Consciousness. It was the first time he could truly say he knew what it felt like. The pale, darkened light shattered away from his body, leaving a human form behind as his feet touched the ground. The light itself reformed into an insignia attached to a strap running over his shoulder, and a name rang out in his mind.

Nemo.

The human form taken by the spirit of Darkness itself as the gods waged a raging war across the world. He knew just as well as the other spirits-turned-humans around him that the Underworld faced overflow as the humans were nearly wiped out in the conflict, and the spirits themselves couldn't wait for one side to win.

"So… this is it," the spirit of Winds mumbled, testing the voice he had formed.

"Aye," the spirit of Light agreed. "The gods cannot find us now. It's time we fight back for the sake of the Celestial Balance." The other three spirits nodded in agreement.

"This form is going to take some getting used to," the Fire spirit noted as he rotated his shoulders, then lit a small flame in his palm. "Humans are so sluggish."

"Have the rest of you… discovered names?" Nemo wondered, and his four companions turned to look at him.

"Unda," the spirit of Water, one of the two females, replied. "I believe I'm to be called Unda."

"Levica," the Light spirit, the other female, announced.

"Vis," the Wind spirit introduced himself.

"Onore," the spirit of Fire answered. "What about you?"

"Nemo," he told them simply.

"Very well," Onore nodded. "We can't waste time. Unda, Vis, I'll come with you to knock some sense into Mistress Viridi. Pyrrhon seems to busy to really care about anything… he's been doing a bunch of research over the heavens know what. Nemo, Levica…"

"We'll head to Skyworld," Levica agreed. "I'm sure Lady Palutena will listen to us."

"I'm not so sure about Lady Medusa," Nemo mumbled. "She's been persistent about this nonsense."

"I'll say," Levica sighed. "The Centurions have been deployed again. It seems an army of humans was marching and they're intercepting them."

"Wonderful," Nemo sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"And it's only a matter of time before the Forces of Nature head out again," Unda realized. "They may be young, but they're powerful."

"All right. Then let's go. We can worry about the Underworld once we get the Overworld and Skyworld sorted out," Onore pointed out. "Rendeveous here in three days' time, and keep communications open."

"Just who made you the leader?" Vis grumbled, and Onore turned toward him.

"Is there something you'd rather do?"

"No," he replied. "I'm just saying: don't get used to ordering me around."

"I'm not-" Onore started to protest, but Vis cut him off.

"All I'm saying is that we're supposed to be equals- just like the gods themselves. We don't want to end up like them- clawing each other for power." Onore stared at him.

"I'm not trying to take over or anything. I just-"

"ALL right," Unda interrupted. "You two can argue later. We need to go before this world sees any more destruction. You all know as well as I do we shouldn't have waited this long, but we did, and now we have to live with those consequences. So, let's minimize them as best we can."

"She's right," Nemo agreed. "If we start fighting amongst ourselves, then there's no point in us doing this."

"Meet back here in three days' time," Levica confirmed. "May the fates be acting in our favor." Nemo followed her as she stepped a short distance away from their companions and focused his power. A bright light flashed around them and, when it died down, revealed the floating islets and marble structures of Skyworld in the distance. Palutena, the goddess of Light, and Medusa, the goddess of Darkness, had relocated from the temple they called home to the Skyworld Fortress, a maze to those who came unprepared and were unfamiliar with the terrain. From there, Medusa had taken charge of the Centurions, the army of the heavens, ordering them into battle with the humans and the forces of other gods themselves. The Centurions themselves weren't worth much, but they were persistent and carried out orders without question.

Naturally, Nemo wished they would question orders, at least occasionally, but it seemed to be a Centurion trait to follow the word of their goddesses without question. He sighed and turned toward the Fortress, hoping, praying, that he could talk some sense into his patron goddess. He and Levica entered the first room and looked around- he could sense Medusa's presence somewhere within, but not the particular path that would lead to her.

"I'm going to assume you don't know how to get to them either," Levica guessed, and he nodded. "Wonderful. Well, we'll figure it out eventually…"

"This isn't how I wanted to spend our time," he complained. "But I guess there's no sense wasting any more here. Let's move." He headed through a door with Levica following and started making his way up the platforms scattered about the Fortress in hopes of finding their destination. It didn't help that everything quickly started to look the same, and he sighed as he realized they had gone in a circle.

"Okay… perhaps this way?" Levica pondered as she went through a different door, Nemo following close behind.

"Can I help you?" An inhabitant of the Fortress asked as they entered the next room. "We have everything!" Nemo blinked, realizing that they'd come to some sort of shop.

"Why is there a shop in the Fortress?" he wondered softly to Levica. "Wouldn't it be better NOT to help intruders?"

"I don't know," Levica shrugged, then turned to the shopkeeper. "You wouldn't happen to have a map, would you?"

"No, sorry," the shopkeeper replied. "The map of the Fortress is out in one of the rooms around here. You'll have to find it yourself. But I do sell pencils and torches so you can keep track of where you are!" Nemo blinked.

"Uh, thanks anyway," he hurried to the room's exit. "So, we practically need the map to get the map?"

"You did mention deterring intruders," Levica pointed out. "Well, map or no map, this place can't be THAT big. Let's continue on." He nodded and ascended a ladder to the next chamber, where they found a duo of Centurions on guard.

"Halt, trespassers!" one ordered. Nemo and Levica turned to look at each other for a moment, then averted their attention back to the Centurions.

"We're here to see the goddesses of Light and Darkness," Levica told them. "I realize this may come as a surprise, but I am the spirit of Light and he," she gestured to Nemo, "Is the spirit of Darkness. We must be allowed passage."

"Spirits?" The other Centurion laughed. "I know a human when I see one! How'd you even get here?"

"Well, I guess our disguises work," Nemo sighed, then stepped forward and summoned an aura of dark energy around his hand. "Proof enough? We're here to see our ruling goddesses. Don't try to stand in our way." The Centurions stared at him.

"V-Very well," the first stammered. "Please, Masters, come this way." They led the spirits back through the Fortress, amongst the winding chambers until they reached an interior room featuring only one entrance. Within stood what appeared to be two young, strikingly beautiful women as they observed a crystal orb of sorts. One had long green hair held in place by a crown circlet, dressed in a pale blue gown, and she held a staff in one hand. The other was a ghostly pale woman with pitch black hair garbed in a dark purple dress. Both turned to the newcomers at the sound of their footsteps, and both seemed puzzled.

"Who dares approach us unannounced?" The black haired one, Medusa, inquired. "Humans? No… you're much too powerful to be mere humans."

"Indeed," Palutena agreed. "I feel as though I've met you before… please. Identify yourselves."

"Th-these two claim to be the spirits of Light and Darkness," one of the Centurions announced. "They wish to speak with you, my Ladies."

"The spirits disappeared from my view only a short time ago…" Medusa informed them. "Why should I believe your claims?"

"Lady Medusa," Nemo stepped forward and kneeled. "Search my soul, my power. Surely you'll come to realize-"

"Don't you dare order me," she hissed, silencing him.

"Lady Medusa," he insisted and got to his feet. "Please." With that, he called forth his power once more in an aura of dark magic. "Though I have taken a human form and the name 'Nemo,' I assure you that I am the spirit of Darkness." Medusa watched him intently, then nodded slowly.

"Nemo, is it?" she chuckled. "Hmph. Tell me, why have you taken this form?"

"For our safety," Levica spoke up. "Lady Palutena, I've taken the name Levica. I ask your forgiveness for our acting without your knowledge, but we felt it was necessary due to the violence in the world. As defenders of the Celestial Balance, we must take every measure to maintain that Balance." Palutena nodded.

"I see," she agreed. "So, it's true. This senseless fighting is throwing off the very nature of our world." She paused, shutting her eyes. "How could we not see this?"

"Lady Medusa, Lady Palutena," Nemo spoke up again. "Please, I beg of you: Cease the offensive battles for the sake of this world. Should this violence continue, the world itself faces destruction. What good is territory if it's been torn apart?"

"Hm," Medusa scoffed. "No. The humans and those pathetic gods need to understand Skyworld's dominance. Humans… they must learn their place, and if destroying them is the only way, then so it must be. They need to learn respect."

"But destroying them is pointless!" Nemo insisted. "Yes, they need to learn, but the world needs them! To destroy them is to destroy the world."

"He's right," Levica agreed. "This cannot go on without dire consequences."

"Silence," Medusa commanded, and Nemo found no choice but to comply. "Levica, naturally, you're going to oppose me. But Nemo," she stepped forward and angled his face toward hers with her hand, her nails brushing against his cheek and sending a chill down his spine. "I am the goddess of Darkness; you are merely a spirit, regardless of what form you take. I command you, and you are NOT to speak out against me. Do you understand?" He grit his teeth as she watched him calmly but firmly.

"No," he replied, and anger crept into her eyes. "With all due respect, Lady Medusa, I am a spirit charged with defending the Celestial Balance. Should I deem that your actions endanger that Balance, then I can only oppose you. My loyalty lies first with it, not you. And what you're doing now threatens to throw everything into irreversible chaos. Levica and I have come only with the intention of stopping that from happening." Medusa stared at him, then shoved him back and shook her head.

"Very well," she spat. "Then I will treat you as I would any other opposing force. Get out of my sight." He gazed at her a moment longer before bowing briefly and removing himself from the room.

"Nemo," Levica followed him out with Palutena herself close behind.

"You have my apologies, Nemo," the goddess of Light dipped her head. "I know you're in the right- I believe what you say is true." She sighed. "I realize that we've set our world on a path of complete destruction, and I wish I could put an end to it." She paused. "Unfortunately, the Centurions won't listen to me if I ask them to pull back, not when we're in such a state of war. They'll see it that Medusa is right in attacking, and I cannot sway that belief." Again, she paused in thought. "I will do what I can to stop this unnecessary war- I promise you that. But… I doubt I'll be able to do much."

"You'll have my support, Lady Palutena," Levica vowed. "I know we may not be able to do much, but…"

"Lady Palutena," Nemo spoke up again. "If you'll have me, then I'll stand with you as well. I commend your upholding your side of the Balance of Light and Dark, and I know I'm an entity of your opposite element. But if you truly wish to protect this world, I would be honored if you would let me aid you." Palutena smiled and nodded slowly.

"Thank you, Nemo. And don't worry about Medusa- I'll make sure she stays out of your hair."

"I appreciate it, Lady Palutena," he replied and kneeled. "I swear, until this conflict is over, that I will support your efforts in any and every way I can for the sake of the world and the Celestial Balance."