Thus Speak Prodigal
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Part II : The Search for True Love
Disclaimer : Standard
Episode 12 :
The End of Time & Beginning of Hope
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(a)The Fires of Hell
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"How interesting to come back to Hell for the 2nd time," Torrants said to Mayar as they were joined by Runoa and Clone. They were outside the gates of Hell.
"Runoa, thanks for coming," said Mayar, as she hugged her old friend.
"No problem, it concern my daughter." said Ruona, who knew all that had happened from Mayar when they reunited before the war.
"We have to be careful, Mistress," Clone spoke with a cautious tone,"I sensed that there is great danger."
"Yes, I agree with Clone," Torrants said, as he surveyed around,"According to Valentine, the Devil is out to harm you so that the existence of True love would be destroyed. Just hope that Prodigal would be around now."
"Yes, he is still in Heaven, and I think that he would have met with greater danger against Gabriel." Runoa felt that something had happened to his beloved, but could not know what was going on.
"Welcome to Hell again," a familiar voice spoke, it was the voice of the demoness, followed by a horde of devils and demons.
"Hallo Kathy, we have enough of your nonsense. Hand over Runoa's daughter, otherwise face my fury," Mayar was agitated and spoke on behalf of the rest. Clone was looking around, as he realized that the Devil was not around. It was surprising to him that the Lord of Hell was not around. Where is the anomaly? Clone was thinking and he was wondering that it was a trap to ensure that Ruona would be assaulted by the minions of Evil. He would fight to the last drop of his blood to ensure his mistress safety.
"Runoa and Mayar, stayed back," Torrants said as he wielded his hourglass. "Clone, let's do it." The next instant, flashes of blows were exchanged as Runoa and Mayar could hardly see what was happening. Groans and moans were heard, but they do not belonged to the god of Time and the servant to the Endless, Love. The horde of demons were defeated in less than a few seconds. Clone's pole was filled with demon's blood, and Torrant's hourglass was still packed with lightning which was unleashed to hit the demons, who stopped his way. Hallo Kathy smiled. She was ready to take the battle at her own hands.
"Let me deal with the bitch," a voice spoke before Torrants could do anything. It was Mayar, as she was ready to pay the demoness for the curse she placed on her years back that led to her exile.
"You are doomed," Hallo Kathy smiled as she held her whip ready. She quickly slashed her opponent with her whip, but was greeted by a stream of energy flowing from Mayar's hands that defended the attacks easily.
"How do you possess such power?" Hallo Kathy was astonished by the sudden power of the former mermaid. She saw the crafty smile of the Goddess of Love, who gave her the notion that she had a hand in it.
"Now, face my wrath, demoness," Mayar threw a fireball right into the demoness' front. The demoness could not defend herself in time. But the fireball was greeted by a figure, who took the fireball and extinguished in split seconds. It revealed a handsome young man in white suit, with a flail on his left hand. Of course, I would not fail to mention his "Leonardo Dicappucino" look. He was holding the flail of Destruction, and he was ready to destroy the lives of those who defied him and trepassed Hell.
"S.A. Tan!" Torrants said, as he moved forward to defend Mayar. Clone held his pole tight and was ready to defend against the powerful Lord of Hell. The next instant, the Devil swiftly moved towards Runoa's position. Mayar and Torrants quickly rushed to protect the goddess of love, but thrown away by the protected field of the Devil. All that left was Clone's last stand, as he lifted his pole up hard, and struck instantaneously on the rushing Devil.
A tremendous explosion was heard and Clone was thrown apart by the blast. Torrants and Mayar could only see Runoa's palms were stuck with the Devil's palms. She was under great difficulty to deal with the Devil's powers. She felt that the Devil had more power than her, and she could not conjure any more energy to fight against the lord of Hell.
A quick feminine figure between the two colliding forces of Love and Hell. The figure lifted her palm and broke the engagement apart, and the Devil was surprised by the sudden attack. He had to retreated back to a position which he could see who had assaulted him. He could only see a woman dressed in a combination of black tight singlet and sleazy black pants. She bore the power which a lot of mortals feared. Death was her name.
"S.A. Tan, enough is enough," Death said, as she supported the fallen Runoa. "The war should end."
"Where is Prodigal?" the Devil asked,"Tell that coward to appear." Suddenly he realized what was already happening. Immediately, he took up the flail of Devestation and unleashed the forces of destruction. He spoke,"By Destruction's hand, by craft and by art, what once was once, now torn apart!". The flail seemed to conjure many streams of light, which were emitted out instantaneously and struck all the figures around. At the next instant, all including the demoness were hurt with both Mayar and Ruona knocked unconscious, and that includes Death, who was shocked by the possession of Devestation's flail in the hands of the Lord of Hell.
"How did you get the flail of Devestation?" Death was almost certain that it would be impossible to be in the Devil's possession.
"A deal with him to destroy that wimpy brother of yours, Hope," the Devil smiled, as he grabbed the unconscious Ruona and rushed to where the actual battle is.
"No!" said Clone, who rushed with his final might to intercept the Devil, but he was pestered by the demoness Hallo Kathy. His anger has overwhelmed him, and he unleashed his most powerful blow, and Hallo Kathy was struck with her utmost surprise, and fell to her destruction by the 7 foot Clone. However, the energy which Clone had conjured to kill Hallo Kathy had resulted in his exhaustion and could not move on.
"Clone, take care of Mayar," Torrants said as he took the hourglass and chased the Devil together with Death.
(b)The Closure of the Anomaly
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"Thank you, Mister Hope for saving our lives," Kallen spoke as he was recovered from the curse. He was reverted back to his charming appearance, with the aid given by Valentine's magic.
"You are welcome, the Prince of Elves," said Prodigal who was carrying his daughter with both his arms. She was asleep peacefully by the side of her father. The prodigal could felt the kinship between Valentine and him. In order to deal with the anomaly, the Prodigal and Death had split up to deal with each thing at a time. He had managed to enter into Hell by another gateway, and found his trapped daughter and the Prince of Elves unconscious.
"Valentine, my daughter, you must wake up," said the Prodigal, as he infused his dying daughter with the channel of his energy.
"You are doomed to be destroyed today, Hope," came a sinister laughter. "together with your wife and daughter." It was the voice of the Devil who had Ruona, the goddess of love as his hostage. He was chased after by Death and Time. They were now all in the main hall. The prodigal handed his daughter to Kallen, who was joined by Torrants. Death joined his brother as they faced the most powerful adversary which the Endless had fought.
"Prodigal," Death said,"he had Devestation's flail, and we have to be careful in engaging him."
"S.A. Tan, hand over Runoa," said Prodigal, "Otherwise, hell would cease to exist." He was ready to threatened to the Devil regardless of anything because of his love for Runoa. He was frustrated at his inability to save Ruona from disaster. He clenched his fists tight.
"You have yourself to blame for abandoning the realm of Hope," said the Devil,"I would win today, and tomorrow Heaven would be mine."
"Don't count on the chicks before they hatched," Torrants poked the Devil with scorn. At this moment, Mayar and Clone had arrived into the scene. Mayar had regained her consciousness, and sought to join her lover as soon as he could.
At this instant, the grounds on Hell began to shake, and suddenly a large sphere of grey light appeared between the Devil and the Prodigal. It was the anomaly and it had found its first target.
"S.A. Tan, if you destroy me, there would no way you could close the anomaly, and everything would cease to exist." Prodigal said, as he signalled to Death, who was already preparing to move.
"I would kill you first, and sealed the anomaly with Devestation's flail," the Devil laughed, as he lifted the flail for the final kill.
"Now, Death!" the Prodigal jumped into the air, and in his fastest speed, he fired a beam of energy onto the Devil's hand. The Devil was caught by the element of surprise, and the blast hit his arm at the right position and the flail of Devestation flew into the air. Before the Devil could do anything, Death had arrived and snatched the captured Goddess of Love from the Devil.
"You would not win so easily," the Devil was angered by Prodigal's effort to thwart his plans. He fired an blast onto the flail of Destruction to shatter it.
"No," the Prodigal shouted.
At this instant, the daughter of the Goddess of Love and Hope was awaken by the commotion. She saw Torrants right in front of him. Quickly, she whispered to Torrants. In the midst of chaos, Time had made the biggest sacrifice. He threw his hourglass to block the flail from the blast of destruction. The hourglass was shattered and it released an upheaval of energy that thrown everyone apart . The Prodigal and Death quickly channelled all the energy to fling the flail towards the anomaly. Successfully, the flail was turned towards the anomaly and shattered the anomaly. However, the flail released energy that annihilate the shattered pieces of the hourglass.
The closure of the anomaly had opened a void, and the next instant, everyone was sucked into the void. Torrants and Mayar were the first to get sucked into the void. It was too fast for anyone to take action. Quickly without hesitation, Death and Prodigal managed to create a field to block the rest from being absorbed into the void. The Devil was able to hold his ground as he channeled all his energy to protect himself.
The anomaly was closed at that instant, but what became of those who fought in this destructive battle?
(c)The End of Time
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"No!" Runoa woke up and found herself resting in her chambers. She found a little gal sitting by the side of her. It was her daughter, Valentine, the new Endless with the manifestation of True Love. In the chamber, there was her faithful servant, Clone, Death and most strangely, the most powerful and oldest of the Endless, Fate.
"Mother, you have finally awaken," Valentine spoke.
"You are?" said Runoa, as she searched around but could
"I am your daughter, Valentine," said the young Endless. "I am from the future, and I was brought back here by an older Torrants who told me of his mistake for not able to throw his hourglass to stop the sealing of the anomaly, and Hell was able to dominate the world for many millenia. However, I have changed history at the last instant. Otherwise, you would have been dead and I would not have existed."
There were so many questions which Ruona wished to ask, but nothing was more important than to ask,"Where is Prodigal?"
"He has left, Runoa," Death said tersely.
"Why did he leave?" Runoa wanted to know why the Prodigal had left her again.
"Because of Heaven," Death said as she told Runoa what happened in Heaven where the Prodigal had finally met the other woman who had entered into her life. She was distressed of the departure of her loved one.
"I have to find him," said the goddess of love but was stopped by Death.
"You have to find him, but not now," a voice spoke and to everyone's surprise, it was the voice of Fate. "After you have recovered from the damages you sustained from the destruction of the anomaly." Even Death could not believe that Fate spoke.
"Mother, Father has left because of the disappearance of Auntie Mayar and Uncle Torrants into the void. He has vowed to search for them no matter where he had to go."
"You mean...," Runoa realized what had happened, by looking into Death and Fate's eyes.
"The destruction of the hourglass had destroyed the tenets of Time. Now without time, the Universe would not be able to move and everything would be frozen. Though we saved the Universe from the anomaly, we have brought forward what is known as the End of Time. We only have twenty years before the Universe started to freeze." Fate said. Ruona realized why the Prodigal had leave immediately.
"But I don't get it, if the End of Time had happened, then Valentine would not be able to exist, and why is she still here?" Death tried to think about the implications of the paradox caused by the end of Time.
"Well, Death, she was protected by the powers of Time by a Torrants from an alternate reality, and hence she had remnants of a time bubble which would protect her from any form of danger that threatens her existence." Fate replied.
"Is there a way out to save Mayar and Torrants?" Death asked.
"I do not know, and to restore Time is beyond my realm, and beyond the ability of any Endless," Fate said,"I am here because I am required to be here to see that what must happen, to happen."
"Mother, because of the End of Time, I couldn't return to the future," Valentine said.
"I see, where is Prodigal going since he do not know where to start as well?" Runoa asked.
"He has left to go to London to visit an old friend," Death said as she shook her head. "He said that it's time to end the whole thing between Celette, you and him."
Runoa could do nothing but to hope that she could recover soon. Her only motivation was to find Prodigal and know who the Prodigal actually loved all these while.
[to be concluded]
[This message has been edited by prodigal (edited 10 March 2000).]