The Red Hand

Chapter 479 – A Mother’s Heartache and Sacrifice.

“I just hope I wasn't too late...” Elariel repeated as she paced back and forth in front of the entrance to the base, irritating Nima with her incessant back and forth.

{At this rate she's going to wear a rut into the grass...} (Nima)

“Lady Akagi will be here shortly.” Nima sighed as she tried to get Elariel to stop. “I just hope that whatever plan you have-”

“If this is another attempt at wasting my time Goddess than so help me I'll show you a hell far greater than the worst you could possibly imagine.” Akagi said as she the Twins, and Halifax landed in front of her, a look of irritation clear on both of their faces.

{There's no Labrys! That means I must've made it in time!} (Elariel)

“I'm not wasting your time!” Elariel exclaimed. “Just listen to me, I have an plan to-”

*SMACK*

“Owch.” Akagi snickered as she watched Halifax back hand the Goddess and knock her to the grass. “That's going to leave a mark.”

{I think it actually did.} (Yumi)

“Halifax!” Elariel yelled at the Divine Blade, angry and confused by her actions. “What was that for?”

“Oh I don't know, how about lying about my entire fucking existence.” Halfiax said with a cold smile that impressed Akagi with how nasty it was.

“What?!?” Elariel yelped as her eyes went wide as her pulse quickened. “What are you talking about?!?”

“We found out what you were hiding from me Goddess.” Akagi interjected, her words causing Elariel to freeze. “Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Playing with powers far beyond one's control is suppose to be a mortal flaw, but here the Gods are, taking a Demon Lord's weapon and using it against them.” She chuckled. “Naughty, naughty.”

The Demon's words were playful, but hearing them made Elariel's stomach drop as her worst fear had been realized.

{NO!} (Elariel)

“I-I have no idea-” Elariel paused as Halifax put her blade to her throat.

“If you continue to lie to my face, I'll kill you right here and now. Consequences to me or this world be dammed.” Halifax hissed. “We know that my original name was Enūma, and that I began life as Vike's weapon before the Gods captured and converted me. There's no use in playing dumb, Elariel. I know the truth.”

For a moment everything grew quiet, and time seemed to freeze as the Goddess and Divine Blade locked eyes. Akagi had decided even before returning to the base to not interfere if Halifax attempted to kill her Mother; something her prediction power left at a 50:50 chance.

“I... I never wanted you to know...” Elariel said, finally speaking as Halifax withdrew her blade. “You have to understand that I didn't tell you because I was trying to protect you.”

“You lied to me.” Halifax said coldly. “For four thousand years you lied to me.”

“I did it because I loved you!” Elariel yelled as she stood up. “You were the first child I ever gave a name to. You were born from my power, and the connection I felt between us...” She paused as she tightened her fists. “I know this makes me a horrible Mother to say this, but you were the first child I ever felt a true bond with. You were special... I couldn't risk losing you. I couldn't risk you falling apart or worse transforming back into Enūma!”

“You say I was special and that you loved me in a way that you never loved any of your other children, and yet you still did what you did.” Halifax said, disgusted with her. “But whatever.” She said as she placed her blade back on her hip. “I'm done with you, and I won't waste my breath on a worthless existence like yours any longer.” She said before getting in Elariel's face. “You are not my Mother any more than Vikes is my Father. At best I'll consider the two of you donors. The two of you used your power to create me, him by providing the foundation and then you for overwriting his energy with your own. But that's all. You don't get to control me, my fate, my life, or my destiny. And you certainly don't have the right to lie to my face like you've been for the last four thousand years.” She continued. “The funny part is that I'm not actually angry about my past, and had you sat me down and been honest with me I would've respected you more for that. But no, I had to deal with the trauma of finding out my true origin and fighting my own Brother in a match to the death, which by the way drove me to almost killmyself, all on my own until my fucking Aunt here showed up to pull me from the brink.”

{Aunt...}

(Akagi){Auntie! Don't you have such a wonderful-} (Yumi)

*GURGLE* *GAG*

{Hush and be quiet. I'll take that sock out of your mouth when you've learned your lesson.} (Akagi)

Elariel did not immediately respond to Halifax's rant, and as the Divine Blade pulled away the Goddess' face darkened as tears began to fall from her eyes.

{Oh? So Gods can actually feel sad?} (Akagi)

{MPFH!} (Yumi)

“Hey, is everything...” Arcus paused as he witnessed a crying deity, something he'd never seen before in his life.

{Whatever we just walked into is probably not good...} (Arcus)

“Sister...” Penelope's words faded as she saw Halifax's face. The Divine Blade was holding a lot back, but the Demi-God could tell she was angry beyond belief.

“Halifax is still her self, Elariel.” Akagi said breaking through the silent tension that surrounded the group, seeming to read some of the Goddesses thoughts. “Her words are her own, born of millennia of repressed feelings. Even after learning of her true origin, she still wants to protect the people of this world if possible.” She continued. “So just accept that nothing remains between you two and move on. Else you'd be making the same mistake as my own Mother.” She sighed. “She's a fool that still thinks there's some way of salvaging our relationship, but that is little more than a cruel delusion she's sunk herself into. The sooner you acknowledge the truth, the easier it will be for anyone.” She said as she handed the Time Goddess a tissue. “If you really love Halifax, then the best thing you can do is acknowledge her words and accept them. It may do nothing to sooth the pain of her scars, but its the best thing you can do right now.”

“Just... Halifax...” Elariel spoke through tears as she met the Divine Blade eye to eye. “Tell me that you're still you. That you're the same Halifax from all those years ago... The same Halifax that helped us to save this world countless times... The same Halifax that I've loved as my own blood...” It was a simple request, though one with profound meaning.

“I'm not exactly the same as I was all that time ago.” Halifax sighed. “I've changed much since that time. I find myself increasingly more jaded, irritable, and honestly just sick and tired of everything.” She shook her head. “But, at the end of the day, I'm still me. I am Halifax the Divine Blade. Nothing more, nothing less. My actions and thoughts are my own, and I will no longer be bound by the will of another. Be it Demon Lord, or God.” She said while looking between Akagi and Elariel.

“I... See...” Elariel said as she wiped tears from her eyes. “Then I suppose that will be enough... Just promise me that you will always be yourself. That you will be Halifax, not Enūma. That you will be a child of light, rather than a child of darkness.”

“Enūma is part of me. I can never escape the fact that she and I were and are the same person.” Halifax replied. “But I will promise that I will never stop fighting for what I think is right.”

“That's such a you thing to say.” Elariel chuckled before turning to Akagi. “Thank you for helping her to cope with my failures. You had the chance to change Halifax into something else and yet you didn't take it. I never thought I'd see a Demon Lord's generosity, but with the way things are I suppose anything can happen.”

“Yeah, well let's hope whatever idea you've concocted makes this whole thing worth it.” Akagi motioned for her to get on with it. “I'll refrain from asking why you've only brought this potential solution up now so just tell me what we need to do to bring down the other Gods.”

“I chose not to mention this idea until now simply out of self preservation.” Elariel replied. “For you see, while I can open a portal to the Heavens for you... It will come at the cost of my own existence.”