Anya gladly guided Lass and Ikarisa through the centre of the city square, as they made their way to a massive, item-filled store. The shelves offered all sorts of goods that seemed to originate from every corner of the world, giving their eyes more than enough to go by.

"I'm back!"

A familiar figure seemed to be eager, as she was waiting for their arrival, papers at hand while moving on Anya first.

"Ah, Anya! I was just thinking about you, some products came in and we need your signature-", Anya cut Sonia’s words, swiftly signing the documents.

"Done. Listen, Sonia, I've got some very special guests with me right now. They are here to talk about some...big numbers. So please take the entire thing to the secretary's office for review. Signature is there so it’s a whatever.”

”Got it boss!”, Sonia looked beside Anya and fixated her eyes on none other than Lass, “Wooaaaa-“, her smile began to widen more and more.

”Ah…here we go.”, Lass tried to avoid eye contact.

”Oh my god! You finally left that small town once a year! I can’t believe it! What’s the reason?! Did you give in to the tease?! You got excited about the new KoK tournament and wanted a look?! I’m telling ya, Anya is a part of it and it’s bound to be epic! I haven’t looked at it yet due to work, but man I’m going to bench watch up until her matches today!”, she excitedly barraged Lass with questions and babbling.

”Yea, I know…after being a part of it.”, Lass quietly said.

Sonia got even more excited, “What?! Wait, you’re the rising star I heard a word about?!”

“Not only that, he kinda kicked my ass on the second round. I’m eliminated, but I guess there’s always next year!”, Anya happily said.

Sonia got even more excited, “What?! No, no, no way! His skills outmatched Anya’s?! Ha! That ‘weapon testing’ wasn’t all you were doing, right?! I’m texting Nikki about this, it’s so epic!”

Through all her excitement, Lass began to lose hold of the situation rather quickly, Anya thanking for him stepping in.

”Hey, uh, Sonia. We’re kind of running late on delivery to Reingard Hall, right? You need to step it up a notch and get there in time for the party supplies.”

Another employee stepped from the side as he scouted the situation, pushing Sonia away to the staff room.

”Yeap. And I need to be there to back-check all of the supplies, so you’re running me late as well. Let’s go.”

”Ah, thanks Leo.”, Anya nodded.

”Ah, fine! Will do, but Lass, we’ve gotta talk about this later, ok?!”, Sonia looked back as she was being pushed by Leo.

”Sure, I guess.”, Lass replied.

”Drive safe you two”, Anya said.

”You too boss!”, Sonia and Leo yelled back.

The two of them left the room in a hurry, leaving behind everyone else alone at the store.

”Thanks for the save. I really can’t bring myself to reply in this type of situation. Too much excitement.”, Lass sighed.

”No worries, I got the queue myself, big guy.”, Anya winked at Lass.

”Um…wait. Are we driving somewhere?”, Ikarisa quirkily asked.

”Hmm? Nah, everything we need is right here!”

”Then why did they wish you to drive safely?”

Anya stuttered, “I-I uh…I’d rather not talk about that a lot, ehehe…”, she nervously laughed.

"That being said, they seem loyal to you. You know…for mere employees.

"I’d like to treat this ‘job’ in a friendly way. I did pick up a few antics from my dad, but no way in hell I’d be a copy of him. Just said and set the boundaries with them straight up, I might cut their paychecks, but that doesn’t make me rule them with an iron fist. Unlike my dad, I like to think I still have a heart and that’s what doesn’t make me a good boss according to him.”, she shrugged, “But when it does come down to it, I can very easily differentiate the line between friends and work or polite and complete ass. It kind of irritates me off that because of my dad’s sheer presence, most people in this place have to act like living robots. Pisses me off.”

"Tell me about it. It's the first time I've seen you not smiling on everything."

"To you, this is a store. To me, it's my own, personal, living hell, that asks for more when I have nothing left. If I could give it all away or burn it to the ground to start anew, I would. I grew to hate the corporate atmosphere anyway.", Anya said with a scoff.

"That's so sad...", Ikarisa said silently.

"A-Ah never mind!", said Anya as she snapped out of it. "Let's go up to my office. Everything I've found is up there.

Going up to her office they were both surprised to see it being the furthest thing from a merchant's boring old office. Instead of boring paperwork, they found massive, detailed, and marked maps of all the regions of the world. Instead of simple items from the shop stock, they found numerous magical items of all sorts and origins. Floating balls like drones, holograms, and virtual screens everywhere maintained and analyzed several different relics. Even in the dark, the entire room would have simply forever stayed illuminated. Truly a sight full of wonders.

"This is most impressive.", Lass said with acknowledgement.

"Oh wow! Look at all these!", Ikarisa happily said.

"All of life's works.", Anya said with a chuckle. "You can tinker around with anything you want...but the real research is here.", she said, bringing out a big book on the table. "That's right, I am as amazing on the field as I am off it. Alpha female!"

"Hah. Don't overcompliment yourself mutt. You already had it bad once today...anyway. What exactly did you find out?"

"This.", she said laying a big lance on the table. "It's a really old weapon I had intense luck finding out in the black market around Reingard. It was sold off expensively too, but money was never the issue. It originated from a place high above Gardard deep in the Victoria area...and if you run its Obsulyte signature through the scanner with the data I got from Lass...bam! Identical signature! Though the lance has a weaker one since it's been unused and tossed around for so long.”

"Hmm...and have you been able to find the origins of this thing?", Lass said with interest.

"I tried to but it was a hit or miss twice. I have it reserved for restoration tomorrow so until they can show me just exactly what that is, I can't be sure."

"T-That's...", Ikarisa paused at the presence of the lance.

A nostalgic look came across Ikarisa’s face. As she knew the sad story hidden deep within the massive lance.

"Huh? You recognize this?", said Anya with excitement.

"I...I do. This lance is the type of weapon given to Elysium class Valkyries...the highest rank there is."

"Valkyries? There's angels and demons brought into the mix now?", said Lass.

"There are fade reports of such beings but...not too great to make it into the history books. More like bedtime story books if anything.", said Anya, trying to trace back in her memory.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Well they existed!", Ikarisa said angrily. She then let out a sigh before continuing with her words. "Valkyries...you all remember the tale of Kaima, what people thought of heaven, and the events that evolved within it and the world below, right? My two brothers had preemptively created Sentinels as the guardians of Kaima itself. They were their own thing, Valkyries we called them. Each Sentinel, at the peak of their strength, was able to create an entire army of them by enhancing other beings, but when I gave life to Riza, the War Of Zero happened. It's what I like to call it...it was a war both devastating and detrimental to the future of the world, which we 'won'. But it really felt like way too many sacrifices had to be made for it. And not just other lives. When the first Sentinels stepped on Riza, affected by the ability to have free will, they stepped in to let their Valkyries be set free. Of course, that did not stand well with those still in control of my brothers...so a conflict of a massive scale happened. Those who wanted to be freed and those under the gods' control were fighting for their respective visions."

"So there indeed was a war far greater before everything?", Lass asked.

”I’d think so too. But the whole ‘gods versus humanity’ kind of thing still doesn’t stick with me. The title of god is kinda finicky in a world where everyone can do what they really should be able to.”, Anya shrugged.

"Because those 'Valkyries', were the precursors to today's Obsulyte users...at least some of them, given how most of them...passed. And yes, there was a war like that. My head is fuzzy…but I remember it. And for the title of ‘god’, that may also be true. I don’t see a meaning behind it. It’s not like I ever chose it. But for my brothers to be earning that title like Elysium Valkyries earning theirs…they are extremely strong without a known power origin. Sentinels, Valkyries, and even other living beings from Riza below were slaughtered and brutally murdered in horrifying ways. I don't really understand why it all happened, I mean it felt so...pointless."

"What, and the current wars going on were not pointless?", Lass scoffed, "Glad to see history repeats itself, at least then it becomes predictable enough for us to see what's ahead."

"The war was won with me leading the freed Sentinels and Valkyries against the Enmities...but the cost, as well as the result, was by far what I was hoping for. Almost immediately after the last Enmities were defeated by the rest of the Valkyries...they started losing their powers and wings. Their armour faded away, their minds went insane...the survivors of the war were set to live forever in insanity, slitting their throats, cutting and hurting themselves in madness. At least for the majority. Those who lost everything but could keep their minds fled and spread all over Riza, now living in every other area. At least they d before they were hunted down and killed in the World War that followed after the first breeds of demi-humans showed up. It was around the time I saw Dante slaughtered in front of me...all because...", she held the tears she wanted to shed. "No, not now. Out of the army of Valkyries that survived, all but one was the exception.”

"I think I read a little something on her from a book at one point. Some rogue Valkyrie correct?", asked Anya.

"My memories are hazy just like Lass’s. What I’m telling you right now is what someone else told me, as I can’t remember for myself. But for some reason…despite not knowing how I got here, this name echoed through my head over and over. Cecilia Elysia. The only Valkyrie who lost her abilities but kept her power and mind. She still saw me in that state...that horrifying state. She and I travelled the world trying to suppress all remaining threats from the chaos in Riza as my brothers and Sentinels were left sealed in Kaima. When the time came to part ways, I gave Cecilia the Key Of The Gate. A lance designed to protect and serve her so long as she drew breath, from which she would never be separated. When she first used that lance, however, something happened. It was as if she shattered space and time because the sky opened wide and a couple of stars came crashing down. And those stars, we just knew, they meant even more power and trouble, so we began tracking them down but never found any of them. We couldn't even keep them in check, which meant that someone got to them first. We did all that so that my brothers couldn't get their hands on all the power they could when they finally broke through and returned. I was always being told to relax, but I just knew, it was not a matter of 'if' but 'when' they returned. Though the stars are on their own, this lance, as well as Dante's sword, Excelsior as he called it, were not one and the same. Cecilia's power was as unique as Dante's when this whole ordeal ended, but this...this lance being here means…Cecilia is…”

She softly sniffed, as she could hold her tears no longer. She knew that for the lance to be present on its own without its rightful owner, meant the death of the one she once held dear, and the end of a hope she once held on to for seeing them again.

"But…she’s-", Lass forced his words to stop, empathizing with Ikarisa.

"Risa...", said Anya lowering her ears.

"No...much like you and Lass, I'm stronger than I look. I have to be…I must be!", Ikarisa said as she swiftly collected herself. "Within the Key Of The Gate...lyes the thing that was most wanted by many."

As she started tinkering with something, the once rusty lance began to fade away, Ikarisa now glowing lightly as she held a ball of pure energy close to her, merging herself with it.

"Wow! Nice!", Anya said, wagging her tail.

"'So long as this message exists to be spoken hopes and dreams will never be broken. Come to the age where humanity would find and fight every god's existence, this power, raw and pure, shall run to their assistance.' This a quote I will never forget, even if I am forced to leave back its meaning. This...isn't me. It's Cecilia. But I will use what she left behind to make sure that there's a future ahead. I will carry on this message for us.”, she dissolved the energy ball, faint swords of energy appearing behind her.

"You really...you are something else Risa.", Lass said calmly.

"Thank you.", Ikarisa chuckled softly. "With this, I'll be more than able to use my powers in the intense offense."

"Wait, you have combat experience?!", Lass said as he got worried.

"I...yes. But trust me for now, I'll tell you everything later. I mostly fought against my brothers and monsters, other beings and people are...no I can't.”

"Well, at least we got a double breakthrough! So Lass's powers are connected to that Cecilia...should be able to find something about her. And you got a powerful Woah, what the-!"

As Anya spoke, the ground started to violently shake, and items around the office began to fall all over the place.

"An earthquake?!", Lass said as he braced himself.

"No. It's not.", Ikarisa said angrily, knowing what the calamity was.

"We need to get outside, now!"

"Back door from here!", Anya yelled as she showed the way.

When they all made their way outside they were surprised and terrified to find immense hoards of powerful monsters covering both the ground and the sky. Slaughter and murder filled the streets as the once-stone pathways and alleys were starting to be painted in deep red.

"What the hell?!", Lass said in disbelief.

"Look! The KoK challengers!", Anya said as she pointed toward them.

Everyone from police to soldiers and even tournament challengers was fighting the desperate fight to protect everyone.

"N-No, not again...not again!", Ikarisa said through her fear, running off into the battlefield.

"Risa! Wait dammit! Anya listen to me! Get to the front of the fight and tell them to spread their numbers evenly along the suburbs, then back out and enter the main square! Priority is the innocent, not the monsters! I'm going after her!"

"Aren't you fast to take charge?", Anya smugged.

"Mutt!"

"Alright, alright, don't worry! On it!", she said as she pulled out her weapon.

Running after the quick little goddess Lass was surprised to see her tiny body and clothes all dyed in a deep red. Holding on to his sense he quickly approached her only to find out that the blood he had thought of her to be soaked in was anything but her own.

"Stand down!", Ikarisa kept yelling, "Never again!", she cried as she created a wave of swords, eliminating an entire group of monsters. “Ghk!", she struggled, "Thank you for doing this for me…again. I'll get used to this power...I know I will!”, she whispered.

"Risa...what the-", Lass paused and looked at a giant Enmity.

A massive black Enmity approached right above Ikarisa, as it was raising a massive blunt weapon to crush the tiny goddess.

"Kya!", she yelped as she covered her face, surprised by the ambush.

"Shit, I've gotta block it!", he said as he stood before her, using his body as a shield.

"Hah. Where did the elegancy of the sword go? I'll take care of this myself!", the voice inside Lass echoed.

Releasing the full force of his sword, a powerful wave of slashes came from 'Lass's' swordsmanship. Releasing the slashes and blowing them up, the standing monster was swiftly reduced to a puddle of blood, nothing remaining to resemble it ever existed. He then turned his eyes to the tiny goddess, whose bloody body had started to be cleaned on its own with her waterfall of tears.

"A-All this blood...just like...", Ikarisa froze in fear, remembering all sorts of brutal images, "I still can't do it! Useless! Useless, useless, useless-", she yelled grabbing her hair and hitting her head. Images of terror and suffering filled her head as her breathing became rapid and her eyes wandered all over. She was in disbelief at the scale of the chaos she had found herself in once again. Thankfully, not after long, she was stopped by Lass.

"Shut up! Just stop it!"

"E-Eh?", she looked up at Lass while her face was full of blood.

"You think it's all your fault but it was never the deal! I don't care what you say, 'cause you have no right to say those words anyway! I don't care that you're the goddess and I don't care what you have done or what happened in the past! All I care about is you and you as you are right now, got that?! So stop crying! Come on, we've still got a long way to go, so stay with me! I’ve faced this before…I know I have! So I’ll lead the way! You’ve only grown more and more courageous in the few days that I’ve met you, so show me what you’ve got!”

For a moment the fired-up battlefield went silent, as both their eyes connected. To what she thought would never see, Lass's passion and care were all that was written in his eyes, something which she was lacking to experience for what seemed an eternity.

"I-I...Lass I...", Ikarisa said, wiping her tears and calming down.

"Come on. Let's do this one, together. I won't leave you, Anya or anyone behind, so long as I'm able to get in there and fend them off! ‘We move and fight as one until we see the light of dawn’!", he said as he softly picked Ikarisa back up.

"That phrase, I...", she snapped back, "Right!", she jumped back up, wiping her face and once again collecting herself, taking on her battle stance.

A massive explosion from a nearby power plant was heard, spreading fire into the mix of all this chaos. And so the fires rose higher, as the capital was under attack by heavier numbers by the second. To the enemy's displeasure, the hope that never faded was indeed about to consume them...