We stared up at the mountain. It was the highest point on this world, but it was nothing compared to the Himalayas on Earth. It looked to be about a mile high by my reckoning. Good. That meant we had a decent chance of getting up there in less than a day. I had some experience with mountain climbing, as I'd done it with Alice and Tamamo a few times for recreation. While Mount Saint Amos was tall, it wasn't nearly as steep as the mountains on Hellgondo. The climb shouldn't be too difficult, I thought.
I surveyed the party. We had our core group with us, along with Promestein, Nuruko, the harpies, Nanabi, Lime, Barbun, Mary, and two kitsunes who introduced themselves as Kitsu and Kamuro. Kitsu was an experienced climber and would take the lead, and Kamuro was her inquisitive and less experienced best friend.
As I had expected, the climb wasn't terribly difficult, but it was still tiring. The harpies didn't need to climb, they simply continued their scouting duties from the air. Some of us, mainly the humans, relied heavily on our equipment to get us up the mountain. Others had their own adaptations. Promestein chose to climb with the humans, preferring to rely on her wings only if she needed them. Ilias vacillated between flitting ahead of us and staying with the group. About halfway up the mountain, Flippy landed next to me as I was rappelling up a relatively steep rock face with Kitsu and Sonya to report.
"We're going to reach an area where the going should be fairly easy approximately 200 feet from where you are now," Flippy reported. "There are monsters there, however. The odds of an encounter are high."
"We've got the numbers, though, right?" I asked. "Not much chance we'll be attacked as a group?"
"Just…. Stay close to your companions," Flippy advised. "A mountain is an excellent place to separate you from them."
"Thanks for the warning," I said. I knew what kinds of monsters inhabited mountains. Mainly beast monsters. Beasts were generally not bad intentioned and fairly easy to reason with. I decided to not worry very much.
We reached the area Flippy had spoken of. We were on schedule. It was early afternoon and we were halfway to the summit. I called for everyone to stop and break for lunch. Everyone had packed ready to eat goodies for the day, as cooking on the mountain wasn't likely to be practical.
"This area is a sort of trail," Flippy informed landbound members of the group. "It's really convenient in that it will enable you to ascend about a thousand feet or so without too much effort. I'm guessing it will take you all about an hour."
"Unfortunately, after that it gets difficult," Ilias said. "The next two thousand feet are pretty steep. At the rate we've been going, I estimate a three hour climb. There should be mithril deposits starting well before the summit. I'll ascend to the highest point myself and see if I can contact heaven."
"Luka, how are you holding up?" Alice asked with concern. I'd thought I was in good shape, but mountain climbing shape is something else entirely. I already hurt all over.
"I'm…. not terrible," I said. "I'll make it. We only have to get up. I can teleport us back down."
"You still haven't told us what you found in that book," Sonya prodded.
"Oh, the book wasn't important. The note inside it was. It was from Marcellus, telling me to contract with the spirits."
"Is that something you did before?" Alice asked.
"Yes. And I had been planning to do it again. So in that respect, finding that book didn't accomplish much. But it did tell me that Marcellus knows about this 'true history' thing. He thinks it's vital that I contract with the spirits for that reason."
"So let me get this straight," Alice said. "You have this incredible alien power, you fight well enough to hold your own against Granberia, and you also contracted with the spirits? How powerful did you become? How powerful will you become?"
Ilias seemed very interested in that answer herself, looking at me intently. I wasn't sure how to respond, so I evaded.
"It's what happened before, and it was one of the most pivotal events of that adventure," I said. "So I have to do it again."
What worried me was what else I might have to do again.
The next thousand feet were easy as Flippy had reported. Ilias was growing uneasy, however.
"Ilias, are you okay?" I asked. "Is it the news that I'm going to contract with the spirits that's bothering you?"
"I trust you, Luka," Ilias replied. "I also trust that you'll tell me everything very soon. I'll force you if I have to. But that's not what's bugging me at the moment. Do you feel that?"
"I feel nothing," I said.
"All that power and no sense of magic," Ilias said, shaking her head. "Alice, how about you?"
"I feel it too," Alice replied. "I don't know what it is, but it's powerful. Insanely powerful. Holy magic, which means…."
"An angel," Promestein finished. "A very high ranking one."
"I'm hoping that's an ally," Ilias said. "if it isn't, Luka, you know what you're going to have to do."
I shuddered at the thought. Yes, I did know what I would have to do if faced with a high ranking angel. With no spirits, I stood no chance against even a middling angel with just my sword. I might have to kill again.
"You do realize this means I'm taking you with me to the summit?" Ilias asked.
"As long as you're carrying me," I said.
At the end of the makeshift trail, we encountered a cliff face that appeared to be about three hundred feet high.
"How do we get up there?" I asked the group.
"I can carry one person up," Flippy volunteered. "Flappy?"
"I…. do not think I can safely carry anyone," Flappy said, looking ashamed. She was simply not skilled enough as a flyer.
"This is not a problem!" Kitsu said. "I weigh only eighty pounds! Flippy, carry me up there and I'll lower a rope ladder."
"You have a three hundred foot rope ladder?" I asked skeptically.
"It's only twenty feet, but it extends magically to be as long as I need!" Kitsu said excitedly.
"Heck of a climb, Luka," Sonya said.
"Yeah, you aren't kidding," I agreed. "How much weight can the ladder support?"
"I'd advise just you, Sonya, Kimuro, and Alice for now. The angels and harpies can fly up. The other land dwellers can come up in the second group."
That sounded like a good plan to me, so Flippy took Kitsu in her arms and flew her to the top. Several minutes later, a rope ladder descended down to us. I tested it and it felt secure, so I began the long, hard climb. Kimuro was right behind me, followed by Sonya and Alice bringing up the rear. The harpies and angels remained at the bottom for the time being, ready to rescue any of us if we threatened to fall.
One hour later, I could see the top and blessed rest ahead of me. I hurt everywhere. I couldn't remember enduring such exertion before. Sonya seemed to be having difficulties as well.
"Just a little farther, Sonya," I said encouragingly. "A couple more hours and we should get as high as we need to get."
"I'm going to sleep for a week," Sonya replied.
Just as my head was about to ascend over the ridge marking the end of our hard climb, a face appeared just above me. It was not one of my companions.
"Hi!" the face said. "You look tired."
I didn't recognize the face. It wasn't any kind of monster I'd ever seen before. Aside from having a tongue that poked out of her mouth and looked to be even longer than Alice's, and beastly ears which I couldn't identify, I wasn't sure what she was.
"I am tired," I admitted. "Where's Kitsu?"
"Your fox friend? She's indisposed at the moment. Let's talk about what's really important. My hunger. Agree to feed me and I'll help you up."
"I can make it up on my own," I said.
"Only if your ladder is intact," the monster said with a grin, and produced incredibly long claws, which she held threateningly over the rope.
"Luka-san, why have we stopped?" Kamuro asked. "Who are you speaking to?"
"Okay, okay!" I said quickly, realizing just then how afraid I was of falling. "Don't harm my friends and I'll feed you."
"Sorry!" I heard Flippy say from behind me. "You have to be a member of an exclusive club to feed on Luka!"
I turned my head as best I could to see Flippy and Flappy hovering, arrows nocked and aimed at the strange monster. The monster backed away, hands raised. I quickly clambered up and got a better look at her. She was exceedingly strange. I was used to wild monsters being nude. This one was fully clothed, wearing a sweater, pants, and boots. I was still having trouble identifying her. Her face was weird looking, not unattractive, but definitely not the kind of face you'd ever see on a human. And that tongue….Unfortunately, it wasn't much of an identifying feature, given how many monster girls had weird tongues.
"Excuse me if this is rude, but… what are you?" I asked.
The harpies landed behind me as Kimuro, Sonya and Alice finished climbing and joined me as well. The monster looked around nervously, but with an air of defiance.
"For your information, human, I'm an anteater girl!" she answered. "And ya'll need to put those bows down! He already surrendered! He's mine!"
"First tell us where Kitsu is," I demanded. "She got up here first and I don't see her!"
"She's fine. She's just being detained by my partner. Aisha! You can bring her out! We've already won!"
An enormous bear girl, a grizzly bear girl by the looks of her, led a frightened but apparently unharmed Kitsu out of a nearby cave. Once released by the bear girl, Kitsu ran to Kimuro and embraced her fiercely.
"Won?" I asked, confused. "You're outnumbered. How have you won?"
"Because you surrendered!" the anteater girl shouted. "That's the rules! You surrender, we get to eat!"
Ilias joined us, adding her own bow to the myriad threats facing Aisha and the anteater.
"That surrender was under duress!" Flappy protested, her bow remaining trained on the anteater girl, while Flippy covered the bear
"I'm pretty sure that's how surrenders work!" the anteater argued. "Who surrenders when not under duress?"
"She has a point, Flappy," Flippy said.
"What!?" Sonya yelled. "That's not fair! He was helpless! He should at least get a chance to fight! Kick this monster's ass, Luka! He challenges you to single combat!"
"No challenges!" Aisha roared. "The man surrendered! We're taking him into our cave and eating. We won't kill him, so just come pick him up when you're done with whatever you're doing here!"
"It's the law!" the anteater girl added.
"I think we need the Monster Lord to make a ruling here," Kimuro said. "Traditionally, surrenders have been valid in fights. This was a blackmail situation. It is not clear to me if his surrender is valid."
"Well the Monster Lord isn't here!" Aisha growled.
"Luka, if you would…" Alice said, coming forward. I restored her to her full size. The anteater and bear stared in awe and dropped to one knee. Not that they should have recognized her, but all monsters knew that echidnas were powerful, high ranking monsters. Always best to show respect, when in doubt.
"I will of course accept whatever decision you make," the anteater girl said glumly, but respectfully.
"Your name, my subordinate?" Alice asked, with a touch of haughtiness in her voice.
"Kyona, your majesty," the anteater replied.
"I see a problem with the boy's surrender," Alice said. "First, you did not force him to give up in combat. You blackmailed him, threatening his friends' lives."
"Plus he didn't know about the bear!" Sonya added.
"Unfortunately, Sonya, the bear is irrelevant. Men who surrender do so unconditionally. Once a man surrenders, the victorious monster can do whatever she wants with him. Eat him, kill him, violate him, or give him to other monsters to do the same. And regardless of the circumstances, Luka did in fact give up. As disadvantageous as his position was, he could still have plausibly fought. Especially given his power. One blast would have ended any threat Kyona posed."
"Power?" Kyona asked, looking at me fearfully.
"I'm afraid that I have to rule the surrender valid," Alice sighed.
"So…. We get to eat?" Aisha asked.
"That depends on Luka," Alice said. "You see, under our laws as monsters, he did declare a valid surrender. But Luka is human. He's not subject to our laws. And as of this moment, Luka is on solid ground, armed with a sword, wielding power the likes of which you can't even imagine. So it's up to him to decide whether his surrender was valid. You are of course free to force him to surrender in a fair fight if you don't agree with his decision."
That put me in a dilemma. I decided to try to work it out as fairly as I could. I stepped forward and addressed Kyona and Aisha.
"You did force me to agree to feed you under duress," I began. "But I'm also a man of my word."
"What?!" Sonya yelled.
"Is there any limit to your perversion!?" Ilias added.
"However," I continued. "Our circumstances are unique. We're not just climbing this mountain for fun. I'm traveling with the Monster Lord because we are on a vital mission. Putting me into critical ecstasy at this moment jeopardizes that mission."
"So the answer is no?" Aisha asked glumly. "So hungry."
"The answer is later, on one condition. Our plan was to come up here and gather a rare metal called mithril. I notice that both of you have pretty impressive claws that are good for digging. I'd bet that between the two of you, you could gather more mithril than all of the rest of us combined. Help us gather mithril, then we can go back to the Monster Lord's pocket castle and you can feed tonight."
"Work for our food?" Kyona asked dubiously. "That sounds awfully…. Human."
"He is a human," Alice noted. "and under human laws, you work if you want to eat. I think that's a fair trade. You work by getting us this crucial metal that we need, and when that work is done, you get to feed."
"He does smell really delicious," Kyona said.
"And there's plenty of metal in our cave," Aisha added. "I don't know if it's this mithril, but you guys can check."
"We are at a sufficient height to begin encountering mithril deposits," Ilias said. "And Luka has a point that between these two monsters' strength and their digging claws, they can gather quite a lot. All right, Luka, I approve your bargain."
"I don't!" Sonya yelled.
"Done!" Kyona said happily. "C'mon, let's go into the cave and find mithril! I'm starving!"
The kitsunes, including Nanabi, who had just managed to ascend up the ladder herself, followed Aisha and Kyona into their cave. Sonya continued to stare daggers at me. Clearly she was not quite over things, despite Barbun's girl to girl talk. Speaking of Barbun and her tipsy friend, Barbun and Mary, along with Nuruko and Lime, also joined us.
"What'd we miss?" Mary asked.
"We think we have a source of mithril," Alice informed them. "Could you go into the cave over there and help out? I'll be joining you with my bag momentarily. Luka, Ilias, I assume you're going to continue to the summit?"
"Yes," Ilias replied. "It might be dangerous, Luka. Be ready for anything."
"Are the rest of you all right here?" I asked. "You don't need me to help?"
"What can your mere human hands do?" Alice asked. "Go. And be careful! Don't hesitate to use all of your power if faced with a powerful enemy. This mission is too important for you to get killed because you held back."
I looked around. The disadvantage of a party being so big was that I wasn't always sure that everyone was present and accounted for. It felt like somebody was missing. Then I realized.
"Has anyone seen Promestein?" I asked.
"I'm right here," Promestein said, as she became the last person to ascend the ladder.
"Can't you just fly?" I asked. "You have wings."
"I don't like flying and I'm quite out of practice," Promestein said.
"It's a small miracle that she's even outdoors," Ilias guffawed. "She can spend years in a library."
"This is where the samples are to be found," Promestein said. "It's the only reason I came along today. I've collected some very interesting specimens."
"Good for you," ilias said condescendingly. "Luka, can we get going? I need to find out who is on the summit. It could be one of my angels waiting for me."
I nodded and without further ado, Ilias swooped up into the air, carrying me along with her. We ascended several hundred feet before she found some flat ground to set me down and catch her breath.
"Do you need me to make you big?" I asked.
"No," the goddess panted. "I'm strong enough to carry you short distances at my current size. Besides, I want to be small. Making me big doesn't give me any advantages as it does for Alice. It just makes me a bigger target."
A few minutes later, Ilias had caught her breath and we ascended a few hundred more feet. She took another break.
"We're almost there, Ilias," I said encouragingly.
"I know," she panted. "I just don't want to arrive there out of breath if we have to fight."
Suddenly, it grew very dark. It was already near evening. Had the sun simply slipped behind the mountain? I felt a sudden chill wind and looked up. Dark clouds had filled the sky where it had just moments before been clear.
"Oh no," Ilias said fearfully. "There's a Seraph up there. No angel other than a Seraph or myself can cause weather like this."
"Alma Elma could," I noted.
"If there was a Heavenly Knight up there I'd feel it," Ilias said. "Dark magic feels very different from holy magic. How are you not feeling that pressure?"
"I do feel something when I'm in the hostile presence of a powerful being. But it kinda all feels the same, whether it's you or a Heavenly Knight or an archangel."
"I just don't understand how you can possess so much power and yet be so blind to magic," Ilias huffed. "No wonder you can't use it well. It's a miracle you can use it all! You're like a blind man with a bazooka!"
"For quite some time I couldn't use it," I admitted. "Hopefully that's Eden."
"I hope so too, but I'm not betting on it. Storms aren't Eden's style. She's got the power, but Eden would be more likely to make this barren height overgrown with vegetation. That leaves that alien Seraph we encountered on the ship. Zion. Luka, please tell me your power is strong enough to kill a Seraph."
"I… I really don't know," I admitted. "I've never tried."
"Well what's the strongest being you've ever unleashed your power on without holding back?!"
"You," I answered.
"Me?! Are you fucking kidding me!? Why would you do that?!"
"We talked about this! You had a plan to destroy all humans and monsters if I didn't kill the Monster Lord! Did you not gather from that we would have come into conflict?!"
"Of course, of course," Ilias said. "I didn't know that, but you're right that I should have drawn that conclusion. That's not important right now. What's important is, did your power kill my counterpart?"
"No," I replied. "Not even close."
"Shit. So we have no idea how effective your power will be against a Seraph."
"Should we leave? I can teleport us back to the group and then teleport them all out of here. Even a Seraph can't track me when I do that."
Ilias thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, if there's even the smallest chance that's Eden, I need to speak to her. Luka, go climb up and find out if it's Eden."
"Climb up? Seriously?"
"It's not much further!" Ilias pointed out. "Less than a hundred feet! And it's not even steep! Twenty minutes for you to get up there, tops!"
"Ilias, are you afraid?"
"Yes, I'm scared shitless!" Ilias yelled. "If a Seraph wants to kill me, I can't do a fucking thing! I'm not used to that!"
"Ilias, I've seen you fight bravely. You can do this."
"I know I've fought bravely! I'm not a coward, as long as it's a fight I can win. What am I supposed to do against Zion?"
"Okay, Ilias," I sighed. "I'll go see who it is. How's your hearing? If I call to you with the all clear, can you hear me and come up?"
"Yes, I should be able to," Ilias replied, folding her arms and looking ashamed, and not directly at me.
"Okay, I'm going to head up. Wish me luck."
I turned to begin my ascent up to the summit. Ilias was right that it wasn't so bad. It would be more like walking up a hill than scaling a rock face. Twenty minutes to make it was probably pessimistic. I was sure that I could to it in ten. I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Luka?" I heard Ilias say, before I was spun around, forced to bend down, and kissed fiercely on the lips. Ilias held the kiss for a few seconds, close mouthed, then pulled away. "You told me to wish you luck. That's how a goddess wishes a hero luck."
"Thank you," I said numbly, then began my ascent. I heard Ilias' voice again a few seconds laster.
"Luka?" she said softly. "Thank you for risking yourself for me. I have no idea why you're doing this."
I wasn't quite sure either. I guess I was just too chivalrous for my own good. Getting to the summit was an Ilias priority, not part of my mission, and high risk to boot. Alice would be livid if she was here, and would tell me in no uncertain terms that I was an idiot for doing a stupid favor for a stupid goddess. So why was I doing it? Habit? As I stepped up towards the summit, I thought about it. No, it wasn't just habit. The primary mission may have been to save this world, and possibly many worlds. Maybe even all the worlds. But what would I be saving if the ancient conflicts simply continued? Maybe this act of kindness towards Ilias would be a step towards making her a better person. That assumed that I survived, of course.
I was surprised that a full on storm hadn't yet materialized. The air was still cold, damp, and windy, and it was quite dark, but it hadn't gotten worse during my climb. Reaching the summit, I looked around. I spotted what looked like the form of an angel on the ground, unmoving. Running towards her, I recognized her as I got closer. Micaela! What was she doing here?! When I reached her, I saw that she was still barely conscious.
"Luka?" Micaela said hoarsely, looking up at me. "Is that you? I never imagined that I'd meet you just as I was meeting my end."
"You're not going to die, Micaela!" I said. "I can heal you! Tell me where you're injured! I can heal you if I know what's wrong!"
Micaela shook her head. "Don't let your guard down, Luka," she said, trying to push me away. "She's... still…. Here."
"Who's here?"
Micaela pointed weakly at the sky. I looked up to see sheer horror. Hovering above us was a deformed, twisted looking angel of pure black. I found it hard to believe that holy energy could possibly create something like that. It seemed to come from the pits of hell rather than the lovely heaven that I had grown to know so well.
"I am Seraph Gnosis," the "angel" declared. "My duty is to carry out divine retribution to sinners."
"Are you the one who did this to Micaela?!" I demanded to know, feeling my power surge within me again, demanding release. For all that Gnosis was a Seraph, she looked brittle. Power comes in many forms. If she was physically weak for a Seraph, I knew that her life could be measured in seconds.
"I am half responsible for this incident," Gnosis replied. "But she must bear the other half of the blame, for she brought this upon herself by the life she led on the surface. Choosing to walk amongst the mortals on this impure land, she forsook her heavenly power as she lived out her many days. Over time, her power dwindled. Had she the power from when she was in her prime, I would have had no chance of winning. How sad. Pitiful, really."
"Why did you attack her!?"
"She is a sinner," Gnosis replied. "it is my job to punish sinners."
"Then why don't you punish me," I said threateningly, my voice low and cold.
"As much as I would like to, I cannot," Gnosis replied. "But when it is your time, I will come for you, as I do for all sinners. For now, human, farewell. We shall meet again."
Gnosis disappeared, teleported to even Ilias didn't know where. I turned back to Micaela.
"So she left," Micaela gasped. "That's good to hear. As you are now, you would have stood no chance against her."
I wasn't sure how true that was, but Micaela probably thought I was her Luka. Indeed, that Luka would have stood no chance.
"Ilias!" I called. "It's Micaela! Micaela is up here!"
I turned to Micaela and put my hands on her, trying to heal her. She gasped as she felt my magic enter her, and grabbed my arm tightly.
"I don't fully understand what you're doing, Luka, but this won't help," the Seraph said. "No one has the power to heal me. Too much of my life force is already gone."
"I've healed a Seraph before," I insisted. "I can heal you! Ilias!"
"I'm here, I'm here!" Ilias responded, alighting next to us. "Micaela! What in the world are you doing here!? What happened to you?!"
"She was attacked by a being claiming to be another Seraph! She called herself Gnosis! Ilias, help me with your healing magic."
Ilias grabbed Micaela's shoulder, adding her power to mine. Nothing seemed to be happening. Ilias shook her head.
"Micaela is too powerful to be healed even with both our magics," Ilias said.
"But I've healed a Seraph before! I healed Eden!"
"Luka," Micaela said gently. "whatever you've done before with this strange power you're showing me, it's not working now. Maybe she wasn't hurt as badly. Please, Luka, save your power."
"Micaela," Ilias sobbed, cradling the Seraph's head. "I'm so sorry, Micaela! I should have listened to you! Please don't leave me again! We need you!"
Micaela laughed softly, which sent her into a fit of coughing. After a few moments, she recovered enough to speak.
"Look at you, little goddess," Micaela chuckled. "Finally seeing the light after all these eons? The world doesn't need a broken down old Seraph. The world needs its goddess."
"Yes! I need to be restored to my true form! Then I can make everything right!"
"No," Micaela said, shaking her head weakly. "your problem was never your power. It was your heart. I wouldn't restore you even if I had the strength to do so. Walk among the mere mortals, live with their limitations. That's how you'll become who you need to be to save this world. Believe me, I know. Living on the surface, it changes a person. I grew weaker over time, but I have no regrets. I did more good for the world while growing weaker than I ever did as your greatest Seraph. Follow in my footsteps, Ilias. And stick with this guy. He'll show you the way."
"Micaela," I said softly, not sure what else to say. I'd buried a lot of friends and family over the centuries. It had been my curse to see nearly everyone I loved die. But immortals, like Tamamo, Eden, and Micaela, were eternal. I thought that at least I'd be spared ever having to watch one of them die.
"Ilias," Micaela gasped. "Take my hand. I can't restore you, but I can give you what strength I have left. I was going to give it to Luka, but something is wrong. His power isn't what I expected. It's not compatible with mine."
Ilias grasped Micaela's hand tightly. Micaela and Ilias both began to glow brightly as Micaela transferred the entirety of her remaining holy energy to Ilias. When the glow faded, only Ilias stood before me, still in that childlike form.
"She's gone," Ilias whispered. "Just like Lucifina. Oh, Luka, Micaela's gone!'
I bent down to comfort Ilias as she wailed in my arms, tears drenching my shirt. My heart was heavy as well. Micaela dying was unthinkable. How was any of this correct history? Were we already doomed due to so many variances?
"We should get back," Ilias said.
"Didn't you want to try to contact heaven?"
"It's not there," Ilias said. "The power Micaela gave me was enough that I should have been able to hear my angels, to contact them. They're gone, Luka. As if they never existed. I can only feel the ones who were already on the surface when the Great Disaster happened."
"By any chance, can you teleport?" I asked.
"I doubt it. Micaela didn't have much power to give. I doubt she would have trusted me with any more in any case."
I nodded in understanding and whisked us back to the group. Sonya and Alice would see on our faces that something terrible had happened. Explanations would come when we got back to the castle. Alice reported that she had nearly a ton of mithril in her bag. Since our mission was complete, Alice called everyone together so that we could teleport back to the pocket castle.