Part Thirteen

The next morning everyone was woken up bright and early by Cyrus, everyone but Kannuki woke up easily. They had tried everything but throwing the kitchen sink at him to wake him. Finally Jun and Yuni came up with and idea of waking him.

"Say it nice and load so he'd be sure to hear, but not too loud." Mingi told Jun.

"Right," Jun nodded. "Guess what, Yuni?"

"What?" Yuni asked with a smirk across her face.

"I heard from one of the maids that work here that they're having some kind of donut festival, and is giving free samples to everyone." Jun replied.

At the words 'free samples' and 'donuts' Kannuki's eyes popped open and ran out the door and down the stairs and all the way outside in a flash. The whole group ran out to the balcony to see poor foolish Kannuki standing out in the open with only his boxers on. They all laughed and laughed, the people that walked by him either gave him a weird look or pointed and laughed.

"Real funny guys!" Kannuki snapped giving them a nasty look.

"And girls!" Niniane yelled down to Kannuki.

"Come on Kannuki," Mingi started. "We didn't know you would run out into the open if front of all the people. How else were we gonna wake you up?"

"Did you splash me with water?" Kannuki asked.

"Tried it." Niniane yelled down to Kannuki.

"Ice cold?" Kannuki asked again.

"Yep." Cat replied.

"How 'bout punching me?" Kannuki asked.

"Tried that too." Cyrus yelled.

Kannuki looked at his shoulder. "Ack! A bruise! How could you!?!"

"Hey, I could have beaten you to death, you probably wouldn't of woken up anyway." Cyrus replied.

"Stop standing there in your undies Kannuki and come up here and put some clothes of." Mingi yelled.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot..." Kannuki's face reddened a bit then ran back up to the room and put his clothes on.

As they walked to leave the village a little boy was pointing at Kannuki and laughing hysterically.

"Hey!" Kannuki snapped. "Who do you think you're laughing at?!"

"You, idiot!" The kid replied. "Hey everyone! It's that weirdo kid that stood out here in his undies!" He broke out in laughter once again.

"Why you--" Kannuki started, but without finishing his sentence he ran up to the kid and started chocking him.

The kid disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kannuki looked around him wondering where the kid went. "Where the hell did that kid go?"

The kid then came out from under Mingi's cloak. "The name is Sephy." Sephy bowed. "Even though I may be just a small innocent kid, I have great power surging within my body. So don't underestimate me."

"Sephy!" A woman yelled from her house window. "Dinner time!"

"YAY! Aright! I'm starving!" Sephy yelled running to the house.

The group stood in silence for sometime then continued on their journey. Kannuki wanted to stay to teach poor Sephy a lesson for laughing at him, but Mingi told him to just forget about it. They continued their walk for almost a day then decided to rest. They walked on early the next morning before the sun had risen. They soon found themselves in a thick fog, so thick that they had to stay close together. Which Niniane didn't mind being close to Raziel. After a few minutes of walking gin the thick fog they heard a scream.

"The lady needs help!" Cyrus yelled unsheathing his sword.

"How?" Tickashi protested. "It would be difficult to find her in a fog this thick."

The scream came again this time louder and closer.

"No..." Mitsuo said in a low voice.

"What is it Mitsuo?" Niniane asked.

"NO! NO! It can't be!?! NOT HER!!!" Mitsuo yelled frantically.

"Who?" Raziel asked.

A woman then jumped through the fog to where the people were able to view her better. "HELP ME!!!"

"Kitana!" Mitsuo yelled running toward her then stopped when a had came out of the fog and wrapped around Kitana's waist holding her back. It was Jaton who held Kitana in his grasp.

"Stay back!" He warned Mitsuo.

Kitana was a bit beaten up. She wore a sleeveless top that also showed off her stomach and also showed her back, the color of forest green. Her shorts were also the same color as the shirt and wore thigh high boots that were ninja like at her feet. She usually had a belt around her waist that held her two bladed fans, and her sword, but the belt was gone. There was also a small black jem on her forehead almost in the shape of an egg but more longer and skinny.

"Sorry, my pretty." Jaton said to Mingi. "But now I have the most beautiful of the goddesses and she's powerless."

"Let her go!" Mitsuo angrily said.

"What are you gonna do?" Jaton laughed. "Only a god can compare to my powers."

"Be careful what you say." Mitsuo harshly said.

Jaton laughed once again. "You're no god, only a puny mortal..." A red sphere appeared around Jaton and Kitana.

"Angel!!!" Kitana yelled holding her hand out for Mitsuo to grab.

Before Mitsuo could move the sphere then flew straight up into the fog. "That was the goddess of Earth, Kitana?" Jun asked.

"Yes, that was her." Tickashi told Jun.

"How would you know?" Cat asked.

"I was in that war years ago." Tickashi replied.

"Mitsuo?" Niniane asked putting a hand on Mitsuo's shoulder.

Mitsuo let out a sob and shrugged Niniane's hand off her shoulder. "I'm going to save her."

"You can't... you're not a god." Tickashi pointed out.

"You'll be surprised what may come at this time." Mitsuo said, standing to face the others.

"What are you talking about, Mitsuo?" Niniane asked in concern.

Mitsuo reached her hand behind her back and something of bright light started glowing as she was pulling something out. Pulling the last bit of the long white light out from behind her back. She held it before her and the light then faded and became a sword with wings at the hilt. "I am Angel, the goddess of life and spirituality."

They all starred at Mitsuo. "You have been the goddess all this time?" Tickashi asked in shock.

"I don't believe it... all those years I've known you. You have been the goddess of life." Niniane said in disbelief.

"It's a long story, Niniane, but I have to save my sister..." The once Mitsuo then started to transform, a flash of light started above her head then moving it's way down completely transforming her into her true form, the goddess Angel. Levitating above the ground starring at the group she had journeyed with, then wings flapped out of her back, angel wings, she then flew off in the same direction Kitana and Jaton went.

The group stood in silence for some time. "We've got to do something." Niniane said.

"What else is there to do?" Cat asked. "You can't stop a god."

"But we can't just sit around and do nothing." Tickashi protested.

"There IS nothing you can do." Someone said.

"Who said that?" Jun asked.

"I know that voice..." Kannuki said. "It's that stupid little kid that mocked me at the village Soho!"

Sephy then appeared in a tree. "That's right, it's the one and only Sephy."

"You followed us here?" Mingi asked.

"Why yes," Sephy confessed. "I had a feeling when I first saw Mitsuo. Boy was I right about her, but I didn't know she was a god."

"What are you getting at?" Cat asked.

"What I'm saying is that I've pretty much have known about, Mitsuo." Sephy explained. "I didn't know everything, I just knew that she held great power; greater than mine."

"Look!" Kannuki snapped. "Talking about Mi-- I mean Angel had nothing to do about helping her."

"There IS nothing you guys can do!" Sephy snapped. "A fury between gods or any other great being can not be stopped!" There was a short silence. "All you can do is wait. I'm sorry, but there is nothing you can do. If you even tried to help, you could be killed in the conflict between the two."

"You followed us here to tell us that to save Angel would be useless?" Mingi asked.

"Not entirely." Sephy said. "I knew that you might have questions to ask about things that have recently happened. I suggest you follow me to a helpful resource to your questions."

The group didn't say anything, only looked at each other and decided to go ahead and follow Sephy. They had probably traveled about an hour or so in total silence. Sephy soon broke the silence. "We're almost there."

"Who exactly are you taking us too?" Mingi asked.

"A part man, part phoenix, part youko, and part dragon man." Sephy said. "He knows all that goes on and was created by all the goddesses to protect them, he cannot be killed for he is part phoenix, not even a god can do so." Sephy continued. "He also guards the treasures of the gods."

Things became quiet once again as they continued to walk to the living place of the man Sephy mentioned. Soon they reached a cave buried deep in a jungle of trees. At the entrance of the cave it looks like a normal cave. Reaching further in, a light can be seen, then soon two poles marked the true entrance of the man's domain, made of pure gold and carvings of a phoenix, a dragon and a youko. Several more poles are seen after the first and are the same as the first as well. Between each poles stood a statue of each of the goddesses; Kallima, the goddess of death and destruction. Angel, the goddess of life and spirituality. Kitana, the goddess of earth. Orka, the goddess of the sea. And another statue stood as well. An unknown god to the others, no one knew who it was, but it was a Lynn this Cat and Yuni knew. It had the body of a male lion, it's mouth wide open in a roar and wings spread open in power and a horses tail lying at the side of it's left leg. Engraved in the stove just below it's sitting spot was the god's name, Kinoato.

Reaching the main part of the cave, it was filled with jewels and the walls of this part of the cave was also of gold and yet more of the same poles as before and between them were huge circle plates with a carving of a goddess and a lit candles on each side of the plates. Red curtains hooped next to the plates then draped down to the floor, bu the unknown god, Kinoato didn't have a plate.

In the center of this brightly lit cave sat a man, seated on a chair of a big phoenix. Two other chairs of a youko and a dragon. The man sang to himself, his voice echoing through the cave. The group wouldn't have need of covering their ears if his singing was any better than it was.

"Stop singing you idiot!!!" Cyrus yelled.

The man stops, gave Cyrus an angered look, then changes to a calm face. "The name is Phoenix, not idiot." He replied. "I'm well respected by the four goddesses, so watch who you're calling "idiot"."

"Phoenix, I brought these people here for your to help them in any way you can." Sephy said.

"Sephy!" Phoenix said with a little glee. "How've you been?"

"As usual," Sephy replied. "But I must be off before my mother worries." With a puff of smoke Sephy disappears.

"Ask away," Phoenix said after the smoke from Sephy had lightened.

"What?" Niniane asks confused.

"Well, you did come here to as me questions, right?" Phoenix replied.

"I have a question." Cat said. "Who is this Kinoato?"

"You don't know the god Kinoato?" Phoenix asked in shock. "As a Lynn you should know."

"How did you know she was a Lynn?" Yuni asked.

"Didn't Sephy tell you? I know everything." Phoenix replied laughing.

"Just tell us who this Kinoato is." Yuni said.

"He is the father of the gods, as well as the Lynns one and only god." Phoenix replied.

"Then what happened to him, does he still exist?" Cat asked.

"Yes he does," Phoenix replied. "Although his form doesn't exist. He split himself into each of the goddesses you have come to know. Of course no one barely knew of this god. He created life on this once deserted world, where he came from I wouldn't know, for I didn't exist myself." He laughed, when no one laughed in response he cleared his throat and continued. "He made the very first of life forms which are now known as Lynns, coming from the very first of the Lynns her name was G-Lynn. Soon after this, the whole world was inhabited by Lynns. After a few billion of years a disease started to spread around, changing the Lynns into humans. I was told by Kinoato back when he still lived in his Lynn form, that humans once lived on this planet the soon became extinct. When the Lynns started to take human forms. Kinoato gathered the last remaining Lynns onto the most beautiful land and tore it from it's place and brought the island high into the sky where the Lynns have lived for years. But they all were also caught with the disease, but not completely, that is why Lynns can transform into humans. Even the god Kinoato was caught with the disease, in order to save his god powers, he had split himself into four parts and they were turned into humans, but they still held Kinoato's powers." Phoenix took a deep breath. "Any more questions?"

"Tell me," Tickashi started. "Who is Jaton?"

"Why do you want to know about Jaton?" Phoenix asked.

"I remember him mentioning that only a god could match his power." Tickashi said.

"Yes," Phoenix nodded. "Only a god can ever match his power. For he is part god himself."

"How did he come to be that?" Mingi asked.

"He was created by all four goddesses." Phoenix said. "Not on purpose though. Long ago the goddesses fought each other, causing the world to go through havoc. A woman who bore a child within her was accidently caught in the battle. She didn't die, but her child had acquired his own powers from the goddesses. The woman had died giving birth to the child, and named him Jaton, he grew faster than a normal child and would be the strongest god to ever live if he could ever become one... but he can't."

"Why does he want to goddess Kitana?" Jun asks.

"Two reasons," Phoenix started. "One, because he is just dying to have a woman, and with Kitana as the most beautiful, she can belong to him forever, yet he would still continue chasing after mortal women."

"Pervert," Kannuki said silently.

"The second reason is because she is a full blooded goddess and if he can blend her blood with his, he can become a full god and be the most powerful of gods." Phoenix continued.

"Hey," Niniane said. "There was this small jewel on Kitana's forehead, is that supposed to be there?"

"What did the jewel look like?" Phoenix asked.

"Like a stretched out egg, I guess." Raziel said.

"Hmm..." Phoenix hummed thinking. Then with a wave of his hand a small gold box covered in diamonds and rubies come floating to him from the pile of gold and jewels. When the box landed in Phoenix's hand he opened the box and puled out a jewel just like the one on Kitana's forehead. "Is this the jewel you were talking about?"

"Yes, that's it." Jun said.

"What is it?" Mingi asked.

"It's a very special jewel." Phoenix started. "Jaton created these jewels... I don't know how many of these he's got, but it's dangerous to gods and other mystical beings. It's makes them powerless, unable to protect themselves with the power they have come to trust. Yet Kitana is a powerful fighter physically. It must of taken him awhile to actually catch her." Phoenix smiled.

"So that jewel can make even you powerless?" Kannuki asked.

"Why, yes." Phoenix nodded. "That's why I hate the things so much. But the good this is it can't keep me from coming back to life, you can kill me, but I'll be back and it's dislocated from me. That's how I acquired this thing. Back when Jaton had tried to came and steal the green ribbon that gives beauty inside and or out to selected people... he placed it on my forehead and killed me, but I was back so fast he didn't know what hit him."

"Green ribbon?" Niniane asked confused.

"Each goddess has their own ribbon, which is very special. When they were born they had those ribbon around each one of them." Phoenix said. "The green one belongs to Kitana, the white one, belongs to Angel which gives immortality. The purple one belongs to Kallima which gives power and strength. The blue one which belongs to Orka, which speed. I keep all the ribbons, but Orka's which she keeps to herself. She uses it to use her powers, only she doesn't really need the ribbon, but it quickens her powers and that's pretty scarey because she can use many different kinds of moves and they'd all hit you one after another never giving you a chance to attack her."

"One thing about Jaton," Cyrus started. "Since he is only half god, does he have any weaknesses?"

"Yes he does," Phoenix said. "If he uses too much of his power he becomes weakened and is vulnerable to any kind of attacks, plus if you have any powers to drain life force or magic powers from someone it would work on him causing you to become stronger and him being weak for only so long."

"So that's the only advantage anyone's got against him." Mingi said.

"Can Angel handle Jaton?" Tickashi asked.

"Probably," Phoenix said. "Just as long as Jaton doesn't put that jewel on her forehead, then she can defeat him."

"If he were to place the jewel on someone's forehead," Jun started. "Then how can we remove it?"

"As far as I know, only I can remove it." Phoenix said. "When it is placed on someone's forehead it is embedded to the skull, and is unable to be removed."

The group stayed in an eerie silence, then Phoenix got suspisious. "You know something I don't you?"

"I thought you earned the title of 'Mr. know-it-all'." Kannuki pointed out.

"Well, of course I know everything, but it usually takes sometime before anything new comes." Phoenix said, then realized something. "Oh, you must of just now found out that Mitsuo was Angel." He laughed.

"No DUH!" Kannuki snapped.

"Wait! I don't get it!" Niniane said. "Why does Angel pose as a normal human, when she's a god?"

"Because, Angel needs to find a man to pass on her goddess powers. Sometimes she can stay the same and after a daughter is born from her former body, she is still the same person and has the same knowledge as before she was born." Phoenix explained.

The group looked at each other confused. "That made absolutely no sense." Kannuki said.

"Well Angel is the mother, and when she gives birth to a child it's still Angel, that's why the original body has to die. Her spirit and powers are passed to the child. And she lives almost like a immortal and she grows ten times slower than a normal human." Phoenix explained.

"So she lives a new live each time she passes into a new body." Niniane said.

"Yes, she doesn't marry and she doesn't feel love." Phoenix said. "Sometimes all she needs is a kiss to pass on what she needs."

"So she just uses a man and breaks his heart." Tickashi said.

"Not exactly," Phoenix started. "She usually casts a spell on the man to make him forget about her, so he doesn't have to go through the pain that he has only been used."

"Will she ever be able to fall in love?" Niniane asks.

"I'm not sure, but it would have to be a man that can live forever." Phoenix said. "She is just like a human and has their emotions, she fears nothing, but 'love'. That's why she avoids it so much."

"I have to know something," Jun started. "If the gods cannot kill each other, then why do they battle?"

"Of course they can battle." Phoenix somewhat laughed. "But it's more like a battle of who can knock the other out first."

"Oh, I see..." Jun said.

"I hate to interrupt this very educating event." Sephy said from behind the group. "You all need to follow me, Angel needs help."

"Why couldn't you bring her here?" Kannuki snapped.

"Do I look like I someone who can carry her all the way here?" Sephy pointed out. "She's ten times my size, and weighs more."

"What about doing that smokey thing that you do?" Niniane asked.

"I can't transport more than one person." Sephy snapped. "Only me."

"Let's go!" Mingi said. "We'd better see what's wrong with her."

Part Fourteen