Diamens in the Sky

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

Mara lay within her rejuvenation tank, the fox floating within the green fluid. After her fight with Orsa, her body had been in dire condition, but now, she was recovering at a steady pace, and almost completely recovered... yet her eyes remained closed. A single word escaped the jaws of the kitsune... "Crigan", she murmured, her form curled within the tank. Orsa had been slain... but that did nothing of the damage already caused. Thousands, if not tens of thousands lay dead, among then Thresher... and Crigan. After spending over 300 years sealed within her own body, a prisoner to the demon that had taken control, she had finally managed to reunite with her loved one... only for him to be gone now, erased from the fabric of space. If the fox could cry more tears, she would have...but they were all spent.

"Well well, what do we have here?" An all to familiar voice reached Mara's ears. One eye slowly opened... and there, standing infront of the tank, one arm braced against it, was the last person she ever wanted to see... her old boss Persephone, who had on a sick, twisted smile on her face. "A war hero who took on the bastard mistake I brought here... and came out triumphant. I must say, I am proud to see that you have done what Crigan and that damn cyber shark couldn't... though it was with several of those heroes." Here, she spat out of the corner of her mouth, then locked her bloodshot eyes with the recovering fox. "But I couldn't help but notice, even as I lay sick in bed... that you seem different somehow... pray tell, what might it be that has changed? Is it the hair? The teeth... or something with the soul?"

Mara leapt off the top of the regeneration tank and changed back into her more human form, her fur twisting back into her usual cloth attire. She couldn't let Persephone know of her new freedom... "Just a little sore from the fight. That is all." She said, trying her best to imitate her former gruff voice. "A good sleep is all I ne-"

Mara was cut short as a quick kick to the stomach caused her to double over, her mouth dripping blood as she collapsed, her arms wrapped around her stomach. "Don't give me that crap, Mara-Darling. I know perfectly well the spirit I put in you is dormant. "Persephone glared down at the woman, unbalancing herself from the side of the tank and standing tall, resisting the pain that the Myrs Siren Tea was still inflicting on her. "I don't know they did it, or how you still have control over the spirit's powers, but I knew in an instant something was wrong. You can fool a lot of other people, but you cannot fool me... me and that spirit share a special bond, since I was the one who made it. I'll just have to reawaken it." The Empress of Eternal Darkness smirked as she placed her foot on Mara's head, and pressed down., the woman screaming in pain and agony the steel-toed bit dug into her temple. "But first... why not torment and refurnish the body before bringing it back under my control?"

"Why don't you just rot and die in a hole, bitch!" A new voice called out, as if from the air. Persephone whirled around, trying to locate it... but there was nothing. She was about to dismiss it as nothing but an empty UCA threat, a spike of darkness fired up from Mara's body and impaled her through the chest. Persephone gasped as the spike withdrew, her own blood gushing out of a hole the size of her fist. She staggered off of Mara, and collapsed against one of the walls of the room, her eyes racing like a madman. At the same time, Mara was confused as well, though glad the pain was over. What... who had saved her? What had come out of her body?

As if in response to this thought, a dark cloud spiraled upward from her back, and began to take form between her and Persephone. It became more humanoid by the second, and muscular. clothes developed, as did hair. Light blue jeans formed around the legs, and a black leathery jacket oozed from within the being's body. Then, it was complete. The figure standing before her turned slightly to face her, and Mara gasped. Blue eyes, light brown hair... thick eyebrows, and a face she recognized on a heartbeat. "D-D-Diamen? Is that really you? How... How are you still ali-"

"Please do not speak now Mother... I have a witch to kill before me. I will tell you later." The man said, his voice soft, yet stern and filled with anger. He turned back to face the Demon, who was drowning in her own blood, and pointed a finger forward, dark energy flowing around it. "You dared to harm my mother, and bring endless pain and grief to countless innocents... I will do what my father failed and should have done... and that is end your pathetic existence."

Persephone growled, clutching her chest hole as she rose, the very air around her chilling as the walls froze. This damn brat looked no older than 21, yet he had laid what would otherwise be a mortal blow on her... the Queen of Demons! And here in a protected place! "Who do you think you are, having the audacity to attack the Lord of all Demons?!" Persephone howled, Taking no notice of the sentry guns aiming at her and the man, who glared right back at her.

"I am Diamen Sulches, firstborn of Crigan and Mara Sulches, and the greatest Death God in 15 generations!" The man boasted, taking a step forward. Persephone's eyes widened as she realized what lay before her. How could this be? This fool should have died back during the Human-Demon war! She had personally killed him, yet here he was! "I have trained 300 years for this moment, where I would finally end the pain and grief wrought upon my family by my father's failures and you treachery! Your time is at an end, Persephone. You will die here, and the world I come from will be able to live in peace atlast!"

"Wait Diamen... please don't!" Mara shouted, but it was too late. A dark orb of pure death flew right for the injured Persephone. The Hellian Queen had no way of avoiding it... she was too weak, and she knew it was the end... she closed her eyes...

and waited... and waited... but... she felt nothing. Slowly, Persephone opened them, and saw a sight she never would have been happier to see than now. "This fight in unauthorized on behalf of the UCA. And why on earth are you here, Diamen?" Shikieiki Yamazanadu asked, the Enma crushing the orb of death she had caught within one hand. "I thought you were stationed off by the Holy Knight base in sector 9 Q?"

Diamen looked away from the Enma. "I was sent over here to collect all the souls Orsa killed , since there's no real Death Gods operating in this system. I ran across Mother fighting the beast, so I stepped into her mind to try and help her." That caused Mara to breath a sigh of relief. So the voice she had heard in her mind... had been Diamen. But... what of Crigan?

"Very well. I guess it's only natural you are here with your mother right now. She is tasked to see the High Council right now on their orders, and I suppose it would be best if you joined with her. As for you, Persephone." Shkieiki whirled around to face her. "Try not to pick on fights you cannot win. And please... do not antagonize anyone whose affiliated with me in any way. The consequences would be ... dire indeed." And with that, the Enma, Death God, and Mara vanished in a bolt of lightning, leaving behind Persephone, who chuckled darkly.

"I can't believed it... I got saved by the Yama. But this hole is gonna be a bitch to heal." Persephone groaned, as she went back off to her own room, blood dripping along the floor. A child of Crigan's... here at the UCA. Just her luck... This was gonna be a bad day for her, she knew it...

[Tenshi the Sunkern]

Mara blinked as the Yama brought them to their destination. This wasn't the grand room of the High Council, it was more like a dark, damp cellar where wine was stored. She could see that there were a pair of stairs spiraling upon the far end of the room. No doubt, those led to the main council hall. But... why on earth were they in this room? What was so special about it? "Uh, I think your little lightning teleport took us to the wrong place." Diamen told Shikieiki, earning him a shrug back in return from the Enma.

"Did she take you to the wrong place? I doubt it." A voice rasped behind them. While Shikieiki knew who it was and didn't bother turning around, both Mara and Diamen did... and while the latter shook his head and groaned, the former's eyes wind wide with what she saw. She began to breath heavily, nearly collapsing where she was. Though the shape itself was far different, it was still recognizable, and the golden helmet could only mean one person.

"C-C-CRIGAN! CRIGAN!" Mara cried as she threw herself at the seemingly incorporeal figure. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and tears fell down her face. The ghostly figure wrapped his arms around the woman, and the two stood there, embracing one another. "I though... I saw you die to Orsa... How.... How are you still alive? The UCA even listed you as dead..."

"I was dead... but somehow, I came back." Crigan purred, holding Mara ever closer... though his eyes were starring past her, and at Diamen, who was glaring right back at him. Obviously, there was no lost love between father and son, even after 300 years. "I must say, I am abit surprised to see Diamen here, especially after I saw him slain by Persephone during the Human-Demon war. Mind telling your old man how you lived decapitation and evisceration?"

Diamen snorted, turning his back on his father. "Why should I tell a useless old man like you? You don't seem happy to see me alive, at the very least, and you failed to save me back then.... or, maybe you wanted me to die!" He snapped, pointing his finger at the demonic tapeworm.

"Diamen! That is now what your father thinks..." Mara turned, standing between the two of them. "It was all my fault... I got lured into evil... and set the trap that killed you. Crigan had nothing to do-"

"Crigan had EVERYTHING to do with it!" Diamen barked, pushing aside his mother to jab his finger right in the face of the Death God. "WHO was it that hid their powers and identity from the women they married? WHO was it that Persephone was after in the first place? And WHO was it that not only kept those powers hidden from his own family, but also sat back and watched as I died that day, and let the reapers take my soul to the afterlife? Let us face it, you are a failure, old man! A disgrace that squandered the very powers given to him!"

"Is that so?" Crigan glowered, his ghostly figure wavering in and out. The lights from the torches in the room dimmed, the shadows seemed to lengthen, and his form rose, towering over his own son as his eyes glowed a bright golden hue, and orange flames licked out of his maw. "I did what I could to preserve what I held dearest to me, to save you and Mara, to save everyone... Not a day went by that I lamented your death, that I visited your grave, and mourned for what had become of you. I thought for sure I had lost my eldest son... and yet, you stand before me, cursing my existence out before me and your mother. I know you hate me for my failures, but atleast spare your dear mother the harshness of your words." He boomed, his ghostly wings spread likea banshee in flight. "Now... How did you become... A Death God like me? Who let yo-" He stopped, and turned to face Shikieiki, who had turned to face him as well. "It was your doing, wasn't it? He told you at Higan I was his father, and that he wished to become like me, didn't he?"

Xanadu sighed, leaning against the wall. "Indeed. when the reapers brought his soul before me, he told me that you wanted him to pick up his mantle... Seeing as you had retired from the business over 700 years ago, and I had no way of asking you this on the spot, I assumed he was telling the truth. We took him under our training, and in 300 years, he became a fine Death God... though, now that I see his true self, and realizing we have been tricked by him, I suppose yanking his power away would only be worth it. Apparently, my colleagues were asked if he could be sent here to bring back the souls of those killed by Orsa... but it turns out he had his own reasons for coming to the UCA, thus defying our orders...."

"Please, don't!" Mara fell on her knees, her face looking up the Judge of the Dead. "To have him alive... I don't want to loose anyone else, especially by my hands. Please, spare him..." She begged, while Diamen merely shook his head. Crigan kept his eyes on him, but said nothing. He had no say in the matter. What the Enma wished, was what happened. They and they alone held all the power.

Though, they could be reasoned with. "Very well then. You will keep your Platinum Rank and your renewed life, Diamen, but the next time you dare try to deceive us or go against our rules, we will not hesitate to kick you out." Xanadu told him. Mara breathed a sigh of relief, though both Diamen and Crigan kept glaring at one another. Damn... talk about a bad father-son relationship...Both are right... She thought to herself, before clearing your throat. "Ah yes. We should be heading upstairs now. You are awaited in the main hall." The Yama announced, before turning to walk up the stairs.

Once she was up and out of earshot, Diamen jabbed a finger back in his father's face, only for Mara to push it aside. "I know both of you are angry with one another, but we are a reunited family at long last. Can we please set aside the hate and anger and just BE happy, if not for my sake, than for everyone else? I can't stand the tension between you two..."

Diamen growled, putting his hands in his pockets. "Fine. If it's for you, mother, than I shall do that. But he is STILL a failure that doesn't deserve my love."

"And you are a spoiled brat that envies power beyond your control" Crigan shot back. "But I still love you as my own. Now... let us head up, and see what we are here for." Crigan grabbed Mara's hand, and the two headed up the stairs as well, with Diamen following behind them, grumbling and swearing behind their backs...

Once they were up the stairs, Crigan let the smallest of smiles leave the sides of his face. It was the same room they had been in several days prior, but now, all the chairs were gone. Instead, the entire High Council stood there, the Left Minister with a large bag, the Right Minister with a silver crown, and the Head Minister with a large golden crown in his hands. "We are in your debt, Crigan and Mara." The Head Minister said, bowing his head ever so slightly. The rest of the Yama, as well as their Death God servants bowed their heads as well. Crigan only saw it fit to bow back, Mara and Diamen doing it out of respect and following his lead. "We thank you and those at the UCA for putting an end to this crisis. Orsa's life energy has vanished for good, and peace has returned to these lands.

"Um... yeah." Crigan began to stutter, looking at his superiors nervously. "I tried taking him on myself... but then Thresher joined me... and we both tried to kill him, but... Thresher died, and I did as well. It was only by a miracle I came back to life. But... Thresher...."

"I would not worry about the shark." The Leftmost minister cut him off. "I still sense his life energy going strong. He is alive, or I am a fool. As for you, you may have fallen, but you stood against a foe none of us could ever surpass. You showed courage on the battlefield, and your death galvanized the forces of the UCA to action. You were right all along, Crigan. The monsters there stopped Orsa. As promised, we will not interfere with the state of affairs there any further."

"However," The Head Minister picked up where the Leftmost minister left off, "We wish to congratulate those heroes on their success. Without them, our world would be doomed. For Mara, Wife of Crigan and former familiar of Persephone, we present to you a silver crown, inscribed up it the words, "May your blessings see you down the river of life." Keep it on you, and all will see you were honored by the High Council." The Head Minister held up his right hand, and the Right Minister moved forward. He reached up, and placed the silver crown on Mara's head. It was a large sort of crown, just large enough to fit perfectly, with jewels and ornaments hanging from it from lands far and wide. Mara dared not take it off and look at it at that moment. It would have been rude to do such a thing as look a gift horse in the mouth. "For those heroes who stood up to Orsa Terminus, the likes of Michiru, Sid, Shinryu, Behemoth, Pavoroc, Venturimon , Thresher, and Halcitrox, we present to them these silver crowns, the same as Mara's. Xanadu, could you please deliver these to the warriors who deserve them for saving all of us?" The Head Minister asked, as the Leftmost Minister handed the bag over to her. Shikieiki merely nodded, and took the bag in her hands.

"And as for you, Crigan. we are sorry for what we have done. We overstepped our boundaries, and were ready to destroy countless innocents just to preserve our own lives. You showed us that we were wrong, and that the UCA was ready and prepared to handle such a threat. It took your demise to bring them into action, and for that, there is nothing we can offer for you. However, what I have in hand, is a gift from the Goddess herself, Lady Shinki. It is a gift, far older than even we, and the only thing that can be given to you." The Head Minister lowly stepped forward, and offered forth the golden crown. Crigan looked at it, and took it in his hands. It was slightly smaller than Mara's, and very plain, with no decorations or jewels on it. However, there were words on it, written in a language he could barely make it. He narrowed his eyes, and realized this was in ancient Angelic High, a form of writing gone for over tens of millions of years. As his fingers ran across the words, he read them aloud. "A gift to he that gives his life, so that others may live. From the Creator himself, Jinengus." His spine shivered as he read the name. This was forced by the very Creator of the Archangels, the most powerful being of that realm, the Beginner of Life, a being he had only heard rumors of existing...

"Thank you... but I do not deserve this. I cannot take such a sacred treasure for myself... Anything else would do..."

"Please Crigan... take it." The Head Minister ordered. "If the Goddess of the Underworld so says you are to receive it, then you must. It is by her orders and her orders alone, so take it." He stepped back, and looked around. Though Crigan could not see his eyes, he knew he was looking at Diamen. "With this, our unofficial meeting has come to a close. Please come by when the championship title holds come to an end. We would like to hear more about how you survived, but it seems your wife is scheduled for a tag team matchup soon. I don't want to hold you up."

"What?" Crigan asked. He looked over at Mara. When did this happen? "Did you sign up for the championship? Can they even hold a championship so soon after Orsa's demise?" What he got back was a confused shrug from Mara. This wasn't right. Mara hadn't signed up for this... which meant someone one had done it for her. "Thank you, High Council. We shall leave you in peace until the next time we meet."

With that, Shikieiki and the three vanished in a bolt of lightning, leaving behind the High Council. The Head Minister turned, and was about to leave, when the Right Minister turned to face him. "Head Minister... It seems that... I'm picking up a dark life force... Salavance is there!"

Silence filled the room. No one dared say anything. What happiness and joy there was, was gone. Then, the Head Minister turned. "No... It can't be? Did Orsa's death draw forth that awful monster? Why now? Why must that evil reveal itself again? Put this place on high alert... we cannot allow that menace here again!"

______________________________________________________________

Back in Mara's living quarters, a bolt of lightning struck the floor. As it faded, the Enma walked out of it. the bag of silver crowns in her hands. "Alright you three, you better get some rest." Shikieiki said as she turned around. "You have a big day tom-"

She dropped the bag. Crigan, Mara, and Diamen were gone. Somehow, they had gone astray during the teleportation process... but how?