Re:Cord of Ragnarok

Chapter 22 [Blue Moon Rises]

The castle serving as the arena for Round 3 had slowly become colder than ice...

For a moment, pindrop silence descended on the audience. Nothing could come close to describe the utter fear of mortals and shock of divinities. Absolute silence...and an almost morbid, irrational excitement born of reverence for the divine.

Quiet, almost feverish, whispers then began to creep into the stands. The crowd, after all, had become witnesses to the raw and pure resplendence of the heavens. It was akin to the light they had seen two rounds ago, the light that had vanquished humanity's first champion...but this light was something untamed, a shining, crystalline disaster. Bone-chillingly graceful and bright, like a sword that could cut through one's very soul. Humans, gods, all alike were astounded as they speculated just what this new form could be.

"My my." Thoth gasped. "Ladies and gentlefolk, Tsukuyomi has done it! He has Awakened the true power that was lying dormant within him for countless millennia! What happens now is anyone's guess, but no matter what happens, you won't want to miss it!"

Michael gripped his seat tightly, his eyes basically sparking in joy and excitement, he was happy... Elated even with his brother's success and newly gained confidence in him. "Hahaha! Little brother has finally done it! He's finally reached those heights he strived for!"

Metatron shook his head and grimaced, despite not being as close to Tsukuyomi or maybe because of it, he kept a fully clear mind despite what had just occurred. "No, Michael...it doesn't seem like the first time he's done this. And something about it seems...wrong..."
"Brother Tsukuyomi...?" Haniel spoke quietly, clearly worried, almost frozen in place from both shock and awe. "This light...it's so brilliant, but..."

"It is brilliant indeed... Brilliant and dangerous, for both foes and allies alike... Even Tsukuyomi himself." Lucifer spoke, the suddenness of proclamation and somber tone of his somewhat startling three younger Angels. "What we all are witnessing now is all of Tsukuyomi's dormant power, his true self forcefully drawn out and unleashed, regardless of his body's ability to handle it."

"W-what?! Father... You can't mean he's going to break down?!" Michael cried out in both distress and worry, clenching his fists hard, his nails piercing the skin enough to draw blood.

Lucifer sighed inaudibly. "Metatron was correct. He's done this before, only once but... When he did, he devastated an entire region of Helheim, changing the surrounding climate for years to come... and ended up leaving himself on the verge of death, due to exhaustion. It's a light that will swallow either that human, or Tsukuyomi himself..."

Michael paled completely, his always focused eyes wavered. "This can't be... I had no idea he had such destructive power within him..."

Before he could continue, a strong hand gently rested on top of his head lightly ruffling his hair. "Easy now, son. I haven't finished. What I said up until now, it seems I was wrong..." a barely visible smile appeared on Lucifer's face. "...The power I mentioned... It appears to be just a bad memory"

The rare gesture of open affection from his father caused Michael to stare blankly for a moment- before he grinned, the flame of his high spirits reignited and burning even brighter. Without another word, he turned his attention back to the battle.

Izanami, meanwhile, looked almost mesmerized. Her eyes stared deeply into the pure ice. They had been filled with distress a mere few seconds ago, but now glimmered unwaveringly like those brilliant crystals, the goddess' expression completely serene.

"...He's beautiful." she whispered.

It was the exact same light she had beheld long ago, shining with a different kind of radiance, but all too familiar nonetheless. The harsh, divine winter that descended upon the arena...was what heralded the second coming of Helheim's moon.