This time, Promestein didn't even have to teleport anyone. Not even herself. Tamamo simply used four of her tails to wrap the group up and in an instant they were at the Gates of Heaven. Ben stared in awe. Even though it wasn't the heaven he was taught about in Hebrew School, it was still beyond anything he'd ever thought he'd experience, and all he was looking at were the gates!
Promestein approached the gates and knocked. The gates opened a crack and an angel poked her head out.
"Promestein!" the angel exclaimed. "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here!"
"Ilias sent me on a mission," Promestein replied condescendingly. "I'm here to complete my mission. I have the boy she wanted."
"Ilias didn't ask for a boy," the angel spat. "She asked for a hero."
"Believe me, he's a hero, Cupid," Promestein said. "Now let us in, before I have him seal you. He has the Angel Halo."
"You wouldn't dare!" Cupid exclaimed in alarm, retreating reflexively. Promestein took advantage of the opportunity to force her way in. "Hey! No fair! I'm gonna tell Ilias!"
"Please do," Promestein said. "Let her know there will be monsters in heaven as well."
Cupid took a peek outside again. "A succubus!? You can't let a succubus into heaven!"
"Cupid, do you know who I am?" Tamamo asked.
"Um…You're Tamamo," Cupid said with trepidation.
"Otherwise known as the most powerful being in the world," Tamamo said threateningly. "Now get out of our way. Ilias may have something of mine and I'm going to squeeze her until she gives it to me if I have to!"
"Is she referring to her husband as it?" Ben whispered to Emma.
"Monsters can be possessive," Emma replied.
Cupid decided to stop being a pain and let the five companions in. Tamamo and Promestein strode down Heaven's main path with purpose. Ben, Emma, and Ashley could only stare at the beauty around them. As well as the statues of Ilias that stood approximately every one hundred feet along the path.
"Isn't Eden the goddess now?" Ben asked.
"Ilias' ego exceeded her power even when she was at her peak," Promestein explained. "Eden, on the other hand, is far more modest. Plus she loves Ilias. No accounting for taste."
The party arrived at the throne room of Heaven. There were no doors. The group simply stepped through a wall made of cloud, and before them stood Ilias and Eden, conferring. Cupid announced their presence to the goddesses.
"I already knew they were here, Cupid!" Ilias scolded. "It was on the Iliastron."
Ilias pointed to a gigantic screen on the throne room wall. Not only did it have the entrance to Heaven under surveillance, but it was also tuned to several news channels on screens within the larger screen, as well as key locations around the world.
Tamamo stepped forward, her tails swishing around threateningly. "You'd better start talking, fake goddess! Do you have my Luka?!"
Ilias' halo almost seemed to grow in size as she gave an innocent look. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Tamamo."
"As questionable as her tone is," Eden interjected. "Luka is not here. We had already interfered enough with the natural order of things by sending him back in time, which allowed him to survive for nearly a thousand years. While those years were good to him in many ways, they were also hard on him. I was not about to torture him by bringing him to heaven as a disembodied soul so that he could look down on those he left behind."
Tamamo may have said she wasn't going to get her hopes up, but clearly she was crushed by Eden's news.
"Luka isn't…" the kitsune couldn't finish. She began sobbing uncontrollably. Promestein wasn't entirely convinced, however.
"Ilias, you know something," Promestein said accusingly. "Spit it out. Okay, so Luka isn't here. That doesn't mean you didn't take his soul."
"Ilias has not taken his soul!" Eden countered indignantly. "We agreed as Luka was dying that we would not interfere with his natural passing again! Luka watched nearly everyone he loved die because he felt that he was needed in case Zurith returned. But when he was on his death bed, there was no sign that she was ever going to threaten our world again! So Ilias and I agreed to let Luka go to his eternal reward. A reward far greater than anything we could give him."
Ben noticed that Ilias was looking rather guilty. She was shuffling her feet, wringing her hands and wouldn't meet anyone's gaze.
"Eden," Ilias said shakily. "That may not be…. Entirely true."
Eden started at Ilias in shock. "What do you mean, might not be entirely true? What have you done with Luka's soul?!"
"I may have…. Sealed it somewhere."
"You imprisoned my Luka's soul?!" Tamamo raged. In an instant, her tails were wrapped tightly around Ilias and squeezing. "I'll kill you!"
"You can't kill her Tamamo, she always comes back," Promestein said mildly.
"Yes, but at least I'll get five thousand years of satisfaction that she isn't in this world!" Tamamo said angrily. "Then when she comes back I'll kill her again!"
"Don't you want to know where Luka is?" Ilias managed to get out.
Tamamo's tails loosened slightly. "Start talking!"
"First off, I didn't 'imprison' Luka's soul!" Ilias protested. "I simply… saved it for my own reasons. I never had a human friend before. I loved Luka as much as you did, Eden. I…. couldn't let him go. I know we agreed to it, but I couldn't lose him! I'm sorry,Tamamo, I should have told you! It's just that…. Well, I still hated you, that's all!"
"I'll show you hate!" Tamamo yelled, squeezing again, so hard that Ilias' eyes bulged.
"Tamamo!" Eden shouted. "Release Ilias at once! She will take you to Luka!"
Tamamo reluctantly released the goddess, who would have gasped for breath if she had needed to breathe.
"Now Ilias," Eden said sternly. "You are going to take us to where you've hidden Luka's soul, and you are going to do it this instant!"
"Fine!" Ilias said, folding her arms petulantly. "With the world ending, I don't see why this is a priority anyway."
"It's a priority because we need the ring," Promestein pointed out. "You know, the reason you had me locate a hero who could use it? We have reason to believe that Luka is the only one who knows where the ring is. Unless you have it here in heaven?"
"I'm afraid we don't," Ilias said. "No, really! I'm not lying! Do you think I want my home to be consumed by hell?! If I had the ring I'd give it to you in a heartbeat! So you haven't found it?"
"No," Promestein sighed. "It was taken from a very secure place just before Luka died. We believe Luka himself took it. We just don't know why."
"Well then I guess we have to ask him," Ilias said.
"And then, we let him pass on to his long delayed eternal reward," Eden said firmly. "Now, where did you put his soul? It can't be the Sealed Sinner's Prison, because you never put the enchantment back on it."
"I would never have put Luka in a place like that!" Ilias insisted. "I didn't want him to suffer. And he hasn't! He's just… asleep. I visit him in his dreams and we… talk. That's all. He's not suffering, honest!"
"I'm waiting for the location," Tamamo growled.
"I put his soul in his statue in the center of Luka City," Ilias said.
"Thank you," Eden replied, and waved her arms.
Eden teleported the entire group directly to the center of Luka City, which happened to be the capitol of the United Provinces. The statue of Luka that dominated the center of the city was over two thousand years old, but Ben observed with wonder that it was so well maintained that it looked like a recent work. Ben didn't have time to really take in the sight, however, what with Tamamo's justified impatience.
"We're here, Ilias!" Tamamo prodded. "Free my Luka right now!"
"All right, all right!" Ilias responded defensively. "It's not like he's suffering or anything!"
Ilias approached the statue and placed her hands at the base.
"Luka," the former goddess intoned. "Oh brave Luka… your goddess is calling you. Awaken, and attend to me!"
Ben saw a spectral form emerge from the statue. No, Ben thought, the form appeared to fall out of the statue rather than merely emerge from it. The soul of Luka fell at Ilias' feet.
"Rise, oh great hero of mine," Ilias commanded. "The world has need of you one more time."
"You don't have to be dramatic about it, Ilias," Luka replied, rising from the ground. "Just point me in the direction of the bad guys."
"Luka," Eden said. "I'm afraid that's not what you have been summoned for. You're dead. It is time for you to pass on to the afterlife."
"I…. remember now," Luka said. "The ring was failing…. I was aging very rapidly. Tamamo was taking care of me. Tamamo!"
Luka looked to his left, spotting Tamamo. He rushed to her, but passed right through her. Tamamo's face was etched with grief, Luka's with alarm and frustration.
"Luka!" Eden said firmly. "As I told you, you are dead, nothing more than a spirit. But I have the power to allow others to interact with you. Come to me, Luka. Me, you can embrace first, and then you may hug your loved ones before saying goodbye."
Luka slowly approached Eden's tall form and looked up at her. Ben could tell that just as there was a long history with his wife Tamamo, a lot had happened between the goddess and the great hero. The look on his face showed deep affection. The Goddess returned his look with love in her eyes. She reached out for him and he sighed as her hands touched him rather than pass through him. Eden closed her eyes and concentrated. Ben could see Luka's form solidify.
"Eden," Luka said. "Thank you. But I know you didn't bring me back just to say goodbye. Ilias said the world needed me?"
"Yes, Luka," Ilias interjected. "We need to know where you put your special ring that contains your power. Promestein has been on a quest to find it but has been unable to locate it."
"Promestein?" Luka asked, confused, before spotting Promestein further back. "Um… yeah, it should be in that box. Tamamo, you put an enchantment on that box to prevent theft. So that's where it should still be."
"It's not, Luka," Tamamo said. "The ring has been lost for over a thousand years. After you died, I opened the box and it was empty. No ordinary burglar could have taken either the box, or opened it to get the ring. Are you sure you didn't do something with it?"
"I…. I may have, but I don't remember," Luka said. "It seems like I did something just before I died, but I…. dammit, I just can't remember what it was! I'm so sorry, Tamamo. Is there anything else I can do to help? Eden, can you restore me long enough for me to deal with whatever the problem is?"
"I'm afraid that's beyond my power as a Seraph, my dear Luka," Eden replied.
"I could have done it," Ilias said, sulking. "Before you reduced my power."
"While that's definitely hurting us now," Tamamo observed. "The fact remains that you have long been the most imminent threat to the world for as long as I've been alive. Don't blame Luka for doing what had to be done."
"Oh, Luka, I'm so sorry," Eden said, still holding him. "I guess this is just a goodbye, then. All of your loved ones who are still alive are here, my most treasured friend."
"Eden, I never told you this," Luka said. "But I love you. All those years I was alive, I only ever did you one favor, and for the next seven hundred years you came whenever I called, gave me anything I asked you for."
"Luka, you did me more than just one favor. You made me a better person, which enabled me to be the goddess the world needed. You believed in me. How could I not come running whenever you called? Do you know how hard it was to not swoop down from heaven and bring you alive to my home and keep you there forever?"
"Why didn't you?" Luka asked.
"Because I had already sent you back in time to extend your life, and I know you weren't happy that I had done that. As you told me at the time, you had lived a good life. I'd like to think that your seven hundred year second chance was wonderful as well. If you had asked, I would have taken you to heaven in a second. You did not ask. I was not prepared to violate your wishes a second time."
The two shared a long embrace. Finally, reluctantly, Luka parted from the goddess. He turned towards the former goddess, the one who had entombed his soul for over a thousand years.
"Ilias, Ilias, Ilias," Luka said, taking Ilias' hands and smiling. "I thought we were past this. How many times did we go out together? How many hours did we spend together?"
"Five thousand, four hundred and seventy-one hours, and twenty-six minutes," Ilias replied. "I kept track. You did change me, Luka, you really did. I'm so sorry that I stole your soul. I didn't want revenge on you anymore, but I did want to stick it to your wife. I wanted to deny her the reunion that I knew she'd been waiting centuries for."
"It sounds like you had other reasons as well."
Ilias sighed. "Yes, I also couldn't bear to let you just die. I thought of taking you to heaven by force, but realized that I wasn't powerful enough anymore to force you, even in your weakened state. So I imprisoned your soul here, so that I could spend time with you whenever I wanted."
"I don't remember you ever doing so."
"That's because I only visited you in your dreams, and you probably don't remember them. In the state I put your soul in, it was as if you were sleeping for a thousand years. So I still had access to you. We spent some beautiful time together. I guess now I really am losing you."
"See, you did make progress, Ilias," Luka said with an affectionate smile. "C'mon, bring it in."
The former goddess and the hero embraced fiercely. "I'm so sorry for causing you so much trouble in life, Luka," Ilias said, now starting to weep. "I raped you, I took you from your comfortable life, I tried to kill you, I tried to get you to kill your love, then you got sent back to your world when I was dispersed, then I tried to take your power…."
"The fact that you feel bad about all that means you're becoming a better person," Luka said. "If you want to make it up to me, help save the world since I can't, okay?"
"Okay," Ilias sobbed. "You know, bringing you to my world was the best thing I ever did."
Reluctantly, Ilias let Luka go. For a seemingly endless moment, he stared at Tamamo.
"Tamamo," Luka said, approaching his wife. "Beloved Tamamo. Did I remember to thank you for giving me four hundred of the best years of my life?"
"Nearly every day of those four hundred years," Tamamo replied, wrapping Luka not just in her arms but in all nine of her tails. "It was the best four hundred years of my life, too. Even though I was your third choice."
The two laughed softly, obviously an inside joke between them. For some reason Eden grimaced and Promestein looked amused.
"If the world needs saving, I don't see how the good guys can fail with you on their side," Luka said.
"Thank you, my love," Tamamo said, kissing Luka passionately. "And I lied when I said you gave me four hundred of the best years of my life. Even before we were married, you were my best friend for almost three hundred years before that. You made Alice and Granberia so happy while they were alive. I've never been jealous of your relationships with them. Seriously, they were major drags before they met you."
"Goodbye, Tamamo," Luka said, now tearing up himself.
"Tell Alice and Granberia that I love them," Tamamo said softly. "And Nero, and Neris, and what the heck, even Alma Elma and Erubetie! And Nanabi, and Yao…."
Reluctantly, she let Luka go. Looking around, Luka's eyes fixed on Promestein. At first she looked back with an unreadable expression. Then she looked away.
"Promestein," Luka said, walking over to her. "You look ashamed. Did you do something again?"
"Yes," Promestein replied. "I failed you. The world needed saving, your ring was our best hope, and I can't locate it. For all my intelligence, all my tricks, I've come up empty. I don't know why I ever thought I could lead a quest."
"it's not your fault," Luka said. "Besides, if anyone can find a way to defeat whatever is threatening the world, it's you. Invent something."
Promestein laughed and caressed Luka's cheek. "I'll do my best. I'll die if I have to. I never told you this, but for the last two thousand years all I ever wanted to do was justify your faith in me, however naïve it was. We had such good times while you were alive, didn't we? When I was behaving myself, anyway."
"We did," Luka laughed. "After that last betrayal you were a valued friend for centuries, even if you would never admit it. So who are these heroes who you've roped into this insanity?"
"Oh, sorry," Promestein said hastily. "This is Ben. He's gotten all four spirits and shown amazing aptitude. Even more than Heinrich. I wanted to add your power to that by finding the ring, so that he could be the third great hero."
Luka approached Ben and looked him over. Oh my God, Ben thought. I'm being judged by the greatest hero this world has ever seen!
"I wish I could give you good advice," Luka said. "But I kind of improvised my way through my adventures. I had a lot of luck, but most importantly I had friends and loved ones to help me out. I'm assuming these two lovely ladies are your friends."
Luka approached Emma. "A dragonkin warrior," Luka said approvingly. "I like dragonkin warriors. You couldn't have picked a finer ally, Ben."
Emma smiled with pride at Luka's compliment. "Thank you, great hero!" she said proudly. "I am a huge admirer of your best friend, Granberia! And you too, of course! I mean, you were the only one who could defeat her with a sword!"
"Occasionally," Luka replied modestly. "Not very often, though. You definitely want to model yourself after her more than me. I never did learn how to use a sword properly. I only got by on my natural talents and the spirits. Speaking of which… Sylph! Gnome! Undine! Salamander!"
The spirits appeared, having left Ben's body for the moment to surround Luka. Sylph's usual excitable demeanor was noticeably subdued.
"Luka, it's so good to see you again!" the wind spirit said. "We never really got to say goodbye!"
"We all love you deeply, Luka," Undine chimed in. "We never expected that we'd get to spend as long with you as we did. Our time with Heinrich was all too short."
"You never foolishly abandoned us," Salamander said. "Because of that, we got to save the world a few times. It was an honor to serve with you."
To Ben and even Luka's shock, Gnome spoke. "Contracting with us is not for the faint of heart," the earth spirit said. "you were so young, so brave, so foolish."
"But you all believed in me," Luka said. "Without you four, I would never have survived. Thank you all, and please take good care of Ben."
"We will, Luka!" Sylph said. "Hopefully for the next eight hundred years!"
"So, Eden," Luka said, turning back to the goddess. "How does this work? How do I pass on?"
"Behold!" Eden said dramatically, extending her arm to open a portal. To Ben's eyes, it seemed to be exactly what he imagined people saw when they died. A warm, inviting light. Luka pulled his eyes from the awesome sight long enough to share one more look with Tamamo.
"Go," Tamamo commanded, tears in her eyes. "That's your eternal reward. You've more than earned it. I'll always love you and remember you, Luka, no matter how long I live."
Luka obeyed, walking to the portal, towards what he must have hoped would be his long dead wife, children, friends and lovers. He gave everyone one last look, and then stepped through the portal. The portal vanished. Luka was gone forever.
Tamamo reached for Ben with her tails, pulling him to her and bawling on his shoulder. He patted her back, lamely trying to console her. The spirits sadly rejoined Ben, finding comfort primarily in each other and the fact that Luka's soul had found the peace it had long deserved but been denied. Abruptly, Tamamo let Ben go, her eyes dry.
"Okay, I'm over it now," she said cheerily.
"Seriously?!" Emma said, gobsmacked. "That was the heaviest shit I've seen in my short life. I'm not over it yet, and I didn't even know him!"
"Your perspective is different when you're immortal," Tamamo said. "Everyone dies. But there are always new friends, new lovers, maybe someday even a new husband. I can't waste time mourning everyone I've lost. I've lost more people than you'll ever know."
Ilias, however, seemed to disagree with Tamamo's perspective. The sounds of her wailing could be heard for miles, Ben imagined.
"It's different for Ilias," Tamamo said, answering Ben's unspoken question. "I may be immortal, but someday even I will die. If my body is destroyed, my soul passes on to the afterlife. Everyone I've ever loved, I'll get to see again. That's true even of Eden. But Ilias, and the Dark God as well, they can never truly die. If their bodies are destroyed, their magics simply disperse and eventually reform. For Ilias, Luka is gone forever. She lost one of her Seraphs long ago as well. Lucifina, the first angel she ever created. When Lucifinia died, Ilias was so distraught that she started a plague that killed thousands."
"She's not going to….?" Ben asked.
"I doubt it," Tamamo chuckled. "She's a more mature person now. She'll mourn him. I guess it's even harder for her because she carries so much guilt about how she treated him. I can relate to that kind of guilt."
"It's true of us spirits as well," Undine said inside Ben's heart. "Our existences are never ending. As long as the universe exists, we will be here."
"Waaaahhhhh!!!" Sylph cried.
"So I guess we're really at a dead end," Promestein interjected. "I've failed. I don't even know where to begin looking for the ring, now."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so discouraged just yet," a jovial, familiar voice said. Promestein, along with everyone else, turned to face the source of the voice.
"Well, well, well!" Agent Landon Haven said."I have never seen such a distinguished assortment of immortals in one place before! Something really big must be going on for you to all gather here!"
"And you are?" Ilias asked.
"Oh, pardon me," Landon replied, flashing his identification. "I'm Agent Landon Haven, PROTECT. I'd like you all to come with me. This time I'm not asking. The world is at stake."
"Exactly," Eden said coldly. "Which is why we have no time for this. You cannot stop us from leaving. We have no wish to harm you, so do not attempt to prevent our departure."
"Well, you got one part right," Landon said with a smile. "We don't have time for this."
Before anyone could say another word, everyone was teleported away.
Instantly, the party, along with Agent Haven, found themselves indoors. Ben looked around. It was a very modern looking facility. There was machinery and computers everywhere, but no windows. Were they underground?
"Welcome to PROTECT headquarters," Agent Haven declared. "In case some of you have the idea of just teleporting back out of here, I'd advise against it. You have no idea where you are, and without that knowledge, teleportation will probably prove futile at best, fatal at worst."
"Where have you brought us!?" Ilias demanded to know. Her power may have been taken by Luka, but that didn't mean she was a pushover, and she retained her goddess temper and imperiousness.
"As I told you, this is PROTECT HQ," Agent Haven said calmly. "Where that is, well… it's nowhere. You're no longer in your dimension."
"Are we on Earth?" Tamamo asked. "I thought Earth was cut off from our world decades ago!"
"That's not entirely true," Agent Haven replied. "But no, you're not on earth either. You're in an artificial dimension, created just to hold this facility. It's the most secure facility in the multiverse. No one can get in without the director's authorization, and no one gets out without her authorization either."
"Does that mean we are prisoners?" Eden asked. "Have you decided that removing all of the most powerful beings on our world was too good an opportunity to pass up?"
"You're not prisoners," Agent Haven assured her. "In fact, I'd like us to be allies. We have information you want. You have information we want. I'd like us to work together to deal with the threat to our world."
"Wait, do you know where the Luka ring is?" Promestein asked, stepping forward, ready to shake the man.
"I know exactly where it is," the agent replied. "Ready to trade?"
"What do you want to know?" Promestein asked.
"What the hell is going on, for starters."
"I thought I explained that."
"Mostly," Haven said. "Except the part where we're up to our necks in demons even though the barrier hasn't weakened."
"Wait, what?" Promestein asked, turning to Ilias.
"I'll take this one," Ilias said. "About fifty thousand years ago, Hell's gates opened up and a demon queen emerged, seeking to conquer the world. I stopped her and sent her back to hell, and I closed the gates behind her. I put a god level enchantment on the gates to keep them closed for a very long time. Those gates are still locked tightly. It wasn't for lack of trying on Zurith's part. For the past few months, she's been pounding away at that barrier. But I built it strong. She didn't even dent it."
"Then how-?"
"I don't know," Ilias shrugged helplessly. "They found some other way into our world. I have no idea how they did it. Whatever they did, it doesn't allow for a mass invasion. But I saw on the Iliastron that some of the stronger demons are congregating around the barrier. I think they intend to break it from this side, where it's weaker."
"Thank you," Agent Haven said genially. "Was that really so hard? That's what we thought might be happening. Our satellites picked up a lot of demon activity in the Serafina desert. I'm guessing that's where they intend to launch their full scale invasion. The director told us that the barrier will likely be broken sometime in the next day or two. We were already prepared to mobilize and give them a warm welcome. What we didn't know was the nature of the threat beyond that we should expect some demons. Or maybe a shitload of demons."
"It's going to be a shitload," Ilias confirmed. "When I faced her, she was alone. But for the last several thousand years, she's received the souls of all the evil humans and monsters in the world."
"Well then don't we have all the good souls?" Agent Haven asked. "You run heaven, right?"
"I….. " Ilias sighed. "I don't really run heaven as you understand it. Heaven, or paradise, or whatever you call it, that place where the good who die go, it's not under my control. I don't know who runs it. Whoever it is, that being has no interest in the affairs of the living. I just called myself a goddess and created the trappings of heaven."
"Then it's up to the living," Agent Haven said. "So this queen demon. Can we kill her with conventional weapons? Would a nuke do it?"
"Probably not," Ilias replied. "I'm not even sure she can be killed. Or any of her demons. As long as they are connected to their hell dimension, they can only be sent back there. What we have to do is send them all back to hell and close the gate again."
"What happens if the gate is closed but some demons are still on the surface?" Ben asked.
"We can't be sure," Promestein answered. "But I think they'd be killed if they had no way of getting back to their own dimension. Hard to say."
"Close that gate and we can take care of any stragglers," Agent Haven said. "I'm guessing that will be your job?"
"That was the plan," Promestein said. "Ideally, we wanted to do it before they invaded in force, but it looks like we may end up being too late. That's why we we're looking for the ring. Speaking of which…"
"Ah, yes!" Agent Haven said. "The ring! Right this way!"
Agent Haven led the party down several passageways. Ben looked around in wonder. The facility seemed to be endless.
"How big is this place?" Ben asked.
"That's classified," Agent Haven chuckled. "But it's big. We have our own dimension, so space isn't an issue. We've just continued to add to this facility over the centuries."
The agent brought them to a vault. Using a card and a fingerprint, he opened the vault and led the group inside. At the far end of the vault, in a glass case, was what they had been searching for. It was a simple gold band with engravings on it. Ben had expected more.
"How did you get this?" Promestein asked.
"Did you steal that ring from my home?!" Tamamo asked angrily.
"Not at all," Agent Haven chuckled. "In fact, your husband gave it to us of his own free will."
"Why would Luka do that?" Tamamo asked. "That makes no sense! He would have told me!"
"Sure, if he remembered doing it," the agent replied. "He gave PROTECT the ring because as powerful and trustworthy as you are, there's no more secure place than this facility. He wanted it to be where the next hero worthy of it could easily get to it. It was our job to facilitate the acquisition, as well as protect it from beings like…. Well, like all of you. He trusted you, Tamamo, but he knew that Ilias, Alipheese, or an Ancestor might try to possess it. Even if they couldn't use it, which they almost certainly couldn't, they might want to destroy it to prevent any future challenge to their power. Once he entrusted the ring to us, shortly before he died, the memory that he had done it was wiped from his mind."
"That's impossible!" Ilias said indignantly. "I put a god level block on his mind! Even I could only get around it to enter his dreams!"
"As much as it annoys me to say this," Tamamo said bitterly. "I agree with Ilias. Luka's mind block was airtight except for the dreams, and he couldn't be controlled through his dreams. Secondly, I don't believe for a second that Luka would trust some government agency with that ring!"
"He didn't trust a government agency," a woman's voice said from outside the vault. "He trusted me."
"Micaela….." Ilias breathed. "I knew you were still alive, but I haven't seen or heard any sign of you in…."
"Two thousand years," Micaela replied, entering the vault. "Even before immortals disengaged from the affairs of the world, I worked from the shadows. I founded PROTECT as an agency to defend the world from the likes of you, Ilias. Luka deserved a good life. Three battles against gods bent on world domination was enough. He paid his dues."
"I guess that explains how his mind was wiped of any knowledge of where he'd left the ring," Tamamo said. "If anyone could figure out how to remove the mind block, it would be you, Micaela."
"I did indeed remove it," Micaela replied. "Luka knew his time was short. It was a chance meeting between us, in fact. I had sensed the power of the immortality ring he wore waning. I hadn't spoken to him in centuries and wished to go to him, to say goodbye, perhaps to give him comfort. That's when he told me about the Luka ring. In turn, I told him of this organization and our facility here. I brought him here for the grand tour. It wasn't as big then as it is now. That was when he decided to entrust me with the ring. We mutually decided that his mind should be wiped so that no one but PROTECT would know the ring's whereabouts."
"I guess I'll try not to take it personally that Luka did this behind my back," Tamamo sighed. "I have to admit, I can't imagine a more secure place than this, and if you, Micaela, were the only one who knew about it for all these years, no one would ever find out about it."
"Well now that we know where the ring is," Promestein pointed out. "Ben, why don't you put it on? We've got a world to save."
Ben looked at his companions and then at the ring. This was the moment they'd been anticipating ever since beginning their quest. With trepidation, he slowly approached the ring. He picked up the glass case and flipped it open. Pulling the ring out of its case, he placed it on his finger. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.
Long seconds passed. "Is something supposed to happen?" Ben asked.
"Wait for it…." Promestein said. "Any second now…."
Everyone continued to wait. For a full two minutes, nothing happened.
"Good one, Promestein!" Ilias exclaimed, breaking the silence. "Can't you do anything right?!"
"It was your bright idea to send me on this mission!" Promestein replied hotly. "You knew I wasn't an experienced adventurer! Would it have been too much for you to send a fucking text to Tamamo?!"
"First off, I'm not sending a monster to do an angel's job! Secondly, you may not be an adventurer, but you found me Luka! I figured you had an eye for heroes! But instead you found this loser!"
"Ben is a hero!" Emma interjected angrily. "I guarantee he'd kick your ass all over this compound!"
"Everyone shut up!" Tamamo yelled. "Maybe it's just broken? It is pretty old."
"Well, there's only one way to find out," Promestein said, grabbing Ben's hand and removing the ring. She placed it on her own finger and pointed it at a chair in the corner of the vault. The chair was turned into kindling with a blast from the ring.
"Hey, that chair cost the taxpayers twelve thousand Lukas!" Haven exclaimed.
"Now I'm glad I don't pay taxes," Tamamo replied. "Promestein, you've got some explaining to do! Why did the ring respond to you?! That's not what we agreed to!"
"I built a backdoor into the magic code," Promestein said smugly. "It was my backup plan. If I couldn't find anyone who could use it, I decided that I should be able to."
"Of course you did!" Tamamo said, scowling. "I should have predicted you'd pull something like this."
"Keep your kimono on. I don't have access to Luka's full power. Only a small fraction of it. I knew that Luka would never want someone like me to have that kind of world destroying might, and I respected him enough to keep my promise to him. All this does is give us a chance. Between me using this ring, Ben's newfound elemental power, and the help of two wannabe goddesses and an Ancestor, maybe it'll be enough."
"Don't you mean three wannabe goddesses?" a voice said from the entrance to the vault.
"Mother!" Tamamo cried joyfully, rushing to wrap Alipheese up lovingly in her tails.
"Easy now, Tammy," Alipheese wheezed. "I'm not as tough as I used to be thanks to your late husband. You are far beyond me now."
"Are my sisters here?!"
"They are," the dark god confirmed. "The band's all here, dearie. This sounded like an all hands on deck situation. We like the world, we'd kinda like to live in it a little longer. So what's the plan?"
Everyone just stood around looking at one another. "Anyone?" Alipheese prompted.
"My angel army destroyed the demons attacking New Remina," Eden said. "For now, we stand ready to assist wherever demons attack. Wherever there is an Eden temple, we can respond within minutes."
"We've already begun massing forces in the Safina Desert near the location where we expect the demons to emerge from the gates of Hell," Micaela said. "I informed the President yesterday, but getting the United Provinces Military mobilized will take three days."
"Do we have three days?" Emma asked.
"Hard to say," Haven answered. "we don't know exactly what their forces are capable of. What I do know is that PROTECT will be the primary fighting force for the first three days of war."
"As well as Heaven's Armies," Eden added. "Although we rely primarily on magic and traditional melee weapons, our forces always stand ready. Together, we shall buy time until the more modern forces of the United Provinces can get into the fight."
"For the desert battle," Micaela said. "It will be best to let PROTECT handle that fight. We employ the latest technology, which means that Heaven's forces would only be in our way."
"We shall continue to protect the cities, then," Eden replied.
"What about the queen bitch?" Emma asked.
"That's going to be our job," Promestein said. "Assuming she can be located. As much power as she gives off, she can't be too difficult to spot."
"For now, it's late," Micaela said. "Everyone should turn in. The barrier still stands and we have no idea where Zurith is, or even if she's in our world yet. Get some rest, folks. In the morning we might have more information."
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