EPISODE THIRTEEN: TO THE SANCTUM CORE.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Ame no Murakumo the Sword God was being frozen in a dreamless sleep when suddenly his consciousness returned to him like the breaking dawn. His eyes fluttering open, he found himself sitting in an armchair in the familiar chamber that was his prison since he could not remember when. Everything was the same as far as he could see. The furniture, despite being destroyed numerous times by his powers, was still there, seemingly undamaged. The vast golden lily field beyond the shoji door to this suffocating chamber still lay beneath a sun that generated no warmth the way it was supposed to.

Yet, something in him had changed. Unlike the previous times, where he woke up in a violent start and where he could not move a muscle, he now felt strength in his body and not a trace of the bindings that had been imposed on his arms and legs. Gingerly, he placed his hands on the arms of the chair and lifted himself up. It took him several tries before he could get back on his feet without falling back onto the chair a second later. He knew that this was happening because he had not used his body for only Heaven knew how long. Soon, his strength would fully return, he was sure.

To his astonishment, a vertical shaft of silver light appeared right in front of him and proceeded to widen into the oval-shaped silvery surface of a Dimensional Portal. His whole self bursting with joy and excitement, he strode forward and passed through the door that would lead to his freedom. Rinne, was the only name that drifted across his mind when silver light enveloped him whole.

 

***

 

With her right hand clutching her left upper arm, Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne stood exhausted on the rocky ground of the moon and quietly cursed at the fearsome power of the Towa no Nagare sword. The Flow of Eternity surely deserved its grand name, for it never snapped into two the way other weapons would as soon as they came into contact with her true form. On contrary, it managed to send so many shockwaves into her that her own body now felt like a grape in the winepress. Truth be told, she had never expected that Izanagi the weapon ignorant could forge something that gave this much trouble to a weapon designed by the Lady of Reiha herself.

She shook her head and put the Flow of Eternity out of her mind. It was no longer important, for the Lord of Izumo had now been placed under control of the woman whom he spent his days and nights mooning over. Tsukiyomi, who face was cold enough to make ice seem hot, had her right hand placed firmly on the man�fs neck and her full attention on the smallest movement of his body. Rinne suspected that if Izanagi tried to do something drastic, the Goddess of the Moon would not hesitate in blasting him apart. When it came to the safety of her sweetheart the Goddess of the Sun, there were very few things that the silver-haired woman would not do. Rinne snickered. It was high time the bastard Ruler of Heaven realized that when he played with fire, he would get burned sooner or later. �gAnd Tsukiyomi�fs anger is worse than any fire, bastard,�h she murmured to herself.

All thoughts took flight when she saw a heavy rain of sparkling metal dust falling upon the surface of the moon. Even without looking up, she knew that the Eyes of Heaven had been obliterated by the Red Thread of Fate and the full force of the Priestesses�f feelings toward each other. Her heart began to pound. Now, with the two wretched swords out of the way, there was nothing left to sustain the Core Sphere and the Thirteen Seals that enveloped Akira�fs dimensional prison. Sure enough, she could see them unraveling rapidly beneath the moon�fs crust. As soon as they were completely dissolved into the fabrics of space, a horizontally woven Dimensional Portal emerged right upon the rocky ground. From it a pair of humongous steel gates slowly surfaced. Once they had emerged completely, they swung open and revealed a screen of blazing white light.

�gAkira!�h she could not help but shout at the top of her lungs for the man she loved.

Nothing happened at first... but after a few minutes, a shadow marred the surface of the screen of light. Slowly, but steadily, the dark patched, shaped like a human, began to gain solid form as it emerged. In less than the time one needed to drink a cup of tea, Ame no Murakumo the Sword God stood on the moon with a bewildered expression on his haggard face. In his simple yukata, the man who was only one step below Izanagi in term of power appeared someone who had been starved for days.

�gAkira!�h she called again. Tears streaked down her cheeks. It had been at least three thousand years since she last cried in joy like this. All the tears she had shed ever since all came from the bitterness and the heartbreaking pain that were only known to the walls of the Orochi�fs Audience Chamber.

The Sword God turned in her direction. As soon as his gaze fell upon her, his mouth blossomed into a wholehearted smile and his platinum eyes shone in unspeakable joy and love. The very sight turned her world upside down. She felt so light-headed she could barely stand. She felt so overwhelmed by the swelling emotions in her heart that she thought she was going to burst.

�gRinne,�h the man she loved called in an awkward voice – she doubted he had used it even once during all the time he was imprisoned beneath the surface of the moon – and walked stiffly toward her. Gradually, his pace picked up as he started to run. He only managed it for a few feet before he fell flat on his stomach upon the rough and devastated ground of what was once the most beautiful place in the entire Creation Realm.

Startled by Akira�fs fall, Rinne hurried toward him so that she could help him up. The moment she reached him was also the one in which she realized that she was about to make a terrible mistake. Horrified, she leapt backward repeatedly until she landed upon the exact same spot where she started and hoped that she had not managed to do harm to the man she loved. As far as she was concerned, what she just did was pointless. The damage had already been done. The Sword God had already clutched at his head with both hands and begun to scream at the top of his lungs while agony contorted his handsome features.

Unbearable pain rippled across Rinne�fs entire self and destroyed her balance. She sank to her knees and wept as hard as she could. Eventually, the man she loved stopped screaming. Trembling, he slowly rose to his feet. Forehead drenched with sweat, he gazed at her with a shocked and pained face. �gWhat... has happened to you, Rinne?!�h he asked afterwards, his voice mirroring his expression. He had already realized that she was no longer the woman he knew and loved. He had already noticed the corruption swirling in her soul and tainting her once pure existence. It had been the darkness she had spent the last three thousand years drawing from the hearts of the mortals that hurt him, she knew. It was inevitable.

�gI am sorry, Akira,�h she sobbed. �gI am sorry.�h She turned and hurried away. In the beginning, she had meant to sacrifice herself along with the souls of the Orochi to free Akira. Never once did she imagine that it was possible for them both to be alive at the same time. Never once did she think of what she needed to say to the Sword God.

�gPlease, come back, Rinne!�h he called desperately after her. The more he did, the harder she ran. To her dismay, the man never intended to let her do as she wished. Not long after he stopped calling, she felt an irresistible force being exerted upon her body and pulling her back. By the time she realized that unlike his physical strength, his celestial powers were intact, she had already found herself engulfed in the Sword God�fs embrace. Horror struck her as soon as she saw that smoke was billowing wherever they touched. The darkness she had accumulated was practically burning Akira inside out. If he kept on holding her, he was going to perish.

�gLet go of me!�h she screamed and struggled to set herself free. She never succeeded. Her powers had already been exhausted after the deadly fight with the Flow of Eternity. There was simply no way she could escape from someone who had sealed up all her movements by injecting his energies into her soul. �gLet go, please, I beg you!�h she sobbed. �gIf you do not... you will die!�h

The Sword God did not say anything in reply. Instead, he delved into her soul and read her memories. Unable to stop someone much stronger than her, she could only lie in his arms and weep while he learned all the crimes that she had committed during the last three thousand years. Meanwhile, the smoke continued to rise and quietly dissipated into the cold air of the moon. Within every minute that passed, Akira�fs condition worsened. The longer he held her in his arm, the paler his complexion grew and the more his lips tightened in evident pain. After several minutes, his breathing became ragged, heavy, and irregular while his whole body shook from the strain it had to put up with. His teeth were biting on his underlip so hard in order to stop any sound from escaping that blood eventually trickled out of the corner of his mouth. Seeing him suffering because of her so, Rinne only wished that Towa no Nagare had torn her apart.

�gAll the sins you have committed were all for my sake,�h he murmured in a week voice when he was done with accessing her memories. �gI do not intend to leave them be, Rinne.�h Powers exploded in him and flooded into her body like a tidal wave. Rinne�fs breath caught as she suddenly understood what he was trying to do. Since she was the embodiment of the darkness of the human soul and Akira the personification of the sacred light, their powers could not mix and would end up nullifying each other. The Sword God, in fact, was cleansing her soul with his life as the cost.

�gNo!�h she shouted. �gStop, Akira!�h

�gDo not waste your breath, Rinne,�h said the man she loved, whose voice was growing weaker after every word. �gI am not changing my mind.�h He gave her a shaky smile as though wanting to comfort her. All he did was making her panic even more.

�gWhy are you doing this?!�h she cried. �gEverything I did, I did to save you! Why are you throwing your life away?!�h

�gA life where I cannot stay close to you is not a life worth living,�h Akira answered and smiled sadly at her. �gDeath is much more pleasant a choice.�h The smoke had grown so dense that it now obscured the majority of the Sword God�fs figure. The only part of him that she could see was his face, which had become much more haggard then when he first came out of his dimensional prison. It was as though life force was being drained out of him at a staggering rate.

Knowing that nothing she could do – it was not as though she could do anything while being sealed within his arms – would change her lover�fs mind, Rinne invoked every ounce of powers that were left in her and triggered an internal explosion that destroyed all her organs except her brain and her heart. Blood spilled from the orifices on her face at the same time that a painful cry was strummed off her vocal cords. In less than a minute, she would die. She only hoped that she lost her life before Akira lost his.

�gNo!�h the Sword God cried. �gWhat in Heaven�fs name...!�h

�gStop... what you are... doing,�h she breathed. �gThere is no point... cleansing a corpse.�h Her vision darkened. Her body grew cold. Her skin became so numb that she could barely feel Akira�fs touch.

�gYou are still the stubborn girl I know,�h he let out an agonized and bitter laugh. �gBut you are too late.�h He sighed. �gWell then, I guess it is not that bad a thing to leave this world with you.�h His arms tightened around her body. �gLet us hope... that we can meet again, Rinne.�h

The last thing that she saw before she drew her last breath was the sight of Akira�fs body fading into the dense screen of smoke.

 

***

 

Stunned, Yui the Goddess of the Sun could only watch as the smoke gradually faded into the night air and left behind nothing except a crystal sword that stood lonely with its blade buried half way into the ground. Then all of a sudden, the true form of Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne crumbled into a wave of sparkling dust, which was eventually scattered to the furthest corners of the lonely moon by the cruel winds of October, and six small orbs of light that were undoubtedly the souls of the Orochi that she herself had slain earlier. Those orbs, after a while of staying motionless above the ground, rushed upward and joined the eternal current that was the Cycle of Death and Rebirth.

It was not an outcome she could foresee.

In the beginning, she had expected that when Akira and Rinne were reunited, they would help her combat the Ruler of Heaven and bring the man to his knees. She never once thought that Yue, someone who had always done her best to prove her hostility toward her, would be the person who saved her hide and forced Izanagi into submission. Neither did she envision a future where the Sword God and his lover perished right after the former escaped from his dimensional prison.

Although her heart ached so terribly for the loss of her little brother it took all her remaining strength to rein in her tears, she knew that she had no time for mourning. Quickly, she spun on her heel and found herself facing the Lord of Izumo afterwards. The man, still under a shock from seeing how the two greatest of his worries just killed themselves, simply stared at where Akira and Rinne once were, appearing to have forgotten that the hand of the Goddess of the Moon was still on the nape of his neck. Yue, on the other hand, did not seem to register much of the terrible event that just transpired the way she fixed her silver eyes upon the Ruler of Heaven. Not that Yui ever expected the girl to, of course. She had never been close to the Seraphim Blade or the Sword God.

Behind Izanagi and his surrogate daughter were Himemiya Chikane and Kurusugawa Himeko, whose hands were locked firmly together and whose faces were painted with utmost confusion. Standing high in the air was Saotome Makoto the Eighth Head, who seemed to have a much better understanding of the situation than the other two girls did.

Yui flung the right sleeve of her hagoromo robe toward the girl in the dark cape. She never had a chance to do anything before a Dimensional Portal, which opened abruptly without any warning beneath her feet, pulled her inside and vanished. Now that Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne was gone, the Twilight Blade in Makoto�fs hand was just a useless piece of black metal. She didn�ft have any means to create a dimensional passage that could get her back to Onogoro.

�gKeep an eye on him for a little more, Yue-chan,�h Yui told the Goddess of the Moon afterwards. In response, the silver-haired girl gave a grave nod of her head and continued to observe the Ruler of Heaven, who in turn was studying Yui with a mixed expression on his face. Were she to guess, she would say that the man was enraged by her actions as well as curious as to what she was going to do next.

You have no idea, my lord, she thought as she walked past them and approached the Priestesses of the Sun and Moon.

�gPut these on, children,�h she said and produced from inside her snowy hagoromo two gold bracelets identical to her own, upon which the shape of the Crystal Rose and elegant vines and leaves were inlaid. Although the two girls looked at her curiously at first, they still complied. Once they finished, they looked at her once again with unasked questions shining in their beautiful sapphire and amethyst eyes. She winked at them to tell them that they would get an explanation soon enough, just not now. The nods they gave in return told her that they understood. Pleased, Yui walked back to where the Goddess of the Sun and the Ruler of Heaven was.

�gI shall take over now,�h she said to the silver-haired girl at the same time that she placed her palm against the man�fs back. With her vacant hand she flung at an empty spot on the ground nearby and wove a Dimensional Portal that would lead them back to the Holy City. �gGo to your children.�h

Yue stared at her for a few seconds before she gave her a grateful nod and hurried toward the Priestesses of the Sun and Moon.

�gFor someone near death, you sure do a great deal of unnecessary things,�h the male Maker of the World commented in a low voice once his adopted daughter had gotten out of earshot. His eyes, dark and hateful, seemed to want to bore into Yui�fs head to figure out what she was scheming.

She gave him a frosty smile and said, �gFor someone being held hostage, you sure said a great deal, my lord.�h His visage hardened in anger. �gNow move.�h She tossed her head toward the silvery surface of the dimensional passageway. Face steely, mouth tightened, hands clenched at his side, the Lord of Izumo did as she instructed and headed straight toward the Portal.

 

***

 

�gMy daughters,�h Yue the Goddess of the Moon said in a shaky voice as she threw her arms around the Priestesses of the Sun and Moon and pulled them into a tight hug. Overwhelmed by happiness, she called their names over and over again while tears fell silently down her cheeks. During the last three thousand years, she had spent her nights weeping for her lost love as much as she did for her beloved children, who were sacrificed for no other purpose than Izanagi�fs punishment for Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne the Seraphim Blade. Yui she could do nothing about – she doubted that she ever could – but now that her children had been returned to her safe and sound, she could not be happier.

�gTsukiyomi-sama,�h little Chikane called in a voice that was just as shaky. When Yue pulled away from the two girls, the blue-haired one was crying also. �gWe have made you suffer so, Tsukiyomi-sama.�h She wept openly against Yue�fs bosom as her arms tightened around her back. Touched by the sincerity in the Moon Priestess�fs tearful words, Yue held her a little bit closer while one of her hands combed through the luxuriant tresses of her daughter�fs hair.

�gTsukiyomi...sama?�h she heard the voice of little Himeko asked wonderingly. �gThe... Goddess of the Moon?�h

Letting go of the Moon Priestess, Yue turned to the golden-haired girl and gave her a little smile. �gYes, I am,�h she said afterwards. �gI know you do not remember... but you once lived under my roof, dear child of mine.�h Her hands rose to touch the Sun Priestess�fs cheeks. �gSoon, I will find a way to give you back your past-life memories. Once I do, you will remember who I am... and our family can be whole again, little one.�h She hugged Himeko tightly and wept openly atop her shoulder. Although the girl was very still at first, probably surprised by what Yue had just revealed to her, she put her hands on Yue�fs back and stroked it gently as though she wanted to sooth her. The child only made Yue cry harder.

�gI�fm sorry to intrude,�h Yui�fs voice said suddenly, �gbut our time is running short. We must hurry, Yue-chan.�h

Looking up, Yue saw the other woman and her blood father the bastard Lord of Izumo standing in front of a Dimensional Portal. The former appeared quite regretful while the latter watched her over his shoulder with a facial expression that spoke of volumes of hatred and anger. If they could switch place, Yue would not doubt for one second that the Ruler of Heaven would not hesitate in ripping the heart of the Sun Goddess out of her chest.

�gWhere... are you taking us?�h she inquired in an apprehensive tone as she pulled her daughters closer to her sides.

�gThe Sanctum Core,�h the golden-haired Immortal answered without taking her eyes off the Lord of Izumo. As if she could sense the fear that suddenly welled up in Yue�fs soul, the woman added in a very gentle voice, �gDon�ft be afraid. I�fve risked everything I ever owned to save your daughters. I�fm not going to do anything harmful to them. Please, trust me.�h

After giving her children a glance each and seeing that they were begging her to do what Yui wished with their eyes, she nodded. �gI trust you, Yui,�h she said. It was probably the nicest thing that she ever said to the Goddess of the Sun during the last three thousand years.

�gThank you.�h Somehow, even though she could not see the golden-haired Immortal�fs face, she knew that the other woman was smiling. �gNow, please go first, my lord,�h Yui told the Ruler of Heaven before she pushed the man into the silvery surface where he immediately vanished without leaving a trace. Yue�fs heart immediately leapt into her throat in shock and panic.

�gWhy did you do that?!�h she shouted incredulously. �gYou know how hard it was to place him under control and now you just let him go?! Are you mad?!�h Kurusugawa Himeko and Himemiya Chikane apparently shared the same sentiment, for they were looking at the golden-haired Immortal with eyes as large as teacups on their faces.

�gNot yet, Yue-chan,�h the Goddess of the Sun replied and chuckled as though at a fine joke. �gIzanagi can�ft do anything even if he�fs free, I assure you. There�fs a little surprise waiting for him on the other side of this portal. I don�ft think he�fll find it very pleasant, mind you.�h She gestured cheerfully at the whirling surface. �gNow, hurry, or we�fll miss the show.�h As if to demonstrate that it was not dangerous at all, the woman walked into the Dimensional Portal as disappeared as quickly as the Ruler of Heaven had.

�gAmaterasu-sama does not do anything without thinking of the consequences first, Tsukiyomi-sama,�h little Chikane said quietly after a while. �gIt is okay to believe in her.�h She tugged at Yue�fs sleeve.

Sighing, she decided that the Priestess of the Moon was right. Although Yue had always viewed the Sun Goddess as a childish and thoughtless Immortal, the events that had transpired today undoubtedly proved that the woman was not. Yue still gave the blue-haired child a playful look in the end, though. �gYou are just saying that because she saved your lover, are you not?�h she joked and laughed softly when she saw spots of color blooming fiercely on Chikane�fs face. Little Himeko did not fare any better the way she dropped her gaze and took up an intense studying of the ground with a complexion that could shame a sunset.

�gWell then, if you trust her so, we must not keep her waiting.�h She strode forward and entered the Dimensional Portal with her entire self bursting with power and ready for ambush. No matter what Yui and little Chikane said, there was nothing wrong with being careful. If anything happened, she still would have time to send the children back and close down the Portal before they were harmed.

What she saw at the other side of the silvery surface shocked her so greatly she was at a loss for words.

Izanagi the Lord of Izumo was on all four on the ground, face aghast and bloodless, limbs trembling violently it was a wonder how they managed to support him, and body without a scrap of power. Towering over him was the Goddess of the Sun, who was surveying the heavens with an extremely satisfied affection on her face. As Yue looked upward to see what could have pleased the golden-haired High Immortal, her jaw fell and could not be pulled back up.

Usually, there was nothing in the heights of the heavens except the clouds that had been surfing them since time immemorial. Now, she could see the vast city of Reiha hanging upside down at the furthest reach of the blood-red twilight sky. Directly beneath them were five huge and oddly looking structures, each of which appeared to be carved out of a different type of precious stone, with their middles linked together by an energy ring. From the very same ring the transparent petals of the Crystal Roses were being generated at a neck-breaking rate, fluttering down like snow in the cool air, and formed a thick bed upon the empty boulevards of Heaven.

Her head whipped to the Lord of Heaven, who was now struggling to get back on his feet. She had finally understood why Izanagi was behaving as though he had lost all of his powers. He did! she thought. They have imposed a Sealing Field on the Holy City! Her gaze then traveled to the Goddess of the Sun, who gazed back at her with a playful gleam in her beautiful golden eyes. It was her doing!

�gThis... is not how I remember Heaven,�h muttered Himemiya Chikane, who was surveying the surrounding with utmost shock painted across her face. Standing next to her and holding her hand very tightly was the Priestess of the Sun Kurusugawa Himeko, who did not appear to register that there was something very wrong with the city of the Immortals. For all Yue knew, the girl might have thought that the upside down city in the sky and the falling rose petals were things that happened to Izumo on a daily basis.

Then it struck her.

�gAre you feeling alright, children?�h she asked the two girls. The nods that she received in return shocked her so greatly she staggered backward. This was not supposed to be happening. Since neither were the Priestesses Reiha-born nor did they spend at least one year in the Heart of the Underworld, they should have been affected by the Crystal Roses. Yet they did not. While the Lord of Heaven, much stronger than them, lost all of his powers, they retained theirs. It made no sense at all.

�gThey have this, that�fs why, Yue-chan,�h the Goddess of the Sun sand and held up her right arm, the wrist of which were graced with a rose bracelet identical to those that she had given the children before they came here.

�gYou received them from my Mother, did you not?�h she asked the golden-haired Immortal quietly. �gWhat are you two trying to do?�h It was only then did she notice that something was very wrong with the woman to whom she never disclosed her love. Her complexion, usually healthy, had taken on a sickly shade of white. Her golden eyes were tired. Her breathing was a little irregular. Worst of all, her powers were gradually fading like tide ebbing from the beach.

�gYou will know soon,�h Yui replied teasingly before she placed her attention on the Lord of Izumo, who was invoking every scrap of strength he possessed to stay on his feet. The man was indeed formidable, for anyone else in his place would be trembling on the ground at this moment and would not be to stand up until at least a few hours later. �gShall we go, my lord?�h she told Izanagi in a cold and flat voice.

�gVery well,�h he answered with tight lips and limped toward the Heavenly Palace, which lay just a few steps away, in such a painful manner that Yue was under the impression that the man was walking on a needle bed.

The golden-haired Immortal would have started walking, too, had Yue not placed a hand on her wrist and stopped her in her track. �gWait a minute, Yui,�h she said.

�gYes?�h The most beautiful woman in the Three Worlds looked at her, taken aback. She did have a good reason to. After all, Yue had never touched the Sun Goddess willingly during the last three thousand years. And certainly, neither did she call out to her in a voice that was full of heartfelt concerns like she just did.

�gAre you... okay?�h she hesitated.

�gNothing you need to worry about, Yue-chan,�h the other woman replied quietly before she smiled at her in a very sad manner and gently shook her hand off. Then she followed her biological father into the Heavenly Palace.

Puzzled and worried, she took her daughters�f hands and led them into the heart of the Holy City. Their destination, according to the Goddess of the Sun, was the Sanctum Core itself. She could only wonder what was awaiting them in a place where the bravest Immortals would fear to tread.

Her unasked question was answered when the great mahogany doors of the Grand Hall of the Sky, another name for the chamber in which the Celestial Assembly reigned supreme, swung open and revealed its vast interior and its occupants, five hundred Gods and Goddesses who managed the affairs of the Holy City. On the lowest row, where the Three Arbiters always sat, there was a fourth person present. That person was none other than Yue�fs mother, Izanami-sama, one of the Makers of the World.

 

***

 

Izanami the Regent of the World, whose chin was propped on her interlaced hands, smiled softly as soon as the doors to the Sanctum Core opened and admitted the Lord of Izumo, Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, and the Priestesses of the Sun and Moon, all of whom were wearing different expressions on their faces. Izanagi�fs were painted with fury while his eyes could have done for the sharpest swords. The Goddess of the Moon was looking at her in surprise. Her childhood friend, whose face was unnaturally pale in the light descending from the myriad orbs of light hanging beneath the vaulted ceiling, apparently shared Izanami�fs good  mood the way the golden-haired Immortal gave her a smile and a respectful incline of her head. The Priestess of the Moon was eyeing her in shock – she believed that the child knew who she was – while her sweetheart Kurusugawa Himeko hung tightly onto her arm, seemingly afraid of the other Immortals in this vast Hall.

�gWell, come in,�h she said cheerfully. �gThere is no need to stand at the door now is there?�h

Furious, the Ruler of Heaven limped forward and planted himself on the very center of the floor enclosed by the row of seat on which she sat. Chuckling, the Goddess of the Sun went to the part of the wall near the entrance, where her brothers Susanou no Mikoto and Kagutsuchi were standing. Next to the High Commanders of Heaven were the two Chancellors of the Underworld, who offered the golden-haired Immortal respectful bows before flanking the girl on either side and starting to whisper to her with voices too low to carry. From the way concern painted their identical faces, Izanami did not have to be a genius to figure out that they, too, were very worried about Amaterasu�fs health.

The twins were not the only ones who were, of course. Tsukiyomi, standing on the other side of the entrance with her surrogate daughters, kept sending surreptitious glances at the Goddess of the Sun. Undoubtedly the girl had realized that Amaterasu�fs health was deteriorating at a very disturbing rate.

�gNone of you were affected by the Sealing Field,�h Izanagi�fs loud and accusing voice brought her attention to the center of the floor, where the man was standing. �gTraitors!�h He then rounded on Izanami fiercely, �gAlthough I have always known that you harbored no good will toward me, I never thought that you would invade my territory. This goes against all customs and laws! What are you trying to do, woman?�h The man had courage, she had to give him that. Even when he had lost the ability to defend himself and was standing in the midst of his enemies, he was never afraid to say what he thought.

 Before she could answer the Lord of Heaven, however, the eldest officer of the Arbiters had already spoken up, �gTo dethrone you, what else?�h Ame no Minaka�fs voice, still sounding very young despite his aged appearance, was full of satisfaction. �gYou see, Izanagi,�h the name was emphasized as if to remind the Lord of Izumo that the Arbiter no longer considered him the lawful ruler of the Heavenly World, �gyou have been plaguing the Holy City for far too long. It is time you exit the stage and leave it for more suitable and able people to manage.�h

�gThat is a poor excuse.�h Izanagi snorted derisively. �gYour ambition is as well known as your incompetence, Ame no Minaka.�h

The Arbiter, surprisingly, only laughed at the insult. �gWell, I guess I just have to prove that you were wrong after Izanami-sama has made me the Ruler of Heaven.�h

�gActually, dear Arbiter,�h she said suddenly, �gI have no such intention.�h Five hundred and one heads, including that of Izanagi, whipped at her in shock. For all she knew, she could have just slapped every single one of them.

�gWhat do you mean, Izanami-sama?�h Takami no Mikoto, the second officer of the Arbiters, asked in a dangerous voice.

�gIt would seem that all of you were under the false impression that I came here to supplant your rightful lord,�h she said, amused. �gI am not. I commenced Operation Providence Breaker only because I needed a leverage to bargain with him.�h She winked at the Arbiters playfully. �gI apologize for intentionally misleading you, ladies and gentlemen.�h Amaterasu laughed aloud.

�gWhy... you....�h Takami no Mikoto would have gone for her throat, she was certain, had his senior officer not raised a hand to stop him. Ame no Minaka, who must have started scheming to take Izanagi�fs throne the very same day he was sworn in as an Arbiter, simply studied her with narrowed eyes afterwards while the rest of the Celestial Assembly began to converse with one another in panic. He was definitely a very dangerous man.

Chuckling, Izanami turned to a dumbfounded Izanagi and said, �gMy fellow Regent, you can only make one of two choices. You can either sign a Treaty I have graciously prepared for you before hand... or not sign it, obviously.�h The smile that formed on her lips afterwards told the other Maker of the World that nothing pleasant would happen to him should he chose the second route. The way that the man�fs lip compressed into a thin line told her that he got the message. The Celestial Assembly did too, so they gnashed their teeth and fumed in silence. Takami no Mikoto and Kami no Mikoto�fs faces could have done for a volcano�fs mouth.

�gWhat kind of treaty is it?�h Izanagi asked grudgingly.

�gSee for yourself, then.�h She looked at Tsukazaki Fuyura, who stepped forward and gave the Lord of Izumo the silk scroll that she had held in her hands from the beginning. Tsukazaki Haruhi remained where she stood and continued to pay special attention to a small bag sitting on the ground next to her feet. She doubted that even Amaterasu, who had been the major planner in Operation Providence Breaker, could guess what lay inside.

Once the male Maker of the World had received the scroll from the young Chancellor, he rolled it out and began to read. The more he did, the darker his mood grew and the more his hands trembled in anger.

�gRead it aloud, Izanagi,�h she said. �gI think everyone would like to know.�h That earned her a hard glare from the creep. He made her laugh out loud. He still realized that he was in no position to decline a request from her, though.

 

�gThe Treaty of Izumo,�h Izanagi read in such a grudging voice that the words could have been pulled out of his mouth by a pincer, �gcomposed by the highest Power of the Underworld, requires the Ruling Power of Heaven to meet the following items without fail.

�gOne: there must be a permanent amendment to the law prohibiting the Ruling Power from making any law or provision that denies any two individual the right to fall in love.�h

The Goddess of the Moon let out a soft gasp, evidently surprised. There was no doubt that she had understood that the very first item was there to prevent the tragedies that had tortured her as well as the Sword God and the Seraphim Blade during the last three thousand years from happening ever again.

After he shot his adopted daughter an exasperated look, Izanagi continued with a voice that was no warmer, �gTwo: the current Ruling Power, as well as any that succeeds it, is forbidden from intervening in the life of the Priestesses of Kannazuki, or their future incarnations, in anyway possible.�h

This time, it was the Priestesses of the Sun and Moon who interrupted him with their surprised gasps. Himemiya Chikane was having a hand over her mouth and struggling to keep back her happy tears. Kurusugawa Himeko, who was holding the taller girl�fs right arm with both of hers, was weeping openly and quietly. They must have realized that once the Treaty was signed, no one in Heaven would be able to lay a finger on them ever again.

Acting as though nothing had happened, the Lord of Izumo continued smoothly where he left off, �gThree: There is to be a public announcement that there shall be no retribution toward the High Commanders of Heaven who have participated in Operation Providence Breaker.

�gFour: The Ruling Power is required to assemble in great haste a team that would work with the personnel of Reiha to repair the damages done to the Human World by the Orochi.

�gThe highest Power of the Underworld shall act as an enforcer to ensure that every item of this Treaty is thoroughly carried out in a timely manner.�h He shot Izanami an infuriated look. �gHappy now?�h

�gQuite,�h she answered and smiled. �gSo, what say you?�h She could hear the whole chamber quieting down.

�gI never have a choice,�h the Lord of Izumo growled. �gI shall sign it.�h He might as well announce that he was sending everybody to the headsman�fs block, for the great Hall erupted with outraged cries from the five hundred sets of mouths of the Celestial Assembly. The resulting sound was so great and alarming that Susanou no Mikoto and Kagutsuchi decided to place themselves firmly in front of their blood sister while Tsukazaki Haruhi moved in front of the Goddess of the Moon and her children. The other Chancellor started toward Izanami at first with a pace painted with worries but went with her sister in the end when Izanami gave the girl a shake of her head.

�gNo, you do not, Izanagi.�h Ame no Minaka�fs grim voice was crystal clear even amidst the roars and bellows of his colleagues. �gYou and your fellow Regent will both die here.�h He raised his hand overhead. Immediately the Sanctum Core fell quiet at the same time that every member of the Assembly brought their hands together and formed a glowing sphere between their palms.

�gFoolish Arbiter.�h Izanami laughed. �gDo you truly expect that I would come into your lair without preparation?�h She snapped her fingers.

The effect was immediate. First, the rose bracelets worn by the ambitious Immortals fell to pieces right in front of their widened eyes. Then the power of the Sealing Field kicked in and quickly pulled them down on their stomachs. Even the Three Arbiters, strongest of them all, could not do anything other than letting out a hopeless cry before they, too, collapsed.

Gracefully she gathered her hagoromo about her person, rose to her feet, and walked to where Izanagi was. The man, interestingly enough, was eyeing his fallen subordinates with an odd expression on his face. Were Izanami to guess, she would say that the Lord of Izumo was pondering what he was going to do to them afterwards. She doubted that anything the creep could come up with would be pleasant.

�gThe Treaty shall be signed with our blood,�h she told him, �gso that it can bind us as long as we live.�h A gesture of her hand lifted the scroll from Izanagi�fs hand and suspended it firmly in the air in front of him. �gYou first, as a token of sincerity.�h

�gVery well,�h the other Maker of the World muttered darkly as he bit on his forefinger. When his holy blood spilled out from the fingertip, he used it to place his signature on the bottom of the scroll. As soon as he was done, the wound closed and stopped the blood. Although the Crystal Roses took away his power, it still left his self-healing ability intact.

Smiling in satisfaction, Izanami used the forefinger of her left hand to slash at the palm of her right. Her skin then parted cleanly right in the middle and opened a path for her blood, which then rose upward in droplets that ultimately arranged themselves into her signature next to that of the Lord of Izumo.

�gIt is done,�h she announced. �gAs we have agreed beforehand, Heaven is yours again, my fellow Regent.�h She took the Treaty into her hand, opened a small Dimensional Portal that led directly to her office in the Rosenkyuu, and sent the little scroll through. Once she was done, she produced a rose bracelet from inside her hagoromo and gave it to the creep. Izanagi, who looked at the object the way one would a viper, grimaced before he put it on and pulled down his sleeve so that it went out of sight.

Ignoring him, Izanami walked to where Tsukiyomi was standing. �gCongratulations, daughter,�h she told the silver-haired girl. �gYour children are now free.�h

With tears streaking down her lovely face, the Goddess of the Moon sank to her knees, bent her back, and placed her forehead upon the cold floor of the Grand Hall of the Sky. Her surrogate daughters followed suit. �gYou have done so much for me, Mother,�h Tsukiyomi said in a breaking voice. �gI do not know how to show you my gratitude.�h

�gIt is not I whom you must thank, daughter,�h Izanami said gently. A fluttering of her hagoromo�fs wide sleeves generated a gentle wind that lifted the young Goddess as well as her surrogate daughters back onto their feet. �gHad Amaterasu not come to me three thousand years ago and sought my assistance, I would not have been here today.�h

�gYui... did?�h the silver-haired Immortal said, surprise evident on her face.

Not answering the question, Izanami turned to Kurusugawa Himeko and Himemiya Chikane. �gLittle children, it is time you return to your world,�h she told them. The events that are coming to pass in this place were definitely not suitable for them to watch. Besides, it was the Goddess of the Sun�fs express wish that they did not. �gFive minutes are all you have for farewells. You should hurry.�h

The two girls nodded, gave her a bow, and ran to the side of a pale-faced and sickly looking Amaterasu, where they hugged her and told her something Izanami failed to catch. Afterwards, the golden-haired Immortal ruffled their hair, gave them hugs and kisses on the cheeks before sending them back to the Goddess of the Moon.

�gSince the residents of Izumo are forbidden from coming into contact with mortals, I doubt I can talk to you two anytime soon,�h she said before she pulled the children into a warm embrace. �gBut I promise I will find a way. Until then, my beloved daughters.�h

�gI regret to interrupt, but there is no time,�h Izanami broke in gently. �gThey have to go.�h A wave of her hand raised another wind that pulled the Goddess of the Moon away from the Priestesses. A second one wove a horizontal Dimensional Portal that floated just a few inches above their head. A third pulled the silvery surface down and erased the seventeen-year-old girls as it went. When the Portal thinned and melted on the cold marble floor, the once prisoners of fate had already vanished.

�gThere is no time?�h Tsukiyomi arched an eyebrow at her in confusion.

�gYour childhood friend cannot take endure any longer, my dear child.�h Izanami sighed and watched as her daughter�fs silver eyes went as wide as they could.

�gIndeed,�h agreed the Lord of Izumo, who then turned to look at the Goddess of the Sun with a hateful expression on his steely face. �gIt is her turn to say goodbye.�h Izanami could have slapped him. Even to the bitter end, even when the creep knew what was going to happen to his blood daughter, he still felt no remorse.

�gIncredibly enough, I share the same thought.�h Amaterasu nodded after a sigh. �gGoodbye, my brothers.�h She hugged the Gods of Storms and Fire, who wept openly and uncontrollably on their sister�fs slender shoulders. �gFarewell, my friends.�h She turned to embrace the young Chancellors of the Underworld, who simply smiled at her and hugged her warmly in return.

�gIzanami-sama,�h the golden-haired girl said fell onto her knees so quickly that Izanami never had time to stop her. �gGiven the situation, I can do naught to repay you for fulfilling my last wish. My gratitude is the only thing that I can give. So please, accept it.�h The Sun Goddess then proceeded to offer Izanami nine bows, each of which was low enough for her forehead to touch the floor, before she rose unsteadily back to her feet.

�gThere is no need for that, child,�h Izanami said quietly.

�gThere is,�h Amaterasu insisted with a smile and turned to face her silver-haired childhood friend, who had been watching her with a deeply puzzled and disturbed expression from the very start. �gI do realize that I have not spoken with you much during the last three thousand years,�h she said, not bothering to mention that it was the Moon Goddess who refused to respond when she tried to initiate a conversation. As tears quietly rolled down her face, the layer of Crystal Rose petals on her hagoromo began to break apart. Those thin and transparent petals, as a result, rose upward as if in a vertical gust of wind and finally melted into nothingness. �gBut... I do wish you to know that I...�h she paused to swallow down a sob, �gI have always loved you, Yue-chan.�h

At the end of the sentence, shining cracks appeared and crisscrossed her entire body as though it was a mirror struck by a fist. A heartbeat later, the Goddess of the Sun shattered into a million pieces.

The sight shocked Tsukiyomi so greatly it pulled her down to her knees, where she stared at the fragments of the person who was once the most beautiful woman in the Three Worlds dissolved into the ground. When she finally came to realize what had just happened, she let out a full-throated anguished wail that reverberated thunderously in the Grand Hall of the Sky.

 

***

 

Upon hearing his adopted daughter�fs cry, Izanagi the Lord of Izumo felt goosebumps rising all over his skin at the same time that chills continuously slithered down his back. Although he was gladdened by Amaterasu�fs death – the eyesore of a Goddess had been bothering him for far too long – he did realize that with she gone, he had absolutely no chance of getting Tsukiyomi under control. That, obviously, was by no means a good thing.

�gDaughter, why are you crying?�h inquired the female Maker of the World, who had squatted down by the Moon Goddess�fs side. The older woman�fs voice, surprisingly, was calm, cool, collected, and completely devoid of grief. It made his hackles rise.

�gYui... Yui... she...�h was all that the silver-haired Immortal could utter between her sobs. Izanagi doubted she would stop crying anytime soon. After all, if she had been crying herself to sleep during the last three thousand years even when the woman she loved was still alive....

�gYes, she is dead,�h Izanami answered and gently pulled her daughter into her arms. For some reason, she glanced up at Izanagi at the same moment that she said her final word. Her accusing glare hit him so hard that he staggered a step backward in spite of himself. With her right hand traveling soothingly up and down Tsukiyomi�fs back and her amber eyes riveted unblinkingly on his face, she continued in the same voice, �gBut my child, she has been dead for the last three thousand years, do you not know?�h Her eyes narrowed, her gaze sharpened, and her pupils seemed to shine with a murderous light. Izanagi took another step backward.

The Goddess of the Moon looked up at her biological mother with a tear-drenched face and asked, �gWhat... do you... mean, mother?�h Her voices were like broken glasses.

�gAmaterasu has always loved you as a woman, not a friend or a sister,�h the Regent of the Underworld said quietly. �gAs such, every time you looked at her coldly, humiliated her publicly, or acted as though you truly despised her, a part of her heart died. Yet, she persevered. She thought that if she could just stay by your side and watch over you everyday, she might be able to continue living. She was wrong. In the end, her will to live shattered.�h

Those words could have been knives to the silver-haired Immortal, who stared at her mother in stunned silence with utmost agony and regret warring on her lovely face.

�gShe would have committed suicide then,�h Izanami continued, �ghad she not been informed of Project Kannazuki and what was going to happen to the Priestesses of the Sun and Moon. It was then that she decided that she could not rest in peace knowing that you were suffering because of the inhuman Project. It was then that she decided that she would grant your wish and rescue your daughter before she departed from this world.�h

�gShe... saved Chikane and Himeko... because...�h the Moon Goddess whimpered, seemingly unable to finish what she wanted to say.

�gBecause she wished you to be happy, yes.�h The older woman nodded. �gThat was why she left no stone in Heaven unturned in search for a method to free Kannazuki Aoi and Kannazuki Akari from their vicious unending cycle. One day, she snuck into a certain someone�fs study because she thought that vital information was being hidden there. Most unfortunately for her, she was caught. I think you can guess what kind of punishment that she received as a result.�h

The girl�fs moist silver eyes went wide. �gThe Curse,�h she breathed. Izanagi grimaced. It was a secret that she was never meant to find out.

�gIndeed,�h the Regent of the Underworld agreed. �gThe question is, of course, what it can do. Daughter, I believe that you were never aware that Yui was the only person in the Three Worlds who was capable of passing through the Core Sphere and its Thirteen Seals to visit Akira.�h

�gI... never knew that,�h Tsukiyomi said, surprised.

�gNone is supposed to,�h her mother declared. �gFor if they were, they would figure out eventually that the fact meant that Amaterasu�fs soul was tied directly to the objects that maintained the dimensional prison itself.�h The woman let out a bitter laughter at the light of comprehension on Tsukiyomi�fs face. �gThat is right, child. It was the Eyes of Heaven. When a certain someone�fs study found her shuffling through the document in his study, he became deathly afraid that she would become a threat to his precious Project Kannazuki, so he decided to make sure that she would not. Ruthlessly, he used the Mirror of Life to bind her soul to the Eyes of Heaven so that if anything happened to them, the Goddess of the Sun would be torn apart. That someone thought that he had scared her into thinking that she had better stop trying to sabotage Project Kannazuki.�h The woman�fs amber eyes seemed to catch the light cascading down from the chamber�fs ceiling and intensified it. �gHe was wrong.�h

�gThen... then the reason why Yui... collapsed was because...�h Tsukiyomi sobbed.

�gBecause during the last three thousand years, sometimes the Sword God was able to snap out of his slumber,�h Izanami explained. �gIn those rare instances, he realized that he had been separated from the Seraphim Blade. He then unleashed his fearsome power upon the prison in the hope of breaking free and being united with the one he loved. He had no idea that he was in fact inflicting damages upon the well nigh indestructible Eyes of Heaven, which in turn transferred them to Amaterasu whole.�h The woman heaved a deep sigh. �gSo you see, daughter, her fate was decided the moment Enishi destroyed the Eyes of Heaven. She did not die right then and there only because the Suishou no Bara no Hagoromo I gave her long ago had delayed the effect of the Curse.�h

�gShe ... died for me.�h The silver-haired girl buried her face in her hands and wept harder than ever. �gI was the one who killed her.�h

�gNo, you were not.�h Izanami shook her head. �gIt was someone else who murdered her in cold blood. Had it not been for him, she would never have had to suffer from the terrible internal impacts. Without him, she would have spent an eternity by your side and made you the luckiest woman in the Three Worlds. Do you know who I am referring to?�h

At the end of the sentence, the Regent of the Underworld rose to her feet, took a few steps backward, and left the Goddess of the Moon kneeling upon the cold marble floor of the chamber, deathly quiet except from the occasional groaning of the Celestial Assembly. Izanagi swallowed hard. He had realized that Tsukiyomi�fs crying had ceased. The girl, instead, was gathering her celestial powers. The air grew cold. The ground began to show sign of an imminent upheaval. The members of the Assembly, having noticed the danger, wailed out loud and tried to get back on their feet just so they could flee to safety. The Sealing Field insisted that they stayed on the ground. His attention whipped back to the silver-haired Immortal, however, the moment silver light emerged from her body in the most menacing manner ever.

�gIzanagi,�h Tsukiyomi said as she slowly stood up and turned around to look at him straight in the eyes. Her face was ice, her voice the sound of an unsheathing sword. As soon as she finished calling his name the way she would an enemy, powers exploded in her. Endless waves of pressure crashed against his body and tried to knock him down. The ground started to rise and fall as though being in an earthquake. The rolling motion of the floor broke the marble tiles, ruptured the wooden rows of seat, and sent flailing and screaming Assembly members into the air.

�gCalm yourself!�h he shouted once he had elevated himself into the air. �gAre you trying to kill everyone here?!�h

�gNot everyone,�h Tsukiyomi shouted back. �gJust you!�h She swung her arm in a wide arc and hurled a great pillar of light rushing toward him.

Hurriedly, he drew Towa no Nagare out of its scabbard and slammed its edge against the head of the pillar from beneath. In a deafening roar, the spell changed its direction and shot upward. It was so powerful that it punched cleanly through the vaulted ceiling the same way a sharp knife would flesh. What was there in the end was a large hole through which one could see a night sky dominated by a full moon. Night had come, and so did the time when Tsukiyomi�fs powers grew strongest.

As the light encompassing her slender body expanded to form a great sphere, it also unleashed a heavy rain of silver arrows toward him. Most of those he destroyed with Towa no Nagare. The others broke themselves on a cylindrical barrier woven in such a way that it enclosed the space surrounded by the lowest row of seat. On an undamaged part of it Izanami sat and idly looked at her lam, from the wound on which blood was still flowing out. Behind her stood the two High Commanders of Heaven and the Chancellors of the Underworld. Izanagi�fs eyes went wide. One of the raven-haired girls was holding a large orb of light, in which floated the black and white fragments of the most powerful magical weapon in the Three Worlds. It was what remained of the Mirror of Life. Where did she get that?! he thought.

�gIt was you who violated the pact!�h Tsukiyomi�fs icy and murderous voice jerked his attention back to her. �gIt was you who killed Yui!�h Right now, she was holding so much power in her body that she could very well destroy half of the Holy City with just one blast. She frightened Izanagi no end. The situation was bad. Although Towa no Nagare was a powerful weapon, it did not offer him much help. The battle he had with the Goddess of the Sun just a while ago had but drained half of his energy. Against the silver-haired Immortal, whose strength was being greatly augmented by her grief and thirst for revenge, he had little chance of surviving, especially when she meant to take his life at all cost.

�gI said once that if Yui died, I would bury you with her, did I not?�h The Goddess of the Moon brought her hands together in front of her chest in such a way that her fingers enclosed a small empty space. Silver light flared from its heart. �gI carry out that promise now!�h At the end of the sentence, the marble floor was gone. What was left in its place was a gigantic mirror surface within which the reflection of the full moon on high grew more brightly after every second. In no time at all, it flooded the entire Sanctum Core with its blinding brilliance.

Izanagi�fs heart dove into his stomach. Moonlight Symphony, he thought in horror. It was the most devastating spell that the silver-haired Immortal ever knew. Were it to be fully unleashed, it would destroy anything in its path except for the Mirror of Life and the Eyes of Heaven. However, its terrifyingly destructive power was not what was frightening him witless. What was, was the fact that the Goddess of the Moon was standing right atop the opening of the spell. At the very instant that she shot, she, too, would be reduced to ashes. She means to escort me to the grave herself, he realized in bitterness. What an honor.

He knew that if he wished to leave, he had better get himself out of the Core immediately. However, it was not that simple, for he was aware that Tsukiyomi could pinpoint his position anywhere in the sky and strike with such accuracy and speed that he would be dead before he could think of evading. Besides, he did not want to flee, for if he did, the one he loved would die right in front of his eyes. That had never been his intention. Even if every resident of Heaven perished, he still wanted Tsukiyomi to live.

As he looked around almost hopelessly for a solution, he caught sight of the Regent of the Underworld again. Even when her daughter was going to commit suicide, the woman still sat idly on the lowest row of seat and gazing idly at the holy blood trickling out of the wound on her palm. It was then that it struck him. He finally understood why Izanami refused to let her wound heal, why she instigated the Moon Goddess�fs anger, and why her subordinate was holding the fragments of the Mirror in her hands.

�gI will do it, Izanami!!�h he bellowed. �gStop her now!!�h

The Lady of Reiha moved so quickly that in less than a heartbeat, she had appeared right behind her daughter. She then put her uninjured hand atop the silver-haired girl�fs head and injected her powers. The silver light went out, the marble floor was restored to its original state, and Tsukiyomi sank helplessly to her knees. Heaving a sigh of relief, Izanagi landed on the ground, his hand still clutching the Flow of Eternity just in case.

�gWhy, Mother?�h she asked the female Maker of the World in a tearful voice.

�gBecause it is necessary,�h Izanami answered quietly, stroked her daughter�fs head, and then walked to where he was. On her heels was one of the raven-haired twins who held the fragments of Inochi no Kagami. �gShall we?�h she asked and erected her bleeding palm in front of her. Meanwhile, the Chancellor spread her hands and laid the pieces of First Supreme on the floor, where they were arranged immediately into Inochi no Kagami�fs original shape.

�gFine,�h he grumbled before he parted the skin on his own hand with Towa no Nagare and pressed his palm against that of the Regent of the Underworld. Since their blood together had forged the Mirror, it would make it whole once more. Mouth tightening, he invoked his powers.

Droplets of blood then dripped from their hands and fell upon the broken Mirror, into which they vanished. The more blood they shed, the closer the fragments pulled together and the more light emerged from their edges. In but a few minutes, the pieces stopped moving, the light faded, and Inochi no Kagami lay whole on the cold floor as though it had never been broken.

�gWe are not done,�h Izanami reminded him.

�gI know,�h he muttered crossly.

Once his hand had separated from that of the woman, he used it to elevate the Mirror of Life into the air. Together, they pressed their bloody palms against the black side of the thing and channeled their powers inside at the same time that they recited the forbidden ritual words.

 

�gI am the Master of the Grave, Weaver of Man�fs Destiny,

 The Herald of One�fs Beginning, the Bringer of One�fs End.

 Together, let us bind the Dark, let us trap the Light.

 In My name, condemn the Living, awaken the Dead.

For my Wish, I Pledge my Blood, I Pledge my Life!�h

 

A rainbow-colored wave of light swept out from the other side of Inochi no Kagami. A few feet above Tsukiyomi�fs head, an oval-shaped golden surface emerged. From it, the Goddess of the Sun, naked as the day she was born in the artificial womb of Izumo�fs R&D Division, emerged downward and ultimately ended up in the Moon Goddess�fs embrace. Hastily, she took off the outermost layer of her hagoromo robe and wrapped it around her childhood friend�fs bare body.

�gYou have finally come back to me...�h she sobbed as she held the golden-haired girl a little bit more tightly. �gYui....�h The Goddess of the Sun, however, never noticed as she continued to be immersed in her slumber.

His whole self bursting with irritation, Izanagi planted himself firmly in front of the silver-haired Immortal, where he spoke in a very cold voice and with an even colder heart, �gYou two are not getting away unpunished.�h The casual silver look she tossed him before she bent over and placed a soft kiss on her lover�fs forehead told him that she did not care. It made his heart ache. �gSince the Treaty your mother wrote never made any provision for anyone except Kagutsuchi and Susanou, I can do as I please with you.�h He suspected that it was the reason why the Regent of the Underworld only mentioned the two High Commanders. The woman had already known what he was going to do with the Goddesses of the Sun and Moon. He never wanted to admit the fact... but it could not be denied that she knew him as much as he did.

�gYour crimes are heinous,�h he declared heatedly. �gFor that, I shall sever all ties that you two have with the Heavenly World and exile you... eternally.�h

Tsukiyomi�fs eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. Undoubtedly she had realized Izanagi�fs true intention. After all, she and Amaterasu were guilty of high treason, the penalty for which was death. Only an idiot would fail to notice that what he dealt out was not exactly punishment. The Goddess of the Moon had never been one... except for that one time when she chose another woman for a lover.

�gThank you... father....�h The silver-haired Immortal bowed to him.

�gDo not call me that!�h he snapped. �gI do not wish to see you two anymore. Before the dawn arrives, you will leave Heaven and never return. If you do, I will make you wish that I had beheaded you today.�h As soon as he was done, he grabbed the Mirror of Life and swept out of the Sanctum Core, barely able to see the Gods of Storms and Fire rushing toward their sister and Izanami falling in right behind him. He grimaced.

�gSuch a nice father you are, colleague,�h Izanami said in a cheerful voice.

Determined to ignore the infuriating woman, he simply strode forward. Unfortunately, she refused to leave him alone.

�gThe severing of ties and eternal exile.�h She chuckled quietly, appearing to have no difficulty in keeping up with his fast pace. �gI cannot comprehend why you simply could not tell her right out that since they were no longer sisters or Izumo�fs residents, no one would be able to stop them from loving each other anymore.

�gBe quiet!�h he snapped. �gI simply wanted to punish them and that is it. No deeper meaning.�h

�gYour mouth has never agreed with your heart, Izanagi.�h Her chuckle turned into a hearty laughter. �gFrom the beginning, you have always tried to protect my daughter. You never sent her, Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, or Susanou to the Core because you feared they would find out that the two girls were in love. If they did, they would execute her immediately in accordance with your laws. That, obviously, was not what you wanted.�h

�gI did not know that we had become chatting buddies, Izanami,�h he said scathingly and walked even faster. To his dismay, she followed suit.

�gHowever, it was thanks to your love for her that Operation Providence Breaker became much easier to carry out,�h she continued as though he had not said anything. �gIn the beginning, out most difficult problem was planning a way to make sure that you would not be able to use the Mirror of Life against us. A solution surfaced when we found out that you had developed a habit of coming to Onogoro every afternoon. It was not difficult at all to figure out the reason why.�h Her amber eyes glittered in deep amusement. �gThe Priestesses reminded you of Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu, did they not?�h

Izanagi did not say anything in response. What the other maker of the World said was the simple truth. Kannazuki Aoi and Kannazuki Aoi, whose memories he had read in the aftermath of the first holy war, disturbed him greatly. They made him question himself whether what he did was right or wrong. They ultimately forced him to descend into Onogoro to begin his observation. That had been why he chose to work for the High Priest of Shingetsu Grand Shrine, where they would eventually be united.

�gAdmit it, Izanagi,�h the Regent said playfully. �gThere is nothing to be embarrassed about, you know.�h

�gDo you wish to tease me so much that you have to follow me all the way out here?�h he growled in a dangerous tone.

�gPartly, yes.�h She laughed. �gBut mainly, I just wanted to discuss with you how we are going to undo the damages that the Orochi had done to the Human World. It is by no means a trivial task, as you are well aware.�h

�gFine, come back with me to the Sanctum Core,�h he muttered darkly after heaving a deep sigh. And lift your damn Sealing Field from my City. We are going to need the Assembly�fs power to work the Mirror of Life.�h He was certain that he could coerce those senile bastards into doing what he wished them to. Since the Treaty that he signed made no provisions for pardoning them for their crimes, he had grounds for charging them with high reason and sending them back to the Citadel with bound hand and feet. Not that he would do it, though. No, he was going to use the rebellion as a lever to deal with them in the future and make sure that they became his faithful lapdogs. I guess there is something good out of this after all, he smiled and thought.

 

***

 

As soon as the light around her faded away, Kurusugawa Himeko found herself standing with her beloved princess at the bottom of the marble flight of stair of the main hall in the deserted Himemiya Mansion. The only source of illumination they had came from the moonlight spilling through the great French windows around the spacious chamber. Yet, it was enough for her to behold her beautiful sweetheart, Himemiya Chikane the Priestess of the Moon, who was smiling at her with love shining brilliantly in her sapphire eyes. Himeko could only watch as the blue-haired girl moved closer, slipped her arms around her waist, and pulled her into a heartwarming embrace. As she rested her head on Chikane-chan�fs shoulder and put her arms around her back, she could hear their hearts beating as one in a quiet but powerful rhythm.

�gAs long as you continue to love each other,�h the Goddess of the Sun had told them when they came to her to say goodbye, �gEnishi will always connect your souls. As long as your hearts continue to yearn for one another, the Thread will ensure that you two will be reborn into this world at the same time, same day, same month, same year, your feelings intact. Not even mortality would be able to separate you for long.�h The Goddess then pulled them into her arms and hugged them tightly. �gMy children, you are going to learn that you can experience the joy of your first love over and over again in each of your reincarnation as long as you wish it. Personally, I think that is much more precious than eternal lives.�h

�gChikane-chan,�h she called the name of the girl she loved softly. It was different from how she had always addressed the blue-haired princess. Before, she had never dared show her emotions in her voice whenever they talked because she feared that her true feelings would be found out. Now, she did not need to hide anymore. Not when she already knew that the Priestess of the Moon loved her just as much.

�gYes, Himeko?�h the blue-haired girl replied in a voice that was equally affectionate.

�gGive me your left hand,�h she murmured, a side of her head still resting upon her lover�fs right shoulder, her face buried cozily against the other girl�fs neck. Not only was she warm and soft, she was also as fragrant as a rose in full bloom. Her lips were yearning to touch the silky skin. Her whole body was longing for Chikane-chan�fs touches.

�gAs you wish.�h The princess of the Himemiya lifted the hand from Himeko�fs waist and held it in front of her face.

Without breaking the hug, she reached inside her Priestess chihaya and took out a small sapphire ring. It was what she had bought a month ago in order to give to the one she loved as a present. It was what she had lost in the day following their birthday. It was what returned to her when she was at the depth of despair and awakened the powers that had been sleeping inside her from the very start. Gently, she slipped it around her sweetheart�fs ring finger and placed a soft kiss upon the back of the blue-haired girl�fs hand before she hugged her as tightly as she could. �gI love you so very much, Chikane-chan,�h she whispered afterwards.

�gI love you too, dear my little angel,�h the Himemiya princess whispered back. �gAnd I am sorry I broke the ruby ring I gave you.�h Her voice was filled with regret.

�gYou can just buy me a new one,�h Himeko said and felt her face warming up rapidly. �gHow about... a simple gold band? And if it�fs not too much of a bother... how about a matching one for you as well?�h

Her words earned her an amused chuckle and a kiss on the cheek from her beloved. She trembled, thinking to herself that the happiness that was brimming in her might just tear her apart.

�gYour wish is my command,�h the blue-haired girl murmured.

�gIs it, now?�h Himeko laughed softly.

�gCan I ask you a question, Himeko?�h

�gYes,�h she replied and burrowed a little deeper into her sweetheart�fs embrace. It was a lifeless Mansion they were standing in... but to her, it was a beautiful paradise.

�gYou never called me Aoi even though I did all I could to prove to you that Himemiya Chikane was dead. Why?�h

Himeko chuckled softly. �gBecause no matter what you did or said, I could still feel my kind and gentle Chikane-chan... in here.�h She lifted a hand and placed it on her beloved�fs chest. Her palm, as well as her face, burned the moment it came into contact. �gDoes that... answer your question?�h

�gIt does.�h The princess nodded, slightly pulled away, placed her hands on either side of Himeko�fs face, and gently lifted it up. Then she drew hers closer. Heart pounding madly in her chest, Himeko put her arms around her princess�fs neck, rose on her toes, and attempted to kiss her.

As it turned out, she couldn�ft.

The instant before their lips could touch was also the one in which a wave of nausea hit her so hard that she would have fallen backward had the girl she loved not caught her in her arms. Light flared above her head and noise flooded the surrounding. The Himemiya Mansion was deserted no more. The maids, who must have materialized out of thin air, were scurrying around in their nightly duties. Some were scrubbing the floor, some cleaning the expensive vases their master had bought, and some looking at the blue-haired princess and her in sheer curiosity as though they were trying to puzzle out why their Ojou-sama was hugging another girl.

Himeko knew exactly what just happened. There was a newly implanted piece of memories in her mind that told her that today was October the third, her birthday, and also the day in which the Orochi struck the City of Mahoroba. Except that they did not. The world had never been damaged, completely ignorant of the fact that they was almost wiped out by Sei no Tsurugi no Rinne the Seraphim Blade. It was the doings of the Lord of Izumo, she was sure.

Suddenly, the great hall fell silent. Every pair of eyes there was now fixed upon Himeko and her sweetheart, probing, questioning, and speculating. Then they began to converse with one another in a voice to low to carry. When certain phrases were uttered – Himeko thought one of them was �gsecret lovers�h – they gasped.

�gOjou-sama,�h said the Head Maid Kisaragi Otoha, who emerged from the gathering crowd, �gmay I inquire as to who this lovely young lady may be?�h Her face was tight. Her voice made her face seem relaxed. Her words told Himeko that the Immortals of Heaven had wiped the older woman�fs memories clean.

�gHer name is Kurusugawa Himeko,�h the Priestess of the Moon said, appearing to have no intention of unwrapping her arms from around Himeko. In fact, the girl pulled her in a little closer. �gShe is the person I love.�h More gasps rose. A great many eyes widened. Just as many jaws dropped. Some, surprisingly, began to whistle aloud. Shocked by her lover�fs boldness, Himeko gripped the clothes on the other girl�fs front and hid her burning face in the crook of the Himemiya heiress�fs neck. �gSo, please serve her as faithfully as you have served me, Otoha-san.�h

While the Head Maid�fs face looked like a volcano about to erupt, Chikane-chan�fs was graced with a more than amused smile. �gI understand, Ojou-sama,�h Otoha said almost grudgingly afterwards. She never said she would do as the young mistress of the Himemiya said, Himeko realized.

�gMy little angel, shall we retire to our room?�h said the blue-haired princess, who pulled away from Himeko and offered her an arm afterwards. �gThe night grows late, and I am sure you are very tired.�h

�gOur... room?�h she repeated in puzzlement. A heartbeat later, when she finally understood what her lover meant, blood rushed to her face. Still, she took Chikane-chan�fs arm, held it tightly with both of hers, and followed the blue-haired girl�fs lead. Together they climbed the flight of stairs and said nothing while being fully aware that the maids were cheering and whistling very loudly in the background. She sincerely hoped they would stop soon.

�gKurusugawa-sama, could I have a little bit of your time right now?�h the Head Maid�fs voice called suddenly and halted their steps.

�gYes, Otoha-san?�h she turned around and asked.

�gFor some reason, I have an inkling that you are very fond of shiitake mushroom,�h the older woman said, her lips wearing a secretive smile. �gShould I design the menu so that it will be contained in your every meal?�h

Her heart took a deep dive into her stomach at the same time that her beloved began to laugh softly behind a raised hand.

 

***

 

Although she was sitting in the classroom at the moment, Saotome Makoto was not paying any scrap of attention to the lecture. Instead, she gazed lazily out of one of the classroom�fs windows and wondered why on earth she had chosen to come here and brood in silence while her former roommate, Kurusugawa Himeko, was at home and acting all lovey-dovey with Ototachibana Academy�fs sweetheart, Himemiya Chikane. Mouth tightening at the thought, she suddenly became so angry that she would have destroyed the school had she retained even the smallest scrap of her Orochi power. Ever since last night, she had been asking herself why the Immortals of Heaven did not erase her memories so that she would be able to forget about the whole ordeal.

�gSaotome-san,�h the teacher�fs voice rang sternly across the classroom, �gis my lecture so boring you have to focus your attention elsewhere?�h The whole class was looking at her. Strangely though, some of the girls were blushing furiously while the boys growled almost noisily in the background.

�gSorry, ma�fam,�h Makoto muttered.

�gAnd would you please tell the gentleman over there to stop peeking into the class while I am teaching?�h Most shockingly, the cheeks of the tall woman, who was already in her late forties, were coloring as well. She reminded Makoto of a giddy girl who had just caught sight of the man in her dreams. �gIt�fs very... distracting.�h The woman�fs voice cleared her throat.

Surprised, Makoto looked back at the window and immediately found her jaw dropping. On one of the branches of the ancient tree standing outside of the classroom sat a man whose short and dark hair framed a face so handsome he would make Oogami Souma�fs look plain. It was Susanou no Mikoto the God of Storms. He was the person who was causing the commotion in her class.

Why the hell is he here?! she thought in alarm. Isn�ft there some sort of rule that forbids an Immortal from making contact with a human?

�gYou seem bored, Makoto,�h said the Immortal, his lips curving upward in great amusement. Even without turning and look, she was still able to know that those loud noises she just heard came from the girls who had just collapsed at seeing the smile of the God of Storms. �gInstead of staying here, child, why don�ft you show me around the city?�h

She thought she was going to sick up.

 

***

 

�gWhy did you not go to school today, Souma?�h the voice of the former First Head of the Orochi said sternly at Oogami Souma�fs door. As far as he was concerned, his blood brother had not bothered to knock before he opened the door and entered.

�gNot in the mood, nii-san,�h he answered curtly before he lay back on his bed and continued his study of the ceiling.

�gWhat�fs wrong, Tsubasa-kun?�h This time, it was the Shingetsu High Priest. The man, who was wearing his casual blue yukata like usual, was standing behind Tsubasa-nii-san with a puzzled and amused expression on his face. For some reason, Souma was certain that it was not him and his blood brother that the man was amused at.

�gHe cut classes today, sensei,�h the man in the white cape said accusingly after a gesture at Souma, obviously displeased. Now... when did he become my mom? he thought irritably. And coming to school so that I have to see Himeko being lovey-dovey with Himemiya? No thanks.

�gSensei?�h The High Priest sighed. �gMust you call me that? Aren�ft we a family now?�h Earlier this morning, the man had submitted the necessary paperwork to the local ward office to adopt the former Orochi into the Oogami Clan. Much to Souma�fs dismay, Tsubasa-nii-san was allowed to move into the room right next to his. Much as he loved his brother, it was never his intention to be this close to the man, who had begun to show disturbing signs of a mother with too much time on her hand. Souma muttered darkly under his breath at the thought.

�gI apologized, nii-san,�h Tsubasa-nii-san said respectfully.

�gAnd yes, Tsubasa-kun,�h the High Priest said as a smile crossed his face, �gMiyako-kun and Tokiya-kun came to visit you.�h

Tsubasa-nii-san�fs face paled a little bit... and Souma laughed aloud. His laughter died quickly, however, when he realized that should the woman Girochi Miyako succeed, she would become his sister-in-law. That... was not funny or pleasant... at all.

 

***

 

In the light of the bright morning, in the songs of the birds and the fluttering of the doves, in the lush green of the trees around her, Oota Reiko gave the grave of Natsune, her deceased lover, another bow before she started toward the entrance to the churchyard. There waited a cute girl in casual clothing that made it impossible for anyone to guess that she used to weak much less. Ever since the girl learned of what Reiko thought about her scandalous clothes, she had immediately given them away and purchased others that would not cause drivers on the street to crash their cars against each other�fs whenever she walked by.

�gI cannot understand why you are afraid of coming to Natsune�fs grave,�h Reiko said as she took her girlfriend�fs hand into hers and walked with the girl down the empty street leading back to Reiko�fs modest apartment. Although she had made a great deal of money with the publication of her manga, she simply put them in the bank in case she needed them. After all, ever since Natsune passed away, she found little reason to spend money for herself. Yet, now that she had found someone she loved, maybe she could start learning how to use them again.

�gWell... you see...�h Korona hesitated. �gI�fm not sure that she�fd want to see me. After all, I made you break your vow. She must be pretty mad.�h

�gIt was not your fault that I fell in love with you,�h Reiko replied in a quiet voice. �gIf she was going to be angry at someone, it would be me.�h

�gNo, it�fs my fault!�h Korona insisted. �gIt did everything I could to make you fall for me. If I hadn�ft....�h

�gNo, it is mine.�h Reiko shook her head. �gBecause I let you get too close to me that....�h She stopped abruptly, however, when the former Orochi Fourth Head began to laugh so hard that a tear leaked from her corner of her eyes. Amused, she simply continued walking hand in hand with the girl she loved and waited for the pop idol�fs mirth to subside.

�gAlthough I�fve seen lots of people trying to put the blame on one another before,�h Korona said in the end as she wiped the tear from her face with her shirt�fs sleeve, �gI never did people who tried to take the blame like we do.�h

�gWe are made for each other, then,�h Reiko whispered before she moved in and placed a soft peck on the younger girl�fs lips. A man who was walking passed them at that exact moment tripped on his feet and almost fell down on his face. Chuckling softly, they ignored him and kept on walking.

�gYou know what, Reiko?�h the pop idol murmured after a while. �gI don�ft have much courage now... but one day I would. Then I�fll come with you every time you visit her.�h She beamed up at her afterwards. �gWould that make you happy?�h

�gYes it would.�h Reiko tapped the tip of her sweetheart�fs nose with her forefinger. The girl blushed.

It was indeed a good thing that she had retained all of the memories but none of her Orochi powers, for now she could enjoy her everyday life like a normal person would. Now that she had once again found the meaning to her existence in the girl she loved, she was willing to forgive the world for what it had done to her in the past. She only hoped that Natsune, wherever she was in the afterlife, would understand and forgive her for it.

 

***

 

Lying on the side on the bed, Himemiya Chikane idly watched as the gentle light of the morning brighten into the harsh glare of early noon. School had started and should be half way through, yet she had no intention of moving away from her current position, let alone getting up. The maids in the Mansion had to be in frenzy right now. She would be shocked if they were not. This was the first morning Chikane did not come down for breakfast like always after all. A while ago, she even heard anxious footsteps outside the room. Must be Otoha�fs, she thought in amusement. She did not think she would care even if the Head Maid were going to hound her door all day. After all, in her arms right now, under the white sheet of her bed, was the one she loved, sleeping like an angel.

In the light of the late morning, Himeko�fs snowy skin, warmer than any fire, glowed brighter than a beacon in the dead of night. Her head was resting on Chikane�f arm, her long hair, fine threads of pure gold, stirred slightly in the fresh breezes that came in through the open windows, and her long eyelashes cast flickering shadows on a face beautiful beyond words. In her chest, rising and falling gently and most seductively, a wonderful heart was beating in rhythm with Chikane�fs own. Snuggled in her embrace was the most magnificent being ever created. Alone, the former Priestess of the Sun was worth much more than all the treasures in the world.

Unable to resist the urge, Chikane placed a soft kiss on the golden-haired girl�fs lips. It was only then did she notice that something was amiss. Combing her fingers smoothly through the little angel�fs silky hair, she smiled softly and said, �gGood morning, Himeko.�h

�gI didn�ft think I�fd be found out so quickly.�h Her sweetheart�fs eyelids fluttered. Her beautiful amethyst eyes then gazed into Chikane�fs sapphire adoringly while the corners of her gorgeous lips curved into a small yet ever so wondering smile. �gHow did you know?�h

�gYou twitched,�h Chikane answered, amused. �gAnd your heart is pounding more loudly than a drum.�h She took the little angel�fs hand and placed it on the girl�fs chest. �gCan you not feel it?�h

�gI�fll need to work on my acting a little bit more, I suppose,�h said Himeko, who gave her delicate lips a thoughtful tap.

�gWhy?�h Chikane frowned. �gWhat can you get out of deceiving me?�h

�gWell, ah....�h Blood rose in Himeko�fs face, a crimson color slowly marring her white and smooth cheeks. �gI was... thinking that if I kept pretending that I was asleep and clung onto you, I could have you hold me for the rest of the day....�h

�gYou selfish girl,�h she said, pretending to make a face while feeling her cheeks growing as hot as an oven. �gYou never care whether my arm would ache, do you?�h

�gNope.�h The golden-haired girl stuck out her tongue at Chikane and laughed.

�gThen take punishment for your heartlessness, Himeko.�h

Chikane drew her beloved into a loving kiss, which the latter returned, deepened, and ended up stealing all the air in her lungs. Considerably long afterward, she pulled away from the little angel, quite reluctantly, to prevent both from suffocating to death. She did not believe any other reason could have made her release her lover from it. She had grown somewhat fond of kissing Himeko ever since last night, she supposed. How could I not have? she thought. Himeko�fs alluring lips were so sweet they made honey taste bland and so beautiful a flower would pale in contrast. And of course, she doubted she was the first person to think that way. She only wondered how Oogami Souma would react should she smooch Himeko in front of him. Would he faint from the shock? Or would he explode in fits of jealousy? She could not wait to find out.

�gWhat kind of unconventional punishment is that?�h The golden-haired girl grinned. �gYou were just trying to find an excuse to kiss me.�h

�gI was,�h she admitted.

�gBut seriously, don�ft do that too often, ne...�h Himeko murmured and wrapped her arms around Chikane�fs neck, �gyou�fll grow tired of it someday.�h She laughed quietly. The former Priestess of the Sun was one to talk when she acted as though she wanted to pull Chikane in again as soon as their lips parted.

�gThat is not possible. Even if I got to kiss you every second until I died, it would never be enough,�h she whispered into the other girl�fs ear and made her color furiously.

�gYou�fre too naughty for an Ojou-sama, Chikane-chan,�h her lover declared. The smile she gave her afterwards robbed the sting off her words.

�gHow rude, I am not.�h

�gYes you are!�h Himeko looked away from Chikane and proceeded to fiddle with her forefingers. Her face could have done for a sunset. �gWhat you did last night was... embarrassing.�h

�gI see. I will leave you alone from now on, then.�h

�gI�fm... not asking you... to....�h With every word that she uttered, her voice dropped a little bit lower. Toward the end, Chikane was barely able to tell what her girlfriend had said.

�gWho is the naughty one here, I wonder?�h She laughed as her arms tightened lovingly around the Sun Priestess�fs tender, soft, and mysteriously fragrant body.

�gGood point.�h The golden-haired girl, too, laughed.

Despite her teasing the other girl about it, Chikane still felt flames raging fiercely on her face. The night in which the other girl became hers was sweet, the moments that tore down any reservation they might have but gratifying. Himeko had given her all and surrendered everything into Chikane�fs touch. Last night, time was frozen. Last night, the earth no longer turned. The whole world aside from her and her beloved girlfriend might as well never exist. All that she could see was the golden-haired angel�fs breathtaking form, which was entangled with her own amid the beddings. All that she was able to hear was the little angel�fs soft whispers of her name whenever she was not distracted by the passionate kisses. All that mattered to her was her sweetheart�fs loving arms about her back, every inch of her tender skin pressed against hers in the rhythm of their quest to learn the secrets of each other�fs body. The breaths they released on one another�fs face was searing-hot, the touches they made were electric yet frighteningly gentle and kind. She doubted the memory of such abandon would fade from her memory, if ever.

�gIt is nice weather outside, Himeko.�h She decided to change the subject. Keep thinking about it and she might just cook her face and brain alive. �gPerfect for skipping school and having fun somewhere.�h

�gI never expected that from an honor student like you.�h The other girl giggled. �gBut you�fre right.�h

�gWhere would you like to go?�h

She thought for a little bit and said, �gI�fd like to go see that puppy. Would that be okay?�h

�gThe one you were chasing after on the day we first met?�h

�gYep.�h The former Priestess of the Sun then caressed Chikane�fs cheek softly with her hand while she gave her the adorable smile that she always loved. �gIt was him who brought you into my life. For that, I�fm grateful. I�fd like to thank him properly even when he is just a puppy.�h The words were simple, the sentences short, yet she could feel the warmth and affection overflowing in her sweetheart�fs quiet and gentle voice.

�gHimeko....�h Chikane put her hand atop that of the golden-haired girl and held it closer. It was the hand of the Sun Priestess, the person who had saved Chikane from the abyss of despair and granted her one and only wish.

�gI�fll pick clothes for you, Chikane-chan. But I�fm kinda afraid you will look like a kid in a matching pair with me.�h

�gIt would be wonderful, Himeko.�h She rubbed her forehead against that of the little angel. �gGive yourself some credits.�h

�gNot just clothes, I�fll choose shoes, bags, and accessories for you, too.�h Her sweetheart smiled brightly. �gI�fll make boxed lunches for both of us.�h

�gThen we better get to it, that is, if you want to get home before midnight,�h she said and attempted to sit up straight. Before she knew what was happening, she had already been pulled back onto the mattress and found the little angel�fs sweet lips pressing most lovingly against hers in a kiss that could thaw ice. Wasting no time, she slipped her arms around her girlfriend�fs slim waist and kissed her back.

When they broke away afterwards, Himeko burrowed deeper into her embrace and whispered into the crook of her neck, �gIt doesn�ft have to be right now or even today, Chikane-chan.�h

�gWhy not?�h she asked, puzzled.

�gBecause I want you to stay here, by my side,�h the little angel answered in a quiet voice. �gBecause I want to look at you a little more.�h She held onto Chikane with her whole self and began to shiver as though cold. �gIs it not okay?�h

�gWhat is the matter?�h She asked while her hands ran soothingly up and down the golden-haired girl�fs back and her lips brushed lovingly against her forehead. Her method seemed to be working. �gSomething on your mind?�h

Himeko only gave a vague �gMmm�h in response and attempted to silence her by offering another kiss. Much as she wanted it, she declined by putting a finger against her lover�fs lips. She had an idea why Himeko was behaving this way, though. Ever since she returned to bed from the sudden phone call last night, the former Sun Priestess had practically glued herself onto her and refused to let go. Not that Chikane minded the intimacy, of course.

�gYou heard me talking to my Father, did you not?�h Chikane asked, smiling.

�gAm I that transparent?�h the golden-haired girl said, slightly startled.

�gSo that is a yes, eh, you eavesdropping girl.�h Chikane pinched her sweetheart�fs cheek playfully. �gNow, are you going to make me guess the rest of the way?�h

�gWell.�h The little angel cleared her throat. �gI heard you saying on the phone that your parents were going back home the day after tomorrow....�h

�gCorrect, straight from America,�h Chikane agreed. �gFunny how they said they missed me but they did not spare me a second to speak about us before they hung up and ran to some parties. But what about them?�h

�gUmm... you told me about your... father once, remember?�h Himeko hesitated. �gHe sounds... inflexible.�h

�gAnd?�h

�gWhat do you mean, and?�h She poked Chikane below the ribs and made her laugh out loud. �gAren�ft you afraid at all?�h

�gAfraid?�h she said. �gOf my Father? What can he possibly do that scares me, or my little angel?�h

�gTake this seriously, Chikane-chan,�h her sweetheart said, sounding slightly exasperated. �gYour father�fs not going to be pleased that his daughter is... umm... seduced by another girl. Why are you laughing?�h

�gIf you were the one who did the seducing, how was it possible that you did not have the courage to look me in the eye last night?�h She grinned openly at her girlfriend�fs rapidly reddening face.

�gWell... I... I....�h Himeko stuttered. �gBut that�fs not the point!�h

�gI know, I know.�h Chikane smiled as she nuzzled her nose against that of her sweetheart in an attempt to calm her down. �gBut you are worrying yourself over nothing, Himeko. You even defied the Immortals for my sake, did you not? And look where we are.�h

�gThat�fs because Amaterasu-sama bailed us out,�h the little angel protested. �gNow that we have severed all ties with Heaven, she can�ft do anything to save me from, say, being thrown out by your father. I think Otoha-san would be very eager to help,�h she added wryly.

�gWhy do you not think about the possibility that my Father may very well like you for the charming girl you are?�h

�gI�fm not joking,�h Himeko said in frustration. �gWhat if he decides that he doesn�ft want me in your life?�h

�gYou were afraid my Father is going to separate us? Was it the reason why you felt so insecure that you sought me out in the night?�h

The former Priestess of the Sun nodded and tried to hide her deeply flushed face with her hands.

�gSilly Himeko, thinking about such trivial things.�h Chikane tightened her arms around her beloved tender body and received a soft grateful murmur that she could not make out what in response. �gShould you not know me well enough by now?�h

�gHmm?�h the golden-haired girl breathed into her embrace. �gWhat should I know about someone who didn�ft dare confess to me during that last year and ended up keeping everything to herself?�h

�gA little secret, dear my precious angel,�h Chikane whispered. �gEvery time I look at you, I fall in love with you all over again. I cannot live without you and I shall not live without you no matter what my parents may do. They can disown me. They can chase me to the end of the world for all I care. The one thing that they will never succeed is forcing me to stop loving you.�h

�gChikane-chan....�h Himeko gazed at her while a dazzling smile removed all signs of anxiety and softened her beet-red face.

�gDoes that make you feel better?�h She continued after an embarrassed nod from the girl she loved, �gThat secret is not for free, Himeko. You must give something in return.�h She drew her face closer to that of the adorable golden-haired girl.

�gI�fd be more than happy to,�h the little angel murmured.

They returned to the endless symphony of hugs and kisses, pausing only momentarily just to let their breath catch up and then to feel the sweetness of each other�fs lips once more. Slowly, Chikane�fs left hand found Himeko�fs right. Their Priestess powers were fading away fast. Soon, they would lose the ability to see the sparkling Red String of Fate entwining their little fingers. Still, she knew that Enishi was still there, and would be for all eternity, regardless of how many reincarnations they might take. Until the end of time, they would be born on the same day, same hour, near to one another, their feelings intact. Their lives, their hearts were one now. If no God could separate them, no man would, even if that man was her Father. She had promised Himeko to never leave her side again, and she would pay any price to keep it.

 

�gWhy are you yawning so hard, Chikane-chan? And why do you stare at me like that?�h

�gBecause you kept me awake all night, Himeko.�h

�gI... I... didn�ft do anything!�h

�gYes, you did. You and your sleep-talking habit refused to let me close my eyes and sleep.�h

�gWhat... did I say?�h

�gAre you sure you want to hear? It may be embarrassing, you know.�h

�g....�h

�gFine, I will tell you. You said �gI love you, Chikane-chan.�h Dreaming of me, I take it?�h

�g....�h

�gHave I ever told you how cute you are when you blush, Himeko?�h

�gAnd how is that supposed to make you sleep-deprived? It sounds that disturbing to you?�h

�gNo, Himeko. I had to stay awake because I wanted to hear you say it over and over again.�h

�g....�h

�gDo you want me to get a mirror? Okay, okay, I was joking!�h

�gYou could have woken me up and... asked me to say it, you know....�h

�gYou would not be angry?�h

�gNo.�h

�gThen one more time, for me, please?�h

�gI love you, Chikane-chan.�h

�gI love you, too, dear my precious angel.�h