The Path of Truth

"So how long are you gonna stay asleep?" A male voice asked. "Get up...Nap time is over."

I groaned a bit and found myself in an empty room with nothing but a staircase leading up to a throne. I looked at the male and saw the throne has black and white wings on it. I looked at the male once more.

"Finally you're awake...You've been asleep for 11 hours." The male said.

"Where am I..? Who are you?" I asked.

"You are in my Realm plus how can you not recognize my voice..? I am the Ancient Hero. No one but you can see me. I have brought you here to tell you something important before we truly become one." He said.

"What..?" I looked at him.

"If you go down Nymphira's Route...you will die. If you die, Leona dies. You two have become one...your life is now connected to hers and vise versa. Nymphira isn't someone you can trust. The Chinese Zodiac blindly walk down her path because they pray and trust within her. Zodiacs like us, we were betrayed by the very ones who gave us life. We did everything in her name, yet the darkness befell us inevitably." Steven said.

"But Nymphira's Wish...to rid the Dark Zodiacs...am I just not supposed to taken them down." I looked at Steven.

Steven stood up from the throne and walked down the stairs. He looked at me and I frowned a bit, staring at him.

"Nymphira was an enemy from the very beginning. All the mishaps are all her doing. Chaos, the Dark Zodiacs, my death. Do you honestly want to walk down a path that you know you're never gonna live past it? Honestly do you want the Phantom Curse to happen again?" Steven asked. "Do you want to save everyone?"

"I..." I looked away.

"Hesitation hides the words of truth." He said and one angel wing and one demon wing emerged from his back. "Let me tell you this, if you walk down Nymphira's path, you will have to destroy all the Zodiacs. Her plan from the very start is to use the deaths of others to fuel her own abilities. Secretly we've only made her more unstoppable. Killing the Dark Zodiacs will inevitably make her more powerful. They are just fodder to her. They don't know it, but I did. Why do you think I didn't kill Lionel when I had the chance?"

"So the people of the monastery are my enemy? Even Crea and Menom? Kyria...Rushina..? They are my enemy..?" I looked at him.

"Unfortunately. Unless you can convince them to switch sides...you will have to stop them. Sephora knows this and this is why she wants you to gain my mother's blessing. They are after her as we speak. The Dark Zodiacs are merely just a distraction, not your enemy." He said and his wings fluttered.

I trust Steven but I can't bare the pain of turning my blade against an ally. At the same time, they are after the Zodiacs...I can't let them take Kanna...I definitely can't let them take Yui away from me. My partner in crime and my closest friend.

"Yufumi. If I were you, I would choose the Path of Truth. The Path I walked but couldn't finish because of Nymphira. I have to trust in you to finish that path and destroy Nymphira. Destroying Nymphira will result in you becoming the Goddess of the Realms and because of that, I shall give you all of my powers. You will be able to freely change into the forms of a Spirit, Angel, Demon, and Zodiac. Your aura can't be drained because of the Ascended Aura. If it comes to having to kill the Dark Zodiacs, do not hesitate." He said.

I looked at him then closed my eyes. I smirked and rubbed the back of my head.

"What do you see in me Steven? I'm nothing special from what you've seen. I'm no different from anyone else so why me?" I asked.

"Well first, you're the one who found my blade and the only one who can wield it. Even as a demon you remind me of my daughter...Misaki. I miss my family a lot but I will have to do all I can to see the Realms at peace. Well not see because once we become one, I will truly disappear." He said.

"Disappear?" I asked.

"I won't be erased from existence but I will never be apart from you. You'll never see from me again. You and I will become one forever." He said.

"I see.." I nodded. "I shall accept my fate then.."

He nodded and flames surrounded us and filled the room with light. I held my hand out and he held his out and floated towards me. He began turning into particles and the particles entered my body then I opened my eyes and my Yaoke evolved into the True Yaoke. The Yaoke became permanent in my eyes and no longer would take energy from my body when I used it. The flames disappeared and the room went dark once more.

"Ancient Hero...I will make your wish come true. I will not fail you." I said and woke up back to reality.

I heard the sound of blades clashing outside the temple. A battle was in progress. I sat up and noticed Annette was sitting on her throne.

"You finally wake, my child." Annette said and looked at me. "I was wondering when you were going to receive his blessing."

"His blessings..? Wait how did you know..?" I asked.

"I heard you mumbling his name. Now that your body is capable of holding more than one Zodiac, I shall allow you to have my blessings. This will cause me to disappear but stay connected within you. You will be able to summon me at any time you so please. For battle, advice, or just to talk. I am yours to use." Annette smiled. "Right now...Your friends need you. The Chinese Zodiac have begun their attack against the temple."

I stood up and nodded. Annette poked my chest and my body shined a blue light. Her body turned into particles and fused with my body then the Aquarius Symbol appeared on my left hand. My body stopped shining and I looked at my hands.

"To be the chosen one to walk down the Path of Truth." I said then noticed someone walk up the stairs.

"Yufumi, you've already defeated the Aquarius Goddess?" Kyria asked.

I looked at her and put my gloves on and nodded. She smiled and nodded then walked back down the stairs.

"You're more powerful than I thoug-" She stopped as a spirit sword crashed in front of her. She looked back and saw I was in Spirit Form.

"I won't allow you to harm any of the Zodiacs. I wish to do the job...Just focus on Nymphira's Wish." I said.

"All 12? Even Yui and Kanna?" Kyria smiled. "You're serious about this mission huh? Well alright. I'll tell the others to back off."

I nodded and raised the sword. I walked down the stairs and saw everyone.

"Alright Yufumi, go ahead, kill them and take their blessings." Kyria said.

I looked at Yui and she nodded. She turned normal and I walked to her. I grabbed her and pulled her behind me and transformed into my Zodiac Form and summoned my sword, pointing it at Kyria.

"Now isn't the time to be joking around! Do the mission!" Kyria bellowed.

"Mission? Ha! There will be no missions for her to do." A female voice appeared behind me.

"You think she will would ever hurt her kin?" Another voice said and appeared form a portal.

"What the- Who are you?" Kyria asked.

"I am the Queen of all Demons! You will fear my power! I am Katsuguchi!" Katsuguchi said.

"Name's Murano, Demon Queen of Time." Murano said.

Rushina smiled and walked towards us.

"You see, Kyria. You aren't the only snake in the grass. I actually called them here. The main reason being is because I knew you'd use your power for evil." Rushina said.

"Rushina." I looked at her.

"You see, I am not even a Zodiac." Rushina laughed. "My symbol is fake!"

"What?!" Kyria looked at her in shock.

"I am actually apart of the Sisterhood of Justice, my job is to protect the Demon Princesses at all costs." Rushina said.

"That's right...and I won't allow some corrupted Church to harm the protectors of our Realms." A woman said standing on the stairs of the temple.

"Zofia?" Katsuguchi looked at her.

"I came because I was bored. Oh yeah I have an ally with me." Zofia said.

A man stood beside her with a mask on and a red scarf around his neck. The Umbra Savior was amongst us. Kyria and her affiliates looked at them in complete disbelief.

Gwyn was not ready for an all out war against the Zodiacs and some Church he's never heard of. Menom looked at me and closed his eyes.

"Yufumi, defying the Goddess is worthy of death. Do you wish to die?" He asked.

"I'd rather die than fight for a Goddess who will just kill me anyway. You're all just pawns in her little game! I will destroy her! I will bring justice to everyone she's wronged, even Chaos!" I said.

"Eh?!" Sephora looked at me shocked.

"Yes Chaos is the root of the evil in the Human Realm, but think about it. In the history before Zodiacs, Chaos and Nymphira were once partners, he gets banished into the Human Realm by force. Because of Nymphira he had Indomitable Rage, all he wanted was Revenge against Nymphira." I said.

"That is true." Mikoko said. "Chaos's only goal was to kill Nymphira because he himself used to be a Zodiac. Killing all the Zodiacs to him was betrayal but she forced him and the other Fallen to target the Zodiacs. Can't you see? Nymphira is the true enemy!"

"Bullshit!" Kyria glared. "The Zodiacs were overdue on their Judgement! They deserve to die a painful death! We will be the ones to deliver it!"

"Tch. You're blinded...Blinded you hear me?! You're just a puppet! A pawn! Why do you even wish to follow Nymphira?! You're only just gonna die in the end!" I said. "The more you kill, the stronger you make her! Why can't you see that?!"

"Enough talking." Menom said and got in a stance. "Judgement day for you has arrived!"

"Leona." I touched my chest.

"Yeah." She said.

Kyria summoned knights and got in a stance. Gwyn hid behind Sephora. She looked at Gwyn and back at the Kyria.

"Crea! Are-" Menom looked at Crea.

"I can't follow a Goddess who will just kill me in the end.." Crea said.

"What- what are-- GAAH!!" Menom yelled in pain as the symbols began burning off his arms. Crea disowned him and his markings began disappearing.

"Cosima, what's happening to him?" Yui asked.

"When a Zodiac disowns you...you die in the worst way possible...your insides begin to burn eternally and you die." Cosima said. "A stray Zodiac will be able to die easier.

Menom fell to the ground face first and blood came from his mouth. Crea looked at me and floated towards me and I held my hand out towards her.

"Come." I said.

She nodded and held my hand then our body began to shine. I began creating a bond with Crea and dragon markings appeared on my leg then she turned into particles and entered my body. Kyria glared at me and I looked at her.

"The Path of Harmony, The Path of Chaos, or the Path of Truth. Harmony is Nymphira, Chaos is Chaos and the Path of Truth will lead us into a Path of Eternal Peace. I will kill Nymphira, avenge all who've fallen because of her. I am chosen for this job. I have to do this. I have no choice." I said. "Kyria, if you wish to avoid death...lower your blade."

Kyria glared and her knights vanished. She stabbed her lance into the ground.

"This isn't over. You will die by my hands. All who oppose the Goddess will suffer greatly!" Kyria said and vanished.