Aladdin, Hibiki, Hiraki, and Reiner arrived back. The black smoke went away.
"Where are we?" Hiraki asked. She looked around seeing the place.
Hibiki clutched her side. Her body trembled. She thought back to the battle, his power, the overwhelming force that had left them shattered. "We lost," she whispered. She gritted her teeth.
Reiner's jaw tightened. He remembered facing the enemy in his Titan form and being completely outmatched. "His strength… it's like his," he muttered. He thought it could be weaker or greater.
Suddenly, Aladdin let out a sharp cry. He was clutching his stomach. "Ahhh," he screamed.
"Aladdin," Hibiki rushed to his side.
"He took a direct hit," Hiraki said as she was kneeling beside him and gently touching his wound.
"It makes me furious," Hibiki growled. She clenched her fist. She thought he had been punched by that monster in the gut.
Just then, two small support droids came towards them. They carried a stretcher between them. "We need to take him to the medical bay," he said.
"Should we trust him?" Hibaki asked. "He looks like a small version of the thing that helped us," she added.
"He did help us," Hiraki added.
They nodded and followed. Hibiki and Hiraki supported Aladdin as they moved swiftly through the corridors. There was low level smoke on the ground. They arrived at a sleek, futuristic medical chamber, where there was a glowing table surrounded by advanced tools.
"Will he be safe here?" Hibiki asked as she looked at all the sharp objects.
A voice echoed through the room. It was soft, commanding, and unmistakably divine. "He will be," it said.
They turned to see her.
The Goddess stood at the entrance, her eyes a mesmerizing shade of celestial blue, glowing faintly like stars. A playful smile curved her lips. She had silvery hair which cascaded over her shoulders. She wore flowing white angelic robes and white heels.
"She's stunning," Hiraki whispered.
"Truly beautiful," Hibiki added. "Like that woman," she said. She shook her head. "But who are you?" she asked.
Reiner stepped forward. "She's the Goddess, the one who sent Aladdin and me to your world," Reiner replied.
"So she helped us find our Ashikabi?" Hiraki asked. She smiled. Hibaki smiled as well.
The medical table activated and soft lights scanned Aladdin's body. They both looked at Aladdin.
"He will recover," the Goddess said gently.
Reiner nodded. "You were right. He's strong," he remarked.
The Goddess smiled knowingly. "He will grow even stronger," she responded as she turned and walked toward the adjacent room. She paused at a window. Inside, she saw Drowned laid on a recovery bed, her body was wrapped in bandages. She was breathing steadily.
Reiner joined her at the window. "She fought him too?" he asked.
"She did," the Goddess replied. "And paid the price," she added.
Hibiki stepped forward. "So this one person can defeat all of us?" she asked.
The Goddess nodded slowly. "There is always that possibility," she replied. She thought her man would.
Reiner's eyes narrowed. "You said there was a plan to defeat him," he remarked.
The Goddess turned to face them fully. "The plan is in motion. But we must wait until all the pieces are in place," she responded.
"What's the plan?" Reiner asked.
"Restoring my full power is essential," she said. "And each of you will play a role. We'll need more allies. And at times… we'll have to confront him directly. Not to win but to slow him down," she added. She looked at each of them. "You must be ready. The storm is far from over," she said.
Reiner thought there was no point going back now. They would just lose once more.
"You should all rest until you are needed," the Goddess responded. "The others have been occupied in Free Time," she added.
"Free Time?" Hiraki asked. "What is that?" she asked.
"My Angels engage in pro-creation activities," the Goddess responded.
"That is embarrassing," Hibiki said as she blushed.
The Goddess smiled. "It is beautiful and natural my angels," the Goddess responded as she took a step and disappeared. She thought of only one man who made it beautiful.
Hiraki and Hibiki blushed. Reiner looked unphased. "I will head to my room," Reiner said as he walked away. He thought he had to come up with a plan to face him.
Hiraki and Hibiki approached the observation window. Inside, they saw Aladdin lying on the medical table, surrounded by glowing instruments and hovering drones. His body was still, but the machines worked tirelessly to stabilize him.
"Aladdin," Hibiki whispered. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched his chest rise and fall slowly.
Hiraki glanced at her sister and nodded. "I know what you're feeling, sis," she said.
Hibiki folded her arms. "I am not worried. Not exactly," she tried to say with a blush.
"He knocked both of us off our feet," Hiraki said with a faint smile.
Hibiki groaned. "Don't remind me. He stole both our first kisses," she responded.
Hiraki chuckled softly. "He did. And now, we're bound to him, whether we like it or not," she said.
They exchanged a quiet nod.
Meanwhile, down the corridor, Reiner spotted Bertholdt approaching from the opposite end.
"Reiner," Bertholdt called out.
"Bertholdt," Reiner replied as he stepped forward. "How's everyone holding up?" he asked.
"They're fine," Bertholdt said. "Though Annie's being her usual self. Cold and distant," he added.
Reiner sighed. "She's always struggled with trust. Misplaced it more than once," he replied.
Bertholdt leaned against the wall. "How did it go out there?" he asked.
Reiner's expression darkened. "He's stronger than I expected," he replied.
"Stronger than him?" Bertholdt asked as he raised a brow.
"I don't know. Maybe. There's still so much we don't understand about him," Reiner responded.
"There is him, this James and there is him, our him," Bertholdt said. "We don't even know where he came from," he replied. "Some say he arrived in a pod from the sky," he added.
"She might have the answers. Maybe she already knows," Reiner responded.
Bertholdt frowned. "Then why won't she tell us?" he asked.
Reiner's gaze lingered. "Sometimes… Annie's instincts are right. Even if her delivery is harsh," he replied.
The two stood in silence.