*And so the festivities continued long into the day until Vixen and her company had to bid them farewell. Tifanel is clearing up the mess in the grounds and Laurenza is sat on the altar. Falos comes running up to Laurenza.*
Falos: *Has a mystified look on his face and speaks in a far away, hollow kind of voice.* Your Highness... the Divine Protection... is fading... *He falls to the ground and disappears like water turning to steam.*
Laurenza: Whoa...
Thorn: *Runs out of the castle.* Did Falos come this way?
Laurenza: Yeah, he came and went.
Thorn: Where did he go?
Laurenza: I don't know, he just sort of… vanished.
Thorn: Where exactly?
Laurenza: Well, he was here a second ago and then just disappeared into thin air.
Thorn: I can't understand where he went...
Laurenza: Oh god... The castle... look at the castle!
Thorn: *Looks round at the castle to see that the sapphire blue walls of the castle appear to be 'melting' away.*
Laurenza: What's happening...?
Thorn: *Holds up his hands to the castle.* FREEZE!
Laurenza: I'm sure glad you've got that. Wait... Falos said something about the Divine Protection.
Thorn: *Looks shocked.* The… what?
Laurenza: I don't know much about it myself, but my parents said that it was a big barrier around Dalimoor to keep something in the world safe from the wrong people.
Thorn: *Slumps down on the grass, his face shocked. He seems to be in some state of catatonia.*
Laurenza: Thorn? Are you okay? Thorn! *Shakes him some.*
Thorn: *He cannot hear her.*
Laurenza: What's wrong with you...? Why wont you answer me...? Was it something I said? I've got to do something! *Thinks for a moment.* Oh, this is such a mess! I've got to go to the World's End to check on the Divine Protection, but I can't just leave him here like this...
*A transparent hand waves in front of Laurenza's face.*
Laurenza: Wah!
*The ghostly image of a winged woman is standing behind her.*
Laurenza: Who're you?
Red: I am Red, a Dark Angel, like Thorn. He called upon me to invite me to his wedding. Am I a bit late?
Laurenza: Dark... Angel?
Red: He didn't tell you, huh? That's just like Thorn, didn't tell me he had been promoted either...
Laurenza: Well, I guess that's what I get for marrying someone I hardly know...
Red: You're his bride?
Laurenza: Yeah, something wrong with that?
Red: No, of course not. It's just…
Laurenza: What...?
Red: Nothing. Do you think I could see Thorn before I go?
Laurenza: Um well... he's kinda... well. *Gestures to Thorn.*
Red: *Kneels down beside him.* Thorn...
Laurenza: He doesn't seem to hear us.
Red: You don't have any Mages who could wake him?
Laurenza: Fresh out of Mages since Kuja left.
Red: *Looks puzzled.* This is Dalimoor?
Laurenza: It is.
Red: How did I get through the Divine Protection?
Laurenza: Apparently it's slowly fading right now.
Red: Then... it's only a matter of time...
Laurenza: Until...?
Red: He'll come. He'll come for Thorn. Thorn must have known. That's why he's…
Laurenza: Who? Who?
Red: ...Lucifer.
Laurenza: THE Lucifer?!
Red: Yes.
Laurenza: But... why?
Red: Ages and ages ago, in the depths of Hell, Thorn lived. He was appointed to be gatekeeper, and then after a while, he was promoted to a Dark Angel. A war broke out between the Dark Angels and the Archangels. Both the sides killed each other. It is said that only Thorn and Lucifer remained. Thorn stole all the Dark Angels' power and used it to break free from Hell. Me, Scorn and Ares were Elite Dark Angels, the three, but with us dead Thorn became the last Dark Angel. He rivalled Lucifer himself. But old Thorn was too cowardly to just stand up to Lucifer, so he fled, and obviously came to this dimension because of the Divine Protection.
Laurenza: *Looks totally dumbstruck.*
Red: I'm sorry if this is a bit sudden, but you can understand why Thorn never told you...
Laurenza: Yeah. Wow, it's pretty unbelievable...
Red: That's Hell.
Laurenza: We should do something to help Thorn.
Red: *Smiles.* I know how to wake him up.
Laurenza: With an alarm clock?
Red: No. *Takes her fist and plunges it straight through Thorn's head.*
Thorn: *Shivers and then snaps out of it.*
Laurenza: Whoa...
Thorn: Red? *Gets up.*
Laurenza: Nice reunion, I suppose...
Red: Thorn, you don't have to be scared of Lucifer anymore...
Thorn: I'm no match for him.
Red: Just because he knows how to kill you? God, Thorn, it's easily avoidable, just cover your ears...
Thorn: Like you did, you mean.
Laurenza: *Listens in curiously.*
Red: We weren't ready... you are.
Thorn: How do I know he's gonna use it on me? What if he's figured out some other way?
Red: Well, if you can't help yourself, Thorn, then I'm not even gonna try...*Vanishes.*
Laurenza: Well, she wasn't very friendly.
Thorn: I stole all her Magick. She doesn't like me much.
Laurenza: Oh… I can see why now.
Thorn: He's going to kill me, Laurenza. I've abused what he let me have and he'll kill me, and all those I care for.
Laurenza: We won't let him. No one kills my husband! I'm going to the World's End to stop whatever's destroying the Divine Protection.
Thorn: I'll come with you.
Laurenza: We should get going then. It's a long way away
Thorn: *Grabs Laurenza around the waist and they teleport away.*

*They get to the place known as the World's End after a few minutes. At first glance, it looks like an empty field that stretches endlessly off into the horizon.*
Thorn: The end, in more ways than one.
Laurenza: *Walks across the field then stops and reaches forward, and touches something invisible and it moves like water.* This'll be the Divine Protection, I guess…
*Suddenly something starts to appear. They are now stood in a room with a large doorway behind them and two staircases leading up and down, and another doorway in between. There is also a large desk and a gigantic set of scales.*
Thorn: What is happening?
Laurenza: I'm not sure.
*Falos appears in front of them. He then changes into another person who is also blonde, but with green eyes. He looks all shiny and is dressed in white robes. He has a golden symbol on his forehead and a pair of white wings on his back.*
Thorn: Falos…? What is happening?
Falos: This is the Causeway of Reckoning: the path between Heaven, Hell, the mortal realm and the Spirit World.
Thorn: It seemed familiar...
Falos: I'm sorry. I owe you both a lot of explanation. Dalimoor is not a real world.
Laurenza: It's not?
Falos: No. It is an image held together by Magick of the Spirits. It was constructed to protect something.
Thorn: Protect what?
Falos: The Malaphaescite.
Laurenza: The what?
Falos: The Malaphaescite: an artefact of great power born of the Spirit's Magick. To be perfectly honest, not much is known about the Malaphaescite. It is rumoured that when the time is right, it has the power to heal the universe, but also the power to destroy it. We created Dalimoor and the Divine Protection to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. The Protection is maintained by three Spirits of the Luneblanche Council, my father, my sister and myself. It was designed to keep all of those of pure evil out, but it has been breached three times. First, around twelve years ago, by Azinder the Demonic Black Mage, although we don't know how he got in. Second by Azinder again, more recently, but we know someone let him in. Lastly, by Red the Dark Angel, but the Protection was currently weakened at that time. We are working to reinforce it now, but something is attacking it.
Thorn: It's Lucifer.
*An old Spirit with faded blonde hair appears.*
Spirit: It would actually appear to be one of Lucifer's pawns… The one named Kuja.
Thorn: How do you know?
Siun: I know a lot of things, Dark Angel. They call me Siun the Wise.
Falos: Kuja… Father, are you sure it's him?
Siun: I think I would know, Lierlo…
Laurenza: Kuja's a traitor... Lucifer's coming... It's just not our day.
Thorn: *Puts his hands on Laurenza's shoulders.* It is our day. Ours. I will destroy both Lucifer and Kuja, and I will not fail.
Laurenza: That's the spirit! *Looks to Lierlo and Siun.* Heh, heh... ironic.
Thorn: *Turns to Siun.* Take me to them.
Siun: You are sure?
Thorn: I am Thorn. I shall prevail.
Siun: Very well then.

*Thorn is teleported to somewhere in Dalimoor where Kuja is. Kuja is throwing all his Magick at the barrier and a hole is becoming visible. Azinder and another Demonic Black Mage step through.*
Thorn: *Strikes Kuja across the back of the neck.*
Kuja: *Stumbles and turns around.* Nice to see you too, Thorn.
Thorn: Power of Chronos, I implore you, Wind and Stone, I ask you... Hold!
*Kuja is encased by thick, suffocating air, but he burns it open with a fire spell.*
Kuja: You'll have to do better than that… *Starts to charge a spell aimed at Thorn.*
Azinder: Oh, look at you. Fighting like animals... Can't you talk this out like civilised gentlemen? *Grins.*
Mage: Come on, brother, you know you like a good fight just as much as the next guy.
Azinder: Yes, the emphasis is on the 'good' part, Gallinda.
Thorn: Must we have the commentary?
Azinder: It's a free country.
Kuja: Actually, I did want to talk to you, Thorn...
Thorn: Hmmm?
Kuja: Am I right in thinking you and Laurenza are married now?
Thorn: Yes. It was a beautiful wedding. Shame you were too busy opening doors for people, like some footman.
Kuja: *Seems to ignore the last comment.* I'm sure it was all smells and bells, but are you comfortable with marrying one you hardly know? There are so many things you don't know about her...
Thorn: There are so many things I didn't know about you, Kuja. I thought you were your own man.
Kuja: I am no one's lap dog. I have my reasons for doing people favours... But how about you and her? What do you know about her past? When's her birthday? What were her parent's names? Her brother's name? Favourite colour? Food? Animal? Are these things immaterial to you?
Thorn: *Laughs.* I'm sorry, Kuja. You're so pathetic it's funny. You've let others lead you. You're just a puppet. You have to let a stronger person take care of you, which is why you've changed sides. You'd just adore to be powerful and dominating, like me. You'd love to be loved, like me.
Kuja: I am not a… puppet! *His eyes blaze like fire for a moment. He looks like he is ready to explode with anger, but it subsides.* My loyalty has always been to myself! I just feign it for others when the time is right, when I need a means to an end. To someone's end...
Thorn: You're going to lose if you fight against me, Kuja. I am too strong, too great. If you fight me, you will die. I will slaughter you. I will drink your blood and you will scream, scream your heart out, and I will prevail. I always do.
Kuja: You're so bloody full of yourself. *Approaches the Divine Protection and places his left palm on it, and a small hole begins to open.*
Thorn: Bring 'em on.
*As the hole grows Lucifer's voice can be heard.*
Lucifer: I'm disappointed with you, Kuja. You have failed your mission.
Azinder: Never send a mortal to do a Demon's job, I say.
Lucifer: All I asked was for you to bring me the Malaphaescite, but your pitiful mortal emotions got in the way.
Azinder: His love for the Queen distracted him from his mission, heheh.
Lucifer: So, I have to come here and do it myself. Well at least, since I am here... *The hole is wide enough for him to step through, and he does. He is very tall and has black hair with red tips.* …I can kill two birds with one stone, or rather... *Summons two ravens.* Get one stone with two birds... Hahahah!
Thorn: Centé! *The birds are fried with a fire spell.*
Lucifer: Oh, that's killed my pun... never mind, I'll kill you my way.... But first… *To Kuja.* …Thanks are in order. *Raises his hand. Kuja is floated into the air with his back facing the ground and his chest facing the sky. A dark light surrounds him and he begins to scream as something small and black is torn out of his chest and it floats into Lucifer's hand. Kuja drops to the ground.* Thank you. Ah, my unlimited pass into Dalimoor. *To Thorn.* Well, well. How are you, my old friend?
Thorn: More powerful and destructive than ever, thank you.
Lucifer: And just as egotistical. But I'm afraid that you're standing in the way of my goal, so move or be moved.
Thorn: *Laughs.* I don't take orders from underdogs.
*Some laughter from Azinder and Gallinda.*
Lucifer: So I guess it's the latter...
Thorn: *Blasts dark energy at Azinder and Gallinda.* I don't like an audience.
Azinder: *Puts up a barrier to stop the dark energy.* Oh, but I was so looking forward to see Lucifer's butt kicked. Oh well. We do have duties to attend to... *They teleport away.*
Lucifer: Ready or not. *Claps and Thorn is struck by dark lightning.*
Thorn: *Stands up.* I'll admit you're strong…
Lucifer: I'm only just warming up.
Thorn: Boy, that's original.
Lucifer: I'm not here to make ground-braking retorts; I'm here to kill you. *Thousands of Hell beasts with gnashing fangs, lashing tails and ripping claws run at Thorn, attacking him.*
Thorn: Freeze. *They all stop in their tracks,* You seem to have forgotten, Luce… *Throws them all into the Divine Protection, paralysing them with holy energy*...How strong I am. You know what's driving me, Luce?
Lucifer: Anger? Hatred? Vengeance?
Thorn: Power? Love? Kinda all of it, but really... I wanna know how your blood's gonna taste. That's what's driving me.
Lucifer: I'm afraid that's one pleasure you won't be experiencing.
Thorn: Why? Has the well run dry?
Lucifer: No, because if any blood is going to be spilled today, it's yours.
Thorn: If you want the Malaphaescite, then you're not really powerful, you're bored. If you had true power, you'd be terrorising every person you could reach. I am the only thing standing in the way of it, and I can't say much for your chances. Did you forget who I am? How much power I have?
Lucifer: You really like the sound of your own voice, don't you?
Thorn: I learnt from the master. You've always liked to command. You never wanted people to know the truth...
Lucifer: The truth?
Thorn: You know that nobody feared the last Dark Angel, no. They all feared you. The truth is, Luce, that on that day, when you sent all your minions to fight the Archangels, I took all their power. In my veins, in my body, the powers of the two greatest armies run...
Lucifer: Greedy bastard.
Thorn: Greedy, but strong. Way stronger than you. Or didn't you know that?
Lucifer: When will your yearning for power stop, or will you keep going until you have power over the whole Universe? By that time, there won't be a Universe…
Thorn: Hmm? Really? I don't think so. You may think I'm gonna use that power for evil, Luce. But I'm not. When I came here for the Malaphaescite, I met someone. My wife, Laurenza. She's shown me how there can be kind and beautiful things in this Universe. So now, I'm just gonna get pleasure out of killing anyone that wants to destroy it...
Lucifer: Oh, you've got me wrong, Thorn. We don't want the Malaphaescite for destroying the Universe.
Thorn: Yup. Didn't see that one coming...
Lucifer: No, no we're saving the Universe from being destroyed.
Thorn: Really?
Lucifer: Yes.
Thorn: Just because you're gonna try and attempt to stop that war, it doesn't mean I'm not going to kill you...
Lucifer: The feeling's mutual. *Throws a pointed, flaming rock spear at Thorn's chest.*
Thorn: Nice shot...*Pulls it out and his chest heals itself.* Let's see if I can get the bull's-eye... *He throws the rock right back at Lucifer, impaling his head. Lucifer bleeds and Thorn stops the blood from touching the earth by catching it in a chalice he brought out of his pockets.* Cheers. *Raises his chalice to his lips and drinks deep.* Hmm... tepid. *Dark clouds appear above him, his eyes glow black once again.* But I've got things to do...*Teleports to Laurenza.*

*Back in the Spirit world, Lierlo, Tifanel and Siun are looking over a bed which has Laurenza on it.*
Thorn: *Appears next to them.* What next?
Tifanel: Heebajeezus, Thorn! Don't do that. You scared the hell out of me!
Lierlo: You're back, and apparently uninjured. I assume you won. However, things here aren't fairing so well. A few minutes ago, Laurenza fainted.
Thorn: Did you try and wake her?
Siun: We try not to meddle in mortal's lives.
Tifanel: A lousy excuse for not doing anythin', I think.
Thorn: *Goes next to the bed and crouches down.* Laurenza!
Laurenza: Mmm, Thorn? *Opens her eyes.* You're back... I guess you beat him then? Are you hurt?
Thorn: No. Are you?
Laurenza: I'm okay. It was weird, all of a sudden I could hear someone screaming and then I just blacked out.
Thorn: Oh...
Laurenza: But tell me about what happened with you. Is Kuja... dead?
Thorn: Yes. I believe so. Lucifer took something out of him...
Laurenza: *Looks saddened for a moment.* Took... something... out of him?
Thorn: Something black.
Siun: Does Lucifer still have it, or is he dead as well?
Thorn: No, he's dead.
Lierlo: Right. *Vanishes in a ball of flames, and a moment later, he reappears with the black thing.*
Thorn: What is it?
Lierlo: Is this...? It can't be... *Hands it to Siun.* Father... is this...?
Siun: ...A shard of the Malaphaescite. Small in size and power compared to the Malaphaescite itself.
Lierlo: But how did it get inside Kuja?
Laurenza: *Looks confused.* I hate it when people know more than I do...
Thorn: Maybe it's not our place...
Siun: No, no. This matter concerns all of us here. *Gives a side glance to Tifanel.* Well, maybe not so much him...
Thorn: *Stands, giving Siun a menacing look.* Well, maybe if it does concern all of us, you might want to tell all of us?
Siun: No need to get nasty. I shall tell you, if you feel you are ready. Kuja came into possession with a Malaphaescite shard by having intercourse with the Oracle of Spirits, the carrier of the Malaphaescite itself. When the Oracle joins with one that her heart truly desires, a shard is passed on. The Malaphaescite is more than just an artefact. It is a living thing.
Thorn: Why wasn't it destroyed?
Siun: The Malaphaescite?
Thorn: If something so good can cause so much evil, why wasn't it destroyed a long time ago?
Siun: *Gestures to Laurenza.* Would you like to kill her?
Thorn: Ah, another Laurenza secret...
Siun: Imagine how the First Oracle's husband must have felt. Do you think he would have so easily killed her just to destroy the stone?
Lierlo: Up until now it has been safely guarded by Oracles of Dalimoor, and its existence was unknown outside of the Spirit World.
Laurenza: Bloody hell, this is unreal... How come I didn't know about this?
Siun: Well, mortals and Demons alike have an awful lust for power, and tend to abuse it. Since you are half-mortal, we felt you would be better off not knowing...
Laurenza: That's nice of you...
Lierlo: I'm sorry, Laurenza, but you have been one of the most dangerous Oracles we've had in a long time. You have the potential to use its power for evil, so I took the form of Falos to make sure you stayed on the path of righteousness. Your hedonistic nature could have turned you to evil for good, so although I don't often meddle in the lives of mortals, I drew one to you who could calm your wild spirit with true love.
Siun: *Scowls a little at Lierlo, yet says nothing.*
Laurenza: Wow, that's a lot to take in. *Flops onto the bed.*
Siun: You wanted to know, so we told you.
Thorn: So, what next? What new responsibility is gonna befall me to stop me from being with my wife?
Siun: We never said that you will be separated from her, and for the time being we are safe, as Lucifer is dead, and Kuja who could open the Protection has also passed on.
Lierlo: I shall go back to reinforcing the Divine Protection. *Vanishes.*
Thorn: Tifanel?
Tifanel: *Leaning against a wall.* Zzzzzz... Huh, what?
Thorn: Do you have something you ought to be doing?
Tifanel: Probably, but I have no idea what.
Laurenza: Tif, I order you to go away.
Tifanel: Yes ma'am. *Leaves the room.*
Thorn: *Looks at Siun.* And you...?
Siun: I can take a hint. *Is gone.*
Thorn: It's been quite a day.
Laurenza: Tell me about it.
Thorn: So much, I forgot it was our wedding night.
Laurenza: Hmm. Maybe if wished really hard, I'll wake up back in my bed with you and none of this stuff has happened...
Thorn: It has. That's it. The only way we can deal with it is to deal with it.
Laurenza: Well, I suppose that goes without saying. But let's try and make the most of what's left of our wedding night, if you catch my drift...
Thorn: Yes. *Climbs on the bed next to her.*
*Thorn and Laurenza rock the kasbah.*

*Afterwards...*
Laurenza: Heheh...
Thorn: Hmm?
Laurenza: Oh nothing, nothing.
Thorn: Tell me.
Laurenza: Oh, all right. You're much better than Kuja.
Thorn: Oh...
Laurenza: I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.
Thorn: It's okay. I knew. I knew about you and Kuja.
Laurenza: *Looks down.* We were really close, for a time, closer than I was with any of the others...
Thorn: *Smiles at her.* Are you trying to send me into a rage again?
Laurenza: I can't change my past.
Thorn: I know.
Laurenza: But it was just a summer thing, you know, and he's gone now...
Thorn: Yeah...
Laurenza: So I wouldn't worry about competition.
Thorn: Hmm...
Laurenza: But I suppose one good thing came out of my past. I got a lot of… *Makes an risqué gesture.* …Practice, if you know what I mean. *Winks.*
Thorn: *Gets out of the bed, now fully clothed with his hair tied back.* I'm going to... get some air...*Leaves.*
Laurenza: Thorn! Oh… Is my mouth even connected to my brain? *Bangs head on the bed.*