Walking beside Izanami on the banks of Yomi, Rachel stared at the polluted river as the Hell Lady led her to a covered boat. Nia was bouncing on her toes beside them, the impish bunny’s hair bobbing with her skips.
The extravagant fallen deity’s face had softened as she guided them to board the vessel, redesigned with cushioned luxury for several guests. In the solemn, cold depths of Yomi, born of Izanami’s broken trust and longing for love, Rachel felt a slight change since her first experience with the powerful energies.
“Aren’t we on a clock?” she asked, sitting across from the woman and glancing across the river, and the ghostly entities of her realm shoved off from shore, taking them into the water’s flow.
A gentle sigh left Izanami’s lips, and Rachel heard the flapping of devilish wings or monstrous yokai that inhabited the underworld carried along the foul wind. Yet, under Yomi’s Hell Moon, she felt a hint of happiness and bliss that were reflected in the fallen goddess’ face.
The woman’s shockingly kind eyes moved to Nia, and she pointed behind the big-eyed bunny. “There is one of the spoils, Dear. Why don’t you play?”
Nia flipped around to spot Conner’s dolphin, floating beside the boat. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you, Auntie Izanami!” the girl cried, despite it being their own hard work that had given them the prize. “Let’s go, Dolfo!”
“Already named him?” Rachel chuckled, playing with a lock of her hair as Nia jumped on the constellation creature and shot into the sky with a cheer. “And these are mine… What happened to Conner?” she whispered, picking up the man’s shiny sun gauntlets, useless to her, but she had a plan for them.
The Hell Lady folded her hands in her lap, looking after Nia in a longing, motherly way. “Auntie Izanami… What a charmingly deceptive little devil of a bunny.”
Yseress appeared beside the woman, purse held at her front and giggling as her infernal eyes fixated on Rachel. “A natural manipulator that uses her age to her advantage. Perhaps she does take after you, Baroness.”
“Princess,” Rachel returned with a short chuckle while holding the gauntlets to her stomach for Nia to absorb into her storage slots, not incorporating them into her denier. “You seem to have changed since gaining control over Conner’s Seed. How much time do we really have?”
A small, upward tilt came to Izanami’s cheeks, still pondering something as she followed Nia’s gleeful loops in the sky. “Conner has long since died, but you can get the details from Eostre before you return; it takes time for something this large to collapse before the link to Yomi is severed. I think it is best you soak up as many rays as you can… while you can.”
Her somber gaze drifted to Rachel, vision sliding over her single horn and black, red-streaked hair. “Yomi is a mirror of my own corruption, misery, and torment… This is me,” she gestured toward the polluted river and filthy, bare landscape. “What do you think? Tragic?”
Sitting back, Rachel’s black four-leaf clover eyes scanned the ruined town of Yomi. “I’d say it’s tragic… but I hear something on the wind I didn’t when I first came here.” Tapping her bottom lip with her knuckle, she puzzled over the strange sensations filling her from the overhead moon. “Maybe it’s because I’m resonating with this realm, but I do think you’ve changed since I met you.”
Yseress smirked, but it soon shifted to excitement. “Lady Izanami doesn’t change. Unless… she used the power of the Seed? Does it have that ability to purify you?”
Izanami’s gaze fell to her folded hands, her voice a sad whisper. “No. The Seed can only change parts of the universe inside of it and invite other realms to answer its call. What do you hear, Rachel?”
Rachel held a hand against her chest, suddenly restricted by the emotion echoing through the wind. “Happiness… Bliss? It’s strange when I’m practically a devil…”
Izanami’s smile showed true as her rotten corpse took the place of the illusion, displaying her true form while staring up at Nia. “The call from the jagged rock, threatening… joy. It struggles to be heard like a siren’s call… the gold and honey dripping from the Seat of Divinity,” she breathed, touching her cracked lips.
A silence fell over them with the surreal pressure that came from the Hell Lady’s gentle words. “It’s not beautiful or pure, but I can hear her song from beyond the shore… I feel her wind against my face from the flapping of her wings… the black and silky tenderness choking me… I can almost taste happiness, Yseress.”
Rachel could feel the tug from the tragic woman’s desire that wove through the hellish plane, and the smallest of smiles lifted the unchanging, melancholy visage of her corrupted face as she looked at the breathless princess beside her.
“I’ve caught a glimpse of it in these games… It’s such a long way off, but now I know it exists.” A few black tears fell out of her discolored eyes. “Hmm-hmm. Damn you for allowing me to taste this again, Cerridwen. Such torture.”
In a flash of flames, her elegant disguise returned, Izanami’s half-smile breaking the tense atmosphere as she crossed her legs and studied her.
“I was not going to fall into this trap of making deals and entreating mortals for their favor, Rachel. I am far too numb and nihilistic to think there is such hope for someone as lost as myself. My existence is cursed for eternal torment, but there is one thing I would challenge you with. Interested?”
Ears leaning to the left, Rachel’s eyes narrowed, grin widening. “Why me? Because I can become a Princess of Yomi, like Yseress?”
Izanami leaned against her armrest, the back of her fingers held against her cheek as her chest shook with silent mirth. “There are countless Princesses of Hell, Rachel, and far stronger beings inhabiting the Nine Circles. While you are… unusual, I am far from intrigued by you personally. Cerridwen, though…”
“What about her?” Rachel asked, looking toward Yseress as she took a chair between them that flashed into existence.
The seductive, corrupted nephilim’s devious slid over her changed figure, examining her twisted soul rather than her body, Rachel was sure, as she answered for her mistress.
“Cerridwen knows things she should not, meaning she has embraced a master beyond even Lady Izanami’s understanding. Naturally, the intertwining threads of destiny that brought Yomi into this game would fascinate my mistress.”
“Fair,” Rachel muttered, intertwining her fingers; she could feel the pulse of Yomi like the beating of Izanami’s own dead heart, which was distracting and made her ears twitch. “What would I get in this challenge if I succeeded?”
A secretive twist came to the beautiful woman’s lips. “Unfiltered access to Yomi’s raw energy, without the limitation of the Hell Moon.”
Vision widening at the implication, Rachel sat forward. “I can gain this power even in the sunlight… How?”
“That’s for you to discover,” Izanami giggled. “I take it you’re interested?”
Even Yseress appeared unsure of what her mistress was cooking as Rachel deliberated on the offer. It certainly was an enticing prospect, but she knew better than to go in blind.
“What price would I have to pay? There is always a price.”
The Hell Lady slowly lifted her hand, drawing attention to it before gesturing at the corrupted nephilim between them. “Yseress will soon be making arrangements to send our forces to your Earth. There is a battle to be fought, and our foothold is far from the strongest in this fragment of your universe. Your challenge is to convince her to accept your help, join you, and fulfill her dream. It is also up to you to discover what that is.”
Yseress shot to her feet, her black purse held against her chest. “Mistress! I do not need some weak mortal to achieve our desire!”
Izanami sighed, yet the woman wore a smile as she rubbed her ear. “I hear a little devil clamoring in my ear and chasing away my harmony. Do as instructed, Dear.” Her glinting eyes flicked to Rachel. “As the humans say, the ball is in her court; I simply pushed it her way and gave my permission to entreat you.”
Rachel threw her arms over the back of her chair, staring at the disgruntled blood-and-wood-winged woman. The Hellhound triplets’ contract made her upper arm itch as the uncomfortable thought that maybe she’d already made a deal to go after the Princess of Hell.
Then again, if someone as powerful as Yseress was going to be making their way to setting things up on Earth, then it said a lot about what forces were preparing to enter the scene, working behind the curtain. It was a hint in itself.
“I’ll keep an open mind.”
Yseress snorted and rolled her eyes. “It is impossible for you Seed Holders to survive what terror is brewing around your tiny planet. By the time I get there, you are likely to be nothing but broken bones. Demons have already infiltrated your world.”
“Good to know,” Rachel chimed. “Does that mean Nia and I will be able to make a nice demon hide purse like your lovely fashion statement?”
The nephilim’s ruby eyes and lips creased with a smile. “I suppose you might have an eye for good fashion, which is something, at least. Maybe you will survive some of the rumors spreading through the Infernal Layers. Mistress, may I leave to scout out potential cults to hijack?”
“Happy hunting.” The half-angel bowed and vanished in a flare of black fire, crimson electricity burning the air in its wake, leaving the Hell Lady’s gaze on Rachel. “Back to the matter at hand… You have two reward options, but I can assume what your first request will be for your little soldier.”
Nia came flying out of the sky, moving through Hellfire to appear on her own seat. “Oh, reward time?! Dolfo vanished… Can we extend his time limit, Captain? Five minutes is sooo short!”
Rachel reached over to ruffle the girl’s hair and fold down her ears. “Maybe, but I don’t think we’ll be keeping him for ourselves if everything I have planned worked out.”
“Fooie… Okay,” she said with a light pout as Rachel moved on.
“No, first… we need you to grow up again. Can the restriction be undone?”
The little gremlin’s face grew excited. “Oh, and give me more superpowers?! Yes, please, Auntie Izanami!”
Izanami offered a melancholy smile before shaking her head. “The power used when restricting her was from an advanced Challenge Rating. Even if I were to use the combined strength of the two rewards, I could only provide Nia with a temporary release state.”
“Aww… So, I’m a kid forever?” Nia groaned, glaring at her tiny figure.
“Not forever,” Rachel returned. “Alright, I’m guessing you knew what I wanted, so you conserved as much strength as possible with the Seed to do this. Let’s do it. How long will she have, and can it be upgraded?”
“Unfortunately, it is a powerful curse, being done as a Challenge Rating 2 Restriction within a Legend’s Quest,” Izanami clarified, taking Nia’s small hands in her own and sweeping back her bangs as the Hell Lady fussed with the surprised Hell Bun’s outfit. “All I can do is provide a counter blessing that rebuilds its strength to subdue the curse for a time… There.”
“T-Thank you!”
The fallen Creation Deity truly appeared to be a good mother, reminding Rachel of the times her mom had done the same before school, teaching her how to present herself properly. Done fixing Nia’s outfit, she prompted the quivering Hell Bun to sit.
“Six hours released, eighteen hours in rest.”
“Sleep included?” Rachel swiftly asked.
“Indeed.”
Her teeth flashed, holding up a hand for the thrilled girl to slap. “Not bad, huh?!”
“Yes! Yes! Wait…” Nia froze in place. “Does that mean… I get double the outfits?!”
Rachel lifted an eyebrow. “I… guess it does; well, not storage capacity, but Mom will definitely love to get you more clothes to fit a child and adult. At least until Maria is strong enough to break that curse… We’ll probably have to pay a hefty amount, though, considering her profit mindset. I do have an upfront payment, at least.”
Nia wasn’t listening now, jumping out of her chair to dance around. “Aaah! Wooh! I get cute girly clothes and grown-up clothes! Oh, oh, sorry, Dolfo! We’ll figure out a way to break that five-minute curse, too! No! I got it! We’ll hold a witch hostage, tie her up over a big pot of water, and threaten to poof her unless she gets rid of the curse! Hehehe.”
“Dream big,” Rachel snickered, leaving the girl to her childish, imaginary machinations. “Are all Legend Quests like this, with rewards and stuff?”
“Hmm-hmm. No,” the Hell Lady mused. “Your favorite lesser god manipulated things in this light. Typically, rewards are far more geared toward the quest itself than this selection process. It is his moronic manipulations of the preset tournament that was the cause of me changing things in the last match to use the other pantheons to supplement what energy was lost from the previous rounds.”
“Impressive. Is that everything?” she asked, glancing around the filthy riverscape. “I have a needy vampire girl to check up on.”
Izanami held up a finger with a sly twinkle in her flaming eyes. “I said I was not interested in begging you for space in that Seed of yours, yet that does not mean you did not make an impression on the other pantheons. One has stepped forward who has taken quite a liking to Nia specifically.”
“Oh?” Rachel hummed, spotting the girl’s puffed-up chest at doing a good job, begging for praise as her Chinese hanfu flashed into place. “Who might that be?”
Motioning to the chair beside her, Rachel’s devilish smile grew as a beautiful, pale, milky-skinned woman appeared, practically glowing with serene grace. With hair as black as night and lips like cherry blossoms, the graceful young lady’s stylish hair ornaments brought onlookers’ attention to her elegant face.
Smoothing out her long flowing robes, she presented a sweet smile. “Lady Izanami, Park-Sung-Hyo, I am Chang’e, the spirit of the moon and its grace. I reside within the 6th dimension and have been delighted to hear word from the lesser deities regarding your battles and personality. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Nia took on a whole new persona, mirroring the classy young woman. “Lady Chang’e, it is so wonderful to, umm, meet you?” she said, probably unable to find the right word her adult self would know.
“It is pleasant to see such a magnificent bunny of the moon, Nia.” She covered her mouth with her sleeve while displaying a soft laugh that lit up Hell. “I suspect that you were fashioned by a version of myself, yet far more skilled than these clumsy hands.”
Rachel’s questioning eyes darted to Izanami, who snickered and gave Chang’e a light glare. “What is she talking about?”
“Secrets should be bargained for, and here I let you have an angle of attack that you squandered.”
“Apologies, Lady Izanami,” the young woman whispered, showing a womanly poise, “but I am not here to gain anything from Rachel. Your rescue of Nike in the face of an opponent so far above you that it cried absurdity was… breathtaking. I only wish I had been here to see it personally. I think I am becoming a fan of yours, Rachel, which is why I hope to persuade you to find balance.”
“I appreciate that,” Rachel said, still caught on the previous topic, “but what do you mean, Nia was likely created by a stronger version of yourself?”
Izanami sighed and folded her fingers against her stomach. “It is an… uncomfortable topic. While you mortals saw no change for nearly a century after we higher beings saw problems arise, we dealt with our own version of change. Numberless universes, in your finite mind, collided together…”
She waved her hand to show a dozen other clones on the ship as a short tug pulled against her soul; the Seed was starting to collapse, and she could feel it, yet the Hell Lady went on with her story.
“4th-dimensional to 7th… versions of ourselves from many universes were smashed into one soul fragment, and only one of us could take the sole place available in this plane. It is where I received these scars on my face,” she whispered, the illusion fading again to show the closed, ugly gashes.
“Due to my superior knowledge and aptitude when at my prime, I stood victorious, yet I cannot be sure my children are even my children anymore… but there is one thing I do know, and that is enough.” Facade returning, she held a hand toward Chang’e. “What the Lady Moon brings into question are the versions of ourselves beyond the 7th dimension, where Dionysus was dragged. A chilling prospect for us.”
Rachel leaned back, folded fingers resting against her belly. The Izanami in front of her was the strongest version of her amongst countless universes, who had a similar figure, and they’d all battled to have a place within their universe, only to discover they were trapped between the 6th and 7th dimensions.
If it included the 4th, then that meant Dionysus was the strongest version of himself amongst all those universes. It also meant all of the gods would be suspicious of one another and had already been conditioned in combat. Athena’s inability to get the main three Greek gods on her side made sense now. A lot of trouble came from that understanding, and it put more into perspective regarding the incomplete pantheons that had watched her.
“The Heavens and Hells are in chaos, then… You don’t have anyone on your side… do you, Chang’e?”
The young woman looked away with a somber sigh. “It is a loose non-aggression pact that… most are agreeing to follow as we discover how things will play out. I will say it is… disheartening to learn that throughout all those versions of myself, corrupted, fallen, and… haaa. It seems transcending to the 6th dimension is the highest I was ever able to reach.”
Even when a devil bunny, Nia’s eyes were big and watery at the goddess’ words. “Please, Captain, can we help her? She likes me. She probably made me.”
Nia… It could be a lie to get close to us, she mumbled. You need to understand that this innocent young woman is not so innocent. At the very least, she can handle herself if she battled… let’s say, a million clones of herself and came out on top.
“Oh… Oh, yeah, she’s a badass! We totally should recruit her!”
Haaa. You aren’t going to give up on this.
“She thinks I’m cute!”
Studying the pair, Rachel rubbed the back of her neck. “What exactly did you want to do? Get more powerful by doing something with my Seed?”
“Oh, no!” Chang’e took a deep breath and streamed it out. “I’m not here to ask for anything from you. I’d only like to see you not so… focused on the Infernal side of the spectrum. Not that I am trying to insult you, Lady Izanami. I believe you are far more capable of handling Divine Force than I, given the reputation I have heard from your children.”
“She can flatter, can’t she?” Izanami chuckled. “You are out of time, Chang’e. I would get to the point.”
The woman gave a gracious nod. “Thank you. I will simply offer my own blessing, as Lady Cerridwen has already done. When you choose your next Feat, it should be available, should you choose to take it. It is your choice. It will allow me to view your progress and nothing more. I hope to see you grow and learn the joy that is in Divinity. Perhaps we could be friends… in time.”
A hollow look that revealed the pain of killing herself countless times shone through her soft eyes. “It would be nice to find someone I could trust. I haven’t felt this lonely since… for quite some time.” Rubbing away a tear, she smiled and waved her goodbye, possibly referencing the time she’d taken the immortality elixir intended for her husband when assaulted by a robber. “Good luck! I can’t wait to see how you grow, Nia.”
“Thank you, Moon Mom!” Nia said with a childlike grin, making the woman choke up, and even Izanami’s lips drew in as she hopped forward to hug her. “I’ll make you proud!”
Drawn out of the 7th Circle, Rachel was a tad surprised when its rays didn’t leave her. Standing in the middle of the large, original sandy stadium of the Legend’s Quest, above them was a portal, showing Yomi with its edges slowly closing in. The sweet smile of Chang’e and the devious smirk of Izanami observed, the 6th dimension now cut off from Conner’s Seed.
Eostre and Moongmor stood in front of them, the woman far more relaxed now that this quest was over. She didn’t waste any time in posing her question, either.
“Do you want to save Conner’s Seed, or do you want to let the Black Moon swallow it? The man died moments ago, after fifteen years of struggle and sought redemption to the end.”
“What about his weapons and pet? Did his Seed grow from those fifteen years?” Rachel asked, extracting the sun gloves to study the intricate design.
Eostre closed her eyes and shook her head. “Upon losing to you, the Seed was stripped out of his soul, and his items were taken from him by Izanami since everything was given to you as the spoils. The Seed itself is… unorthodox, she said, but showed me it is possible to remove and gift to another Legend to continue the quest.”
A pressure struck Rachel’s chest as she looked to the south end of the stadium, where the Black Moon still hovered, gradually fading away; its rays didn’t reach her like Yomi’s.
“Fifteen years… as just a wrestler. Hah. Was he at least able to keep his abilities?”
“Yes,” Eostre confirmed, making Rachel’s eyebrows draw together as she explained. “The Seeds reshape the soul, meaning that the potential to access his Feats was still within him, but the assistance on using them was taken away…”
She hesitated before clearing her throat and asked, “Would you like me to show you his life in those fifteen years? It was quite a change… and he spoke quite often about how you altered his destiny. Almost as if you were a friend.”
Taking in a deep breath, Rachel let it out, recalling his last words before she sent him into the Black Moon. “To die a Legend’s death… and to live on as a stepping stone in my story.”
Drawing in her lips, knowing time probably was heavily changed as it was, and Eostre wouldn’t be offering if it would take a long time, she nodded.
A rose bloomed in Eostre’s palm, and she blew it toward her, the petals cycling around her. Viewed as if in 3rd person, Rachel watched the man fall into dark woods for a pack of vicious, nightmare-born tigers to emerge out of the mist, each three meters tall, with eyes glowing yellow, locked onto him.
The Legend scrambled to his feet and tried to defend himself, still rocking the body of a Greek god, but his resilience had sharply declined, and bleeding gashes soon covered his bronze skin until an eruption of green smoke filled the forest, driving the snarling tigers back.
A small group of men and women picked him up, releasing more gas bombs and wearing strange tiki masks. Time skipped, and he met a rather small, not-so-attractive woman in her mid-twenties dressing his wounds. Newcomers brought hope and skills they desperately needed in the hope-absorbing moon.
Hiding in caves, one they’d won from a nasty pack of miniature puppets by using their alchemic skills to purge it with fire, Conner slowly came around. At first, he was solely focused on his mission, but as time went on, a dream entity tormented him with the victims of his past, stretching the Legend to his limits.
Unable to sleep, and when he did, waking in screams from the torment he received, the woman was his rock, finding herbs to help suppress the creature’s mental claws. It was from this they formed a friendship, then they grew closer, and Rachel saw the gradual change in the nightmare world, yet never once did he tell them their plight was hopeless.
If he could just edge out a little better of a life for them, then it would be enough for him, and he did. Year after year, he trained, and he grew. Rachel felt genuine pride to see the second chance he’d been given used to its fullest.
Sure, Conner made mistakes and made his best friend cry and suffer. He was stubborn as all hell in doing everything himself—and slightly misogynistic at times—yet that pride was broken down, and she was there to comfort him for his flaws, helping him through when he almost broke.
Twelve years later, a friendship grew to love, and they became a couple, developing a safe, fortified town adapting to the trouble that was sent their way every night. Conner had grown strong, though. He had something to lose.
On the eve of their son’s second birthday, a dragon attacked their settlement, and Conner used everything he’d learned to keep them safe. He had his kinetic force absorption and partial-liquid transformation, yet the cackling summoner that created the lizard had planned accordingly.
This nightmare was a long antagonist to their settlement, and Conner could feel this would be his end, a hundred demons joining the dragon, yet he marched out unafraid, comforting his crying wife and bewildered son.
Fighting with the friends he’d gained over a decade, Conner took the attention of the horde, leaving his wife to sneak into the forest and deliver the final shot into the summoner’s heart. They’d killed the great nightmare of the forest that sent his beasts and had only lost one man, but it was felt.
Rachel watched Conner laugh as his wounded but still living comrades huddled around his broken, burnt body, his wife running through the vanishing summons to reach her husband, screaming his name as her sister cared for their child from a safe distance.
He looked right at Rachel as if he could see through time, and there was happiness and fulfillment in his single in-tact eye.
“It was… half the size of that lava dragon… Hah-haaa. Right, Rachel? Nothing… Fifty demons? My wife got the kill shot—what a badass,” he said through fits of pained laughter as the odd mix of humans and other creatures huddled around him, paying their respects.
“I’m a bad man… but a bad man can still do good… A bad man can still do good…”
“Conner!” his wife cried, falling to his side, unsure where to touch him, yet none of her scars had come from this battle. “Conner… Why do you have to be a dumbass and do everything yourself?”
“Because—I love you,” he whispered, eyes fading away as he took his final breath. “I love our son… He’ll be strong… Thank you, Rachel… He’ll be good. He’ll be good.”
As the vision drifted away, Rachel let it go, and even with the filth of Yomi overhead, she could respect the Legend. She saw an entirely different person than who she’d fought; he’d found something worth more than himself, and the Black Moon provided a stage for him to be more than just a man seeking glory. He let his wife take the glory.
“I may not have had a high opinion of the short-shorts-wearing hulk of a man… excluding his muscles,” she added to Nia’s giggles. “But… in the end, Conner was a hero, carrying the baggage of a villain.”
Eostre looked away from the Black Moon as it disappeared. “Do you want me to give you his Seed to save those here? It must be given to another Legendkin.”
Rachel put her hand on her hip and looked at Nia. “Give Anthony an upgrade? Maybe we can get him to join the unit?”
“Sure. I don’t know him, but I need to get back into my battle gear for our next fight! We’re loaded on Hell Energy. Hehe.”
The solemn woman held out her palm, another rose blooming to reveal a tiny, glinting, golden Seed. “I’ve condensed it into a physical container. If Anthony eats it, it will be absorbed into his soul, and now…”
A rift appeared as a tremor shook through them, and Rachel gave her a two-fingered salute. “Catch you on the flip side, Eostre. Hopefully, you won’t be a damsel in distress again.”
“That would be nice,” she giggled, stopping her just before she went through. “Although, Rachel, you will suffer harsh spiritual fatigue for how quickly you have stretched your soul. I suspect the many Unique Moons will also have their adverse effect on you after leaving the quest and things start to settle in.”
Placing the Legendkin’s Greater Seed in one of Nia’s slots, Rachel laughed, Hellfire dancing around her as she soaked in the fading, powerful waves. “I don’t feel like that’s new for me. I usually push a little too hard. Now, let’s see how Scarlet’s done.”
Walking through the rift with a grin, bathed in black fire and crackling red electricity, she summoned her hammer and slung it over her shoulder, skirt ruffling in the night’s cool sea breeze. Her black ears slowly turned with her head, taking in the wealth of noises that hit her mind. It felt like an eternity had passed.
Hellfire dwindling as Nia pulled out the last of it into their new Lunar Pool, Rachel chuckled at the chaos her entrance elicited, hair returning to its shimmering white hue.
“C-Captain, w-what is this place?!” Nia panicked, folding down her ears and wincing at the wealth of sounds she’d never experienced.
It’s okay, Little Bun. Can you turn into an adult?
“No—it needs to charge; I can’t hear with all these sounds in my head!”
Swiftly taking in Astra’s reports, Rachel let the stress go in a slow stream as she bent down to comfort Nia; her gremlin side dropped into an abyss to be replaced by the timid bunny child. MI6 seemed to have some teleporters, according to Astra, but the fluid Legendkin hadn’t located them yet.
Her gaze drifted to Maria, less than a street away. Scarlet seemed to be okay. Selvaria was in the back kitchen with the unconscious Fairy, but most of the targets had been eliminated somehow. The biggest threat left was Relica.
Reaching over to the discarded walkie-talkie, she greeted her teammates with a cheery tone. They knew nothing about what she’d just been through or learned, but they would soon.
“I said I’d come back, Scarlet.”
The golden portal vanished, and by the jolts and reactions of the others, a surge of power hit everyone, making Astra choke. “Hold up, love—I just went straight from Level 5 to 8. The bloody hell?!”
“Yeah. Legend Quests are fun…” Rachel laughed. “Astra, give me an update. Scarlet, I’m coming. Nia, go to that pretty unicorn woman over there and help her out. She’ll keep you golden.”
“O-Okay…”
She raced off, almost tripping due to her nerves at meeting someone new. Maria shouted at her, soldiers coming in to help with the children she was with, but the wind was already racing past Rachel’s ears as Astra updated her. She locked onto one voice as she met Selvaria in the alleyway to the kitchens, slowing to a brisk walk as the Leviathan hopped into gear, Astra’s drone hovering nearby.
“Selv, I’m hearing some trouble at sea; mind fishing out a sub and cracking it open like a can for our favorite saint?”
“I can do that,” she grinned, and Rachel smiled at her monotone voice as the sea monster showed her sharp fangs. “Was the Legend’s Quest fun?”
“Very fun. Anthony will have to take us on another soon.”
“Awesome. Oh, Rachel, what about Fiona?”
Holding out her hand, she took the unconscious Fairy and snickered as Maria burst through the front door with a nervous Nia, intent on saving the other kids. Relica lurched for her bag, but things were moving too fast, and Rachel had developed a lot since their last meeting.
Nia, hit me with 25% Yomi.
“O-Oh, okay, transferred! Maria’s scary! Why isn’t she cursing like you said she does?”
Tucking Fiona into the pocket of her fantasy-like military school jacket, Nia took on a whole new vibe as the polluting energy flooded their systems.
[Lunar Spike - Hell Moon - Yomi: Active]
[Princess of Hell (Restricted): Active]
[Baroness of Hell: In Effect]
[30 Seconds Remaining]
An aura of black flames and crimson electricity embraced her, and in a flash, she came between Scarlet and Relica, a triangle-like barrier of magical origin protecting the priestess.
“Rachel!” Scarlet cried, lurching forward to hug her as she deactivated the [Hellfire Cloak] so her blood wouldn’t recognize a threat.
Relica studied her with wide eyes. “How… What are you?”
“What am I?” she asked, black fingernails becoming claws, laced with dark fire and crimson energy as her hammer changed. Horn growing and hair dying black, streaked with red, Rachel sunk her claws into Relica’s barrier, piercing it like butter and making her stumble away as it broke. “I’m back.”
Walking beside Izanami on the banks of Yomi, Rachel stared at the polluted river as the Hell Lady led her to a covered boat. Nia was bouncing on her toes beside them, the impish bunny’s hair bobbing with her skips.
The extravagant fallen deity’s face had softened as she guided them to board the vessel, redesigned with cushioned luxury for several guests. In the solemn, cold depths of Yomi, born of Izanami’s broken trust and longing for love, Rachel felt a slight change since her first experience with the powerful energies.
“Aren’t we on a clock?” she asked, sitting across from the woman and glancing across the river, and the ghostly entities of her realm shoved off from shore, taking them into the water’s flow.
A gentle sigh left Izanami’s lips, and Rachel heard the flapping of devilish wings or monstrous yokai that inhabited the underworld carried along the foul wind. Yet, under Yomi’s Hell Moon, she felt a hint of happiness and bliss that were reflected in the fallen goddess’ face.
The woman’s shockingly kind eyes moved to Nia, and she pointed behind the big-eyed bunny. “There is one of the spoils, Dear. Why don’t you play?”
Nia flipped around to spot Conner’s dolphin, floating beside the boat. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you, Auntie Izanami!” the girl cried, despite it being their own hard work that had given them the prize. “Let’s go, Dolfo!”
“Already named him?” Rachel chuckled, playing with a lock of her hair as Nia jumped on the constellation creature and shot into the sky with a cheer. “And these are mine… What happened to Conner?” she whispered, picking up the man’s shiny sun gauntlets, useless to her, but she had a plan for them.
The Hell Lady folded her hands in her lap, looking after Nia in a longing, motherly way. “Auntie Izanami… What a charmingly deceptive little devil of a bunny.”
Yseress appeared beside the woman, purse held at her front and giggling as her infernal eyes fixated on Rachel. “A natural manipulator that uses her age to her advantage. Perhaps she does take after you, Baroness.”
“Princess,” Rachel returned with a short chuckle while holding the gauntlets to her stomach for Nia to absorb into her storage slots, not incorporating them into her denier. “You seem to have changed since gaining control over Conner’s Seed. How much time do we really have?”
A small, upward tilt came to Izanami’s cheeks, still pondering something as she followed Nia’s gleeful loops in the sky. “Conner has long since died, but you can get the details from Eostre before you return; it takes time for something this large to collapse before the link to Yomi is severed. I think it is best you soak up as many rays as you can… while you can.”
Her somber gaze drifted to Rachel, vision sliding over her single horn and black, red-streaked hair. “Yomi is a mirror of my own corruption, misery, and torment… This is me,” she gestured toward the polluted river and filthy, bare landscape. “What do you think? Tragic?”
Sitting back, Rachel’s black four-leaf clover eyes scanned the ruined town of Yomi. “I’d say it’s tragic… but I hear something on the wind I didn’t when I first came here.” Tapping her bottom lip with her knuckle, she puzzled over the strange sensations filling her from the overhead moon. “Maybe it’s because I’m resonating with this realm, but I do think you’ve changed since I met you.”
Yseress smirked, but it soon shifted to excitement. “Lady Izanami doesn’t change. Unless… she used the power of the Seed? Does it have that ability to purify you?”
Izanami’s gaze fell to her folded hands, her voice a sad whisper. “No. The Seed can only change parts of the universe inside of it and invite other realms to answer its call. What do you hear, Rachel?”
Rachel held a hand against her chest, suddenly restricted by the emotion echoing through the wind. “Happiness… Bliss? It’s strange when I’m practically a devil…”
Izanami’s smile showed true as her rotten corpse took the place of the illusion, displaying her true form while staring up at Nia. “The call from the jagged rock, threatening… joy. It struggles to be heard like a siren’s call… the gold and honey dripping from the Seat of Divinity,” she breathed, touching her cracked lips.
A silence fell over them with the surreal pressure that came from the Hell Lady’s gentle words. “It’s not beautiful or pure, but I can hear her song from beyond the shore… I feel her wind against my face from the flapping of her wings… the black and silky tenderness choking me… I can almost taste happiness, Yseress.”
Rachel could feel the tug from the tragic woman’s desire that wove through the hellish plane, and the smallest of smiles lifted the unchanging, melancholy visage of her corrupted face as she looked at the breathless princess beside her.
“I’ve caught a glimpse of it in these games… It’s such a long way off, but now I know it exists.” A few black tears fell out of her discolored eyes. “Hmm-hmm. Damn you for allowing me to taste this again, Cerridwen. Such torture.”
In a flash of flames, her elegant disguise returned, Izanami’s half-smile breaking the tense atmosphere as she crossed her legs and studied her.
“I was not going to fall into this trap of making deals and entreating mortals for their favor, Rachel. I am far too numb and nihilistic to think there is such hope for someone as lost as myself. My existence is cursed for eternal torment, but there is one thing I would challenge you with. Interested?”
Ears leaning to the left, Rachel’s eyes narrowed, grin widening. “Why me? Because I can become a Princess of Yomi, like Yseress?”
Izanami leaned against her armrest, the back of her fingers held against her cheek as her chest shook with silent mirth. “There are countless Princesses of Hell, Rachel, and far stronger beings inhabiting the Nine Circles. While you are… unusual, I am far from intrigued by you personally. Cerridwen, though…”
“What about her?” Rachel asked, looking toward Yseress as she took a chair between them that flashed into existence.
The seductive, corrupted nephilim’s devious slid over her changed figure, examining her twisted soul rather than her body, Rachel was sure, as she answered for her mistress.
“Cerridwen knows things she should not, meaning she has embraced a master beyond even Lady Izanami’s understanding. Naturally, the intertwining threads of destiny that brought Yomi into this game would fascinate my mistress.”
“Fair,” Rachel muttered, intertwining her fingers; she could feel the pulse of Yomi like the beating of Izanami’s own dead heart, which was distracting and made her ears twitch. “What would I get in this challenge if I succeeded?”
A secretive twist came to the beautiful woman’s lips. “Unfiltered access to Yomi’s raw energy, without the limitation of the Hell Moon.”
Vision widening at the implication, Rachel sat forward. “I can gain this power even in the sunlight… How?”
“That’s for you to discover,” Izanami giggled. “I take it you’re interested?”
Even Yseress appeared unsure of what her mistress was cooking as Rachel deliberated on the offer. It certainly was an enticing prospect, but she knew better than to go in blind.
“What price would I have to pay? There is always a price.”
The Hell Lady slowly lifted her hand, drawing attention to it before gesturing at the corrupted nephilim between them. “Yseress will soon be making arrangements to send our forces to your Earth. There is a battle to be fought, and our foothold is far from the strongest in this fragment of your universe. Your challenge is to convince her to accept your help, join you, and fulfill her dream. It is also up to you to discover what that is.”
Yseress shot to her feet, her black purse held against her chest. “Mistress! I do not need some weak mortal to achieve our desire!”
Izanami sighed, yet the woman wore a smile as she rubbed her ear. “I hear a little devil clamoring in my ear and chasing away my harmony. Do as instructed, Dear.” Her glinting eyes flicked to Rachel. “As the humans say, the ball is in her court; I simply pushed it her way and gave my permission to entreat you.”
Rachel threw her arms over the back of her chair, staring at the disgruntled blood-and-wood-winged woman. The Hellhound triplets’ contract made her upper arm itch as the uncomfortable thought that maybe she’d already made a deal to go after the Princess of Hell.
Then again, if someone as powerful as Yseress was going to be making their way to setting things up on Earth, then it said a lot about what forces were preparing to enter the scene, working behind the curtain. It was a hint in itself.
“I’ll keep an open mind.”
Yseress snorted and rolled her eyes. “It is impossible for you Seed Holders to survive what terror is brewing around your tiny planet. By the time I get there, you are likely to be nothing but broken bones. Demons have already infiltrated your world.”
“Good to know,” Rachel chimed. “Does that mean Nia and I will be able to make a nice demon hide purse like your lovely fashion statement?”
The nephilim’s ruby eyes and lips creased with a smile. “I suppose you might have an eye for good fashion, which is something, at least. Maybe you will survive some of the rumors spreading through the Infernal Layers. Mistress, may I leave to scout out potential cults to hijack?”
“Happy hunting.” The half-angel bowed and vanished in a flare of black fire, crimson electricity burning the air in its wake, leaving the Hell Lady’s gaze on Rachel. “Back to the matter at hand… You have two reward options, but I can assume what your first request will be for your little soldier.”
Nia came flying out of the sky, moving through Hellfire to appear on her own seat. “Oh, reward time?! Dolfo vanished… Can we extend his time limit, Captain? Five minutes is sooo short!”
Rachel reached over to ruffle the girl’s hair and fold down her ears. “Maybe, but I don’t think we’ll be keeping him for ourselves if everything I have planned worked out.”
“Fooie… Okay,” she said with a light pout as Rachel moved on.
“No, first… we need you to grow up again. Can the restriction be undone?”
The little gremlin’s face grew excited. “Oh, and give me more superpowers?! Yes, please, Auntie Izanami!”
Izanami offered a melancholy smile before shaking her head. “The power used when restricting her was from an advanced Challenge Rating. Even if I were to use the combined strength of the two rewards, I could only provide Nia with a temporary release state.”
“Aww… So, I’m a kid forever?” Nia groaned, glaring at her tiny figure.
“Not forever,” Rachel returned. “Alright, I’m guessing you knew what I wanted, so you conserved as much strength as possible with the Seed to do this. Let’s do it. How long will she have, and can it be upgraded?”
“Unfortunately, it is a powerful curse, being done as a Challenge Rating 2 Restriction within a Legend’s Quest,” Izanami clarified, taking Nia’s small hands in her own and sweeping back her bangs as the Hell Lady fussed with the surprised Hell Bun’s outfit. “All I can do is provide a counter blessing that rebuilds its strength to subdue the curse for a time… There.”
“T-Thank you!”
The fallen Creation Deity truly appeared to be a good mother, reminding Rachel of the times her mom had done the same before school, teaching her how to present herself properly. Done fixing Nia’s outfit, she prompted the quivering Hell Bun to sit.
“Six hours released, eighteen hours in rest.”
“Sleep included?” Rachel swiftly asked.
“Indeed.”
Her teeth flashed, holding up a hand for the thrilled girl to slap. “Not bad, huh?!”
“Yes! Yes! Wait…” Nia froze in place. “Does that mean… I get double the outfits?!”
Rachel lifted an eyebrow. “I… guess it does; well, not storage capacity, but Mom will definitely love to get you more clothes to fit a child and adult. At least until Maria is strong enough to break that curse… We’ll probably have to pay a hefty amount, though, considering her profit mindset. I do have an upfront payment, at least.”
Nia wasn’t listening now, jumping out of her chair to dance around. “Aaah! Wooh! I get cute girly clothes and grown-up clothes! Oh, oh, sorry, Dolfo! We’ll figure out a way to break that five-minute curse, too! No! I got it! We’ll hold a witch hostage, tie her up over a big pot of water, and threaten to poof her unless she gets rid of the curse! Hehehe.”
“Dream big,” Rachel snickered, leaving the girl to her childish, imaginary machinations. “Are all Legend Quests like this, with rewards and stuff?”
“Hmm-hmm. No,” the Hell Lady mused. “Your favorite lesser god manipulated things in this light. Typically, rewards are far more geared toward the quest itself than this selection process. It is his moronic manipulations of the preset tournament that was the cause of me changing things in the last match to use the other pantheons to supplement what energy was lost from the previous rounds.”
“Impressive. Is that everything?” she asked, glancing around the filthy riverscape. “I have a needy vampire girl to check up on.”
Izanami held up a finger with a sly twinkle in her flaming eyes. “I said I was not interested in begging you for space in that Seed of yours, yet that does not mean you did not make an impression on the other pantheons. One has stepped forward who has taken quite a liking to Nia specifically.”
“Oh?” Rachel hummed, spotting the girl’s puffed-up chest at doing a good job, begging for praise as her Chinese hanfu flashed into place. “Who might that be?”
Motioning to the chair beside her, Rachel’s devilish smile grew as a beautiful, pale, milky-skinned woman appeared, practically glowing with serene grace. With hair as black as night and lips like cherry blossoms, the graceful young lady’s stylish hair ornaments brought onlookers’ attention to her elegant face.
Smoothing out her long flowing robes, she presented a sweet smile. “Lady Izanami, Park-Sung-Hyo, I am Chang’e, the spirit of the moon and its grace. I reside within the 6th dimension and have been delighted to hear word from the lesser deities regarding your battles and personality. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Nia took on a whole new persona, mirroring the classy young woman. “Lady Chang’e, it is so wonderful to, umm, meet you?” she said, probably unable to find the right word her adult self would know.
“It is pleasant to see such a magnificent bunny of the moon, Nia.” She covered her mouth with her sleeve while displaying a soft laugh that lit up Hell. “I suspect that you were fashioned by a version of myself, yet far more skilled than these clumsy hands.”
Rachel’s questioning eyes darted to Izanami, who snickered and gave Chang’e a light glare. “What is she talking about?”
“Secrets should be bargained for, and here I let you have an angle of attack that you squandered.”
“Apologies, Lady Izanami,” the young woman whispered, showing a womanly poise, “but I am not here to gain anything from Rachel. Your rescue of Nike in the face of an opponent so far above you that it cried absurdity was… breathtaking. I only wish I had been here to see it personally. I think I am becoming a fan of yours, Rachel, which is why I hope to persuade you to find balance.”
“I appreciate that,” Rachel said, still caught on the previous topic, “but what do you mean, Nia was likely created by a stronger version of yourself?”
Izanami sighed and folded her fingers against her stomach. “It is an… uncomfortable topic. While you mortals saw no change for nearly a century after we higher beings saw problems arise, we dealt with our own version of change. Numberless universes, in your finite mind, collided together…”
She waved her hand to show a dozen other clones on the ship as a short tug pulled against her soul; the Seed was starting to collapse, and she could feel it, yet the Hell Lady went on with her story.
“4th-dimensional to 7th… versions of ourselves from many universes were smashed into one soul fragment, and only one of us could take the sole place available in this plane. It is where I received these scars on my face,” she whispered, the illusion fading again to show the closed, ugly gashes.
“Due to my superior knowledge and aptitude when at my prime, I stood victorious, yet I cannot be sure my children are even my children anymore… but there is one thing I do know, and that is enough.” Facade returning, she held a hand toward Chang’e. “What the Lady Moon brings into question are the versions of ourselves beyond the 7th dimension, where Dionysus was dragged. A chilling prospect for us.”
Rachel leaned back, folded fingers resting against her belly. The Izanami in front of her was the strongest version of her amongst countless universes, who had a similar figure, and they’d all battled to have a place within their universe, only to discover they were trapped between the 6th and 7th dimensions.
If it included the 4th, then that meant Dionysus was the strongest version of himself amongst all those universes. It also meant all of the gods would be suspicious of one another and had already been conditioned in combat. Athena’s inability to get the main three Greek gods on her side made sense now. A lot of trouble came from that understanding, and it put more into perspective regarding the incomplete pantheons that had watched her.
“The Heavens and Hells are in chaos, then… You don’t have anyone on your side… do you, Chang’e?”
The young woman looked away with a somber sigh. “It is a loose non-aggression pact that… most are agreeing to follow as we discover how things will play out. I will say it is… disheartening to learn that throughout all those versions of myself, corrupted, fallen, and… haaa. It seems transcending to the 6th dimension is the highest I was ever able to reach.”
Even when a devil bunny, Nia’s eyes were big and watery at the goddess’ words. “Please, Captain, can we help her? She likes me. She probably made me.”
Nia… It could be a lie to get close to us, she mumbled. You need to understand that this innocent young woman is not so innocent. At the very least, she can handle herself if she battled… let’s say, a million clones of herself and came out on top.
“Oh… Oh, yeah, she’s a badass! We totally should recruit her!”
Haaa. You aren’t going to give up on this.
“She thinks I’m cute!”
Studying the pair, Rachel rubbed the back of her neck. “What exactly did you want to do? Get more powerful by doing something with my Seed?”
“Oh, no!” Chang’e took a deep breath and streamed it out. “I’m not here to ask for anything from you. I’d only like to see you not so… focused on the Infernal side of the spectrum. Not that I am trying to insult you, Lady Izanami. I believe you are far more capable of handling Divine Force than I, given the reputation I have heard from your children.”
“She can flatter, can’t she?” Izanami chuckled. “You are out of time, Chang’e. I would get to the point.”
The woman gave a gracious nod. “Thank you. I will simply offer my own blessing, as Lady Cerridwen has already done. When you choose your next Feat, it should be available, should you choose to take it. It is your choice. It will allow me to view your progress and nothing more. I hope to see you grow and learn the joy that is in Divinity. Perhaps we could be friends… in time.”
A hollow look that revealed the pain of killing herself countless times shone through her soft eyes. “It would be nice to find someone I could trust. I haven’t felt this lonely since… for quite some time.” Rubbing away a tear, she smiled and waved her goodbye, possibly referencing the time she’d taken the immortality elixir intended for her husband when assaulted by a robber. “Good luck! I can’t wait to see how you grow, Nia.”
“Thank you, Moon Mom!” Nia said with a childlike grin, making the woman choke up, and even Izanami’s lips drew in as she hopped forward to hug her. “I’ll make you proud!”
Drawn out of the 7th Circle, Rachel was a tad surprised when its rays didn’t leave her. Standing in the middle of the large, original sandy stadium of the Legend’s Quest, above them was a portal, showing Yomi with its edges slowly closing in. The sweet smile of Chang’e and the devious smirk of Izanami observed, the 6th dimension now cut off from Conner’s Seed.
Eostre and Moongmor stood in front of them, the woman far more relaxed now that this quest was over. She didn’t waste any time in posing her question, either.
“Do you want to save Conner’s Seed, or do you want to let the Black Moon swallow it? The man died moments ago, after fifteen years of struggle and sought redemption to the end.”
“What about his weapons and pet? Did his Seed grow from those fifteen years?” Rachel asked, extracting the sun gloves to study the intricate design.
Eostre closed her eyes and shook her head. “Upon losing to you, the Seed was stripped out of his soul, and his items were taken from him by Izanami since everything was given to you as the spoils. The Seed itself is… unorthodox, she said, but showed me it is possible to remove and gift to another Legend to continue the quest.”
A pressure struck Rachel’s chest as she looked to the south end of the stadium, where the Black Moon still hovered, gradually fading away; its rays didn’t reach her like Yomi’s.
“Fifteen years… as just a wrestler. Hah. Was he at least able to keep his abilities?”
“Yes,” Eostre confirmed, making Rachel’s eyebrows draw together as she explained. “The Seeds reshape the soul, meaning that the potential to access his Feats was still within him, but the assistance on using them was taken away…”
She hesitated before clearing her throat and asked, “Would you like me to show you his life in those fifteen years? It was quite a change… and he spoke quite often about how you altered his destiny. Almost as if you were a friend.”
Taking in a deep breath, Rachel let it out, recalling his last words before she sent him into the Black Moon. “To die a Legend’s death… and to live on as a stepping stone in my story.”
Drawing in her lips, knowing time probably was heavily changed as it was, and Eostre wouldn’t be offering if it would take a long time, she nodded.
A rose bloomed in Eostre’s palm, and she blew it toward her, the petals cycling around her. Viewed as if in 3rd person, Rachel watched the man fall into dark woods for a pack of vicious, nightmare-born tigers to emerge out of the mist, each three meters tall, with eyes glowing yellow, locked onto him.
The Legend scrambled to his feet and tried to defend himself, still rocking the body of a Greek god, but his resilience had sharply declined, and bleeding gashes soon covered his bronze skin until an eruption of green smoke filled the forest, driving the snarling tigers back.
A small group of men and women picked him up, releasing more gas bombs and wearing strange tiki masks. Time skipped, and he met a rather small, not-so-attractive woman in her mid-twenties dressing his wounds. Newcomers brought hope and skills they desperately needed in the hope-absorbing moon.
Hiding in caves, one they’d won from a nasty pack of miniature puppets by using their alchemic skills to purge it with fire, Conner slowly came around. At first, he was solely focused on his mission, but as time went on, a dream entity tormented him with the victims of his past, stretching the Legend to his limits.
Unable to sleep, and when he did, waking in screams from the torment he received, the woman was his rock, finding herbs to help suppress the creature’s mental claws. It was from this they formed a friendship, then they grew closer, and Rachel saw the gradual change in the nightmare world, yet never once did he tell them their plight was hopeless.
If he could just edge out a little better of a life for them, then it would be enough for him, and he did. Year after year, he trained, and he grew. Rachel felt genuine pride to see the second chance he’d been given used to its fullest.
Sure, Conner made mistakes and made his best friend cry and suffer. He was stubborn as all hell in doing everything himself—and slightly misogynistic at times—yet that pride was broken down, and she was there to comfort him for his flaws, helping him through when he almost broke.
Twelve years later, a friendship grew to love, and they became a couple, developing a safe, fortified town adapting to the trouble that was sent their way every night. Conner had grown strong, though. He had something to lose.
On the eve of their son’s second birthday, a dragon attacked their settlement, and Conner used everything he’d learned to keep them safe. He had his kinetic force absorption and partial-liquid transformation, yet the cackling summoner that created the lizard had planned accordingly.
This nightmare was a long antagonist to their settlement, and Conner could feel this would be his end, a hundred demons joining the dragon, yet he marched out unafraid, comforting his crying wife and bewildered son.
Fighting with the friends he’d gained over a decade, Conner took the attention of the horde, leaving his wife to sneak into the forest and deliver the final shot into the summoner’s heart. They’d killed the great nightmare of the forest that sent his beasts and had only lost one man, but it was felt.
Rachel watched Conner laugh as his wounded but still living comrades huddled around his broken, burnt body, his wife running through the vanishing summons to reach her husband, screaming his name as her sister cared for their child from a safe distance.
He looked right at Rachel as if he could see through time, and there was happiness and fulfillment in his single in-tact eye.
“It was… half the size of that lava dragon… Hah-haaa. Right, Rachel? Nothing… Fifty demons? My wife got the kill shot—what a badass,” he said through fits of pained laughter as the odd mix of humans and other creatures huddled around him, paying their respects.
“I’m a bad man… but a bad man can still do good… A bad man can still do good…”
“Conner!” his wife cried, falling to his side, unsure where to touch him, yet none of her scars had come from this battle. “Conner… Why do you have to be a dumbass and do everything yourself?”
“Because—I love you,” he whispered, eyes fading away as he took his final breath. “I love our son… He’ll be strong… Thank you, Rachel… He’ll be good. He’ll be good.”
As the vision drifted away, Rachel let it go, and even with the filth of Yomi overhead, she could respect the Legend. She saw an entirely different person than who she’d fought; he’d found something worth more than himself, and the Black Moon provided a stage for him to be more than just a man seeking glory. He let his wife take the glory.
“I may not have had a high opinion of the short-shorts-wearing hulk of a man… excluding his muscles,” she added to Nia’s giggles. “But… in the end, Conner was a hero, carrying the baggage of a villain.”
Eostre looked away from the Black Moon as it disappeared. “Do you want me to give you his Seed to save those here? It must be given to another Legendkin.”
Rachel put her hand on her hip and looked at Nia. “Give Anthony an upgrade? Maybe we can get him to join the unit?”
“Sure. I don’t know him, but I need to get back into my battle gear for our next fight! We’re loaded on Hell Energy. Hehe.”
The solemn woman held out her palm, another rose blooming to reveal a tiny, glinting, golden Seed. “I’ve condensed it into a physical container. If Anthony eats it, it will be absorbed into his soul, and now…”
A rift appeared as a tremor shook through them, and Rachel gave her a two-fingered salute. “Catch you on the flip side, Eostre. Hopefully, you won’t be a damsel in distress again.”
“That would be nice,” she giggled, stopping her just before she went through. “Although, Rachel, you will suffer harsh spiritual fatigue for how quickly you have stretched your soul. I suspect the many Unique Moons will also have their adverse effect on you after leaving the quest and things start to settle in.”
Placing the Legendkin’s Greater Seed in one of Nia’s slots, Rachel laughed, Hellfire dancing around her as she soaked in the fading, powerful waves. “I don’t feel like that’s new for me. I usually push a little too hard. Now, let’s see how Scarlet’s done.”
Walking through the rift with a grin, bathed in black fire and crackling red electricity, she summoned her hammer and slung it over her shoulder, skirt ruffling in the night’s cool sea breeze. Her black ears slowly turned with her head, taking in the wealth of noises that hit her mind. It felt like an eternity had passed.
Hellfire dwindling as Nia pulled out the last of it into their new Lunar Pool, Rachel chuckled at the chaos her entrance elicited, hair returning to its shimmering white hue.
“C-Captain, w-what is this place?!” Nia panicked, folding down her ears and wincing at the wealth of sounds she’d never experienced.
It’s okay, Little Bun. Can you turn into an adult?
“No—it needs to charge; I can’t hear with all these sounds in my head!”
Swiftly taking in Astra’s reports, Rachel let the stress go in a slow stream as she bent down to comfort Nia; her gremlin side dropped into an abyss to be replaced by the timid bunny child. MI6 seemed to have some teleporters, according to Astra, but the fluid Legendkin hadn’t located them yet.
Her gaze drifted to Maria, less than a street away. Scarlet seemed to be okay. Selvaria was in the back kitchen with the unconscious Fairy, but most of the targets had been eliminated somehow. The biggest threat left was Relica.
Reaching over to the discarded walkie-talkie, she greeted her teammates with a cheery tone. They knew nothing about what she’d just been through or learned, but they would soon.
“I said I’d come back, Scarlet.”
The golden portal vanished, and by the jolts and reactions of the others, a surge of power hit everyone, making Astra choke. “Hold up, love—I just went straight from Level 5 to 8. The bloody hell?!”
“Yeah. Legend Quests are fun…” Rachel laughed. “Astra, give me an update. Scarlet, I’m coming. Nia, go to that pretty unicorn woman over there and help her out. She’ll keep you golden.”
“O-Okay…”
She raced off, almost tripping due to her nerves at meeting someone new. Maria shouted at her, soldiers coming in to help with the children she was with, but the wind was already racing past Rachel’s ears as Astra updated her. She locked onto one voice as she met Selvaria in the alleyway to the kitchens, slowing to a brisk walk as the Leviathan hopped into gear, Astra’s drone hovering nearby.
“Selv, I’m hearing some trouble at sea; mind fishing out a sub and cracking it open like a can for our favorite saint?”
“I can do that,” she grinned, and Rachel smiled at her monotone voice as the sea monster showed her sharp fangs. “Was the Legend’s Quest fun?”
“Very fun. Anthony will have to take us on another soon.”
“Awesome. Oh, Rachel, what about Fiona?”
Holding out her hand, she took the unconscious Fairy and snickered as Maria burst through the front door with a nervous Nia, intent on saving the other kids. Relica lurched for her bag, but things were moving too fast, and Rachel had developed a lot since their last meeting.
Nia, hit me with 25% Yomi.
“O-Oh, okay, transferred! Maria’s scary! Why isn’t she cursing like you said she does?”
Tucking Fiona into the pocket of her fantasy-like military school jacket, Nia took on a whole new vibe as the polluting energy flooded their systems.
[Lunar Spike - Hell Moon - Yomi: Active]
[Princess of Hell (Restricted): Active]
[Baroness of Hell: In Effect]
[30 Seconds Remaining]
An aura of black flames and crimson electricity embraced her, and in a flash, she came between Scarlet and Relica, a triangle-like barrier of magical origin protecting the priestess.
“Rachel!” Scarlet cried, lurching forward to hug her as she deactivated the [Hellfire Cloak] so her blood wouldn’t recognize a threat.
Relica studied her with wide eyes. “How… What are you?”
“What am I?” she asked, black fingernails becoming claws, laced with dark fire and crimson energy as her hammer changed. Horn growing and hair dying black, streaked with red, Rachel sunk her claws into Relica’s barrier, piercing it like butter and making her stumble away as it broke. “I’m back.”
