EPISODE TWELVE: THE EYES OF HEAVEN.

 

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Standing on the rocky ground of the moon with her eyes closed and her arms raised to her sides in a straight line, Kurusugawa Himeko tightened her grip around the Eyes of Heaven as much as she could before she invoked all the powers she possessed as the Priestess of the Sun. Godly strength raced from the deepest corners of her heart, surged along every fiber of her existence, and arrived at Kagetsuki and Akatsuya, which sucked them in like whirlpools would water. When she had given them enough, she opened her eyes.

Golden light, which was fanning out like the ocean waves from under Himeko�fs feet, lifted her up into the starlit sky. Although the air of the moon was terribly cold already, it became even more so as its wind slashed at her face as though wanting to tear her skin apart. To her left was the blue Earth riding high above the horizon of the deserted Moon. To her right, the distant golden sphere that had been burning bright since the beginning of the ages. Hundreds of feet below her lay the remains of the Lunar Shrine, once her home three thousand years ago. What was now just a heap of wood and stones had been where her previous incarnation, Kannazuki Akari, used to spend the first seventeen years of her life with the one she loved most. Much further down, way beneath the dry crust of the sacred Moon, was the Sword God�fs Seal, Ame no Murakumo�fs concealed Dimensional Prison, and what she was going to break.

Her gaze fell upon the Eye of Aurora in her right hand then traveled to the Eye of Luna on her left, upon which it stayed while she sensed her hand tense around the Kagetsuki�fs hilt and felt her heart ache. It was her beloved princess�fs possession, designed for her and her alone. Himeko was but aware that in her own hand, Kagetsuki would never be able to draw its power from the moon and unleash its fearsome might the way the Himemiya heiress had. She did not need it, in any case. What she was aiming for was the Eye of Luna�fs ability to reconstruct itself into any magical weapon that she needed it to. That alone would suffice, for it would grant Himeko enough strength to accomplish the suicidal plan that had dawned upon her when Oogami-sensei showed her the secret manuscripts of the Oogami Clan.

 

...

 

�gThis is the secret manuscript that has been passed down generation after generation in the Oogami Clan,�h the High Priest Oogami Kazuki announced to Kurusugawa Himeko in a solemn voice once he had handed her one of the two silk scrolls on the wooden tray. �gInside lies what is meant only for the eyes of the Kannazuki Priestesses.�h

After she had rolled out the manuscript, she began to read its content. Upon the silken surface were lines after lines of neatly and stylishly written scripts that told her the true reasons why the Eyes of Heaven were forged. One of them she already knew. The other she never thought possible.

First and foremost, Akatsuya and Kagetsuki were made to summon Ame no Murakumo by using the undefiled blood and untainted life force of a Priestess to disable the Thirteen Seals and open up the Core Sphere that kept the Sword God bound. Once he was free, the surviving Priestess were to use her own Eye of Heaven to seize control over his mind, make him pick up the other Eye, and force him to destroy the Dark God. And that was where the second purpose to the creation of the swords came into the picture.

The manuscript mentioned that Yamata no Orochi was in truth not the eight-headed dragon that the folklores and ancient texts always portrayed. The Dark God�fs real name, it revealed, was Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne the Seraphim Blade. To her surprise, she learned that the true form of humanity�fs greatest enemy was a crystal sword which could control the eight elements of nature at will. As such, he was inarguably one of the strongest swords ever made and might not be easy to defeat even when the Sword God had been freed and armed with an Eye of Heaven.

With that in mind, the Immortals gifted the Eyes the power to shapeshift into any magical weapon they had analyzed beforehand. In so doing, they had made it possible to the wielder of a True Key of Awakening to have it temporarily changed into the sword form of the Seraphim Blade itself and gain a considerable advantage in the battle to defend the world.

Troubled, she put the manuscript back on the wooden tray and told herself that she was not going to use the Eyes�f first function against the Priestess of the Moon. Sacrificing the blue-haired princess to save humanity was not the reason for which she came down to this Enshrinement Chamber.

�gAnd this,�h Oogami Kazuki picked up the other scroll and handed it to her, �gis the Chronicles of the Swords, which contains all the information that mankind has gathered on the Elemental Blades,�h he said, then added in a serious tone, �gYou should pay extra attention to the last entry, for I believe it�fs vital in dealing with the Swords. Had it not been for Souma, we would have never known what it could do.�h

The Chronicles, as it turned out, described in details the functions of the Sealed Swords, forged from the unknown shards of metal that the Council of Priests had discovered after the first holy war. There were eight different sets of handwritings, each occupying a large section on the scroll, every single one dedicated to a Sealed Sword. Himeko read them carefully and tried her hardest to cramp the details into her head so that she had an idea of what to expect once she laid her hands upon the Eye of Aurora. Then, as Himeko proceeded toward the end, her eyes fell upon the last section of the scroll. It was the shortest one of them all, in which an Onmyouji from the Sumeragi Clan, the one responsible for the safekeeping of Tasogare and Hokuto, told of his encounter with the Twilight Blade.

According to the Onmyouji, he had absolutely no luck in wielding the Sword, for every time he tried to access the Twilight Blade, he was met with a barrier strong and thick as a mountain. While his colleagues became astonished by the prowess of the other seven Swords, he alone was stuck with a blade that refused to demonstrate its might. The Onmyouji, infuriated by Tasogare�fs lack of cooperation, abandoned his experiments with Tasogare and tried to forget that it ever existed. That was why no one in the last three thousand years had been able to figure out what powers Tasogare possessed. Although the section on the Twilight Blade concluded with bitter words of defeat, it was not the end of the scroll itself. Following it was another paragraph written by the current High Priest himself.

 

�gOctober the fifteenth,�h Oogami-sensei had written, �gOogami Souma, younger brother to the Forty-sixth High Priest of the Oogami Clan, encountered the Eighth Head and three other Orochi, one of whom disclosed to him what Tasogare was capable of. According to the woman Follower, the Twilight Blade possessed supreme control upon all Seals and Barriers aside from the Shadow Element. Thanks to said abilities, Tasogare is impervious to the Voice of Sorrow, that which renders any other Blade useless. However, this piece of knowledge proves that we need to take desperate measures toward the Twilight Blade, for against it, no Barrier can protect us forever.�h

 

As soon as she finished reading those words, she sensed tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. She had come here looking for a way to save the blue-haired princess and grant her wish. Now, she had found one.

 

...

 

The solution to all of her problems lies in the power of the Twilight Blade. Tasogare alone could help her prevent the Orochi from killing her beloved Chikane-chan when they succeeded in conquering the Earth. The Sealed Sword could return to the other girl the life she had before this whole mess had started. It certainly could make blue-haired princess smile happily again. Being the weapon that reigned supreme over all seals and barrier, the Twilight Blade was the only thing in this would that could allow Himeko to break through the Sword God�fs Thirteen Seals, rouse Ame no Murakumo from his eternal sleep, and pull the Orochi�fs nemesis out of the Core Sphere.

Akatsuya and Kagetsuki began to glow golden and silver in her hands, each fiercely demanding more and more power from her so they could perform the task that she had set them to. Knowing that they truly needed it, she gave them all she could spare. Once they had received enough, the two Eyes of Heaven disintegrated into an ocean of sparkling stars then regrouped as quickly as they had pulled apart and reemerged as two perfectly imitated Tasogare. Gazing at the pair of Twilight Blades that were hovering in front of her chest in such a way that their lower edges were level with the ground and their tips were pointing away from each other, Himeko firmed her resolve and decided that the time had come for her to put an end to this war between the humans and the Dark God. The instruments were ready. The stage had been set. The villain was present. All that was left to do now was summoning the hero of the story, who would bring forth her belated demise.

At the emergence of the twinned Tasogare, she was immediately gifted with a brand new vision. Not only did her eyes become sharper and clearer, they also allowed her the sight of something that had been hidden from the rest of the world. Now, her gaze was able to penetrate the surface of the devastated moon. Now, she was able to see that directly beneath the ruined Lunar Shrine lay a dimensional space protected by thirteen spherical barriers. She knew that they could be nothing other than the Core Sphere and the immensely powerful Thirteen Seals that made up the dimensional prison of the Sword God.

Having found her target, she extended her arms so that her hands were standing upright and her palms faced away from her chest. The two Tasogare then revolved around the empty space separating their hilts. As they did, they multiplied. The moment the two Twilight Blades finished switching place was also the one in which ten more had been created. Twelve of them now formed the spokes of a brimless vertical wheel stationed airborne in front of her chest. Mouth tightening, she put her right hand at the wheel�fs center and activated the power of the Swords.

As the jewels separating the blades and the hilts of the Tasogare became alight, darkness emerged at the latter and gathered into an orb black as the night around her hand. The wheel of Swords went round.

As though it was the surface of a pond disturbed by a rock, space literally rippled and sent invisible waves, originated from the black sphere, in every direction and gave Himeko the impression that they were pulling her particles apart. Once the last wave had passed her by, the black orb engulfing her hand began to pulse and made her think that perhaps she had fed it to a hungry lion. It gnawed at her finger, it crushed against her skin, and it sucked her power the way a vacuum machine would dust. Against her will, celestial power raced from the furthest corners of her body to her fingertips and ended up being consumed by the insatiable orb. Desperately she held her power back. She knew that unlike the Eyes of Heaven, Tasogare was far greedier. If allowed, it would left nothing in her and kill her before Ame no Murakumo showed up.

I�fm not letting that happen, Tasogare, she thought grimly. I still need half of my power to control the Sword God and have him destroy the Seraphim Blade.

�gI command you, Lord of Shadows,�h she intoned as she sent the last surge of power into the black orb, �gdestroy the Thirteen Seals!�h

The twelve Twilight Blades rang in an eerie melody, the black orb throbbed like a human heart, and countless fine threads made out of dark light shot toward the Lunar Shrine.

 

***

 

Standing several hundred feet away from the Priestess of the Sun with his body cloaked by an Invisibility Spell, Izanagi found his eyebrows climbing off his scalp. Once before he had had the surprise of his life when the Priestess of the Moon ignored the guidelines of the Project and joined forces with the Sinner Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne. As soon as he discovered what Kannazuki Aoi was planning to do, he had expected that Kurusugawa Himeko would take the blue-haired girl�fs place and followed the guidelines that had been established three thousand years ago. He was dead wrong. Now, in spite of himself, he was being taken aback by the other Priestess�fs suicidal attempt to free his son without drawing the blood of the disobedient Moon Priestess. He could not help it, for he knew that should the golden-haired idiot be allowed to continue what she was doing, the Human World would be thrown in chaos.

Fury hissed in Izanagi�fs heart like a viper. This cannot be happening! he thought.

At that moment, the Sun Priestess unleashed her powers through the twelve Twilight Blades. From the sphere throbbing around her hand came a myriad of black wires which punched through the surface of the moon and struck the first layer of the Thirteen Seals he wove shortly after imprisoning the Sword God. At the very moment of contact, the first Seal rippled before fading away like water vapors in the atmosphere. Soon, the rest of the Seals shared the same fate as the black wires punctured through them all and ultimately tied themselves around the Core Sphere, the last obstacle that stood between Kurusugawa Himeko and the Sword God. Being assaulted continuously by the devastating power of the wires, the Core Sphere began to writhe. Had it a mouth, it would scream. Had it limbs, they would thrash.

Izanagi massaged his forehead in a mix of frustration and somewhat awe. When he wove the Core Sphere and the Thirteen Seals, he had anticipated that somebody might try to break them in order to rescue Ame no Murakumo. However, the aggressor he had in mind then was Amaterasu, Susanou, or Kagutsuchi and certainly not one of the Kannazuki Priestesses. It was not that he trusted the two girls, he doubted he had ever trusted someone other than Yuusaku the Chief Messenger, he simply never thought either capable of even breaking though the first layer without draining themselves to death. To his surprise, Kurusugawa Himeko had proved more than able to completely destroy the Dimensional Prison itself. Where did she gain such enormous power? he thought in dismay.

Shaking his head, Izanagi decided to forget about the Sun Priestess�fs mysterious supply of energy and racked his brain for a solution to the impending crisis. The golden-haired girl was about to open the gate of Ame no Murakumo�fs prison and die trying. Project Kannazuki was teetering on the brink of failure. Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne was still roaming free in Onogoro, unchallenged and unchecked. The more he thought about trying to solve those problems, the more hopeless he felt. Although he could directly intervene and save the Human World from its destruction, he would not. Doing so would mean that he would have to break the divine laws that he himself set forth. Doing so would turn him into a laughingstock for his enemies in the Underworld. And that he would rather die than see happening.

He sighed in frustration. There was nothing he could do other except leaving humanity to the mercy of the Seraphim Blade. In time, maybe he could devise another plan to save it... if there was still a Human World to save.

�gDamn it all,�h he growled and considered returning to Izumo. After a second thought, he decided to stay and see through the end of this ridiculous struggle.

 

***

 

Standing high in the air, Kurusugawa Himeko watched the shape of the Core Sphere being distorted by the black threads she had tied around it while grimacing at the pain that kept jolting in her hand and made her felt as though needles were nettling its back. The black orb of light, ever hungry for more power, was actually doing more damage to her body than simply trying to crush her hand flat. Thanks to its consuming a massive amount of her power in such a short amount of time, her internal system had been strained to the point that it was currently breaking apart. Every few minutes, she would cough out blood that eventually dyed the front of her chihaya with the color red. She knew that if she continued to ignore the injuries, she would die very soon. The only problem was that she did not have time or the power to heal herself. The power she lost during the battle with the blue-haired princess was necessary. The power to heal she could not afford. Besides, she was going to perish in the end anyway, so she did not care too much about a few internally bleeding wounds.

Slightly frustrated by the fact that the Core Sphere had yet to be destroyed, Himeko decided to send another amount of her energies into the black orb. The action took its toll on her immediately. The pressure that was building rapidly in her body almost caused her eyes to explode. Fierce currents of lightning surged in her nerves and threatened to burn them to dust. More blood came from her mouth, some of spilled onto the revolving Elemental Blades, where they sizzled and were vaporized an instant later. Her vision weakened, her head grew lighter, and her limbs became so weak that she had to consume every ounce of physical strength she had to keep herself airborne and her hand inside the black orb.

Nonetheless, her goal was achieved. The black threads seared through the Core Sphere, dissolved it, and revealed the dimensional prison that was hiding within. Hastily, she withdrew her hand, reduced the Twilight Blades to the original two copies, and finally returned them into their true shapes, the Twin Keys of Awakening. Airborne, she watched as a pair of humongous gates made from steel rose upward from a horizontally woven Dimensional Portal. Once they had fully emerged, they slowly opened and revealed the darkness beyond. The Sword God was about to be freed.

Drawing her attention away from Ame no Murakumo�fs prison, Himeko glanced downward at the place where she had spent quite a while conversing with the blue-haired princess. All she wanted to do was to gain a final glimpse of the one she loved before she used the rest of her power to control the Sword God. She had expected her Chikane-chan to be watching her with hatred burning in her sapphire eyes and satisfaction written across her gorgeous face. She had thought that the Priestess of the Moon would be more than joyous to see that Himeko was about to sacrifice her own life in the other girl�fs stead.

She was sorely mistaken.

On the ground was a panicking Priestess of the Moon who was desperately shouting something Himeko�fs ears could not catch. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and her heart beat at the speed of light the moment she focused her magically enhanced hearing and finally realized what it was that the princess was trying to say.

�gRun, Himeko! It is a trap!�h

Space around her solidified at the exact same moment that thirteen magic circles emerged and formed a paper-thin spherical layer that trapped her at its heart and locked the Eyes of Heaven outside. To her horror, her powers began to withdraw from her like water down the drain while a great sphere of white light at least a hundred feet in radius materialized in the darkness beyond the steel gates. It was only then did she realize that she had dropped herself into boiling soup. It was only then did she understand the meaning of her beloved�fs words. What she was witnessing was in fact the activation of a hideous trap that no records had ever mentioned. It was the failsafe that the Immortals had placed in order to ensure that no one could release Ame no Murakumo by force.

Hopelessness filled her.

Chikane-chan, was the last thought that crossed her mind before the great sphere of white light became a shining pillar and engulfed her whole.

 

***

 

After receiving a direct hit from Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne, Saotome Makoto found herself being hurled backward so quickly the scenery around her became a gray blur. In the end, she crashed into a wooden supporting beam of the Grand Shrine, snapped it cleanly in the middle, broke open a shoji door, tumbled inside an almost empty chamber, and had her back slammed upon a tatami mat. Pain erupted from every inch of her skin as a swarm of colorful butterflies swept across her vision. It hurt so badly that she couldn�ft even cry.

Clutching her stomach with one hand and wiping the blood off the corners of her mouth with the back of the other, she struggled to sit up straight and cursed, �gDamn it!�h Never before in her life had she ever felt so dizzy, shocked, enraged, and embarrassed at the same time the way she was now. Never once since she was bestowed the Lord of the Shadows did she imagine that she could be beaten this badly by someone who did not even have a sword.

�gIs this it, Eighth Head?�h asked the Seraphim Blade, who was standing beyond the ragged opening of the chamber. Her wings, each of which glowing in a different color, were folded neatly behind her back. One of her hand was holding Tasogare – the woman had forced the Shadow Dragon to revert back into its Sword form, took it from Makoto�fs hand almost contemptuously within the first ten minutes of combat, and sent her flying into here at the start of the eleventh – while her other one was smoothing a few strands of platinum hair in front of her chest. �gTruth be told, I am very disappointed,�h she heaved a sigh, �gfor I thought you could do more with Tasogare. I guess I overestimated you.�h

�gYou condescending wench...�h Makoto said, enraged.

The Seraphim Blade shot her a disapproving look. �gSuch language is unbecoming, Saotome Makoto.�h

�gA weapon has no right to lecture a human on how she should speak.�h She smiled in satisfaction upon seeing that the ice-cold face of Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne was darkening in anger. She suspected that not many people dared say that to the woman�fs face.

�gSince you were my favorite Follower, I had thought that I could be merciful and grant you a painless death,�h said the Seraphim Blade in a voice almost as sharp as the edge of the Twilight Blade in her hand. She walked forward. After every step she took, the power in her increased three-fold. As soon as she passed through the broken shoji door, it burst into flame and fell to dust in less than a heartbeat. When she reached the center of the room, she had massed so much celestial energy that comparing her with Makoto would be the same as comparing an ocean and a lake. �gIt seems that you preferred otherwise.�h Pressure rolled off the woman in waves, crashed upon every object in the chamber, and hurled them off of the surfaces on which they stood. Every fabric of space was vibrating. The ground was rumbling under the effect of a constant tremor. Shingetsu itself seemed on the verge of collapse. Makoto swallowed audibly in fright.

�gYou should feel honored,�h the Seraphim Blade told her, the former�fs hand raising Tasogare overhead. It began to pulse with its ominous black light. �gNot many people can be buried with a Shrine as famous as this one.�h She swung it down in a vertical slash. Seeing that her demise was inevitable, Makoto watched Tasogare coming down on her head and waited to be turned into dust along with the last stronghold of mankind.

She never was.

Midway through her slash, Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne stopped abruptly, consequently leaving the edge of the Twilight Blade an inch from Makoto�fs face. The woman�fs gray eyes widened, her mouth hung open, and her head whipped around toward the opening of the room. Makoto was well aware that it was her one in a million chances to reclaim her Sealed Sword and stake it through the heart of the older woman. Yet, she couldn�ft, for she, too, was looking up the heavens and staring in shock at the silver moon. There she could sense an immense power being unleashed. There, the dimensional structure was being ripped into shreds by a power that could rival that of the Seraphim Blade.

Himeko! she thought, taken aback. She�fs using the power of the Twilight Blade to tamper with Ame no Murakumo�fs prison!

�gJust great,�h the platinum-haired woman muttered darkly. �gNow I have to go and save my mortal enemy from that silly trap. Every self-respecting villain in the Three Worlds will laugh their head off when they know.�h She tossed the Lord of Shadows onto the ground like a piece of worthless trash before she spun on her heel and walked away.

�gHold on!�h Makoto said as she bounded to her feet and laid a hand on one of the Seraphim Blade�fs colorful wings. The way the latter turned her head and shot Makoto a murderous look afterwards made her wish she had not. Swallowing again, she withdrew her hand and demanded, �gWhat do you mean by trap?�h

�gThe one Izanagi had set to protect his son�fs cage, what else?�h replied Rinne, who narrowed her eyes in obvious annoyance. She then wove a Dimensional Portal and walked through it. The silvery surface thinned into a vertical line, compressed into a single point in the air, and vanished.

Chills ran down Makoto�fs back. Hastily, she retrieved Tasogare, opened her own Portal, and hurried through as soon as it was formed. She only hoped that Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne was in time to save her former roommate. Much as she hated relying on others, she knew full well that aside from the Seraphim Blade, no one could save the life of the one she loved.

 

***

 

Having fallen to her knees the moment the great column of light swallowed the Priestess of the Sun, Himemiya Chikane could only watch as the pair of steel doors swung shut and sank into the Dimensional Portal from whence they came. As soon as they had completely disappeared, the silvery surface winked out of existence. She did not have to have the vision gifted by the Twilight Blade to know that the Core Sphere had been reconstructed and the Thirteen Seals rewoven around the hidden prison of the Sword God, once again ready to spring and trap the next fool who came to disturb them. In the air, only one thing from the golden-haired girl remained. The little angel�fs tattered red ribbon, which she often used to tie her hair, was now fluttering in the cold air of the night of October.

Himeko, she cried wordlessly while feeling her hot tears burning on her cheeks. Why did you never do what I wanted you to do? Why did you have to be so foolish?

Her Priestess power suddenly welled up in her soul and reminded her that the effect of the Seal cast upon her body had worn off. It only made her weep harder. She had thought that by betraying the Immortals of Heaven and joining the ranks of the Dark God, she could die in her sweetheart�fs place. What she had accomplished, in truth, was pushing for the little angel�fs death. She had thought that she was preventing history to repeat itself. What she managed to do, in fact, was hastening its neck-breaking pace. Everything she had done up until this point was useless.

Her eyes began to wander the surface of the moon and stopped upon falling on the Eyes of Heaven, which were lying near the broken Torii Archway. How convenient, she thought as she extended her right hand toward the Eye of Luna. Kagetsuki, suddenly trembled into life, lifted itself from the rocky ground and placed its hilt gently in her grasp.

I shall be back to the Tower of Kannazuki to see you soon, she thought in bitterness, so wait for me, Himeko. She put the sword�fs edge against her throat and prepared to cut it.

�gThree thousand years have passed, yet your tendency to jump to conclusion has never changed,�h spoke a woman�fs familiar voice, which stayed Chikane�fs hand completely.

Slowly, she turned her head to see who it was that had just spoken. To her astonishment, she found herself looking at the strikingly beautiful golden-haired woman who had appeared in Tate University Hospital to tell her where her sweetheart had gone. Then, the woman wore casual modern clothes. Now, her slender body was graced upon by a snowy hagoromo. Then, Chikane had not known her name. Now, she did. The older woman was none other than Amaterasu the Goddess of the Sun, who was proclaimed the most beautiful person in the Three Worlds. Yet, it was not the famous Immortal, rumored to be one of the strongest deities in Izumo, who held Chikane�fs attention. It was the person who stood next to the Goddess. It was a girl whose white chihaya was dyed with blood, whose golden hair was in disarray, whose amethyst eyes were shining with moisture, and whose face was painted with concern and love.

�gHimeko...�h Chikane felt her mouth form the word. Tears, which were already streaming down her face, became a flood. Relief and gratitude toward the Immortal swelled in her heart. It was Amaterasu who had saved the little angel, she was sure. No one else would have and could have.

The Priestess of the Sun, who had started walking toward her the moment she uttered her name, fell onto her knees in front of her. There, she lifted both of her hands and placed them gently on Chikane�fs cheeks. There, she whispered with the tip of her nose an inch away from that of Chikane�fs own, �gYou... called... a name just now.�h Her voice was shaky and soaked with emotion. Her heart was beating loudly beneath her gentle chest. �gWill you do it one more time?�h

�gHimeko...�h Chikane heard herself call again, this time in a little louder and a great deal more affectionate manner. With the restraints she had placed upon herself completely shattered by the feelings that were exploding in her heart, she threw her arms around the little angel and buried her face in the other girl�fs chest. �gHimeko!�h she cried. �gYou dummy! You heartless dummy! You selfish dummy!�h Her left hand was clutching at the lapels of the other girl�fs blood-soaked chihaya, her right thumping repeatedly on her sweetheart�fs arm. Only very absently did she hear a soft chuckle and an amused �gOh my�h escaping from Amaterasu�fs lips. It was not that she cared much about what the glorious Immortal was doing, though. All her attention was placed on the beautiful girl who had wanted to kiss her and had told her that she loved her more than anything in the world.

�gI�fm... sorry! I�fm sorry, Chikane-chan!�h the golden-haired girl said hastily, sounding hurt and shocked at the same time. Chikane doubted that her beloved had any idea what she was apologizing for. The little angel did try to calm her down, though, by letting her hand gently stroke the small of Chikane�fs back. It only made her weep harder.

�gWhy did you go off to open the Seals on your own?!�h she cried, her hands now simply clutching the clothes on the other girl�fs shoulder. �gWhat am I supposed to do if they killed you, you ignorant girl?!�h

�gWouldn�ft you be... happier?�h The Priestess of the Sun used both of her hands to lift Chikane�fs face up so that they could look at each other in the eye. Their noses were close enough for Himeko�fs breath, searing hot and crisply fragrant, to caress her skin. �gI thought... you wanted to kill me.�h

�gI live for you. I am willing to die for you,�h she sobbed. �gHow am I supposed to kill you?!�h

�gBut I... don�ft understand...�h the golden-haired girl whispered as she moved even closer and began to kiss away the tears on Chikane�fs face with her lips. They were very soft, they were very warm, and they made her feel numb every time they touched. �gIf you... feel that way about me, why did you do all these terrible things?�h

Not answering the question, Chikane placed a trembling right hand upon the Sun Priestess�fs forehead.

�gWhat are you doing, Chikane-chan?�h the girl asked hesitantly.

�gShowing you the truth.�h After a flash of silver light, Chikane�fs memories, which were locked in the darkest corners in her heart, rushed into her sweetheart�fs mind.

 

***

 

Standing high in the sky of the moon, Saotome Makoto let out a deep sigh upon seeing her rival the Priestess of the Moon leapt into her crush the Priestess of the Sun�fs arms. The more she watched the former cry her eyes out atop the latter, the more irritated and hopeless she became. Some part of her was gladdened, however, at seeing that the golden-haired girl was safe and sound despite being slightly hurt. Had something worse happened to Himeko, Makoto would have gone after Himemiya�fs life even if it would cost her own.

Heaving another sigh, she withdrew her gaze from the two girls, one crying and one trying to calm the other down, and placed it on the person who was standing a few feet away and confining herself to quiet chuckles. It was an Immortal with long golden-hair that seemed to shine without any source of illumination, body clad in a snowy hagoromo that were radiating strange sense of power, and a beauty even Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne did not possess. Yet, what surprised Makoto most was the unknown woman�fs potential. She was as powerful as the Seraphim Blade herself. That Makoto certainly never expected.

I wonder who she is, she thought.

Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne, who had arrived in the airspace of the moon a minute ahead of Makoto and was now standing next to her, suddenly spoke up, �gAlthough I knew Kurusugawa Himeko to be an airhead, I never thought she was this much of an idiot.�h From the woman�fs casual tones, no one would have believed that just a few minutes ago she almost succeeded in utterly destroying Makoto. �gIf Tasogare could free Akira, he would not be in there right now.�h The dark and snappish quality of her voice told Makoto that the Seraphim Blade had tried something similar to what Himeko did and was slapped down by failure. She resisted the urge to laugh.

�gI honestly did not know what I would do had she died in that blast,�h the platinum-haired woman continued absently. It was only then that Makoto realized that Rinne was talking to herself, not to anyone else in particular. She guessed after three thousand years of solitude, anybody would have gone a little crazy in the head, much less a tormented woman who spent every of her waking moment trying to cling to the memories of the man she loved. �gFor that, I suppose I need to thank her.�h Her gray eyes swiveled toward the golden-haired Immortal who was standing on the ground and watching the Priestesses of the Sun and Moon with open interest. �gWhat are you trying to do, really, Amaterasu-nee-sama?�h

The name nearly knocked Makoto out of balance. �gAmaterasu?!�h she breathed. �gThe Goddess of the Sun?!�h She could not believe that she was looking at the Immortal whose fame surpassed that of any other of the Heavenly World.

�gDo you think there is any other Goddess who has golden hair and eyes?�h The Seraphim Blade made her claim the most obvious thing in the world. Makoto opened her mouth and would have told Rinne a few choice words had she not remembered that she probably did not want to provoke the woman who could kill her as easily as not. Anger still boiled in her, though.

After shooting her an annoyed look, Rinne returned her attention to the Goddess of the Sun and began to narrow her eyes at the latter, appearing to be pursuing her own thoughts. Were Makoto to guess, she would say that the Seraphim Blade was trying to come up with a way to make Himemiya Chikane and Kurusugawa Himeko kill each other... but not quite succeeding. The Priestesses of the Moon were already a force to be reckoned with. Now that someone as power as Amaterasu, who appeared to be very keen on protecting the two girls, had appeared, she seriously doubted that the platinum-haired woman could harm a hair on either�fs head.

Suddenly, something flickering at the edge of her vision caught her attention and turned her head. Down low, the blue-haired heiress of the Himemiya empire had placed a hand on the other girl�fs forehead. Soon, silver light flooded out from where their skin met as a vacant expression crept across their faces. Makoto knew that Himemiya could be doing nothing other than showing her counterpart the memories that she had been hiding in her heart. Makoto�fs heart ached painfully in her chest. Now that the Moon Priestess had showed the Sun one the truth, Makoto no longer had any chance to win over the love of her former roommate. Everything she had done up to this point, as it turned out, was useless.

Himemiya Chikane, how is it possible that you can have everything you want? she thought bitterly. You were born into great wealth. You are more beautiful than most girls. You fell in love with someone who loved you more than anyone else. It�fs not fair.

She sighed. Although she thought that way, she knew full well that the Priestess of the Moon deserved Himeko�fs love. The conversation that she had with Himemiya Chikane, she called herself Kannazuki Aoi then, in the back garden of the Temple of the Dragons was the proof.

 

...

 

�gTell me now, Himemiya! What are you planning to do with Himeko and with us?�h Saotome Makoto demanded roughly. Her patience was growing thin, her time short. Unless she concluded the affair with Kannazuki Aoi soon, the Dark God was going to detect the presence of the dimensional space she had constructed and suspect that something was going on. She could not afford that.

Not answering the question, the blue-haired girl simply gazed at the image that was being shown on every wall of this dimensional vision with a face that spoke volumes of sadness. Unable to help herself, Makoto too, looked. What she saw was the interior of the Kannazuki Tower, the crystal structure that was hidden beneath the surface of the Memories Sea most of the time. At the very top of the Tower of Agony floated the Mirror of Life, from which crystal chains emerged and coiled around two cross-shaped Altars revolving soundlessly around the Mirror itself. Chained to each of these Altars was a stone statue of a girl in Priestess outfit. What had struck Makoto like a slap across her face the first time she laid eyes on them was not the fact that those two were exact replicas of Kurusugawa Himeko and Himemiya Chikane, but that both of them must have been frozen in time at the exact moment in which they were trying to reach for each other. Their right arms were outstretched. Their bodies were leaning forward as thought they were running toward one another. And their expressions showed just exactly how painful and heartbroken they had to be feeling in their hearts. As soon as she noticed those details, she had experienced a hurricane of emotions that threatened to pull her down to her knees and make her weep.

�gI daresay that it isn�ft the face of someone who harbored a grudge against the Priestess of the Sun,�h she muttered.

�gNo, it is not,�h the Priestess agreed, her sapphire eyes still being fixed longingly upon the image. �gYou know as well as I do that I have never had a grudge against her. Nor will I, as long as the Cycle still turns the world.�h

�gThen why did you say that she was a heartless and cruel betrayer?�h Makoto demanded heatedly.

�gBecause that was who she was.�h Kannazuki Aoi gave her a sad smile. The icy expression she had used to confront Yamata no Orochi and the Heads was nowhere in sight. The murderous aura that she had given out during her battles with Nekoko and Girochi Miyako could have never existed. �gYou know that it was I who had killed the Original Priestess of the Sun.�h It was not a question.

�gI do,�h Makoto said. When her process of Sealing the power of the Sun Crest, which took place two days ago, failed due to the unexpected appearance of a red ribbon, she had been dosed with a storm of images, one of which portrayed the scene where Kannazuki Aoi had driven her blade through Kannazuki Akari�fs heart. That had been the reason why she sought the answer in the Memories Hall, where Susanou no Mikoto the God of Storms told her everything about the inhuman Project.

�gIt was never meant to happen,�h declared the Priestess of the Moon in a voice overflowed with bitterness. �gOn that day, she was supposed to flee with me to Onogoro, where we would hide from both Heaven and the Dark God.�h

�gShe never did,�h Makoto muttered. If she had, she would never have been killed.

�gNo she did not,�h Kannazuki Aoi confirmed her suspicion. �gShe never intended to. She lied to me because she wanted me to calm down and lower my guard. Once I did, she manipulated me with Akatsuya and had me sacrifice her to summon the Sword God.�h

Makoto let out a loud gasp. She hadn�ft expected to hear that. �gWhy did she do such a thing?!�h

�gBecause she was selfish,�h the blue-haired girl answered. �gShe was aware that even if we managed to outrun our enemies, we would have to return to the Cycle in the very end. She feared the Immortals would destroy my soul to punish my disobedience. She wished to see me again when we were reborn into the world.�h

�gIs that so,�h Makoto said darkly. It would seem that the Original Sun Priestess�fs love had transferred into Kurusugawa Himeko whole.

�gThe sad thing was that even after she shattered all my hopes and dreams, I could not force myself to hate her,�h the Moon Priestess continued after giving an exasperated sigh. �gIf anything, my love for her only grew during every day we spent apart. Even now, I am still....�h She stopped and took a deep breath as though trying to calm her emotions.

�gEven now, you�fre still trying to save her from her fate as a sacrifice,�h Makoto finished for her.

A soft nod was the answer that she received.

�gHow are you going to do that?�h she asked curiously.

�gShall I show you?�h asked the blue-haired girl, who lifted her hand and placed it upright in front of her.

�gVery well.�h Makoto withdrew a fraction of her power from Tasogare before she pressed her palm against that of the Priestess and delved into the depth of her memories. Darkness consumed her.

When she could see again, she had been reduced into a transparent figure standing in a spacious rectangular chamber made entirely from rocks. She was not alone. Near the center of the chamber, where a large ice pillar connected the ceiling with the floor and five columns of light were glowing ominously, stood the Priestess of the Moon and the High Priest Oogami Kazuki, who was on his knees and apparently very nervous.

�gJust so you know, High Priest,�h said Kannazuki Aoi, whose sapphire eyes were fixed on the face of the High Priest to make sure her words were driven home. From the way he flinched, her gaze could have been an arrow, �gas of now, the objective of the Project has changed. I will not let them toy with my life any longer.�h

�gBut it�fs treason against the Gods of Heaven!�h the man burst, face drenched with horror. �gYou could not possibly be....�h

�gI am.�h A tap of the Priestess�fs finger on the hilt of her sword snapped his mouth shut. �gAnd you would not stand in my way, would you?�h

�gNo, Aoi-sama.�h Oogami Kazuki swallowed.

�gVery well.�h She nodded, seemingly pleased at the obedient tone of the man who happened to be old enough to be her father.

�gIf I may inquire, Aoi-sama,�h he said hesitantly after a while, �gwhat did you mean when you said that the objective of the Project has changed?�h

�gI meant that I would not let anyone, including the Immortals, take away the life of Kurusugawa Himeko.�h Sapphire eyes regarded him calmly, frostily, and threateningly. The message was clear. If the man dared voice a word against her decision, he would not even live to regret it. He understood that, so he snapped his mouth shut the instant after he had opened it in protest. Then he shivered.

�gThere is no need for you to panic,�h the Priestess continued. �gYou will still have your sacrifice. It will just not be Himeko.�h

�gThat means...�h the middle-aged man gasped, �git�fs going to be you, Aoi-sama?!�h

�gCorrect.�h Aoi nodded. �gMy blood shall flow to summon the Sword God, just as you and your honorable superiors wanted.�h Her voice was racked with sarcasm. Although Oogami Kazuki heard it, he did not show any sign that he was offended. Or maybe too scared to show, Makoto thought.

�gYou�fre aware that Kurusugawa-san must be the one who drive her blade through your body, aren�ft you?�h he said. �gBlood of a Priestess, drawn by another Priestess, shall open the door to the sanctuary of the savior. There�fs no other way.�h

�gIf you are implying that Himeko is not up for the task, be at ease.�h The blue-haired girl gave a quiet chuckle. �gI have ways to make her hate me enough to kill me with her own hands.�h

�gAs you say,�h the man muttered noncommittally, his eyes filled with sheer disbelief. Whatever Aoi had said, the man clearly doubted that she would be able to attain her goal. He was sharp, for he had realized that the Priestess of the Sun was too deeply in love with the Priestess of the Moon to even think of hurting her, let alone actually do it. Makoto suspected that he wasn�ft going to offer his opinion, though. The blue-haired girl was so certain that her plan would work and that there was no other alternative that she would not listen even if he slapped sense against her face.

�gNow, here is your order, lowly servant,�h announced the Priestess. �gTomorrow, at seven in the morning, you will command your Orochi brother to come to my house and fetch Himeko.�h Oogami Kazuki opened his mouth, probably to ask why, and closed it firmly at a sharp look from Aoi. �gAfter that, he is to bring her to this very Chamber, keep her here, and wait for me to arrive. When I do, none of you will be allowed to go near us until I deploy my powers. Need I make myself clearer?�h

The middle-aged man swallowed audibly and said, �gNo, Aoi-sama.�h Makoto could tell that although questions were bubbling in his mind, he did not dare ask a one of them.

�gOnce my business here is concluded, I will come to the Temple of the Dragons,�h the Priestess added as though an afterthought. It very nearly knocked Oogami Kazuki out in surprise.

�gBut... but...�h he stammered.

Kannazuki Aoi rode right over him as though he never spoke, �gThere, I will read Yamata no Orochi and his underlings a story that you will repeat to Himeko word for word.�h Then she proceeded to tell the man all that she had said during the Audience earlier with the Dark God. The more the High Priest listened, the lower his jaw fell and the wider his eyes stretch. When the blue-haired girl finished, he couldn�ft seem to close his mouth or return his bulging eyes to normal.

It was essentially a complete lie told from nothing but the truth. Kannazuki Aoi managed to make it sound as though she was the sacrifice and Kannazuki Akari her executioner even though she never once said so, thanks to her omitting vital pieces of information from the story. That had been how she convinced everybody from the audience except her that she ran to the Orochi�fs side because she did not want to die. it was in fact the opposite. She came... because she wished to die in the Priestess of the Sun�fs place. That, no one could have guessed.

�gYou seriously don�ft think that you can deceive the Dark God, do you?�h the High Priest asked in utmost incredulity.

�gI do,�h Aoi answered coldly. �gThe prospect of having a Priestess join forces with him will lay all his doubts to rest.�h

�gBut...�h the man insisted. Judging by the look he was giving the girl, he obviously thought that she was out of her mind. Aoi noticed it, and she was not pleased by the expression. Her face hardened, grew much icier, and became absolutely murderous. Oogami Kazuki immediately swallowed the rest of his words.

�gI am aware that my plans have fault,�h she said in a voice that made her face seem soft, warm, and friendly, �gbut do you think that I have any other choices? Do you think that I am going to do nothing and see Himeko die in my arms again?�h She never neither moved from where she stood nor drew herself up to make herself taller, but her presence grew dramatically in the rocky chamber. The man who was kneeling at her feet at the moment seemed to want to shrink himself to a speck of dust the way he involuntarily shied back from her piercing gaze.

�gI... I don�ft mean that, Aoi-sama,�h he protested.

�gOh?�h A snowstorm raged in the blue-haired girl�fs voice. �gThen you the silent but ever so faithful lapdog of Heaven would like to offer me a better plan, perhaps?�h Her sapphire eyes narrowed dangerously. �gIf you do, speak!�h

�gI... don�ft,�h the man said grudgingly and dropped his own gaze.

�gGood,�h said the Priestess, who then turned to face the ice pillar standing nearby with a face that was even colder. No longer being subjected to her frightening gaze, Oogami Kazuki heaved a soft sigh of relief and began to dry the sweat on his face with the long sleeves of his yukata.

�gIf I may ask one last thing, Aoi-sama,�h he spoke up after a while.

�gWhat is it?�h The blue-haired girl never bothered to turn and face him. She did not even look at him over her shoulder. Makoto chuckled. She really wondered what the people of Mahoroba would do when they see that the High Priest whom they revered was being treated no better than a worthless servant by the princess of the Himemiya.

�gHow am I going to explain things to Kurusugawa-san afterwards?�h

�gInvent some story on your own,�h Kannazuki Aoi replied. �gWhatever you can come up with, however, you will stress that Himemiya Chikane had been killed by Kannazuki Aoi, the Priestess of the Moon.�h He only had time for a surprised �gEh?�h before the girl waved her hand dismissively and said, �gYou have my leave to go.�h Her tone left no false impression that she wanted to be alone in the chamber and that if the High Priest valued his life, he would do as she wished.

�gAs you command, Aoi-sama.�h He offered the blue-haired girl�fs back a bow with his forehead touching the rocky ground before he scrambled to his feet and hurriedly climbed up the stairs as though hell was on his heels.

Darkness blinded Makoto�fs vision. When it cleared, she was standing solidly once more in the back garden of the Temple with her palm pressed against that of the Priestess.

�gDo you understand now, Saotome Makoto?�h said Kannazuki Aoi, whose hand fell limply back to her side.

She nodded. �gYou hurt Himeko and joined the Orochi because you wanted to give her an excuse to kill you. You planned it all along.�h

�gIndeed.�h The blue-haired girl sighed and looked at the images on the walls. Her expression once again grew longing and sad.

�gWho said you didn�ft have any other choice?�h Makoto muttered. �gYou can just....�h Her voice faltered. She had just realized what was wrong with what she was about to suggest. There was no way in hell Kannazuki Aoi would let that happen, she was sure.

As if able to read her mind, the Priestess gave her a sad smile and said, �gdo what Akari did to me three thousand years ago?�h She slowly shook her head. �gWhat do you think would happen to that kind-hearted girl after I forced her to kill her best friend, may I add against her wish?�h

Makoto did not answer. There was no point in doing that, for both of them knew too well that Kurusugawa Himeko, a person who never wanted to hurt anybody else, much less someone dear to her, would live the rest of her days in torments. That was, of course, if she did not commit suicide first.

�gMy world died the moment she drew her last breath three thousand years ago,�h Kannazuki Aoi continued in a voice plagued by genuine anguish. �gI do not wish to see the same thing happen to her, Saotome Makoto. It is better if she can kill me in hatred and live happily for the rest of her life.�h

Shame fastened its claws around Makoto�fs heart. No matter how much she hated the Priestess, she couldn�ft deny that everything the girl had done was for Himeko�fs own good even if it meant sacrificing herself in the bitter end. Makoto, on the other hand, only tried her best to claim her former roommate as hers without really thinking of what the girl truly wanted. Compared to Kannazuki Aoi, who was disgustingly noble in her purpose, she was nothing but a selfish and jealous person.

�gWhy did you command Oogami Kazuki to tell her that you, I mean Himemiya Chikane, were dead?�h she asked after she had found her voice again.

�gBecause it will give her no hesitation in killing me once she knows that her best friend is no longer there,�h the Priestess answered. �gBesides, I have already discarded my humanity, my love for her, and everything else that embodies the person you know as Himemiya Chikane, she is no different from being dead.�h

�gI see,�h Makoto muttered darkly and began to pursue the thoughts in her head. After a while, she suddenly realized that the other had just said something to her. �gI�fm sorry, what was that?�h

 �gI asked if there was any other question you wished to ask me, Saotome Makoto,�h Kannazuki Aoi said in a patient voice and with a satisfied smile.

�gNo,�h Makoto responded weakly. �gI�fll... release you.�h

 

...

 

After that conversation, Makoto�fs loyalty was directed toward the Priestess despite the fact that she never liked the girl any better. It was just that since she was trying her best to protect Himeko from her fate, Makoto could not afford to let anything happen to her before her plan came to fruition. That was why Makoto helped her in taking down the First and Third Heads. It had not been pleasant for her, in any case. Every time she recalled how she had helped her rival in killing her own brethren, she wanted to gnash her teeth.

�gWhat are you trying to do, nee-sama?�h Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne�fs voice took Makoto back to reality, in which she saw the Goddess of the Sun approaching the two Priestesses with a golden glow enveloping her entire body.

 

***

 

When Himemiya Chikane withdrew her hand from the forehead of the beautiful girl in whose embrace she was cradled, she felt as though she had stripped herself bare. Now that Himeko had learned the truth, everything was over.

 �gChikane-chan,�h the little angel called. Her voice was tearful, her face was red, and her amethyst eyes were welling up with tears. �gYou did all these things just for me... why?�h Her hands were on Chikane�fs cheeks again. Her skin was aflame. Her heart was beating at the speed of light. Her soul seemed about to burst with emotions.

�gBecause... I love you,�h she said, trembling. Those were the words she had hidden inside her heart during the one year she stayed by golden-haired girl�fs side. She had meant to say it to the little angel and let her know that Chikane�fs heart longed for her every moment she lived. Yet she had never found the courage to before Oogami Souma intruded into their blissful lives and doomed her hope of receiving her sweetheart�fs love in return

�gI... I have waited to hear those words ever since I met you, Chikane-chan,�h Himeko managed between the sobs before she pulled her face closer and did not stop until her lips met Chikane�fs in a kiss that ignited a roaring flame from the pit of her stomach. Just when she thought that she was going to melt into a puddle, she felt her beloved�fs arms wrapping around her body and pulled her so close she could sense the golden-haired girl�fs heart beating madly against her chest and feel the little angel�fs incredible body heat soak into every fiber of her existence. Meanwhile, the other Priestess�fs soft and sweet lips never stopped caressing hers, pulling at hers, and urging hers to reciprocate. With tears spilling from the wells of her eyes, she surrendered to the heat of the moment and returned the kiss with all the love and intensity that she could muster.

Suddenly, the little finger on her right hand grew so warm that she thought it was on fire. In the instant that followed, red light flashed fiercely around them and forced them to stop their sweet dances of lips and pull away from each other. When Chikane could see again, she found the presence of the thin red ribbon that had defeated her moments ago. However, instead of a spiral that soared into the starlit Heaven, it was now only a short segment one end of which was tied to Himeko�fs left little finger and the other to Chikane�fs right. Her surprise changed into amazement as soon as she noticed the immense current of power coursing along the silken fabric. She did not think that she ever held a tenth of that at her full strength.

Amazed, she turned to look at her sweetheart, who looked back at her with equal astonishment. It was only then that she noticed that something else was flowing along the ribbon and came directly into her soul. A staggering wave of amazement washed over her as she realized that it was her beloved�fs emotions. She could feel Himeko�fs love spreading endlessly like the heat of the midday sun. She could taste the golden-haired girl�fs longing toward her as clearly as she would a spoonful of condensed honey. For all she knew, she could have been in the little angel�fs head.

�gI see that you have discovered the special power of Enishi, children,�h a melodious voice spoke atop her head and reminded her that she and her sweetheart were not alone.

Looking up, Chikane saw Amaterasu the Goddess of the Sun standing over them. Her lips were wearing a smile that she always did whenever she wanted to tease someone. Her golden eyes were alternating between the little angel�fs face and Chikane�fs own in an obvious effort to inform them that the High Immortal had been there and watching them from the start. Her breath caught at the realization. Her face could have been on fire. She saw me kiss Himeko, she thought in distress. She is going tease us for the rest of our lives! Being the infamous prankster of Heaven, Amaterasu could even tease a rock and embarrass it until it exploded.

Hastily scrambled away from the gentle and loving arms of her sweetheart, whose mouth issued a regretful sigh immediately afterwards, Chikane settled primly on her knees, leaned forward, placed her palms upon the rocky ground, and bowed down low enough for her forehead to touch the cold surface of the moon. When she realized that her lover – her face burned even more furiously at the thought – was still looking in utter confusion at the Goddess of the Sun, she panicked and gestured urgently for the golden-haired girl to follow suit. She did.

 �gPraises be to your name, Amaterasu-sama,�h Chikane intoned and put as much respect into her words as possible.

The little angel gasped. �gAmaterasu... the Goddess of the Sun?�h Her voice grew shaky with awe and shock. �gBut you told me your name was Yui....�h

�gAnd it�fs perfectly alright for you to call me so,�h the Goddess replied. �gAnd you, little Aoi, how many times do you have to tell you that the formalities you do with your mentor aren�ft necessary with me? Rise, now, both of you.�h Her voice was touched with exasperation.

Chikane swallowed audibly. In her panic and embarrassment at having her intimate moment seen by someone who had been her friend three thousand years ago, she had forgotten that unlike the other haughty Immortals of Heaven, Amaterasu never wanted the formal treatments from people whom she liked. In fact, if someone insisted to act deferential to her just because of their lower station, she would most likely get mad. And once she did... she would pull terrible tricks on them until they begged her to stop and promised to forget the formalities.

Slowly, she stood up and motioned her sweetheart to do the same. Her heart leapt onto her throat, however, the instant the left hand of the golden-haired girl sought her right and interlaced with it in a firm but loving grasp. Although the little angel, face crimson, dropped her gaze in embarrassment when the Goddess of the Sun glanced at her teasingly with her golden eyes, she refused to let go and moved closer to Chikane until their shoulders touched. Despite having touched each other before, once or twice intimately enough to set her face on fire, the feeling of joy she was currently experiencing just from holding the little angel�fs hand was so strong she was afraid that her heart would give in and burst.

�gNow where were we?�h The Goddess of the Sun cleared her throat and looked at the thin red ribbon entwining Chikane and Himeko�fs little fingers. �gYes, about the Red Thread of Fate.�h The name rang in Chikane�fs ears like thunder.

She gasped. �gYou mean that this is the personal weapon of the Regent of the Underworld?�h Rumor had it that after she and the Ruler of Heaven had forged the Mirror of Life, Izanami of Reiha had immediately regretted her decision and set out to make a weapon that could be used against Inochi no Kagami should it ever fall into the wrong hand. The name of the weapon she made was the Red Thread of Fate.

�gCorrect.�h Amaterasu gave her a smile.

�gHow... did it end up in our possession?�h she asked.

�gI gave it to you three thousand years ago,�h the Goddess answered.

�gWhen?�h Chikane�fs eyebrows tried to climb up her scalp. �gI do not remember!�h

�gYou will now.�h The High Immortal held up her hand so that her palm faced skyward. From it sprang up an orb of what seemed to be liquid platinum. At its appearance, Chikane drew a cold breath. It was a Memories Sphere. �gIt is time for you to be reminded of the wager we had made against the will of Heaven itself,�h Amaterasu continued before she bent her wrist and consequently sent the orb flying straight toward Chikane�fs forehead. At the moment of contact, light flooded her vision and swept her consciousness away.

 

...

 

Once she had sent the Sword God Ame no Murakumo back into his dimensional prison, Kannazuki Aoi casually tossed Kagetsuki away, knelt down by the side of the lifeless body of her beloved, and cradled her in her arms. Then she rose back to her feet and proceeded toward the entrance of the Lunar Shrine. Bitterness and agony were all she felt in her heart. It was ironic that she, the person who had vanquished Yamata no Orochi and restored peace as well as order to Onogoro, was feeling that way when the mortals were rejoicing in every corner of their pathetic world. She but wondered how they would react when they learn that she would have let them burn in the fire of the Dark God had it not been for the fact that her beloved wished otherwise. Akari had died hoping that they would meet again in their next life. For that, Aoi was willing to save the people whose lives meant absolutely nothing to her.

As she entered the Shrine, she realized that she could no longer sense the presence of her motherly mentor. It was a good thing indeed, Aoi told herself. This way, she did not have to ask the Goddess to leave the moon or explain why she had to do so immediately.

After kneeling down in front of the Altar in the Hall of Worship with the body of the Sun Priestess in her arms, she began to feel suffocated by the memories they had made in this spacious chamber. As hot tears rolled down her face and ultimately fell on the pale face of the girl cradled tightly in her embrace, she could not help but recall the day they had confessed their feelings and pledged their eternal love. After a while, it became so painful for her that she forced herself to stop. A heartbroken sigh escaped from her mouth as she raised her hand over her head and unleashed her power.

Flames burst from the wooden rafter and quickly spread to the supporting beams. Soon, the entire Hall of Worship shared the same fate. She doubted it would take more than a minute for the fire to envelop the entire Shrine, burned it to the ground, and buried her along with her childhood friend with it.

�gYou are going to be pleased, my love,�h she whispered to her sweetheart softly as her hand stroked the girl�fs head. �gYou once told me that when we left this world, you wanted us to be in the same grave. The Shrine will be ours, then. Most fitting, I would say. After all, everything in this place is soaked with our memories. It will do well for a grave.�h As if wanting to emphasize her words, some wooden blocks on the burning rafter broke out, fell down, and unfortunately missed her by a few feet. Heat crashed against her in waves as black smoke began to fill the air she breathed. She only wished they would hurry up and send her back to where she belonged.

As it turned out, they were not going to for at least another while. To her dismay, a protective dome-like field had been laid within the chamber and stopped anything harmful from reaching her. She could hear the sound of fury hissing fiercely in her heart. She did not calm down even after she identified the person who had created the barrier.

�gPlease leave, Amaterasu-sama,�h she told the Goddess of the Sun in an icy voice. Although the High Immortal had been her friend, her presence at the moment was absolutely unwanted.

�gI�fm afraid I have to postpone your trip back to Kannazuki Tower,�h the golden-haired woman, standing a few steps behind Aoi�fs back, declared dryly.

�gAkari is waiting for me there. I do not wish to make her wait any longer. Goodbye, Amaterasu-sama.�h She pressed her right palm against her heart. The power left in her should be more than enough to conjure another fire and had it burn through her chest. She doubted even the Lord of Izumo could stop her this time, let alone his far less powerful daughter the Goddess of the Sun.

�gI think you should listen to my proposal first, little one.�h

�gI am not interested.�h Power gathered in her palm, ready to be unleashed. She closed her eyes.

�gThere is no point in going back,�h the Goddess said quietly. �gYour precious Akari isn�ft in the Tower of Agony yet.�h She paused to draw a deep breath before she continued in a painful voice, �gAfter she died and you went off to fight Orochi as she wished, I had secretly cast on her a spell that trapped her soul in her body. The spell is not going to hold much longer, but she is still there.�h

Aoi�fs eyes sprang open in shock. Trembling, she placed her hand on the golden-haired girl�fs forehead and let her powers delve inside. A chill slithered down her back. Amaterasu had told the truth, she realized. The soul of her beloved still had not returned to the Tower of Kannazuki.

�gWhy did you do it?�h she asked, still feeling shocked and confused as she held her sweetheart a little bit closer. She could think of no reason why the Goddess of the Sun would try to delay Akari�fs return to the Tower, where both of them had been reeled out from the Cycle of Death and Rebirth.

�gBecause I need her here,�h the older woman answered. �gWithout her, it is impossible to carry out the operation to free both of you from the vicious Project Kannazuki.�h

Slowly, for the first time since the High Immortal�fs arrival, Aoi turned her head and look. What she saw was the sight of the Goddess of the Sun, whose body was clad elegantly in a hagoromo the snowy brocade of which was covered by a transparent layer. Most surprisingly, she realized that the protective dome was not made from Amaterasu�fs powers, but that of the robe itself.

The Goddess noticed the question in her eyes. �gCorrect.�h The woman nodded. �gThis barrier, which is in fact a reversed Sealing Field, within which I stand is wrought from the power of this hagoromo. Thanks to it, no one on the Three Worlds can listen in on our conversation regardless of the extents of their powers. Furthermore, it blocks the Mirror of Life from recording your memories. Whatever happens in here shall not appear in the records of the Kiokkai.�h

�gI see,�h Aoi said and started to wonder how the High Immortal managed to get her hands on such a powerful item. In any event, though, she appeared to mean what she said about freeing them from the vicious Project. She would not have gone through the trouble to set up this barrier otherwise.

�gNow listen carefully to what I have to say, my child,�h the Goddess of the Sun whispered. �gYou and I shall make a wager against the Lord of Izumo himself.�h Her face grew grim. �gShould we lose, I would be executed, and you two would be trapped in the cycle for time without end.�h

�gI understand that.�h Aoi swallowed.

�gHowever, if we win, you and Akari will be freed three thousand years later, when we make out last stand against all the Immortals who want to use you to achieve their own purposes.�h Her golden eyes flashed with determination. �gAnswer me now, child, do you wish to ally with me and fight against the rest of the world?�h

�gThere is nothing I will not do to be able to live happily by Akaa-chan�fs side, Amaterasu-sama,�h she answered firmly. �gI shall make that wager, no matter where it will lead us.�h

�gVery well.�h A brilliant smile bloomed on the High Immortal�fs lips and she raised her right hand so that her palm faced the burning ceiling. What emerged a heartbeat later was a short and thin red ribbon that shone even more brightly than the flame raging in the chamber.

�gThis is Enishi, the Red Thread of Fate,�h announced the most beautiful woman in the Three Worlds.

Aoi�fs breath caught. �gThe Red Thread of Fate?! How did you lay your hands on the possession of the Lady of Reiha?!�h

�gThat is immaterial at this point, little one.�h The Goddess gave a quiet chuckle. �gWhat is important is that I have to give it to you before Akari�fs soul comes back to the Tower.�h She snapped her fingers. At the signal, Enishi�fs length began to grow as its two ends tied a knot around Akari�fs left little finger and Aoi�fs right. As soon as it was done, the Red Thread of Fate vanished.

�gWhat is it supposed to do?�h she asked wonderingly.

�gIt�fs too complicated to explain in a matter of minutes, my child.�h Amaterasu smiled and shook her head. �gWait patiently. Three millennia from now, you�fll know.�h She fell to her knees next to Aoi and hugged her gently before she stood up again and retracted the barrier. The terrifying heat of the flame, kept out earlier by the protective dome, now rushed back inside and burned her cheeks. Burning logs fell down around them once more.

�gFarewell, sweet children of the Lunar Shrine,�h was what the High Immortal said before she vanished in a flash of golden light.

 Knowing that there was nothing that she could do except trusting the Goddess, Aoi returned her full attention to the body of the one she loved and gave her one final kiss before the burning ceiling came down on their heads.

 

...

 

As soon as the vision ended and her eyesight returned, she staggered backward and would have fallen had the little angel not helped her steady herself. Her breathing was uneven, her head was dizzy, and her face was drenched with sweat. The staggering amount of memories that flashed through her mind could not have lasted more than a few minutes, yet she still felt as though a year had already passed. The current was just too powerful.

�gChikane-chan,�h called the golden-haired girl, whose voice was tearful and on the verge of breaking. Even before she turned her head and saw large, round drops of water rolling down Himeko�fs cheeks, she had already known that the Priestess of the Sun was crying. The erratic pulses that traveled along the Red Thread of Fate connecting their fingers and the salty taste of tears in her mouth were the proof. �gChikane-chan,�h Himeko called again as she threw her arms around Chikane and held her tight. �gI kept making you suffer, didn�ft I?�h

�gYou... saw?�h she said, surprised. �gHow?�h Slowly, she hugged the girl she loved and ran her hands soothingly up and down her slender back.

�gThanks to Enishi, which connects your souls,�h explained the Goddess of the Sun, �gshe can see the powerful images that you do. That�fs why.�h She lifted her hand and placed it atop the little angel�fs head. �gAnd it�fs time for me to remove the aftereffect of the Eyes of Heaven, I think.�h Nothing had happened that Chikane could see, but the beautiful girl in her arms gave a slight shake as though she had just been doused with cold water. �gThere, it�fs done.�h The High Immortal withdrew her hand.

�gWhat do you mean, Amaterasu-sama?�h Chikane asked, puzzled. Himeko did not seem to want to leave her embrace the way the girl held on to her body very tightly and continued to cry softly against her neck. Chikane never tried to push her sweetheart away.

�gDon�ft you ever wonder Himeko never remembered what happened in her past life?�h Amaterasu said, smiling. She paused and waited for a nod from Chikane before she continued, �gIt�fs at the end of the first holy war, when Kagetsuki pierced her heart, it slowly eroded her memories. The Eye of Heaven�fs power was so strong that its effect survived the passage of three thousand years. Every time her past-life memories resurfaced, they were swiftly destroyed.�h She paused again to give a frustrated shake of her magnificent head. �gEven though they were aware of it, the Immortals of Heaven refused to heal it for her. They thought that it was all the better if she never remembered that she was the sacrifice, for they feared that if she did, she might be scared into doing something... drastic to save herself.�h

Chikane�fs lips thinned in anger. Ignorant fools, she thought. How dare they think of Himeko that way when it was she who forced me to drive the blade through her heart? Sighing, she tightened her arms a little bit more around the slender body of the little angel and placed a quick kiss upon the top of her head. Himeko, whose crying has been reduced down to a sob every few seconds or so, looked up at her with a pair of amethyst eyes filled with love and gratitude. She rose on her toes a little bit and her mouth opened slightly as though wanting to claim Chikane�fs lip. She would have, too, had the High Immortal not cleared her throat and reminded the girl that she was not in private. The golden-haired Priestess, apparently had forgotten about Amaterasu, gave a start and burrowed deeper into the curve of Chikane�fs arms in embarrassment.

�gLittle children, the moment for us to fight back has arrived.�h The Goddess�fs tone suddenly grew serious. Knowing that Amaterasu was about to tell them something important, Himeko let go of Chikane and placed her full attention on the golden-haired Immortal, who nodded at her in approval. She then raised both hands and summoned the Eyes of Heaven. When her golden gaze fell on them, her face hardened and her mouth twisted in disgust. �gTell me, what is the name of these weapons?�h

�gKagetsuki and Akatsuya?�h Chikane ventured.

�gNot what I seek.�h Amaterasu smiled gently at her.

�gUm... the True Keys of Awakening?�h the little angel said. The smile on the Goddess�fs face grew almost broad enough to split her face in two.

�gThat�fs right, Himeko,�h she said. When she looked at the Eyes again, her grim mood returned. �gMy children, you should know that name is an outrageous lie. The True Keys to the Awakening of Ame no Murakumo are the blood and life force of a Priestess. Not the swords themselves.�h

Chikane�fs eyes widened. Before she could open her mouth and ask, though, her sweetheart was already one step ahead of her. �gThen, what are they?�h

 �gThey are the locks on Ame no Murakumo�fs prison,�h the High Immortal declared. �gIt is they who bar your way to the Sword God.�h

Chikane drew a sharp breath. She had never imagined that the key to the puzzle was so close.

�gOf course, if one wishes to open a locked door but doesn�ft have a key,�h Amaterasu gave each of them a meaningful glance, �gall one needs to do is....�h

�gBreak the lock!�h Chikane and Himeko spoke at almost the same time. Smiling, she gave the little angel�fs hand an affectionate squeeze afterwards. The sweet, adorable smile that she received in return told her that it was much appreciated.

�gWhich isn�ft particularly easy,�h the older woman said. �gHere�fs another riddle for you, sweet children of the Moon Goddess. The Eyes require blood and life force to function. They can destroy memories. They wield transcending powers. What do they remind you of?�h

It only took a second for Chikane to understand what the Immortal was implying. Her breath caught. �gThe Mirror of Life!�h The confusion surged in the Red Thread of Fate told her that Himeko was not following what they just talked about. Chikane then gave her another smile to say that she would explain everything later. The nod that was given back informed her that the golden-haired girl understood.

�gThat�fs right.�h Amaterasu nodded. �gInochi no Kagami is the true culprit behind all this. It was what powered the Eyes of Heaven, it was what locked the Sword God in, and it was what sustained the Core Sphere and its Thirteen Seals. After he had created Project Kannazuki three thousand years ago, Izanagi found himself confronting a great dilemma. He knew that the Mirror was required for the summoning, yet he could not give it to the Priestesses. It was too important and it would have killed you two as soon as you tried to use it. Finally, he found a solution.

�gIzanagi, shrewd and devious, forged the Eyes of Heaven from a fragment of the Mirror and transferred into the former Ame no Murakumo�fs seal. Since the Eyes are practically the Mirror�fs spawns, they are linked. I said that breaking Kagetsuki and Akatsuya wasn�ft easy because Inochi no Kagami would supply them with power to prevent them from being destroyed. If you want to summon the Sword God, you will need to break the Eyes and the Mirror both.�h

�gBut that is impossible!�h Chikane exclaimed. �gThe Mirror of Life is indestructible!�h

�gThat is why I gave you Enishi in the first place.�h The Goddess gave her an indulgent smile. �gMy child, the Red Thread is a weapon that transforms emotions into power. The stronger the emotion, the more power it has. Little one, there is no emotion stronger than love, especially the love that you two share.�h Her smile grew affectionate. �gDuring the last three thousand years, despite being sealed in the Kannazuki Tower, your mutual feelings have never faded. Instead, it steadily grew stronger within every second that passed. You two have in fact granted Enishi all the power it needs to combat the Mirror of Life.�h

Chikane turned to face her beloved and found the golden-haired girl gazing back at her with a touched expression that must have mirrored her own. Tangible joy, love, and gratitude entered her heart through the powerful bond that they shared. Quietly, their hands sought each other�fs. No word was needed.

Something at the edge of her vision suddenly turned her head. A terrible cold wrecked her body apart. She could see the approaching figure of a dark-haired man clad in a snowy flowing robe the stiff collar of which bore the Sun and Moon Crest on either side. His forehead was adorned with a crown. His belt hung a sheathed sword. His face was young and handsome, but at the same time it was so cold and hard that it would make ice seem cold and steel seem soft. He was the same man who had told them on their birthday that the Priestess of the Sun was going to be sacrificed to vanquish the Orochi. Izanagi, the Lord of Izumo! she thought in utmost horror.

�gChildren, you must go now,�h urged the Goddess of the Sun, who apparently had noticed the Ruler of Heaven�fs arrival, as she put Kagetsuki and Akatsuya into their hands. �gYou know what to do.�h

A flash of golden light that emerged from the hand of the High Immortal swept them away.

 

***

 

�gIt�fs indeed unusual of you to grace the moon with your presence, father,�h said Yui the Goddess of the Sun, whose calm voice and composed facial expression contradicted the nervousness she was feeling inside. Her eyes were fixed on the Maker of the World, who stood just about a couple dozen feet away, and followed every of his movement so that she would be able to respond in time should the man try something... drastic. She would not put it past him to kill her right then and there without batting an eyelid.

�gUp there?�h said the dark-haired man who looked young enough to be her brother as he gazed toward the starlit heavens. �gAre you sure they are far enough from me?�h he asked afterwards in an icy tone.

�gI would believe so.�h She nodded. �gThey will break the Eyes of Heaven before you can reach them.�h Her words, pleasantly and calmly said, earned her a curious look from the man who was once the mightiest being in the Three Worlds.

�gInteresting,�h he remarked contemptuously. �gYou actually believe that two fool girls aided by a flimsy ribbon can do more than scratch the surface of the weapon I forged.�h His lips twisted in a hateful sneer. �gYou are such a cruel person, Amaterasu, for giving them the false hope that they can escape the weaves of destiny.�h

�gFalse hope,�h Yui repeated before she chuckled aloud in great amusement. Before long, she threw her head back and laughed until a few drops of tear rolled down her cheeks. Izanagi never did anything to her. The man simply watched her with narrowed eyes and thinned lips. That was his equivalent of another man roaring out in anger. It was an expression that she knew intimately well. Ever since the Goddess of the Moon swore an oath to become her sister, the Lord of Izumo had looked at her in the same way more often than not. It was open wonder why she was still alive. �gI beg to differ, my lord,�h she said once she had her mirth under control.

�gYou know as well as I do that the Mirror of Life impossible to destroy.�h The Lord of Izumo smiled a smile that would freeze a mortal�fs blood.

�gUnder normal circumstances,�h she added. Inochi no Kagami was a magical entity that had unrestricted access to the life force of every mortal in Onogoro. As such, it had an endless supply of power, which it could use to strengthen itself and its spawns, the eyes of Heaven. Fighting against First Supreme was futile, for it was the same as fighting every living man and woman in the Human World. �gThis, however, is not one of those.�h

The smile that grew on her face as soon as she finished did nothing to improve the man�fs mood. Her confidence seemed to have shaken the Ruler of Heaven, for worries were creasing his forehead. She could almost hear the thoughts whirling in his sadistic mind. Right now, he was wondering whether she was making a bluff the way his dark eyes scrutinized her as though wanting to reach into her soul. The thoughtful look that came and dominated his face told her that he began to fear that perhaps she had truly found a way to defeat his most prized possession, the Mirror of Life. And of course, the only way to verify it would be summoning the Mirror itself.

Izanagi raised his hand. A few seconds later, shock rippled across his face when he realized that Inochi no Kagami never came to him as he wished. Yui laughed again.

�gSpeak!�h the man hissed. �gWhat have you done?�h

�gI evened out the playing field by sealing your precious Mirror,�h she answered. �gIt�fs not exactly fair for the whole world to gang up on two little girls.�h

�gStep aside, now!�h Izanagi growled. It would appear that he had decided to intervene and let his silly rules and regulations be hanged.

�gMake me,�h she said and drew herself up defiantly against the Maker of the World. It was the first time she challenged his authority. It was probably her last.

�gIf you think that I will not kill you because you are my daughter, you are sorely mistaken,�h said the Lord of Izumo, the tip of whose right forefinger pointed straight at her. The winds came and howled around them as light blazed brilliantly around the fingertip.

�gI was never under the impression that you saw me as once.�h The mirthless laughter that she released afterwards sent a dark shadow of fury stealing across the man�fs face. �gI have no reason to obey you, my lord.�h

�gThen you shall die with both of them,�h Izanagi decided. Then he brought down his hand in a decisive arc and erected between them a tidal wave of raging flame that was at least two stories in height and twice in width. It, without any hesitation, crashed down on her head.

Laughing quietly, Yui smoothed the front of her snowy hagoromo and watched a glorious dome of white light rose against the deadly attack.

 

***

 

�gImpossible!�h Izanagi the Lord of Izumo muttered in disbelief. He never expected that his spell would dissipate around Amaterasu�fs barrier the moment they touched and failed to inflict even an ounce of damage to the insolent girl who was now standing atop the burnt ground and laughing seemingly at the impunity of the attack. He did not understand. The amount of power he had woven into the flame wave should have been enough to shatter her defense and give her a few burns at the very least.

It was only then did he notice the difference in the way his rebellious daughter dressed. For the last few decades or so, the Goddess of the Sun had always worn modern clothing whether she was in the Human or the Heavenly World. Now, her body was graced with a hagoromo robe that was radiating a very familiar sense of power. Narrowing his eyes, he examined the traditional outfit and realized a second later that it was coated with a transparent layer that must have been where that exceptionally strong barrier came from. Then he knew. The rose patterns on the robe, its familiar sense of power, and its ability to nullify his attack with contemptuous ease all pointed to the conclusion that the thing must have been made in the Underworld. He did not doubt that he was looking at a super concentrated and reversed Sealing Field wrought by the transparent layer, which in turn was made from the petals of the infamous Crystal Roses.

�gIzanami just had to get in my way, did she not?�h he muttered darkly. �gSuch a nuisance.�h He reached for the sword at his hip. There was no other way to deal with her when she was impervious to any spell he might cast.

�gYou are not going to draw your sword against an unarmed girl, are you?�h Amaterasu exclaimed, sounding scandalized. The calm light that shone in her golden eyes said that she did not mean a word she spoke.

�gAll the easier for me,�h he said and stepped forward with his right hand on his sword hilt. �gI will say it one last time, Amaterasu. If you stand aside now, I will spare your life.�h Before he could take a second step, however, he sensed the presence of an enormous amount of power rushing toward him from above his head. Hastily, he lifted his hand and wove a barrier spinning around his body. The pillar of liquid fire that slammed against the protective layer was so strong that its heat managed to seep inside, reached him, and made him very glad that he had reacted on time. Had he not, he probably would have been burned to ashes.

�gYou will not lay a hand on nee-sama, Izanagi,�h Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne said in her usual icy voice as she landed like a leaf next to the Goddess of the Sun, who seemed to have taken her assistance fore granted. A few seconds later, Saotome Makoto descended from the air and planted himself firmly on the other side of the rebellious Immortal. Face grim and touched with fear, the girl bared her puny Sword at him as if she thought that she could hurt him with it.

He ground his teeth together and thought, Damn it, when did they arrive?! Apparently, he had been too engrossed in watching the events unfold in front of his eyes that he failed to notice that they were not the only people present on this deserted moon.

�gYou knew I was here from the beginning,�h said the Seraphim Blade, whose gray eyes were glancing sideways at the golden-haired Goddess.

�gI did.�h Amaterasu nodded.

�gThe explanation you gave the Priestesses was actually meant for me, was it not?�h

�gIndeed.�h Another nod.

�gYou should just stop trying to manipulate people, nee-sama.�h Rinne shook her head in what seemed to be exasperation. �gIt is very unbecoming on you.�h

�gAnd so the pot called the kettle black.�h The Goddess of the Sun laughed aloud. Izanagi decided that if he had a chance, he would sew her lips together so that she could not make those infuriating sounds anymore.

�gWell then,�h the platinum-haired woman sighed, �git would appear that you require my assistance.�h She sank to her knees and placed her right hand on her heart. �gNee-sama, my powers are yours to command.�h Her eight wings, once folded behind her back, wrapped completely around her body and shone so intensely that their luminescence erased the stars and the Earth riding on high. Mouth tightening, Izanagi stepped backward and readied himself for any attack that might came his way.

When the light faded, the platinum-haired Sinner was nowhere in sight. What was left in her place was a transparent crystal sword whose hilt and blade were separated by a cluster of eight gemstones each bearing an angelic wing. Izanagi�fs fists clenched at his sides. It was the true form of Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne, the Seraphim Blade. It was the very sword which he had commissioned Izanami to design and forge more than three thousand years ago. He should not have.

�gI offer no disrespect, child,�h Amaterasu told Saotome Makoto calmly, �gbut you should not be here.�h

Knowing that if she remained, she would die, the Orochi Eighth Head nodded, gave the Sun Goddess a respectful bow, and pulled herself into the heavens and out of harm�fs way.

�gNow, my lord,�h the golden-haired girl continued, �gshall we begin?�h She wrapped her hand around the hilt of Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne and channeled her powers into the sword. The crystal blade, once as clear as the water of a mountain stream, grew pitch back in the blink of an eye.

A Dimensional Portal opened right beneath his feet. Knowing that she could cut him into pieces with the silvery surface, Izanagi invoked his powers and soared into the starlit heavens. Before he could go very far, however, he heard Amaterasu�fs voice whispering coldly in his ears, �gYou are not allowed near the children, my lord, so come back here, now!�h The Seraphim Blade in her hand changed into the brownish color of the earth.

He never had time to react before his body plunged toward the ground like a rock. It was the power of gravity, he realized, which the weakling of an Orochi Korona was never capable of wielding. When he managed to snatch back control, it was already too late, for the only thing that he could do was forcing himself to land painfully on one knee on the ground instead of having his front slammed against it. Grimacing, he looked up and swallowed at the sight of the Goddess of the Sun, in whose hand Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne was blazing with a white light as bright as a torch.

�gConsider this payback for what you have done to Yue and her children, my lord,�h she announced in a cold and collected voice that would have shamed a queen on her throne before she swung the sword at his left side.

Having no other choice, he raised his left hand, which was wreathed in protective light, and tried to parry the sword stroke. He had thought that he would be able to catch it unharmed. He was wrong. At the moment of contact, a force strong enough to level mountains leapt at him, hurled him off his feet at the speed of a bullet. He ended up crashing into the ruins of the Lunar Shrine. Lying amidst burnt wood and darkened stones, he almost groaned out loud in heart-searing pain. Every bone in his left hand had been shattered and every nerve severed, he knew. There was no way he could use it again at least until the fight had concluded.

�gHow are you feeling, my lord?�h asked the Goddess of the Sun, who was standing several feet away.

�gLike being stung by a mosquito,�h he answered and rose to his feet.

�gYou have grown feeble,�h the golden-haired Immortal commented. �gAs far as I can see, you only possess half the power you did before you sealed Akira beneath this very ground.�h Her golden eyes regarded him with disgust. �gBut not that you can help it, I understand. The Mirror of Life had never been any gentler with you than it was to my little brother.�h

Izanagi simply narrowed his eyes at the girl and said nothing. What she said was right, in any case. Ame no Murakumo was so strong that sealing him was beyond Izanagi�fs power unaided. Without any other alternative, he had had to resort to Inochi no Kagami, which, according to the restriction he and Izanami had placed on it since its creation, required an insane amount of life force in exchange for its transcending power. Being very nearly crippled by the Mirror, Izanagi had lost half of his power as soon as he was done trapping the Sword God beneath the surface of the moon. If he had not, there would be no way in hell that the Goddess of the Sun could touch a strand of hair on his head, much less hurting him.

�gYou should be worried,�h the girl taunted him. �gIf you cannot kill me with your current power, how are you going to manage when Akira is free? He is much stronger than I am, you would remember.�h

�gYou will change your mind the moment Towa no Nagare drinks your blood, girl,�h he said dryly and drew his katana out of its scabbard. His powers then raced to his hand and became doubled as soon as they reached the sword that he named the Flow of Eternity. Unlike other magical weapons, Towa no Nagare was incapable of delivering powerful attacks. The only thing that it could do was compensate for the power that Izanagi had lost after the fight he had with Ame no Murakumo.

�gI guess this is it, my lord,�h Amaterasu said. The golden-haired girl was staring at Towa no Nagare, which was blazing like the midday sun in his hand, with a dead serious expression on her face. In the beginning, she only used one hand to wield Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne. Now, she put both hands on its hilt. �gOne of us has to die here today.�h

�gIndeed,�h he replied, his right hand erecting the katana in front of his chest.

�gThen so be it,�h was what she said before she drove every ounce of power she possessed into the Seraphim Blade and had it glow with a light rivaling that of the Flow of Eternity.

They began to match swords. On one hand, Izanagi believed that there was no point in hurling spells at the girl, for the petal-coated hagoromo of hers would just nullify them all. On the other, he knew that the Sun Goddess would not use her magical abilities against him either, for he would never allow her enough time to cast any spell. Physical battle was the only option they could take.

Sword met sword in showers of sparks. Crystal clashed against steel and produced shockwaves that rocked their bodies. This fight was heavens and earth different from the one he had with Ame no Murakumo, for in that fight, all that they were trying to do was restraining each other. In this one, he and Amaterasu only wished to obliterate one another so that they could achieve their own goals. One mistake could cost Izanagi his life. One second of distraction could blow his rebellious daughter to dust.

As they continued to duel, they left more and more terrible scars upon the surface of the moon. Their feet left deep imprints upon its rocky ground. The forces they employed to wield their weapons created long and steep fuming cracks that bore into its crust. The more they fought, the more Izanagi was afraid that they were going to split the moon apart. His fear vanished a few moments later with the appearance of relieving but equally disturbing signs.

Amaterasu was being weakened. Her sword strokes were no longer so powerful he had to parry them with every ounce of strength he had. Nor were they as fast as they had been in the beginning. As a result, he began to overwhelm her. Shortly after that, he succeeded in forcing her into total defense and rendered her unable to do anything except blocking his blows or retreating from his attacks. Even though he was clearly winning, Izanagi was furious. It was a good thing that the golden-haired Immortal was about to win... but it was not exactly comforting being aware of what was devouring her strength and vitality. I have to hurry! he thought in distress.

His chance came when sudden agony contorted the girl�fs face and delayed a swing of her sword. Immediately he poured all his strength into Towa no Nagare and blasted Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne away from the Sun Goddess�fs hand. Amaterasu, apparently in too much pain to even hold herself erect, sank to her knees and clutched at her heart while gasping desperately for air. Infuriated, Izanagi raised the Flow of Eternity high and prepared to bring it down on his daughter�fs head. It was time to end this ridiculous struggle once and for all, he told himself.

�gMove and I will kill you, my lord,�h Tsukiyomi�fs voice said coldly from behind him at the same time that a cold hand was placed on the nape of his neck. His heart dove into his stomach as his eyebrows rose in horror. Kneeling in front of him, Amaterasu seemed to be equally surprised.

�gWhen... did you arrive?�h was all he could manage. He never twitched a muscle, though, for he knew that the Goddess of the Moon would not hesitate in killing him if she had to. The fact that she no longer addressed him as �gfather�h was the proof.

�gThe same time you did,�h the unseen silver-haired girl said, her voice and hand growing no warmer. If anything, she sounded much more threatening the way power was surging like the heaviest storm inside her body. �gSomeone told me that you intended to end the pact between us, so I followed you here to make sure that you do not. I would have stopped you from the beginning, too, but I never had a chance.�h

�gI see,�h he muttered noncommittally and wondered who had the nerve to tell the Goddess of the Moon such a thing.

�gLeave now, Yui,�h Tsukiyomi said to the Goddess of the Sun, who had managed to get back on her feet. �gI will handle everything.�h He could feel her silver gaze on his back. He could sense the murderous intention raging in her soul. The girl was not going to be gentle with him for not upholding his end of the bargain, he was sure.

�gThere is no need, Yue,�h Amaterasu said. Her eyes were shining with unasked questions. �gEverything�fs over. Your daughters are freed.�h

Izanagi�fs internal organs turned to ice the instant he heard thunderous noises resounding overhead.

 

***

 

Standing a few hundred feet above the surface of the moon with her body less than an inch away from that of her sweetheart, Kurusugawa Himeko thought that her blood was turning into wine. The blue-haired girl�fs eyes were sapphire under the summer sun. Her flushed cheeks seemed so inviting Himeko only wished to lean over and placed on each of them a kiss. Her heart was pounding audibly inside her chest, which was rising and falling in an erratic and mesmerizing rhythm. Her love, as tangible as her hands, which were clasping Himeko�fs very tightly as though she was afraid that Himeko would leave her, surged endlessly through their unbreakable bond and embraced Himeko�fs existence. There had been times when she wondered what it felt to be loved by the girl whom she cherished with all her heart. She never once imagined that it could be this wonderful.

Floating above them were the True Keys of Awakening, the blades of which were bound by Enishi, the Red Thread of Fate. The red ribbon, empowered by her and Chikane-chan�fs emotions, was growing stronger after every minute. Under Enishi�fs tightening grip, the Eyes of Heaven rattled madly while more and more cracks appeared all over their blades, hand guards, and hilts. Bit by bit, metal dust fell from their edges and slowly turned them into something that bore a striking resemblance to a chainsaw but much more hideous. Himeko doubted that Kagetsuki and Akatsuya could hold out against Enishi for much longer. They were already at their limit.

Her cheeks burned furiously as she felt the princess�fs gentle arms slipped around her waist and pulled her closer. A heartbeat afterwards, she found her sweetheart�fs lips pressing against her own in a kiss that set her entire body on fire. Celestial power exploded in the erupted at her little finger and followed Enishi�fs length all the way to the Eyes of Heaven. The swords, after receiving their death strokes, shattered into a million pieces.

 

***

 

Standing atop the platform that floated upon the Kiokkai, Susanou no Mikoto could only shed his tears in silence as the Tower of Kannazuki began to fall apart. When the structure�fs platinum floatation ring fell into the Memories Sea along with the crystal debris, it raised a huge wave that crashed upon the platform and soaked his clothes to the very last stitch. He had seen the wave coming. He knew that he would get wet if he refused to move. Yet he never bothered to. He did not even cared to wipe the sparkling liquid that was dripping from his hair and face.

The Tower of Agony was being destroyed, which meant that its engine, the Mirror of Life, had been shattered by the Red Thread of Fate�fs power. He never liked Inochi no Kagami to begin with... but with it gone, there was no longer any hope of saving his beloved sister from her impending death.

�gNee-san,�h he cried silently. He had cried once three thousand years ago, when his father took away his little brother and refused to give him back. He had never thought that he would ever again.