Pfaueninsel Battle Arc is the second part of Lilith's Requiem. It is a collection of events that happen on Pfaueninsel, an island in the River Havel situated in Berlin, Germany, within the summer between Year One and Year Two of Lilith's Kaizen Class. The arc features heavy fighting with almost all the story's characters up until that point going up against one particular villain- Tengen.
Some events that take place during the Pfaueninsel Battle Arc include:
Lilith Mastering the Time Bending Concave Mirror Technique.
Proffessionals and Kaizen students broken into four teams.
Gael Faolan gives Lilith the kiss of life, saving her life, but making Kazan jealous in the process.
Azura Okkotsu shows up for the first time in the series and gives Lilith a helping hand.
Lilith's Requiem. God's Cherubim (part one of this story) can be viewed here. Please Enjoy the Pfaueninsel Battle Arc Below.
Chapter Outline.
Continuation Part Three. “False Messiah and the Northern Stone.”
Celestial Part Four. “The Angel of Light.”
Conclusion. To you, 1000 years from now. Lilith’s Eden Zero.
Part Three. “False Messiah and the Northern Stone.”
Tengen’s reply was a guttural roar, the sound tearing through the night. He lunged, his crystalline hair catching the moonlight like a deadly blade. Zenia danced back, her years of jiu-jitsu training kicking in. She slid under a swipe aimed at her head, the air crackling with displaced energy.
They grappled, a whirlwind of motion tearing through the historic island. Tengen’s raw power was undeniable. He punched through the wall of a nearby cottage with a sickening crunch, using the debris as a projectile. Zenia dodged, rolling through a cloud of dust before launching herself at him. She wrapped her legs around his midsection, aiming for a triangle choke, but his inhuman strength forced her arms apart. He slammed her back into the skeletal remains of another shattered house. Bricks rained down, the scent of burning wood thick in the air.
Zenia gritted her teeth. Tengen wasn’t fighting strategically; he was a berserker, fueled by raw power. She needed to exploit that. She used his momentum against him, redirecting his next attack into the crumbling foundation of a nearby gazebo. The structure groaned and gave way, showering them both in splinters.
Disoriented, Zenia saw her chance. With a burst of adrenaline, she scrambled up, snatching a shard of green glass from the debris. As Tengen charged, she lunged, aiming for the exposed nape of his neck. The glass connected with a sickening snap, drawing a guttural scream from the creature.
But even injured, Tengen didn’t falter. He backhanded her with enough force to send her flying, her body crashing through the skeletal frame of a greenhouse. Glass rained down upon her, the world blurring at the edges.
Dazed, Zenia looked up to see Tengen looming over her, his crystalline hair dripping what could have been blood or condensation. But before he could deliver the final blow, a tremor shook the island. The ground beneath them split open, revealing a pulsating blue light from deep within.
Confusion flickered across Tengen’s face.
For a flicker of a second, a third eye developed on Tengen’s cheek. It was red in colour. Quickly, it closed, sealed beneath his skin.
Zenia chuckled and smirked. “So, that’s your true form.” She said as she flexed a muscle. “You’re even more monstrous than me. Come at me, Tengen! Let’s see who’s stronger!”
He stumbled back, his raw power waning, replaced by a flicker of the Tengen Zenia knew. In that split second, she knew that might have been her only chance. With a renewed surge of strength, she lunged, grappling with him once more. Together, they tumbled backward, disappearing into the pulsating blue chasm that had opened in the heart of Pfaueninsel.
The final rays of the vermilion sun dipped below the horizon, leaving the Pfaueninsel bathed in an ethereal twilight. A tapestry of stars, usually obscured by the city's luminescence, unfurled across the velvet expanse of the night sky. But that night, the celestial display was rivaled only by the epic clash unfolding beneath it.
Myriads of meteors, like celestial brushstrokes dipped in molten gold and platinum, streaked across the heavens. Each fiery streak left a luminous trail that lingered for a heartbeat before dissolving into tohe inky canvas. The air crackled with an energy that mirrored the spectacle above - the energy of a fight that defied mortal limitations.
Tengen, a whirlwind of honed muscle and steely focus, wielded his obsidian blade with a practiced grace that belied its brutal intent. His movements were poetry in motion, each swing a deadly haiku whispered in the night. Zenia, her platinum armour gleaming under the celestial fireworks, was a storm in human form. She parried and riposted with a ferocity born of desperation, her lithe form a blur against the backdrop of blooming Feuerlilien – the crimson lilies of Pfaueninsel – their fiery petals mirroring the warrior's spirit.
The clash of steel echoed through the silent gardens, a counterpoint to the celestial symphony above. Sparks erupted with each clang, fleeting fireflies against the backdrop of a falling star. Zenia, fuelled by an unwavering determination, pushed her body beyond its limits. Her blade sang a desperate song, a warrior's lament against an immovable force.
But Tengen was an immovable force. He deflected every blow, his movements anticipating hers with an uncanny prescience. His own attacks were measured, each strike imbued with a terrifying power that seemed to emanate from the very core of his being. Zenia, despite her valiant effort, could only manage a glancing blow on his arm, a crimson stain blossoming on the dark sleeve like a macabre rose.
The fight reached its crescendo under a shower of meteors, a breathtaking backdrop to a horrifying ballet. With a final, earth-shattering swing, Tengen's blade found its mark. Steel met flesh in a sickening spray of crimson. Zenia, her eyes wide with a mixture of defiance and disbelief, crumpled to the ground, a single, silent tear tracing a path down her cheek. Her liver had been sliced through.
Tengen stood amidst the carnage, the night sky reflected in his obsidian blade. He was a monument of power, etched against the canvas of a million falling stars. The beauty of the celestial display was a stark contrast to the brutality that had unfolded beneath it. Zenia breathed in and out as she held her stomach at the point where Tengen’s blade had passed through her liver.
“Since it’s a vital organ, it will take a bit longer to regenerate. I just have to hold out a bit longer. I can beat him.” Zenia thought to herself. She focused on breathing in and out as she gripped her sword tight, ready to continue with the battle.
Her friends watched from a distance as they tried to figure out what to do.
"Gael Faolan’s second technique. Aside from cursed speech, Gael Faolan inherited the ‘kiss of life’ from his lineage. The kiss of life is the same that saved sleeping beauty, and folk tales about it have been passed down through centuries. However, it is only once in a blue moon that the kiss of life technique manifests in a person. If Gael kisses someone who’s at the brink of death, that person will instantly be revived.” Olly spoke to Kazan and Gael as they stood amongst the tall trees in the distance.
“Hey! Just what the heck are you talking about? Are you saying that I should let him kiss my girlfriend?” Kazan yelled in retaliation.
“Hey, man. We’re Kaizens. Our first duty is to save innocent people from total annihilation. The only person who can stop Tengen right now is Lilith, and she’s in a coma. The only person that can revive her instantly is Gael with his kiss of life technique. Therefore, that would be the most logical thing to do, alright?” Olly retaliated to Kazan’s retaliation.
“Fine, go ahead and kiss her. But make it quick, you hear me?” Kazan said as he swung his hand dismissively and looked away.
Gael reached for his face mask and took it off. Moss-carpeted roots snaked around the base of a gargantuan oak, its canopy a tapestry of whispering leaves. Nestled amidst the whispering giants, lay Lilith. Ever since he saw her at the sorting ceremony, he had always wondered what it would be like. Her brown skin, usually imbued with a glowing luminescence, shined under the comet shower above.
A figure, as graceful as a hunting falcon, towered above her. Gael Faolan, his silver hair catching the last rays of the dying sun like spun moonlight. Eighteen years old, he possessed a beauty that defied categorization – a face sculpted by the gods themselves, framed by hair like spun moonlight, and eyes that mirrored the summer sky. He knelt beside Lilith, his touch as light as a fallen feather.
With a whispered prayer that rustled the leaves like a sigh, he leaned down.
“Great forefather of the Faolan clan, Oisin of Tir Na Nog. Gruffydian Guardian of the sprinkle of life, Queen Titania. I beseech you, lend me your power and save this girl from death!” He said passionately, with an astronomical amount of conviction.
The world had shrunk to the size of Gael's cupped hand. In it, nestled amidst the soft folds of his knight's cloak, lay Lilith, her form as fragile as a porcelain doll. Yet, a breathtaking spectacle unfolded above them. A kaleidoscope of comet streaks blazed across the twilight sky, their fiery tails leaving shimmering trails of dust that mimicked the glitter sprinkled liberally upon the scene.
As if summoned by the celestial display, tiny fairies, no bigger than fireflies, materialized around them. Their gossamer wings, like stained glass in the fading light, fluttered in unison. A melody, both whimsical and poignant, spilled from their impossibly small instruments, weaving a tapestry of sound that wrapped around Gael and Lilith like a warm embrace.
An ethereal light, soft and pearlescent, emanated from Lilith's form, bathing them both in an angelic glow. In his gleaming armour, Gael resembled a prince from a forgotten fairytale, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs as he cradled an unconscious princess.
Then, a flutter of dark lashes against pale cheeks. Lilith stirred, her brow furrowing slightly before her eyes flew open. The sight that greeted her stole the breath from her lungs. The celestial ballet painted across the canvas of the night sky was unlike anything she had ever witnessed. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over like a dam overflowing with a lifetime of unspoken emotions.
Gael, his own heart swelling with a fierce tenderness, watched the silent tears trace shimmering paths down her face. In that moment, under the canopy of a million falling stars, cradled in the palm of his hand, Lilith felt a sliver of hope. It was a moment suspended in time, a fragile, beautiful thing, held aloft by the music of fairies and the silent promise victory.
“The world isn’t ending yet. I’m still here.” Lilith said as she got up. “I’ve had a look inside his thoughts. He doesn’t only wish to save Tucana II. He plans to wipe out all spiral galaxies starting with the Milky Way and Andromeda. He’s already copied my ability to use inflation matter. Which means even though he’s no longer merged with me, he’s still strong. Well then, I better get to killing him.
Gone was the Kaizen student uniform she had worn on Santorini. In its place, a sleek, form-fitting suit of midnight black clung to her curves. It accentuated the smooth, polished sheen of her brown skin, which now seemed to radiate an inner light. Her hazel curls, once limp and lifeless, cascaded down her back in a halo of defiance.
Lilith rose, her every movement imbued with a newfound grace. She was a goddess reborn, a warrior awakened. Her gaze, locking with Gael's, held a universe of gratitude. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice a melodic caress in the stillness of the night.
But the moment of reunion was cut short. In the distance, a plume of dark energy erupted, staining the night sky an inky black. Tengen. Recognition flared in Lilith's eyes, a cold fire replacing the warmth of her awakening. With a strength that belied her recent return from death's embrace, she launched herself into the air, a blur of black against the star-dusted canvas.
The kiss lingered on Gael's lips, a bittersweet promise hanging heavy in the air. He knew he couldn’t have her. She was in love with someone else. But at least he could save her. He would always save her if she ever needed him. After all, the Neith clan had done way more for the Faolan clan for over a thousand years. He watched her go, his heart thrumming with a love that defied even the threat of a godling's wrath. That night, the fate of Pfaueninsel, and perhaps the world, rested on Lilith's newly awakened shoulders. The idyllic moonlit field was now a launching pad, a silent witness to the warrior goddess taking flight.
“Hey, you.” Lilith said as she flew high in the air above Tengen, who had been carried away, looking at Zenia.
Tengen looked at Lilith with a bewildered look. Lilith smirked.
“You know, once anyone from the Neith clan kills you, your soul won’t be able to reincarnate.” She said with ease. “We’re the only humans who have the power to kill both the body and the soul.”
“I’m going to kill you.” Tengen said with an elated smile, his eyes half closed.
Lilith, a whirlwind of hazel and ebony, soared across the Pfaueninsel meadows. The kiss of life still tingled on her lips, fueling her determination. Below, Tengen, a colossus of obsidian and malice, wreathed in crackling blue energy, awaited her.
The air thrummed with anticipation. The once peaceful scene had morphed into a celestial battlefield, the stage illuminated by a million celestial brushstrokes – a dazzling meteor shower that had reached a fever pitch. Each fiery streak blazed brighter than the last, a breathtaking counterpoint to the brutal ballet about to unfold.
Lilith struck first. Her hands flared, tendrils of inky-black energy crackling around them. This wasn’t ordinary dark energy; it was inflation matter, the primordial essence that had birthed the universe eons ago. Lilith, through sheer force of will, wrenched it from the very atoms around her, atoms that had existed since the first sliver of a second after the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years in the making.
The inflation matter coalesced into a writhing sphere, a miniature black hole in her grasp. With a wordless roar, she hurled it at Tengen. It streaked across the night sky, a malevolent meteor aimed to snuff out the darkness that opposed her.
Tengen, however, remained unfazed. A smirk played on his lips, a flicker of amusement in his obsidian eyes. He raised a hand, palm outstretched. A shimmering barrier, a manifestation of his ‘Reflecting Technique’, materialized before him. The inflation matter struck the barrier with a deafening boom.
But it wasn’t over. Instead of dissipating, the inflation matter, imbued with Lilith’s desperate will, reversed course. It bent, contorted, defied the very laws of physics, and hurtled back towards its source. Lilith, caught off guard, watched in horror as her own attack mirrored back at her.
The impact was cataclysmic. The inflation matter slammed into Lilith, the force of a collapsing star compressing her very being. A scream ripped from her throat, a sound that echoed through the night and mingled with the celestial symphony above. The air crackled with dark energy as Lilith was thrown back, a broken doll ragdolling across the meadow.
She landed with a sickening thud, the wind knocked out of her lungs. Pain, a white-hot inferno, engulfed her. Her vision blurred, the celestial display above transforming into a dizzying kaleidoscope. Each fiery streak mocked her, a cruel reminder of the power she couldn’t control, the life she was about to lose.
Gasping for breath, Lilith clawed at the earth, trying to pull herself up. Her body, once a vessel of unimaginable power, now felt like shattered glass.
“Do you know why you’re going to die, Lilith Neith? It’s because you’re weak. Unlike your friend Zenia, you do not have an abundance of physical strength. You are the same as fragile glass. Delicate, easily destroyed by anything.” Tengen taunted Lilith as he loomed in the air above her.
Tengen used his reflecting technique to control the inflation matter that was oozing from Lilith. He then formed seven sharp spikes with the inflation matter. Tengen smiled, a sinister grin as he prepared to shoot the spikes to Lilith.
“Goodnight, Miss Neith. It’s such a shame, you had so much potential.” Tengen said before sending the seven spikes to Lilith and piercing through her body. Lilith’s eyes widened.
“Is this it? Is this death?” She thought to herself as her eyes began to close.
Suddenly, there was a clap. Everything went silent. Tengen raised a brow. Someone had teleported to the battlefield and was standing next to Lilith.
Celestial Part Four. “The Angel of Light.”
“Is this it? Is this death?” Lilith thought to herself as her eyes began to close.
Suddenly, there was a clap. Everything went silent. Tengen raised a brow. Someone had teleported to the battlefield and was standing next to Lilith.
“The ancient Egyptians believed that when they died their spiritual body would continue to exist in an afterlife very similar to their living world.
However, entry into this afterlife was not guaranteed. The dead had to negotiate a dangerous underworld journey and face the final judgment before they were granted access. The Tuareg of the Sahara Desert believe that the soul transcends the body, operating from Goddess Tannit’s realm of time. However, we Kaizens are the bridge between life and death. The key to human immortality.” The person’s voice was smooth as honey and yet tough as that of a military general.
The girl that stood next to Lilith had dark ebony skin, bright blue eyes, and bright blue hair. She had a golden necklace that held an ornament resembling an hourglass. On her head, she wore a golden ring with a golden cross that rested on her forehead. Lilith looked at her in disbelief but also wonder.
“A-Azura Okkotsu?” Lilith said, her voice a whisper of admiration.
Kazan, Olly, and Gael looked at each other bewildered. They could not believe their eyes. “That’s Azura Okkotsu from the Kaizen Space College!” Kazan and Olly yelled in unison.
“Azura’s technique is the power to postpone another’s death by ten minutes in exchange for her own life force. What triggers her technique is a simple clap, the resonance clap. This clap utilises sound vibration within cells to pass on Azura’s life force.” Olly explained to Kazan and Gael as they held Zenia who’s wound was healing.
Azura held her hand out to Lilith. “Get up, sister.” She said with a firm tone.
“I, I can’t.” Lilith said as she curled into a ball. “The pain, it’s too much.” She said as tears flowed through her eyes. “I can’t take it anymore.”
“Lilith Neith. Do you know nothing about yourself?” Azura asked.
The question that Azura asked triggered a flashback within Lilith’s own mind.
“Lilith, you do not recognise who you are.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said.
The Kaizen Museum, nestled within the sprawling complex of the Intergalactic Kaizen School, was a treasure trove of time and magic. Sunlight, filtered through stained glass depicting scenes from forgotten myths, cast a kaleidoscope of colours across the polished obsidian floor. The air hummed with a faint energy, a testament to the potent artefacts slumbering within.
Row upon row of glass cases housed wonders from across the cosmos. Gleaming golden amulets, etched with hieroglyphs that pulsed with an inner light, whispered tales of ancient Egypt. An obsidian sarcophagus, its surface intricately carved with scenes of the afterlife, emanated a cool, almost palpable energy. Beside it, a staff sculpted from a luminous jade shimmered with an otherworldly luminescence.
Paintings adorned the walls, each a portal to a bygone era. A depiction of a celestial battle between Ra, the sun god, and Apophis, the serpent of chaos, crackled with vibrant energy. In another, a serene Bastet, the cat goddess, watched over a cradle containing a swaddled babe, its eyes shimmering with nascent power.
The museum wasn't simply a collection of relics; it was a living testament to the vast tapestry of magic woven across the universe. Each artifact held a story, a whisper of forgotten lore, a spark of power waiting to be rekindled. The air itself vibrated with a subtle energy, a chorus of whispers from a thousand forgotten battles, whispered prayers, and whispered dreams.
As Lilith walked through the museum, a sense of awe settled over her. It was a place where the past brushed against the present, where the echoes of forgotten gods mingled with the dreams of future Kaizens. It was a place of power, of beauty, and of endless possibility.
“Ziz Neith’s powers were structured in such a way that only one or two powers would be passed down to each of his gifted descendants. This was to ensure that there would never be a monopoly of power within the Neith clan. However, you are an anomaly, Lilith. You inherited all the techniques that have ever been passed down in the Neith clan. That’s why you are special. If you master all the techniques that you posses, you might become the strongest Kaizen that ever lived. Do you understand what I’m getting at?” Supreme Leader Ptolemy took off her glasses and looked at Lilith intently.
“Still, that doesn’t mean I could become as physically strong as you or your daughter.” Lilith said in the present moment as she got up. “But still, I will try. Because we Kaizens never give up!”
“That’s more like it. You’ve got potential, little sister!” Azura Okkotsu said in glee.
Lilith took Azura's hand and stood up. They both made a battle stance, ready to fight Tengen as a team.
Lilith and Azura fought back-to-back, a whirlwind of dark energy and shimmering turquoise light. Lilith, fuelled by Gael’s kiss and Azura’s life-extending magic, unleashed tendrils of inflation matter, each tendril a miniature black hole hungry to devour Tengen’s dark energy. Azura, her cerulean hair whipping in the wind, wove shimmering shields around them, deflecting Tengen’s attacks.
The night sky was a dazzling display – a meteor shower reaching its peak, each streak a celestial firework illuminating the battlefield. But the beauty was a cruel counterpoint to the brutal ballet below. Lilith, fuelled by a desperate hope, pushed her powers further, the inflation matter growing in size and ferocity. Yet, Tengen remained an unbothered monolith of obsidian, his amusement a cruel echo in the night.
With a flick of his wrist, a wave of dark energy rippled outwards. It struck the shimmering barrier Azura had erected, and for a terrifying heartbeat, nothing happened. Then, with a sickening twist, the energy reversed. Azura’s immortality power, the very essence that had kept Lilith tethered to life, became a weapon pointed at its wielder.
Azura gasped, a hand flying to her chest. Her glowing ebony skin, usually vibrant with life force, paled to a sickly hue. Her eyes, once sparkling with defiance, dulled with a horrifying certainty. The power meant to protect Lilith was now draining Azura’s life force at an alarming rate.
Lilith whirled around, a scream tearing from her throat. Azura, the girl who had defied the boundaries of life and death to save her, was now succumbing to the very power that had sustained her. Panic clawed at Lilith. The inflation matter sputtered and died, her focus shattered by the sight of her friend fading before her eyes.
Rage, a primal and potent emotion, roared through Lilith. But rage wouldn’t save Azura. Despair threatened to engulf her, a suffocating shroud. In that split second, caught between the slow, agonizing demise of her friend and the looming threat of Tengen, Lilith was forced into a corner. Every ounce of her being screamed for vengeance, for a way to undo what had transpired. But the answer remained elusive, lost in the symphony of screams – Azura’s choked gasps and the celestial fireworks mocking her from above.
“Little sister don’t worry about me. The fight is yours. Show them, show them what the Neith Clan is made of!” Azura said.
Lilith nodded. She proceeded to run ahead.
“Thank you, older sister.” Lilith said before she sped ahead.
“The Neith Clan and the Okkotsu clan are basically distant relatives. All through history, the two clans have intermarried with each other as part of a plan to maximise their abilities.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said to Lilith.
“Why?” Lilith asked.
“To discover the secret to immortality.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said.
“The secret to immortality?” Lilith asked.
Lights of security drones danced outside the chapel of the Intergalactic Kaizen School. Divine music was heard coming from Supreme Leader Ptolemy’s office.
“You can see it, Miss Neith. You can see the bigger picture.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said as the orchestra played throughout the school.
Lilith, young as she was, realised the cold truth. Her clan was involved in the race of power to discover immortality. She, being the most gifted since Ziz Neith, was their checkmate in the power game of chess.
“Is that why my mother told me to stay away from Zenia?” Lilith asked, curious and concerned.
“Exactly. You and Zenia were meant to be enemies from the beginning.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said. “But it looks like the all-seeing poqwqawqwwer in our universe had other plans. Tell me Lilith, do you know who the all-seeing power in our universe is?”
“Now I understand what you were saying. This whole thing, it’s all been a search for immortality. Since the beginning of time, mankind’s been searching for a way to survive.” Lilith spoke to herself as she ran.
Tengen laughed, as though he found the entire ordeal amusing.
Lilith smiled. “I see we’re both in a good mood!” She said as she leaped into the air.
Mid-flight, her outfit changed into a blue royal Egyptian attire that dated back to the early days of mankind. “Now, where were we?” Lilith asked. “Oh right, I was on my way to kill you.”
Tengen hovered in the air with an unbothered smirk.
“Silly little girl.” He said. “Did you ever think that you could kill me. What the rest of the cosmos says is true. The spiral race really are out of their minds. I hate monkeys.”
Olly got a realization when he heard Tengen’s words. “He’s with the Uzumaki.”
“The Intergalactic political party that claims all spiral galaxies should be eradicated?” Kazan asked as he looked up at the fight. The cosmic lights accentuated his sharp jawline and bright green eyes. Olly nodded to affirm Kazan’s question.
Gael Faolan used sign language to inform Olly and Kazan about something.
“If we are to join the fight, we’ll need Anakin with us. I’ve sent a virtual message to him. He’ll be here in a second. After that, we shall use our fourth form technique from our Knight training to help out the girls.” Gael Faolan said in sign language.
“Good idea Gael.” Olly nodded.
“I’m healed.” Zenia said as she got up and cracked her knuckles.
Tengen slapped his hands together, unleashing a shock wave that rocked the island. He then made two fists and punched them together. At that moment, strong winds blew through Pfaueninsel, like the winds of a typhoon.
Zenia’s muscles bulged as she grew to an even more giant form. “Get ready to rumble.” She roared as she ran onto the battlefield.
Tengen laughed as he glided in the air. Zenia jumped upwards to punch him. She missed, landing on the ground, and causing a crack throughout the island.
“Is that all you’ve got, Bizunesh?” Tengen asked.
Zenia's body began to glow with a neon multiccolour that resembled the lights above. Her skin changed to platinum white, giving her a reptilian and amphibian look. Her facial features once again elongated to form a dragon-like look. She grew to a height of twenty-five meters as her muscles enlarged as well.
Tengen noticed Zenia standing behind him. He turned around immediately and hurled inflation matter at her. The inflation matter pierced through her, causing holes in her body. However, Zenia laughed. She laughed out loud as she raised her hands to the sky.
“It doesn’t hurt me. Do you want to feel the way it feels? Do want to know, know that it doesn’t hurt me? Do you want to hear about the deal I’m making?” Zenia laughed as she ran through the deadly beams destroying her flesh.
“What is your girl yapping about? Is everybody on this battlefield crazy or something?” Kazan remarked to Olly.
“She’s not my girl. And I believe she’s reached a state that athletes call the zone.” Olly replied. “She’ll keep on regenerating until her opponent’s got nothing left up his sleeve.”
Zenia, in her twenty-five-meter-tall Titan form, ran to Tengen, transformed into a twenty-five-meter-tall structure created by drawing iron particles from his surroundings. The two punched each other at the same time, that resulted in a shock wave across the island. Tengen’s iron form punched Zenia, momentarily breaking the jaw of her Warhammer Titan. Her jaw healed immediately. She punched his iron belly, sending him flying across the terrain.
“Miss Bizunesh, it seems the living can’t beat you, but it seems the dead can.” Tengen said with a nihilistic smile on his face.
As Olly watched the fight, he remembered more of the conversation he had overheard between Principal Euneyyh and Supreme Leader Ptolemy.
“Earth has a long history. A significant part of that history is the era of fallen angels. During that era, these two inhabitants fought for domination on Earth. Titans and Giants. Giants, also known as the Nephilim were native to Earth. However, the Titans were something else entirely. They were not from Earth. They weren’t from the cosmos either. They were something purely evil. Out of all the Titans, only seven survived the wars with the Giants. Their power is thought to have vanished forever after the Titan- Giant wars.”
“The three most powerful Titans were Warhammer Titan, Divine Titan Mahoraga, and David the Beloved King Titan. Nobody knows the name or identity of the Warhammer Titan. All they know is that he was the most vicious of them all. He had more physical strength than any other Titans, with the ability to regenerate even when decapitated. His skin was made of reptilian scales that could not be destroyed by even the most lethal bomb.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy sipped a cup of tea.
“But, why me? Why tell me this? I’m just useless Euneyyh. Shouldn’t you tell someone talented like Dr. Hubur or Dr. Aethelflaed?” Principal Euneyyh asked.
“Search your feelings, Euneyyh Warrenheimer. You know why I’m telling you this.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy replied.
Principal Euneyyh’s eyes widened with a realization. “I see.” She said as she sipped her tea too. “You think the technique passed down in my family has the ability to defeat Titans, or other monstrous threats.”
‘Exactly. The Death Manipulation Technique. The Warrenheimer family can manipulate corpses like puppets. Not only that, but the Death Manipulation Technique also gives the user the ability to turn him/herself into a vessel after death, and still operate like a normal human.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy replied.
“I didn’t inherit the Death Manipulation Technique though, my niece did. Though, because of all the studying she has to do on how to properly manipulate corpses, she gets very agitated. She’d much rather do something like cheerleading, or baking. I feel as though her technique is too much for her.” Principal Euneyyh said.
“You underestimate Celeste a little too much, Euneyyh.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy replied.
“Olly, Kazan, Gael out of the way!” Someone shouted from the forest and knocked Olly out of his flashback.
Celeste Warrenheimer and Elizabeth Maryellen came running from behind them. Celeste’s long blonde hair flew behind her as she ran. She wore her full Kaizen outfit imbued with glowing ancient Germanic runes. Celeste was lost in thought. She had coward away from the fight. However, she could not just sit back and let her friends fight alone. Sh
“I have to fight.” She thought to herself. “I must help my friends.
Otherwise, I’ll just be...a coward.” Celeste whispered to herself.
“A long time ago, my family imprisoned the German monster Nachzehrer. What a monster. However, after taming the Nachzehrer and absorbing its power, my ancestor Conrad III of the Hohenstaufen dynasty acquired the ability to come back from the dead as a corpse with no soul, but higher intellect and mental prowess. Not only that, but he was also able to bring back others from the dead as puppet corpses who would obey him. They looked like humans, but they had no souls. And their only duty was to follow his every command. He was the true King of the undead. Not that Tatarian imposter Vlad.” Celeste continued to run. As she neared the battlefield, she remembered the way Lilith had helped her on various occasions while at school. A particular event during the winter ball ran through her mind. Lilith had helped her with a girl issue while in the girl’s room.
“You’re good now? See you later.” Lilith said with a wide smile before returning to the dance floor.
Celeste smiled. “Sorry, Lilith. I couldn’t show up for you till now. I’ve always shied away from battle. But today I’ll show up. For you.”
Celeste tapped on the runes inscribed on her Kaizen uniform. They turned into holograms that floated in the air above her. The holograms were slightly shuttered by the shockwaves emerging from Zenia and Tengen’s powerful punches.
“All my life, people always said I was weak. But I’m not. The truth is my technique is a bit too intense for me. Being part of a family with powerful people means that powerful techniques are constantly passed down to you. Sometimes, however, those techniques are too strong for the young wielder, no matter how talented he or she is. However, I mustn’t give up. I must help my friends.” Celeste leaped into the air. Corpse manipulation technique. Rise.” She said as she slapped her hands together.
Celeste levitated in the air. Her eyes had turned into a bright blue colour.
The air shimmered, a cloying hum settling on Pfaueninsel. Cracks spiderwebbed across the manicured lawns, the earth groaning in protest.
From the fissures, clawed hands erupted. Shoved forth by an unseen force, figures began to haul themselves out. Grotesque parodies of humanity, their flesh a patchwork of mottled greens and sickly greys, eyes burning malevolent embers. They wore the tattered remnants of finery from a bygone era, breeches turned to dust, doublets stained with death.
Celeste, floating in the air, recognized the mark of dark necromancy etched on their skeletal frames.
“The island’s 17th-century owner, lusted after immortality, experimenting on unsuspecting victims. Now, centuries later, his twisted legacy has manifested in raw flesh! Controlled by me!” Celeste laughed out loud as she controlled the emerging corpses. That was the first time she felt it. True power. True unhinged power. “I’m not afraid anymore. I’m not angry anymore. Olly, I’m not even mad anymore about the fact that you don’t like me. I finally see it. I finally see the true essence about my soul, and why I was born. I was born to break the curse of fear that has ran through my family for do long. And I have you, Lilith Neith, you thank for that.”
One of the risen, a towering hulk with a shock of blonde hair, let out a bone-chilling roar. The others echoed it, a chorus of the damned. Several skeletal hands scratched against Tengen’s iron frame, causing him to stumble backwards.
Adrenaline surged. Zenia capitalised on the attack, launching a flying kick into the chest cavity of the lumbering monstrosity, managing to cause a dent in it’s frame.
Shouting a battle cry that echoed through the devastated gardens, Celeste lunged the army of the undead towards Tengen’s monstrous iron form. She directed them to aim for the inscription on his chest the key to disintegrating the iron necromancy technique he had used.
Celeste wasn’t finished. With a surge of adrenaline, she spun, the silver blade flashing under the stars.
“Heavenly ancestor, Magni Warrenheimer! Lend me your sword Mjolnir!” She yelled.
The sword that Celeste was holding dissipated. However, it was soon replaced with an ancient and powerful hammer known as Mjolnir. Celeste wielded Mjolnir. A difficult task it was, for the tool was only granted to those deemed as worthy to hold it. Deep inside her, she hoped that she was worthy.
“All through time, many have yielded this hammer. Am I worth it? I hope so. You know what? Screw this. Who is to dictate whether I am worthy or not? That is my decision to make, not anyone else’s. I will fulfil my duties as class president. I must help my comrads!” Celeste yelled.
With a swift lunge, she swung herself to the iron giant. The corpses all flew to the iron giant. Following Celeste’s command, they pulled and tugged at the iron limbs, making sure to do as much damage as possible. The large iron giant swung its arms around, trying to get the corpses off it. Relentlessly, Celeste continued her attack. She held Mjolnir high as she soared in the air and descended upon Tengen’s iron form. The ancient hammer made contact with Tengen’s head. This managed to cause significant damage to his soul. Celeste flew in the air she eyed Tengen with a tenacious expression. As the iron giant stumbled back, she smiled.
“Just as I thought.” She said to herself. “His Iron Giant form can be defeated by ancient weapons that directly hit the soul.” Celeste smiled, proud of herself. “Now then, shall we dance, Tengen?” She asked as she brought her hands together and made the sign of a pyramid. From the space between her hands, a blue light emerged.
With Celeste’s technique, the corpses under her control joined together and morphed.
One by one, each corpse joined with the other. Limb by limb, muscles after muscle, patchwork after patchwork.
“Monstrosity technique. Ignite!” As soon as Celeste spoke those words, a humongous monster began to form from the transmuted bodies. Celeste’s elated giggle turned into a cheeky laugh.
“Attack!” She yelled.
The giant she had created out of corpses punched Tengen’s iron form with a patched up gigantic arm. Celeste had a grin on her face. As soon as she snapped her fingers together, the Corpse Giant hit the Iron Giant with an upper cut that sent it flying across the lawn.
Celeste glided back and forth as she created battle strategies with her body. The Giant Corpse Puppet under her control mimicked every move she made. The Corpse Giant hit Tengen’s Iron Giant with a hard punch that momentarily exposed his flesh.
“I am Queen of the dead!” Celeste said as she looked up towards the starry night.
“No. I am.” The sound of Lilith’s voice interrupted Celeste’s moment. Suddenly, she remembered the task at hand.
Celeste turned to face Lilith, who was flying in the air with a dazed expression. From the look on Lilith’s face, Celeste could tell that she was not entirely present.
“That’s right,” Celeste said. “I’m only a mediator for the dead. But you, Lilith Neith, you’re entirely something else. Well then, shall we clobber this guy?”
Lilith smiled.
Side by side, Celeste and Lilith fought. Lilith used her black shadow technique to create smog torpedoes that pierced through Tengen’s Giant. Celeste finished off the attack with a final blow to Tengen’s Iron form.
“I see.” Celeste said. “His organic body is infused with the iron.” With another gesture, Celeste controlled the Corpse Giant and ordered it to tackle the Iron Giant.
Tengen’s iron form dissolved. His human form levitated in the air. Tengen was unmoved. He was laughing, amused by the entire thing.
“You’ve fought hard. You must be tired.” Tengen said to Celeste as they both levitated in the air. Once again, he transformed into his Iron Giant form.
“I don’t care if I’m tired. I’ll defend Zenia and Lilith to the death! Death Manipulation Technique. Cursed Corpse multiple attack!” Celeste shouted as she held Mjolnir in the air.
The Giant Corpse under her control divided into two. Limbs separated from each other and multiplied until three corpse giants stood side by side, ready to battle with the iron giant.
Following Celeste’s command, the first corpse, a lumbering brute, turned its hand into a broadsword the size of a bus. The Iron Giant met it head-on. Its fist, a furnace spitting molten metal, slamming into the blade, shearing it clean. The corpse giant roared, a sound like boulders grinding, and lunged with a single, monstrous arm, aiming to crush the Tengen’s iron form.
Just in time, the Iron Giant twisted, its other fist, a colossal drill wreathed in sparks, tearing a gaping maw into the first corpse giant’s chest. A geyser of necrotic ichor erupted, spraying the surrounding battlefield. The stench of decay choked the air, but the Iron Giant, its sensors filtering the miasma, pressed onward.
The second corpse, a lithe figure cloaked in tattered robes, moved with unnatural speed. Its hands, elongated claws dripping with putrid venom, slashed at the giant’s metallic hide. Sparks flew as metal met bone, but the Iron Giant, fuelled by its internal furnace, felt only a dull ache. It roared back, the sound a mechanical bellow that echoed through the desolate landscape.
Lilith, fueled by a dark hunger of her own, cackled. This was a fight worthy of her attention. She watched, her eyes glowing with malevolent shine, as the Iron Giant grappled with the agile foe. A lucky swipe from the corpse’s claws ripped open a seam in the giant’s chest, exposing a tangle of wires and glowing conduits.
The Iron Giant faltered, its movements sluggish. But from the exposed core, a blinding beam of energy erupted, incinerating the robed corpse instantly. The stench of burning flesh added to the macabre symphony of the night.
One remained. The final giant, its body a grotesque amalgamation of stitched-together flesh from countless fallen warriors, was the largest. Its fists pounded the earth, tremors rippling through the battlefield. It lunged at the wounded Iron Giant, a gaping maw lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth aiming to engulf the smaller metal titan.
The Iron Giant, its internal systems screaming in protest, raised its remaining functional arm. With a last, desperate surge of power, it unleashed a concentrated beam of energy directly into the corpse’s open maw. The effect was instantaneous. Light engulfed the abomination, a horrific screech cutting short as its body disintegrated in a blinding flash.
Silence descended. Tengen, back in his human form, riddled with wounds, stood panting, in the open field. Lilith, a dazed and elated smile on her lips, descended from the air.
“One must be willing to sacrifice the lot to gain victory over a dangerous opponent. That is the way of the Kaizen.” She spoke passively.
The smile on her face widened as she descended.
“The number zero represents imaginary mass. Matter that cannot be explained, now quantified. The number zero also represents infinity. The continuation of everything, the constant creation of everything. In the year 2000 BCE, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Everybody was turned into salt. Do you know how a person can be turned into salt? It is through peak alchemy. Do you know who turned Lot’s wife into salt? It was Ziz Neith. My ancestor. But do you know why he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah? Neither do I. But let’s just say that the Neith clan has always hated stupidity.” Lilith said as she levitated.“
“I’m sorry, Supreme Leader Ptolemy. I tried to hold back. But if I don’t kill him, the whole if mankind will be in danger.” Lilith whispered with tears in her eyes.
“Lilith! You better not do something crazy!” Zenia yelled when she noticed the tears flowing down Lilith’s eyes.
Lilith’s eyes had a look of resigned blood thirst. She had an eerie smile. For a moment, Zenia’s voice knocked her out of her trance-like state. However, when she looked at the comet shower above, immediately snapped back into her daze.
Olly held Kazan and Gael’s shoulders. His eyes widened as he yelled “Run!” He recognized the danger that was about to befall them as he once again recalled the conversation he had overheard between Supreme Leader Ptolemy and Principal Euneyyh.
Lilith’s eyes had a look of resigned blood thirst. She had an eerie smile.
Olly held Kazan and Gael’s shoulders. His eyes widened as he yelled “Run!”. He recognized the danger that was about to befall them as he once again recalled the conversation between Supreme Leader Ptolemy and Principal Euneyyh.
“Lilith’s Domain Expansion, Time Bending Concave Mirror, creates a vacuum chamber within a one -hundred -mile radius, turning all living things in the area into glass. Frozen and brittle, susceptible to being shattered at any minute. At the same time, all none living matter within the radius is disintegrated, dissolved, and turned into pure aluminium. The aluminium coats the glass, creating frozen caricatures of human mirrors.”
Lilith continued to levitate in the air. She had the widest smile on her face. Tears welled up in her eyes due to ecstasy. Whatever she felt in that moment, she wanted to feel it forever.
Lilith had a flashback to her first year as she looked up at the starry night.
Before anybody could run away, they were all frozen in place. Bullseye. Her target had been hit. Tengen could not be hit with a and on one attack, but he could be hit with a broad attack designed to cover a large scale and hit multiple targets at once.
Still and brittle, turned into glass mirror silhouettes of themselves. Lilith walked past them one by one. Olly, Kazan, Celeste, Elizabeth, Azura, Gael, and Zenia had all been turned into glass mirror silhouettes.
Lilith, had transformed into figure of chilling elegance. She wore a white dress gown and swept through the open air. Prismatic light danced around her, refracted by the countless, meticulously crafted crystals lining the walls. The once vibrant compound of Pfaueninsel was now a monument to her power, a crystallized dreamscape sculpted from magical concave mirrors.
Olly, caught with a concerned look on his face, his glass form rippled with the echo of a forgotten joke. Kazan, his posture eternally defiant, a silent guardian forever locked in his stance. Gael, his face contorted in a silent scream, a monument to the horror that had gripped him. Celeste, her fingers brushing the hilt of a non-existent hammer, a warrior frozen in the act of drawing her weapon. Elizabeth, her features forever etched in surprise, a silent observer of the scene. Azura, her arm reaching out in a gesture of eternal farewell, a tragic tableau of loss. Zenia, her eyes wide with terror, a permanent record of the chilling realization that had dawned upon her.
Lilith checked out her reflection on the transmuted glass sculptures of her friends. She fixed her hair and lightly smiled.
“Hey pretty girl.” She said to her own reflection. “What do we do now?”
Each figure, a shimmering statue, trapped within their own personal hell. A misplaced breath, a tremor, even a sigh too deep, could shatter their fragile forms, turning them into a million glittering shards, a chilling reminder of the fate that awaited them.
Lilith, amidst this crystallized surrounding, was a stark contrast. Her hazel hair, usually a cascade of curls, shimmered with an otherworldly luminescence. Her eyes, usually pools of molten brown, now held a chilling shining light, devoid of warmth. Her movements were deliberate, each step echoing in the oppressive silence. The once vibrant hues of the mansion were leached away, replaced by a sterile sheen. The ornately carved furniture, the plush carpets, all were now fashioned from the same glassy material, their forms reflecting and refracting the cold, white light that emanated from the crystals.
It was a scene of breath-taking beauty, a scenery transformed into a monument to her will. Yet, beneath the veneer of elegance lurked a horrifying truth. The entire place was a mausoleum, a prison of her own making. The beauty was a facade, a cruel trick played upon those who were no longer alive to appreciate it.
She walked to the one glass statue that she really wanted to look at. Tengen was frozen in place. A grotesque expression plastered across his face. It appeared that Lilith had turned him into glass whilst he prepared to attack her. She walked around his glass sculpture. She found it ironic that such a powerful man could be taken down by a girl like her. Moreover, a girl that he had thought of as weak.
“Fragile glass, huh?” She said mockingly before tapping the glass sculpture with one finger. Just like that, Tengen toppled over and broke. He shattered into countless pieces. The pieces scattered in the air, refracting light everywhere, creating a cyberesque orchestra. Lilith looked at the shimmery hues all around her.
She did it. She defeated the monstrosity that had absorbed her and almost erased her. She closed her eyes and inhaled. A distant memory ensued within her mind. It was a memory of her as a young girl running away from a pack of wolves in a forest. She had stumbled upon a tree branch and fallen down. However, she had gotten up and turned around. Looking straight at the wolves, her hazel eyes shined bright and wide.
The smile on her face didn’t fade as she levitated in the air. Her hazel curls floated around her as the brown autumn leaves swirled under her control. The wolves had run away with their tails between their legs after they realised just how much power she had.
“After that day, I promised myself never to run away again. I may look weak, but I’m stronger that you all. And you’ve got an awful long way to go if you want to catch up with me.” She spoke, herw words were titanium just like her.
She then looked at her friends who had all been turned into glass sculptures.
“Oh right, I had forgotten all about them.” She said. “Well, I can’t leave them like this. If I do, they’ll suffer for eternity. I guess that I’ll just have to kill them. I’m sorry, Zenia. But I’ve died many times before. You should know that by now.”
Lilith brought her hands to a praying position, preparing to carry out the exorcism on her friends.
“With this sacred treasure,”-
“Lilith. Don’t do it.” A voice called from behind her, disrupting her exorcism ritual.
Lilith’s eyes widened. “That’s impossible. No one had ever been able to survive the Time Bending Concave Mirror.”
Conclusion. To you, 1000 years from now. Lilith’s Eden Zero.
“Elizabeth Maryellen. Elizabeth means God’s oath or God’s promise. She got this name at birth due to a unique phenomenon surrounding her. You see, due to the clumsiness of her own mother, Elizabeth has had many near-death experiences since birth. However, whenever she’s close to dying, one miracle is launched and somehow, she always survives.
She once fell off a balcony at seven months old. However, an eagle caught her and flew her back to her balcony. She had over 100 of such experiences when she was just a toddler.
People thought of it as pure luck. But I knew it was her power. It’s a strong technique, inherited very rarely. The ability to manipulate fate and postpone one’s own death.
The science of postponing one’s own death. If she masters this ability, she’ll be able to live for a very long time.
“A variation of immortality.” Principal Euneyyh said.
"Exactly.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said as she moved the chess pieces around.
"Of course, due to all her near-death experiences, the poor girl had so much anxiety by the time I went to see her.
"Her parents were hesitant, but I insisted for her to be enrolled into the Intergalactic Kaizen School. I even agreed to pay them to let her stay at the school during the holidays."
“Why?” Principal Euneyh asked.
"She’s part of my collection."
‘Lilith Neith, Elizabeth Maryellen, Celeste Warrenheimer, Zenia Bizunesh.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said as she moved a chess piece for each name. “They all have techniques that give them the possibility of immortality.”
“These girls can surpass all of mankind. They are my one card in the universal competition for power. Basically, you can think of the Intergalactic Kaizen School as one big scientific laboratory.”
“Miss Maryellen has a side to her technique that proves to be very useful in battle. If she harnesses enough energy, she can postpone the death of another as well.”
“Lilith. Don’t do it. Don’t kill them. I can bring them back.” Elizabeth said.
Lilith’s eyes were flushed. Her nose was pink, with slight tears in her eyes. The tears were not from sadness, but from exhaustion. She just wanted to go home and drink her favourite hot chocolate. However, the teenage girl in her was quickly overcome by something else. Something more regal and power hungry. Something deep within her that craved dominance. A competitive spirit that she had never felt before. A part of her that sought power.
“I see.” She thought to herself. “Perhaps I did inherit Ziz Neith´s personality after all.”
“How did you survive the Time Bending Concave Mirror?” Lilith asked Elizabeth bluntly.
“You’re the weakest in the Maryellen bloodline.”
“You and I are the same. We look weak, but we are strong.” Elizabeth replied.
Wind blew past the two girls. Elizabeth continued to speak.
“Have you ever wondered how someone like me got into the Intergalactic Kaizen School?”
She asked. “It’s because I have a technique unlike any other. I can postpone death. Both mine, and that of another.”
Lilith paused. The wind blew through her hair. Her baffled look transformed into a fond smile as she returned to her regular self.
“I see, you’re just like Azazel. That means you’re one of my natural enemies.” Lilith said. Her statement terrified Elizabeth, whose breath hitched. From the shimmer in Lilith’s eyes, Elizabeth could tell that she was not in her right mind.
“Lilith, you’re not your usual self, right now. Your technique is causing an unusual bloodlust within you.” Elizabeth said.
There was a long pause between the two of them.
“Man, has this been one hell of a field trip, or what?” Lilith remarked as she closed her eyes and let out a breath. “Very well then, you may postpone their death and bring them back to life.”
“Thanks, Lilith. You did the right thing here today.” Elizabeth said.
Anticipation crackled in the air, thick as a swirling mist of amethyst that erupted from Elizabeth's outstretched fingers. Lilith, draped in a shimmering cloak spun from moonlight, felt a familiar warmth bloom around them both – a golden aura that pulsed with the magic Elizabeth was about to unleash. Scattered crystals, liberated from their velvet pouches, twirled in the air, catching the light and fracturing it into a kaleidoscope of colours. With a deep breath that sent the glitter swirling, Elizabeth raised a hand, her voice resonating with an otherworldly power. "Miracle technique," she chanted, the words sparking like tiny diamonds, "Death postponing power. Eternal life." The atmosphere of Pfaueninsel pulsed, and then, with a whispered sigh, one of Elizabeth's fabled miracles unfolded before their eyes.
The glass melted away from their friends. Once again, the warmth of life bloomed within them. Zenia, Olly, Kazan, Gael and Celeste looked at each other.
“Look, I don’t know about anybody else, but this has all been super exhausting. I´m hungry. I could use a burger or something.” Zenia said as she picked up her phone to scroll through food delivery applications at their favourite fast-food chain in the milky-way- Galactic Grub.
“I totally agree with you right now, Zenia! I’m as hungry as a bear!”
Celeste replied. “I’ll have two Astro Burgers, extra-large!”
“Nebula nuggets for me.” Lilith said with a giggle.
“Martian Moonscape Muffins!” Elizabeth said excitedly. “Oh, and Nebula Nectar Milkshake.”
“I got you.” Zenia said enthusiastically as she placed the orders.
“I’ll have an Astro Burger too.” Kazan said.
“Me too.” Olly replied.
“What about you, Gael?” Zenia asked.
“Salmon.” Is all that Gael said.
“Of course you do.” Zenia replied and confirmed their orders. The students chuckled in fondness of each other.
Just then, a loud sound crackled through the air. This interrupted their youthful glee. They looked at the sky, a bright red object illuminated the night. It was heading straight to them.
“Oh, great. Just what we needed.” Celeste said sarcastically. “How convenient."
“It seems that before he died, Tengen used his gravitational powers to direct one of the meteors to us.” Olly said.
Zenia rolled her eyes as she let out a sigh and stretched her muscles.
“Celeste, hold my phone.’’ Celeste took Zenia’s phone as Zenia cracked her knuckles and channelled her super strength.
The meteorite, a monstrous hunk of molten rock, loomed impossibly close, its fiery breath scorching the air. Fear, raw and primal, threatened to consume the students, but Zenia stood resolute, her form a stark silhouette against the oncoming inferno. In that instant, a luminescence erupted from within her, bathing her in an otherworldly light. With a roar that echoed through the stratosphere, Zenia launched herself skyward, meeting the meteorite head-on. The impact shuddered through space, a colossal display of unstoppable force meeting immovable object.
But Zenia was immovable. Her leg, imbued with celestial power, connected with the rock in a thunderous blow. The meteorite, defying all logic, shuddered, its trajectory reversing. With a final, earth-shaking tremor, the celestial menace was hurled back into the inky abyss, a testament to Zenia's infinite strength and infinite ascension. In the stunned silence that followed, the students, their faces a mixture of awe and relief, turned to each other. A single, unspoken thought hung heavy in the air – it was time to return to the familiar haven of the Intergalactic Kaizen School.
A silent symphony of light heralded the arrival of their salvation. Streaking across the velvet expanse of space, the Intergalactic Kaiyen School's retrieval vessel was a breathtaking spectacle. Its hull, a swirling nebula of pearlescent purples and shimmering blues, seemed to catch the starlight and amplify it thousandfold. Lines of radiant energy snaked across its surface, pulsing in rhythm with an unheard melody. As it descended, the approaching ship cast an ethereal glow upon the students, highlighting their travel-worn faces with a touch of celestial beauty. A nostalgic warmth fluttered in their chests – a yearning for the familiar haven within its gleaming walls.
Among them, Anakin, his usually tousled hair tamed by zero gravity hair gel, stood beside his classmate Aminahotep. Her fiery locks, normally a tangled mess, cascaded down her back like a fiery waterfall in the alien light. Their gazes met, a silent conversation passing between them, a shared appreciation for the fantastical sight before them. A flicker of a smile touched Anakin’s lips, mirroring the one that curved Aminahotep's own. Around them, similar scenes unfolded. Friends, drawn closer by their shared ordeal, leaned into each other, a silent promise of shared stories and laughter echoing in their eyes. The ship settled with a sigh, a ramp materializing before them like a bridge to a brighter future. As they boarded, the students couldn't help but feel a pang of bittersweet nostalgia for their harrowing adventure. Yet, the promise of familiar faces, steaming mugs of rejuvenation tea, and the comforting hum of the Intergalactic Kaizen School's engines was a siren song they couldn't resist. With a final glance at the star-dusted landscape they'd leave behind, they stepped onto the ship, ready to return to the glittering embrace of home.
Lilith’s Eden Zero. Secret Inventory Epilogue. Lilith’s Natural Enemies.
“So, you finally get the gist of it.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said.
The scent of ancient parchment mingled with the sterile hum of machinery as Lilith followed Supreme Leader Ptolemy through the Astronomy Tower's grand archway. Moonlight, filtered through stained glass depicting swirling galaxies, cast a kaleidoscope of colours across the worn stone floor. Lilith, barely taller than Ptolemy's shoulder, craned her neck to take in the immensity of the space. She had never been in that section of the astronomy tower before.
Towering consoles, sleek and metallic, pulsed with a soft pink light. Holographic displays flickered with data streams, charting distant constellations in ethereal lines. Yet, amidst the futuristic clutter, intricate tapestries adorned the walls, depicting the sun and moon in their celestial dance. A massive orrery, its brass arms adorned with miniature planets, stood proudly in the centre of the room.
Supreme Leader Ptolemy stopped before a console unlike the others. A holographic keypad shimmered, numbers swirling in a mesmerizing dance. With practiced ease, the Supreme Leader traced a sequence with her gloved hand, the numbers solidifying into a complex code. The console whirred to life, morphing its surface into a three-dimensional view of a swirling nebula.
"This, Lilith," Ptolemy said, her voice echoing in the vast hall, "is the Andromeda Galaxy. Billions of stars, countless possibilities." Lilith's breath hitched. The image, so vivid, felt closer than the stars that twinkled faintly through the narrow slits strategically placed high in the dome.
Ptolemy turned. Her brown eyes gleamed. "This, my student, is why we study the heavens. Not just with cold machines, but with the wisdom of the past." She gestured to the tapestries. "The ancients understood the celestial dance, even if they couldn't map it like we do. We honour their legacy by using their foundation to pierce the veil of the unknown."
One quote on a mural caught Lilith’s attention. The quote read, “Why do I love her so? The answer is, when a blind man and one who sees are both together in the darkness, they are no different from one another. But when the light comes, then he who sees will see the light. And he who is blind will remain in the darkness.”
Lilith felt a spark ignite within her as she read the quote. For some reason, it resonated with her. She knew what the quote meant. She felt a yearning to unravel the mysteries whispered by the stars. The astronomy tower was not just technology. It was a bridge between the ages, a promise of adventure etched across the expanse of cosmic time.
“So, you finally get the gist of it.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said.
“I do.” Lilith replied. “The watchers have a syndicate comprised the Neith clan’s eternal enemies. Well, the enemies of Ziz Neith. It appears I inherited more than I asked for. I will have to carry on the duties of the one and only Ziz. The first to have the same powers as him, in over ten thousand years.” Lilith breathed in and breathed out to ease her anxiety.
“So, what will you do?” Supreme Leader Ptolemy asked. “The watchers plan to bring an end to humanity. For the longest time, the only Neith clan have been able to keep them at bay. However, through clever tactics, the watchers were able to infiltrate the Neith clan through the years and eliminate their most powerful members.”
“There’s someone called Azazel. He was known as the most powerful watcher. Why, because he managed to kill off around fifty members of the Neith clan. This weakened the clan and gave the watchers freedom to carry out their mischievous activities on Earth.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy added. “For years, they infiltrated Earth’s politics, governance, and health care with intention to sabotage humanity from within. Until you were born.”
“Until I was born?” Lilith asked.
“Yes. On the fateful day that you were born, the watchers began to weaken. Ziz Neith had a secret technique that very few knew about. A technique designed to destroy all forms of destructive and negative energy within his vicinity. You inherited that technique. The only difference is, it showed up stronger in you. Way stronger.”
“How much stronger.” Lilith asked.
“When you were born, the most destructive sources of evil on Earth began to weaken. It was clear that they were being annihilated metaphysically.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy explained.
Lilith blinked. She processed all the information that Supreme Leader Ptolemy had given her.
“Annihilated metaphysically by...me?” Lilith asked.
“Yes.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy said. “Of course, since the most powerful people in the Neith clan had been killed, you had no real protection.”
“Lilith, you have a scar on your shoulder, right?” Supreme Leader Ptolemy asked.
Lilith reached her hand to the collar of her gown. Carefully, she let it slide, revealing a scar on her shoulder.
“When you were only six months, the most-deadly of the watchers- Azazel, snuck his way into your home. He tried to kill you with one of his necronomic techniques. However, your curse technique reversal red turned his attack around and blasted it right back to him.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy explained. “Even though you were an infant, your powerful techniques still protected you from bounty hunters, watchers, and other threats. Its as though an invisible force was watching over you. Technically, you shouldn’t even be alive.”
“Lilith, you are the girl who lived.” Supreme Leader Ptolemy added. “Not only did you eliminate one of the most powerful watchers, Azazel, but you also survived his most powerful death spell. After he died, something about your powers prevented his soul from truly moving on to the afterlife. His is trapped in one of the interdimensional realms that were created by Ziz Neith.”
Lilith was silent. She tried to grasp the seriousness of it all. A cold war had been going on for more than nine thousand years. And due to her lineage, she was at the center of it. However, Lilith was accustomed to external pressure. She simply smiled and rubbed the back of her neck.
"Man, is this an iconic time to be alive, or what!” She joked.
Supreme Leader Ptolemy’s face softened.
“You’ve got this, Lilith.” She said.
“I surely do.” Lilith replied as she looked at a map of Planet Earth on the wall. “Don’t worry. Always bet on me.”
Supreme Leader Ptolemy smiled at Lilith fondly. She knew that she had made the right decision in recruiting her.
Up Next: Dark Moon Lilith