An Oh My God FanFic

                             Who's a God??
 
                                   PART 5

                                     by

                                Brett Handy


     "Please... no, not my baby", the pitiful mortal protested
weakly.
     
     If I had a soul for every time I'd heard that phrase over
the years I'd be one of the Lords of Hell by now.  She looked
rather pathetic, prostrated over her kid that way and the child
was crying.  I felt the now familiar tight feeling in my chest
and I sighed, "Very well", I allowed, "Your child shall be
spared, just this once!".
     
     With that I enacted the spell of possession, the woman's
soul would be bound for hell when she died, but I was careful to
leave the child's name out of it.  The woman smiled at me
gratefully, which was something I'd been surprised about the
first time it had happened.  These humans cared more for their
offspring than they did for themselves, it was stupid, they could
always have more children, what loss if one was condemned to
hell?
     
     I'd been working 'collections' for a bit more than a month
now, after Tupnixua's loss at the Nekomi Temple I'd been
reassigned to this degrading position of collecting on promises
mortals made to various Demons.  That was something else I found
amazing, the number of women that made deals not knowing they
were pregnant (and therefore by the letter of the contract their
child would share their punishment) - if they cared for their
children so much, shouldn't they be more careful?
     
     Humans aren't something I understand, in fact there's very
few things I understand anymore.  I used to think I knew what it
meant to be a 1st Class Demon, but now I'm confused.  To think
back about what I've done often means I feel something I only
recently identified, guilt.  Now why should I, a Demon of renown
feel guilty about the things I've done?  After working in
Collections for a month I've found I have another foreign
emotion, pity.
     
     The strange thing is, I think if I went back to the way I
was before, I wouldn't be happy.  Isn't that unusual? A Demon
talking about being happy, I need to have my head examined.  Not
that I'm going to tell anyone about it, I'd be cut up into little
pieces before I'd finished explaining.  There's no room in Hell
for a Demon with feelings.  I know how it happened, I just don't
know why it happened.
     
     The cause of my problems is the former God of Destiny. 
Well, actually I was the one that started things rolling, by
trying to tap into his power and take it all for myself.  That
plan backfired, I didn't realise how powerful a personality he
had or how powerfully good a god could be.  To make a long story
short, I lost and ended up losing his powers.  However I also
lost part of myself and gained part of him.  Anyway, now I'm
stuck in this dead-end position, popping in and out snatching
souls.
     
     "So", a voice echoed through my cave at my return, "The
Mighty Nilthar is reduced to doing work usually reserved for
trainee Demons...".
     
     I appeared to look bored as I leaned against the cave-wall,
"What do you want Marller?", I asked dubiously.  Marller had been
my assistant when I'd been running the campaign against the God
of Destiny, that particular duty had been taken over by Tupnixua
after my dismal showing.
     
     "Actually I was wondering what your game is", she said,
lying back on the single bed in the room and stretching.
     
     I had to suppress a surge of desire seeing her again, it had
been a long time since any Demoness of the 1st level had paid
attention to me.  However I knew Marller too well to accept her
at face value, after all technically she now outranked me.  "Get
to the point", I snapped angrily, "I've had a long day...".
     
     "A day in which you let three souls escape", Marller
observed, reading off a computer print-out.
     
     "Those souls weren't technically condemned...", I began in
defense.
     
     "Sure Nilthar!", Marller broke in, "I know you, you would
never have let them get away two years ago!".
     
     "Perhaps", I allowed quietly, "However I doubt you know me
now".  I moved to the middle of the room, "Now I suggest you
leave before I maim you for entering my domain without
permission".
     
     "What?", Marller said, suggestively, "Aren't you the least
bit 
interested in finding out why I came?", she asked.
     
     "No", I replied quickly, "Just get out!".
     
     She rose from the bed and began walking towards me. 
Snapping my fingers I summoned my sword and took up a ready
stance, "Get out or be thrown out!", I hissed angrily.
     
     "Temper temper!", she said, raising her hands and taking a
step back, "I just thought you'd like to know that I'm aware of
your 'unauthorised' trips to the mortal world..".
     
     I lowered my sword slightly, "So what?", I asked angrily.
     
     "I just thought you'd like to know where Brett is", she said
softly.
     
     I did a double take, "Why would you tell me?", I asked
suspiciously, "Why not tell Tupnixua and have the Devil Lord
reward you?".
     
     She stepped closer and ran a hand over my arm, "Because I'd
rather have you", she purred.
     
     I slapped her hand away and raised my sword again, "If you
think I'd believe that you're dumber than I thought!", I replied
calmly, "Why really?".
     
     Marller looked half-offended but she nodded, "Very well",
she said, her voice cold, "I believe you'd reward me better than
the Devil for this information".
     
     I snorted, "Reward you how?", I asked, "You said it
yourself, I'm not exactly a well-respected Demon around here".
     
     "I believe that might be changing in the future", Marller
said dryly, "Especially if you manage to bring down the God of
Destiny".
     
     "What makes you think I'm even interested in him anyway?", I
asked bluntly.
     
     "I've followed you Nilthar", Marller said firmly, "I know
you're searching for him and I believe you'll find him eventually
and revenge yourself on him...".
     
     I nodded, "So you're going to help me then?", I asked.
     
     "That's right", Marller said, "But you owe me a favour when
you become a Lord of Hell".
     
     I grimaced, "If I didn't know better I'd think you have too
much faith in me", I observed.
     
     "Don't deliude yourself", Marller said bluntly, "I'm just
covering my bases".  I nodded and put away the sword, "So where
is he?", I asked, before she could change her mind.
     
     "Nekomi Temple", Marller announced quickly, "He returned
there last night, and I felt his power as he arrived".  Covering
my surprise I nodded to Marller, "Thanks for the info", I said,
"You know the way out".
     
     Marller looked surprised, "Thanks?", she asked in disbelief,
"Since when do you thank anyone!?!?!?".
     
     "I'm starting a new trend", I observed dryly.  She left with
a confused expression on her face and I breathed a sigh of
relief.  Little did Marller know that I'd already had my chance
to revenge myself on Brett. I'd found him without any power,
alone in the woods and all I could do was feel sorry for him.  If
anyone had found out what I'd done in the battle at the Nekomi
temple I would have been put to torture for all eternity.  I'd 
observed the battle from the shadows and the only time I'd gotten
involved was to hamstring Tupnixua.  The Devil didn't have a clue
as to who had done it at the time, he'd been too caught up in the
fight to notice.  All the other Demons involved in the fight had
been banished and everyone was rather suspicious that I'd
survived.
     
     Given the chance, I wanted to talk to Brett about what had
happened and see if he'd experienced the same things I had.  I
was surprised that he was back with the Goddesses since he'd
apparently lost all his memories.  The Dreamtime spirits had
believed me when I'd told them that all I wanted to do this time
was talk to Brett.  Not surprising really, those ancient spirits
could have been called Gods in their own right, it wasn't hard
for them to tell if someone was lying.  The hard part would be
convincing the Goddesses (especially Urd) to allow me to speak to
Brett.  I logged into Hell-Net and noticed that Tupnixua was
putting together another expedition to trap Brett.  Noticing that
there was a very low number of Demons signing on (probably
because most of the Demons who went on the last one wouldn't be
coming back for several hundred years).  Making a quick decision
I put my name on the list.
     
     A few moments later I received a summons to appear before
Tupnixua for a mission briefing.  Putting on my best poker-face I
teleported to the Devil Lord's home domain.  "Nilthar!", Tupnixua
said grandly, "I'm glad to see you signed on for this mission..".
     
     That in itself was enough to make me suspicious and my
expression must have reflected that because Tupnixua laughed
evilly, "Oh.. don't worry about the last mission", it said, it's
eyes glowing red, "If you do well this mission, it'll make up for
it.. I might even be able to get you a place on the Lord's
Council...".
     
     "What do you want of me?", I asked calmly.
     
     "We want you to pick one of Brett's companions", a shadowy
figure explained from the corner.  Phalarus had been hanging
around Tupnixua more and more since the last mission, "One that
he'll be forced to rescue", he finished.
     
     I nodded, "So we're taking a hostage", I mused, "It would
have to be a mortal, since a Goddess would be nearly impossible
to take..".
     
     "Why would a Goddess be more attractive a target?", Tupnixua
asked thoughtfully.
     
     "Well, it's a well known fact that Brett has some feelings
for Urd", I explained dryly, "She would be a perfect target...".
     
     Tupnixua nodded, "But as you say", it agreed, "It is too
difficult to take a Goddess and hold her".
     
     "Take Keiichi for example", I said thoughtfully, "He would
be a good target, except he is also protected too closely by
Belldandy..".
     
     "So who?", Phalarus asked.
     
     "Megumi", I decided quickly.
     
     "Who?", Tupnixua asked in confusion.
     
     "Keiichi's sister", I explained, "She's also a friend of
Brett's, and if I remember correctly he went out with her at one
stage".  I thought for a few more moments, "I believe we would be
better off hiring some human thugs for this, rather than
involving ourselves directly, they can kidnap her and then I can
place a spell of misdirection on the place where we hold 
her".
     
     Tupnixua and Phalarus exchanged a look and I took a step
backwards, "What?", I demanded.
     
     "You didn't seem particularly eagre to capture Brett
previously", Tupnixua observed, "Why the change of heart".
     
     I gave the Devil Lord a cold look, "You totally ignored me
last time", I pointed out, "A direct attack on the temple was
futile, I told you before the battle that you were making a
mistake".
     
     Tupnixua's anger seemed to flare up for a moment, but he
nodded in agreement, "So you did", he said.
     
     I waited for a few moments as the Devil Lord thought about
it, "Very well", Tupnixua said, "We shall do this your way, take
any Demon on the list with you..".
     
     I shook my head, "I shall take care of this myself", I said
quickly, "Other Demons might screw it up!".  Tupnixua nodded, "I
shall contact our human minions and organise something for you",
he said. With that I turned and teleported, secretly thankful
that I'd taken the risk and gotten involved.
     
                                   ******
     
     Megumi was sitting in her apartment, going over the latest
designs for Motorclub's newest high-speed racer.  She'd been
designing it for nearly three months, getting advice from Keiichi
on occasion, but it was her first real solo design.  Tamiya (not
looking a gift-horse in the mouth) had promised that he'd build
it after she'd finished the design.  She looked out the window
and sighed, last night she'd been a tad aggressive with Brett and
he'd run off.
     
     Getting herself a glass of water she noticed a strange black
van parked in front of the building.  There was a man standing in
front of it wearing a biker's jacket and dark sunglasses.  It was
an unusual combination.  There was a knock on the door and she
carefully checked the peak-hole.  Three rather large men were
outside her door, one had a large length of rope.  Without
responding, Megumi ran to the kitchen window and climbed onto the
fire escape.  The door in her room suddenly burst inwards and the
three men rushed into the room.  One spotted her as she clambered 
down the stairs and he took off in pursuit.
     
     Deciding that she'd wonder why they were after her later,
she jumped the last couple of meters to the ground and hit the
street running.  She barrelled around the corner of the alley and
ran into a man who was standing at the other end of the alley. 
He was wearing a suit and had mirrored sunglasses on.  "Some men
are after me!", she said desperately.
     
     The man nodded, "I know", he said, taking off the glasses,
"I hired them".  There were footsteps behind her and she glanced
back to see the three thugs forming a rough half-circle behind
her.  The man was European and appeared to be in his mid to late
twenties, "This will go easier on you if you co-operate", he
suggested.
     
     One of the thugs went to grab her arm and she sent him
sprawling with a well-placed kick.  "I don't know why you're
doing this!", Megumi said quickly, "But you'll have to do better
Gaijin!".
     
     The Gaijin smiled and waved the thugs back, "Well then", he
said, stepping forward, "I shall then".  Megumi began to throw a
punch at his head when she suddenly began to feel sleepy.  She
noticed he was smiling at her and she couldn't even find the
energy to sneer at him.
     
     Nilthar caught her before she could hit the ground and he
gave the three Thugs a withering glance, "You three are fired!",
he snapped, "I shall take it from here!".
     
     "But the big boss said we was to take her down town...", one
began.
     
     There was a thunderous explosion in the alley and Nilthar
looked at the three Thugs, they were lying in the alley, all
unconscious.  He gave them a pitiful look before turning and
walking into the shadows.
     
                                   ******
     
     Nilthar sat across the room from his captive, watching the
television.  He'd rented an apartment in an upper-class building
not far from the Nekomi Temple and cloaked it in the most
extensive misdirection spells he'd learned.  It had taken nearly
a whole day of spell casting before he was satisfied that things
were secure enough to bring his hostage here.
     
     The apartment was spelled against noise and the door would
only open to him, so he'd dispensed with the idea of tying Megumi
to the bed.  In the back of his mind was the thought that it
might frighten her more than necessary.  She moaned slightly and
Nilthar flicked off the TV and moved to stand at the doorway.
     
     Megumi awoke slowly, feeling rather refreshed.  It wasn't
until she noticed her surroundings that she began to panic. 
Remembering how she'd suddenly lost consciousness she glanced
around the room warily, "So nice to see you awake", Nilthar
observed coolly.
     
     "Why have you brought me here?", Megumi asked bluntly, an
outraged expression on her face.
     
     Nilthar shrugged, "To trap an enemy", he said without
conviction.
     
"You don't sound too sure about that", Megumi noted quickly,
"Why?".
     
     "Brett is too clever to fall into such an obvious trap", he
explained, "I doubt this plan will work the way my 'friends'
think...".
     
     Megumi looked startled, "Brett?", she asked, "Why would you
want to trap him?".
     
     "Let's say that my boss feels he's upsetting the natural
balance", Nilthar said vaguely.
     
     "But why would you pick me?", Megumi asked uncertainly,
"Brett is just a friend...".
     
     Nilthar walked over to the window and looked out, "You went
out with him once", he observed.
     
     "That's right", Megumi agreed, "But it was only once... ".
     
     "Only because he didn't pursue were he felt he wasn't
wanted", Nilthar said dryly, "Let's face it, going out with a guy
and going home with a different guy...".
     
     Megumi grimaced, "He never said anything....", she began.
     
     Nilthar interrupted her with a small smile, "Of course not",
he agreed, "Because there was nothing to say... he didn't want to
ruin your friendship".  Nilthar leaned up against the wall with a
sigh, "You have no idea how badly he felt after being abandoned
that night".
     
     "How the hell do you know all of this?", Megumi demanded
suddenly, "You sound more like a friend of Brett's than someone
out to trap him!".
     
     "Me.. Brett's friend?", Nilthar mused, then he shook his
head, "I don't think so, he'd never go for it..".
     
     "Why?", Megumi asked quickly, "Why couldn't the two of you
be friends?".
     
     Nilthar strode over to the door of the room, "Because I
tried to kill him and his friends once", he said, his voice
dropping into a neutral tone.  He gestured to the room, "You can
order anything you like from room service", he explained, "It
will be delivered outside and I'll bring it in".
     
     He noticed a glint in her eye and smiled, "You can try to
tell the person on room service that you're being held captive",
he explained, "However they won't be able to hear anything but a
food order, try it and see".
     
     Megumi quickly snatched up the phone off the table and
dialled zero, "Please help me!", she called into the phone, "I'm
being held against my will!".
     
     "Yes ma'am", the voice at the other end said, "Would you
like anything to drink?".
     
     She continued for a few minutes and ended up ordering two
steak dinners, desert and some drinks.  She hung up the phone in
disgust, "How did you do that?", she demanded angrily.
     
     "That's for me to know and you to guess", Nilthar said
calmly, "Also attempting to call from the balcony to the street
is futile, you won't be able to climb down from up here and
you'll be unable to throw things".  He stepped outside, "This
door will only open for me", he said, "Don't hurt yourself trying
to escape, I'll be quite put out if I end up having to heal 
you".  With that he stepped out of the room, leaving a stunned
Megumi wondering what the hell she'd gotten into.
     
                                       ******
     
     Keiichi was starting to get used to bad news.  A doctor from
heaven had just visited and explained that there was nothing he
could do to separate the souls that were fighting for possession
of Brett's body.  "If I had a template to go by I would be able
to separate the souls", he'd explained, "But I've never examined
Brett before his.. err.. accident, so I have no idea what his
soul should look like..".
     
     Urd had been insistent that there must be some way to
separate the souls and the doctor had agreed to ask Kami-Sama if
he knew away.  Amazingly Kami-Sama seemed to be uninterested in
the problem, every message that they'd left for him had been
ignored.
     
     "So where do we get an example of Brett's soul before his
accident?", Chia-Yao mused thoughtfully.
     
     "We can't!", Urd grumbled, slumping down on a couch, "It's 
impossible!".
     
     Keiichi frowned, "Why is it impossible?", he asked.
     
     "Because no one gave him even a slight scan!", Urd snapped,
"We could sense that he had no powers, but no one thought to look
at his soul, it's not something we usually do...".
     
     Keiichi frowned, "Why not?", he asked.
     
     Belldandy placed a hand on Keiichi's arm, "Scanning
someone's soul isn't something to be lightly done", she
explained, "It's like looking right into someone's mind and
seeing their secrets".
     
     Skuld nodded, "One God termed a soul scan as the ultimate
lie detector", she explained, "Every God is always careful about
it".
     
     Keiichi thought for a few moments, "So what we need is
someone who's got part of his soul, right?", Keiichi asked
carefully.
     
     Urd shook her head, "No", she said, "I'm sure that he
wouldn't have shared his soul with anyone...".
     
     Skuld snapped her fingers, "Good idea Keiichi!", she said,
"I see where you're going with this!".
     
     Urd gave her littlest sister a sceptical look, "Where is he
going with this?", she said evenly.
     
     "Nilthar!", Keiichi and Skuld announced at the same time.
     
     There was a moment of reflection on Urd's face, before she
grinned, "All right!", she said, "We have a plan! Nilthar should
still have part of Brett's soul in him from their little
encounter just after Brett had become a God".
     
     Chia-Yao's face had darkened at the mention of Nilthar's
name, "What plan?", he asked sarcastically, "I doubt he'll let
you walk up to him and scan his soul!".
     
     Skuld gave Chia-Yao a sceptical look, "Perhaps not", she
said, "That's why we have you with us to 'convince' him to help".
     
     Chia-Yao's face suddenly broke into a grin,  "So long as you
don't mind what condition he's in...", he began.
     
     Belldandy coughed, "Chia-Yao", she said disapprovingly,
shaking her head.
     
     "All right", he said with a sigh, "I won't do any permanent
damage to him...".
     
     "Won't do any damage to who?", Brett asked, from where he
was standing in the doorway.
     
     Urd moved to help him but he waved her off, "I'm fine", he
insisted, walking across the room and sitting down at the table,
"If you're discussing my little problem, perhaps I should be
here".
     
     They quickly outlined the plan to Brett, "Getting a hold of
Nilthar will be the hard part", Skuld explained, "I don't know
how we're suppose to find him".
     
     "Nilthar", Brett mused thoughtfully, "I saw him just after
Urd brought me back here...".
     
     "What?", Urd asked, "Where did you see him?".
     
     Skuld gave Brett a curious look, "More to the point", she
said, "How do you know what he looks like".
     
     Brett frowned, "It was that morning I went out for a drive",
he explained, "He seemed surprised that I didn't recognise him..
and then he just left".  Brett tapped his head, "I didn't know it
was him at the time, but I seem to be remembering things...".
     
     Urd looked at Brett intently, "How much to you remember?",
she asked.
     
     "Not much", Brett admitted, "I just get little flashes now
and then... like Nilthar and who he is... and that time we were
fighting giant bugs...".
     
     Everyone but Urd looked confused, Urd smiled slightly, "That
was in El Hazard", she explained.  Urd and Brett had been trapped
in another dimension and ended up running into the Bugrom (a race
of giant bugs).
     
     "So where do we start?", Skuld asked thoughtfully.
     
     There was a banging on the door, "Morisato!", Tamiya called 
urgently, "Open up!".
     
     Keiichi jumped up and ran to the door, "What's wrong
Sempai?", he asked anxiously.
     
     "It's your sister!", Tamiya said, breathing heavily, "She's 
disappeared!".
     
     "Disappeared?", Keiichi wondered, "How?".
     
     Ootaki came running up and tried to explain while catching
his breath, "One of our old club members is a traffic cop", he
wheezed, "He arrested three toughs in an alley not far from
Megumi's place..".
     
     "They had orders to kidnap her!", Tamiya broke in, "But
someone apparently beat them up and took her".
     
     "Who?", Keiichi demanded, his anger rising.
     
     "They said it was a Gajin", Tamiya said, looking at Brett
and the Goddesses apologetically for his slur, "Wearing a
grey..".
     
     "Suit and a matching grey streak in his hair", Brett broke
in suddenly,"he looked to be in his mid-twenties and spoke with
an British accent".
     
     Tamiya looked at Brett in confusion, "Right", he said, "Who
told you?".  Then he turned back to Ootaki, "We'd better get back
to the club in case anyone's found her yet", he said, "Morisato,
if she gets in contact with you let us know!".
     
     Keiichi nodded, feeling slightly numb, "Thank you Sempai",
he called after them.  After Tamiya and Ootaki had left everyone
turned to Brett, "It was Nilthar", Brett explained.
     
     The room was silent for a long moment before Urd spoke up,
"How do you know it was him?", she asked, "He looked a lot older
than mid-twenties when I saw him..".
     
     Brett seemed to stare off into space for a moment, "He likes
to use a disguise spell", he explained, "Physically he's not a
lot older than me... he had to appear older... so that his
masters would be fooled into thinking he was more
experienced...".
     
     "He's taken Megumi to get at me", Brett continued, "He knows
that I don't abandon my friends...".
     
     Keiichi smashed a fist into the table in anger, "Damn it!",
he swore angrily, "Why Megumi?!?!".
     
     "Because Nilthar knows that she's my friend", Brett
explained carefully, "And that at one time I would have liked to
be more than that... ".
     
     "Well then!", Chia-Yao said, breaking the odd silence that
followed Brett's statement, "I'll just pop back up to heaven and
get my hunter team together and I'll be back in a flash".
     
     Skuld grabbed his arm before he could walk out of the room,
"Hold it a minute", she said, "Nilthar isn't that dumb, he'll be 
shielded..".
     
     "Nilthar wouldn't be on the mortal plane if he wasn't sure
that he could hide from your Security Daemons", Brett agreed.
     
     "So where do we start looking", Keiichi asked, concern for
his sister overtaking the anger he was feeling.
     
     Brett looked out the window, "Right around here", he said
firmly.
     
     "WHAT?!??", everyone asked at once.
     
     "Nilthar had to be able to kidnap her and then get her to a 
shielded area quickly", Brett explained, "And besides... it's the
last thing we'd expect...".
     
     Belldandy nodded to Skuld, "We'll start looking in the
streets around her apartment", she said.
     
     Chia-Yao glanced over at Keiichi, "How about we take the
area around the College?", he asked.  Keiichi nodded, "Let's get
going", he said firmly.
     
     "I'll take the area around here", Brett offered.
     
     "I think you should stay inside", Urd argued, "If this is a
trap meant to catch you, you're playing into his hands...".
     
     "Urd's right", Keiichi said quickly, "You should wait here".
     
     Brett shook his head, "I'm the reason for this", he said,
"And I'll be damned if I'll sit here and do nothing!".  Brett
stalked out the door, ignoring everyone's protests, "Get moving",
he shouted back, "The faster we search, the faster we'll find
her!".
     
     Urd turned back to the others, "I'll keep an eye on him",
she said, following Brett outside.
     
                              ******
     
     It was getting dark by the time I'd reached the apartment
building.  I'd managed to lose Urd, as much as I appreciated her
concern, I was responsible for the problem, so I was going to fix
it.  It was difficult to get used to having two different sets of
feelings.  It was like those old cartoons where a character has
his good and bad sides personified by miniature people, each
whispering in one ear.  However unlike the simple good/bad sides
represented in those cartoons, it was hard to distinguish 
which voice was right.
     
     Actually as brave a face as I put on things with Urd and the
others I was really scared about what was going on.  My mind had
gone from normal to one surrounded by voices, memories kept
flashing past like half-forgotten dreams.  Take Urd for example,
sometimes when I looked at her it was like I was looking at a
stranger, other times it felt like I was in love with her.  It
was just too confusing to take. Putting that aside and trying to
ignore the interruptions I realised that something was drawing me
to the apartment building.  I walked inside and pressed the
button for the top floor.
     
     The elevator rose and one voice kept telling me to ready
some attack spells and to my surprise I found that I could cast a
shield again, something I'd not been able to do at all until now. 
Ignoring the bad feelings I knocked on the door lightly, a
now-familiar face opened the door.  Nilthar took a step back
apprehensively as I walked into the room, "Nice place", I
observed, acting more calm than I felt.
     
     Nilthar looked like he didn't know what to make of me, "I
didn't sense you", he admitted, "It felt like a normal mortal at
the door...".
     
     "So what do we do now?", I asked nervously.
     
     "I don't know", Nilthar admitted, "I wanted to talk to
you... but I don't know what I wanted to say...".
     
     "I know what to say!", an evil-sounding voice announced.
     
     Nilthar and I turned around to see Tupnixua squeezing his
bulky form through the sliding doors that led to the balcony, he
was flanked by a pair of Demons, "I'm glad to see you again
Brett", Tupnixua hissed, "It's such a pleasure to be in your
company".
     
     Nilthar placed a hand on my shoulder, "Megumi's in the other
room", he whispered hoarsely, "One of us should get her out so
she doesn't get hurt".  I looked over at him in surprise and
nodded.  Taking a note from the lessons Syliana had taught me I
concentrated and froze a thin line of space in front of Tupnixua
in time.  The Devil screamed in frustration as it tried to move 
forward, "Get him!", it hissed to the Demons.
     
     The two Demons rushed around their master.  The Demon in the
lead suddenly found a black sword sticking through it's throat,
"I think not", Nilthar said coolly.  The second Demon stopped
when it saw what happened to it's partner, "What are you doing?",
it demanded.
     
     Nilthar stepped forward, "I haven't finished talking to
Brett yet", he declared, "He's my prisoner until I say so!".
     
     Tupnixua had managed to break down my time-field and stalked
up behind his henchman, "Nilthar", it growled, "You've done me a
great service by bringing him here.. don't be a fool and throw
that away..".
     
     A dark shaped rose up behind Tupnixua, "Listen to this
Devil", it advised Nilthar, "Brett will be no more shortly".  The
dark shape suddenly struck out, right at me!  I felt it impact my
chest and everything went black.
     
                                  ******
     
     Urd was almost frantic with worry.  This had become a usual
state for her lately.  She was becoming more and more angry with
Brett as the days passed, he continually refused her help and it
seemed like he was avoiding her.  She'd almost lost her temper
when she'd returned to find him in the middle of Syliana and
Megumi.  Telling herself that it wasn't his fault didn't help and
it just made her more depressed, Brett was being taken away 
from her and there was nothing she could do about it.
     
     He'd managed to give her the slip, with the excuse that they
could cover more area.  She'd agreed, but placed a tracing spell
on him while he wasn't looking.  She was just finishing her sweep
of the area when the tracer spell suddenly disconnected. 
Muttering a curse she quickly contacted Belldandy and Skuld,
telling them where she was going, "Be careful sister!", 
Belldandy warned her.
     
     "I will", Urd snapped, racing for the apartment building
where she'd last sensed Brett.  She arrived in a few minutes and
was shocked to see Tupnixua on the top of a building.  The area
was deserted so Urd quickly whispered a spell, replacing her
normal clothing with her armour.  She ran into the building,
hitting the button for the top floor.  The elevator seemed to 
take an long time to reach the top and Urd was nervously pacing
back and forth for the whole time.
     
     As the doors opened she stepped onto the floor cautiously,
feeling the evil aura of the Devil polluting the air.  She
reached the door to the room where she sensed the Devil and was
about to place a hand on the door when it was suddenly thrown
open.  She jumped back in surprise as Megumi rushed out the door,
followed by Nilthar, who was dragging an unconscious Brett.
     
     Urd snarled at the sight of the Demon and she summoned her
swords, stepping in front of Megumi protectively, "Get away from
him!", she screamed angrily, gesturing with a sword.
     
     "Tupnixua will overpower my shield in about five seconds",
Nilthar snarled, "Get us out of here or we're all dead!".  The
evil energy began to build and Urd looked around desperately for
some means of escape.  Brett groaned, "My watch", he gasped.
     
     Urd realised what he was saying and she grabbed Megumi's
arm.  Nilthar seemed to understand too, because he grabbed onto
Urd's other arm as Brett completed a transport spell.  They
disappeared in a flash of blue light and Tupnixua's scream of
frustration echoed through the neighbourhood.
     
                              ******

     Nilthar managed to land on his feet as they reappeared in
Brett's room and he quickly struggled to lay Brett on the bed. 
Urd and Megumi had landed on the floor in opposite corners of the
room and were shakily getting to their feet. "You never did get
that right", Nilthar grumbled as he manhandled the taller Brett
onto the bed.
     
     Urd quickly picked up her swords and pointed one at Nilthar,
"What are you doing?", she demanded.
     
     "Making sure he didn't break anything", Nilthar observed,
from where he was testing Brett's arms and legs, "Put down the
sword".
     
     Taking up a defensive stance, Urd lowered one sword, "If I
don't?", she asked.
     
     Nilthar shrugged, "I'll kill you", he said simply, he
glanced at her evenly, "Don't think I can't do it, I almost did
it before".
     
     Urd suppressed a shudder at the mention of her previous
fight with Nilthar, if Brett hadn't come along when he did, she
wouldn't be here to talk about it.  She also sensed something
different about Nilthar than the last time, he seemed concerned
over Brett, which was unusual to say the least, "What do you
want?", Urd asked bluntly.
     
     "Him", Nilthar said, pointing at Brett. At Urd's expression
Nilthar smiled slightly, "not the way you think", he explained,
"I want to ask him some questions...".
     
     Megumi was staring at Urd in amazement, "You're... a.. ",
she began.
     
     Urd frowned at Megumi, "I think you'd better have a sleep",
she suggested, whispering a spell.  Megumi's head drooped down
and Urd caught her before she could hit the floor.  "Bring her
over here", Nilthar suggested, indicating the bed.
     
     "I don't think she's going to be a threat under a sleep
spell", Nilthar noted dryly.
     
     Urd grumbled a little, but laid Megumi out beside Brett.  At
that moment the door to Brett's room crashed open and Keiichi
burst in, "Where's Megu..", he stopped mid sentence seeing her on
the bed.
     
     "What the??", he began.  Urd put a finger to her lips,
"Shh!", she said, "They're sleeping".  She gestured to Nilthar
and put away her swords, "Let's talk outside", she suggested.
     
     Keiichi and Nilthar walked along behind Urd, Keiichi gave
Nilthar a curious look, "You are?", he asked.
     
     Nilthar smiled, "Sorry", he said, extending his hand,
"Nilthar the Demon".
     
     Keiichi's smile froze on his face and his hand suddenly
jerked back out of Nilthar's grasp.  Then he realised that he was
being terribly rude, "Sorry", he muttered, "Gut reaction".
     
     Nilthar nodded, "I understand", he said evenly, "I'd react
the same way..".
     
     They all sat around the dining room table, "So explain", Urd
half-ordered.
     
     "I'd prefer to wait until everyone's here", Nilthar said
almost apologetically, "I don't enjoy the story enough to tell it
more than once".
     
     Within a few minutes Belldandy and Skuld had returned,
"Chia-Yao told me he'd was going to get some help from heaven",
Keiichi explained, "He dropped me back here after we'd searched
for a while".  Skuld was looking at Nilthar with barely
controlled anger, "What's *he* doing here?", she asked Urd
sharply.
     
     Even Belldandy looked uncomfortable, "I'll get some tea",
she offered sweeping into the kitchen.
     
     After everyone had a hot cup of tea in front of them Nilthar
nodded, "I shall endeavour to explain what I'm doing here", he
said carefully, "And why I need your help".  There was silence
that greeted his remark and he nodded, "That's a natural
reaction", he allowed.
     
     Taking a sip of his tea, Nilthar gave a nod, "It began after
my attempt to take Brett's powers", he explained, "I felt somehow
lessened by the experience and later found that part of my own
power had been taken away... that didn't matter as much as what
happened later".  He told them about his last mission for
the collections office, "I couldn't bring myself to push the
contract as far as 
I should have..".
     
     "I can't see how you could enforce the contract at all!",
Keiichi snapped, "That poor woman!".
     
     Nilthar gave Keiichi a blank look, "She wouldn't be in the
situation at all if she'd been doing the right thing", he said
dismissively, "You're naive to think that everyone deserves fair
treatment..".
     
     Noticing the looks of disapproval on everyone's faces,
Nilthar realised he wasn't going to win this argument and
continued, "Anyway.. that deal with the woman and her child is
typical of what I've been doing lately", he explained, "I
can't seem to be as evil as I was..".
     
     Skuld frowned, "What do you think Brett can do for you?",
she asked.
     
     Nilthar shrugged, "It's his soul that I've been polluted
with", he said firmly, "He should be able to help me..".
     
     Belldandy had a downcast look on her face, "You want to go
back to the way you were?", she asked.
     
     There was a moment's silence before Nilthar burst out
laughing, "Hell no!", he chuckled.
     
     Everyone around the table looked confused and Nilthar
sighed, "For Demons there isn't any other way.. we're not
emotionally equipped to be anything but evil..", he explained,
"It's not like we want to be that way...".
     
     "But if you really wanted to change...", Keiichi began.
     
     Nilthar shook his head, "That's the point, we don't know any
better", he said, "How do you describe an emotion to someone
who's never experienced it?".  Everyone was silent for a long
time and Nilthar nodded, "Exactly", he said, "Unless you
experience an emotion, people telling you about it aren't going
to convince you".  Nilthar finished his tea and nodded to
Belldandy, "Thank you", he said politely, "It was very nice".
     
     Belldandy nodded, "You're welcome", she replied.
     
     "So what do we do now?", Keiichi asked, "We've got Megumi
back...".
     
     "We should try to keep Brett in bed", Urd observed, "It'll
be easier to keep track of him".
     
     Nilthar nodded, "Don't worry about that", he assured her,
"He won't be waking up from that sleep spell for a while...".
     
     "Sleep spell?", Urd asked suspiciously, "Why'd you use a
sleep spell on him?".
     
     "Does the name 'Phalarus' ring a bell?", Nilthar asked.
     
     Urd gasped and everyone else looked confused.  Urd's
expression was grim as she explained the significance of that
name, "He was an evil god from a universe that we visited in our
little trip", she explained, "He possessed Brett's body.. he's
also one of the most evil creatures I've ever encountered...".
     
     "You and me both", Nilthar agreed, "He appeared in this
universe a month or so ago", he explained, "Somehow he found out
about my 'loss' to Brett and decided I'd be perfect to help him
get revenge.. then he met Tupnixua...".
     
     "That's a bad combination", Urd murmured.
     
     Nilthar nodded, "For some reason Phalarus is obsessed with
taking over Brett's body again", he explained, "Tupnixua
recognised how powerful Phalarus would be in this world and
agreed to help.. we were suppose to ambush Brett when he returned
to earth.. but he was gone for much longer than we expected..".
     
     Urd nodded, "Longer than we expected too", she murmured.
     
     "Well at that point Tupnixua decided on a new plan", he
explained, "Kidnap someone close to Brett and that would bring
him out... I joined the mission for my own reasons, but it
appears that to a large extent their plan worked..".
     
     Skuld frowned, "What do you mean?", she demanded.
     
     Nilthar looked around the room, "Couldn't you feel it?", he
asked.  At their blank expressions Nilthar sighed, "I don't
understand how you can defeat us so often and be so blind at the
same time...".
     
     "You don't mean...", Keiichi began.
     
     "Phalarus possessed him a few seconds before I hit him with
my spell", Nilthar confirmed.

     "But wasn't it Brett that teleported us out of there?", Urd
asked, "How'd he do it if you had him under a sleep spell?".

     Nilthar frowned, "I hadn't thought of that", he admitted.

     
                         ******
     
     I awoke in a room that seemed strangely familiar.  It was a
round room that looked like something out of the middle ages, the
furniture was old but it looked comfortable.  All in all it
looked like a room at the top of a tower.  I stood up and walked
around the room. I noticed a window and with a profound sense of
familiarity, I opened it.  A panorama of stars greeted me and 
I was awestruck for a few moments, then I heard a knocking. 
Looking around the room again, I noticed a door with some very
pronounced locks on it.  The knocking seemed to be coming from
it.
     
     I walked over and raised my hand to being unlocking the
door.  Suddenly I found myself reeling back as a bolt of force
hit me in the back, "What are you doing?", a voice asked harshly.
     
     I turned around to confront the person, only to find it was
me.  "This seems very familiar", I observed, massaging my sore
hand.
     
     "That's because it is", my counterpart replied, "We had the
same thing happen to us when we were in Lodoss".
     
     "Why are we here?", I asked him curiously.
     
     "You're memory really is gone", he observed, "Very well,
we're here cause Phalarus has possessed our body again".
     
     "Then who are you?", I asked, "If Phalarus is in my
body...".
     
     "I'm you as well", the other me replied, then he sighed,
"Gawd this would be easier if you had all our memories..".
     
     "You mean you do?", I wondered out loud.
     
     He nodded, "I have all our memories and feeling and powers
from the last two years", he confirmed.
     
     "Then if this is my body", I mused, "What the hell are you
doing in here?".
     
     "I got stuck in here when that Demon blasted you", he
explained, "And I've been trying not to interfere too much... but
it's been getting harder and harder to stay quiet..".
     
     I looked at my double, noting a few differences in our
appearance.  He was wearing a set of body armour that had a blue
sheen to it and his expression seemed very harsh.  He also had
several markings on his brow, a set of vertical lines either side
of a diamond-shaped pattern, "This is what we looked like for a
while in Lodoss", he explained, noticing my preoccupation with
his appearance.
     
     I frowned, "Why do you look like that?", I asked, "I thought
Lodoss wasn't a good trip..".
     
     "Who told you that?", he asked with a laugh, "Sure it didn't
work out like I hoped, but any day you ask a girl to marry you
and she accepts is a good one in my book...".
     
     I sat down heavily on a chair, "We.. I mean *I* purposed?",
I asked.
     
     He nodded, "Sure we did", he confirmed with a grin, "And Urd 
accepted.. we were going to tell everyone.. but...".
     
     "I ended up losing my memory", I guessed.
     
     "Right", he agreed, "But it wasn't lost, just removed..".
     
     I shook my head, "That's what I can't understand: why did
you do it?", I demanded.
     
     He frowned slightly, "There was an important reason", he
snapped, "Not that you'd understand!".
     
     I gave him curious look and he took a deep breath, "Sorry",
he apologised, "I find it difficult to control my temper
sometimes".  he nodded, "That's the main reason I decided to take
Kami-Sama up on his offer...".
     
     "What offer?", I asked quickly.
     
     The other me sat down on the bed, "The reason was simple",
he said, "It had to do with our purposing to Urd and the results
of it..".
     
     "What do you mean?", I asked quickly.  As he explain I
finally realised how much I had been in love with Urd. 
Apparently I'd seen into two alternate futures, one in which we'd
married and had children and the result had been the near
destruction of the world.  The other had been much better for the
world in 
general and I had a reasonable life, but Urd was miserable.
     
     "So you sacrificed your memories and powers for her?", I
asked in disbelief.
     
     "*WE* sacrificed our powers", he confirmed, "Kami-Sama
agreed to make everything the way it was the split second before
we met Urd, no memories of her, but also no Demon soul in us".
     
     I nodded, "So everyone could be happy", I observed.
     
     "Right", he grinned, "Everyone wins".
     
     I gave him a frank look, "You forgot one thing", I observed,
"What happens if we don't fall in love with Urd again?".
     
     He lost his grin, "You mean...", he began.
     
     I grimaced, "Urd hasn't been exactly happy with me", I
admitted, "And to be honest I don't really like her all that
much...".
     
     "WHAT?", He demanded, rising to his feet, "She's a great
girl, intelligent, beautiful.. what more do you want?".
     
     "How about someone who doesn't make all the decisions for
me?", I asked, "Someone who isn't overbearing and intolerant!".
     
     My double frowned thoughtfully, "She seems to act that way",
he admitted, "But once you get past that.. she's really a sweet
girl...".
     
     "It's getting past it", I observed, "She really keeps her
walls up..".
     
     He nodded, "Tell me about it", he observed.  Both of us
looked at each other and then burst out laughing, the laughter
lasted for nearly a minute.
     
     "So we're possessed then?", I asked, getting back to the
point of the conversation.
     
     "Right", he agreed, "Now the last time this happened we
ended up getting tossed out of our body and we only managed to
get Phalarus out of it by wounding ourselves to the point of
death...".
     
     I held up a hand, "I vote we try something else this time",
I observed dryly.
     
     My double nodded, "It wasn't exactly pleasant", he agreed. 
We tossed a few ideas around and ended up with no real new ideas. 
It seemed like we'd been there hours before my counterpart
nodded, "Well if we're out of ideas, lets talk to someone else",
he observed.
     
     "And how do we do that?", I asked.
     
     "Ahh!", he said knowingly, "Follow me grasshopper.. I shall
instruct you..".
     
     Grimacing at his humour I followed him over to the window,
"Now this worked last time", he said, opening it and standing on
the ledge.  I climbed up with him and he linked arms with me,
"Come on!", he said, jumping.
     
                              ******
     
     Urd was dreaming.  She didn't know how she knew, but she
was.  In fact it was a familiar dream.  It was a hot day and she
was sitting in front of a huge pool that was full of the
clearest, bluest water she'd ever seen.  She was wearing her
normal swimsuit and was carrying a towel.  Walking up to the
water she tested it with one toe, it was a pleasant temperature,
just enough to relieve from the heat of the sun, but not cold
enough to be uncomfortable.
     
     "It's been a while huh?", a familiar voice asked from close
behind her.
     
     Urd spun around to see Brett standing there with a fond
expression on his face, "How did you do this?", she asked,
looking around, "It's just like it was on Lodoss".
     
     Brett winked at her, "Shhh!", he said, "It's a secret".
     
     Urd frowned, "But..", she began.  A moment later Urd found
herself swept up in a huge hug, "I've missed you", Brett
whispered in her ear.  Brett seemed to notice Urd's
less-than-estatic greeting and he stepped back to look at her
closely, "What's wrong?", he asked.
     
     Urd gave him a frank look, "This is a bit of a change", she
observed dryly, "Since when do you 'miss me'?".
     
     Brett winced, "Damn", he observed, "He really screwed things
up...".
     
     Urd looked confused, "What are you talking about?", she
asked.
     
     "Are you two finished?", another voice asked.
     
     Urd turned around to see another Brett standing there, this
one had a grim expression on his face, "How about getting
everyone else here?", he asked pointedly.
     
     The first Brett gave Urd's arm a squeeze, "I'll be back
soon", he promised, disappearing in a flash of light.
     
     Urd turned around, "What's going on here?", she demanded
angrily.
     
     "Well", Brett sighed, "Apparently I've been possessed by
some kind of evil God named Phalarus and we're using the same
method that he used before to come up with a plan".
     
     "How do you know about that?", Urd asked carefully, "I
thought you didn't remember?".
     
     "I don't", Brett replied, "But the other me does, apparently
he's got all the memories and powers in him from the last two
years".
     
     Urd was silent for a few moments, "This is important", she
said seriously, "Did he explain why he made the choice to lose
his memory?".
     
     Brett nodded, "He did", he said softly.
     
     "Why did he do it?", she demanded, grabbing onto Brett's
arm.
     
     "He did it for you", he snapped, "he totally screwed up his
life and mine, because he didn't want you to suffer!".
     

     "What are you talking about", Urd whispered.
     
     So Brett explained.  He explained the premonitions and the
two choices that he'd been given.  "So basically he came up with
his own alternative", Brett concluded, "One that while it was
risky, promised greater rewards".
     
     Urd was speechless, she knew that Brett had seen something
of the future when they'd been on Cephiro, but he'd never talked
to her about it.  "Damn it", Urd said slumping to the ground.
     
     Brett blinked in surprise at her reaction.  She was more
that just upset, she was heartbroken.  He placed a hand on her
shoulder, "It was his decision", he said gently, "Not yours, so
don't get upset about something you can't change".
     
     Urd suddenly latched onto Brett as she cried, "Sorry", she
sobbed,  Brett let her cry and tried not to feel too awkward
about it, he murmured comforting things to her and after a few
minutes she stopped crying.
     
     "Feel better?", he asked her as she wiped away the last of
her tears.
     
     "A little", she replied, managing a small smile.  There was
a moment of awkward silence and then Brett stood up, "Everyone
else will be here soon", he announced, "How about a swim?".  Urd
nodded and the two of them jumped into the pool and swam around
until the first guests began to appear.
     
     First it was Skuld, she came walking along the path, looking
around in amazement, "Where am I?", she asked.
     
     "You're dreaming!", Urd said, splashing imaginary water on
her.
     
     Skuld ducked the water and jumped into the pool beside her
oldest sister, aiming her jump so that Urd got a mouthful of
water.  Much to Brett's amusement, the two sisters engaged in a
contest to see who could drown the other.  It ended when Brett
pulled both of them out of the water after they'd put each other
in a headlock and were sitting on the bottom.
     
     By that time Belldandy and Keiichi had arrived and were
sitting under a shady tree, enjoying the scenery.  Chia-Yao
arrived a few minutes later, along with Syliana and the other
Brett.  Everyone moved under the tree, some people staring at the
two almost identical Bretts.  "Ok!", the first Brett said, "to
make things easier, I'm B1 and he's B2".
     
     "So B1", Skuld said, pointing at the Brett in question, "Is
the original Brett that we all knew before his interview with
Kami-Sama?".
     
     Both Brett's nodded, "I'm the one that's been around for the
last couple of months", B2 agreed, "And I don't remember much of
the last two years".
     
     "So why are we here?", Keiichi asked, "I thought you were
possessed or something?".
     
     B1 nodded, "We're using the same method of communication
that I did when I was possessed previously", he explained.

     "So can't we use the same method for getting rid of Phalarus
as you did on Lodoss?", Chia-Yao asked.
     
     "NO!", Both Bretts and Urd shouted.
     
     Everyone looked a little confused, until B1 explained that
the method involved wounding Brett's body to the point of death. 
"Obviously Phalarus wouldn't fall for the same trick twice",
Syliana mused.
     
     "It wasn't a trick", B1 said quietly, "I'd rather die than
give an evil creature like that a body to inhabit..".
     
     Silence met that remark, "I don't understand how there can
be two of you", Syliana blurted out.
     
     B2 shrugged, "Apparently B1 is the second soul that was
fighting for control of my body before", he observed, "But
Phalarus is a big enough threat that our subconscious minds want
to work together to get rid of him".
     
     Skuld whistled softly, "Three souls in one body", she mused,
"I don't think I've heard of anything like it before..".
     
     B1 frowned, "I'd prefer to know how to get rid of the
foreign soul", he observed.
     
     B2 smiled slightly, "That makes two of us", he agreed.  B2
suddenly frowned and looked around, "Does it seem to be getting
darker?", he asked.
     
     Everyone noticed that the sky seemed to be getting cloudy
and B1 looked confused, "This is strange", he said, "It's always
suppose to be sunny..".
     
     By now clouds were racing across the sky and the wind began
to pick up, "FOOLS!", a voice called out from the sky, "You think
to trick me twice!".  A bolt of lightning struck down from the
sky, scattering everyone.  Urd, Skuld, Chia-Yao, Belldandy,
Keiichi and Syliana all woke up in their respective beds, 
screaming.  B1 and B2 found themselves back in the tower, the
window that they'd used to escape from it was barred shut from
the outside.
     
     "So what do we do now?", B2 asked.
     
     "Don't worry", B1 replied, "I have a plan!".
     
                                   ******
     
     Urd woke up screaming.  She was in good company, because her
scream was echoed throughout the temple.  A few minutes later
everyone was sitting around the dining room table sipping some
hot tea, "Now that was a vivid dream", Keiichi observed quietly,
sipping his tea.
     
     Skuld nodded, "I wonder if that's what Brett's precognitive
dreams are like", she wondered.
     
     Urd sighed, "I can't believe Phalarus is that much more
powerful in this world", she mused.
     
     "It might not be that he's more powerful", Belldandy pointed
out, "He might have just learnt from the last time this
happened..".
     
     A unhappy-looking Nilthar wandered into the room at that
point, "What's with all the screaming?", he asked bluntly, "I
thought I'd woken up in Hell again!".
     
     Urd briefly outlined the dream that they'd all shared,
Nilthar looked somewhat offended, "He didn't invite me?", he
complained, "I feel insulted".
     
     "It's quite possible that the other Brett still takes it
personally that you tried to kill him", Skuld pointed out.
     
     Nilthar nodded thoughtfully, "Possibly", he allowed.
     
     There was a flash of light and Chia-Yao appeared in the
room, "Wow!", he said, "What a dream!".  It was at that point
that he noticed Nilthar sitting calmly at the table and he
stopped, wide-eyed.
            
                                   ******
     
-----CONCLUDED IN PART 6