"PARADISE LOST!" From behind Lucillus, a massive magic circle appeared, surrounded by four smaller circles orbiting the central one. These circles began gathering energy, glowing with an intense brilliance.
Feeling the immense power, Sandalphon opened her eyes and immediately released her wings. But this time, instead of three pairs of pure white wings, she had six pairs, each a different color—red, brown, blue, green, white, and gray.
Without hesitation, she shot into the sky. "This wish, this promise, I will protect them...! Paradise Lost!" A magic circle appeared behind Sandalphon as well, but unlike Rei's dark magic circle, hers was pure white and gold. One large magic circle appeared, flanked by two medium-sized ones.
Both Lucillus' and Sandalphon's magic circles began glowing brighter and brighter, until from each, hundreds of rays of light shot forth, rushing towards one another in a cataclysmic clash.
*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* The beams of light collided, creating massive explosions that echoed through the skies. The sheer force of the impact shook the very atmosphere, sending shockwaves in every direction.
The others watched intently, their eyes locked on the scene, filled with both awe and vigilance.
After the explosion, Djeeta immediately rushed toward Lucillus, running through the air with incredible speed. In a flash, she appeared in front of him.
*CLANG* Her Seven-Star Sword, Ivory, clashed against Lucillus' Sword of Repudiation.
"So, you're the first one," Lucillus said calmly, as his two hovering Swords of Renunciation moved swiftly to strike Djeeta from both sides.
"Two: Crown Bow Ivory" Djeeta summoned multiple bows, glowing with her blue aura and starlight. The bows unleashed a barrage of arrows that intercepted the Renunciation swords, redirecting them away from her.
"Hyaaaahh!" Djeeta channeled more power, pushing Lucillus away from the others and beginning her one-on-one battle with him.
Sandalphon, watching the fierce clash, descended back to the group and landed beside them.
"The plan has started. Lyria, Lyria²—it's your turn now," Sandalphon instructed.
Both Lyrias nodded, placing their hands on the crystals embedded in their chests. Lyria's crystal glowed purple, while Lyria²'s shone a bright blue.
"Protection!" they called out. From their crystals, beams of purple and blue light soared into the sky. The light expanded into a massive barrier that separated them from the outside battlefield. Though the barrier appeared thin, its strength was formidable—so strong, even Djeeta would need Boundary Power to break through.
"Good work, Lyria. Now we just have to monitor Djeeta and Rei closely," Katalina said.
The plan was simple yet dangerous: allow Djeeta to fight Lucillus alone, wearing him down until she became exhausted. Then, the others would tag in, cycling through until Lucillus ran out of energy. At that point, both Lyria and Orchid would try to absorb his power. No one knew how long the battle would last, but they had to be prepared for anything.
"Iblis!" Lucillus shouted, causing his two Swords of Renunciation to spin faster and faster. The speed was so intense that even Djeeta's Realm Bow Ivory couldn't keep up, and her bows shattered under the pressure of the spinning blades.
The two swords hurtled toward Djeeta with alarming speed. Sensing the danger while still locked in a blade struggle with Lucillus, Djeeta summoned another Revenant weapon.
"Three: Tiger Axe Ivory!" Several axes, glowing the same celestial blue as her bow, appeared behind her.
"Realm of Ruination!" The axes began glowing brighter and shot toward the approaching Renunciation swords, clashing violently in mid-air. The force of their collision created shockwaves, keeping the deadly swords at bay for the moment.
"Such annoying power," Lucillus muttered as Djeeta once again deflected his attack.
The two of them continued clashing their blades relentlessly. Each impact sent out powerful gusts of wind and strong tremors. Djeeta would slash, only for Lucillus to dodge; Lucillus would strike, and Djeeta would evade, countering in turn. Their combat moved at such incredible speed that it was difficult for the others to keep track. Eventually, they separated, both moving swiftly through the air—Lucillus flying with his wings, while Djeeta sprinted through the sky, their respective weapons, the Sword of Renunciation and Tiger Axe Ivory, constantly colliding around them.
"Axion Vanitas," Lucillus summoned a swirling purple aura in his hand, gathering immense power before firing it to the side. A massive purple laser shot forth, cutting through the air as he swiftly moved it vertically toward Djeeta.
Seeing the attack, Djeeta leapt through the air to avoid the beam, gathering energy into her sword as she did so.
"Reginleiv: Zenith!" Her sword, enveloped in radiant blue light, shot toward Lucillus like a comet.
"Atheism." Lucillus calmly activated a barrier that blocked the attack with ease.
Realizing her strike was ineffective, Djeeta tossed her sword to the side. However, instead of falling, the blade hovered beside her, ready to strike again. She clenched both fists, filling them with Boundary Power as she prepared for her next move.
"Hosenka!" Djeeta unleashed a barrage of shockwaves, each one imbued with Boundary Power, slamming into Lucillus' barrier.
*BAM BAM BAM* The relentless shockwaves cracked the surface of his defense, pushing him back.
As soon as the barrier showed signs of breaking, Djeeta summoned her greatsword once again. She sprinted toward the fractured shield, leaping into the air.
"Archblade of Crimson!" Her blue greatsword began to glow with a fiery red light as she activated its power. With a mighty thrust, she pierced the barrier, and in an instant, it shattered.
"Tch!" Lucillus grunted, forced to retreat as his shield disintegrated.
Wasting no time, he threw his Sword of Repudiation aside and adjusted his stance.
"Tessera." Lucillus vanished from his spot, reappearing in front of Djeeta, who was still recovering from her barrier-piercing strike.
"!?" Djeeta's eyes widened in shock as Lucillus suddenly materialized in front of her.
"Ficus." His hands crackled with silver and black lightning aura, and he began delivering a rapid flurry of blows. Each punch struck Djeeta with devastating force, sending shockwaves through the air as she struggled to defend herself from the relentless barrage.
After landing a multitude of powerful punches, Lucillus finished by channeling all the energy in his hands and striking Djeeta with a double attack.
*BAAM*
"Argh!" Djeeta was sent flying at incredible speed from the impact. However, she quickly regained control, stopping her momentum mid-air before landing back on her feet.
"Hahhh...hahhh..." She clutched her abdomen, where Lucillus' blows had left deep wounds. But within moments, her injuries began healing, her body's resilience evident as the damage disappeared.
Once fully healed, Djeeta stood again, her gaze fixed on Lucillus. She reached out and grabbed her sword, ready to continue.
"Still putting up a fight?" Lucillus remarked, his tone cold and unimpressed.
"Heh, you just managed to land a hit, and you're already gloating?" Djeeta taunted, flashing a confident smirk.
Without hesitation, she summoned Four-Sky Blade Ivory into her left hand, now wielding two revenant weapons simultaneously.
"Let's go, another round!" Djeeta shouted, rushing toward Lucillus with renewed determination.
"Malus!" Lucillus conjured a Dark Orb in front of Djeeta as she charged, and the orb exploded almost instantly.
*BOOOM*
---
Everything was dark. He couldn't see anything—not even the faintest shadow or outline. The world felt empty, a void stretching in every direction, with no sense of up or down, forward or back. It was suffocating in its silence, and the air seemed thick, almost unmoving.
He tried to focus, to remember why he was here or what had just happened, but his thoughts were hazy. There was something important, something he was supposed to do—but he couldn't grasp it. It was as if the memory kept slipping further and further away the more he reached for it.
The emptiness pressed in, and a dull ache began to form in his chest. What was it that he was forgetting? Something critical… Someone important…?
And then, cutting through the darkness, he heard it—a voice. Soft, familiar, and filled with warmth.
"Wake up."
The voice stirred something deep inside him, pulling him from the thick fog of nothingness.
"Wake up! You gonna late!"
Hearing that, he immediately opened his eyes and saw someone standing in front of him, looking at him.
Someone he had known.
That person was his mother.
"You finally woke up, Rei. You're always so hard to wake up every day," his mother said, shaking her head.
"Mom...?"
"Hmm, what's wrong? Are you still sleepy? Well, too bad, you need to go to school. Come on, get up," his mother said as she pulled the blanket off the bed and helped him sit up.
Rei looked confused, but since his mother was insisting, he decided to follow along and stood up.
He then looked around and saw many accessories, game consoles, a PC, and merchandise from games he liked.
This is his room... Of course, it's his room—he's in his house with his parents.
"Ah, yeah, sorry. I played too many games last night," Rei said to his mother while scratching his cheek.
"I know. Now go wash your face. I've already made breakfast. Also, wake your sister up," his mother reminded him before leaving the room.
"Sister... right, my sister," Rei murmured before leaving his room to wash his face.
But before that, he needed to wake up his sister.
*Knock Knock* "Sis, wake up. It's morning," Rei said while knocking on her door.
But as usual, there was no response, so he had to go in himself, like he did every day.
Rei pushed the door open gently and stepped inside his sister's room. The atmosphere was calm and orderly, just as it always had been. The space was minimalist—she never liked too many things cluttering her room. The bed was neatly made except for the small form curled under the covers, hiding from the morning sun streaming through the window.
Her desk, unlike Rei's, was spotless, with everything in its designated place—pens aligned perfectly, books stacked neatly, not a single item out of order. But there was one thing that stood out. A framed photo on her desk, a rare personal touch in an otherwise simple room.
The photo showed the two of them, Rei and his sister smiling at the camera as they hugged each other. Their expressions were full of joy.
Rei's heart softened as he looked at it. That photo had been there for as long as he could remember.
He smiled softly and then turned back toward the bed. "Come on, Sis. You're going to be late." He approached the bed and shook her lightly, already knowing she'd be stubborn about waking up.
Just like every morning.
"Umm, Rei? No, let me sleep," his older sister mumbled, refusing to get up.
"You're going to be late for school, and we also need to eat breakfast," Rei said, shaking her body again, but this time a bit faster.
After a few moments, his older sister finally agreed to get up, and Rei helped her sit on the bed. But as she sat up, Rei noticed that she was only wearing her underwear.
"Wha!? Why aren't you wearing any clothes!?" Rei exclaimed, quickly covering his eyes.
She had the body of a beautiful woman, with smooth, long black hair that cascaded down her back, framing her delicate features. Her skin was flawless, and her curves were undeniable, accentuated by her large chest. Even though Rei quickly covered his eyes in embarrassment, the image of her well-formed figure was hard to ignore.
Seeing Rei's embarrassment made his sister smile and start teasing him. "Ahh, are you embarrassed? It's fine, you often see my body anyway~."
"That's not... Nevermind, just get dressed or something. I'm out." Rei quickly tried to leave her room, but then—
"Ehh, Rei, you're going to leave your sister all alone? How could you do that without helping me stand up?" She pretended to cry while peeking at him through her fingers.
Hearing this, he stopped. "We're not children anymore, you know. Just get dressed already."
But his sister ignored him and continued to fake cry, peeking at him through the gaps in her fingers.
"Fine then..." Rei finally gave in and approached her again.
Once he was next to her bed, he extended his hand to help his sister stand, but suddenly he saw her smile mischievously. She grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the bed.
"Ehh!?" Everything happened so quickly that Rei found himself on top of his sister's bed.
"Hehehe, Rei, you're always so easy to catch," she said, sitting on top of him and looking down.
In that position, Rei caught a glimpse of his sister's cleavage, making him quickly turn his head away.
"What the hell are you doing!!"
Seeing his reaction made her smile wider. She used her left hand to brush aside his black hair that was covering his eyes, she could see his bright blue eyes that he usually hid. Because of their striking color, he always tried to keep them hidden.
"You know, you'd be really popular at school if you actually cut your hair," his sister suddenly said while staring at him.
"Wha?"
"But," she gently touched Rei's cheek, stroking it with her fingers, "I'm fine if I'm the only one who gets to see your eyes like this," she said with a soft smile.
They both fell silent in that position for a moment, staring at each other until she finally laughed. "Just kidding~ C'mon, it's time to wake up," she said, then stood up, helping Rei to his feet as well.
"You go out I want to change my clothes. Or do you want to see me change?" she teased again.
"Nope, I'm out." Rei immediately left her room and headed for the dining table.
But as he walked toward the dining area, he could hear a few people talking from there. He recognized his mother's voice and his father's, but there was another girl's voice he didn't recognize.
When he arrived at the dining table, he saw a girl with wavy blue hair in a ponytail, wearing her school uniform.
"Rei, why did you take so long? Your friend is already here," his father said when he saw Rei coming.
But Rei just kept staring at the girl with a confused expression. It felt like he knew her but couldn't remember at all. It was strange.
"Hello, Rei! It's been a few weeks since we last met," the girl said, waving her hand at him.
But then his father misinterpreted Rei's expression and laughed.
"Hahaha, what is this? Are you mesmerized by Ferry's appearance?"
Ferry...?
"Dear, don't say that. Maybe Rei just misses Ferry; after all, they haven't seen each other for two weeks," his mother chimed in, also laughing.
Ferry blushed at the teasing from both of Rei's parents with her cheeks turning red.