Asahi felt a great rumbling around her, yet she felt somewhat calmed as she floated in the air.
I feel…so strong. My mind is racing away…what is this new power? Where does it come from… Suddenly, she heard Anarchia gasp as the light began to clear and darkness began to gather behind her. Looking down, Asahi’s mind froze. She was dressed in her fuku, and a glowing half of a heart floated in her chest.
“The…the heart…”Anarchia whispered hoarsely as she saw the heart glowing.
“The heart of the universe…” Apollo said to herself as she knew now what sleeping power lay inside her.
“The ultimate power that I have searched for for so very long…finally, it is within my grasp!” Anarchia’s eyes became as hungry as that of a wolf who has eyed a trapped rabbit.
“It was inside me all along,” Apollo whispered in disbelief. “Mama…she was inside me all this time.”
“Give it to me!” Anarchia shouted, even as the dark forces behind her suddenly raced toward Apollo.
Apollo’s staff appeared in her hand. “Apollo! Radiant Light siege!” She shouted out and this time, the darkness somewhat retreated.
“You will never win! The seals have been broken! Now, our battle begins!” Anarchia laughed as she raised her hands to the sky and dark power began to take over her.
As Apollo watched, she began to panic.
I won’t be able to fight her if all of the underworld comes to her aid…
“Apollo…little princess…” a voice suddenly whispered so very softly in her ear. It’s soothing sound thrilling her. “Anarchia has no power over you…no matter what happens…return…always return…for you are greatly needed.”
Apollo’s eyes began to tear as she heard these words and realized whose voice she was hearing.
“Anarchia!” Apollo screamed.
“I have no use for you now!” Anarchia screamed gleefully, her eyes fully black and empty. “Die! Like you did once before!”
Anarchia raised her scythe to the air and it began to charge with a blue energy. With deadly accuracy, Anarchia sliced straight down, her strength increasing rapidly. Apollo raised her staff to defend herself, but Anarchia knocked her staff away.
“You can’t fight me! Darkness always overcomes the Light! I am pure in Darkness and Evil!” Anarchia laughed as she raised it high in the air and sliced down, suddenly stopping millimeters from Apollo’s chest.
Apollo had shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to go through her. Suddenly, she realized that she would have already been sliced in two. Opening her eyes, she saw Anarchia’s shocked face, her hand clutched to her chest. Apollo watched as Anarchia’s face became pale.
What is happening?…My mind is dissolving. Why can’t I…I know her…
“Anarchia…” Apollo whispered. “Do not fight it.”
Anarchia felt something warm suddenly flow from her eyes and as she looked down, she saw bright red blood suddenly drop onto her hand.
What is happening to me?!! Why am I crying tears of blood…what has she done to me?!
“The blue haired child…your true form. The reason why you look like me…” Apollo said, her voice barely audible above the still roaring underworld. “You never lied to me. We are one. Mama…she didn’t have only one daughter. Shed this darkness…please.”
Anarchia looked at her, her eyes glimmering, then dimming. Her expression changing quickly from one to the other. Apollo reached out her hand to her, a serene expression on her face that penetrated Anarchia’s shell.
Anarchia’s thoughts began to confuse her and she dropped down to her knees, covering her ears.
Stop! No! Whatever you are doing! Stop it! Now!
“Anarchia…I am only here to help you. Remember me…please.”
Apollo reached out her hand, the heart still shining in her chest.
Anarchia…you of the underworld…you are not evil…
Anarchia’s eyes widened as she realized that her thoughts began to merge with Apollo’s. She looked at the shining soldier of light with awe, her eyes still wide and shedding tears of blood.
“Come Anarchia,” Apollo’s voice began to grow softer as Anarchia reached out to her outstretched hand.
As their fingertips touched, light exploded in a myriad of colors. The evil that surrounded Anarchia retreated and suddenly, flashes of the past flew through their minds.
“Empress…” the voice of the oracle said as the Empress sat looking at her locket.
“Urania,” the Empress smiled graciously as she put the locket down.
“The stars tell me of a new threat to this planet,” the oracle said.
“A threat?” the Empress’ eyes grew wide.
“Anarchy will fall upon the planet should your daughter be born…”
The Empress’ eyes grew wide and immediately, her hand fell on her stomach. “What are you saying?!”
“The stars foretell that on the fourth year of your daughter’s birth. She will cause the death of the planet…Your Imperial Majesty…she must never be allowed to come to this world,” the oracle said pointing a finger at the Empress’ stomach. “Unless you want the planet to die and it’s cause be none other than you.”
“No! This child will never turn against this planet. She is its goddess…its protectress.”
“That may be so, but who is her father? The Emperor carries tainted blood. Even the strongest spells cannot change this. The decision, of course is yours alone to make…”
As Eterna lay sleeping the Empress stood over a great pool of water, looking into it with saddened eyes.
No, my daughter. You will never become Orion’s prey. With all the power that lies inside me…I will protect you.
Clasping her hands over her heart, she closed her eyes and her starseed began to glow.
Starseed of hope and truth…protect my child…your child. I beg you…
A cheerful mood carried about the kingdom as Eterna’s people rejoiced at the news of the new princess. A holiday was proclaimed, but in the palace, the Empress lay in bed, holding a small bundle, her tears falling delicately upon the snow-white sheets.
“Empress?” Lady Phaedra entered, her skirts swishing behind her.
“My daughter…” the Empress sobbed.
“Evil comes in many forms,” Lady Phaedra soothed her. “You must rejoice for your true daughter has emerged victorious from the powers of the underworld.”
“No…only one of them emerged victorious. Even if she is of the dark side…she is still my daughter.”
Lady Phaedra stayed silent as the Emperor entered, seemingly oblivious to the goings on.
“How’re my princesses?” he smiled as he sat beside his wife and gave her a kiss on the cheek and bent down to give a kiss on his daughter’s forehead.
“Toshiro,” the Empress said quietly.
The Emperor only gave her a hug and whispered in her ear, “I know what has happened, my love. But take heart. Your prayers have been answered with the birth of this daughter. Do you remember who she is, Hoshiko?”
The Empress looked at him as he pulled away from her, her tears suddenly abated.
“My love, how do you know that this is true?”
“Hoshiko, you have always been a powerful soul. Even in Earth. I know of your starseed’s nature for, once, I was a dark force and only your love could save me from all pain.”
The scene changed suddenly and the Empress lay in the Emperor’s arms, her beauty unchanged, yet her eyes tired and her twelve ladies-in-waiting surrounded her bed. Eos kneeled beside the bed to her left, and held her hand.
“Eos…my pretty little star,” the Empress said, her voice faintly carrying through the silence of the room.
“Mama,” the little Eos whispered.
“The underworld…you are its greatest enemy. You have triumphed over them once…they will never allow it to happen again…protect everything that you hold dear and even those that you don’t. You are my shining legacy, the daughter of this universe. I will return to my former form because I know now that you have always been my future…like your father was my destiny.”
Here, the Empress sighed as she closed her eyes and tried to regain her strength. Eos’ silver eyes glistened with tears as she feared the worst.
“My heart, true peace can only be restored when darkness and light are one…and the past…revealed…”
The Empress gasped for breath and Eos’ tears began to flow faster as the hand that clasped her own became tighter and tighter. A sob escaped her throat as the hand calmly let go…
“Aaaargh!” Anarchia screamed as she roughly let go.
Both collapsed, their heads still reeling with shock.
“You will never have my mind…” Anarchia spat as she raised herself from the ground, the evil glint to her eyes returning.
“Anarchia…” Apollo gasped out, a mirrored image of Anarchia.
“I know…of only one reason to exist…” Anarchia gasped as she stood with the help of her scythe. “And that is to ensure that nothing else does.”
“Anarchia! Where…did you hear all this?! Why do you keep denying what is inside you?! I know! I accept the darkness that is within me, yet I won’t let it take me…” Apollo cried, unable to support her weight and collapsing.
“Foolish girl…” Anarchia laughed as she wiped her bloody lips with the back of her hand. “You still don’t realize what this vision has told me. It has only told me that I have been telling you the truth. You are the reason for my imprisonment…”
Apollo looked at her with surprised eyes as she heard her words.
Imprisonment…? To her horror, the evil forces began to gather behind Anarchia once again, their evil red eyes glowing with greed and malice.
“You are the reason for me…” Anarchia laughed brokenly, holding her scythe in both hands as she looked down at Apollo triumphantly. “The reason I exist is because of you.”
“No!” Apollo shouted as she realized what she was saying.
“I became hated and banished to the underworld for you…I was created to become the darkness you were meant to be,” Anarchia’s voice became sharp and pained.
“Anarchia…please…listen!” Apollo shouted in desperation as she saw that Anarchia’s strength was returning and so was the evil that possessed her.
“No! Not anymore! If I destroy you! I will show all that they made a mistake! Eterna will be punished for my suffering!!” Anarchia laughed demonically as she began to concentrate on her scythe.
“Anarchia! No!” Apollo screamed.
“Orion! God of the underworld! Come to me!” Anarchia shouted, raising her scythe into the air, her hair suddenly freed from their pigtails and flailing wildly around her.
Apollo became alarmed as she heard his name. All at once, a great roaring filled her ears and an agonized scream came forth from Anarchia’s throat as Orion’s spirit appeared behind her and entered her body.
“Orion! Let her go! She has done nothing to you!” Apollo shrieked above the roaring.
“You…” Orion’s hoarse voice came from Anarchia’s body. “The daughter of the morning…my granddaughter…I can see you…so different from your sister. A failure…your eyes…they are a silver color…”
“I don’t care what you think about me! Just give her back!” Apollo shouted, trembling slightly under this great power.
“Give her back when she belongs to me? Your mother gave her to me…she made a choice…I give you one now. Accept the darkness inside you, Eos. You are your mother’s legacy…her last one. Should you die under my hands, you will never return. Your starseed will be mine…” Orion’s voice scratched her ears.
“Never!” Apollo screamed challengingly as she began to charge her staff with light.
“Ha! You don’t know what you’re up against! Even in my human form, Eterna could not destroy my soul! The universe will never see my true destruction!” Orion laughed as the forces behind Anarchia’s body began to grow bigger and bigger.
Apollo took a deep breath as her heart raced away in her chest and she continued gathering energy from around her.
Essence of my creation. Heart of my mother…don’t let me fail!
“Hahaha! I know that darkness still lies within you…dear granddaughter. Your eyes are not the golden eyes of good. Even after two generations…they still shine with evil. You are only fighting what you cannot control!” Orion laughed, his voice filling her surroundings with a loud booming sound.
“We’ll see how much darkness I have!” Apollo growled as her silver eyes narrowed.
“See it your way, Princess!” Anarchia’s mouth smirked as she raised her arms high above her head.
“Apollo! Radiant Light Siege!” Apollo screamed, her charged staff suddenly exploding in a brilliant golden light that surged straight for Anarchia.
Suddenly, her mind began to reel and the beam she emmitted suddenly exploded outwards as it touched Anarchia’s body. As Apollo watched with shock and dismay, she saw that Anarchia had countered her beam with that of a black ray that grew bigger and bigger. Without warning, it sliced through the light and Apollo felt a numb feeling suddenly go straight through her, followed by a slicing pain.
“You cannot fight yourself…” Orion said as he watched her coldly from Anarchia’s eyes. As she heard Orion’s laughter, she felt a burning sensation go through her chest as the shining Heart began to float away from her dying body. Drops of blood flew from her mouth as she fell forward, gasping for breath. Heaving a sigh, she collapsed and her eyes closed as evil burst from the portal and entered the Universe.
Down in Earth, Okashi suddenly felt the same burning sensation that was going through Apollo.
“Asahi!” Okashi managed to breath out. “No! You can’t die…I won’t let you die…Empress! The Essence of the Universe! Please! Come to your daughter’s aid!”
Eos…take my life…please…be merciful…I give this to you. No longer can I stay as Orion’s slave. I am tired…
The half of the heart floated before Anarchia and shone suddenly with a red light. As Anarchia and Orion both watched in awe, the half twinkled once, then suddenly exploded in red light that surrounded Apollo’s body.
Anarchia’s eyes grew wide and Orion suddenly escaped from her body with a loud whoosh!
“Aaaaaahhh!!” Anarchia shrieked in pain as Orion left.
“Nooooo!” Orion screamed as Anarchia clutched at her heart.
The glowing blue half of the heart was revealed and floated toward the awaiting red half. As the half left her, Anarchia collapsed, her long blue hair spread about her like a mantle.
As the halves joined, blinding violet light washed over the dead bodies and two shadow figures of two little girls, both reflections of each other, appeared from the light, their pigtailed hair flying behind them while their hands touched. As the light cleared, Orion gasped with fury.
Two girls dressed in long flowing gowns stood facing him, the heart between them, shining once more.