Johanne Green is a 15-year-old girl who lives in Golden City, the capital of West Land, the place where everyone has a guardian angel to protect them and guide them towards purification.
Johanne's mother is the mayoress of Golden City, Linda Black...
The friends reunited. Succubus had managed to awaken due to Lilith's efforts, while Balthazar was not too far from completely fading. Now, Yuehong was helping Mary in his Golden Lotus form, in order to bring Balthazar's soul back to life and turn him into a spirit. Michael aided the process too, as the angel of creation.
"Cedric! Please, wake up..."
Johanne was leaning over the dead Balthazar's body, her eyes full of tears. Succubus was at his other side, tearful as well:
"Papa..."
Incubus stood beside the little demon princess, with a hand placed on her shoulder. He knew she'd been alone after his mother killed hers, so he tried to at least somehow show her his support as well as apologize for her losses. Succubus didn't hold a grudge against Lilith, though, since she had always despised her mother's codes of conduct, after what she had done to her father. Now, all of her worries were directed towards her father, who might never return from the Black Energy realm. She didn't want him to turn into a demon. She loved him as he was - a kind-hearted human soul. No matter how he had been blighted in his two late incarnations, she knew the kindness always remained in his heart.
"How's it going, Yuehong?"
Lutecia watched her husband, who performed the task with zealousness. It wasn't an easy feat, however - Cedric's soul had already almost faded, black as the depths of hell. Only a tiny sparkling part remained.
"No!" Johanne burst into tears, "He's dying!"
"Papa!" Succubus sniffed.
Yuehong, Mary, and Michael grew perturbed. Michael sent even more light energy to the lingering soul, in the hopes of getting his old friend and host back, but to no avail - the soul was dissipating.
"It can't be!" Yuehong was in distress, "I'm using my Golden Lotus mode!"
"He's already too blighted..." Mei dropped her ears with sorrow.
"No!" Johanne sobbed, "Help him, please!"
"Samael, slow down the process!" Michael frowned at his brother.
"I can't." Samael heaved a sigh. "It is not the same case as Lutecia's or Lilith's. Lutecia wasn't blighted by the Black Energy, and Lilith was already a demon when we decided to remove her blight. Balthazar, on the other hand, has made a pact with demons as a simple human and broken it. He's being consumed by Black Energy, as a result. I'm powerless against that. Only altering his essence can help now. Yuehong is doing all he can, but it's apparently not enough."
"Wait, altering the essence?" Johanne widened her eyes, "That means..."
"Yes, Tsukishiro could help." Yuehong understood her hint. "But I don't know if he will. He might've rediscovered his place in our world, but no one knows what he'll be up to."
"He owes me help!" Johanne frowned, with tears in her eyes, "It is his fault Balthazar's dead! He shot Succubus, and Balthazar lost control of his powers, so Azazel overpowered him!"
Up until now, Johanne hadn't focused on those particular details. All she wanted was to save her dearest family from Tsukishiro's wrath. But now, when she recalled Balthazar's battle, she realised that Tsukishiro, whom her previous incarnation Joan longed for, was the main reason for all of her calamities. The fact that Joan's angel abandoned her, the fact that Joan betrayed her true nature, and now that Balthazar was dead - all of it was his fault. If Tsukishiro ever wanted to redeem himself in her eyes, the least he could do was bring her brother back.
As if her thoughts had been heard, a white light orb shimmered above the dissipating soul of Balthazar. Michael and Mary stepped back in fright, for the aura of the orb was overwhelming. Yuehong, however, easily recognized the power, so he sent his own golden orb to it, to help. He had apparently understood what it was all about.
The white and the golden orbs joined together, to create a purple-to-blue one, which merged with Balthazar's soul, made it light again, and consumed it. As a result, the purple orb glowed bright, magnified in size, and formed into a young humanoid boy with pale skin, blue kimono robes, and a long purple braid - a dragon soul.
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"Your name is Long Cao." An otherworldly voice sounded, whose owner could not be seen. But the friends recognized it as Tsukishiro's. "You are the purple dragon of thunder and lightning. We will be expecting you in the Long Palace of Dragon spirits, to join your brethren."
Johanne watched the boy, who resembled her soul brother Cedric so much, open his eyes, which were golden, just like Cedric's before. He rubbed his aching head and looked around. His gaze fixed on her.
"C... Cedric?"
Johanne approached him, worried that, transformed so much, he might not recognize her. The boy indeed stared at her blankly, but then, his golden eyes twinkled with a tint of happiness:
"Jewel?"
"Cedric!" Johanne, happy that he had recognized her as his little sister Jewel's incarnation, ran up to him and squeezed him in her hugs, shedding joyful tears: "Cedric, it's you!"
"Jewel!" Cedric hugged her back. "I'm so happy to see you! Ah, I'm so sorry for all I've done!"
"You don't have to be sorry for anything!" Johanne sniffed, "I'm at fault for all that's happened to us!"
After the siblings exchanged heartwarming hugs, Succubus too approached Cedric.
"Papa?"
She watched him somewhat timidly. He might've rejoiced to see his sister, but would he be happy about her - the creature who had brought him all the calamities? After all, it was her fault that he got blighted by black energy, in the first place.
The boy's arms squeezed her in a warm embrace:
"Succubus, my little one..."
Succubus blushed, not quite accustomed to being hugged so lovingly, more so by her father, whose two incarnations she had known - Baldassare Cossa and Balthazar Corsaire - were cold and heartless.
"I'm so sorry for all I've done to you, Succubus! I haven't been a good father to you..." A bitter smile covered Cedric's face as he caressed the little demon on the head. "Yet you've always remained by my side and supported me as no demon would ever do. I love you so much, dear... Thank you for all your help. I would've been lost without you. I'm so proud of you, and so grateful..."
He landed a soft kiss on her forehead. Tears gushed from Succubus' eyes - he was so loving and kind, just like Cedric Ivory of elder days! He had finally reconnected with his true self... She sniffed and cuddled with him, to cry her heart out on his chest:
"Papa..."
Finally, after so many years, Succubus had rediscovered her family, and Johanne had reunited with her brother.
