"It has been ages, dear friend." The white-d woman, or rather… Ciel, spoke with grace.


    A smile constantly remained on her face, and her pristine beauty could take one''s breath away. This enthralling part of her held no appeal to Kazen, however. Instead, it only drove her further into a rage.


    "Do not call me that. I am no longer your friend!" She growled.


    "There''s that temper. As expected of you, Kazen. When I felt your Aether, I instantly knew it was you. Honestly, even in death, you haven''t changed."


    Kazen gritted her teeth, ring murderously at Ciel.


    Millions of thoughts ran through her head, but most of them consisted of one major element. How to kill the woman in front of her.


    " I expected, if anyone would return from the dead, it would be the strongest or something. Perhaps Merlin or Lancelot. Why would you be the one toe? And why choose such a weak vessel?"


    "That''s none of your business," Kazen responded brazenly.


    It wasn''t like the Apostles had the chance toe back from the dead, or anything like that. Not all of them could ingrain their Souls into their Arcanas as she could. The few who could do that only left portions of themselves there—little embers that would fade after a while.


    The only reason she was different was because of her Original Magic.


    "I could say the same about your little charade. Using a figurehead to control others… that sounds perfectly like what you would do." She clenched her fist.


    Kazen remembered when she had once called Ciel a friend. She remembered how she had initially been a pure maiden, who was meant to be their newest member. Kazen remembered how she used one of their members and tricked him into deluding the rest of them.


    She remembered how, in the process of solving the consequences of her ambition, herrades had used up their lives. They protected humanity from the Nether and saved the world from Ciel''s twisted ideals.


    And, she remembered how they all went their separate ways—choosing to hide their most valued treasures since they believed that it was the only way to return the evil of the Nether to the world.


    ''Even after all that, she still hunted us down and tried to obtain our Arcanas. How many friends of mine died at your hands? You two-faced bitch!''


    "You seem angry at me for personal reasons. Aren''t the Apostles meant to be selfless heroes? Well, your anger is justifiable, but…" Cielughed softly, as she cast her gaze on the Cult Leader, who was still shaking in his seat.


    She used her hand to rub his head, casting an unusually loving gaze on the boy.


    "... Don''t take it out on my child."


    Kazen''s eyes instantly widened in shock—no, more than shock… disgust!


    "N-no… what did you do? What have you done!"


    Ciel kept rubbing the head of her supposed son, and the boy—despite being the Cult Leader, kept his head steady. He did not resist, and neither did he squirm. Rather, he seemed to be enjoying her touch.


    It was not an image befitting the leader of the Nether Cult.


    "What have I done? Oh, plenty. As for my little child, well… ''WE'' made him together."


    The shock disyed on Kazen''s face kept intensifying the more she watched and heard.


    "Y-you didn''t… no way…"


    "I told you all, but you didn''t listen. No one can stop our bond. Even though you took my beloved from me, I was gifted with a portion of his glorious self. As a result… I was able to fuse him with myself—thereby birthing our seed."


    At this point, Ciel''s frosty white face had shades of pink. Her hand was on her face as she smiled in euphoria. It seemed like she was experiencing a heightened sense of pleasure—one that would be better left unsaid.


    "You''re sick." Kazen shot a look of disgust.


    "And you''re ignorant. But I don''t me you. You weren''t chosen by his glorious self, after all." Ciel shrugged.


    "H-how can you say that? It is going to destroy everything and everyone in this world! It is going to kill everything! Yet you call my desire to stop that, ignorance?" Kazen raised her voice, her anger rising to new heights.


    "And what of it?"


    "W-what…?"


    "And what of it? If it is his glorious will to destroy everything, then I shall dlyply. There are more worlds out there, after all."


    "Y-you…"


    "I do not care if this world burns… as long as I get my beloved back. You do not understand, which is why you are ignorant."


    "You monster…"


    "I can only imagine his joy when he sees our child. Ah, the thrill makes me squirm with anticipation." Ciel was now using both her hands to caress her face as she spoke.


    The Cult Leader was also smiling— the innocent smile of a child who believed the words of his mother and sought the return of his father.<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>


    Both of them grinned like maniacs, and Kazen watched their expressions of depravity, unable to take any more of it.


    "I won''t let that happen. I came here to stop you—even if I kill you, your child, or both in the process. I will not let you bring that monster into this world!" A burst of Aether surged from Kazen, instantly transforming her into a glorious maiden of light.


    Resolve burned deeply in her eyes, and she readied herself for when she would strike.


    "Well, that would have been more threatening if I wasn''t already certain of my victory. Unfortunately for you, Kazen… you''re a bit toote." Ciel smiled nonchntly.


    Despite the extreme pressure that dominated the area, Ciel did not even break a sweat. Herposed expression told Kazen how confident she was.


    "Quit bluffing and stalling. You need all the Arcanas to achieve your goals. That is your reason behind establishing the Cult, isn''t it? Without all of them, the gates will never open!" Kazen shouted.


    With her eyes on the target, and her body ready to perform its task, Kazen let out a battle cry.


    "This is the end of the line, Ciel!"


    >WHOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!<


    The first strike ended in a stalemate, almost as soon as it was initiated. Kazen met with a dense field, thus causing her attack to be nullified.


    Even though she was moving well beyond the speed of light, Ciel was still fast enough to react.


    ''Tch! And she looked so rxed…''


    "You make too many assumptions, Kazen." Ciel''s voice echoed in her ears, causing Kazen''s re to deepen.


    "What… are you talking about?"


    Ciel''s lightughter triggered Kazen. She was enjoying herself in her dome of protection, and it seemed she had more cards up her sleeve.


    ''I knew this would be hard before I embarked on this task. I can''t stop now…'' She gritted her teeth.


    "Don''t bother, Kazen. My n is already in its final stage of fruition." Ciel ceased herughter and made a gentle statement.


    ''She''s just trying to bait me. She still needs all the Arcanas to—''


    "You believe I need to have all the Arcanas to achieve what I want, do you not?" Ciel''s smile broadened as she spoke.


    Kazen obviously thought along that line. Who wouldn''t?


    The 21 Arcanasbined formed thest piece, and that was the only way to open the gates. That was the only way Ciel could get what she wanted.


    ''Arcanas can''t be destroyed. We tried and failed. If we could… we would have destroyed them ages ago.''


    Still, with the way the cards were currently divided, Ciel couldn''t aplish her n. As long as that was the case, she was never going to win.


    "What if I told you, dear friend, that I found another way?" Ciel''s smile shook Kazen to the core.


    The confident look in her eyes… the way she made her statement… Kazen could tell that Ciel was utterly sure of her words.


    ''What? How? I don''t believe it!''


    "T-that''s impossible!" She yelled, ready tomence a stronger volley of attacks. And this time, enough to destroy the shield.


    "Oh, but it is. I now have a way that allows me to win."


    ''YOU''RE LYING!!!''


    "And I no longer need to possess the Arcanas to do so!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Okay, so things are slowly reaching the climax. That''s good to see.


    I just want to remind you all… to check out my new book. Thanks. Haha.