The Three (DC Comics) [Chapter XX]

[DC Comics]

"Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

Jeho parried the blade, standing his ground against the now crazed follower who had already sinned against him. The light from before continued to glow brightly until his entire body was engulfed. His voice boomed louder in response to Miracle's earlier reaction of scripture as he cited his own.

"And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals."

While covered in light Miracle could see Jeho changing shape. Going from 6'2 to 6'5, growing broader shoulders and an even stronger upper-body while his short hair fell down to his shoulders.

"And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?"

A beard dropped down from his chin, thick and gray. Further facial hair forming on his upper lip and connecting with the beard that reached down to his chest.

"And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon."

He was the brightest thing to be seen in all of Aircano, and on Genesis from up above. His light far exceeding anything that Miracle could ever produce even in now that he was mortal. For he had millenniums to master this art and a mind that could comprehend the greatest parts of the universe that wasn't completely lost on him now that he was mortal again. Finite. He raised his blade as the light slowly began to dim before the High Priestess.

"And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon."

Jeho was hurt that Miracle had doubted like Thomas did when his son was raised from the dead. Just as Thomas needed to see and feel the thorns in Jesus' hands and feet, so did Miracle need to see the face of her God and touch it where there could be no further denying him.

"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."

And long beheld the light finally dimmed completely.



With Lord Yahweh standing in the same spot, on the same soil as Jeho in his true form. The form that governed Jherra for ten thousand years.

"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

I AM.

[Miracle]

Miracle held up her staff arm towards her eyes to shield them from the light. It was just like the light from her vision, as beautiful as one would come to expect from God and those who descended from him. But it couldn't be. When the light faded the High Priestess madness was gone and in its place was shock as she looked upon the true face of THE LORD for the first time. Or what professed to be the true face of it. Miracle still couldn't accept it. Even now. The High Priestess persisted and screamed at him in her rage.

"And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death!"

Miracle hurled herself towards him again, swinging her blade horizontally while charging up a wave of holy energy to launch from her staff.

[DC Comics]

Lord Yahweh began to grow tired of the child's refusal to accept new revelation, much to the same extent as Aper was when Miracle stood against him in this very city when he tried to purge existence of the one destined to become The End. He blocked her sword a third time but did nothing to stop the holy light. When it was charged and ready he dropped his guard and stretched out his arms sideways, as if he was hung up on the cross, and allowed the light to touch him. Only to have it radiate off his body and make him even more beautiful and wonderful than he already was in this form.

"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."

[Miracle]

Miracle couldn't believe her own eyes. Never before has she stood witness to something embracing her holy energies like that. She was among the strongest holy users in the world, if not the strongest. And here he was accepting it into himself and allowing it to empower him. It was becoming harder and harder to deny what was right in front of her but she had one last card to play. And it was something she had vow never to do again. Miracle would have much to atone for when this battle was over.

"APER!"

Her voice echoed across the night's sky, the weight of it enough to cause the city to tremble as night became day and the light of Emmanuel cast its ray of infinite light down towards the city. Casting the shadow of the Second Aspect that towered over the High Priestess from behind with hues of a light blue with its gaze upon the figure of the man who declared himself THE LORD.



Aper had returned once more.

[DC Comics]

Lord Yahweh stood calmly where others would have trembled in fear at the presence of the Second Aspect. The same creature that was born from his own machinations. He watched as Miracle cried out his name as she used to do with his when she needed comfort. Now that she was unable to admit to herself he was the real Yahweh Aper was all she had left. He met the Arashi's gaze and then took a step forward. The glow from his body beginning to grow on his back and build up through the air. Great white wings made of light spread out from Yahweh's shoulder blades and the head of a dove could be seen hovering over him at the top. Also meeting the Second Aspect's gaze as both priestess and arashi would recognize what stood before them now.

It was the Holy Spirit.

"Receive ye the Holy Ghost."

The dove flew through the air, shinning a light that matched that of Emmanuel as it entered into Aper.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

[Miracle]

Miracle was enraged. She screamed at him again as her face began to turn red from the anger she felt inside her heart.

"Blasphemy! You blasphemy against the Spirit!"

The dove quickly approached Aper and at the last minute the Second Aspect did not mount a counter attack. He would indulge the man before him here today. Lowering the dual blades in his hands and allowing the Holy Spirit to enter into him. Its light continued to glow and threaten to blind both combatants before it became one with Aper. Empowering the Arashi as the holy energies from Miracle had empowered Jeho as Aper raised up its dual blades and swung them down upon the flesh of God.

[DC Comics]

"I AM THE LORD!"

Yahweh charged forward and under Aper as he came with his blades raised. The dual swords hitting the ground and creating a massive blast against the soil of the earth as God continued to his stubborn servant. He knew better than anyone that a power struggle against an arashi was a losing battle. For there was no force in the world that could over power them and he no longer had the power of a god on his side. Instead he went straight for the source itself. Bringing his blade down against her own.

"You know it to be true. That is why you battle against me in this way. I am THE LORD!"

[Miracle]

"No..."

Miracle didn't want to believe it. Regardless of the signs, regardless of the weight his voice carried when he professed such a thing. But she was running out of reasons to doubt. Everything inside of her practically screamed at her that this was her Lord. Even the way he acted in response to Aper and how he held himself in this battle.

"No!"

Their blades clashed and roared like thunder again in the aftermath of the ground where Yahweh once stood being destroyed. Miracle was unable to move Aper accordingly now that her attention was pulled away and towards Yahweh. All Aper could do was stand there as the two engaged each other.

"NO!"

Miracle disengaged Yahweh, dropping her sword and staff in disbelief as she dropped to her knees and begin to cry on the feet of her Lord. There was no denying it anymore. This was her god. Her lord. And his will was as clear as it has ever been.

"My soul is exceeding sorrowful."

She has been defeated.

[DC Comics]

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

At last she had accepted the overwhelming truth that stood before her eyes all of this time. He sheath his blade and looked down upon her as she wept on his feet. It pained her to see Miracle hurting and he wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but there was still one thing left to discuss. Choice. Miracle knew the truth, accepted the fact that her god wasn't everything he was once said to be. Yahweh was a mortal man who ascended to serve for only ten thousand years on the continent of Jherra and his reign was over. He also had no intention of fighting The End as he had made clear earlier. There was no resisting. Which only meant when The End entered the city he would allow her to purify him and he wished the same fate for Miracle. For them to die together. Would she? Could her faith exceed all expectations? Would it?

"You have a choice to make."

[Miracle]

Miracle's hand reached up to grab the end of Yahweh's robes as she looked up at him. Tears still streaming down her cheeks as her eyes were pleading, pleading for another alternative to show itself. It was the Aper situation all over again. Only this time there would be no going back. From either choice he was giving her.

"Does it have to be this way? Is there no way we can stop The End? No way at all?"

[DC Comics]

"There is no resisting The End. I already told you."

He has given up. Miracle could tell that from one simple glance into his eyes. This was a cup that he would not take away, but at the same time he would not force her to drink it. She knew what it meant not to though and so the choice was hers as he extended his hand down to her.

"Will you stand with me till the end?"

[Miracle]

For once in her life Miracle didn't take the hand, nor did she reject it. She looked up at her god with a mixture of shock and confusion on her young facial features at what she was hearing, and seeing. Lord Yahweh; god of Jherra had given up. Was it because of his renewed mortality? Has he been a god for so long that he forgot what it meant to be human? Would he sooner face obliteration than try to raise arms to fight?

"There must be a way."

The High Priestess replied as she pulled herself back up to her feet wiping away the tears in her eyes on her sleeve.

"You would not have created such beings without a way to stop them if they were to ever turn on you. Why have you given up? Is it because you're no longer a god anymore?"

[DC Comics]

"I already told you, there is no resisting The End."

Yahweh was beginning to sound irritated but that only revealed there was more to this than he was letting on. The more she questioned the more irritable he became until finally...

"I will not be spoken about in the past tense!"

He burst.

"The truth that has been revealed here today will be let out eventually. Then my followers will renounce me one by one. People will talk about how the Lord thy God used to be great. They will talk of me like I am a thing of the past. I cannot... I will not... I refuse to be talked about in such a way!"

[Miracle]

His outburst came as a shock even to the High Priestess. But there was no anger seen in her eyes, not this time. Instead there was only sorrow, even pity as she felt sympathetic of the man standing in front of her. Yahweh had lied to her but it was only out of fear. Fear of everyone abandoning him. Maybe he wasn't as flawless as she was led to believe but he was still her god. A man or not. Mortal or not. And he was far from powerless as was seen here today during their confrontation.

"I won't renounce you."

Miracle walked over to him. Aper beginning to fade as his presence was no longer needed at this moment. It was just them and the dual suns in the sky now as she took his hand and wrapped her own around it. Looking into his eyes lovingly.

"Even if everyone else abandons you. Even if I'm the only one remaining. I'll never renounce you."

[Sincara]

The arrival of the Final Aspect and the earth-shattering scream of the Night Angel of course was unable to go unnoticed by Sincara as she walked towards the one city she expected the Arashi to reach on their path to the Downward Spiral. Aircano her home. The previous two Arashi had both visited the city, Veran's arrival as a consequence to the rebuilding of Aircano in the Crystal Expanse and the wedding seen as unholy to the Lord. The defiance that even after all of that the holy city remained standing would not be able to go ignored by the Final Aspect as it made its walk towards the Spiral. And Sincara would be waiting for it. Until that time, there was another matter to intend to before the Arashi's arrival. Upon entering the city Sincara overheard the last words spoken by Lord Yahweh and the High Priestess. Sickened by the inexcusable words of the former god and even more so by the blind loyalty of the High Priestess. As the two came together Sincara stood across from them now. Her eyes burning holes in both as she spoke in patronizing to the two.

"Awe. How sweet..."

Seeing not one, but two of the people who had a whole lot to answer for in the same place at the same time would have felt like Christmas to the brunette if not for the growing situation happening outside their walls. Eventually personal grievances will have to be put aside in order to stop The End. Sincara wouldn't allow either to be destroyed by this enemy. There'd be no escaping judgment that easily.

"Am I interrupting?"