—The Past Revisited—
—800 Years Ago—
A realm high above, far from the worlds below. Through the many clouds, the realm of the gods and home to the angels revealing. Platforms linking through chains, an ancient gate stretching tall, its burning symbols.
A deity standing in an electrical prison, that young woman high in the sky, unleashing divine lightning on him. The attack crashing down, his resisting barrier.
The cracking shield, his shortly shattering defense. That assault continuously crashing down on him, this entire shaking realm ripping away by the entity's immense force.
"Aa...aaa...aaahhh!!!"
Her quickly beating heart, these flowing sentiments. Her great rage, her deep agony. The breaking land, those shattering chains. Pain in her eyes, the maiden on her knees in darkness.
Gripping her arms, her vision slightly behind. Someone in red armor there, his sinister smile. Reaching for her, that young woman's increasing fury. Lunging at him, grabbing his neck. Raising him above, crushing down at him.
His fading presence, his creepy grin to her mind. Her clawing despair, her never healing torment. A pure light washing over the area, the heavens suffering underneath her wrath.
Divine feathers descending from above, bathing everywhere below. That slowly clearing energy, Maria lowering to a platform, displeasure in her eyes. Gazing down at Valor, the deity holding onto the edge.
Her deep emotions, her hazy memories, those feelings staying with her. Unable to despise her old friend, that one never meaning to harm her. Wounds on him, the god glancing back.
An endless distance below, his loosening gripping. Turning his attention to the maiden, his lightening eyes, seeing her familiar hand to him.
Someone continuously there for him, her warm heart. Extending his hand, taking hold of her own. Assisting him onto the land, his hands and knees to the ground.
Desperately grasping for air, that endless void below. The demon turning from him, Valor's vision to her. Events from her past, her never leaving agony. Those branding feelings in her, his reckless action inflicting pain on her.
Slightly looking away, guilt to him. Someone suffering in the darkest days, a deity unable to see it. Her smile going away, replacing with despair. Shifting his attention back to her, one continuously doing his best.
"Ah...thanks..." His uncertain tone.
Silence from the devil, refusing to answer him. Her boiling emotions, her unrestful heart. Her hazy days from the past, these eternally remaining sentiments. That god once enduring the weight of her sorrow, this person never forgetting.
Diving to her, screaming out to her, unable to reach her. His old friend sinking into the abyss, carrying his failure with him. Another chance coming many years later, the unchanging result. Standing from the ground, scratching the back of his head.
"I'm...really sorry...it was an accident." Lowering his head.
Glancing back, trying to calm herself. This hated deep inside of her, her tormenting sentiments. One meaning no harm, her understanding towards it.
Facing his direction, lightening her expression a bit. Conflict at times, both continuously there for one another. Her hazy memories, her high emotions. Valor slightly looking to her wings, shortly shifting his gaze to her vision.
"Hey, if you ever need an ear, I'm always here." Smiling at her.
Some embarrassment to her, looking away a bit. This person constantly there, her companion continuously at her side. Her deep pain, these confusing emotions. That god turning from her, looking at the damage.
Numerous platforms no more, a void almost filling Heaven's Gate. Her power in a seal, that young woman unleashing a frightening amount. Her guiding feelings, one damning the worlds two hundred years prior.
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"Damn, you really did a number on this place..." Whistling, scratching the back of his head.
Her strong emotions, one forever engraving her soul into countless. A realm in ruin, an entity secluding in the deepest shadows. Many years going by, that deity awaiting the return of his old friend.
Wishing to right the wrongs from his past, these haunting memories to him. Silence from the demon, the god turning to her. Their meeting eyes, this valuable person to her.
"So, now that you don't have a job to worry about, wanna go explore?" brightly grinning at her.
"Did I...hit you too hard?"disbelief from her.
"Meh, possibly." The shrugging deity.
Her humorless gaze on him, someone quickly bouncing back. Two friends for a long time, her foggy memories. One once filling with love for the worlds, hatred consuming her, yearning for her happiest times.
A devil breaking through her challenges, eventually taking the battle to the domain of the gods. Unleashing her feverish emotions, her voice reaching countless. A coming chance, the weight of her sins weighing on her. A selfish request to him, a deity following through on her wish.
"If there is one thing for sure...god my ass is burning!" Valor screaming in pain.
"Good, remember that as punishment." Satisfaction from her, her hand on her chest.
A sigh leaving him, her light action on him. That god in awareness, his determination to correct the wrong from the past. Standing in darkness, chains of tragedy binding her.
Someone continuing onward, her continuous torment. Wanting to grant her deepest desire, constantly trying to return those days to her. A terrible night long ago, his companion needing him, the deity not acting.
Many years going by, a devil ascending to heights far beyond her standing. Her sentiments finally reaching, scarring innumerable souls.
"Ssooo...you up for that offer now?" hope from him, his index finger to his chin.
"After you finish your work." Her firm voice, positioning her hand on her waist.
"Jeez...okay..." Sighing, lowering himself in disappointment.
An old friend continuously taking her to many places, the young woman's love for the worlds in the past. Their different times, that person still in there. Her never leaving pain, her great agony.
A chance to reclaim those days, one plummeting the worlds to ruin, all for her most important wish. Choosing to become an enemy, her emotions forever pushing forward. Her success two hundred years ago, this deity holding onto a promise.
"Look at it this way, the faster you finish, the faster we can be on our way." Faintly smiling at him.
"Yeah-yeah..." Looking away.
The slightly laughing demon, Valor's vision to her. A never changing deity, this childish person. Dread in her heart, some comfort with her. Ascending into the air, Maria gazing down at him.
His slight smile, watching her move higher. Witnessing her flying farther away, thinking back to their parting. A flowery field eternally to his mind, two old friends walking away from the other underneath the bleeding light.
Many years going by, that god searching for the day they will truly reunite. Turning, scratching the back of his head, observing the damage.
"Well...gonna have to explain what happened to Heaven's Gate." Sighing, heading on his way.
—Present Time—
Everyone gathering on the crystal path, their eyes to the portal ahead. That castle in view, the endless void around them, a space without end. Lucia deep in the maiden, that young woman having her way forward. Her many actions, carrying this great burden.
Enduring it, no matter the morrow, no matter the sorrow. One from the past slowly returning to reality, her heart wishing to be free, a soul steadily breaking the shackles binding it. Aster standing next to her, remembering those older days.
"Pain eternally inside of you, your great agony. Even through it all, your heart always being your guiding factor..." Aster faintly smiling.
The young woman noticing his expression, her heart nearing a wish. Two meeting at the start, that vampire secluding something. Diving further into the night, a solution coming to her.
Her old friend nearby, having a good idea on his location. These blissful sentiments, those quirks to her attention. Slowly connecting the points, an answer steadily coming to light.
"Something the matter?" Cyra looking towards him, slightly tilting her head.
"Ah yeah...just thinking back a bit. Anyway, we should continue." Aster scratching the back of his head.
"Very well then." Turning from him, gripping her wrist.
Faintly smiling, her warm heart. Those many hours, this vampire bringing joy to the horrifying night. Someone getting on her nerves, the young woman paying him back in kind.
These familiar emotions, feeling her companion close. That person having his reason, some more questionable than other. Both trusting the other, their strong bond.
"I will know soon enough." The maiden slightly looking away.
"Come on, let us head onward." Cyra glancing back to Aster.
"Right." Smiling at her, propping his arms behind his head.
The demon heading onward, Aster following behind her. That Queen and princess not far off, these companions making their way towards their next destination. Suspicions in the young woman, this presence close to her.
Her strong feelings on the matter, pressing onward for now. Her experiences in the dusk, pleasure in the horror. Sorrow around every corner, enemies lurking in the shadows, a vampire bringing joy in this terror.
The final phase is closing in, these valuable companions with me. This burden inside of me, those friends sharing in it. This darkness within me, I embrace it, I cherish it. After all, this is who I am. Those times from the past, I will reclaim it no matter how far I must reach. I will also right my wrong, and bring light back to my comrades. This familiar energy with me, my feelings growing stronger on it. For now, I will wait a bit longer.