Game On! 5 0

by nordiamus

Shadow has left her life as Harriet Potter far behind... but now, to save a world whose heroes aren't able to preserve it, she may well be asked to assume the mantle once more. In a world where gods are numerous, and magic powerful, she will once more be the hero... fem!Harry, MoD!Harry, gamer!Harry

4. III Family Reunion

Hi! Thank you so much for all your comments, like always it really spurs me on to write more!
This project is really ambitious, but I'm very happy that you seem happy with what I've done for now.
There are so many books in the scope of this story that I won't always be able to give ful lfocus to an event or another, but I'll do my best...
Hope you'll enjoy, and happy new year everyone!

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Chapter III – Family Reunion

Loki and Sigyn were looking around them with undisguised awe – which Adra understood all too well, as the lush and green islands that made up the Sidh, the Thuatha de Danaan's domain were a stark contrast with the cave they'd been trapped in for so long.
All the Celtic gods weren't there, but Lug, Dagda, Ogma and Brigit were waiting for them.
"Well met, Loki Laufeyson, Sigyn Nerthusdóttir." the leader of the Thuatha de Danaan greeted with a smile "Be welcomed to the Sidh, this is now your home for as long as you wishes for."
"Well met, Lug Samildanach." Loki greeted, weakly bowing, true thankfulness in his eyes

He understood all too well after all, that by sheltering them the Thuatha de Danaan were placing themselves in direct opposition with Odin's Aesir and Vanir.
Brigit came forward next, a large basket of food and drink in arms "I've made a room for you in the halls of healing." she explained "You'll make a house for yourself when you're better."
Loki felt non-plused a second – then remembered that the Celts were far more respectful of their non-warrior cast, and considered that any adult should be able to not only fight for themselves, but also fend for themselves. He felt a small smile blossom on his lips, when he realized that here, among them he wouldn't be seen as a second class god only because his abilities didn't primarily lie in fighting.

"I'll leave them to you." Adra smiled at Brigit
"You do that and get back to your family. Happy First Rite, Adrasteia."
Loki usually didn't like being fussed over – but Brigit, for all that she was a goddess of healing, was a Thuatha de Danaan, able to fight just as well as the rest of her pantheon, and as such, she was far from being overbearing.

Their room in the Hall of Healing was wide, with a door opening on the green lands and large windows, celtic fresco adorning the walls, a warm wooden floor and larger beams reaching toward the thatch roof and fresh flowers magically changing everyday embellishing the area.
All in all, it would have been difficult for the place to be more different from the cave, and while their healing wouldn't be done in a day, simply being there, Loki and Sigyn already felt like they were born anew.
Each day, Astra dropped by, sometimes with Pyxis, sometimes not.

By the time they were healed enough to be able to search where they'd build their home, several weeks had gone by, and the couple knew everything about not only Adra's family – but also some of her past lifes' story, and even why she had incarnated in their world.
Loki wasn't quite ready to face the Norse gods – but he was eager to get out in the mortal world once more, and to help Adrasteia.

The god of mischief wasn't alone in building his new home – Sigyn of course, was by his side, but Adra was also present, Padfoot, Blanche and Kagetsu frolicking in the green valleys of the Sidh, and Pyxis himself having come to help.
Death was much less able to use his own godly powers than his sister, who was far more used to the restrictions of the Mortal Realm, but he was still an adult wizard, and as such quite able to help.
The house building soon turned into a maelstrom of magical feat and laughter – and Loki couldn't remember when using his seidr had been so fun among the Norse.

Within three days, a frame had been built, then walls, a roof and wooden floor laid – but also a wardstone had been carved and buried under the house, wards raised, enchantments laid; then furniture carved or permanently conjured, and so on.
"Well done, friend." Lug smiled benevolently, before his magic pooled around him, stretching toward the Norse couple "You don't have to if you'd rather not but…"
Loki and Sigyn shared a glance, the gesture painfully familiar for the god of mischief.

This was how he, a Jötunn, had eventually become a Norse God, Odin using his blood to adopt and welcome him among them. He'd already been let down by one brother – would he dare to risk being disappointed by a second one?
Lug, clearly understanding that it wasn't an easy decision for him, was waiting patiently, a friendly smile on his face.
Feeling torn between wanting to be part of a new family, and his fear of loosing it all once more, the god tilted his head toward his wife. Sigyn, understanding he was leaving the whole decision in her hands, smile benevolently, and stepped forward, taking him with with a strong tug on his hand.

It was only once closer to the king of the Thuatha de Danaan that they were able to feel the very faint presence of two more gods.
"This is Nuada, my predecessor." Lug explained, tilting his head toward one of the two nearly invisible presence "God of Arts and Magic. And this," he tilted his head toward the second presence "is Áine, Goddess of Love and Fertility." a pause "Both have faded, but then are still able to send impressions…"
Loki and Sigyn nodded – faded gods were something rather tragic, as they lost their powers when they got forgotten by the mortals, but could never completely disappear as gods were immortals. But sometimes, among those gods, some managed to held on enough power and sense of self to be able to still communicate faintly with those who knew them best.

And as intelligent as he was, he hadn't missed the kind of gods those two were – art and magic, love and fertility. Nuada and Áine had been among their counterpart in the Thuathe de Danaan.
"They've offered to merge with you should you agree to it."
Even if he had guessed it, Loki was surprised – his wife even moreso that, thought she wasn't stupid, she hadn't expected such a momentous proposal.

Merging would be – life-changing, without a doubt, as they would gain power, but also memories and new personality traits from the act – but it would also help officially establish them as part of the Thuatha de Danaan.
Clearly, they stood to gain the most of such merge, since Nuada and Áine had faded their influence would be rather minimal on the merge rather than the true battle of will that could sometime occur before the two deities blended.

"They are weary of being mere bystander to our world, and would rather take part in it once more, even if only by living as a part of you." Lug explained
"Then we are honored to accept." Loki decided, bowing respectfully, Sigyn but an instant behind him
They took the God King's bloody hands, and each felt an ethereal hand close around their own.
In a rush of blood and holy power, Loki felt Nuada becoming a part of him, memories that weren't his own, reigning over the Thuatha de Danaan, numerous battle fought against the Fir Bolg, loosing an arm and getting a replacement crafted in silver, loosing his throne as a warrior needed two arms and only a warrior could led the Thuatha de Danaan…

Delving in the mysteries of magic, eventually regaining his arm – but deciding against seizing power back as the evil king Bres had been deposed by Lug, that was a great leader.
Then the terrifying feeling of starting to loose power and fade as the age of the Celt was gone and most of the Gods forgotten…
And suddenly it was over, and he was both Loki and Nuada – and his wife was both Sigyn and Áine.
"Welcome home."

¤.¤.¤

Leto, but also Xenophilius and Pandora had been horrified when Adra had started to visit Loki and Sigyn – not because they feared the god of mischief but by the tales the young girl told them about the tortuous situation both had been left in.
They had helped when she had started to look for means to help them – and by the time her First Rite came around and she was finally able to free the couple, they nearly felt as if they knew the two Norse gods.

Which is probably why, when one day a pair of young children wandered in their garden early in the afternoon, they didn't need the family ability to see magic to know that there was more to the pair than a couple of young wix.
"Well met," Pandora was the one to greet first with a warm smile "be welcome to our house, Loki Laufeyson, Sigyn Nerthusdóttir. Adra is in the backyard with Luna, let me lead you to them."
"Thanks for inviting us in your house."
Pandora smiled at the polite answer, and took them across the house to the back yard, where Adrasteia was entertaining Luna with stories of gods.

"Why the young form?" she wondered at the two gods that looked to be barely over seven year old.
"Well if we want to spent time around you, we needed a form that wouldn't make people wonder what we're doing together."
Adra hadn't interrogated the god about why he would need to spent time in Midgard when she could shadow-travel to the Sidh whenever she wanted, understanding that Loki needed to remind himself that he was free – and traveling through the realms was one of the best way to realize this of course.

As such, Loki was soon a part of the familial circle, just like Sigyn, though she was less often around as she didn't feel the same need to move that her husband always had, and on the contrary enjoyed spending time in their new home and with the other Celtic Goddesses.
Within a few weeks, Loki had been all but adopted by the Lovegood, Pyxis and Remus, and he'd started to plan how to free his children.

While Jörmungandr was the closest, what with being in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, it had been Hel that had been the easiest to help.
The goddess only problem – was that Odin had confined her to her realm of Helheim – beyond that, she didn't mind being the queen of the realm of the dead, and she was doing her job quite competently.
All it had taken was Adrasteia granting her a stronger affinity for Shadow Art, one of Death's three main powers, and she was soon learning to shadow-walk just like Pyxis and Adra.

[Secondary Quest in Progress! Saving the Children…
Goal Complete: Hel freed
Reward: +5 XP, +1 PP, Hel's Approval]

[New Perk unlocked
Hel's Favour (5 PP): +2 EMP, +10 Necromancy

Available: 17 PP]

[Level up! You are now level 15!
1 SP]

After that, while she didn't come by as often as Loki, who now went under the name of Leifr among wixen to hide his identity, and now had his own room in the Lovegood ancestral home next to Adra, Physix and Remus' own, the god of mischief's eldest daughter became a regular guest.
She had also been the one to tell them how to find her brother Jörmungandr without catching Heimdall's attention, as clearly Loki hadn't been the only one in the family to think about how to reunite them.

"You'll be able to catch Jör's attention about anywhere on the East Coast of Northern," she explained "But doing so closer to Central America will give a better to chance not to be seen, it's rather close to the Inca and Maya territory, and while there isn't a lot of them left, they are still powerful enough that Odin's clique will think twice before angering them."
"And we won't annoy them by calling a giant serpent in their territory?"
"I would be able to explain the situation." she waved off "But we don't really need to be in their territory, just close by. Like New Orleans, for example."
"Why there?"
"Because that's where Anubis often appears." a sigh "And that kid really needs some friends."

Since Samhain wasn't too far away, Pyxis, Remus and Adra decided they would honor the Potter in New Orleans for the first anniversary of their death – and while they would have enjoyed spending the celebration in the family cemetery where they'd been buried, all three relished in the idea of leaving England for a few days given the tense atmosphere in the wixen world.
While Voldemort was – albeit temporarily – gone, his followers weren't, and while some had been put behind the bars, quite a few, coming from old families, had deep enough pockets that they managed to slither out of their prison sentence and leave the civil war as pure as snow.

Remus was moving the earth and the sky trying to prevent the worst of the Death Eaters from escaping their just desert – but while he'd found a few allies in the Longbottom, Lovegood, and more unexpectedly the Greengrass and Selwyn, it was still a hard battle.
All in all, leaving the wixen world that was still clamoring for a glimpse at the Girl-who-Lived, even if only for a few days, seemed like a great idea.
Forgoing international portkey, Pyxis had opened a shadow portal directly to New Orleans – when Remus had tried to protest the legality of entering another country like this he'd earned a pair of blank look.

They had barely stepped through the door that Pyxis and Adra were taking a deep breath, and releasing a deep, contented sigh.
"This place is great." Adra commented, Pyxis humming is approval
Remus raised an eyebrow at the two's reaction, but shrugged it away, used by now to how strange life was with them around.
It was still early afternoon in the city – but it was as if a full blown, city wide festival was on-going. While, truth be told, this was a rather usual happening in New Orleans, today was particular, as any wix could tell, as magic and even holy powers were thick in the air.

"Well," mused Adra, stunned at feeling how free her powers felt "no wonder people call this the city of the dead."
They wandered around the city, enjoying the festive atmosphere and naturally ending in the Saint Louis Cemetery, the oldest in the city and the one where most wixen in the area were buried. While the Potter grave wasn't available, there was a small circle, hidden away from the muggles eyes.
While they noticed numerous magical beings around, the circle was empty as most were visiting family vaults.

The remnants of praying candles flared to life as Pyxis and Adra entered the circle, and they felt as if they'd just stepped in the In Between, and were just at the edge of Death's Islands.
Remus was surprised once more – but far more interested in the two silhouette that were slowly appearing.
"James, Lily…" Pyxis greeted, voice tight with emotion
"Pyxis, Adrasteia." Lily greeted them first with a warm smile, stepping toward them – and somehow managing to hug them
"I'm sorry." Death whispered

"Don't be. Our death was inevitable." James was the one to answer – this he'd known from the start after all, and it hadn't deterred him from accepting to reincarnate once more as James Potter
"Thanks dad, mum." Adra whispered
She didn't say more, but they understood easily what she meant – right now, the two dead were close enough to her to feel what she was saying – thank you for giving birth to her once more, for sacrificing themselves for her to live once more.

Remus was the next to approach.
"We miss you all, stupid couple."
Lily smiled – this had always been the werewolf nickname for them, even long before they started to go out together. The Potter didn't stay long – but Pyxis and Remus stayed in the circle, the two of them reminiscing about their friends and taking out a large picnic basket prepared earlier that day to share with the spirits, a rather traditional libation for Samhain.
Adra strayed among the large family vault that earned New Orlean's cemeteries the name of City of the Dead, following the faint feeling tugging on her senses.

"Such a young witch shouldn't wonder around in the middle of the night." an unknown, but not unkind voice warned "Or rather that's what I should be saying but I doubt you really need the warning."
Adra smiled as she realized she'd found the one she'd been searching for.
Negligently seated on the edge of one of the multiple vault, was a teenager with pale skin, dark black hair and brown eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"You're not from the other pantheons, are you?" he asked, head tilted in a familiar canine fashion "Yet clearly, you're no mortal…" he mused
Adra had to smile at the clear curiosity – Anubis, for of course it could only be him

"What do you think?" she asked
"You are touched by Death and Chaos." he immediately answered, nose frowning a bit as he said the last word "Just like me."
"That I am." she agreed
He jumped from the vault he was seated on, crouching down to get to eye level with her, and she could see shear curiosity in his eyes – but also something else, deeper.
Loneliness, and hope.
And just like that it was decided.

"That's it! I'm taking you home! I'm adopting you as my little brother!"
"Little brother?" the teenage looking god couldn't help but protest, eyeing her small form dubiously
"Well of course." she nodded "After all, I'm the elder, it's my job to take care of you."
"I'm pretty sure I'm older!" he couldn't help but protest
She tilted her head in thought "Hm… Given how long ago Ancient Egypt was, I'd say you're more or less five thousand years?" he nodded "Oh well, I guess you're a couple of millenium older than me, indeed." a wink "But clearly I'm the more mature, so of course I'm the big sister!" a large smile "Plus it's been several lifes since the last time I had a little brother to spoil!"
"Well I don't know about maturity," he answered sounding slightly amused "But I'm afraid you fond be able to take me to your home."
"Why not?"
"Well I don't have a human host." at her non-plused look he explained "That's how us Egyptian Gods manifest in the human world."

She poked him.
"Seems real enough to me."
"Only as long as I stay within a place of Death." he explained, shrugging "Should I try to step out of this cemetery I would loose this shape."
Adrasteia rolled her eyes, and loosened her hold on her aura "I'm a living place of Death, cub." she pointed out as Anubis eyes widened, finally feeling how much more powerful than he expected she was "Wherever I am, you'll have no difficulty maintaining your shape."
He nodded mutely, having no problem believing her now that he could feel her aura – and still stunned, let the deceptively young looking girl pool him toward the circle where her family was waiting for her.

Remus had rolled his eyes and pointed out kidnapping was very much illegal when she'd arrived and proclaimed the teenager she was dragging along was now a part of their family – but she'd waved his concerns off and explained his parent weren't in the picture right now.
Which wasn't a lie given that Hel had explained to her the rather complicated most Egyptians Gods were in – having gotten sealed in the Du'at, their own dream realm, by the age-old order of magicians that used their powers.

Anubis – was one of the few that hadn't been sealed, but his parents were very much part of those banned from the human realm by the magicians.
Adrasteia had the feeling that dealing with those magician was going to be a headache and a half – but right now, she had a lonely godling to take care of. Because while he certainly was older than her, years didn't mean much to gods, and to her Soul Art, he felt quite young in life experience.
Within a few days, it was quite clear that Anubis was woefully unprepared for the mortal world – the poor god had quite simple no ideas of the ways the world had changed since the fall of Egypt as an Empire under Cleopatra.
So Adra had snapped, and told him he would be taking a younger form and joining her in her lessons from now on.

Of course, doing this meant creating a whole new identity for the god as the lessons Adra had mentioned were taken with various tutors from both the wix and non-magical world.
As such, Pyxis had stepped in, and officially adopted the boy that now looked just as young as his sister.
And thus, Sirius Pyxis Black became a part of the wixen world.

[Secondary Quest Complete! A Girl and her Jackal...
Goal Complete: Anubis is no longer alone
Reward: +5 XP, +1 PPAnubis' Approval]

[New Perk unlocked
Anubis' Favour (5PP): +2 PERC, +10 Necromancy

Available: 18 PP]

¤.¤.¤

While Adra, Pyxis and Remus were paying their respects to the dead, Loki hadn't been too far thanks to his daughter's advice, and talking to another god.
Jörmungandr was much younger than Anubis, year-wise – and just like the other godling, hadn't had the chance to mature much as he'd been cut from the rest of the world by Odin's curse that bound him the large and cumbersome form of a giant serpent.
While Loki's son did posses innately the ability to shape-shift, and had shown from a young age his preference for the scaly beasts, he'd never been meant to be stuck in this form, and it had taken it's toll on the poor child.

Thankfully, Loki was now a Thuatha de Danaan, and Nuada was as much of an accomplished sorcerer as Laufeyson had been a seidr master. With their merging, their knowledge had grown considerably – and while once upon a time it had been impossible for the god of mischief to undo Odin's runic bond…
For this reborn Loki it felt nearly easy, a chant in an old form of celt language faintly reminiscent of welsh coming to his lips – making the runes deeply engraved into Jör's very scales take a blueish glow as their power tried to stand up against the old magic.
Then the rune shattered, and with a large movement of water, Loki wasn't facing a giant serpent anymore but the frail silhouette of a dirt blond child with with eyes the same shade of fiery red-gold as his.

"I knew you'd come for us." the boy whispered with a faint smile, before fainting
Loki hadn't wasted a second, shifting directly toward his home in the Sidh and simply sending the illusion of a raven – not a crow, never – toward Adra to inform her he'd done what he'd come from and was leaving.
It was only once Jörmungandr had been examined by Brigit and put in a comfortable bed that he finally broke down.

"He believed I would come for them." he whispered to Sigyn "Meanwhile I spent all those centuries blinded by hatred, never thinking about just ignoring the Norse, saving them and disappearing… No I had to start Ragnarök, didn't I?" he ended, voice self-deprecating
"It took external help, but you are doing better now." Sigyn pointed out soothingly "There is no point thinking about what if and other could have…" a smile "Right now, we've got children to save, and plans to think up to change the world."
Loki sighed, and smiled.

Like often, his wife was right – and while he had no intention of ever facing Odin and the rest of the Norse Gods ever again, he still knew them best, and that meant he could think up ways to shake them up enough to make them wake up to the state of the world.
Adra, he knew would do the rest.

[Secondary Quest in Progress! Saving the Children…
Goal Complete: Jörmungandr freed
Reward: +5 XP, +1 PP, Jörmungandr's' Approval]

[New Perk unlocked
Jörmungandr' Favour (5 PP): +2 AG, +10 Poison

Available: 19 PP]

Anubis – had been rather stunned to suddenly find himself adopted in the middle of a British wix family.
For one thing – wixen and Egyptian rarely mingled, something rather understandable given that the wix prayed to the gods, and occasionally gave birth to their children; while the Egyptian, or rather the magicians as nowadays they could be found all around the world, had quite literally sealed away their own gods.
This – was seen like the height of heresy by the wix, without surprise.
So Anubis knew even less about the wixen than the rest of the world…

But no matter how confusing it was to be suddenly thrown in a whole new world, the young god was happy.
Because he'd been lonely for so long he'd been starved for attention, or really, any kind of interaction with someone that wasn't the soul of a dead he needed to help pass on – not that he encountered a lot of souls headed toward the Egyptian after-life nowadays – and his new family had accepted him immediately, no matter how strange he was.
Because instead of looking down on him because he, the adopted son of Isis and Osiris, wasn't a warrior like his siblings – he'd been accepted without any reservation, and even the fact that Set was his father hadn't made anyone bat an eye.

Because no one was afraid of him for all that he was touched by both Death and Chaos – it had instead earned him this new family…
So while he was still going back, from time to time, to the In Between that led to the Egyptian After life, doing his best to keep the place from falling apart – which wasn't easy given that Osiris wasn't there anymore… Anubis was quite content to go by the name of Sirius and live among mortals – and that despite knowing that quite a few gods from his pantheon would look down on him for going against traditions.
Hel was a frequent visitor – and the young god felt quite thankful that his fellow death deity had pointed Adrasteia his way. This, in turn, had prompted questions about how they knew each other since pantheons didn't really mingle…

"People are idiots." the Norse death goddess had explained with a shrug "Because of this in most pantheons we always have the bad role… But the thing is, no matter how afraid people are, we're inevitable." a wry shrug "But probably because of our ill reputation, we're rarely appreciated, even in our own pantheon, so we made our own…"
"Your own… pantheon?"
"Pantheon… Club, family…." Hel shrugged again "There's no real name to it, but us Death deities do meet or at least communicate far more often that others." a smile "Even stuck in Helheim as I was, I was regularly visited by Melinoe." her eyes turned thoughtful "In fact we haven't had a meeting in some decades…"
"And you being freed is as good an occasion as any other." Anubis completed "This would give you a good opportunity to meet more gods from other pantheons."
Arranging a meeting between gods – even moreso gods from different pantheons – could take months or even years… But both Pyxis and Adra were curious to meet the deities tied to their powers, especially given that they'd gone against the communitarism that plagued the different pantheons of this world to meet.

¤.¤.¤

Leaving the arrangement for the meeting to Hel, they'd turned their attention back to the rest of her siblings – because while Jörmungandr was slowly healing thanks to Brigit's expert care, and learning how to use his powers with his father and the druid gods of the Thuatha de Danaan, and Nari and Vali were slowly getting over being used as bindings for centuries – there were still two siblings that hadn't been freed yet.
"So… Fenris next?" Adra asked
"Fenris next." Loki confirmed "While he's stuck on a hidden island, he'll still be easier to free than Sleipnir, that is in Odin's stables in Asgard."
"There's just the problem of finding said hidden island."

"I… Might be able to help." Remus said, sounding stunned himself
Suddenly finding himself the center of all attention, he explained "You know how Dumbledore had me going around the packs trying to gather support for his side?"
Pyxis rolled his eyes "Which was doomed to fail seeing as he's nearly as bad as Voldemort when it comes to respecting other species and not looking down on them."
Remus smiled wryly, clearly used to the argument, and not disagreeing "Anyway, back then I didn't understand… But there was this she-wolf I got on well with… Always the nose in a book, she was Beta in a pack up north…" he was blushing heavily now
"And somehow your summer romance told you how to find Fenris?" Pyxis asked, sounding both dubious and highly amused

"Not in these words… But she told me that she earned a touch of Vision by making a deal with her patron deity, a god of knowledge…" a mumble as he tried to remember "Mimir I think, which would make sense since he's Norse too. And then, before I left she told me I'd need to free the Great Wolf one day, and gave me this."
This – was a phone number, surprisingly; an American one given the international call sign put in front of it.
"At that time I didn't think I'd ever need it, because the Great Wolf is a well-known nickname for Fenrir so…"
"Fenrir?" Loki repeated, a bit surprised by the amount of dislike the other had put in the single word that was a rather evident variation of his son's name

"You though she was talking about Greyback." Pyxis concluded easily
"Yeah." a shrug "And helping this bastard in any way or shape?" a shrug "I'd rather play pet to Dumbledore for the rest of my life."
"Fenrir Greyback is a vicious man, and the werewolf that attacked Remus when he was four year old merely because he didn't approve of his father's political opinion. He went on becoming Voldemort's mad attack dog once the war started." Adra explained softly to her fellow gods while Pyxis good naturedly teased his one remaining best friend in order to make him thing about someone else than the mad wolf

It was only the next day that they'd called the number, Remus immediately recognizing the answering voice with some surprise – this was Leah, the she-wolf he'd been talking about. Given that the last time he'd seen her she'd been in the Shetland Island he certainly hadn't expected her to answer a phone call in Alaska…
Leah hadn't been surprised, which given her minor ability to see wasn't too surprising.
"The capo felt things were changing…" she explained "Events that up until now had felt set in stones he could suddenly see going very differently… He told me Old Ones had come to save us… or all would be Lost."

"Well," Adra mused "seems like this is one god worth meeting."
"He'd appreciate it." Leah easily agreed "People tend to mistrust him, they like the knowledge he grants but never want to pay the price."
"This is all too often the case." Pyxis agreed – Astra nodded along, thinking about the first rule she'd had to learn as an alchemist – a rule that had served her well in all of her lifes…
To gain anything, something must be given in return.

Appointment had been made, to meet with Mimir – on the Atan island, the westernmost point of the state, the very next day.
Mimir – was a corpse-less head, looking rather desiccated when out of the water.
Given that he was a god – this clearly wasn't a natural state of things.
"A curse put upon me by the Vanir to avenge themselves from the insult given by the Aesir." Mirmir answered the question Adra hadn't asked yet, before eying her "Sadly this isn't a matter you'll be able to help with, Old One.
"Indeed not." she agreed– this kind of curse, she realized after focusing a bit on it, would be best healed by Light's own abilities

Because while breaking the curse was easily – and already – done, the problem was that it had been laid expertly enough that even without the curse, the god's body had been so effectively annihilated that nothing was left to regrow. The vaunted regeneration power of the gods didn't do any good when it didn't even realize there was something that needed to be regenerated...
"Don't worry about it," Mimir said gruffly "while I'd love to be able to move freely again, saving the world is clearly more important."
"Ah but you're an important part if this world, aren't you." Adra contradicted "I may not be able to heal you, I do know that any Life deity could at least help you…"
"And all of them Vanir."
"In the Norse pantheon maybe."

"But you mean to make us all work together…" Mimir realized
"While it stands to reason for everyone to have their own area of influence, it doesn't mean you have to ignore what's going on elsewhere."
"On that we couldn't agree more." Mimir nodded – which was a rather strange sight, given that he was a headless head floating in freezing water "And precisely why I wanted to meet."
Odin, Mimir went on explaining, was probably on of the more down-to-earth of the Norse god.

But with many of them having faded, and most of the obsessing about Ragnarök, the leader of the pantheon had all but given up on enforcing the old ways of taking care of the mortal world...
He was among the gods that spent a lot of time among mortal, and was rarely seen in Asgard or Valhalla, and while when present there he did try to introduce the people to modern knowledge or way of thinking, the lack of success didn't give him much enthusiasm in persisting.
"His favorites are probably the young Einherjar…" Mimir mused "Before they become too used to the set in stone ways of the Norse Pantheon."

After that, Mimir had explained that the island where they were, Atan, was a full magical enclave, with the very few no-maj present all in the known about the wixen world – and that it was also his fief as an international wix information broker.
He promised his assistance in helping change the pantheons – with the firm advice of keeping on meeting the less powerful or disdained gods, as they were the one that felt more direly the need for change and could be convinced.
He also told them how to find Lyngvi – explaining that the island could only be found on the first full moon of the new year, and bade them good luck.

The following days, Loki had spent with a thoughtful look on his face – because Odin had been his brother, and from what Mimir had said…
Maybe, maybe, the old leader Aesir wasn't as far gone as he'd thought.
Rebuilding anything between them wouldn't be easy.
But contrarily to what he had felt, it well not be impossible either.
It was to Leto that the young looking god of mischief found himself confiding his thoughts, the man, thanks to his cunning and seer gift, able to give insight to unexpected situation.

"It's good to see you are healing." was the Lovegood Head's first answer, surprising Leifr "While you'll never be able to forget what happened… The simple fact that you can think about speaking to him again means that you are forgiving him." a shrug "Now, I'm not saying that forgiving is a must, don't mistake it, somethings are too big to be easily forgiven. But for an immortal like you…" a shrug "Holding on grudge would be more detrimental to yourself than Odin."
Adra, that was just a few meters away climbing a tree with Luna hummed her agreement "Hate is too burdensome. It'll drag you down and prevent yourself from going on with your life." a smile "By turning your back to the Norse Pantheon you made your first step in healing. By being able to think about seeing some of them again, you're proving you've come far in such a short time!"

After that, Yule had come – Pyxis, Leto and Remus suffering through the traditional balls, once more with the Longbottom and Greengrass, but also the Selwyn.
They'd celebrated in the Lovegood home, the celebration far larger than the year before as Loki, Sigyn, Jör and Hel, on top of Anubis, had been present. Morrígan and Arawn had dropped by, and even Dagda, Lug and Brigit.
After that, they planned for the next full moon.
Remus, of course, wouldn't be coming since he'd be transforming.

Like always, Pyxis would stay with him in his Grimm form, and the two would spend the night running in the heavily warded forest near the Rookery.
Meanwhile, Loki, Adra and Anubis would head toward Lyngvi Island.
They couldn't be sure they'd be able to free Fenris immediately, but once she'd been to the island when it's hiding wards were at their weakest, it should be as easy for Astra to get there again as it had been to come and go from Loki's own cave.
From what they knew, they'd face two problems on the island: the Heather Ward, a powerful containment ward crafted by Freya and made of magical heather flowers, and Gleipnir, the reputedly unbreakable rope made by the dwarves to chain Fenris.

"According to the myths, there's only one thing that can cut through Gleipnir, and that's Frey's sword Sumarbrander." Loki mused, eyes sparking mischievously "Of course, I've since realized that there's quite a few blade with the same reputation for cutting through anything in multiple of pantheons' mythology."
"So you'll what… ask to borrow one?"
"Precisely." Loki smiled "Ogma had a halfblood son about two thousand years ago, that had just such a sword." a shrug "The son is long gone, but the sword should still be somewhere in Eire."

¤.¤.¤

"Caladbolg!" Pandora was the first to realize "The sword is legendary… But do you know how to find it?"
"I don't,"Loki answered "or rather, I didn't, but I'm about to find out." he declared rather grandly
"How?"
"Poker night."
"Poker night?" Remus was the one to repeat, disbelief clear in his eyes
"Poker night!" Loki concluded grandly, making Pyxis roll his eyes and Adra laugh, before finally explaining "Apparently there's a few poker night every few months or so going around the pantheons." a shrug "Generally Hermes' in, and of course Ogma. Thor sometimes, but he hasn't been to the last few rounds, Bès also drops by from time to time..."

"Wait aren't Egyptian gods banished?"
"They missed a few." Loki waved the comment away "Anyway, I've been invited to the next game, and we're wagering the sword."
"Well, apparently the pantheons aren't quite as separated from each other as their leaders want to believe." Pandora laughed
"Well, while the main gods are still quite powerful and well remembered, quite a few have lost most of their powers and are just hanging around without much to do." Loki shrug "I mean I'm considered a main god because of this, but since I was never well liked in my pantheon I eventually got to learn about the other outcasts…"

A few days after the new year, Loki was using his powers to slip in the hidden paths of the In Between, Ogma by his side.
"Thanks for taking me," the other god nodded to him "usually I come by Kelpie, and while they are fast getting out of the fountain each time is rather annoying." the Celt god knocked on the door of one of the numerous Greek style temple that made up Olympus Mount
Loki idly noted that outside of the paved roads, clouds could be seen beneath them, and here and there, a glimpse of the tall towers of New York could be caught. It really had been quite a long time since he'd last been around the city…

Hermes temple was, paradoxically, one of the more sober of the area – Appollo's, all golden, was impossible to miss, Zeus' of course was brimming with thunder… There were of course multiple other more regular and smaller temple around – those of the lesser gods – but among the temple of the big twelve, Hermes definitely was the sensible one.
An athletic man, looking in his twenties opened, with starling blue eyes and curly black hair.
"Ah! Ogma, you're the last one to arrive, and is this your guest?" Hermes tilted his head "You… Feel somewhat familiar…" he mused while letting them in
Inside the wide main area were surprisingly modern furniture – a tv corner with some gaming console in a side, music playing from a large hi-fi system near it; and around a large coffee table, quite a few gods sprawled in sofa and already playing.

A golden skinned man wearing a long loincloth and so many feather and gems ornamented jewelry that he looked to be fully clothed, Loki recognized as Maximón, a trickster god just like himself. Near him, in the long robe of the Chinese scholar of old was Fú Xing, a god of Fortune who hid a sharp mind behind his seemingly calm and expressionless face.
And finally, it took Loki all he had not to freeze as he saw the last man.
Red wavy shoulder length hair, grey-blue reminiscent of storm clouds eyes that could change with his mood – only the outfit had changed, the muscular man now wearing a sleeveless leather jerkin over his chainmail shirt and heavy duty jeans rather than leather pants.

There was something different in the way he was holding himself, the god of mischief couldn't help but note – while he still gave the same aura of a proud warrior, there was some weariness and boredom hiding deep beneath the boastful laughter.
Spying the familiar tattoo on his knuckle – Loki couldn't help but wonder if Sif had finally given him the children he dreamt of, the children fated to survive Ragnarök. The children they'd been stopping themselves from giving life to for so long in hope of pushing back the end of their world…

"This is Leifr, son of Loki and incarnate of Nuada." Ogma introduced, both gods glad they'd thought about a cover story
"Incarnate?" Fú repeated "This rather unusual."
"Nuada was a faded god, and I was a dying half-blood." Loki fudged "It worked well for both of us."
"Indeed. Though how a child of Loki ended up among the Thuatha de Danaan…"
"My father isn't well-liked among the Norse." Leifr pointed dryly "And they have no problem taking it against his children, as they've proved multiple time."

Thor's wince was so quick most would have missed it – among gods, it was noticed by all. But surprisingly, instead of loud denial, the red head merely nodded "Yeah, Valhalla isn't quite the place for Loki's children right now I'm afraid. The fact that the latest one betrayed my daughter doesn't help." a shrug "She's made captain of the Valkyrie a few decades ago, and she can hold a grudge…"
"Well," Hermes asked loudly, a bit of contemplation still in his eyes as he watched the young looking god "are we going to play or rehash depressing old stories?"
"I've a bet to win!" Leifr answered in kind
"Bah!" Ogma laughed "If you think you're taking this sword of me this easily, you've got something coming!"

A few hours later, Ogma was all but banging his head on the table…
"I can't believe I lost!" he protested "You better take really good care of this blade, Lo… Leifr, because I kept it for my next child!"
"You haven't had one in centuries!" Loki pointed out with some mirth in his voice
"Bah, with how war have changed it's just not the same anymore."
"Have you tried picking up some woman from the special forces?" the god of mischief suggested "Or some Hitwitch? A mercenary?" a shrugg "The world has changed, but there are still great people in it, you just have to change the way you look at them." he pointed out.

"You're… not wrong." Ogma admitted "I've just become a bit too set in my ways."
"Happens to the best of us." Hermes nodded "And far too easily when you don't have to go in the mortal world." he gestured around his room "Look at how far they've come these last few decades!"
"We've been so set on the non-interference rule of the gods that we've maybe not interfered enough recently…" Fú mused "I mean, look at how my country has changed! They've nearly forgotten us in a few decades after millennia of harmony!"

"Because humans having free will doesn't mean we don't need to help them from time to time." Leifr pointed out "Wars used to be won or lost on the good will of but one of us."
All were looking rather thoughtful as party started to wind down. And as Ogma was announcing that he would host the next night, Thor waited a bit, until leaving just behind the two Celt gods.
"I… don't know what's going on, Loki."
"Leifr."

"Leifr, Loki." the red-head waved away his comment "It's all the same isn't it." he pointed out "I may not be as smart as father or you, I know you." he sighed "And right now, you look far happier than I remember, and it sure as Hel doesn't look like Ragnarök is coming…" a loud laugh "Not that I would mind that much, a good fight is a good way to go!"
"We're gods, Thor. We're wouldn't die. Fade maybe…"
"But… Balder?"

"Isn't dead just stuck in Helheim. My daughter wasn't going to let him scottt-free after what you'd done to me."
Thor – looked far more shocked than he ought, as if he really hadn't realized. Which wasn't impossible, Loki had to admit to himself – while not quite as stupid as he tended to act, Thor wasn't the brightest Norse god by any measure.
"Then… If we'd just given you a smaller punishment, my brother would already be back among us?"
Loki didn't even need to answer.
The red-head shook his head, as if to clear his mind, but Loki could hear him whisper 'all theses years…', then in a louder, clearer voice, Thor said "I've not heard of Loki escaping, so I can only guess he's still in his cave." a smile, and he stretched his hand toward him "It was nice to meet you, Leifr Lokison, I hope you enjoy the Sidh."
Leifr answered the handshake on autopilot, stunned that the man would come to such a conclusion – such a cunning move for the brash man…

Thor had already jumped on his chariot, the two goats pulling it asking him whether he'd won anything "A new friend maybe." was his answer
Loki was smiling softly as he threated the paths back home with Ogma.
Somehow, he realized – he was looking forward for the next poker night.

¤.¤.¤

Adra had laughed loudly when he'd recounted the encounter, but she'd also been quite happy for him – the annoying red-head may not be his brother, he still had been a good friend after all.
On top of that, they now had a sword that should be able to cut Fenris free, leaving the only problem to be the Heather Ward, which they weren't too worried about.
Between Loki's knowledge, now enhanced by Nuada's own, and Adra's own ability with the Revolutionary Art of Chaos, it was doubtful a single ward, no matter that it had been weaved by someone as powerful as Freya, would stand long against them.

And soon, the 28th of January was upon them, and as the moon rose, Loki could suddenly feel his son's presence – taking the old paths, the three gods were soon on the banks of a small island, that looked to be positively covered in ethereally ghost white flowers.
"Powerful this ward maybe, but subtle it is not." Loki couldn't help but sneer
Trust a Norse to put power above all else.

Fenris was tied down in a bowl-like valley in the center of the island.
He was a beautiful wolf – or rather would be, without the ropes preventing him from moving too much and the scarring all over his body, proof that the bindings must have been much tighter once upon a time.
"Father." the voice was silky, quite similar to Loki's own – and frankly not very welcoming "Come to free me at last? Looking forward to the end of the world?"

"No end of the world in the books." the god of mischief denied, hiding how worried he was about his son's state of mind "Freeing you on the other hand…" he brandished his sword "Note quite Sumarbrander, but Caladbolg should to the word all the same."
The affirmation took the wind out of the wolf's sail, acidic retort dying on his lips before he finally dared ask, tone suddenly quite younger and far more insecure.
"You're not going to use me?"

"You're my son," Loki pointed out, not quite believing he had to explain it to his own child "not a war beast for me to use."
"Then… what?" the wolf ask, the notion of not having to fight clearly alien
"Then we get you out of here, heal you, teach you how to shift to other forms… And whatever else you may want to do." Loki explained decisively
The wolf eyed the other two gods with his father, clearly waiting – for them to agree or deny what his father was saying, they couldn't quite say.

Adra was the one to nod first "You should have an easier time learning how to tame human form that Jör, he's so big the size difference is hard to manage." a smile "And once you can shape-shift as you wish you could either stay with your family, or travel around, learn new things and discover new places and people.
"And no Ragnarök?" he repeated, still not quite believing it
"No Ragnarök. What's the point of ending the world?"
Clearly, he didn't have an answer to that, and so instead he flattened himself to the ground in order to give as much space as possible for the sword to cut his bindings.
A swish of a blade – and he was free.

"Could we leave a shikigami like in my cave?" Loki suggested
"Might as well." Adra agreed – even if Thor had realized that Loki was free yet hadn't talked, and Odin was maybe not quite as belligerent as they believed, it was still better to be safe than sorry
Soon, all that was left was to leave the island, and head back to the Sidh were Brigit was standing by.
Rather than breaking the containment ward, Loki was the one to partially unravel it – just enough to slip through with his son without anyone the wiser.

[Secondary Quest in Progress! Saving the Children…
Goal Complete: Fenris freed
Reward: +5 XP, +1 PP, Fenris' Approval]

[New Perk unlocked
Fenris' Favour (5 PP): +2 PERC, +10 Battle Sense

Available: 20 PP]

¤.¤.¤

In the following months, life was as calm as it could be in a household shared by a werewolf, several wixen and quite a few gods from at least three different pantheons.
Jörmungandr and Fenris visited occasionally but still spent much of their time healing and learning in the Sidh, happily living with their mother. Both had reacted very differently to their trial – Jör was shy and quiet, and it wasn't easy to make him come out of his shell while on the contrary Fenris was brash and violent, ready to defend himself and his family from any perceived attack.

The next poker night that happened, Pyxis and Adra had been invited to since it was held in the Sidh, where both siblings were getting better known by the day.
Somehow, the game night had ended up far larger than planned as Lug had dropped by too, as had Morrígan.
Thor had been there too, and while he'd nearly slipped a time or two and called the former Norse god Loki rather than Leifr, no one bar Hermes had noticed – and while he clearly found the news that Loki was free and busy playing poker rather than waging war intriguing, it wasn't really life-changing for a Greek god.
All in all, the evening had been great fun, as well as a way to take the temperature of the other pantheons.

In parallel to learning more about the multiple gods populating the world, Adra and Anubis had also kept with their wixen studies, the two of them considered as old enough to start socializing with other children their age.
While of course they had Luna, they were also introduced to the children close to their age.

Neville had been first without surprise, given that their parents, while not best friends, had been close. While still quite shy, Adra had been rather happy to note that the little boy was clearly happier than he'd been when raised by his grand-mother.
The Greengrass had followed, Daphne, that was the same age as Adra, and Astoria, her younger sister. Them, Adra hadn't known well in her first life, but from reputation, as Daphne had been known as Slytherin's Ice Queen – back in her first world, this had only been thanks to her cold demeanor, so Adrasteia was rather amused to meet a girl that was serious but not really cold, bar for her budding talent for ice magic…

The Weasley had followed simply because they were nearly neighbors – but with her maturity the young goddess quickly knew she wouldn't be as close to the two youngest as she'd been once upon a time. Young Ginny was rather spoiled as the only girl in the family, something that was only cured in Hogwarts the last time – and Ron lack of motivation didn't mesh well with the full life Adrasteia was living nowadays. On the other hand, she quickly got along with the twins– and had a few interesting discussions with Charlie and Bill when they came home for Easter Holidays.

There were of course numerous others – the Patil twins parents were old pureblood from India, and had come to the United-Kingdom thanks to a betrothal proposal for their older son, something Adra knew hadn't happened this way in her own world.
Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones, both best friends, were about as she remembered them, friendly girl, the first rather easily swayed by popular opinion, the second quite head-strong.

Blaise Zabini, whose mother was still infamous as a black widow – and was also the first godly halfblood she met.
Blaise was a girl sometimes – and a boy sometimes.
He was a true shape-shifter, whose ability made the metamorphmagi look like child's play, and was easily mistaken for a child of Loki with his habit to change shape and his quick-wit – but he was in fact a son of Métis, the Oceanid of Wisdom and Cunning from the Greek Pantheon.
Blaise was far from the only godly halfblood in the wixen world – and thanks to him she learned that all those demi-gods recognized her powers enough that they thought she was one of them too, albeit a powerful one, and the same was proven true for Anubis once they met him.

It was rather unsurprising to learn that this world Lavender Brown wasn't the daughter of a mafioso, but a child of Venus, but there were also a few other – Penny Haywood, a daughter of Apollo was in Hogwarts with Charlie Weasley, Rune Selwyn who would be in the Weasley twins school year and was a son of Gullveig, and so on…
Contrarily to the muggle world where demi-gods usually only knew about the existence of their godly parent's pantheon, in the magical world the children all knew that all pantheon existed, whether they were demi-gods or not.
This general knowledge, and the respect afforded to all demi-gods whomever their parent was was probably why there was so many of them in the wix world.

It also made Adrasteia wonder why, if the gods were able to interact with the magical world so much yet not interfere too much in the mortals affairs – they weren't able to do the same on a larger scale with the rest of the world!
Part of the answer was rather evident, she soon realized – the fact that their existence was common knowledge. Just like the wixen had chosen to hid themselves away from non-magical, so too had the gods – because far too often, mortals were afraid of what they didn't understand, or was more powerful than them. And for all that they'd been born form the mortal's collective imaginary – the gods were true immortal, quite difficult to understand because of how different they were from the short-lived and powerless humans.
Revealing their existence once more – wasn't worth the problems it would cause around the world, not when they were supposed to prevent some of those problem… Not that many of the gods really took care of their own duties nowadays.

¤.¤.¤

Adrasteia's birthday had nearly come again by the time Hel came with a couple of golden embossed invitation cards. The style, while rather modern, was clearly Greek in origin, the decorative pattern squarish pattern rather distinguishable.
"This is from Hades," Hel explained "He's a bit full of himself," she rolled her eyes "comes with being one of the strongest Olympians," a shrug "but beyond that he's not a bad guy, and very proud of his work."
"How come there's even an invitation for brother and I?"

"Well I told them I had new-comers to introduce to them." Hel explained as if it was evident "They probably think it's a minor god from one of those fantasy pantheons, but they're quite welcoming nonetheless."
"Fantasy pantheon?" Remus asked
"You know, when a mortal writes a book, or make a movie, whatever, and it grows popular enough. Sometimes, it's powerful enough of an Imagination boost to give birth to new gods."

Hel's explanation was met with wide eyes – while everyone in the strange family knew by now that the gods had come into existence thanks to the mortals' powerful imagination, they hadn't realized it could extend to fiction work!
"Most of the time those gods aren't really powerful, because the mortals know they aren't real." Hel forged on "But at the same time, they are also far less at a risk of fading, and they can mingle among mortals more easily, so there's so sort of rivalry between regular pantheons and fictional ones." a shrug "Or rather between the big egos in those, like always."
"Hu. So in the end it's always a problem of ego…"
"Always." Hel nodded "Because the traits mortals have attributed to us are very defining in our personality, it's difficult to learn to temper them…" a shrug "But difficult doesn't mean impossible, it's more a matter of many gods not seeing the need to change."

This was how a few days latter Pyxis, Adra and Anubis were following Hel through a familiar portal of shadow she had become quite adept at handling, appearing inside a room filled with people.
This - looked a lot like an office, though clearly an overworked one given how many people were waiting.
Manning what looked to be the reception desk, a tall man, with dark chocolate skin and bleached blond short hair, wearing an impeccable suit rather reminiscent of the ones Pyxis himself favored in his immortal form. The man was currently arguing with a man "I'm telling you I don't care about how famous you are, if you want to pass, you'll have to pay just like anybody else! And you're holding the line!"

Clearly, the argument had been going for quite some time given how annoyed the people around looked – or rather the souls, as Adra realized they were at the entrance of the Greek Underworld.
"Hel!" Charon – his name was indicated on the desk – greeted them with a smile "And Anubis…" he eyed the kid "New look?"
"I was told I didn't know enough about the mortal world to pass for a teen."
"Yeah no kidding." Charon nodded "Last time we met I had to explain to him that people could fly now." he rolled his eyes, before turning to the other two "And you must be the newcomers?" he asked, curiosity clear in his voice as he eyed them

"I'm Pyxis Orionis Black, Heir Black, and this this my goddaughter Adrasteia Lyra Potter, Heiress Potter."
"Oh, wixen, well met, well met." Charon nodded "This is making me more and more curious!"
With a hand gesture, the sign on the door turned from 'open' to 'close', and another similar one appeared on his desk, making quite a few souls groan.
"Hey, it's my first pause in years!" the ferryman of death answered before turning toward the group "Well let's go, I'm looking forward to Persephone's spread!"
"Hey, how come they get to pass freely!" the man that had been arguing protested

"Because we are all gods and goddesses of Death, mortal." Hel answered coldly, letting her aura free for a second, her appearance going from that of a pale skinned, dark haired teenager to that a terrifying, half decayed wraith
Predictably, said mortal screamed in terror, stepping back several steps and nearly falling over himself to get away from the desk.
Rolling her eyes, Hel reigned in her powers, going back to her usual look.
"Always works!" she commented smugly

"So," Adra asked Pyxis "did you do it too?" she waved her hands "You know the scary, skeleton look all of us seem to be seen like by the mortals?"
"I may have from time to time." her brother reluctantly agreed, looking a bit embarrassed "When people lack the proper respect, it is useful."
"Oh! Did you do it with my Riddle?"
"Naturally."
"You'll have to show me the memory sometime!"

While they were talking, the modern lobby had been replaced by natural underground corridor, and they were now by the banks of an ethereally power river, with strange things poking out of the water here and there – a teddy bear, the memory of a murder, a simple pen…
"The Styx." Charon said "Mortals leave their life behind here, and they tend to hold to so many things…" he explained with a sigh "I've been trying to convince Hades to set a recycling post somewhere around but he says we don't have the staff for it!"
'Bah, there wasn't problem about pollution back in the days but it isn't the same now!" Hel protested with clear distaste in her voice "But it's about time he realizes things can and have changed!"

"So I see, Hel." a deep voice answered
A man was waiting for them on Charon's boat – a tall, lean man with skin as pale as Hel herself yet quite muscular, and deep black eyes – looking to have been waiting for them, patiently yet just as curious as his ferryman was.
"You must be Hades." Adra realizes just as quickly as her brother "Well met."
"Well met indeed." the other agreed as they disembarked from the trireme "I must admit having trouble waiting for your arrival as soon as I could feel you passing though the wards."

Adra and Pyxis nodded, not too surprised – while Charon hadn't yet felt their true power, they weren't quite in the mortal world anymore, and it was becoming more difficult to held their godly aura reigned in now that they were in bastion of Death, no matter that it wasn't one they were directly in charge of.
"When you told me you were introducing new-comers to our little gathering, I admit I expected a couple of fantasy gods… not two Old Ones." Hades said dryly to Hel, making Charon stumble and turn toward the two wixen
"Well, I guess there must be something to the Big Three's reputation, I think only Lug realized right away who we were…" Adra mused – before pausing, as they had left the Styx behind and were now to the proper limits of the Underworld

And it's famous guardian.
Pyxis sighed as Adra let out a squeal, all but rushing toward the gigantic, three headed rottweiler.
"He is so cute!"
"Every time." he mumbled wryly, remembering her reaction to the guardian of the wolf tribe cemetery
Hades was watching, both amused and impressed, how the four year old goddess was wrapping his familiar around her finger, the souls waiting in line to be judged looking rather stunned by the fearsome beast's reaction
And Cerberus wasn't alone, the Greek god realized as he noted three godly familiar had joined the cuddling party – making a picture he couldn't help but smile at, reminding him of how his own children, be they demi-god or full ones, always were with the immortal creature when they were young… or all their life in some cases.

Pyxis smiled, as the other's change in demeanor made him realize what his sister was doing by indulging in her love of cute and cuddly things – as both Charon and Hades were now notably less tense than they'd been since the leader of the Greek Underworld had acknowledged them as Old Ones.
After a while, Adra reluctantly stepped back from the large three-headed dog, earning a triple whine of protest – and they were heading toward the large, Greek style temple-slash-palace that was guarded by skeletons armed to the teeth with both modern and ancient style weapons.
Once they left the throne room behind, the rest of the palace looked far more lived in, if not quite as modern as Hermes' own temple on Olympus.

Already waiting in a comfortable room were a tall, slender man with dark chocolate skin, blood red eyes, and a face flickering between that of a handsome man and of a skeleton. Wearing a top hat, tail coat, pocket watch, and a cigar in a corner of his mouth, he looked ready for a high society party or an evening to the casino. Leaning negligently against his arm was a beautiful women, with a flickering face just like him, deep sea blue eyes rather startling in contrast to her light caramel skin and long dark hair braided in an ornate style. She was just as elegant as her partner, wearing a rather colorful corseted dress from the beginning of the century and a large feathered fan.
The woman smiled motherly as they entered "Anubis! So good to see you, it's been months since I've seen you in our cemeteries!"

"Maman Brigit, Baron Samedi." the young looking boy greeted them with a rather warm smile, as the woman all but plucked him from the ground
"You are so cute like this!" she proclaimed happily, before realizing there were new-comers
"These are Pyxis, heir of the Black and Adra, heiress Potter." Anubis introduced "They've adopted me in their family."
"Oh my, gods mingling among wixen, how fun." the women mused with a smile, the feel of their power gaining an intrigued look "I don't know how you've managed to convince him to live a little, but it's good of you." she commented with an approving smile "Waiting alone for his pantheon and family in a crumbling and nearly empty after life isn't good for anyone, god or not."

"We felt as much." Pyxis agreed, having grown quite attached to his adopted son in the months that had elapsed since Samhain
"Well met," another woman greeted them "I'm Sedna."
This woman was smaller, and more stocky than Maman Brigit, her flat face covered in tribal tattoo quite different from the other goddess, thought not unappealing either. She was wearing thick fur clothes meant for the cold, and beyond her light blue-grey eyes, had long, straight, black hairs tied in her back with a leather tie decorated with small sea-shells and fish-bones.

In turn, Pyxis and Adra were then introduced to Thanathos, another Greek god, then the Aztec couple Mictlāntēcutli 'call me Mike' and Mictēcacihuātl 'call me Mia', leaders of Mictlān, that while not faded appeared a bit strained, their body growing a bit see-through from time to time, Izanami, a beautiful Japanese goddess that ruled over the Yomi no Kuni, Yangluo Wang, emperor of DiYu, and even, having arrived with Arawn and Morrígan, l'Ankou, the celt god that guided the soul of the dead to the Annwn.
Beyond those that already knew them, Pyxis and Adra could easily tell that all were quite curious about them.
Introduction over, a small army of skeleton was soon serving a feast of freshly baked goods – which was rather logical given that this was the home of Persephone after all – and the different deities were soon amicably talking.
The atmosphere was very relaxing for all, as the aura of death was something that tended to frighten lots of mortals, and even some immortal – and thus something most of them could afford to expand only when in of Death's territories.

With both Pyxis and Adra easing a bit on their usual control on their aura, soon all had realized that the two new-comers were quite powerful.
"So," Mike wondered, the first to dare ask about what all were wondering "Is there a reason for the presence of not one but two Old Ones on our planet?"
"Brother's taking a vacation." Adra explained "Chaos has learned a new way to let us in the Mortal Realms, and with how busy he always is, it's the first time he's taken the time to try it."
Hades nodded his agreement "Death really is a busy trade." he couldn't help but agree "But what about you, then?"

"Ah, I'm afraid I've had to come for work." Adra said "As Fate's latest Chosen weren't enough to stabilize the planet anymore."
The gods shared worried glance, and Thanathos was the one to ask "And what about the non-interference rule?"
"Well, it's more a 'reasonable interference rule' really." the little girl pointed out "And with the risk of this planet being lost, we managed to wrangle for far more leeway than usual."
The news was met with mixed reaction – on one hand, it was terrifying to learn their world could be deemed lost, as they would either be stuck on a dead planet or in the Purgatory, as this was were Lost Worlds tended to end… On the other hand, clearly, measures were being taken to avoid the worst case outcome.

"So why you?"
"Shadow's duty is to Fate's Chosens." Pyxis succinctly explained
After that, the gods had assured the duo of their help – as much as they could – and the talk had become more usual; various Death deities complaining about their respective duties and pantheon.
Adra and Pyxis easily understood why Hel had talked of the gathering with so much fondness despite having only assisted to they via a magical mirror up until now.

The initial weariness toward the two Old Ones soon faded into respect, and the first steps toward friendship, notably thanks to their already established relationship with several among them. By the end of the night, Pyxis and Adra had started to get to know all of those present, and gained a standing invitation for all of their respective Death Realms. While the two Old Ones already could go there thanks to their status, it was far more polite to do so with the approval of the resident deity.
The Aztec couple, while they would help however they could, didn't think they could do much as they had a rather reduced following, just like the Celt.

Baron Samedi and his wife had a rather consequent following, with which they regularly interact-acted, making them probably the onse who had the least to do since their pantheon was already doing it's job far better than most.
In the same vein, Hel had already helped Adra quite a while – and she knew that the next step in getting in touch with the Norse would be by meeting Odin, one way or another…

As for Anubis, they knew the story of his pantheon by now – there was a reason after all while the Wix didn't get along with the magicians, and it was the callous way they had dared to seal their own gods. Freeing those would be difficult – but Adra's budding sense for knowing where she was needed had recently started to point her toward some of said magicians. A feeling she had had multiple times lately, with a clear feeling of wrongness – somehow, she realized, her simple presence had altered enough the planet's timeline that Fate's Chosen were being born a decade ahead of time.
And she had no idea how this would impact the planet's future.

Would the Chosen's enemies start to move earlier, or would the potential heroes have more time to train? With the fact she was starting to shake awake so of the pantheon, would the heroes even be needed or would the god prevent tragedy from hitting them?
Somehow, she doubted the last possibility would hold true – she knew enough about being a Chosen Ones to realize that they were typically the kind of being trouble always seemed to find, one way or another….

¤.¤.¤

Somehow, Adrasteia hadn't needed to search for Odin – she'd stumbled on him a few days after the Death deities gathering, in the middle of Diagon Alley. To say she hadn't expected to stumble upon the Aesir's leader in the middle of the Wixen commercial district would be an understatement!
She was in Florish&Bott with Anubis – or rather Sirius – and Pyxis when she'd felt a powerful being approaching.
A tall, strong looking man with short grey hair, rather uncharacteristic in the wix world and an eye-patch had just entered. He was wearing an open robe over muggle-clothing consisting of a pair of jeans and a polo shirt, making him seem rather laid-back.

Adra didn't let herself fooled – the lone dark blue eye of the man spoke of a keen intellect, and despite controlling his aura, anyone able to feel magic could easily guess that he was quite powerful.
The way the workers smiled as he entered the place was easy to read – clearly, the new-comer was a regular, and a good customer at that!
While her powers were more contained in the human realm than the dream worlds where the gods resided, the god immediately honed on Anubis and her, their aura powerful enough to rise his curiosity, but the man was subtle enough not to approach them immediately, instead starting to browse the newest books with genuine interest.
Adra herself was barely containing her curiosity.

Because Odin, who according to she'd been told had all but disappeared from Asgard seemed quite at home among the wixen, and the not quite four year found herself wondering if she hadn't found where the leader of the Norse pantheon spend his days…
Eventually, the Norse god found his way to the shelf Adra and Sirius were browsing – Pyxis not too far away, keeping an eye on them while doing his own shopping, presence imposing enough to keep at bay the few shoppers who'd realized who the little girl was.

"I guess I can understand how you survive that killing curse now." Odin mused "You're more than a simple halfblood, aren't you?"
Adra winked "That would be telling!"
He laughed at the answer, and let the matter drop, instead turning toward Anubis "I am rather surprise to see you here, though it isn't unwelcomed."
Anubis smiled happily "I was kidnapped." he informed the other god in the very serious tone of his dry-witted humor
"And it has done you some good." the older god mused "Loneliness can be difficult… even for us."

The egyptian god could only nod his agreement at this – but wasn't given the time to answer, as a loud and boisterous voice interrupted them.
"There you are! You're late gramps!"
It took all she had for Adra not to do a double-take.
From the face to the voice, everything about the young boy that was familiarly hailing Odin was painfully familiar…
"I think we need to talk." she informed the Norse seriously

Because if Sleipnir was so casually talking with the other god – and clearly just like him spending time in the wixen world, in a human form at that…
Things maybe far different from what she'd thought.
"I guess you recognized Nir, didn't you." he mused wryly "Or at least his parentage?" he wondered
Adra didn't answer with what she truly thought – that the child was the one who'd taken the most after his father, making it difficult for anyone who'd ever seen Loki to mistake him for anything but his child.

"Both." she answered truthfully, before turning toward her brother "How about some ice-cream?" she suggested, earning a happy cheer from Sleipnir
"It's not even noon." Pyxis pointed out, an eyebrow raised
"So?"
"So better make it a double." the Black heir decided, eyes already glinting
Of all the things she'd discover about Death in life – Adra hadn't expected for him to have such a sweet tooth… But his passion for ice-creams of all kind made Remus' own love for chocolate look tame!

"I don't know who you are," Sleipnir said "but I like you already!" he affirmed to Pyxis with a large smile
Odin rolled his eyes "What do I always tell you child? Slow down and take the time to watch the world around you… If you did you'd know who this is!"
With that, the group had started to move toward the cashiers, and soon were headed toward Fortescue's parlor.
Here too, Adra noted, Odin greeted with a warm "Well met, Mr Borson."
She couldn't help but let out a snort at that – the man was barely hiding!"

"How should we call you?" she asked as they settled in a boot, Pyxis swiftly going about setting up privacy wards
"Call me Woden."
"Last I'd heard, you had all but disappeared…" the young goddess mused "Am I right in thinking that you are in fact living among the wixen?"
"Just like you are." the other god replied a bit defensively

"I'm not condemning you." she quickly reassured him "Not for this at least." she added
"You have other grievances?" Odin asked, not sounding surprised but rather – tired
"Not personally." a shrug "I'm more surprised to see you so familiar with young Sleipnir here."
"He's my grand-son." the Norse god answered calmly

"Nephew." Adra corrected before shrugging "But that's not really the question… You didn't seem to mind him being family when you condemned him to his animal form and used him as a steed." she added, a bit more coldly "Just like you didn't mind them being family when you did much worse to the rest of your brother's children."
Odin – winced.
Sleipnir was getting angry, and loudly protested "Hey! Don't be mean with grampa!"
"Hush child," the greying god admonished "she isn't saying anything that isn't true."

"I know but… You've changed."
"It doesn't makes what I did before any better."
The young goddess tilted her head, rather happy that her Soul Art was letting her feeling the Norse's sincerity.
"You really regret it." she mused "Then why not free them too?"

"I would if I could." Odin answered "But Jömungandr is impossible to find easily, and he's no reason to trust me. Fenris has grown bitter, and even though I want to help him, I can't, the Aesir won't stand for it… Hel is far better off in Helheim than she'd be in Asgard…" a shrug "It's only with Sleipnir that I could mend what I did discretely."
"Discretely? Aren't you the king of Asgard?" Anubis was the one to ask, voice carefully blank – but still, he'd grown close with Loki's children, so it was hard even for him to keep a hold on his temper "It was so easy to condemn them!"
"I'm a king but in name nowadays." Odin said
His answer was met with stunned silence – even the hidden soul Adra could feel eavesdropping on their talk hadn't expected this.

"We gods have forgotten our duties." Odin forged on in the silence "Forgotten by men, we grew obsessed with our own end… I was no better for a long time." he admitted "But then, I came to the wixen world." a self-depreciating smile "We Norse tend to look down on seidr, even I, the vaunted creator of runes…" his hands waved around, encompassing the view around them "I'd been here for barely a few hours that I'd been mistaken for a half-blood several time It made me remember that we hadn't been forgotten everywhere. That we still had a duty to those people that still prayed to us and respected us…"
A sigh.

"Then I went back to Asgard, and tried to shake them up. But I realized I'd let things be for so long, it was too late… What am I the king of, when Asgard is all but empty, most of it's inhabitants faded, the rest of them fervently preparing for their end, or ambling aimlessly across the nine realms…"
"So you came back."
"So I came back. And living here, I realized I had been no better than the others."
"And so he came and freed me!" Sleipnir concluded loudly "And taught me how to shift and, and…"
There was much the child wanted to convey – but so powerful were his emotions, words were failing him.

"And I promised that together we'd find a way to do what I couldn't alone."
"To find my family!"
"Your family?" Adra repeated, asking pointedly "All your family?"
"All my family!" the blond boy who was so familiar looking confirmed with bravado
"LIAR!"

¤.¤.¤

Adra sighed, but wasn't really surprised.
For all that he was cunning as a Slytherin, Leifr was still a Norse god first and foremost, and thought his merging with Nuada had tempered a bit his character – well Nuada too, had been a warrior king…
So right now, the righteous anger was the only way not to break down, and he hadn't been able to listen hidden anymore.

Because if even Odin regretted what happened, then what had been the point of all this suffering?
"Liar." the silver-tongue god repeated in a softer voice
It was Odin's turn to be stunned silent.
But for Adra's Soul Art – the god was anything but silent, emotions mingling in a storm of surprise, happiness and guilt…
"Loki." he finally whispered "Brother."

"Do NOT call me that." the other ground out tersely "You relinquish any right to this name!"
The Norse inclined his head briefly.
"Believe me or not, I am happy to see you… You are out of the cave?"
"Not thanks to you!"

"It's like I said, no matter how much I've realized since my actions were hasty, I couldn't free you so easily without any backlash from Asgard."
"The Asgard that stand all but empty? You are contradicting yourself, All-Father."
Odin's eye widened, then softened.
"You are right." he admitted, gaining a shocked look from Sleipnir "I was too afraid of owning up to my own mistakes in front of the Aesir and the Vanir, so I freed Sleipnir because it was easy, but I let my own pride prevent me from freeing the rest of you…"

Loki eyed the man, not having expected such an admission.
Nuada's character was helping him regain his calm, as he realized that a king couldn't easily admitted to his mistakes or show his weaknesses. And freeing Loki and his children would have been both for Odin.

"What a messed up family…" Loki chocked, finally dropping himself on the bench by Adra's side, a hand hiding his fiery eyes for an instant, before opening them again and staring tiredly at the man that had been his brother "I'm tired of being angry, Odin. Tired of hating you and what you did. Sick and tired of waking up in the middle of the night because of yet another nightmare from Jörmungandr that still fears waking up alone in the ocean; Off Fenris reverting to growling and snarling whenever he's tired because he struggles to trust people because the last time he trusted someone he ended imprisoned on this fucking island. Of waiting for Nari an Vali to finally be healed enough to re-form. Of Hel to always look so happily surprise whenever she shadow-travel because she still can't quite grasp the fact she's free now. Of being kept up at night thinking up crazy plans to steal my own son from your stables… Not that I needed to apparently…"

"I'm sorry, Loki." finally answered Odin
The other god nodded.
"I know." he admitted
Because after all, his brother, for all that he was swift to anger and cruel in his revenge, was the god of wisdom, the wisest of the Aesir and the Vanir.
And if Loki, albeit helped by Adrasteia, had been able to let go of his anger and learn how to live anew, was it really any wonder that the other man had learn just the same his own way?

Loki wasn't ready to just take Odin to his family – and he probably wouldn't be able to for a while.
But the wixen world was a good middle-ground for both, and so for Adrasteia fourth birthday, mingling among the crowd with an ease that proved he'd been among them for quite long, Woden Borson and his grand-son had been invited.
Thor was invited too, albeit after the guests had left and only family remained – because they somehow doubted the loud man would know how to be discreet among the wixen.

This was a bittersweet reunion – Sleipnir a bit put out by how weary his siblings were toward the man who'd freed him, but remembering how skittish he'd been too at first, wondering whether the All-Father wouldn't change his mind and turn him back into a horse…
Sigyn, paradoxically, seemed far colder toward Odin than Loki – because Leifr didn't know how to be cold, all his emotions burned as powerfully as the fire in his eyes, but Sygin knew to be the ice needed for both. And so the goddess remained polite but aloof, clearly making her king understand that he'd have to earn back his place in her trusted family circle.

Odin – understood.
Hel, albeit reluctantly, had made a gesture toward the All-Father, when she'd informed him that his son was happy in Helheim, even if he missed his family.
She also shared the very welcome news that Nari and Vali were finally starting to re-form – while they weren't there just yet, soon, their family would be complete once more.

[Secondary Quest Complete! Saving the Children…
Goal Complete: Sleipnir freed
Reward: +5 XP, +1 PP, Sleipnir's Approval]

[New Perk unlocked
Sleipnir's Favour (5 PP): +2 AG, +10 Parkour

Available: 21PP]

Adra, Anubis,Pyxis and Remus, along with the Lovegood, kept a watchful eyes on the reunion,but didn't intrude.
And if there was a point of envy in Anubis' eyes as the family got reunited, nobody said a thing – but the Egyptian god did find himself sandwiched between Remus and Astra, a large bowl of ice-cream in hands, and three godly puppies frolicking around him as they watched the evening pass.
The only one missing, Adrasteia mused wistfully, was Light.
As if reading her mind, Pyxis tilted his head toward her "Missing you counterpart?"
A smile.
"Of course. But I know we'll find each other in time." an amused smile "Besides, I'm pretty sure he hasn't been born in this world yet. It'll be the first time I'll be older than him!"
Pyxis hummed his approval, and they enjoyed the rest of the evening...

---

ADRASTEIA LV 15 (4 YO)

BODY
Agility 7(16)
Strenght 4(8)
Endurance 6(8)

SPIRIT
Intelligence 5(10)
Wisdom 5(10)
Fortitude 4(10)

HEART
Empathy 7(9)
Perception 5(13)
Sociability 4(11)

LUCK 4(16)

PERK ACQUIRED (9PP spend, 21 available)

Black First Rite (1PP): grants Easy Black Magic Potency (+10 to Easy Spells of Battle Magic, War Magic and Curse)
Moon First Rite (1 PP): unlocks Light Battle Aura (+10 to all damages)
Potter First Rite (1 PP): unlocks Sensing Skill up to 25 SP
Ravenclaw First Rite (1 PP): unlocks +10 to easy memory tests and +5 to Mentamancy Skill

Jack of All Trade (5 PP): +1 SP per level