Alice's mother, Alena, walked over to Chika and knelt. A plethora of white aura surrounded the angel, an extremely powerful being. Alice wiped tears from her eyes. They reemerged.
"Daughter, what I am about to do cannot be done again," she said. "It is highly illegal, a skill once known by certain adventurers, went lost for a reason. Listen carefully, all of you. My darling daughter Alice, Harumi," her voice stayed on Harumi a little longer, before calling out the rest of the names. "Toru, Kitome, Seth. You are witnesses. If you can sense health, you will notice it at zero point one percent. The mist inside of her is a rope in which this girl is holding onto. A rope that only seriously powerful gods can give. Only a handful can do this, such as the god of Earth, Odin, Morrigan, so on. Normally these deities would proceed to do something that is forbidden. So let me say again, this skill is forbidden. Do not even so much as speak of it, do I make myself clear?" She looked at the group. They nodded, some wiping tears from reddened eyes. "Your friend, Clyde has lost control of his immense powers just now, which is to be expected. He is not at the proper level to control them just yet. You…will have to bring him to his senses."
"With all due respect uh….Lady Alena," Toru said. "He's…that form, he's like you, right? Some kind of angel?"
"No, he's a god, no doubt," Alena said. "Born in his world, without even knowing. Before I tell you how to handle that, let us focus on the task at hand. Zero point one means she's undoubtedly close to death and if faded, dead. At the early stage of passing. Which means, spiritually unconscious, preparing to cross over. Those with this skill can revive her, assuming you've healed the body. Remember this is once and only once. You're lucky I was stopping to visit my daughter. Now…stand back."
Alena stood and began to charge magic. An enormous amount of it. White and gold aura increased until it seemed bright enough to blind the Alice and the others. Then it collapsed into her mother's hands. "You lot must take the journey with the Stone. Even this girl, Chika. She cannot afford to die before your true threats show up. And trust me, you haven't seen anything yet. Power levels unimaginable, creatures and beings once thought myth." She gave the group a once over as the power in her hands changed from gold to a rainbow of colors. "Drill the information into your party, even future members about death. Have a plan for it."
The angel faced Chika again and chanted. "Chika, poor girl, hear my voice, life that is not life, death that is not death. It is not your time yet, for me being here is no coincidence. The gods of fate give you but one last chance which is shared among your loved ones. Life and life, breath and a dream, awaken…resurrection!" She thrust both hands at the silver-haired girl.
[Alena has activated FORBIDDEN MAGIC: resurrection!]
A geyser of light burst from the angel's hands and the sky. She continued to speak as the magic poured. "Take this as a wake-up call, a life lesson. On your journey, there are seven world star fragments that I'd suggest collecting. If you're tough enough to find them. What happens though, that is for you and your leader to find out."
Alena let out a breath of exhaustion. The magic funneled into Chika's mouth. "You lot don't know how lucky you are but I'm glad I came." She looked at the sky. "Wow, he's hurt. Reaching that degree of power…That is not supposed to be possible so early on. The strain on his body could kill him without the proper training."
[Chika's HP has increased to 100% and all status alignments cleared.]
Chika's eyes opened. The entire group surrounded her, hugging, and crying. Alice wiped tears away.
"Welcome back, Chika," she said.
The silver-haired girl stared at Alena, then at the entire group. She felt for a hole that was no longer there. She looked around, at the bloody carnage, the shattered sky, and for him.
"I'm alive," she said softly then looked the angel in the eye. "Thank you, Lady Angel."
"Please call me Alena. Like I warned the others, there is no coming back. You have been marked. I took a huge risk with a lost spell. One that isn't always guaranteed to work. Let this be your wake-up call. And a start to the journey that is to come."
Chika nodded. "Unfortunately, your friend has caused a mess, losing control of such power." She pulled out a talisman. "I hate to put you all back into danger, but this must be done. You must fight and seal him."
"No!" Chika said. "I…don't want to fight Clyde."
"Mother, I also do not wish to fight him," Alice said.
"But you want to help him," Alena said. "Then help him! This seal will turn off that unnatural super-form, lock it back in the hellish box where it came from. It's filled with enough taint to destroy this planet millions of times over."
Alice's eyes widened, along with everyone else's. Her life mate…her love… Surely, he'd turn back to normal if he saw Chika. But will he even see her? Will he recognize any of them?
"He seemed like himself before he left," Toru said.
"Perhaps so," Alena said, "but you will be a fool to ignore the taint in the air. The taint affects the mind—it is what can turn an angel into a fallen angel. This is why I cannot go with you." Alena passed the paper talisman over to Alice. "You are half and half, unaffected by the taint. The fate of the world rests on you, my daughter—all of you, friends of his, of mine. And those who approach."
Tear, Melody, and Natalia, as well as Ruri and Yusuke, appeared from Jumps. The magic of Tear and Ruri faded.
Alena caught them up.
"We cannot possibly take on something that strong," Melody said.
"Normally, no, but I have a buff that should help—it won't keep you from dying if you let it, but it's a counterbalance to the taint. This will enable you to fight him. A merciless being. The Tainted Stone."
"All of this because of me," Chika said.
"No, your death helped, but..." Alena paused. "There was an Omen's sphere that he seemed to have absorbed that contained the taint. Not all of it was purified. Your death opened a catalyst inside of him, enabling the taint to mix with his full deity form. Whoever he's after will surely die horrible and terrifying deaths."
Seth gasped but said nothing. Alice shuddered.
"Death is nothing new for a demon…but for Clyde, he who is not of this world…I don't like it."
"Don't worry about that, daughter," Alena said. "Unfortunately, this isn't close to the amount of damage he'll have to deal. Now, everyone prepare yourself. Heal up, relax, and then go to the mansion on six hundred sixty-sixth street. Fight him off, but get this seal to his skin. He'll be much happier once he finds out the benefits."
"Six hundred sixty-six," Toru said, his voice nearly a low squeal at the end. "Fucking ominous."
Seth shook his head.
"Great. We're about to be killed by Satan."
"Do not speak like that," Alena snapped. "You can do it. Focus and seal your friend."
"I know, I know," Seth said. "Thank you for everything, angel lady."
Alena sighed then hugged her daughter once more.
"I'll have words for Clyde when I return. To ruin my day off."
She aimed her hands at them.
[Alena activated GODDESS TIER SKILL: Aura of purity!]
[All party members present have been covered in the strongest concentrated form of the purity element.]
"I'm…I will be at your new house," Alena said. "I'm too beat to travel again."
"You are most welcomed, Mother," Alice said, hugging her mother again. Alena kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I'm proud of you. Now bring him back for your sake, for her sake and all who…" she smirked. "That will come in due time."
Alice's mother, Alena, walked over to Chika and knelt. A plethora of white aura surrounded the angel, an extremely powerful being. Alice wiped tears from her eyes. They reemerged.
"Daughter, what I am about to do cannot be done again," she said. "It is highly illegal, a skill once known by certain adventurers, went lost for a reason. Listen carefully, all of you. My darling daughter Alice, Harumi," her voice stayed on Harumi a little longer, before calling out the rest of the names. "Toru, Kitome, Seth. You are witnesses. If you can sense health, you will notice it at zero point one percent. The mist inside of her is a rope in which this girl is holding onto. A rope that only seriously powerful gods can give. Only a handful can do this, such as the god of Earth, Odin, Morrigan, so on. Normally these deities would proceed to do something that is forbidden. So let me say again, this skill is forbidden. Do not even so much as speak of it, do I make myself clear?" She looked at the group. They nodded, some wiping tears from reddened eyes. "Your friend, Clyde has lost control of his immense powers just now, which is to be expected. He is not at the proper level to control them just yet. You…will have to bring him to his senses."
"With all due respect uh….Lady Alena," Toru said. "He's…that form, he's like you, right? Some kind of angel?"
"No, he's a god, no doubt," Alena said. "Born in his world, without even knowing. Before I tell you how to handle that, let us focus on the task at hand. Zero point one means she's undoubtedly close to death and if faded, dead. At the early stage of passing. Which means, spiritually unconscious, preparing to cross over. Those with this skill can revive her, assuming you've healed the body. Remember this is once and only once. You're lucky I was stopping to visit my daughter. Now…stand back."
Alena stood and began to charge magic. An enormous amount of it. White and gold aura increased until it seemed bright enough to blind the Alice and the others. Then it collapsed into her mother's hands. "You lot must take the journey with the Stone. Even this girl, Chika. She cannot afford to die before your true threats show up. And trust me, you haven't seen anything yet. Power levels unimaginable, creatures and beings once thought myth." She gave the group a once over as the power in her hands changed from gold to a rainbow of colors. "Drill the information into your party, even future members about death. Have a plan for it."
The angel faced Chika again and chanted. "Chika, poor girl, hear my voice, life that is not life, death that is not death. It is not your time yet, for me being here is no coincidence. The gods of fate give you but one last chance which is shared among your loved ones. Life and life, breath and a dream, awaken…resurrection!" She thrust both hands at the silver-haired girl.
[Alena has activated FORBIDDEN MAGIC: resurrection!]
A geyser of light burst from the angel's hands and the sky. She continued to speak as the magic poured. "Take this as a wake-up call, a life lesson. On your journey, there are seven world star fragments that I'd suggest collecting. If you're tough enough to find them. What happens though, that is for you and your leader to find out."
Alena let out a breath of exhaustion. The magic funneled into Chika's mouth. "You lot don't know how lucky you are but I'm glad I came." She looked at the sky. "Wow, he's hurt. Reaching that degree of power…That is not supposed to be possible so early on. The strain on his body could kill him without the proper training."
[Chika's HP has increased to 100% and all status alignments cleared.]
Chika's eyes opened. The entire group surrounded her, hugging, and crying. Alice wiped tears away.
"Welcome back, Chika," she said.
The silver-haired girl stared at Alena, then at the entire group. She felt for a hole that was no longer there. She looked around, at the bloody carnage, the shattered sky, and for him.
"I'm alive," she said softly then looked the angel in the eye. "Thank you, Lady Angel."
"Please call me Alena. Like I warned the others, there is no coming back. You have been marked. I took a huge risk with a lost spell. One that isn't always guaranteed to work. Let this be your wake-up call. And a start to the journey that is to come."
Chika nodded. "Unfortunately, your friend has caused a mess, losing control of such power." She pulled out a talisman. "I hate to put you all back into danger, but this must be done. You must fight and seal him."
"No!" Chika said. "I…don't want to fight Clyde."
"Mother, I also do not wish to fight him," Alice said.
"But you want to help him," Alena said. "Then help him! This seal will turn off that unnatural super-form, lock it back in the hellish box where it came from. It's filled with enough taint to destroy this planet millions of times over."
Alice's eyes widened, along with everyone else's. Her life mate…her love… Surely, he'd turn back to normal if he saw Chika. But will he even see her? Will he recognize any of them?
"He seemed like himself before he left," Toru said.
"Perhaps so," Alena said, "but you will be a fool to ignore the taint in the air. The taint affects the mind—it is what can turn an angel into a fallen angel. This is why I cannot go with you." Alena passed the paper talisman over to Alice. "You are half and half, unaffected by the taint. The fate of the world rests on you, my daughter—all of you, friends of his, of mine. And those who approach."
Tear, Melody, and Natalia, as well as Ruri and Yusuke, appeared from Jumps. The magic of Tear and Ruri faded.
Alena caught them up.
"We cannot possibly take on something that strong," Melody said.
"Normally, no, but I have a buff that should help—it won't keep you from dying if you let it, but it's a counterbalance to the taint. This will enable you to fight him. A merciless being. The Tainted Stone."
"All of this because of me," Chika said.
"No, your death helped, but..." Alena paused. "There was an Omen's sphere that he seemed to have absorbed that contained the taint. Not all of it was purified. Your death opened a catalyst inside of him, enabling the taint to mix with his full deity form. Whoever he's after will surely die horrible and terrifying deaths."
Seth gasped but said nothing. Alice shuddered.
"Death is nothing new for a demon…but for Clyde, he who is not of this world…I don't like it."
"Don't worry about that, daughter," Alena said. "Unfortunately, this isn't close to the amount of damage he'll have to deal. Now, everyone prepare yourself. Heal up, relax, and then go to the mansion on six hundred sixty-sixth street. Fight him off, but get this seal to his skin. He'll be much happier once he finds out the benefits."
"Six hundred sixty-six," Toru said, his voice nearly a low squeal at the end. "Fucking ominous."
Seth shook his head.
"Great. We're about to be killed by Satan."
"Do not speak like that," Alena snapped. "You can do it. Focus and seal your friend."
"I know, I know," Seth said. "Thank you for everything, angel lady."
Alena sighed then hugged her daughter once more.
"I'll have words for Clyde when I return. To ruin my day off."
She aimed her hands at them.
[Alena activated GODDESS TIER SKILL: Aura of purity!]
[All party members present have been covered in the strongest concentrated form of the purity element.]
"I'm…I will be at your new house," Alena said. "I'm too beat to travel again."
"You are most welcomed, Mother," Alice said, hugging her mother again. Alena kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I'm proud of you. Now bring him back for your sake, for her sake and all who…" she smirked. "That will come in due time."
