Standard disclaimer: I don't own the series.

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AN: Hello. Are there people still reading this after that little part I pulled last chapter? (looks around) There aren't people trying to kill me? Oh, that's good! I am quite attached to living, you know? Right-o. The last chapter was very evil, especially how I ended it. Evil, evil little cliffhanger. Well, this chapter should make things sorta better!

It’s the last exposition background story! Yah!

Here are the reviews!

Meeerf: Hello! I have what Myria did to Ladon in this batch of updates! Yeah, Transell is a jerk. Oh, I hope you feel better! The flu sucks.

Okay. Yup. Strife’s little back story will be explained in a few chapters. (I hope). Ah, the Mark of the Wing kept Mina from aging. How, I dunno. Manna’s boyfriend is a guy named Vin. He may or may not show up. I had him as showing up in the rough draft, but you know how that changes.

Yup. When he killed Lucien, he upset the balance. Manna’s goal is to take down Legence, but the whole rebalance is kinda up there on the list of priorities.

Maybe :)

Yuki was torturing Nina. Pure and simple. She likes to annoy those around her.

Heh. I got the name from Code Geass actually. I thought it sounded cute and frilly. Kinda like what Nunnally personality will be like. Ah, she got the disease shortly after she had Nunnally. The girl herself is only like 15-16. haven’t gotten the age exactly right yet. Nunnally was still a baby when Ryu became infected. He managed to suppress most of the memories he had before lahan. That’s why he doesn’t remember.

Nope. Jin’s not gone yet. I’m not really sure about Rekks.

Yup. Yuki gave her life to save Ryu. Deis might be helping her :) Sari’s powers of rejection are a wild card. She might and she might not.

All her powers are what she calls Soul Embrace. Yuki’s just weird like that ^_^

Ah, thanks! Oh, good! I don’t wanna get mauled. Thanks!!!

Overall, the whole chapters were just... wow. I don't think you'll get mauled, but that was one intense series of events. Great job ;)

Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Am I… dead?

It was amazing how fast coherent thought could come back to a person, especially when it was not something they deserved at the time. The question was a simple one: was he dead? He didn’t know. He barely remembered the battle back at Dragnier, even less what happened afterwards.

For starters, he didn’t even know where he was. Well, he had an idea to where he was, but it was not something he wanted to dwell on for very long. The last time he was at the place, he was dead. Hence why he was currently asking himself the question of whether he was dead or not.

He looked down and inspected himself. He seemed to be in one piece. Of course, all he could see, let alone make out, was his body. He was severely confused and angry. At least the last time he was hanging out in limbo there was a backdrop of stars… or something.

He tried to move, but found he couldn’t. Well, that was going to be annoying. He sighed and crossed his arms.

Hello? He tried to call into the nothingness of… wherever he was.

There was no reply. Was he really dead this time? Did the disease finally kill him? Was he stuck there, all eternity, just standing around and not being able to move?

Well, that was going to suck really big.

There was a sudden flash of light. He looked towards the light and frowned. Could this situation get anymore cliché? He couldn’t go into the light yet! He still had to kick his father in the balls for taking his powers!

Then it hit Ryu like a ton of bricks. His father took his powers. All of them. Including the spell that Jin cast on him to keep him from crystallizing. Well, shit. Maybe he really was dead.

You’re not dead, Ryu. A voice seemed to echo from the light. Ryu looked up and spotted a hand reaching towards him. You have to come with me now, or you will be dead!

Ryu scratched the back of his head. Well, what did he have to lose? Stay here and be stuck or follow the echo-y voice coming from an unknown light source?

Well, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was going to do. Ryu took a deep breath and reached his hand up and took the unknown stranger’s hand. Then his vision went white.

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Ryu didn’t know what to expect, but standing in the middle of a green meadow was not one of the things on the top of his list. He glanced around. Blue skied hung overhead and trees blew in the soft wind. Ryu looked down at himself and noticed that his clothes were also different.

He was dressed in red and gold royal armor and had a red cape hanging down. On his belt was a gold and silver sword with two dragons intertwined around the hilt. Okay, he was now officially confused.

“What the hell?” Ryu asked. He clasped a gloved hand over his mouth. Even his accent was different. It was still like the one he had when he was little, just a little stronger. But that accent had faded as he got older and stayed away from Dragnier longer.

He had a vague idea as to where he was. He remembered the meadow from a dream of a past life from ten years ago. In that dream, his past self had talked to Lucien about Legence being a danger. He also remembered that it was that moment that he made his fatal mistake and didn’t take Lucien seriously and let Legence continue on with his rampage.

Ryu crossed his arms. “Okay, either I am dead… or I am dreaming…”

“Neither,” a voice said from behind Ryu.

Ryu spun around and nearly fell over from the shock. Standing behind him was a young woman with shoulder length brown hair, green eyes, and was dressed in some sort of long sleeved white robe with some sort of green hooded sleeveless robe over it. The woman also wore a crystal necklace around her neck. Ryu recognized it as a soul gem.

Ryu blinked and scratched the back of his head once more. “Uh… do I know you?”

The woman gave Ryu an amused look. “I would think you would,” the woman said. “We are allies, after all.”

Ryu took a closer look at the woman. Though the voice and hair color was a little off, it was undeniable as to who the woman was.

“Yuki?” Ryu asked. “Or… are you someone else?”

The woman looked thoughtful. “Mmhm. The identity that you see before you is how I was back before the War of the Gods. My name during that time was Leigh. But, as you have said, I am also Miyuki Uzuki. I am the spirit that resides inside the body that was destroyed.”

“Leigh… One of Myria’s maidens,” Ryu said. Ryu muttered something, but stopped in mid-sentence. “Wait, did you say destroyed?! Yuki… are you dead?”

Yuki looked thoughtful. “Ryu.”

Ryu looked devastated. “But… agh. Didn’t something happen to Rekks and… Wyatt…?”

“Rekks died with no regrets. He was able to pass on. Wyatt is an android. So long as his core unit is in tact, he can always be repaired. So, he’s not dead… not technically.”

Ryu sighed slightly. “At least Wyatt’s okay. But… what’s gonna happen to you?”

Yuki sighed. “I don’t know. I died willingly, sacrificed my powers to you and Saria. I gave my life to buy you all some time to escape,” Yuki said. She looked around. “Do you know where we are standing?”

“Uh, not really,” Ryu answered truthfully.

“This was one of your favorite spots, if I’m not mistaken,” Yuki said. “In your first life, all those thousands of years ago… right when you were first created.”

“Created? You mean like born?” Ryu asked.

“No, I mean created,” Yuki said. Ryu gave her a blank look. “What? Haven’t you ever wondered why you are destined to come into contact with Myria time and time again?”

“The thought crossed my mind on more than one occasion,” Ryu said as he sat down on the soft grass. “Though I must admit, I have given it little thought in the past years. I’ve had other things to worry about, you know? Like dying?”

Yuki nodded and sat down beside him. She gave him a solemn look. “Ryu, that’s what’s happening to your body as we speak. You are dying. Where we are is what is usually called purgatory. The place between life and death. Saria’s powers of rejection is holding back the cymosion from crystallizing your body completely as they work to save you.”

“I’m… dying?” Ryu asked, his face suddenly pale. “Oh god. What… exactly happened at Dragnier? I don’t remember anything… not much… all I know is that Gideon took my powers.”

Yuki frowned slightly. “Not even I know all the answers, Ryu.”

“Does Manna?” Ryu asked. “She’s the overseer, right?”

“Manna is the head overseer. There are other overseers, apprentices, if you will. I am sure that Manna knows what will happen, but only to an extent. Because of her status and powers, she is only allowed to do so much.”

“What exactly is that?”

Yuki grew serious. “Everyone has forgotten so much of the past… even those who have traveled the paths of reincarnation have forgotten their original duty.”

Ryu frowned. “But isn’t my duty suppose to destroy Myria and bring peace to the world?”

“No,” Yuki said in a sharp tone. “Destroy her for good and the world will fall to chaos. Myria is the feminine aspect of the creator god. She is part of creation and it is part of her. She represents order in the cosmic balance.”

“Then… who is chaos? Ladon?”

“Ladon cherishes free will. He wanted his creations to be like the gods, to be able to choose their own destinies.”

“It… didn’t exactly work out like that, did it?” Ryu chuckled. “The Ladonites, their faith is so firmly rooted in the idea that Myria is evil and she must be destroyed. Now you are telling me she must live at all costs?”

Yuki frowned. “You still do not understand, do you? You still do not remember.”

“What the hell am I suppose to remember?!” Ryu demanded. He jerked around and glared at Yuki.

Yuki only gave him a sly look. The same look that Yuki was know for giving him when she was going to make his life a living hell. Ryu frowned.

“You know, but you have suppressed the memories,” Yuki giggled slightly.

Ryu blinked. His eyes went blank for a moment, before widening in shock. “Myria… she… how could she?”

“Did you ever wonder what created the Agni and Anfini, the body and power of Ladon?” Yuki asked.

Ryu just stared blankly at Yuki.

“Long ago, long before the War of the Gods, the world existed in balance. Myria and Ladon ruled side by side, both in perfect harmony with each other. When Myria and Ladon created the world and all that dwells there, Ladon decided to create guardians for that world. He created the Dragon Clan, the Brood. The other gods weren’t really sure what to think about that. At that time, the gods guided their people through their avatars, special people that were connected to their gods. One could almost say that the avatars were the gods themselves in human form.

“Myria was not exactly fond of that idea, but she let it go nonetheless. But, when Ladon created the Brood, Myria lost it. She started a fight with Ladon. She said that no mortal should have the powers of a god. Ladon argued with her and said that the world needed protectors. Myria said that the avatars were one thing, but their gods were directing them. The Brood didn’t have to answer to no one. She feared that that much powers in the hands of a mortal would drive the world into chaos.

“She lashed out with everything she had. Myria was not always the most stable individual, but this act was what started her downward spiral into chaos. She and Ladon were on the same level, so they stalemated each other. Myria realized that she would have to take the fight to another level if she were to win.

“Using her powers of creation and destruction, she fractured Ladon, mind, body, and soul. She couldn’t destroy Ladon, for if she did, she would upset the balance of order and chaos. She merely wanted to stop Ladon, not destroy him. She locked his body and powers inside what you call chrysm genes… the Agni and Anfini. His mind… will, however, was much more difficult to trap. Ultimately, it was Lucien’s idea to give that will a mortal form.”

Ryu’s throat went dry. “A mortal form? Do you mean like an avatar?”

“No,” Yuki said. “Well, I dunno. In a way, I suppose. This form, though, would only house the will of Ladon. The mortal would not know that he housed Ladon’s will inside of his body. Lucien talked with the elders of the Dragon Clan and they decided that the boy that was created would be something of a Destined Child to their clan. Ladon’s chosen was what he would be called.”

“A… Destined Child…?” Ryu asked. “Me?”

“Yes,” Yuki said. “They tried to hid the child from Myria, lest she try and trap him. She didn’t know of his existence at the time, not yet. During that time, the child met two of Myria’s most devout followers.”

“You and Nina,” Ryu said.

“Yes,” Yuki smiled. “The child and Nina became fast friends… but it was through this friendship that Myria found out about the child. Myria became furious. She sent her Angels, her children out into the world to collect the child, but many refused. Most were either killed or fell to the earth and became what would be later known as the Wing Clan. Myria finally created what she would call her Angel of Mercy. He fed directly off of her powers, and was the most powerful angel she created.”

“Legence?” Ryu asked.

“Yes,” Yuki sighed. “Legence, however, was a darker image of the goddess. He wanted to destroy the boy, to kill him. Myria only wanted him brought in and sealed. She never wished for his death, or anyone else’s. She was outraged when she found out that Legence killed Lucien. I know that Lucien, in his dying breath, stripped Legence of his powers and sent him reeling to the Underworld. Unfortunately, the thing had an unforeseen side effect. Legence got his powers from Myria, so the two were connected. The feedback from Lucien’s attack affected Myria somehow and that was what finally caused her to snap.

“She lashed out at the other gods and in a fit of rage and anguish, attacked the boy. The Dragon Clan knew what Myria did with the Agni and Anfini, so they gave the powers to the boy. When combined with both powers, Ladon was awakened once again. Together with the other gods, they trapped Myria in Agua.”

“Crap,” Ryu said.

“That wasn’t the half of it. Myria was right. The Dragons did fight amongst each other. They started wars and led the world almost to the brink of destruction. Before that happened, however, the child stepped forward and put an end to the fighting. Those who followed him would later become known as the Light Dragon clan. Those who opposed were later known as the Dark Dragon clan.”

“So, I am a reincarnation of Ladon?” Ryu asked.

“No, you only hold the will of Ladon. What you have is the past memories of those who held the powers. It’s… complicated.”

Ryu sighed. “I can see that. So, know what?”

Yuki looked slightly amused. “What, you aren’t going to throw a fit or something about your destiny?”

Ryu shrugged. “What good would that do? Cuz of my bloodline, I held the will of Ladon inside myself. I was the Kaiser, yeah… but now Gideon and Legence have that power. What I don’t get is why doesn’t Myria remember?”

“She wasn’t thinking straight. Myria wasn’t always viewed as an evil goddess. She was out for revenge, yes, but only against the Dragon Clan. I dare say that she might not have been completely aware as to what she was doing.”

“She wasn’t aware as she destroyed so many of my kind?” Ryu grunted.

“The gods aren’t perfect Ryu,” Yuki said. “They have free will, too. You know?”

Ryu sighed and looked up at the sky. “So, Myria was just confused?”

“Do you yourself do things that you know are wrong when you are highly upset and confused?” Yuki asked.

Ryu sighed. “I dunno. I guess the only way to find out is to talk to Myria herself. Of course, that’s assuming that I will survive this crap in the first place.”

“Myria wants Legence dead more than you would ever know,” Yuki said. “But because Legence feeds off of her powers, there is little she can do to him. It’s up to you to destroy him.”

Ryu shrugged. “You know you make absolutely no sense whatsoever?”

“That’s not the first time you told me that,” Yuki smiled.

Ryu gave her a dismissive wave. “Sure.”

Yuki grinned. “I suppose you are right.”

“So, what will happen now?”

“Well, that all depends if they can give you the antidote in time,” Yuki said. “You’re still here, so that’s a good sign.”

“Yeah,” Ryu said.

“Ryu… you know that if you confront Myria, she will try and fight you, right?”

Ryu frowned. “Yeah, I know. I… have a plan though. Though, I doubt Nina and the others will be happy about it.”

“Oh?” Yuki asked.

Ryu smiled. “I will stop Legence and use the Gate to call on Ladon myself.”

Yuki frowned. “But that means… if you are successful in recombining Ladon… then…”

Ryu gave the woman a grim smile. “It’s my destiny to save the world, right? If I die as a result, then that’s that. Of course, I have no intention of dying if I can help it. Right?”

Yuki smiled. “Right.”

 

To be continued…