"I thought the world was supposed to end," Jill gasped.

"It takes time," Carter exclaimed, "They have to adjust to their new powers, learn about them. We have some time."

"Are they still," Jimmy started, "Who are they?"

"I'm not sure," Carter admitted, "I think it depends on the decisions that they make. They're Gods in that world, and probably in this one if the worlds spill over."

4444

"Welcome home," the King said, as he watched the newly returned Gods, "Arcadia, Zakan, we've waited a long time for you to return to us."

"You dare speak our names?" Zakan said.

"Zakan," Arcadia said, as she stroked his cheek, "Leave the mortals be. We've be given bodies again."

"My love," he sighed, as he held her close, "I want to touch you."

"Why don't we go?" she replied, as she stroked his beard, "My Zakan."

4444

"What if we do find them?" Jimmy asked, "How do we change them back?"

"One thing at a time. We can't get into Ital, not with the Gods walking again," Carter said, "We have to bring them here."

"And how would we contain a God? Or Gods, as it would be?" Jill asked.

"We have to figure out their weaknesses," Carter insisted, "And how to use them. And hope that they cling to the small part of humanity still inside them."

4444

"Arcadia," Zakan moaned, as they wrapped themselves around each other, after they materialized back in their ancient home, "I've missed you so."

"Zakan," she moaned, as he held her, "It's been centuries."

4444

"It wasn't supposed to be this way!" the King bellowed, "Where did they go?"

"They must have been confused," the Shaman said, "Being thrust back into the world like this. All of their human memories, mixed in with all of this. They are going to be looking for answers soon enough. They will be back."

"They better be."

4444

Arcadia sat up, after Zakan rolled off of her, "Zakan? I feel so strange."

"I'll make you feel better."

She smiled, as she looked down at her naked body, "These bodies, they were mortal before. This mortal loved yours very much."

"Forget the mortals."

"You know how I feel about mortals," she sighed.

"So fascinated by them," he replied, "Their thoughts, feelings."

"I feel this one inside of me," she replied softly, as she wrapped her robes around her body, "She is screaming to get out. She is angry at me."

"You're stronger than her, Arcadia."

"I know. She'll be buried soon enough. Do you feel yours?"

"I'm ignoring him. He wants his mortal back. Do they not know what is happening to them?"

Arcadia frowned, as she moved toward the window to observe the world below them, "Why were we brought back now?"

"You question too much," Zakan moaned, as he joined her, "Look what is still here."

"Our rings," Arcadia sighed, as he slipped it on her finger, "Zakan."

"Why don't we go to the village?"

"See how the world has changed in our absence? Mortals seem the same."

4444

"They just vanished?" the Queen asked, "How could you let them?"

"It's hard to contain Gods," the King replied, "They will be back."

"Something is happening in the village!" a guard exclaimed, rushing into the thrown room, "They're here!"

"Arcadia and Zakan?" the King breathed, "So soon?"

"People are bowing down before them," the guard continued, "Arcadia, she is healing the sick, ensuring people have enough food and water. Zakan . . . he has destroyed several of our most vile criminals. They're making their way here, your highness."

"They've taken to their new existence quite well," the King surmised, "Creating a better world already."

"What do you want us to do?" the guard asked.

"Tell me when they get here," the King demanded.

"Too late," a musical voice said, from the doorway.

"Arcadia," he breathed, as he took in the vision in white, "You're looking divine."

"You brought us back," Zakan said.

"Partly," the King said, "It was your time to rise again, to create a better world."

Arcadia studied him thoughtfully, as she tried to bat the nagging mortals thoughts out of her mind, "Your kingdom. Why are your people so miserable?"

"We have had a rough time," the King admitted, "We are ready to rise again. Create a better world, not just here, but everywhere."

"Utopia," Zakan said, as he struggled to ignore the mortals protests inside of him.

"Yes," the King breathed, "Yes. How are you both feeling?"

"Wonderful," Arcadia said, as she held Zakan close to her, "Lost in the void for so long, to be able to touch and feel again, is just wonderful."

"Arcadia has always had a weakness for mortal pleasures," Zakan said, as he smoothed back his beloved's hair, "That I happen to indulge."

"We must first correct Ital," the King said, "Make our world powerful and strong, and then the others."

"A perfect world," Arcadia sighed.

"With our God and Goddess," the King said, with a smile, "If you would like to get started?"

Five Years Later

"I think I've got it!" Carter exclaimed, as he shut the book in front of him.

Skeeter sighed, as he looked up from his book, "Again?"

"I can't give up," he insisted, "Not now, maybe not ever. They're our friends."

"Who may or may not exist anymore," Skeeter sighed, "It's been five years. How long can their humanity hang on for?"

"They're strong," Carter insisted, "Listen."

4444

Arcadia watched with a frown on her face, as she watched Ital spill over into the world of Nahar. It will be better for them, she surmised, their world was in shambles. They'll be happier and healthier now.

"Arcadia?"

"Zakan," she sighed, as he joined her on the balcony.

"Why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset. The people will be better off with what we are doing. There will be more food, resources . . ."

"Come," Zakan said, "It's time for them to see their Goddess."

Arcadia nodded, as they stepped out into the newer and larger Ital.

4444

"Arcadia and Zakan," Carter said, as they assembled in his living room again, "What do we know about them?"

"Arcadia is earth mother. Zakan is a warrior. In ancient times they were great lovers, who were eventually banished after Zakan tried to take over the realm of the Gods," Jill recited, "Arcadia tried to protect him, and was banished as well. They were said to return once the right people were chosen, and were deemed noble enough to host them."

"Right!" Carter exclaimed, "To host them. We can't get into Ital, it's expanding, spilling over into other realms. I've talked to other people who believe in all of this, and they're not all crazy. The world is changing. Arcadia and Zakan are getting worshiped in small amounts around the world. They are making their presence known here."

"What happens when they get here?" Jimmy asked.

"Much like the quest that Max and Kenny went on for Marbruk," Carter started, "Defeat evil, create a better world."

"A better world for who?" Littleton asked, "The people of Ital? For them?"

"For everybody," Carter sighed, "At least in theory. Anyone who disagrees with the new order will be, well taken care of."

"So they're evil?" Jimmy asked.

"No, not exactly. In fact Arcadia is a great lover of mortals," Carter started, "She wants a better world for them, but as a Goddess this is how she sees to do it."

"What about Zakan?" Jill asked.

"Zakan is a warrior, but he worships Arcadia. He would do anything for her."

"They're coming here," Jimmy said, "How do we stop them?"

"I think I have a way," Carter said.

4444

"Don't be afraid," Arcadia whispered, as she smoothed back the woman's hair, "I'm here to save you."

"Get away from me! You monster!" the woman screamed, "What have you done!"

"I'm here to help," Arcadia said, "I am your Goddess."

"You are nothing! You destroyed everything! You took away my home, family, who gave you the right to do that!"

Arcadia rose to her feet, and studied the woman on the ground in front of her, "The right?"

"Yes! The right! We didn't ask you to come here!"

"We're making your world better."

"By killing people?"

"The bad people, who seek to hurt the new order."

"My husband never hurt anyone! The army killed him, as Ital spilled over into Nahar! He did nothing!"

"They weren't supposed to do that," Arcadia whispered, as she reached out to the woman.

"Stay away from me," she hissed, "I will never worship you."

"Then you won't live," a voice said from behind them, "Arcadia."

"Leave her be," Arcadia cried, unsure where her revulsion was coming from.

"She is a threat," the guard said.

"I said go," Arcadia said fiercely, "Now."

The guard bowed his head, "Yes, Goddess."

"Come with me," Arcadia said, "I will keep you safe."

4444

"It's dangerous," Carter continued.

"Of course it is," Littleton replied.

"We need a cage," Carter continued, "And there is a spell that can make it magic proof so, well, so that they can't get out."

"And how do you suppose we get them here?" Jimmy asked.

"Like this."

4444

"Tell me of your husband," Arcadia said, as she sat with the Nahar woman.

"Why didn't you let them kill me?" she asked.

"You've done nothing wrong."

"He was a brave man. Strong and loyal. He wanted to protect me from what was happening. This new world . . . no one asked for it."

"We want people to be happy."

"No. The King of Ital wants to rule all the worlds. That is why he is killing the strongest in each world he takes over."

Arcadia frowned at a nagging memory, "The warriors in the woods . . . they tried to warn us, help us."

"What are you talking about?"

She shook her head, "Nando, Lupa . . . He was going to kill Lupa. That's why . . . No!"

The woman backed away slowly, as she watched the Goddess leap to her feet and look around the room wildly, "Please don't hurt me."

"Get out!" she yelled, as she struggled with the mortal memories besieging her brain.

"Arcadia!" Zakan yelled, as he watched his beloved yell at the mortal woman, "What have you done?"

She watched in horror, as Zakan caused the woman to explode in front of her eyes.

"Arcadia?" Zakan asked, as he watched her collapsed back down on the ground.

"Why did you kill her?" she gasped, as she tried to keep her memories straight.

"She was hurting you."

"She wasn't . . . I," she trailed off, unsure if she tell him of her thoughts. Max, she thought, that was this mortals name, "She was upset with the worlds changing. I was trying to help her."

"Is that all?"

"Of course," she lied. Kenny, his name is Kenny, she thought, "I need to rest before I go back out to heal their sicknesses."

4444

"I guess a jail cell will work," Carter admitted, "Hopefully the spell will too."

"One of them should," Skeeter mumbled, hoping beyond hope that it would.

The group fell silent as Carter began to speak, "Here my words, here my voice. I summon the spirits to bless this cage, and to contain all that is going to be within. Here my words!"

"What the hell is that!" Littleton yelled, as the cell flooded with light.

"I think it means that it worked," Carter replied, as he turned the page, "Why don't we try summoning Arcadia now?"

4444

"Something is wrong with Arcadia," The King said, as he paced the floor of his newly expanded palace, "She is questioning this."

"It could be the mortal inside her. She was dead set against this," the Queen said.

"The mortal has not surfaced in either of them since they were changed," the King argued, "Why would she now?"

"Arcadia has a soft spot for humanity. All the blood and violence has to be taking it's toll on her."

"She will complete her destiny, and be worshiped by all worlds," the King replied, "Already people are building temples in her and Zakan's honor. One more world to go before this is complete."

4444

Arcadia stood at the window after Zakan had left, and watched as the worlds came together. It is a good thing, what we're doing, she thought. I know it is. Why do I feel so strange all of the sudden? Max. Kenny. That night in the woods . . . we took their lives.

She gripped the window sill in her hands, as the world blurred in front of her eyes.

"What's happening?" she whispered, as she felt herself being tugged from Ital, "Zakan!"

Collapsing in the enveloping mist, she let herself be taken away.

4444

"Oh my God," Jill whispered, as she watched the woman be deposited on the cool cement ground.

"Goddess," Carter corrected, as they watched her pull herself to her feet, "Arcadia, I believe."

"Where am I? What have you done to me?" she asked.

"Max?" Skeeter asked, as he took in the white robbed figure who so resembled his lost friend.

"Not Max. Arcadia," Carter corrected, "There is a really important difference. This thing isn't Max."

"How dare you presume to speak my name," Arcadia said cooly, as she studied the mortals in front of her.