Chapter Twenty-Two

Shukumei sat at a crystal fountain, thinking. He had always known what his daughter's destiny was. He hadn't wrote it ,but he knew. Nezumiiro told him, but he wasn't allowed to tell her. So this was really the end. The second apocolyspe. The first one was before the beginning of time. Of course he hadn't been alive then, but he had read about it.

Then his solitude was broken when the Angel of Life emerged in a flash of white light.

"Good afternoon, Ukiyo, today must be a hard day for you." Shukumei said, no bothering to turn to her.

"Yes, the day all life ends. I serve no purpose now." her voice was quite and void of emotion

"Do you know if your brother truly killed Nezumiiro?"

"I do not know, but if he did not then why would this be happening?" she was distressed now.

"He created us to keep the mortal realm in balance, but we failed to even keep balance here. He anticipated it and so he created Metsubou, the Angel of Ruin. I do not think we will survive her wrath."

"My word, look." Ukiyo stood is awe as she pointed up at the sky. Shukumei looked up to what she was gesturing toward and saw probably the most amazing thing he had ever seen.

Her six black wings dominated the sky. Her aura whipped around like a purple lightning storm, striking out and destroying all in it's path.

"So, it really is the end." Shukumei said, standing up.

"I and mine brother will me the first to go." Ukiyo stood in open space, her back straight and hands folded neatly in front of her.

"Does this mean we all failed then? Or was it just a system to Nezumiiro and if one part then the rest would be ruined." Shukumei looked into the clear water of the fountain. That was where he got all his visions to write down mortal destinies in the Book of Shukumei.

Just then as he was barely moving a hand over the surface of the water, Ukiyo let out a shriek. He looked over to find Ukiyo on her knees, arms crossing her stomach and clear blood pouring from her mouth.

"I-it has . . .begun . . ." she said, coughing and choking as she spoke.

In Shikyo's lair, he was leaning against the stone wall, an arm around his stomach, with black blood pouring out of his mouth. His gaze was fixed in a glare at the Angel of Ruin. He had been at his desk busy at work when, suddenly, she barged in through a wall and sent an aura blast straight at his abdomen. It hit him link a hammer and moved faster than light.

Metsubou didn't say a word as she raised a hand and a quick whip of her shocking aura snapped out, piercing Shikyo's throat.

He gasped as he lay on the ground, choking on his blood, "Please, I implore you, let me live. I'll return the book and set everything back the way it was."

She set another blast at him, which hit him in the chest, as she said, " It is too late for that. My purpose is to destroy all forms of existence. Master Nezumiiro demands it and so shall it be." She raised a hand above her head and began to form a giant sphere, her full power put into it.

"No, Nezumiiro is dead!" Shikyo protested, "I killed him myself! How could he order you to do anything!?"

Metsubou just smiled as she hurled the silver-purple orb at him. The room turned into a storm and when it subsided, Shikyo was gone.

Nezumiiro watched as Metsubou began to decimate the Realm of the Divine. They watched over everything. Shukumei had been right, the system wasn't working. They only created the Divine to keep the Mortals in order. When Metsubou was done, they would destroy her too. But what should happen then? Should they try again or leave everything in ruin and simply exist but do nothing? No, they would try again. They would see what would happen if mortals had free will. It was the Divine that ruined the order. It was the corrupt Divine that manipulated the mortals.

Metsubou was now in the Mortal Realm. In one immerse blast of aura she destroyed cities at a time. The chaotic lightning storm ripped across the globe like a horde of angry killer bees. The destruction of the earth took days. Every life form was denigrated and nothing was left but rock and dust.

Metsubou flew around the planet, looking to see if she missed anything. There was nothing left. But she still wanted to destroy. Death and chaos and utter destruction and discord was her calling, and she could not ignore the call. She flew out of the earth, into space, to find other forms of life to wipe out. But Nesumiiro knew what her actions would be before she even thought them. He appeared before her with a hand held out, signing her to halt.

"You created me for this purpose, now let me do what I was made to do." she snarled.

"No, you have served your purpose."

A rainbow of light came from their hand and it swirled around Metsubou. Her power began to drain, and the metamorphosis became undone. Suki and Kaosu now were losing their power until they became just mortals. They were unconscious, protected from the harsh environment of space by Nezumiiro's will.

They would let them live. Let them pickup them mortal live from where they left off, before they where dragged into the issue with the Book of Innen. Of course they would have no solid memory of these occurrences. In fact all of the Divine begins could live as mortals, all except Shikyo. He would be the first soul in the new underworld and Ukiyo, in turn, the first soul in the new heaven. One could not exist without the other. Shikyo deserved the suffer and Ukiyo should be at peace.

Nezumiiro waved their hand at the two girls and they disappeared before them. Then they began to restore the earth. The plants grew at an unnatural speed. All the beasts of the world reappeared. All the cities and towns and all of the people where brought back. Everything was as it was in the Mortal Realm, only without the Divine and their Realm.

The sky was dark as a terrible storm was unleashed. People screamed as they ran from the strange lightning. If they were hit, it was the end. Zap, zap, zap. Over and over again lives were taken. But then the zapping stopped and all that was heard was BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! BEEP,BEEP, BEEP!

Suki sat up in a jolt. She had been having such strange but fasinating dreams lately. Her alarm clock always woke before she could figure out what exactly was going on.

"Breakfast is ready!" her father yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"I'll be right there!" she yelled back, scrambling out of bed to get dressed. She quickly braided her hair and ran down the stairs.

"What time is it?" she asked as she began to eat her omelet.

"You need to leave in ten minutes." her father said, sipping his coffee.

"What time will you be home from work today?"

"Same time as always, honey."

"Can I invite a friend over for dinner?"

"Sure, I don't see why not."

"Thank you daddy." she said as she kissed his cheek before putting her dishes in the sink.

"See you when you get home, love you!"

"Love you too!" he called as she ran out the door.

Suki stood at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. She twirled her finger in the end of her long braid.

"Suki!" a girl with black hair called, waving as she ran toward her.

"Hey, Mikomi!" Suki waved back with a smile.

When they were next to each other Mikomi asked, "So, what did your dad say?"

"He said, yea."

"Did you ask about me staying the night? My parents said it would be OK."

"Oh no, I forgot. Sorry..."

"It's OK. Just ask when your dad gets home."

"Alright." Suki said when the light changed.

They crossed the street, carrying on in conversation. Suki looked away for a brief second and her eyes locked on a girl with short purple hair, walking the opposite direction. She wore the black and red uniform of the school that had corporal punishment, which meant she'd probably gotten in huge trouble at Suki's school.

The girl stared back at her, her eyes had a strange gold tinge. They both had a moment of recognition. They felt a weird connection. All time stopped around them as they stood and stared at each other.

"Suki, come on." Mikomi said as she pulled her arm.

"Huh?" Suki said, snapping out of her trance state.

"Geez, I know you said you have weird dream, but zoning out in the middle of the street?"

Suki didn't hear Mikomi talking. Who was that girl? Why did she look so familiar?

Later that day Mikomi and Suki were hanging out at the local coffee shop after school. They ordered their usual and sat down at a table by the windows. it was raining outside.

"So, what are we making for dinner tonight?" Mikomi asked before taking a sip of coffee.

"I was thinking chicken dumplings." Suki said, staring into her beverage.

"Oh, sounds yummy. Do you have everything at home or do we need to do some shopping?"

"I think we have everything." Suki replied as the bells on the door to the shop chimed, signaling someone's entry.

Suki looked up to find the girl with purple hair, and once again they were locked in a staring contest.

"Suki?" Mikomi questioned as Suki stood up.

Suki walked over to the girl who was just staring blankly at her and asked, "Don't I know you?"