• Chapter 8

    Serenity stays locked up in her dorm for three weeks. Ranzaroth tried to visit. He'd knock on the door a few times and Serenity would not respond. Then he'd walk away wondering what's wrong with her. Jeremiah was the only person who would enter that room. He secretly trained Serenity for her upcoming battle with Matt for the first two months of her pregnancy. When she reached the third month, Jeremiah removed the baby from the womb and placed it under a spell that would nurture it out of Serenity's body.

    After nine month under Gontou's training (Nine month since he betrayed HQ), Matt has become very powerful and yet, after all this time, he never stopped thinking about Serenity's well being. Gontou eventually notices and decides to make a move.
    "Matthew..." Gontou calls his fallower, one day. He was in the death realm in a huge palace the shinigamis build for him. Matt came inside the throne room like a royal prince and kneeled down to Gontou, next to Patty.
    "You summoned me, master?"
    "Yes... I have some news I think you'll find wonderful."
    "..." Matt stood up and wiped his hair out of his face. "Yes?"
    "I know who the child of prophecy is and I think you're ready."
    "WHAT?!" Both Patty and Matt said in unison.
    "You don't really think he's ready." Patty said. "It's only been nine month."
    "And yet the results are perfect." Patty nodded and stepped back.
    "Who is it? I must eliminate him before his powers awaken." Matt asked hopefuly.
    "It's not a he. It's a she."
    "Who?"
    "Your dear old friend, Serenity..."
    "W-What? It can't be... It's imposible... When I was in HQ, she couldn't even beat me in a damn checkers game." Matt exagerated.
    "Well she is. Now are you going to kill her?"
    "..."
    "I order you to do so. Not only to eliminate that obstacle but to also remove all feelings from the past."
    "I can't kill her... I love her. She's the only friend and family I've got." Gontou wrinkled his nose.
    "You dare disobey me?!"
    "I-I'm sorry but that's an order I can't fallow... with all due respect."
    "No... that's an order you SHALL fallow. Do it or you might as well kiss goodbye your goals." Gontou stood up. "Come Patty. Let Matthew be."
    "Yes, master." Patty walked out of that room with Gontou leaving Matt alone before the empty throne.

    "I can't kill Serenity... She's the love of my never ending life..." Matthew narrowed his eyes and looked up at the empty throne. "Still... my priority are my goals... more important then her." He clutched his fist and chuckled. "Killing Serenity will be a sinch." He said in a cold whisper. The love and caring Matthew, was no more. It was under an invisible spell were Matt's soul fell into a deep slumber and Gontou's dark aura took over.


    A few days later, and Matt managed to infiltrate through the surveillance of the soul keepers from HQ. He hurried to his dormroom and knocked three times. Before anyone could answer, he slipped a piece of paper underneath the door and vanished, leaving no trace of his presence behind. His strength and power have indeed changed. Serenity, who was going to answer the door, looked down and saw it. She took the paper and unfold it. A copy of the Matt picture she owned fell on the floor. She picked it up and read the note.

    Meet me in da hallow realm. We need 2 talk. -Matt

    "M-Matt..." She remembered Jeremiah's warning about her death by Matt's doing. She held back her tears and took a deep breath. Just then, Jeremiah came in. "Master, you're here. Perfect timing." Serenity stepped back so that he could come in.
    "Yes, what is it?"
    "It's time..."
    "Time for what?"
    "Matt... it's time to face my destiny."
    "... yes, I understand." He said as he noticed the picture.
    "My baby... is it a boy or a girl?"
    "It's going to be a boy. It's genital already formed." A tear of joy streamed down her face. William's baby.
    "Do me a favor, please..."
    "Yes, what would that be?"
    "After I'm gone, tell William that his son, Willis, is to come."
    "Tell him that you're pregnant?"
    "Yes. And make sure that after I die, you tell Russell so that he tells him also."
    "So that means that by the time I tell him he's a father-to-be, he'll already be aware of your death?"
    "Yes."
    "Good. Where are you to meet with Matthew?"
    "In the hallow realm."
    "What? But it's a dangerous place. The hallow realm has some kind of aura the sucks out the host's soul. Why would he want to meet you there?"
    "Probably because he wants to make himself weakless in order to have an excuse in not killing me."
    "Do you think he was ordered to do so?"
    "Why else would he kill me?"
    "..." Those words felt like scum to Jeremiah. He grabbed the picture and tore it to many small pieces. "You piece of crap. I expected more of you. you were so easily fooled." There was a brief moment of silent which Serenity finally broke.
    "Here's the plan: Before I die, I'll ask what his true goals are. Then after he kills me and leaves, you come and get my body. Take all of the information in my mind and body and keep it."
    "So we can use it to counterattack Gontou's army?"
    "Exactly."
    "A very wise plan... you've learned much in your life."
    "Well I'll be going now." Serenity grabbed her sword, which she rarely uses. "I'm taking my sword this time... he'll probably use the same."
    "So... now what?"
    "Can you... take me to the hallow realm without anyone noticing?"
    "Of course. I'll put a teleportation spell on you. It will get you there in no time at all without leaving trace of your soul behind."
    "Good."

    So then Serenity teleported to the hallow realm, not before writting a letter to her child explaining why she wasn't alive by the time he read it.





    Serenity stood in what seemed to be a desert. She was literaly standing on dust below the night sky.
    "Glad you could make it." Said a voice from behind. She turned around just to find Matt with a tired look on his face.
    "Of course."
    "... first thing's first... hello." He smiled
    "Hello, Matt." She said uninterested.
    "Why the serious look, Sen?" It's been a long time since they've adressed Serenity as Sen.
    "What?"
    "What's wrong? Don't you remember? I used to call you Sen when you were just a little girl."
    "So why are you bringing it up now?"
    "Why not?" Serenity got pissed off.
    "Why did you leave HQ?" Matt leaned over his sword.
    "I saw that the outside world offered more."
    "What exactly do you want?"
    "More then you? Hah I want to become the child of prophecy."
    "Huh?"
    "But sadly..." Matt stood up straight. "YOU'RE IN THE WAY!!!!" He charged towards her with his sword out front. Serenity hesitated but managed to dodge the attack.
    "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" She yelled from the distance.
    "DON'T LIE TO ME!!!" He then reappeared behind her. "I know you're the child of prophecy... so I have to eliminate you."
    "No I'm not."
    "So even if you weren't..." He reappeared infront of her. "I'd still have to kill you just eliminate all feelings or weakness." He said coldly.
    "But that's stupid."
    "So it may BE!!" He dropped his sword and began hand-to-hand combat with her. As they fought, they continued their conversation. "Huh, you came awfully prepared for this... who told you?" He asked as he swinged his fist which she counterattacked with a kick.
    "Non of your business, traitor."
    "Aww c'mon don't say that. I'm your brother."
    "You're not my brother." Serenity hit the back of his head. "A brother always stands up for it's sibling and never prefers killing her then an impossible goal."
    "Impossible?" They kept fighting. They were going at an incredible speed, it seemed as if two Matt's and two Serenity's were fighting at the same time. "I can defy destiny itself if I want to."
    "No you CAN'T!!!" Serenity kicked Matt on his tigh and he fell to the dusty ground. She placed her heel over his throat and tried to choke him and he placed his hands around her ankle and tried to remove it.
    "Get off me!"
    "WHY DID YOU LEAVE!!!???"
    "..."
    "WHY DID YOU GO?! WASN'T OUR RELATIONSHIP AS FRIENDS STRONG?!" The thought of Matt's betreyal enfuriated her.
    "You stubborn child. Ever since before you came along, it's been my top priority to become the child of prophecy. Ever since before you came along, I had already sworn to myself I would make it my top priority."
    "... But you perfectly know that the child of prophecy was meant to destroy existence and it's the son of the new era who must rebuild it. Why do you want to go against it?"
    "Because unlike you, I was pushed away and rejected... I want to kill and destroy everything and everybody."
    Serenity removed her foot from him and sighed. "You weren't rejected, Matt. I never rejected you. Infact, I looked up to you ever since I met you." Her soul percentage was dramatically dropping.
    "But you were weaker. It doesn't change anything if you acknowledge me or not. The thought of it is just embarrasing." Matthew stood up. "You're weak. You're a burden. And becase of you, I almost got killed several times."
    "..."
    "If it wasn't for that mistake I made in the past of letting you live, I wouldn't have to be here, battling a stupid brat like you." He kicked Serenity down to the floor and began kicking her on the direct abdomen. She just layed there and received the hit. She began to cough out blood everytime he'd kick. Things looked grim for Serenity but she didn't care since deep inside, she thought he had a point.
    "Any last words?" He said pointing his sword down.
    "Yes... I'm pregnant. I was hoping you could care for it but... nevermind now." She coughed out more blood. Matt hesistated for a moment but instead, he stabbed his only friend without mercy.
    "I'm sorry..." He whispered into the nothingness.

    And so, as it was fortold by Jeremiah, Serenity died by the doings of Matt.


    ***
    One month has passed since Matt killed Serenity. As she wished, Jeremiah picked up her corpse and placed it under a preservative spell. As for her son, Willis, he is only for month's old still on his mother's womb, protected by Jeremiah's spell. The thirty brothers, including Gontou, and Matt know who William is. Still no one, except Matt and Jeremiah, know Serenity was pregnant. Ranzaroth has been locked up in his massive room just staring out the window. He's been on a stage of depression ever since he heard of Serenity's death.
    "Why didn't I see it before? Why didn't I save her?" He regreted. He pressed his fist and head against the wall and began to cry. "I-I'm so pathetic... come back to me, Serenity... please... please." He said in between sobs


    Santos was taking a walk around the endless corridors of HQ. He took a deep breath and then collapsed. "Your excellency!!" Zavier, one of the many cooks in HQ, ran to him. "Master? Master?"

    -Santo's vision-
    William- I hate you. You destroyed my mother and my life... and for that you'll pay. *Eyes gleemed bright red.*
    Oscar- W-What are you?! *Falls back on floor*
    William- I'm not human. *He stabbs Oscar to death*
    -End of Santo's vision-

    "Unh... uh..."
    "Master, are you alright?" Zavier asked.
    "Yes..." Santos slowly stood up. "I have to find my brothers."

    Santos summoned his brothers to their home lair. He was standing in the highest colum while holding a small note.
    "Brothers, gather. I, Santos, Jeremiah, Issaiah, Karzess, Theo, Lombarly, Bartolome, Lucciano, Runo, Kuron, Sazutoram, Kazu, Gannher, Inauwd, Kan'no, Perseoss, Handote, Benjamin, Abstrato, Sanartez, Ulzon, Oukren, Nautanates, Lancelot, Elliot, Misael, Metrios, Archangel, Junko, come!" And one second later, they all appeared. Each on there own colums and with that uninterested look.
    "What is big bro?" Inauwd asked. He pulled out his blade and began to look at his reflection, admiring his beauty. Inauwd was infact a rather handsome man. He simply bragged a lot.
    "Focus, Inauwd." Inauwd gave him a cold stare and placed the blade back on its holder.
    "Why did you summoned us, Santos?" Jeremiah asked.
    "The child of prophecy..."
    "What about it?" Sanartez asked.
    "I had a vision... revealing the child of prophecy..." They all gasped.
    "Who?" Kan'no asked.
    "Is the child among us?" Archangel added.
    "No... it's a being that inhabits in the world of the living."
    "A human? But that's absurd!" Lucciano demanded an explanation. "A meere human? Pathetic!!"
    "Calm down. I never said he was human. He inhabits the world of the living. He has every trait of a human plus one more thing."
    "What would that be?" Jeremiah stood up. He raised his chin and narrowed his eyes.
    "He has a massively immense amount of soul stored in his eyes and blood system." Then there was a moment of silent. Not one thing could be heard. Finally, Kazu spoke.
    "Who?"
    "William Robertson."
    "The one who took care of Serenity when she was banned out of HQ for two weeks?"
    "Yes, the very same."
    "Should we tell Ranzaroth?" Misael asked as he glared down at Elliot. Elliot huffed and turned the other way.
    "Oh would you two stop this non sense? You're both equally powerful. Why are you always challenging each other?" Santos got annoyed.
    "DON'T COMPARE ME TO HIM!!!" Misael bursted. "........ nevermind......." Santos rubbed his temples in frustrations.
    "Ugh... forget it. Back to topic. Yes, I will tell Ranzaroth. Junko!" Santos turned to his brother.
    "Yes, Santos?" Junko was not facing him. Instead, he was playing with his most favorite thing in the world: a rubber band. Junko always carried with one of those. It didn't matter were he went, he always had one.
    "I'll leave you the charge of telling Ranzaroth Gontou has betrayed us along with Matt and also about his objectives."
    "Which are?" Junko raised a brow.
    "He wants to destroy all of his brothers in order to become the God of the new era and rule over all realm." They all narrowed there eyes and sigh.
    "When do I tell him?" He accidentally launched the rubber band out. But before it even hit the floor, Junko had already grabbed it and was back on his space.
    "Not now but soon." Santos rolled his eyes.