They stared in shock and awe at Saytarus' transformation. The God let out one more loud roar before jumping high into the air. The team had dodged the attack last second. The battle continued to wage. A few nomads charged Saytarus and he crushed them and their horses with his hands and hooves. Illya swiftly shot a few arrows at him. They struck him in the back but Saytarus seemed unphased. Anastasia cast fire spells, leaving burns but the God was still unaffected. He then leapt into the air and slammed down, forcing the team to narrowly dodge once again. Illya readied her katana. Saytarus threw a punch only for James to create an earth shield to block it. Saytarus, however, broke through it but it provided Illya enough time to dodge the attack. Tracker and Kydaana moved in, landing attacks each. Kydaana blasted Saytarus with her ice mana. Tracker struck with his hammer. The duo moved swiftly around him but Saytarus swung his arms, hitting both and sending them back. They managed to catch themselves but moved in to attack him once again. Kydaana stabbed with her spear and tracker swung his hammer but Saytarus blocked both of their weapons with his bare hands. Suddenly, Roven and Crow came in. They slashed at the God's legs. The wounds healed more slowly but it forced Saytarus onto his knees. James then placed his hands on the ground and a giant rock fist emerged from the earth, hitting Saytarus in the face and sending him high into the air. Anastasia then closed her eyes and placed her hands together, looking as if she was praying. Fire appeared around her hands. The flame grew larger and larger. She then opened her, eyes, moved her hands to her waist and moved them together to above her head. She then made fists and moved them to her side before extending her arms all the way out and with open hands, a massive storm of fire emerged from her palms and hit Saytarus, engulfing him in flame. Illya nocked an arrow and point the yumi at Saytarus. She closed her eyes and pulled the bowstring back. A black aura began to surround Illya and then culminate in the arrowhead. She then fired the arrow. The arrow moved faster than the eye could blink and it shot Saytarus in the chest. The God let out a pained groan. The arrow continued to attempt to pierce his chest, as if the weapon had a mind of its own. The arrow succeeded and pierced its way through Saytarus, leaving a massive hole in his back. Divine blood rained from the sky before he came crashing to the earth. Servants stopped a moment to look at their master. When Saytarus landed, he slammed hard into the earth, leaving a crater. The team swiftly rushed in to look at him. Illya drew her katana, keeping the weapon ready.

"Did we get him?" asked James.

Saytarus was unmoving.

"I think we got him," said Illya slowly forming a smile.

"Ka kaw!" cried Roven.

The team then turned around to return to the battle when suddenly there was a sound behind. Illya turned to look only for her to be punched hard in the face by Saytarus. It sent her flying back and she skidded on the ground and rolled, with her face down but katana in hand.

"Illya!" Anastasia called out.

Saytarus laughed.

"You foolish mortals. Did you really think it would be that easy to kill a God?!"

The wound in Saytarus' chest was slowly healing.

"Anastasia! Go to Illya! We'll cover you!" called out James.

Anastasia ran to Illya as the team began their battle with Saytarus. However, the God moved faster than before and cutoff Anastasia. He then slammed his fist down hard onto her, knocking her down.

"Anastasia!" called out Kydaana.

The rest of the team moved in and attack Saytarus. James engaged the God in hand-to-hand combat. He equipped himself with rock armor and the two exchanged numerous blows. Saytarus' hits knocked off chunks of the armor and then he kicked James hard in the chest with a hoof, sending him into the crater. Roven and Crow moved swiftly around the God, leaving wounds of all sorts. Roven and Crow then back away, closing their eyes, and attack with their ultimate elemental moves. Crow cut through Saytarus' back and Roven went through the chest, practically severing the God in two. The two breathed heavily, exhausted from using their power. Saytarus then fell over and the two investigated him. Saytarus' leg then kicked Crow and then punched Roven hard, taking them both down. The God then reconnected himself and the wound heal almost instantaneously. Kydaana and Tracker then readied themselves.

"Is there anyway for us to win this Tracker?" she asked as Saytarus turned their way with a grin.

"I don' think there is. You should escape while you can Kydaana," he said.

"No!" she yelled.

"If I die, I'm going down fighting. If I fled while our friends died, I couldn't live with myself!"

Tracker looked at Kydaana. He was surprised by how stern she looked.

"Very well Kydaana. Let's give him a fight he won't forget!"

Tracker and Kydaana then charged Saytarus. The God merely grinned.

"At least you realize you have no hope of winning. Though I respect your courage, in the end...it is pointless."

Kydaana and Tracker engaged Saytarus. Slashing, hacking, freezing, and shooting, throwing the God off. They held him off for a few minutes but they began to grow exhausted themselves. Saytarus then moved, he back handed Kydaana, knocking her down and hitting Tracker hard in the chest. Saytarus then stomped hard on Tracker's legs. He let out a pained cry. Saytarus laughed before going over to Illya. Anastasia and Illya were unconscious while the team was still semi-conscious. Saytarus looked at Illya.

"To think Re's daughter and Tomoe's inheritor could be so weak! If we did not need you, little Elf, I would have crushed you under my hooves!" Saytarus mocked.

He the grabbed Illya by the horn and lifted her high for all to see. Blood rolled down face. Some of it dripped onto her sword. Saytarus let out a roar and the battle stopped. The Servants grinned while the nomads gasped. The team could only watch, helpless that they could do nothing.

"This is mortal kinds last hope! A weak little girl pretending to be a warrior! Yet she was so easily defeated. Curious. This proves that mortals have no, and never had the right to exist! You could never hope to beat us!" Saytarus laughed.

Anastasia found herself in darkness. Then, the room changed. She found herself at home. It was the living room and everyone was there. She smiled upon seeing Lacrim, Re, Illya, and the rest of her siblings. They smiled at her. Illya was not wearing her armor. She was wearing a red dress.

"Come on over Ana!" Illya

Anastasia walked over to them and Illya reached out a hand. The moment the two touched hands, a crack appeared, stretching from her arm to her shoulder. Cracks then formed on Re, Lacrim, and the rest of the children.

"No! No! Do not go! Please!" Anastasia pleaded.

The cracks grew further.

"Please! Do not leave me alone!"

They then shattered. Anastasia then found herself in darkness once more. She curled up into a ball and began to cry.

"No...I...I am all alone again...I...I failed...."

Suddenly, an apparition appeared behind Anastasia and hugged her. She looked to see her mother Eliana. Anastasia then leaned into her embrace.

"It is not over yet my child," she whispered.

"How? I failed. I failed to save father, Re, my brothers and sisters, everyone!"

"You have not failed and you are not alone. There is still hope. Keep fighting. Protect your sister. Wake up!"

Anastasia then opened her eyes. She heard the laughter and bragging of Saytarus. He was not facing her. Anastasia slowly stood back up. Despite feeling weak and her wounds aching, she moved forward. She then sparked a fire spell in her hands. Her hood was knocked down, letting her long red hair flow freely with the wind. She then leapt onto Saytarus' back, burning him with flames. He cried out dropped Illya, attempting to get Anastasia off his back. By now, the sun was beginning to rise.

Illya found herself shrouded in darkness. She heard distant voices call her name. They sounded far away. She heard her father, then her mother, then her siblings, then her friends, then, finally, Anastasia.

As the sun continued to rise, light began to shine on Illya's face.

"I am sorry everyone!" Illya cried "I failed. I failed to save you all. I...I was too weak," she said.

Illya fell her to her knees and her tears began to fall into the void that encompassed her. Suddenly, the darkness was replaced by light. It was such a brilliant light that when Illya looked at it she had to squint. It was circular like the sun. In the middle, the dark silhouette of a figure with horns could be seen. She reached out a hand. Illya approached the figure and grabbed the hand. A brilliant golden wheel then appeared behind Illya. From the middle circle, numerous curved spokes pierced the outside of the wheel.

Saytarus continued his struggle against Anastasia. He eventually managed to grab her.

"Foolish girl! Die!" Saytarus then slammed Anastasia hard into the ground and she cried out.

Illya heard the pained cries and the bright light faded. She was trapped in darkness.

"No! Stop!" Illya called out but the cries continued.

She fell to her knees and covered her pointed ears.

"Stop it! Stop it!"

She began to grow angry and scenes played before her eyes. She watched her sister be taken. She saw all the dead from Iceni. She saw her father and sister in a coma. She then saw someing floating above. She saw the faces of Saytarus, Aurbis, wolf Servants, and normal Servants all laughing. It was loud and deafening.

"Stop it! Stop...."

She then began to grow angry.

"I will kill you...I will kill all of you!"

Soon sparks appeared all around her. A small black and red fire then began to burn. Illya's eyes then turned red.

Saytarus looked down at Anastasia.

"It is over and yet you still refuse to die. Allow me to finish you off mortal!" exclaimed Saytarus.

Anastasia weakly looked up at him when suddenly, Saytarus' hand came off, spewing golden blood everywhere. He cried out in pain.

"What?! Who could have..." his eyes widened when he saw who it was.

Anastasia looked and gasped. The rest of the team looked with surprise. Even the Servants gasped.

Illya stood there with the sun wheel behind her and a bloody katana in her hand. She stared directly at Saytarus, her eyes looking as if a predator had just found its prey. Her eyes pure red. Illya then lifts her sword to her head and with a fluid motion, swings it to the side, leaving spatters of Divine blood on the ground. She then pointed her sword at him. Saytarus looked at his hand. He then trembled.

"My hand! It...its not regenerating!" he thought.

He then looked closer at the katana and saw the blade was black.

"Damn you Tomoe and your weapons!"

Illya's sun wheel then was engulfed in a golden flame. Soon, the same blaze then engulfed her katana. Saytarus roared.

"No! I will not die! I am a God! I cannot die!"

The God then rushed Illya. He threw a punch with his other hand but Illya simply sidestepped.

"What? She dodged it?" Syatarus thought.

He punched again but Illya blocked it with her sword. She had no problem in holding him back. The blade then began to slowly cut into Saytarus' hand. She then pulled the weapon out, severing all his fingers except the thumb. Saytarus roared in pain. He then proceeded to kick and attack Illya in any way he could. She blocked, deflected, or dodged each blow. Saytarus then threw a punch with his remaining hand but Illya severed it. She then jumped up and stabbed Saytarus through his almost fully healed chest, with golden flames shooting out from his back. Illya then pushed off his chest and spun in the air, surrounding herself in a swirl of golden fire. She then spun and slashed into Sayatrus' neck. It was a slow cut and the God began to burn, his body being engulfed in golden fire.

"No! I can't die! I don't want to die!"

Illya then cut further into his neck and then severed his head. The Servants and nomads gasped with surprise. The Servants began to panic.

"R-retreat! Retreat!" a Servant called.

The surviving Divine force then began to frantically return to the heavens. They flew fast, ascending into the sky with their Pegasi.

The nomads let out a war cry. The team then smirked and grinned. Illya looked over Saytarus' burning body. It began to crack in gold and then it broke apart into pieces, turning into ash. All that remained, was Saytarus' slowly burning grotesque head. By now, the sun wheel had dissapated but her red eyes remained. Illya looked at the head and sneered but then she smiled. It was an evil smile. She stabbed his head numerous times with a sadistic look when suddenly she felt someone touch her shoulder. The red in her eyes disappeared and their normal gold returned. She turned and looked to see Anastasia. Tears then formed in Illya's eyes. The sisters then hugged each other. The rest of the team limped over to them and they all hugged.

In the Divine realm, Re looked sat up in bed when she heard a knock.

"Come in!" she called.

Aurbis entered.

"What is it brother?" Re asked.

"I come bringing important news," he said.

"What is it?"

"Saytarus has been slain."

Re looked away.

"I see," she said.

"You felt it did you not? You sensed that power. You must have done something!" Aurbis exclaimed.

"I can do nothing from this prison! It seems Illya has found her inner light but also...a darkness."

"Yes. I felt both," Aurbis replied.

"I cannot blame Illya for doing what she did to Saytarus. Even so, he was our brother. I will weep and mourn for him," said Re.

"As will I," Aurbis replied.

Tomoe Gozen sat in her realm meditating towards the sun when Jahlan appeared and stood next to her.

"It appears Illya has finally awakened her true power," he said.

"Yes indeed," Tomoe Gozen replied while opening her eyes.

"It seems you were right to choose her as your inheritor. She found all of the weapons and they performed just as they had in the times of old."

"No. Perhaps I was wrong in choosing her," Tomoe Gozen replied "Jahlan. My sisters and I did not save this world only for it to be destroyed by something equal to a God."

He remained silent.

"I know you sense it too. Not only has Illya's true power awaken, but it appears the flames of Shura have sparked within her."

"Yes...I know."

Jahlan then turned around and began to walk.

"If you had to kill her, would you do it?"

Jahlan paused.

"Let us just hope it does not have to come to that."

Jahlan then disappeared and Tomoe Gozen looked out at the sun.

In the infirmary at the God Hunter HQ, Lacrim lay in bed still. His finger twitched and slowly he opened his eyes. He looked up at the ceiling. He spoke in a whisper.

"Eliana."

End of Book 1