"

Raphael smiled at her, his eyes hazy. "Hi beautiful... I missed you..." he whispered, going limp in her arms, light as a newborn bird.

[Charlia]

Genbu sat quietly on his knees, Rachel's head resting on his lap, her pale skin still clammy from her last moments. He hair unmoving, her fingers cold to the touch, no matter how much Genbu tried to warm them.

Unresponsive to even the loudest of whispers.

Beautiful in death as she was in life.

Her pain and loss as heart-breaking in death as it was in life.

And yet... she had a smile on her face. A smile, a tiny smile, that filled his heart with joy, with hope, hope that she had found peace at last.

That she had found enough peace for both of them.

Because he knew he would never have any peace himself, not on this Earth, not in Life... not for thousands of years.

Not till he saw her again.

Not till he held her in his arms again.

"Why..." he whispered, his tears dropping from his eyes like snow flakes, landing on her skin lightly and staying there, at home on the cold of her pale, cold skin.

Why is the world so cruel? All I wanted to do was live my life, to help people, to defend the weak and strong alike. To free my people and make them happy. And for that, I was made a slave. I lost my free will.

I gained my freedom, thousands of years later.

And I found a new purpose.

I found her.

And now she's gone. She's gone, really gone, forever gone.

Why does the world hate me?

What did I do?

Genbu sat there, trapped in his thoughts, snowflakes falling from his eyes, in a forever twirling spiral.

"I love you Rachel... And I miss you..." he whispered.

And the ice slowly started spreading.

Not in the physical world.

But the ice started spreading slowly over Genbu's heart.

Charlotte placed a hand on his arm.

"There might be something I can do..." she whispered.

"I've never tried this, but it might work..."

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Genbu sat quietly on his knees, Rachel's head resting on his lap, her pale skin still clammy from her last moments. He hair unmoving, her fingers cold to the touch, no matter how much Genbu tried to warm them.

Unresponsive to even the loudest of whispers.

Beautiful in death as she was in life.

Her pain and loss as heart-breaking in death as it was in life.

And yet... she had a smile on her face. A smile, a tiny smile, that filled his heart with joy, with hope, hope that she had found peace at last.

That she had found enough peace for both of them.

Because he knew he would never have any peace himself, not on this Earth, not in Life... not for thousands of years.

Not till he saw her again.

Not till he held her in his arms again.

"Why..." he whispered, his tears dropping from his eyes like snow flakes, landing on her skin lightly and staying there, at home on the cold of her pale, cold skin.

Why is the world so cruel? All I wanted to do was live my life, to help people, to defend the weak and strong alike. To free my people and make them happy. And for that, I was made a slave. I lost my free will.

I gained my freedom, thousands of years later.

And I found a new purpose.

I found her.

And now she's gone. She's gone, really gone, forever gone.

Why does the world hate me?

What did I do?

Genbu sat there, trapped in his thoughts, snowflakes falling from his eyes, in a forever twirling spiral.

"I love you Rachel... And I miss you..." he whispered.

And the ice slowly started spreading.

Not in the physical world.

But the ice started spreading slowly over Genbu's heart.

Charlotte placed a hand on his arm.

"There might be something I can do..." she whispered.

"I've never tried this, but it might work..."

Genbu looked up at her silently, his eyes....

Not glowing blue.

But frozen over.

... What...? he croaked, his vocal cords cracking as ice slowly moved over them.

[Charlia]

Charlotte placed a hand on his arm.

"There might be something I can do..." she whispered.

"I've never tried this, but it might work..."

Genbu looked up at her silently, his eyes....

Not glowing blue.

But frozen over.

... What...? he croaked, his vocal cords cracking as ice slowly moved over them.

She smiled.

"This."

Then she raised her voice, crying out, "Avert your eyes, all those who have not been purified in refiner's fire!"

And in a brilliant explosion of white, she vanished into brilliant light, light that would blind anyone who had not been purified, anyone impure who dared to gaze upon it.

The light of God Himself. Glory unleashed.

Shekhinah.

[Ranoria]

And suddenly, he's pulled to his feet, and it would take a moment for him to realize he was looking into the eyes of Otohime. It would take another to realize she was angry.
"You! I told you to stay safe! You're beat up, exhausted, and obviously drained! What do you have to say for yourself!? I told you to make sure you were safe! Is that so hard for you? One simple order!"

Raphael smiled at her, his eyes hazy. "Hi beautiful... I missed you..." he whispered, going limp in her arms, light as a newborn bird.

She scowled, "Hey! I'm not finished with you..." Her voice trails off as she sits down, sighing, "Oh I do love you." She rests his head in her lap with a smile, "I was worried about you, my little angel..."

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Genbu looked up at her silently, his eyes....

Not glowing blue.

But frozen over.

... What...? he croaked, his vocal cords cracking as ice slowly moved over them.

She smiled.

"This."

Then she raised her voice, crying out, "Avert your eyes, all those who have not been purified in refiner's fire!"

And in a brilliant explosion of white, she vanished into brilliant light, light that would blind anyone who had not been purified, anyone impure who dared to gaze upon it.

The light of God Himself. Glory unleashed.

Shekhinah.

Genbu closes his eyes, looking back down at Rachel as well.

It won't work...

It won't work...

Nothing ever works in this cruel, cruel world.

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Raphael smiled at her, his eyes hazy. "Hi beautiful... I missed you..." he whispered, going limp in her arms, light as a newborn bird.

She scowled, "Hey! I'm not finished with you..." Her voice trails off as she sits down, sighing, "Oh I do love you." She rests his head in her lap with a smile, "I was worried about you, my little angel..."

"... Was... too..." he whispers, blinking up at her lazily. "I... checkmate... cool... right?"

[Charlia]

She smiled.

"This."

Then she raised her voice, crying out, "Avert your eyes, all those who have not been purified in refiner's fire!"

And in a brilliant explosion of white, she vanished into brilliant light, light that would blind anyone who had not been purified, anyone impure who dared to gaze upon it.

The light of God Himself. Glory unleashed.

Shekhinah.

Genbu closes his eyes, looking back down at Rachel as well.

It won't work...

It won't work...

Nothing ever works in this cruel, cruel world.

As the light faded, Charlotte felt the weight return, far greater than before, and she simply collapsed, smiling, but unwilling to move.

"...Gen...bu?" Rachel whispered. "...you still here?"

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Genbu closes his eyes, looking back down at Rachel as well.

It won't work...

It won't work...

Nothing ever works in this cruel, cruel world.

As the light faded, Charlotte felt the weight return, far greater than before, and she simply collapsed, smiling, but unwilling to move.

"...Gen...bu?" Rachel whispered. "...you still here?"

Something broke.

Something legitimately broke.

A crack was heard, resonating from Genbu chest, as his heart literally broke free from the prison it had consigned itself to.

"R... Rabbit?" he whispers, his eyes opening and starting to thaw out, fresh, warm tears coming. "... you back?"

[Ranoria]

She scowled, "Hey! I'm not finished with you..." Her voice trails off as she sits down, sighing, "Oh I do love you." She rests his head in her lap with a smile, "I was worried about you, my little angel..."

"... Was... too..." he whispers, blinking up at her lazily. "I... checkmate... cool... right?"

She places a finger on his lips, "Hush now. I have you." She pulls him up so she can lean on his shoulder. "You sleep now, I'll watch out for you." She looks down at the other angel beside her, "Is Lux alright though?"

[Charlia]

As the light faded, Charlotte felt the weight return, far greater than before, and she simply collapsed, smiling, but unwilling to move.

"...Gen...bu?" Rachel whispered. "...you still here?"

Something broke.

Something legitimately broke.

A crack was heard, resonating from Genbu chest, as his heart literally broke free from the prison it had consigned itself to.

"R... Rabbit?" he whispers, his eyes opening and starting to thaw out, fresh, warm tears coming. "... you back?"

"Genbu?" she said, panicking. "Are you okay? Oh, gosh, hold still, I'll heal you, I'll fix it--"

She had no idea what the crack was, but she was pretty sure it wasn't good. Maybe he'd cracked a rib. Maybe he had a punctured lung! Maybe he had a punctured heart!

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

"... Was... too..." he whispers, blinking up at her lazily. "I... checkmate... cool... right?"

She places a finger on his lips, "Hush now. I have you." She pulls him up so she can lean on his shoulder. "You sleep now, I'll watch out for you." She looks down at the other angel beside her, "Is Lux alright though?"

"... Think..." Raphael whispered, passing out while resting on her shoulder.

[Skyline United]

A young woman slowly walked towards the school, dragging her blade on the ground as she moved. Each step she made clacked against the concrete as the blade made a constant grinding noise. Eventually, she reached the entrance of the school.

After a quick inspection of her surroundings, she proceeded to walk until she stopped at the very center of the complex. From there, she began to carve runes into the ground. The noise it created as she did this would be unbearable and be heard for about a mile.

When she stopped, she stepped back and held a palm towards the center point of the rune. A sphere of light formed in front of her hand and began to shine light onto the carving. Slowly, it absorbed the light and the rune began to glow.

Meanwhile... This is just happening. XD

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Something broke.

Something legitimately broke.

A crack was heard, resonating from Genbu chest, as his heart literally broke free from the prison it had consigned itself to.

"R... Rabbit?" he whispers, his eyes opening and starting to thaw out, fresh, warm tears coming. "... you back?"

"Genbu?" she said, panicking. "Are you okay? Oh, gosh, hold still, I'll heal you, I'll fix it--"

She had no idea what the crack was, but she was pretty sure it wasn't good. Maybe he'd cracked a rib. Maybe he had a punctured lung! Maybe he had a punctured heart!

Genbu sprang up, bringing her with him and crushing her to his chest. He twirled around, and kisses her.

"You're back, oh, you're back, it worked. I can't believe it worked." he said, in between kisses. "Don't leave me again, ever, I don't want to feel like that, I don't want you to die. Don't ever die again, I forbid it!"

[Charlia]

"Genbu?" she said, panicking. "Are you okay? Oh, gosh, hold still, I'll heal you, I'll fix it--"

She had no idea what the crack was, but she was pretty sure it wasn't good. Maybe he'd cracked a rib. Maybe he had a punctured lung! Maybe he had a punctured heart!

Genbu sprang up, bringing her with him and crushing her to his chest. He twirled around, and kisses her.

"You're back, oh, you're back, it worked. I can't believe it worked." he said, in between kisses. "Don't leave me again, ever, I don't want to feel like that, I don't want you to die. Don't ever die again, I forbid it!"

"What... what worked?" she said dizzily. "All I know is I was about to go through the gates... they were so beautiful... and I was all in white, and then I started getting pulled back, and they wouldn't let me in... and then I woke up."

Giftzhan looked up at the immense figure before him, and growls in frustration, "You're really starting to get on my nerves, you know that?" Grayish, foreboding mist begins to roll off of his form, the gas seeming to spell not death, something infinitely worse, as it emerged.

"Now, I sincerely hope," he says with a malicious, disturbingly pleasant grin, "That you won't give me indigestion. I haven't fed for awhile you know...and the longer I go hungry, the more I need to eat. It is my job, after all, isn't it?"

He whips out his scythe and jumps into the air, black blade spinning about him before he descends upon the creature who had called itself Adam. And then, suddenly, there isn't a man with a scythe.

Instead, a thousand pound wolf with fangs flashing and a smoke-like haze wafting off of his massive, heavily muscled form, and his massive canines tore into the motionless Chaos, and then he tore his head away, eyes flashing with bloodlust, but while what everyone expected a disgusting mass of tissue to be ripped violently out, none came, the wolf's savagery yielding only that same mist, different only in its black color, with red flecks sparking, the substance swirling in agonizing fear. It knew what was coming. It had been the soul of the incarnation of Chaos. Now it was the wolf's dinner. And And the wolf was hungry.

He leapt off of the massive god, skidding to a halt on the ground, more of the mist coalescing around him, and he pinned it to the ground with his paws once it became about the size of him, and began tearing into it with a terrifying vigor, swallowing every last bit of it. Screams of thousands of voices could be heard as he did this, the terrible screams of the dying.

And then he ripped up the last bit from beneath his massive claws , downing it with an immense satisfaction that could only be described as horrifyingly fitting, and tossed up his massive head before letting loose a great howl of victory, closing his eyes as he did, the sound somehow full of despair, doom, and sorrow as he did.

Then the wolf looked at the hollow shell that had once been Chaos, and in his voice was a horrible echo of something much deeper, darker.

"Your allies have departed from this world, and only a fool would hunt alone in the black of night, for there do the great Amaroks prowl in our eternal hunger. Your foolishness is what grants us our eternal feast, and for that I must thank you. You have sacrificed all, the chance of heaven, the escape of the burning pits of hell where you shalt now dwell in an eternal night, even sacrificed your very soul to sate my starving gut. Your reward is one final descent from the grace and the power of God into the undying night where even He has not the power to reclaim your broken remains. Farewell and good night, my prey."

He began to howl again, the sound mortally disturbing to those who could hear it, the night sky blackening to an extreme, but the aurora borealis emerged as well, revealing its true purpose.

It was the sign that another had fallen to the fangs of an Amarok.

And with that knowledge, all of those present could all see what lie beyond the farce of colorful light, the souls of those damned to the eternal prison where the great hunters of the north send their prey, screaming and crying out in terror, clawing at the light as they saw those below.

They cried for help in so many words, so many tongues, so many different voices filled with horrible, unimaginable pain worse than Hell, an agonizingly certain doom of eternal damnation, and a plea for their rescue from the dark realm where they resided.

But no one could save them now. For now, they were beyond even the power of God.

Then Charlotte heard the screams.

Echoing through her mind, they filled her soul with unreasoning terror, absolute horror, and her mind filled with darkness.

Dark nights of pain. Dark days of sorrow. Dark dreams of fear.

She still felt Chaos's kiss, adding more darkness. She couldn't breathe. She hated it.

She could feel Chaos's kiss. Michael's kiss. Adrian's kiss. Even Thanatos's kiss.

Eyes, sparkling, staring at her, staring out of the oppressive, soul-crushing darkness.

She felt as if she was being held in place by a steel grasp, someone refusing to let her go. Who was it? Who was it?

She didn't know. She was scared.

Her wings had been darkening. Now they were black.

Her eyes flickered red.

Her heart began to change. There was soft flesh, pink and red, but then it began to turn blue. And gray... And black.

[Free Empire of the Low Isles]

Genbu sprang up, bringing her with him and crushing her to his chest. He twirled around, and kisses her.

"You're back, oh, you're back, it worked. I can't believe it worked." he said, in between kisses. "Don't leave me again, ever, I don't want to feel like that, I don't want you to die. Don't ever die again, I forbid it!"

"What... what worked?" she said dizzily. "All I know is I was about to go through the gates... they were so beautiful... and I was all in white, and then I started getting pulled back, and they wouldn't let me in... and then I woke up."

Giftzhan looked up at the immense figure before him, and growls in frustration, "You're really starting to get on my nerves, you know that?" Grayish, foreboding mist begins to roll off of his form, the gas seeming to spell not death, something infinitely worse, as it emerged.

"Now, I sincerely hope," he says with a malicious, disturbingly pleasant grin, "That you won't give me indigestion. I haven't fed for awhile you know...and the longer I go hungry, the more I need to eat. It is my job, after all, isn't it?"

He whips out his scythe and jumps into the air, black blade spinning about him before he descends upon the creature who had called itself Adam. And then, suddenly, there isn't a man with a scythe.

Instead, a thousand pound wolf with fangs flashing and a smoke-like haze wafting off of his massive, heavily muscled form, and his massive canines tore into the motionless Chaos, and then he tore his head away, eyes flashing with bloodlust, but while what everyone expected a disgusting mass of tissue to be ripped violently out, none came, the wolf's savagery yielding only that same mist, different only in its black color, with red flecks sparking, the substance swirling in agonizing fear. It knew what was coming. It had been the soul of the incarnation of Chaos. Now it was the wolf's dinner. And And the wolf was hungry.

He leapt off of the massive god, skidding to a halt on the ground, more of the mist coalescing around him, and he pinned it to the ground with his paws once it became about the size of him, and began tearing into it with a terrifying vigor, swallowing every last bit of it. Screams of thousands of voices could be heard as he did this, the terrible screams of the dying.

And then he ripped up the last bit from beneath his massive claws , downing it with an immense satisfaction that could only be described as horrifyingly fitting, and tossed up his massive head before letting loose a great howl of victory, closing his eyes as he did, the sound somehow full of despair, doom, and sorrow as he did.

Then the wolf looked at the hollow shell that had once been Chaos, and in his voice was a horrible echo of something much deeper, darker.

"Your allies have departed from this world, and only a fool would hunt alone in the black of night, for there do the great Amaroks prowl in our eternal hunger. Your foolishness is what grants us our eternal feast, and for that I must thank you. You have sacrificed all, the chance of heaven, the escape of the burning pits of hell where you shalt now dwell in an eternal night, even sacrificed your very soul to sate my starving gut. Your reward is one final descent from the grace and the power of God into the undying night where even He has not the power to reclaim your broken remains. Farewell and good night, my prey."

He began to howl again, the sound mortally disturbing to those who could hear it, the night sky blackening to an extreme, but the aurora borealis emerged as well, revealing its true purpose.

It was the sign that another had fallen to the fangs of an Amarok.

And with that knowledge, all of those present could all see what lie beyond the farce of colorful light, the souls of those damned to the eternal prison where the great hunters of the north send their prey, screaming and crying out in terror, clawing at the light as they saw those below.

They cried for help in so many words, so many tongues, so many different voices filled with horrible, unimaginable pain worse than Hell, an agonizingly certain doom of eternal damnation, and a plea for their rescue from the dark realm where they resided.

But no one could save them now. For now, they were beyond even the power of God.

Then Charlotte heard the screams.

Echoing through her mind, they filled her soul with unreasoning terror, absolute horror, and her mind filled with darkness.

Dark nights of pain. Dark days of sorrow. Dark dreams of fear.

She still felt Chaos's kiss, adding more darkness. She couldn't breathe. She hated it.

She could feel Chaos's kiss. Michael's kiss. Adrian's kiss. Even Thanatos's kiss.

Eyes, sparkling, staring at her, staring out of the oppressive, soul-crushing darkness.

She felt as if she was being held in place by a steel grasp, someone refusing to let her go. Who was it? Who was it?

She didn't know. She was scared.

Her wings had been darkening. Now they were black.

Her eyes flickered red.

Her heart began to change. There was soft flesh, pink and red, but then it began to turn blue. And gray... And black.

"Charlotte did something!" Genbu said, smiling and kissing her.

And then he looked at Charlotte, the smile still on his face. "Charlotte! It worked!" he said...

And then the smile fell.

"Charlotte...?"

[Ranoria]

She places a finger on his lips, "Hush now. I have you." She pulls him up so she can lean on his shoulder. "You sleep now, I'll watch out for you." She looks down at the other angel beside her, "Is Lux alright though?"

"... Think..." Raphael whispered, passing out while resting on her shoulder.

Otohime kisses his cheek, then summons a bit of water around his ears to keep him from being disturbed.
Then her gaze turned to Ryujin. "Father!"
Ryujin turned around and saw her fiery eyes, and Raphael in her arms. He sighed, shooting a glance back at Amaterasu. Help.
He didn't know if she saw it or not. He hoped she did.
Otohime was speaking the moment he arrived. "You had one job! One job! And that was to keep Raphael safe! You couldn't do one thing, could you!?"
Ryujin gulps, "Oto, he was healing Lux, or trying to! He entered the fight once, and he sealed off Chaos! I couldn't stop him!"
"Well you should've!"