5 Years Later.
Listening to the lapping of gentle waves on the sandy shores, Ada, wearing a jumpsuit closed her eyes, taking in a breath before she cast her gaze onto the sapphire waters of the beach before her and the city floating in the distance.
The Bastion of the New Frontier. Or, Jacksonville as they called it, Lita and the Hoshido coming together to establish a sovereign country on unexplored land.
With much of the debris from the battles and expeditions fought on these shores cleaned up, the sunny shoreline painted a fantastic summer space to wind down and relax.
In fact it had become a popular tourist attraction with many families and kids running by and playing on the beaches while old fishermen used the piers to fish.
Or, if you were Ada, it was also a good place to wait to meet up for the anniversary of Victory day.
The day the world won against the demonspawn. The day humanity lost all their mana.
Some called it V-day, some, Resurrection day, others, The Shutdown. But no matter what name it went by it was the same day that Jack had disappeared.
A loud vrrm took Ada’s attention from the scenic beach, her head shifting to the convoy of vehicles that pulled up on the nearby paved road.
“Lady Nguyen, the Republic’s delegation has arrived,” Ruby said, Jack's former eihngerjir now constituted in flesh and blood that had been her body guard for the last three years.
“Thank you Ruby,” Ada said, rising and dusting the sand off her jumpsuit laden with ropes, tools, and digging equipment.
The door of the largest car opened up, a black armored limousine that revealed a white-haired woman in a red dress flanked by green-haired guards in suits.
“Madam President,” Ada said, bowing her head slightly to the sleep-deprived Selfia who was flanked by Violent, the woman wearing a black suit instead of her usual black armor.
The precession drew eyes, dozens of beach-goers gawking at the sight of the president of the Republic walking among them.
“Councilwoman Nguyen, you didn't have to meet me out here,” Selfia said, extending a silver robotic hand as her blue eyes scanned the beach for threats.
“Please, aren't we beyond that?” Ada said, pulling the woman in for a hug as Violet stiffened up. “How are things?”
“Busy… too fucking busy,” Selfia sighed, dragging a robotic hand over her face ladden with black spots beneath her eyes. “Being a president is a lot harder than being a queen… maybe I should have just been a dictator.”
Ada smiled at the notion before turning to the man with sharp eyes. “Python, it's been a year, how are things with you and CC?”
“Same ol same ol,” Python shrugged, the man sporting a gold wedding ring that complimented the gold stars on his shoulders, a rank and reward for his selfless sacrifice. “Complaining a lot that I'm not home on account of being the Secretary of Defense.”
“Bandits?” Ada frowned.
“Still a problem but we're dealing with it,” Python said as the group entered the armored limousine and took off through the street.
Ada smiled at the guards of the president’s detail that filled the spacious cabin. Yun, Tyrah, and Jessica who led their entourage past large statues of Jack and Sahaqiel.
Every year as part of an agreement between their two nations, Ada and Selfia met at the remains of Heaven.
The Republic and the Frontier.
After the Shutdown many technological advances were rendered inoperable without mana such as airships, mechs, and power generators.
For awhile there was chaos, with Selfia and the others having to manage the hundreds of thousands of people resurrected who began cropping up across the world sometimes in seemingly random places.
But… somehow, despite the tensions of various groups arguing on how to run things, they had managed to quell most of the violence and chaos.
Although it had come at a cost in the way of two nations on separate continents run by different systems of governments.
Selfia and her Republic.
Ada and the Frontier, led by the appointed Speaker Lita von Strongarm with Kenichi and the other tribal chiefs as a council.
Despite unification of the world governments for the last expedition, it didn't wash away all the resentment and blood that had been spilled over the years. All the pain, loss, and betrayal.
Lita and her paladins weren't fans of the empire, and Kenichi and many nomads still distrusted the imperials. Without Jack around, the glue that had been holding the coalition together soon fell apart as thousands of resurrected tried to find their way in a world that had moved on.
Still, these delegations helped, with Selfia journeying across the world in what may had once taken days now taking weeks between their continents.
“Madam President, we've arrived,” Jessica said, stopping the car at a massive dig site that was teeming with workers dressed similarly to Ada.
Heaven. Or at least what remained of it after being transformed.
With thousands of newly resurrected needing homes, the once bastion of the demonspawn had become the capital of the Frontier’s government. The forward base for enterprising explorers and thrill seekers looking for lost treasures. Now, wires and electric signs hung on gold walls and marble pillars with old ruins turned into homes and shops.
Along with banners of silver wings circling twelve chairs that represented the Frontier’s council, the ruins of Heaven beat with the hum of civilization.
Of course it wasn't easy excavating and tilling the land, especially without mana, but everyday they were expanding the city underdark, and everyday they were exploring uncharted territory of the vast new continent.
“Oui, Ada!” Mo Ye called out, the lead engineer covered in dust and waving down the entourage as they neared the edge of where construction crews were working as well as the media outlets setting up. “Leona is asking for you. Says it's an emergency.”
Ada sighed, “Celeste and Ito again?”
“Yeah, they're in sublevel fifteen sector six. Colette ordered the area shutdown and everyone to stop working,” Mo Ye replied, calling up the lift.
“Alright,” Ada said with Selfia noting the lack of alarm on the woman's face.
“A common occurrence?” Selfia asked.
“Something like that,” Ada smiled softly, “It's a bit harder to reign her in now that she's older. If you'll wait here, I'll deal with it and meet-”
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“And miss up a chance to see my daughter?” Selfia said, a playful nod to a ruse told so long ago. “I'll come with.”
Selfia dismissed her guards save for Violet, ordering Python to handle the press who were already snapping photos.
The pair with their guards stepped onto the orange lift, waving at the media crew before descending into the bowls of Heaven.
“So, it's been a year since we've last met. No sign from Jack?” Selfia asked, attempting to break the ice between the clacks of the gears moving the lift.
“Nothing. But I'm sure he'll turn up,” Ada said, smiling casually as they passed by scores of workers working on other levels.
“You seem so sure.”
“Because I am,” Ada replied, “He asked me to wait, so that's what I'll do.”
Selfia turned away with an almost wistful look in her eyes.
“What about you? I notice there's no man in your life even after all this time,” Ada asked, waving to a group of workers they passed.
“Kinda hard to top the savior of the world,” Selfia grunted, turning away, “Anyway it's not like I don't have people lining up, they're all just too boring for my taste.”
Finally the lift stopped, allowing them to be greeted by Leona in ruined overalls covered in soot and Kamila whose flowy dress was simultaneously dirty.
“Smoke bomb?” Ada asked, stepping past the dejected pair to stand with the narrow hallway.
“”Smoke bomb,”” Leona and Kamila groaned in unison with Kamila holding up her empty basket, “She even stole my cookies.”
“Great… so no bribes,” Ada sighed, walking into the cavern with Selfia and the others trailing her. “I'll deal with her.”
“Common occurrence huh?” Selfia said, eyeing the intricate carvings and tunnels that led into darkened sections.
Besides looking pretty, whatever enchantments and magical properties had gone away the day Jack left.
Of course Selfia would never admit it, but she also missed him.
And also missed having mana.
“They both do,” Ada sighed, drawing Selfia attention, “Ever since Yukino started training her in martial arts, she's gotten a lot quicker at disappearing, Ito too. They're both stronger and faster than us and it also doesn't help that Ho-sook eggs her on and Colette gives in to everything Celeste asks.”
“Seems rough, ya know if you would allow my techs to analyze them-”
Ada’s head snapped towards Selfia with a glare.
“-I’m kidding,” Selfia said. “You know I’d never harm them.”
“You wouldn't, but what about more resentful people looking to regain their powers? Or people too curious?” Ada retorted as swift footsteps echoed through the cave. “I rather their powers be kept a secret.”
“Oh, you're here! Thank goodness, I'm about to lose my mind!” Colette shrieked, racing through the tunnel and grabbing onto Ada for support.
Ada paused, eyeing the woman also bearing the tell-tale signs of a Hoshido smoke bomb going off in one's face.
“She got you too huh?” Ada giggled.
“Don't laugh! She crawled into a sectioned off area with Ito! We haven't secured that tunnel, what if it collapses? What if it has demons or asbestos or brain-eating amoebas?!” Colette ranted, the woman shaking Ada in a panic.
“I'm sure she's fine,” Ada assured, removing the woman's claws from her jumpsuit.
Ada stepped forward, walking towards the small hole beneath a wall that Colette pointed out.
She took a breath, composing herself and taking in the cave-like scent of stone and oil.
“Are you-?” Selfia began.
“CELESTE!!!” Ada bellowed, her voice sending a vibrating sound wave through the complex that echoed out into the chasm behind her where hundreds of workers tensed up. “IF YOU DON'T COME OUT HERE THIS INSTANT I WILL GROUND YOU UNTIL THE WORLD FREEZES OVER INTO A NEW ARMAGEDDON!”
A moment of silence, the entire world seeming to come to a standstill.
Then, a rustle, the sounds of shifting dirt echoing from the crawlspace before a blonde-haired little head poked out with gold eyes focused on Ada.
“Hi!” Celeste smiled, her dirt-covered face lit up with joy.
Ada narrowed her eyes, “Don’t Hi me missy, you are in trouble!”
Celeste deflated, her expression souring to replace her false jubilation.
“Uuuugh. Party pooper,” Celeste grumbled under her breath as she was pulled up by Colette frantically checking her for injuries and rambling about the dangers of exploration.
“Party pooper?! I’ll have you know I’m tons of fun!” Ada retorted with Celeste rolling her eyes, “Where’s your brother? Do you know how dangerous it is to crawl-”
“Hi mom!” Ito shouted, crawling out from the tunnel and moving so fast he appeared to teleport to hug Ada’s waist and hold up a misbegotten treat. “Cookie?”
Ada sighed, taking the ill-gotten loot and patting the brunette boy with gold eyes who looked so similar to Jack. “Thank you Ito, you’re such a good boy.”
Celeste and Ito shared a mischievous look between themselves, one unnoticed by their parents who were too busy worrying over their safety.
Selfia leaned forward towards Ada’s ear, “You know they’re playing you right?”
“Probably,” Ada sighed, stroking Ito’s head.
“What were you two thinking?” Leona demanded, standing before them with her hands on her hips and a stern look. “Do you know how dangerous it is to explore these caves?! Time and time again we tell you not to do so and you keep-”
“We had to!” Celeste exclaimed, interrupting Leona and standing firmly.
“Oh really?” Ada said, pulling Kamila close and pointing at the woman. “You had to set a smoke bomb off in your auntie's face?”
“Yes! Daddy said!” Ito chimed in, drawing all eyes to the boy with an uncomfortable silence taking hold of the space.
“What?” Selfia said as Ada crouched down to bring herself to eye level with her son.
“Ito, what do you mean by ‘daddy said’?” Ada asked.
“Dad said to get your attention, TV people don't see!” Celeste chimed in with Ada’s eyes quivering as a shadowed silhouette of a person began to form behind the child.
Immediately the echoes of guns being drawn from holsters resounded, every able hand pulling out a firearm with Ada placing the children behind her.
The shadow began to grow denser, tightening until the shimmer of a humanoid outline became a black mass in the shape of a man.
A flash of light. Ada’s skin tingling as a familiar sensation she hadn't felt in five years touched her skin.
Mana.
Suddenly her breathing became easier, her body light, energized with her senses expanding in a way that momentarily blinded her.
Ada wobbled, her and every adult within the space disorientated as Ito and Celeste looked on unperturbed.
“Daddy!” Celeste exclaimed excitedly, brushing past Ada to hug the waist of an unknown man.
At least, that's what Ada thought until she focused her eyes and locked onto the face of the man she hadn't seen in five years.
“Tanji?” Ada said with disbelief at the figure with six wings on his back. Two silver, two white, and two black.
“Hey guys,” Jack smirked, standing in front of the group in robes of white that accentuated his golden tattoos.
Behind him, Sahaqiel and a little girl with raven-black hair.
“Oh God, please don't tell me you made another one,” Selfia said as her prosthetic arms began to react to the mana in the air and light up. “Wait? Lilith?”
“Yes yes, take a picture, it'll last longer,” The short woman said before her black wings expanded, lifting her into the air as Ada rushed Jack. “Well, see ya, good luck with your lives. I'ma go enjoy having a body.”
Jack smiled, bidding the woman adieu as he held Ada in his arms and eyed the stunned and shocked looks of those gathered.
“What took you so long?” Ada asked, looking up at Jack through teary eyes before she noticed the scars that ran along his body. “W-what? What happened?”
Jack smiled softly as Leona and Kamila closed in, the two medics trying to get a look at his scars that told tales of a hundred battles. Some were jagged, others neat, a few akin to burn marks or healed over skin exposed to radiation.
“It’s fine, I'm fine. Just a byproduct of… cleaning up.”
“So… does that mean you're here to stay? No more fighting?” Ada asked.
Jack lifted Ada’s chin with his finger, the woman nearly melting in his arms as she savored his touch.
“I'm home Ada,” Jack said, hugging the woman tightly as Celeste bounced happily up and down. “And… I want you all to meet my sister.”
A blue vortex opened up nearby, revealing a small green-haired figure with a white flower obscuring one eye while her other golden eye viewed the world.
She took a step forward, shrinking a bit into herself at the multitude of eyes staring at her.
“Uh… hi? I'm… Jill,” The girl said, stumbling a little but stabilizing using Sahaqiel's hand, “Ah haha, sorry, walking in the actual world is… weird.”
“Auntie!” Celeste let out almost knocking Jill over.
“Actual world? Where have you been?” Selfia asked.
'I’ve got something to show you,” Jack smirked, “To show all of you.”
Jack lifted his hand, the ruins around them suddenly glowing gold and reacting to the mana in the air.
“Awaken. Angel system,” Jack commanded, opening golden translucent interfaces that began to display before all those gathered.
“What… what is this?” Selfia asked, noticing the similarities to the System and her abilities that were lost five years ago.
Jack's eyes flashed, his body radiating a warmth that gave off comfort.
“The future of mankind.”