Hi! Just a word for the remark about Blood of the Pharaoh being OP... So yes it is OP as it gives access to lots of magics, but as magic branch are skills, it means that the skill is unlocked, but at rank 1 out of 100... so more learning time, and grinding time ahead for Adra, this is why I put it at 5PP; it's a double-edged Perk if you wish.
For the grammar and misspelling, I am sorry about it but since i'm asked to update more than I am asked to make the grammar better...
Well quite simply I'm putting the chapters out as I write them, and come back to them latter to proof-read and/or correct what was pointed out.
VI The End of the Journey
Leifr had come back a few hours later, looking rather happy with herself.
The next day, they'd taken their camp apart, continuing back toward Vancouver.
It was early December as they arrived in the outskirts of the city, where the sled soon had to be reduced, and with much reluctance from the children, the valravn were released – and were soon flying back toward their owner.
Pyxis then opened a portal toward the Black Mansion that stood on the edge of the Pacific Spirit Regional Park.
After two months on the road, it was rather strange to shed the heavy traveling clothes and settling back in a real house.
Without much surprise for a residence of the Black Family, the house was quite old – and in an upper end neighborhood.
Like most houses in the area, it was on a large plot of land, lush with vegetation even in the cold of winter, thanks to some heavy botanical wards.
It was soon pretty evident that Adra was feeling something – probably another Chosen One.
But clearly – something was unsettling her with what she felt, so much so that instead of letting the child find it's way to her like they always seemed, she finally threw her hands up in frustration in the middle of a study cession, got up and proclaimed "That's it, I'm going to find him, and if I find whomever thought it a good idea to fucking curse a Fate Touched, I'll make them regret being born!"
Sirius, Luke and Thalia shared a stunned glance, then without any hesitation, immediately dropped their own homework and followed her – the demi-goddess hanging her bow on her back while her friend took a moment to check that his own weapon was tied securely to his waist, both under a notice-me-not charm, Sirius not needing anything of course. As for Luna, she smiled fondly at her age old friend, and went back to drawing runes in colored inks, knowing the goddess wouldn't need her for this.
It was pretty evident that Adra had a good idea about where she was supposed to go, following her instincts like a hound-wolf followed a trail.
They hadn't even needed to leave the neighborhood – which may explains while it had bugged her so much – when she was pausing in front of an old wooden house, several stories high and nearly hidden by the large grove around it.
The name on the plate was in Chinese Ideogram.
Without pausing a second to think more about whether what she was doing was reasonable, Adra knocked.
The door was opened by an old and tiny Chinese woman, back straight and eyes alert.
She was surprised to see three children at her door, but still asked "Yes?"
"I'm here for the child."
Thalia rolled her eyes, and took over "Please excuse our friend, she's..."
She wasn't given the time to finish, the old woman musing "Are you half-blood too?"
"We are." Luke answered, fudging a bit the truth, before adding "And Adra's been driven out of focus by… a curse?"
The woman's eyes darkened, and she gestured for them to enter.
The house must have been in the family for a while – there were old black and white pictures on the wall, and the furniture looked to have been in place for a long while.
Near the fire-place, in an old wooden crib weathered by time, a dark-haired baby of mixed blood slept.
[Life Quest updated! Burning Brightly...
Goal Complete: meet Frank Zhang
Reward: +10XP
[Level up! You are now level 30!
1 SP, +1PP, +2MC]
Adra's eyes were swirling golden, the demi-gods and the god noted – in a way it had before only when she had unleashed her powers as Shadow back in Boston.
"Who was it, that dared temper with the life of a Chosen One?" she asked in a low voice to the old woman, barely contained fury clear for all to hear
"The Roman Queen of the Gods."
"The…" Adra took a few deep breathes to keep calm – and Thalia wondered if it was her imagination, or if the air really had become warmer around the young goddess all of the sudden "This meddling biddy. First she drops Leo in the fire, next she does...This!"
"What's wrong with him?" Luke asked in a low voice, not seeing anyhting obviously wrong with the baby
"She came here on the night of his birth." the grand-mother explained, voice far away "Said that he was far too powerful a child that it was too dangerous… So she pointed to a piece of wood in the fire, and told us that when it finished burning down, Fai would die." there was sorrow in the dark eyes – which was rather understandable
"Each time I come to accept some of them aren't all that bad…" the demi-god sighed "Another god goes and does something like this."
"Well, my father is a piece of work, but apparently his wife isn't any better." Thalia pointed out with some distaste in her voice "Honestly, if she wants to meddle with us half-bloods so much, why doesn't she make a few of her own?"
The comment made Sirius laugh, and muse "You forget that gods have difficulties changing, and one of her domains, even if secondary, is fidelity." he pointed toward Adra "See how difficult it is to see something that goes against your purview for a god."
Thalia and Luke's eyes widened, and they eyed the youngest Black speculatively – while they didn't know yet who he really was, it was always evident that he wasn't anymore simply a half-blood that Loki, Pyxis or Adra, even if they didn't know yet who he was.
And – he was making quite the point with Adrasteia, that they'd never seen so incensed.
"She's the goddess of heroes." the Egyptian said, having understood that much by himself after all the time he'd spent by her time "She protects them, nurtures them, trains them…"
Thalia and Luke shared a glance.
It was after all – precisely what the girl was doing with them, they realized.
"Of course you are hers." Sirius nodded "But it isn't bad, is it?" he laughed "After all, she took me in too, and I'm certainly not a hero to be!"
¤.¤.¤
The two half-bloods had to smile at that – Sirius was right on this they realized, while she had found them because Fate brought them together, Adrasteia wasn't one to care for people simply because of their destiny.
"Will you be able to do anything?" the grand-mother asked with some hope still shining in her voice
"Naturally." Adra nodded "It's a death curse after all." she muttered distractedly "Something like this won't hold against me."
Anubis eyes widened as the goddess started to draw more on her powers, symbols in multiple languages shimmering around her in a chaotic net of gold, emerald green, dark purple and light violet.
This kind of mastery, he mused – was what made the Old Ones far more powerful than them.
The shroud of shimmering symbols twirled gently around her and baby Fai as she took him gently in her arms. His now opened eyes were shinning eerily in the same emerald green that took up the majority of the godly powers in the air.
As a god of death himself, he could feel easily the powerful curse laid on the little boy – and hear as it shattered with but a few tweaks and a brief surge of power.
[Life Quest updated! Burning Brightly...
Bonus Goal Complete: undo Frank's curse
Reward: +20XP, unlocks Blessing from the Sea
[New Perk unlocked
Blessing from the Sea (10 PP): unlocks Shape-Shifting
Available: 29PP]
"A goddess under Love's purview, trying to lay a Death curse." she sniffed, some disdain showing through
Magic was fading around Frank and Adra – but the boy's eyes, they noted, weren't changing back.
"Did you…"
"Destroyed the curse." Adra agreed, her own eyes not yet having faded back to their usual color either
The old woman all but ran to the phone.
"Mai. Do you have Fai's Stick with you? Please check on it!"
A few moments of silence – then through the phone, panicked, barely legible words.
"Burnt to cinders? No, no, no, he's alright… He's better than alright, Mai, he's free!"
The woman at the other side of the phone had hanged up then – and Adra was settling on the ground in front of the fire, baby still in her arms now going back to sleep without fussing.
Sirius rolled his eyes, and with a thought sat near the goddess that settled lazily against him, too tired to even realized he'd cheated a bit and aged himself a few years to give her a more comfortable support.
"Why do her powers always tire her like this?" Luke wondered, remembering how she'd slept after Boston
"Her body is mortal, like Luna said." Sirius explained softly as Adra was already asleep
Thalia gently took the baby from her arms, then realized "Oh, it's got to do with the wixen growth curve. She has only had her First Rite, her magic is barely accessible."
"Well, I guess we skipped the introduction." the old Chinese woman noted wryly "I'm Lei Lan Zhang, and this is my grand-son Fai Zhang."
The children introduced themselves in turn, explaining that they were the latest new-comers of the area.
Lei Lan then went about, preparing some tea – and hot chocolate, while letting her gran-son and his savior sleep, while Thalia, Luke and Sirius took turns in explaining how they'd been found themselves by Adra and her family, and about the other half-bloods they'd met…
And how they'd all been introduced to the magical district for protection charm, and so on.
The story was a bit jumbled, but enough to start giving an idea about the strange, and rather large clan that had taken its quarters in the Black Manor.
Then, about half an hour later, someone was at the door…
Or rather, two someones, as a harried looking Remus had arrived at the same time as Fai's mother.
"Did you know how worried I was when I found the study room all but empty?" he remonstrated Thalia, while hugging her, his eyes roving over Luke, Sirius and the sleeping Adra "What have you been up too?"
"Sorry. We weren't in any danger, you know," Thalia pointed out "not with Adra and Sirius."
"Doesn't mean I can't be worried."
The girl's eyes widened, and she tightened her hug on the werewolf, as she realized that he was worried just because they were family… That he would still worry for Adra, even thought she was a goddess. That he worried for her, because she was his daughter.
This was how a parent was supposed to be she realized – what Beryl Grace never could give her.
"Sorry we forgot to leave a word."
While Remus was having his small meltdown, Mai was having her own, her son in her arms and tears silently flowing, while her mother explained how the half-bloods had barged in… And the ensuing show of power that had soon followed.
Now calmer, Remus caught the end of the explanation "Well, I guess that explains why she's sleeping." he mused "Curse-breaking is delicate work." a sigh "Work she shouldn't even know how to do but well… Adra always finds new way to surprise us, I guess."
He went to the sleeping girl, easily taking her in his arms "We won't intrude any longer."
"We'll see each other again, I'll wager." Lei Lan nodded seriously "After all, apparently, we have a visit to the magical district to look forward to in the near future." she added with somu humour in her voice
"I guess we are becoming predictable if the child knows just as well as us what's going to happen." the werewolf laughed
¤.¤.¤
When she had woken up, Adra had gotten an earful from both Remus and the Lovegood.
Pyxis and Leifr hadn't said anything – they understood well after all, how hard it could be to control the instincts tied to their godly powers.
Then the following week-end, they'd met again with the Zhang family – learning along the way that Lei Lan may call them Mai and Fai, her daughter and grand-son were in fact named Emily and Frank – and just like the old woman had said, they'd gone to the magical district.
Frank's eyes were still green – but neither woman really cared if it meant the little boy was free from his curse.
During the trip they'd learned much – for example, they'd been rather surprised to learn that while Frank's father came from the Roman pantheon, their family line was in fact blessed by Poseidon himself, as one of their distant ancestor had been an Argonaut.
For the three gods tied to Death, it was pretty clear that Frank's eyes were only the visible effect of the curse breaking – as the boy now seemed very comfortable with them, something that was pretty rare among mortals as they usually felt something off about them. Adults and older children knew how to control their reaction – but babies quite often shied away from them to different degrees.
As such, in the following weeks, little Frank was quite often babysat in the Black Manor.
Taking advantage of the fact that they were finally staying in one place for a while, they'd also spent some time with all the friends they'd met during their travels, sending invitation that could double as one time two-ways portkey for them to visit.
It wasn't strictly legal, Remus had groaned – as they had neglected to inform the local magical government about said portkeys, but a light enough twist to the rules that the werewolf didn't gripe about it too long.
The house had been rather agitated as they received Sally, Natalie, Ayesha, Esperanza, Frederick, Tristan and the Kane all at once, children included, not to mention of course Lei Lan, Emily and little Frank.
The lunch had quickly become afternoon tea and dinner, and the guest only left late in the night, most of them having exchanged phone numbers as it was rather reassuring for them to meet other half-bloods' parents.
Sally had happily announced that she was now officially courted by Dewin, under the congratulations of the group – Natalie was still only friend with Hardwin, but had also grown quite close to Ayesha.
Yule had come, then Imbolc…
Leifr was nearly due when Adra was visited by a god in the depths of the night.
¤.¤.¤
Everyone was asleep – but of course, no matter how discreet he'd made himself, a powerful god entering the house had woken up all gods and goddesses in residence.
"Seriously," Pyxis complained "Barging in a young heiress' room in the middle of the night, how scandalous."
"You are taking your promise to my father way too seriously." Adra rolled her eyes "I'm five year old, I doubt he's come here to seduce me! Go back to bed," she shooed them "You shouldn't even have gotten up," she added toward Loki "Your health is important right now."
The heavily pregnant Norse grumbled something about 'over-protectiveness', but took the direction of her nearby room without any more protestation, dragging Anubis and a pouting Pyxis along.
Adra smiled at the tall, pale with god that stood in her room, dark eyes barely betraying his amusement at how she'd shepherded her family out. The goddess stepped out of her bed, and gestured toward the balcony that adjoined to her bedroom.
She didn't fear the cold – and she somewhat doubted that he did either.
A discreet call to the resident house-elf, and they soon had warm tea in their hands.
The god silently appreciated the manners his hostess was displaying – he was rarely afforded much politesse from his own family after all. Finally, having taken a few sips of the smokey, spicy brew, he gently put down his cup.
"I've been keeping an eye from afar on your trip ever since I've felt your brother and yourself entering our domain."
Adra nodded, not too surprised – he had been among the few who knew who she was after all.
"I must admit it was rather… Educational to see you take all those mortals and half-blood under your wings." he mused "You didn't need to do much, yet with only this you ensured a far better life for those children than what my siblings had left for them."
He rolled his eyes – there were leftovers of anger there, Adra noted, automatically spreading her aura to comfort him.
"Of course, both my brothers had broken their vow!" he tempested in a low voice "And my youngest brother, after what he did… Dared to break his vow not once, but twice! After trying to kill my children… And managing it for their mother, her dared go back to the same woman!"
There was pain behind the anger, much of it, and for a moment, Adra was reminded of Loki, years ago when she'd met him.
"Why?" she asked gently
He seemed surprised for a second, then realized "This isn't something they would boast about to their woman I guess, and you haven't mingled that much with our pantheon…"
A nod.
"A prophecy was made, about one of our children reaching the age of sixteen." a sigh "World War Two had just ended, and the three of us had half-bloods that had played a prominent part in it, so it was deemed more prudent that we avoid fathering half-bloods all together."
Adra snorted.
"As if a resolution like that would have lasted long, especially with Thalia's father."
"Indeed. My little brother always had trouble… Keeping it in his pants, as the mortals put it."
This time, Adra really laughed, thankful for the silencing ward she knew laid on the balcony – hearing Hades use such an expression had been rather unexpected.
¤.¤.¤
"I was the only one at the time who had any children young enough that they might be concerned by the prophecy."
The goddess winced, and had to fought the urge of hugging the god as once more she felt his pain – he was after all affiliated to her, and it made her more sensitive to his emotions.
She had no doubt that her brother wasn't sleeping but keeping a discreet eye on them, probably feeling the god's pain just as keenly as she did. And she didn't doubt Pyxis felt just as bad about it as she did – because he may have trouble expressing his feelings, Death did feel, and quite deeply at that.
"I was ordered to send them to Camp Half-Blood." he sneered "As if I would! Why would I inflict this place, where they are never made to feel welcome, to my children?"
This made Adra frown once more. She could understand some mortals fearing death – but the fact that even the gods were so biased was rather unusual – and directly tied to the gods of this world origins, she thought.
"My brother grew angry, and turned his weapon against the hotel where my children and their mother were hidden away… I managed to save them, but not their mother."
And their lied the root of his sadness, Adra realized.
"If she was as worthy a woman to be loved as she seems… She certainly was grateful that you saved the children rather than herself." Adra said "I should know…" she whispered "As I had three mothers giving up their life for mine."
The nearly voiceless whisper made Hades' eyes widen – and temporarily broke him out of the spiral of grief he'd been sinking in.
Seeing the question in his eyes, she settled against the back of her seat and explained.
"I've become an Old One as you put it barely a few millennia ago." once more, surprise shone in the god's eyes "As I wasn't quite that powerful, Chaos was the one to suggest sending me in the Mortal Realms to do my job, sealing part of my soul and powers each time to fit back in a mortal body."
The god raised an eyebrow – he wasn't stupid after all "Seems painful."
"Indeed. This is the fifth time I'm incarnated back in the Mortal Realms. Counting my life before ascending, it's my sixth life…"
"And out of those, a mother sacrificed herself for you three times." he repeated what she'd said earlier, eyes wide – that was a rather large ratio after all
"Indeed." Adra inclined her head "I'm… Incredibly grateful to those parents I've had in all of these lifes. Because they always loved me unconditionally, whether they knew I was a goddess or not."
"You are strong to submit yourself to the pain of loosing them each time anew." Hades whispered, mind clearly back on the mother of his children he still so clearly missed
"Better having known them a few years, than spend an eternity without even their memories."
The words hit home.
Dark eyes – lightened in a lighter purple, as with a soft sigh, Hades affirmed "You'd have gotten along with Maria just as well as you do with all those parents you've been helping."
"Well, it's not as if we can't meet her." Adra pointed gently, pretty sure given his reactions that the god hadn't dared yet doing it
"I don't know if I'd have the strength."
Adra dropped from her seat, and stepped toward Hades, taking his hand in a surprising strong grip – but the shadows swirled nearby, already opened to the Greek Underworld, giving her access to more of her powers than she usually had in the Mortal World.
It was Shadow, rather than Adra, that took Hades back to his domain, in search of his lost love.
Pyxis smiled softly from the nearest room, where he'd been keeping an eye on the situation, and settled back in his bed – after all, there were few places safer than Hell for his sister.
¤.¤.¤
They had arrived in the deepest parts of Hell, Hades noted, in the heart of the Isle of the Blessed.
His eyes widened – as he knew that this wasn't where he'd last left Maria Di Angelo's soul.
How the young goddess had even known how to find the woman – well he guessed the fact that she was an Old One must had played a part in it… He never realized she'd picked the feel of Maria's soul from his own emotions, so attuned she was to them right now.
The small house, with white walls, was filled with laughter – which didn't really surprise Hades, he knew that the inhabitant of the Isle got to know the people that already lived there, and spent their after-life in blissful happiness…
Adrasteia knocked without any hesitation, her hand on his wrist not letting him run away.
Especially not now that she wasn't a child anymore, but a full grown, twelve-tailed goddess.
Any consideration about the Old One's change of looks was put to the side, as the door opened.
A soft smile bloomed on a painfully, beautiful, familiar face.
"Took you long enough to come and visit."
"He just needed the right motivation." Shadow said lightly, pushing the god toward the woman he'd loved.
Hades stumbled – an uncommon sigh that made quite a few souls around make a double-take - but caught himself and bowed his head "I've missed you."
"I hope you haven't stewed on dark thoughts ever since I died?" the woman demanded, voice sharp yet still soft
Shadow had to hide her smile at how well she seemed to understand the Greek god. Seeing that Maria seemed to have a good hold on the situation, she stepped away from the couple, soon finding herself wandering the Isle of the Blessed.
This was the last step before going back to Death's Islands and the larger cycle of reincarnation for most of the souls managed by the Greeks – and it showed in the simple, happy life the souls led, rather similar to what she'd witnessed in her own brother's realm.
The souls also all could instinctively feel what she was, thought they didn't quite have the words for it, but while they were respectful, they were also friendly.
She couldn't say how long she spent wandering around and chatting with people – but by the time Hades found her, she was playing quidditch with two dozen of half-bloods of wixen descent, tails merged and tucked around her waist for better aerodynamics.
The god shook his head, not having expected to find her in the middle of a game.
Shadow dropped to the ground elegantly, handing back the broom to the Potter ancestor she'd borrowed it from, and with a promise to visit again, was giving her attention back to Hades.
"Thank you."
The god bowed, startling her – she hurriedly made him stop, earning an amused smile at her reaction, and the Greek god forged on "I needed this, but I was too stubborn to understand it…"
"Grief isn't something we are immune too, quite the contrary." Shadow pointed out "I still keep an eye on the soul of all the mortals children I've given birth to whenever I'm in Death's Realm…" she admitted without a hint of shame
"Anyway," she wondered "I guessed you came for something to do with your children, right?"
the god nodded as they wandered the Isle, eventually settling on the bank of one of the multiple river crossing the Greek Underworld.
"It was pretty easy to realize you weren't meeting just any half-bloods when Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos started to grumble about someone messing with their tapestry." he mused, face blank but eyes lighting up with amusement "I thought about sending you to Bianca and Nico then, but there was still the damn Prophecy to contend with…"
He stretched leisurely, making Shadow internally grumble about just how tall he was – Hades was probably among the tallest god she'd met since arriving on this Earth, while she, even in her current adult form, was as always under 170cms.
"But then after Boston, they came back to the Underworld and weren't heard of for months. And up there, I heard the sun brat wasn't any better."
The green-eyed goddess winced.
She hadn't meant to make Apollo suffer after all…
"With my little brother throwing a fit and having everyone scour around, I couldn't act just yet, he'd notice immediately." a shrug "By the Winter Solstice he'd started to calm down, but well…" his hand rose, en-globing all around him
"Taking care of this place is a busy job." Shadow guessed easily
"Precisely." Hades rose up, offering a hand to help Shadow in turn "I doubt my brother will realize just yet that the tapestry being rewritten means all old prophecies are as good as obsolete…" he mused, a hint of bitterness in his voice "But if I took the time to wait for the king of stubbornness to come around anytime I do something, I wouldn't be going too far."
Shadow laughed at the comment "Thalia seems to be of the same opinion. Who knows, you could like your niece despite her father."
"A child of his that isn't as bad as him?" he laughed this time "That'll be the day!"
He waved the idea away – but the goddess by his side could see already far less bitterness than when they'd started their talk. Clearly, talking with Maria had done wonders for the man's dispositions.
"Anyway, I feel that it may finally be time to free my children from the place I'd hidden them away… But it doesn't mean claiming them for all of the other to see either."
Shadow nodded, easily seeing the logic in this.
After all, the Fates of the world rewriting it's History and Prophecies didn't mean people would immediately change, that was the point of free-will.
Any bad-will that had existed against Hades' children before – would still exist nowadays. She frowned once more at the though – to think the gods weren't mature enough to realize that the inevitability of death didn't mean it was something bad. There was still much work to be done!
She noted they'd arrived near one of the houses of the Blessed – but there was power in the key Hades used on the door, and when it opened, it was on the balcony they had left earlier.
¤.¤.¤
Her fellow god of death escorted her back home, leaving her with the address of the place Bianca and Nico di Angelo were hidden – along with a warning about said place's owners.
Adra was rather surprised to realize she'd spent three days in the Isle of the Blessed – thankfully, her family hadn't been too worried as just like expected, Pyxis and Anubis knew exactly where she'd been.
"So are we moving?" Leifr wondered enthusiastically as the young Potter heiress explained she'd been asked to check on two orphaned half-bloods
"You aren't moving anywhere." Adra corrected the goddess that pouted at the remonstrance "Brother?"
Pyxis nodded.
"It'll be a sibling-bonding trip!" Luna crowed happily
Before leaving, Adra had asked Sally to drop by, taking the time to explain to Remus, Thalia and her about the Big Three of the Greek Pantheon, and their broken vow not to father any children.
"I did get the idea he was sneaking around…" couldn't help but admit Sally
"Not father. I guess he really makes only other people respect the rules." she said with some distaste
The man was supposed to be a god of justice, for Olympus' sake! And he couldn't be bothered with respecting his own rules and promises, except when it arranged him!
"While the prophecy they swore by is void now, new prophecies are probably being called now as the Moirai have been rewritten History." warned Adra "So you are free for now, but as heroes, it isn't improbable to think you'll have your fate tied to another prophecy one day or the other… what you have to remember is to never feel compelled to do something because of a prophecy."
"Prophecies are quite vague and unclear most of the time, and easily misinterpreted." Remus explained "Trying to make a prophecy come true can even have the most improbable consequences, and even when you don't try to complete them, they have a way to come to completion in all kind of unexpected ways…"
"Which is why listening to them is basic intelligence… And not letting your life be ruined by them basic wisdom." Adra concluded
Thalia had nodded, seeing the logic in the warning – and had been thankful for it as she didn't know how she'd reacted if she hadn't been warned.
Sally was just as thankful – it was after all something she'd have to explain to Percy once he'd grown older.
"Well, now that that's done… Let's go to Las Vegas, brother!"
Pyxis and Adra left in a swirl of shadows, rather amused by Remus' whine of envy and Thalia's shout of "What! No fair!"
As for Sally – she was laughing.
¤.¤.¤
Pyxis and Adrasteia stepped out of the shadows in a weather far different from Vancouver.
The sun was shinning brightly -and while it wasn't unbearably hot given the season, it was already quite warm.
In front of them was a tall building, multicolored neons lighting up the facade.
There was a man in an old-fashioned bell-hop uniform at the entrance, who waved at them with a large welcoming smile.
The man – didn't feel quite human.
"Come," he called "come and test our new offer for free!"
Brother and sister shared a glance, both easily feeling a kind of mind-magic they were unfamiliar with trying to ensnare them – something rather futile as their mind was always heavily protected as deities. But well – this was the place they were looking for.
So, pretending to fall to the spell, they came closer, stepping foot in the entrance hall, where the bell-hop was enthusiastically explaining "We have entertainment for everyone here! Video game for the children, several stories of casino games… The rooms and suite come with a complementary full range of cable chains and there's also a full spa and beauty-care center!" he pushed a pair of sleek black cards in their hand "These will open your rooms, and is also an illimited credit card, to use in our attractions, or anywhere else!"
"This," Adra mused "is going to be a great trip. Too bad we can't stay long since Leifr's due soon."
Pyxis laughed in amusement, and they entered the Lotus hotel.
Naturally, both wandered toward the area dedicated to children.
There were children and teenagers that looked to have come out of all era in the place, from a boy with a tie'n'dye shirt and bell bottoms jeans to a couple of children wearing corduroy pants and suspenders – not to mention the punk girl with multi-colored hairs playing a furious game of flipper or the metal kid wearing all black and spikes…
"Should we do something about this place?" Adra mused "Some of them are clearly passed theit time, but since they haven't really lived…" a sigh "And just freeing them in the mortal world would be unkind."
"There are people that certainly would have a better life here than in the outside world…" Pyxis mused
"Sure enough." Adra had to agree – some people battled with poverty or depression their whole life after all, without ever seeming to catch a rest
But well – wasn't it part of respecting free-will to let them struggle?
"This isn't my specialty," her brother mused "but how about some wards?" he suggested "like Light and you did to the Sanctuary…"
"A criteria ward!" Adra's eyes lightened in glee "Something that would prevent the Lotus- Eaters from attracting just anyone, but who call for those that are desperate with life… And something to recall their soul once their time is up too, that part shouldn't be too hard…" she mused
Pyxis nodded, mind already thinking about the books in the Black library that would help creating the wards – this was the kind of hands-on work he hadn't done in eons!
¤.¤.¤
Finding Hades' children wasn't too hard – they just had to follow the tug on their senses of children tied to Death. Both shared the same olive tone of their mother, and had dark eyes and silky black hair that could belong to either parents.
The boy, who looked around ten year old, was sat at a Mythomagic table – a game Adra had never heard of in her first life, but that she knew was still popular even in present days in this world – his sister, that looked to be around fifteen, was on a dance arcade not too far from him.
Both children's attention wavered from what they were doing as they siblings came nearer – which wasn't too surprising as they'd unleashed part of their aura as they made their way toward them, making the various bell-hoppers and attendants eye them warily.
Neither Bianca nor Nico realized they'd dropped their game to come and greet them, smiling contentedly at the aura that felt warm and familiar to them, thought they didn't know why.
"Hi!" Adra waved happily "We've been sent by your father." she announced
The announced made both siblings shared an uncertain glance.
"He told me you wouldn't remember him." she waved away their concern, showing a couple of potion flasks in her hands "But that this would help."
[Life Quest Updated! The Ghost Whisperer…
Goal Complete: meet Nico di Angelo
Reward: +10XP]
[Secondary Quest Updated! Fate Rewritten…
Goal Complete: meet Bianca di Angelo
Reward: +5XP]
Used as she was to be in charge, Bianca knew that she should be wary and not trust the two strangers…. But they felt way too familiar for her to be able to resist. So she smiled, and when Adra suggested they move to their suite to be in a calmer environment for the talk they had to have, she found herself accepting without a second thought.
Bianca found herself relaxing even more in the lounge of the suite attributed to Pyxis and Adra, not having realized before how the constant excitement of the entertainment center had worned her off.
¤.¤.¤
"Like I said," Adra reminded them "These will help you remember your past… But it's not all happy memories." an encouraging smile "But bad memories must be confronted, and accepted, to be able to make good memories once more."
Bianca nodded, musing that despite how strange it was for such a young girl to be so wise, it suited her somehow.
The next moment, as both her brother and her downed the potion, were full of happiness – and fear, violence and sadness.
They remembered – their childhood in Venice, where papa wasn't home often, but mama always kept the house warm and happy…
The war that came, and their move to Washington D.C. to escape the violence.
Then papa grew more and more worried each time they saw him – and then came the thunderbolts, and the hotel was crumbling down around them, a wall of darkness protecting them against all odds.
But mama – mama had been too far, and one of their last memories, before being bathed in the Lethe, was of her battered body…
And the last smile on her face, as she realized her children were alive before dying
Bianca couldn't say if it was her brother or herself that broke down first…
But when finally, exhaustion started to replace sadness, she realized that she was holding on Adra as if she was a teddy bear, the girl patiently enduring it, her aura embracing her kindly – even if she didn't know how she even knew it was the girl's aura; and Nico was long since asleep in Pyxis' arms.
[Life Quest Updated! The Ghost Whisperer…
Bonus Goal Complete: give Nico back his memories
Reward: +20XP, unlocks Whispers of the Ghosts Perk]
[Secondary Quest Updated! Fate Rewritten…
Bonus Goal Complete: give Bianca back her memories
Reward: +10XP, unlocks the Memories of Yesterday Perk]
[New Perk unlocked
Whispers of the Ghosts (2PP): grants +5 to Necromancy
Memories of Yesterday (2PP): grants +5 to Legends
Available: 29PP]
[Level up! You are now level 31!
1 SP]
They'd slept what must have been a few hours – and woke up feeling ready to learn more.
Because they remembered the winged being that had rescued them from the rubble, and the shield of shadows that had saved their life, and the river that had taken their memories…
And both were Italian children, raised in a country where people were far more inclined to believe that there was more to the world than what people knew.
"You," Pyxis explained "are demi-gods. Your father didn't stay with you because it goes against their rule… They are not supposed to care for their half-blood children."
"But he cared!" Bianca could help but protest heatedly
Because Nico, younger, may have less memories – be she knew, unequivocally, that her father cared, no matter how cold he could sometime seem to other people.
"Of course he does." Adra agreed easily "After all, he put both of you here to protect you, and as soon as he realized he could get you out somewhat safely, he asked us to do it."
"Right," Bianca realized somberly "He still can't take care of us, can he?"
"Not right now." Pyxis agreed "We're working on it but… Changing the mind of people that haven't changed for hundreds of years doesn't happen easily."
The teenage girl nodded – she could understand this.
Pyxis and Adra had explained a bit more about the gods - then, had come the next shock.
"1986?" the daughter of Hades repeated faintly
"It was around the beginning of March when we entered the hotel," Adra nodded "given the time we've spent talking, I'd guess were nearing the end of the month now?" she nodded her head decisively "We shouldn't waste too much time inside now that we'd told you most of the important things…"
"Most?"
"Well of course, we can't explain so many life changing things all at once, right?" Adra laughed "We must give you a bit of time to adjust!" a smile "But we've got a friend that's due for April so well…"
"You want to be there." the girl understood easily – Nico by her side was making a face, so she pulled his ear softly in remonstrance
Bianca glanced at her brother "What do you say?" she asked with an encouraging smile "Ready to face the future?"
An enthusiastically "You bet!" was her answer – and she realized, a bit startled, that her brother was taking the onslaught of unexpected news far better than she did
"Don't worry." Adra said softly as Nico was pelting Pyxis with questions "It'll strange at first, but I don't doubt you'll adapt." she promised, before nodding toward Nico "Besides… You won't be alone to take care of him anymore."
The Italian girl's eyes widened – and it was as if she felt the weight suddenly lightening on her shoulders.
[Secondary Quest Updated! Fate Rewritten…
Bonus Goal Complete: free Bianca from the weight of her responsibilities
Reward: +10XP, +1PP]
For all of those years they'd spent in the hotel, she'd always, always known something strange was going on, and it had compelled her on keeping an eye on her brother, least something occurred.
And now – now she realized, she was going to be allowed to just be.
She smiled – and if she had a small hesitation before stepping out of the hotel…
She still did it, and with a lighter heart than she'd had in years.
As for Adra – she waved happily at the Lotus-eater that were watching them leave wearily, their still unleashed aura making them understandably fearing for their life.
"We're not tearing down this place." she reassured the bell-hopp that had welcomed them to the hotel before they'd unleashed their aura "But we'll come back to enact a few changes."
"Of course, Great One." he agreed with a pale face "Come back when you want!"
A wink "Oh and don't bother to run…"
The bell-hop nodded frantically – and appeared very happy as they were finally out, and disappearing in a shadow portal the next moment.
¤.¤.¤
In a way, even if it was a rather unique kind of change to get used to the strange mismatched family of wixen and half-bloods, it still helped Bianca and Nico, as wixen were still more old-fashioned than muggle.
Like Adra had estimated – weeks had gone by while they were in the Lotus hotel, and as such, Leifr was due any day.
And on the 8th of April, Alys Leifrdottir was born.
[Life Quest Updated! Child of the Trickster…
Goal Complete: meet Alex Ferros
Reward: +10XP
Bonus Goal Complete: Alys, previously Alex won't grow up with their father
Reward: +20XP, unlocks Child of a New World Perk]
[New Perk unlocked
Child of a New World (5PP): unlocks Norse Runes and Celt Ogham]
Available: 29PP]
One of the most notable event following little Alys' birth had been when Pandora one evening, when changing the baby's diapers, let out a startled "Oh my."
Having unwittingly gained the household attention, the blond woman wondered "Er… I think I may just have found one of Alys' abilities."
Curious, Loki got up from the sofa where he'd been pouring on a book and wondered by the changing table.
"Uh. I guess it's a boy day for Alys." he commented "There are few of my children that inherit this particular trait but well," a shrug "Quite often half-bloods born by their godly mother inherit more traits, as they spent more time near godly energy during the pregnancy…"
Nico and Bianca had been the one most weirded out by the realization that Alys' gender could fundamentally change from one day to the other – being from the forty's meant they hadn't caught up yet with all the way society had changed, and gender-fluidity, even one as literal as Loki or Alys', wasn't something they had been equipped to deal with as children from the first half of the century.
In a way, their reaction had been rather useful, as it had pointed out that there were quite a multitude of changes left and right, that seemed rather small and evident to the children that were born in this era, but that Bianca and Nico didn't know about yet.
History lessons had been increased – and even if there were still some things surprising them for time to time, by the end of May, when Hades' children had spotted a homosexual couple in city center of Vancouver, their only reaction had been to discretely ask about it to the nearest adult.
By the end of June, all were becoming rather antsy at having stayed in the same place for so long – and Remus was regretfully pointing out that they would have to go back to England one day or another, as while they had kept up with some work, it just wasn't the same as being back home…
So they decided to take the last vacation of their now nearly two-year long road-trip.
A vote was taken by the children – and without much difficulties, Luna had convinced everyone that Egypt was the place to be.
¤.¤.¤
The Kane family choosing this moment to finally announce their retirement from the Per Ankh was a happy bonus, as they had finally deemed Carter old enough to both travel by the magical Egyptian ways, and more importantly, aware enough to hide better his unnatural intelligence…
Decision had been made to travel the Egyptian way, Julius and Ruby volunteering their new boat for her maiden journey through the Duat.
The Egyptian Queen was a modern felucca, custom built in the Avalon wixen shipyard of Santa Catalina. It was a unique mix of wix and Egyptian magic – and was currently doing it's maiden maritime journey, the Kane family bringing the ship up to Vancouver by sea to meet with the group before leaving.
The adults were rather enthousiastic about the magical prowess that was the river boat, with the way magical ship-building methods and wards had been used, then supplemented with Egyptian surveillance spells, spirits invocation to man the boat, and summoning magic to be able to call and send the boat to the shallowest layers of the Duat, where it would travel.
Duat travel wasn't as fast as a portal, or a portkey – but like Luke put it, it had a mystic aura to it the instantaneous methods of travel just didn't share.
On Carter's first birthday, all boarded the Egyptian Queen.
The beautiful wooden ship had gathered quite a few admirers – a confusion ward preventing muggles from wondering too much about how a river-boat could navigate so well sea-side – so they left the port the regular way, the children enjoying the rather novel experience of sea-faring for a few hours.
Then, Ruby and Julius had weaved their spell, and the sea and sky were soon replaced by something far more misty and ethereal, the minor spirits bound to the ship appearing, shimmering flickering lights going around to make the ship sail smoothly. Whispers were carried by the wind despite no wind blowing...
"You can still somewhat guess at the real world if you look up." Luke pointed out, clearly fascinated
As for Thalia – her attention was caught by something else "Weren't all Egyptian gods imprisoned?"
Anubis – and in the Duat, it was clearly Anubis, and not Sirius, childish appearance replaced by the adolescent look Adra had first met him under, a jackal face flickering sometimes when a sound caught his attention.
"They missed a few of us." he explained "But as they got the more powerful ones, we weren't deemed important enough to be dealt with."
Julius and Ruby were stunned, not having expected this in the least as they hadn't witnessed any of the big events that had revealed that some among the large family were more than what they seemed.
As for Carter – he was laughing, without the help of any Divine Word this time, as the Duat was of the Dream Realms, and just like Adra had told him, closer enough to the Immortal Realms that he could use a bit of his powers to shape-shift.
"Of course you would add another canine to your pack, bambina."
Anubis tilted his head toward Padfoot, Blanche and Kagetsu – and decided that there were worse things than being compared to the three divine familiar.
With a mischievous smile, he let his powers flare – and the next second, the three beasts were pounced on by a yipping jackal.
Soon enough, the four canine were leaguing together, and pouncing this time on Adra, making everyone laugh – and the Kane forget a bit of their awe at realizing one of the children they'd gotten to know over the past year was in fact a god rather than a half-blood.
¤.¤.¤
A dozen hours after they'd started their trip, the Egyptian Queen emerged out of the Duat in the magical district of Cairo.
Before leaving the Kane, they were all given emergency portkeys, should their departture of the Per Ankh be ill-accepted. They sincerely hoped it wouldn't be needed – but best be prepared and not need it than the contrary…
Plans were made to see each other once they left the Per Ankh behind.
And so, while the Kane headed toward the nearest entrance to the First Nome of the House of Life, the rest of the group headed toward the magical harbour, where they were soon renting another fully enchanted river boat – which, in Thalia's words, didn't have quite the pizzaz of the Egyptian Queen, but was nonetheless beautiful.
Days soon become weeks as the family leisurely went south, stopping along the way for a few days-long expeditions.
Thanks to the Potter and Black influence, they had managed to visit a few tombs and other digging sites managed by the goblins – Anubis had been quite amused to see that some wixen were right under the First Nome's nose – and the god himself had pointed out some places he remembered from the past.
They'd met up with the Kane somewhere along the way, the couple both happy that the encounter with the Chief Lector had gone well – and sad to have left behind much of their life, especially for Ruby, who'd been the man' protegee since she was young.
Three weeks went by slowly, and soon, reluctantly, they started their journey up north.
This time they traveled somewhat faster – thought never hurriedly – as they didn't make qute as many stops along the way.
They were a few days from reaching back Cairo when Leto announced that a new digging site had been opened to the wix by the goblins.
Seeing as they weren't too far, they anchored the felucca near a small village, and made their way toward the goblin site, in the dessert just nearby.
It's as they were coming back to their river boat that Adra paused, instead drifting on the river bank toward a mother and child.
[Life Quest Updated! Bright as the Sun...
Goal complete: meet Zya Rashid
Reward: +10XP]
"What a beautiful girl."
The mother sighed, sparring a glance at her child before sighing "Beautiful doesn't put food of the table at this age."
Adra took in the woman's clothes – while rather similar to those of most in the small village, they were maybe a bit more threadbare than others, and the way she kept an eye on the group of children playing in the dirt not too far away told her some among them were hers too…
This little hero to be hadn't been born in the easiest family.
And yet – there was a fiery soul burning in the baby, and powers that only asked to be taught.
Ruby – had seen the same thing as her, it was quite clear, as she turned toward her husband "How about taking on a little apprentice?"
"I doubt the First Nome would appreciate us poaching on their territory." he answered wryly
"Bah! When was the last time they recruited someone that wasn't already part of our world?" Ruby waved away his concern
The mother looked a the squabbling couple, not quite understand what was happening as they had reverted to English – so it was Adra who explained softly "They see potential for greatness in your daughter."
"I'm sure she is intelligent." the mother admitted with both pride and some sadness in her eyes "For all the good that it'll do her here."
"And if she could be elsewhere?"
Her eyes widened – not daring understand what Ruby was suggesting.
She was torn – between wanting a better life for her child, and not wanting to just abandon her to strangers.
So they stayed a week, until they weren't quite strangers anymore, and when they left, there was one more child aboard – and the Kane had promised that as soon as they'd settled back in England, they'd sent letters and photographs.
[Life Quest Updated! Bright as the Sun...
Bonus Goal complete: give Zia a better life
Reward: +20XP, +1PP]
[Level up! You are now level 32!
1 SP]
"So," Pandora wondered "have you met them all?"
Adra tilted her head in a silent question, making the woman elaborate "Your Chosen Ones I mean."
"All the living one." Adra answered with an enigmatic smile
¤.¤.¤
And finally, after nearly two years…
They were back to England.
The family had grown so large during their trip, that the Rookery was getting a bit small for them all – but somehow, Leto had already foreseen this, and during their time abroad, wixen builders had been hired, a stone for the wards prepared…
And as their arrived in Ottery Saint Catchpole again, a quirky trapper's hut had emerged from the ground in the grove near the Rookery, with which Remus and Thalia fell immediately in love.
There was also a rather familiar, Japanese style house in the nearest clearing next to the Rookery, that now looked like a Japanese garden.
It was pretty evident the man had plotted with Pyxis, as the god didn't seem surprised but smug as his sister eyes lit in wonder.
It was rather strange settling back – or simply settling in for some – in their old routine after twenty-three months, but like Remus had said, it had been needed.
Numerous social calls had to be answered, and July was spent getting back in touch with all the people they hadn't seen during their trip. It wasn't too bad for the children – as social niceties were still at a minimal at their ages – but for Remus, Pyxis and Leto, it was particularly tiring as it mainly meant lots and lots of politicking.
Pyxis was getting the brunt of it, as an aging Arcturus had decided that the prodigal grand-son's return was as good an occasion as any other to completely hand over the reins of the family. He'd also learned that his mother had passed away while they were traveling – which didn't elicit much from him given that he hadn't seen the woman in over fifteen years.
Outings in the wixen district had been a nightmare as the press was nearly getting over their respect of old family heirs in their eagerness to catch a glimpse of the Girl-Who-Lived who hadn't been seen in two years.
Luke and Thalia, but also Bianca and Nico, despite their lack of inherent magic, had been welcomed rather warmly in the circles threaded by the large family given that they were all half-bloods.
There had been a few trips to the magical district with the Kane too, as the family of now four settled back in London.
They had had time to acclimate to the wixen world in Los Angeles – but were still startled with how different it was in England, as the local community was much more old fashioned than in the States.
Adrasteia birthday was the perfect pretext for a big party.
All the wixen of the neighborhood were invited, as were of course the influential families with which the political trio of Pyxis, Remus and Leto had cultivated alliances.
Adrasteia was rather happy to see a Neville far different from the one she remembered in her first life, thanks to his parents' survival – Frank Longbottom, since he'd had to retire from the auror after the Lestrange attack, had taken his family seat in the Wizengamot full-time too. While he'd been a rather stauch supporter of Dumbledore, with time – and some advice from his mother – he'd realized that it was OK not to always agree with the man.
By now, it was pretty well established that Pyxis, Remus and Leto had created a third faction in the political landscape of the country, and the support or not of their faction toward one or the other was starting to make or unravel laws.
The young goddess wasn't too surprised to note that Ginny was still in her spoiled child phase – but was rather surprise to see some changes among the rest of the family. Loki's blessing had had an effect – because the mischievous twins were far more advanced than they had been in their previous life, and beyond the potions that had been among their specialty in their previous life, they were already trying their hands on runes and oghams. Their Third Rite in April had also unlocked a minor shape-shifting ability – which translated in a potent Metamorphmagus talent, that had really stunned their parents. It had also confirmed to the twins and their father that they'd been blessed – as they had been asleep when it had happened - as patron god could appear in the Dream Realm during the Rites.
Since it was rather well known in the British wixen community that Leifr was Loki's half-blood, the twins, that were about the same age as his child form, had enthusiastically adopted the boy during the party.
Adra had laughed, Remus had looked as if the sky had fallen on his head.
Odin, or rather Wodsen, had also been invited – and there were far less tensions now than two years before between him and Loki, not to mention Loki's children.
The king of Asgard had mentioned before leaving that the Norne had redone much of their job, new prophecies popping left and right, some of them talking even about events not quite tied to the Norse, making Adra think it was maybe time to check with the Greek Fates too.
She hadn't needed to, as Penny, the daughter of Apollo, had found her a few moment later – glazed eyes, voice a rash whisper and echoing the same words the Norse had just relayed to her.
"As century and millennia ends, the world will be saved or doomed."
ADRASTEIA LV 31 (6 YO)
BODY
Agility 8(17)
Strenght 5(10)
Endurance 8(10)
SPIRIT
Intelligence 7(14)
Wisdom 8(15)
Fortitude 7(13)
HEART
Empathy 9(11)
Perception 6(14)
Sociability 6(12)
LUCK 5(17)
PERK ACQUIRED (23PP spend, 30 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
Natural Genius (2 PP): double book learning rate (locks Hard Work Genius Perk)
A Father's Strength (5 PP):+5 to all Communication
Blood of the Pharao (5PP): unlocks all Egyptian Magics
Cyclop's Skin (2PP): +5 to Physical and Elemental Resistance
FIRST PATH - Mind(+10 and RP, +5 to SPIRIT MC, +10 to Magic Skills)