"Lord Pit!" Elora came running into the gate chamber within Skyworld's temple. Pit turned around from the pool and looked down at her.

"What is it, Elora?" he wondered. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she panted and stretched. "Whew. Uh… Some bird just brought this scroll up here…" She held up a rolled up piece of parchment. "I figured it's a message for you." He dropped down from the platform he stood on and took it from her.

"All right. Thank you." Taking his words as a dismissal, Elora nodded and left him alone. "Hrm…" There was nothing on the outside of the scroll. It was plain, not even sealed or tied closed. He unrolled it and scanned over the note within.

Lord Pit, I apologize for the unannounced message and I hope you are not busy when you receive it. I would like to speak with you about a matter I believe you will be quite interested in. Please come to my shrine near the entrance of the Underworld.

–Mneme.

P.S. I give my respects to Lady Palutena and congratulate you on your new position. I'm sure you will be a wonderful god of Light.

"Mneme?" he blinked. "Hm…" with that, he opened up his thoughts and sought out the Skyworld Army's commander. "Hey, Kuro. I've gotta go somewhere."

"Huh? Since when?" Kuro inquired.

"I just got a message requesting my presence, I guess. I'll be back soon."

"Uh, okay. I'll hold down the fort, I guess."

"Thanks." Pit pointed his staff at the gate and it opened slowly, and a moment later he leapt into the air and spread his wings. Some time later, he approached the physical entrance of the Underworld and found a small shrine nearby, partially carved into the side of a mountain. He landed on a stone platform and found no small number of birds perched around him. They were the size of small hawks and colored many different hues. Their eyes were intense, but he found they did not gaze at him like predators. One flew down and circled around him until he held out his arm, and it perched gently as it watched him.

"Uh… hi," he blinked, and it looked behind itself before it took flight again and flew into the shrine. Pit followed, jogging to keep up with it. He ran through relative darkness for a short time before he came across what looked like a library, shelves with rails in front of them covering all four walls. They were all full of books, all totaling a number Pit likely couldn't have finished counting even in his eternal lifetime. He glanced around, awestruck, until the soft chirp of a bird caught his attention and he looked straight across the room to a desk. It was a simple, cherry-mahogany desk with curving legs supporting it. On its surface was an open book and what appeared to be a bottle of ink along with a perch for the bird that had led him inside.

Behind this desk sat what appeared to be a woman. She wore a long, dark red dress with gold accents and a headscarf of the same color that was held in place by a gold band around her head. Her sleeves were bell-shaped, and she wore a leather strap belt tied to the side and decorated with small beads. The dress opened to reveal a cream underskirt, and she wore no shoes. Her long hair was a warm brown color, much lighter than his, and she glanced up with hazel eyes. A soft smile appeared on her lips.

"Lord Pit," she stood up, holding her quill in her right hand. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I hope I didn't tear you away from anything important."

"Not at all," he replied. "How can I help you?"

"Actually, I believe it is I who will help you," she replied. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Mneme, the goddess of Memory." He blinked and looked around the thousands, even millions of books and tomes on her shelves. "Yes, Lord Pit, these are all filled with the memories of those who have passed between realms, and my collection is always growing. Memories themselves are never lost, and I record and watch over them."

"I see, I think," Pit said. "That sounds like a pretty tedious task."

"I suppose it is," she laughed softly. "But I enjoy seeing the world through the memories of those who have lived in it. And I'm sure you're a busy young god, so I won't keep you longer than I have to." She turned to a bird who flew over and perched on her shoulder and whispered something to it. It took wing and circled up through the room until it landed on a rail and used its beak and the talons of one foot to pull forth a book. It returned to her and she took its cargo from it. "Thank you." With that, the bird returned to its perch on her desk and she turned back to her visitor. "Lord Pit, do you have any idea what I have in here?"

"Uh… No, I can't say I do." Her smile grew.

"This particular volume holds your memories; not of your time as an angel or god, but your childhood as a human." He blinked in disbelief.

"My… memories," he repeated, and she nodded.

"Yes. And I've seen all that you have endured over your relatively short lifetime. I want to help how I can. So, if you wish, I can return your memories."

"You would let me read that?"

"No," she laughed. "I'll let you see it. Is that what you want?" His voice caught in his throat, and he merely nodded. "Very well. If you will, come here." He approached her and found he stood about half a head below her, and she drew her quill over the pages of the tome. The words themselves rose and created a small ball of light around its tip. "Close your eyes," she instructed, and he obeyed. She brushed back his bangs and touched the quill's tip to his forehead gently. And he found himself thrust into a world familiar and strange all at the same time.

He saw Ephram and Helen in their youth…. No. He saw Papa and Momma just as he remembered them. He saw the painter that had produced the portrait they still kept in their home. He saw Papa training with his companions and he wanted to join them, but he always told him that he was too young, too small. He held the little wooden sword Papa had made just for him, making him promise to be careful with it. He felt ill from the cough he'd developed. He saw Momma head out, return, and Papa did too. He didn't know where they went, and they tried to hide their sorrow.

And he heard voices.

"Oh, Pit… what are we going to do with you? You're so curious."

"You're such a wonderful child…"

"I can tell, son. You're going to do great things one day."

Nuh-uh! You are, Papa.

"Haha… No, I think the greatest thing I'll be able to contribute to this world is being your father."

"What are we going to do? What can we do?"

Momma, Papa… I don't feel good…

Momma? Why are you crying? What's wrong?

"I don't know what to do…"

"Please, great goddess! Don't take my son…"

Papa… Don't be sad…

Why is it dark? Where am I?

"Pit…"

That voice, he recognized immediately.

Who are you?

"I am Palutena. I've come to take you home."

He opened his eyes, his heart aching from the swarm of emotions that raged within it as Mneme lowered the quill. He was trembling, and he found himself unable to speak.

"Are you all right, Lord Pit?" she asked gently, and his blank gaze focused on her. He merely nodded slowly. "Very well. I would assume you would like some time alone to consider what you've just seen." Again, he nodded. "Then be careful, milord. And please, come see me if you have any questions."

"Th-thank you, Mneme," he said in a shaky voice. She smiled, and he turned to exit the shrine. His flight back to Skyworld was more or less a daze as his mind worked to process what he'd just experienced, all the things he'd forgotten and remembered all at the same time. And, as he came to land near a large Hot Spring in his home, he found a new emotion in his heart.

Pure, innocent love that a child has for its parents.

As soon as he identified it, he slumped down next to the Spring, and he let his tears flow. Tears of joy, of sorrow, of grief.

Some time passed before his ears registered the sound of wings and someone landing a short distance away from him, and he didn't have to look up to know Kuro had come looking for him. He didn't say anything, to Pit's surprise, but simply walked over slowly and rested his hand on the young god's shoulder. Once Pit had collected himself enough to stand up, then Kuro decided to speak.

"So, you know everything now." It wasn't a question, but Pit nodded.

"Yeah," he replied in a shaky voice. "How'd you know?"

"I guess I saw little bits and pieces of your memories," Kuro said as he shrugged. "They really did love you, huh?"

"Uh-huh. And… I miss them."

"I'm sure." They both fell silent for some period of time.

"Well, I'm glad I know now," Pit said, and took a deep breath. "And-"

"Lord Pit," a voice from nowhere suddenly cut him off, and it took him several moments to register that it was the same Keeper of Destiny that had come to him so many years ago.

"Huh?"

"You have performed exceedingly well. Lead the heavens with your strength, compassion, and wisdom, and may your reign be prosperous." He blinked as the voice faded.

"She really likes being cryptic," he muttered.

"What was so cryptic about that?" Kuro laughed. "You're in. I think she was trying to tell you that you passed. You're officially the god of Light."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh.' You can be such a dork." Kuro shoved him playfully. "Though I wonder what these past twenty or so years have been considered anyway. And seriously, what could they possibly have done if you didn't pass?"

"I don't really want to think about it," Pit chuckled. "I'm just glad I don't have that hanging over my head anymore."

"Yep." Kuro smiled softly as he looked up, and his eyebrows rose. "Hey, look." Pit turned to follow his gaze and saw what looked like a white and yellow fire coming toward them. Once it reached them, it solidified into a female form, and she smiled.

"Congratulations, Lord Pit," she greeted. "I knew you could do it."

"Thanks, Levica," Pit grinned. "And welcome home. I haven't seen you in a while."

"I've been… I suppose you could say I've been studying a few things." Her smile faded. "I've sensed a dark presence lately, and it's not Nemo. It's had me worried."

"Don't worry," he assured her. "We'll take care of any threat that may come to be." He turned around and glanced at Kuro. "Right?"

"Are you kidding?" he laughed. "Between the two of us, we can take on anything that comes our way."

"I have faith in you both," Levica said. "Just… be careful. I'm sure you know I cannot see what will come in the days approaching."

"I know," Pit replied. "But we'll pull through. Just you wait!" Levica nodded.

"One more thing, Lord Pit."

"Yes?"

"I…" she hesitated. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Nemo has been acting strange lately. I can sense he isn't himself, and it has me worried." Pit pondered her words for a moment.

"Yeah, I've noticed," he agreed. "And I was actually going to ask if you could go check on him. He's probably not willing to let me in on anything, but maybe you'll have better luck." She dipped her head.

"That's actually what I was going to ask. Thank you, Lord Pit. I'll try to be back soon."

"Be careful!" Kuro cautioned as she resumed her spirit form and sped off toward the surface below. They both watched until she had disappeared from their line of sight. "You think she'll be okay?"

"Nemo won't hurt her," Pit assured him. "I just hope some good comes out of this."

"Me too. Now…" Kuro sighed. "I'd better get back to Elora's training before whatever's down there decides to start stirring."

"I'll catch up in a few." Kuro nodded and took off toward the training grounds, and Pit looked down toward the surface once more. "Lady Palutena… I hope none of these dreams I've been having are going to come to pass." With that, he spread his wings and headed to follow Kuro.

Nemo punched the floor beneath him, his teeth clenched as his body trembled with anger and hate. He looked up slowly, his breath coming in gasps and leaving in pants.

"Why am I so weak?!" he demanded, loudly, of the broken window above him that he'd never bothered to fix after Pit had smashed through it so many years ago. He forced himself to his feet, felt like he was moving through molasses. "Damn you, Medusa." He snorted as he felt his strength and power return to him. "You're heading for your own destruction. If you couldn't beat him before, then you have no chance now."

"You so sure of that, Lord Nemo?" A voice sounded behind him, and its mocking tone clawed at his ears. He turned around to face his visitor, a beautiful, blue-haired goddess that floated just above the ground with her arms and legs crossed. Her smile flirted with maniacal.

"You should know that more than anyone, Pandora," he growled. "But what makes you ask?"

"Oh, nothing," she scoffed. "You should loosen up. All that stress can't be good for you. Maybe you can try yoga?"

"What do you want?"

"Nothing," she replied. "I just wanted to see how our dear lord is faring. Don't worry; I'm not going to waltz off to help Medusa. I know all too well her record."

"Can't say I think you're all that loyal to me." He sighed as he regained his composure, but the anger was like a knot in his stomach. "But what is loyalty down here? You'll follow whoever's the strongest."

"My, you see right through us, don't you?" she laughed. "Well done, Master Nemo. Well, I'm sure you're going to be busy for a while. Ta-ta!" She winked and disappeared in a quick burst of blue fire. Once he was sure she had departed, he sunk into the throne on the side of the room opposite the door and rubbed his forehead.

"Rather her than Thanatos," he grumbled. "Well, Medusa, no one's expecting you to win… so why are you even trying?" For that, he had no answer.