Suddenly three people appeared, one an older woman with silver for hair was holding the child within her arms. The other two, a male and female of equal height, stood by the child stroking its small head.
"Sirano, as promised, your son." Aila said walking over and presented his son to him.
"My Shaun...my lovely son." Sirano said, holding the last remnants of Callista. Like her, he had her purple hair and eyes, but Isa's nose. Sitting down he cradled his son, and softly began to cry.
Lachlan on the other hand, went over to Mistress, grabbed her to him and with his hand under her neck, pulled her close, and deeply kissed her. Bizi, then walked over and punched him in the side of the head. "I told you we were going..." Bizi said as he watched Lachlan wipe the blood from his lip.
"Ah, yes, but there is a slight difference.." Lachlan said as he send a bolt of lightning from his fingers and sent them directly to him. Bizi, anticipating this, had already cast Kyrie so the lightning bounced off him and was absorbed into the barrier. "Just because I love her too, doesn't mean we can't share her" Lachlan said with a grin on his face. Standing at 7'2 with jet-black hair, Saphia stared at him with her mouth agape.
"My god, you're gorgeous!" she said as Axis started laughing. She then walked over to her and knelt beside Saphia.
"I am sorry that I did not protect you my chosen" Axis said
"Its alright. It wasn't your fault. Ruchan had me unconscious while he did those nasty things...so I don't remember. What I remember is seeing Lone only. He is really evil.." she said as she crawled into her fathers lap and hugged him close while staring at the safety wall.
"Then let me see what I can do about those horrible memories my chosen." Axis said as she kissed Saphia's forehead and with that, the girl fell into a deep sleep. She then lifted Saphia from her father's lap using her powers and encased her with a safety wall. Softly shards of light and dust fell upon her. She then changed to Whitesmith. Releasing her, Drake caught her and saw that she had been aged as well as his other daughter. Fluttering her eyes open, she saw her father and asked "Are you hear to rag on Tati, Daddy? Cause she wanted to sleep with Isa."
"No, I am not here to rag on Tatiana. And I know she is sleeping with him, and it is alright. Do you remember anything of the last few days." Drake wondered
"Last thing I remember was Tati sneaking into Isa's room. Why did anything happen?" she asked guileless
"No precious. You bumped your head and have been asleep the last week. But you missed your sister's weddings." Drake lied to his daughter, realizing what Axis did.
"Get out...they are all married! Why didn't you wake me! I wanted to do Hammerfall on them!" she said as she bounced upwards, then looked at her clothes. "What the hell happened to me! I look kick ass!" she then noticed the baby and Sirano holding it close to him. "Who's baby is that? Where is Callista? WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" she screamed realizing that there were not in a soft bedroom but a smouldering pit of heat.
Lachlan by this time had Bizi in suspended animation, who was not impressed about this action. He then walked over to Saphia and with both hands under her hair, leaned down and deeply kissed her. Under the kiss, Saphia's eyes widened, and then she began to softly cry. Releasing her from the kiss, Lachlan then said "And now you know everything that has happened. Only the memories of your torture have been removed, and I don't truly believe you want those again, do you?" he said to her
Shaking her head in a negative fashion, he then turned to Bizi, yelled "I think I found an alternative to Mistress!", leaned down again, and kissed Saphia deeply. He then whispered to her "Its time we got prepared for your part in this little chosen. We can perhaps finish this at another time eh?" he said before Aila walked over to him and pulled down his ear.
"You did this last time, so I am not going to let you do that again. No more corrupting the chosen's!" Aila said as she also released Bizi from the air, and guided him to his feet.
"But Mother..." Lachlan said
"No buts! Now bring Saphia here." Aila said
Lachlan took Saphia in hand and led her over to his mother. Aila then held her face and said asked her "Are you ready my precious?"
"For what? What possible role can I do?" Saphia wondered
"You are a wonderful forger are you not my dear" Aila said
"Yes...OH! You want me to make the Hope right!" Saphia said
"You are a smart one aren't you" Lachlan said as he nuzzled her neck and she giggled at that with Aila glaring at him.
"Mom lay off. Obviously Saphia is not minding, unlike last time, so let it be" Axis said as she brought the Wrath of the Valkyrie to Saphia.
"And so what precisely can my little morsel do...she is completely incompetent" Lone sneered at her still within the Safety wall that Bizi maintained
"Do not listen to him precious. I have complete faith in you" Lachlan said as he slid his hands around her waist from behind her. "Now lift it over your hands and think happy thoughts."
"That sounds so completely corny!" Saphia said laughing
"I know it does, but the forging has to come from an innocent. And my lovely little girl, you are still. You have not willingly given yourself to another human being, and with your memories wiped of your hardships, you don't have the ugliness that the Snake Lord tried to give you. Before Bizi, Mistress was the intended forger. But you, my dearest beauty, are really the best choice, considering your vocation is of a forger." Lachlan said to her, hugging her close to his body.
"So, happy thoughts huh? So can I think what I want to do with you!" she said with a grin on her face. At that, everyone started laughing as the Wrath began to start to glow.
"Obviously that is what makes you happy, so go ahead" Lachlan said, still holding her
At that, Saphia lifted it over her head, and a bright light began to emit from the orb. Slowly it changed from the purest black to a soft grey then to the purest white that anyone had ever seen. Lachlan then whispered into her ear and said to her "Do you really want me that much precious?"
Nodding, she then brought her arms down and held the Hope of the Valkyries. She then brought it over to Axia. "Axi, it says that this is for you." she said as she handed over the Hope.
"It is, and thank you love for forging this for me." Axia said as she held it. Then it floated in front, and then disappeared within her stomach. She then began to glow a deep blue. She then turned to Lone, whispered one word "Goodbye", with that sent an energy beam deep within the safety wall, and obliterated Lone in one shot from her elevated position, thanks to her wings.
Floating down again, in an eerie voice said "He is coming, prepare yourselves."
OoO
From the opposite side of the cave they saw the Evil Snake Lord slither down towards the group. Seeing the remains of his minion, he sneered at Axia. Then saw her stomach and growled. None of his minions had said anything about the dancer being pregnant. He then used his mind powers and discovered that all of them, with the exception of Saphia, was pregnant. Cursing the fates, he realized that he had already lost, but wanted to make them pay first.
Casting Frost Driver, it appeared before them. It then brought some of its minions to battle, and they were suddenly surrounded by a massive amount of woman. They then realized that they were the "evil nymphs" of old. Mistress gathered her spiritual energies and with Bizi, destroyed half of the nymphs with Guillotine Fist. Drake and Aldo took out the other half, with Saphia buffing them with Adrenaline Rush and Power Thrust. Both Tati and Isa took turns with their floras and homunculi's and with Saphia's Cart Boost, the three of them took out the remaining mob.
Sirano, then carefully placed Shaun into Aila's hands and joined into the battle. Casting Lord of Vermillion that he got from the wizard he had trounced a few weeks back while waiting for the party in Payon, he cast it onto the Lord. Blinded by the fire, Sirano then snuck behind him and whispered "This is for Callista" and backstabbed the Lord using the Moonlight Dagger that Sirano and Callista had gotten from Moonlight, when they first went after Axis. Screaming in agony, the Lord flailed all around for Sirano, but as he was stalking away from him, the Lord was unable to find him. As he was flailing around, blinded by the Dagger, Sirano continued to backstab him over and over again. White blood poured out of the lord, as two of his serpents lay dead on the ground. Screeching from the blood loss, Axia then approached him. Nearly blinded by the pain, and rage he then saw the gyspy standing in front of him and sneered at her.
"You will never defeat me, I am as immortal as those items of yours." he said pretending confidence
"That may be so, but there have never been any pregnant chosens that have created the Hope" Axia said in a haunted voice. "The pure innocence of all of our children is what can kill you my Lord. If only one of us had been pregnant, then maybe you would have won. But not the innocence of 7 children. So my Lord, it is time for an end to this all." Axia said and with one hand outstretched and wings held high, sent out a shot of white-blue energy and incinerated the Lord.
"I will not die!" the Snake Lord said as he still remained, but very charred
"Yes you will. Ladies...shall we show him how WRONG he is" Axia said as her pregnant sisters gathered around her, each touching her shoulder, as Axia gathered another energy beam together. She then sent it into the lord again and this time obliterated him. She then collapsed onto the ground just as the Lord died. Aldo ran over to her, and held her head into his lap.
"Bizi! Heal her please!" Aldo frantically screamed.
"On the job!" Bizi said as he began to heal her
"Aldo she is alright, but she is exhausted, just like last time she fought the Lord." Aila said walking over with Shaun in her arms.
"What about the children?" Aldo said
"They are tired too...they all are. Axia required a tremendous amount of their life force to create that last energy beam. But they will be born on time. Bizi we are going to require your teleport services to get out of here." Aila said
"Already on it" Bizi said as he dropped the blue gem into the whirlpool of the the warp and created the warp for them all.
Aldo then lifted Axia into his arms and carried her through the warp with him. Aila handed Shaun back to his father and Sirano too entered the portal. Dragging Lachlan through the portal as well, Saphia jumped onto it and disappeared. Isa and Tati also followed through as well. Aila and Axis then as well followed through. Just as Mistress entered in, Bizi noticed some cards on the ground. Reaching over, he found the Lords collection of his brethren cards. Looking through the lord's collection, he realized that his new family were now very rich people. Collecting them he teleported back to Aldebaren.
OoO
Later that evening, as Axia rejuvinated, Aila revealed something to Aldo, that had him screaming at her in rage. Everyone could hear him raging at them. They then saw him slam the door shut on them and could hear him crying. Bizi got elected to find out why, so he slowly entered the room and saw him crying beside Axia as she slept.
"God damn them Bizi..damn them to hell" Aldo said quietly
"Obviously you are upset. So why don't you spill before you wake her up." Bizi said pulling up a chair beside Aldo.
"They didn't tell her...bloody bastards didn't tell her before she accepted the Hope. They were all quick to tell Callista that she was going to die, but they couldn't be bothered to tell Axia..oh no...once again they left it for me again to tell her. Now that it is too late." Aldo said between tears
"Tell her what?" Bizi said
"That she's now immortal. She's never aging, and she will never bear children again. While I grow old and die, she will always be 30 years old. She gets to see her children now grow old and die, and their children, and those bloody bastards never gave her the choice!" he said raising his voice again. "They said, it has always been this way...the original dancer is the one that Drake met in Magma. She apparently slept with him, and with that essence created Callista. The mating is also what changed him to create Axia. Creating all the twins was just an accident. It was only supposed to be Axia, not Axia and Mistress and the other girls. Bizi how am I going to tell her. I love our babies already and I can't wait to be holding them, but I wanted more with her. I love her so much, how am I going to live, knowing that one day she is going to watch me die." Aldo said breaking down again.
"Aldo, to me you are the closest I have ever come to a brother, so I will be straight with you. You are the bravest and most serene person I have ever seen. You will handle this like you handle every situation I have seen you face, with sheer determination and calm understanding. If only those 2 miracles inside her are the only children you can have, then accept it." Bizi said looking at Axia as she slept. He was reminded that in 3 short weeks, Mistress would look exactly like her and at that thought, smiled.
"She does look so much like Mistress, doesn't she?" Aldo said as he looked at Bizi, watching where his gaze was aimed at.
"Yes, and I can't wait for Mistress to be showing too. The loss of Romeno, and thats what we called him, nearly killed her, both inside and outside. She's already dragging Saphia and Tati out baby shopping. She is behaving like she did when she was younger, and it's nice to see that again. She's happy again and I am glad." Bizi said.
"Then I guess I hate to burst your bubble of happiness, but Lachlan isn't returning to Glove form. At least not for a while. He's taken a liking to Saphia and wants to stay for a while as her husband. Aila and Axis will be returning to their forms after the birth of the children." Aldo said with the first smile he has had in weeks.
"Bloody hell" Bizi said and folded his hand across his chest.
OoO
Axia awoke later with a sharp pain under her back. "Bloody hell" Axia said as she noticed that Aldo was asleep beside her. Poking him awake, she said one word to him "Now." At that, he got up and went to Melianta's room and summoned her
Returning with her mother in tow, she just smiled at Aldo. "Love do you really want to be here?" she asked him
"I am not going anywhere. I put you into this state and I am never leaving your side." Aldo said, but unaware of what was going to happen. He had never been present at a birth, as that was always Lex's job as a sage.
"Aldo dear, you sure about that. Axia has Drake's temper and she is going to be in a lot of pain very shortly." Mel said sagely
"Uh...what do you mean by that?" Aldo said and then saw Axia gripped by the pain again. Rushing to her side, he took her hand and she gripped it with more force, then he ever thought possible.
"I'm sorry Aldo, I hurt your hand" Axia said a few minutes later when the last pain stopped and he was holding his hand in his other hand.
"Pet, it's alright. I didn't want to tell you now, but this is the only time I am going to get to do this. The Hope made you immortal love. These are the only children you can have." Aldo said with tears again. But Axia just smiled at him
"My love, I already knew that. The Hope told me as it joined with me. And the part about me not bearing children. The Hope fixed it, because of the amount of children that all the chosen's had. The only difference now is my incubation will always be 4 weeks. Mistress and Tatiana will go back after their first birth to the normal 9 months of pregnancy. But, it will be more difficult for me to bear children, just not impossible. So if me screaming, makes you uncomfortable, its alright." Axia said with a smile, and then changed to a grimace as she was gripped with another contraction. "Mama, they are coming now. Aldo if you are going, go now" she said as sweat began to drip off of her.
"Axia, I am not going anywhere" he said as he got a cool facecloth and wiped the sweat from her brow. Melianta then went to her rooms to get the towels that she had prepared for her daughters.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?" Axia said touching his face
"You don't need to my love. You are enduring all this pain to bring the fruits of our love into this world. I know exactly how much you love me." Aldo said as he kissed her forehead. "Now hold my hand as a contraction hits, and don't be concerned about me. Just bring our children into this world that you have saved for us all."
"I will, but Caden is fighting already with Rowena. He wants to be first." Axia said grimacing in the midst of the third contraction.
Aldo leaned over her stomach and whispered "Caden behave, Mommy is getting distressed"
"That worked, he is settling down, thank you Aldo" Axia said as the contraction eased "Can you get me a drink, I'm really thirsty."
"Ice Chips instead Aldo, the consierge has them prepared already." Mel said returning from her rooms with the towels.
"Yes Melianta" he said turning to get the ice
"Aldo I think now you can call me Mother or Mel, whichever you prefer." she said
"I think my own mother might have kittens on me if I did, so I would prefer Mel. Drake has nothing on the temper of my mother." he said with a smile and he left the room
"He is a rare man, your Aldo." Melianta said
"I know Mama. Its why I have been in love with him for 20 years. Mama I'm scared. I can feel Caden and Rowena, but I am still worried. So many things can go wrong." Axia said
"That is why I am here, instead of with your sisters. Take this drink, it will ease the contractions pain. This is nothing right now, it will be worse as you get closer." Melianta said as she gave her some Anodyne that she had brewed a few nights before.
"How much longer Mama?" Axia said
"I don't know. Your contractions are about 6 minutes apart, so it could be a few more hrs, or they could get longer in between." Mel said to her nervous daughter "Considering what your sisters will be going through soon enough, having them here now, will make them far more apprehensive about their own time, so I am going to make sure that Drake keeps them out of the hotel for the evening. I will not be gone long, so finish your drink and rest a bit."
As the anodyne began to take effect, she could feel the pain easing considerably. Aldo returned with a glass of ice chips and placed one under her tongue. Thanking him, she slowly drifted off to sleep. Melianta returned 15 mins later and saw her sleeping soundly
"Had she had any contractions." she asked him
"Yes two, but she didn't awaken. But my hand will never feel the same." he said smiling down at her.
"When was the last one?" Mel asked bringing out her watch
"About five minutes ago." Aldo said and then grimaced as she experienced another one, but still asleep.
"Let me know when the pain stops." Mel said not looking at him, but her watch
"I will when she stops squeezing." he said
Three minutes past and she was still in the grip of the contraction. "It hasn't stopped yet has it?" Mel said
"No, but I think I have lost all circulation in my hand though." he said
"A three minute contraction is not good. Stay here, Bizi has been waiting in the hotel in case we needed him." Mel said and she ran to his room to collect him
Bringing him back, she directed him to heal her. Doing so, Aldo indicated that the contraction finally stopped. He then healed Aldo's hand. Axia had crushed the bones within his hand. Setting it back down, Aldo went to get Aila and Axis. He felt that they should be present at the birth.
when he found them, they had not sensed that she was in the middle of birth, so they eagerly returned to the hotel. Racing upstairs they entered the room and found Bizi on one side of her and Melianta between Axia's legs.
"We found out why she had such a long contraction. It wasn't, it was the actual birth, so get over here, Caden is about to be born" Melianta said with a smile and Axia smiled at him as she had been awoken when they discovered that she was in the actual birthing process.
Walking over to Mel, he saw Caden's head coming out, so held out his hand and held Caden as he emerged from Axia. Softly cooing, Aldo nuzzled him and whispered to him "You just had to be first didn't you, you little rascle."
Bizi then walked over and ran his hand very lightly over Caden's head. "His sister is coming too, so give me Caden, and grab Rowena." he said as Aldo handed Caden over to Bizi's arms and saw Rowena coming out too. Axia grimaced at the last amount of pain as she expelled Rowena. Aldo looked at her as she exerted the last push and Rowena landed in his awaiting hands. Holding her, he went over to Bizi and collected a now swaddled Caden, and brought their children to Axia.
"You did it, my beautiful gypsy. Look at these beautiful babies of ours." Aldo said tears flowing as he handed both children to her, and then kissed her softly on the lips.
"We did it, and we have a lifetime to recreate the magic love." Axia said.
The End my wonderful readers...
Or is it?