Absorption Gate The group rest for the night in Keterberg as a snow storm has the Albiore grounded. Luke apologizes to Natalia for not knowing the words of Asch's promise to her. Natalia asks him to make the promise now, which he does. Afterwards she promises not to doubt him or who he is anymore, her dear childhood friend. Luke hestitates to go to Tears room, unsure of what to say to her, and instead talks with Guy about their conflicting feelings about having to fight Van. In the morning, Luke feels something calling him and goes out to find Asch. Luke asks him to join them, but he refuses due to his inury and makes Luke promise to kill Van. At the Absorption Gate, and earthquake breaks the path under their feet. Luke and Tear fall, waking up on a lower level. As they search for the others, Tear tells Luke about Van's raising of her and his being used to destroy Hod. When they reach the ring, they find Van playing an organ and confront him. Van demands to know why Luke is there instead of Asch, and Luke asks why he was made. Van tells him he was born to be a dispoable pawn to mess up the score, but it didn't work and the he says the score is continuing on to its major events despite the disruption. As Van refuses to listen to them, Luke and Tear begin battling him, but Luke hestitates to make a killing blow and is disarmed. As Van is about to kill him, the others arrive and attack. Luke regains his feet and slices Van across the chest, defeating him. Van, laughing at his being defeated by a "failure" throws himself backwards off the platform and into the core. Jade asks Luke to use his hyperresonance to stop the ring. Asch helps him from a distance and the ring is successfully reversed. Loreli contacts them both and tells them that he is sending them a key to set him free. Luke collapses afterwards. A month later, a bored Luke is back in Baticul with Mieu. The war has ended and the lands safely lowered into the Qliphoth.

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