Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all rights to all characters (save for those of my own creation) in this unexpected encounter… especially for the one who just wants to help.
~保護者~
"Taken"
~保護者~
She didn't remember the last death in her life that had incited this kind of pain. Already she felt herself reaching deep inside of her to unleash blasts and lashes of Darkness against a tree. It felt better than sitting around idly like she usually did, watching as she tore through the massive thing in her anger.
It wasn't falling apart fast enough, either. She felt worse once she realized she was failing to do serious damage to it, and it made her lash out with more intense aggression. Some nameless spell of sorts was lobbed into the tree, tearing a massive hole in the thing and leaving it barely capable of standing on its own. Briefly satisfied, Armaris let herself collapse onto her back, holding off tears.
Aku and Shei had been the ones to make her feel at home when she was growing up, even against the disapproval she knew Aniko had initially placed in her direction. Shei was like a father to her, but… she didn't know what kind of place Aku was in her life. The dragon was just always there. It helped, so much more than she even knew how to explain.
Her thoughts were torn away when she suddenly collected herself onto her feet at the sensation of magic. In the middle of the Highlands, that was assuredly a bad sign. Chameleons didn't have magic, not ever, and if one did, well, she was fucked. "Who's there?" she asked aloud, grimacing when her voice cracked.
She didn't get an answer immediately, but what she did see was the tree slowly growing back from the damage she'd just given it. "You know, with magic that strong, you could just make your own targets," a voice said, the owner of said voice dropping into view in front of her. "It'd be better than accidentally dropping a tree and killing whatever creatures call it home."
Armaris frowned and pointed a blade of her Darkness at him. "Mind explaining what the hell you're doing out here in the middle of the Highlands?"
Cyril looked around for a moment, blinking. "Oh, crap. Is that where I am?" he asked himself. "Well, I came here because I sensed a huge burst of magic out here. Wanted to make sure everything was okay, but something tells me you've got a bit of stuff going on right now. You alright?"
"I don't really appreciate you being here," Armaris muttered, letting her blade vanish. "And for the record, no, I'm not alright. Just got done watching a friend dying."
The finch blinked, then nodded slowly. "Honestly… I did the same thing recently. A few people I was getting to know died because of that God of Demons…" He let out a soft sigh, leaning against the tree he just repaired.
Though she narrowed her eyes, it was obvious that he didn't pose any sort of threat toward her. "Shit hurts."
"It does," Cyril replied easily. "Though, for your own sake, lashing out and throwing your emotions at things isn't always the best. Talking to someone you trust might really help a lot more."
Who the hell are you, giving me advice? Armaris rolled her eyes a little. "You have any other reason to be here, or are you just gonna stand in the way?"
Cyril blinked again, then smiled. "From what I can tell, you haven't gotten a whole lot of training with magic, right? You've got a lot of it, but it's… untamed."
She wasn't quite sure how he came to this conclusion (however right it was), but Armaris decided to simply shrug. "Yeah. Kinda hard to get trained when my dad and mother are both practically too busy to even be on Mobius, as well as any other talented magic user. I also live with a chameleon, so… yeah. Not been doing the greatest on training."
"Well, maybe I can help?" Cyril said, offering her a brighter smile than before. "I've been told I'm a literal God of Magic, and I like to think I know a thing or two. Maybe we can get you on the right path and you can find something in it all that works for you?"
"Why?" Armaris frowned. "What do you gain from trying to teach me?"
"Nothing," Cyril answered, no hint of hesitation in his voice. "Just knowing that you've made some progress for yourself is good enough. I like seeing people succeed."
"Your presence makes me sick," Armaris huffed, trying to ignore his intense optimism. He was… far too bright and cheery for her entirety of existence. "Meh, whatever. I'm not training way out here, away from others. I'd rather be around Espio."
Cyril paused for a moment. Wow. She is… not exactly the kindest. That's okay. "Alright! We-"
"Tomorrow," Armaris spoke up, cutting him off. "Not in the mood for any of this. Just show up or something. I'll probably realize you're nearby."
He didn't get the chance to respond. The cat teleported away as he opened his mouth. "Well, that's fair. Don't blame you." He teleported as well, returning to Tails's home. It didn't take him long to realize that the place was still… very much destroyed. That didn't sit well with him, so he raised a hand slowly and began piecing it all back together - with a few small additions. Maybe he couldn't ease anyone's pain… but at least now everyone would have room.
Small comforts were better than no comforts at all.
~保護者~
Finis wasn't sure who had informed Saethrim of his awakening. It was possible that Ghune had, but he didn't know. Either way, the other man appeared near him and Finis's immediate thought was, I hope he didn't see what happened earlier. He may not have remembered being corrupted like Cere had described, but he doubted that had been pleasant for anyone in the area. And Saethrim's emotions tended to be fairly… strong. At least Finis had managed to shift back to his usual form by now.
Luckily, Saethrim seemed to be rather… Well, calm wasn't the word for it. He wasn't pissed, so that was good. The da Asani appeared in front of Finis seconds later. "Seems like you're doing decently."
With a blink, Finis inclined his head. "I suppose," he agreed. "But I have no memory of what happened. Cere was upset and… vague."
"Corrupted by that damned demon," Saethrim explained with a light shrug. "He made you defend him, but luckily nothing escapes these hands."
"I assume you mean Tianak," Finis grumbled. Oh, he hated the idea of having protected that rat. What a waste of effort that must have been… "I did not harm anyone, did I?" He knew he wasn't powerful in that way, granted, but the idea still bothered him.
"Not really. I think you lashed out, considering I smelled your energy on them." Saethrim shrugged again. "Cere took it the worst, but I assume you both have talked?"
"We have," Finis confirmed. He decided right then to change the subject for both of their sakes. "She left with Locke and a Light user mere minutes ago. The pair brought… extraordinary news. Faranhel has been found, Saethrim. The hidden sanctuary of the most ancient Immortals is no longer a mere myth."
Saethrim stood upright, more so than he usually would have. "No fucking way. How in the hell did two random semi-Immortals just happen upon that place?"
"Locke is not random," Finis was quick to clarify upon realizing his error. "He is Anthea's successor. The one she personally chose and trained. But it did not seem as though he made the discovery. The Light user apparently did, but she did not know what she had found. He understood the significance and brought the news to us. Neither said how or when she found it."
"Damn." Saethrim put his hands back behind his head, looking up for a moment. "To think that Faranhel was found this long after… well, everything. Wild as hell."
Finis had to agree. "I only hope that finding it will shed light on what happened to the ninth generation of Immortals," he murmured. "Of all the generations that have died, this is the only one Cere and I so completely lost contact with. They went into hiding, and before we knew it new Immortals were born. No one has ever been sure of what happened."
Saethrim agreed easily enough. Ultimately, he didn't care all that much. His relationship with the Immortals had always been… iffy at best. "Makes sense."
Though it was internal, Finis sighed. This was all a little too much right now. "How long have you been running around in a rage?" he suddenly asked. "Or in general, really."
"Intermittently... a couple days? Something like that." Saethrim let out a sigh. "Nareish is a pain in the ass."
"Things are quiet for now," Finis pointed out. "You should return to Calypso while the opportunity is here. She will no doubt be worried about you, as will her son."
"I've been in and out of her house lately. She's probably gonna get pissed off sooner or later, but right now I'm banking on the hope that she's still happy that I'm even alive."
"Her patience is vast, but not endless. It will last longer if you return home when you can. She understands your lifestyle and responsibilities, you know that."
Saethrim clicked his tongue once. "Suppose so, though I do need to check on my kid here soon, and his girlfriend. Haven't been able to see them much lately, and with Kial giving back my role… Well, he's a mortal again and I'm concerned about his safety."
"I understand," was the quiet response. "They are on Mobius, are they not? It should be daytime there right now. They should be awake. Meaning now would be an ideal time to check in."
"You're right. Might go bug Calypso for a short bit, hunt down her sister to stop her from starting her own war, then check up on Kial," Saethrim said, stretching a little. "Should be able to fit all that into a couple hours."
"Considering it's you, I'd say it isn't even a question of whether or not you 'can'," Finis responded with a bit of amusement.
Saethrim chuckled. "Suppose so. Never been an issue for me to get something done." This earned a small nod. "I'll be heading on out, then. See ya again soon." Finis waved at him vaguely then, as he was often wont to do, faded from sight into the shadowy darkness of his realm. Saethrim, meanwhile, used his favorite form of travel and simply warped out of the realm back to Calypso's home. He had a woman to appease.
~保護者~
Kath was seated on the floor in Arkiri's room with a book open in front of him. It was almost bigger than he was, so it was also on the floor. His legs were laying straight and splayed out at diagonal angles, leaving him in a position that babies commonly used to sit. His position and intensely curious expression made for a cute scene, but he was oblivious to that.
Right now, he was focused on two things. First was the book, naturally enough. Second, however, was Arkiri. The man's species being an "owl" was something he was still puzzling over, but that didn't hold as much of his attention as another matter did. He not want me here. This was something he felt sure of, though he didn't quite understand why.
There was something surrounding Arkiri. Something Kath's daddy once told him was called an "aura". He didn't fully understand what they were, only that he could always feel them around people. His daddy and mommy's auras always made him feel safe and happy and warm. Mommy had always told him it was because they loved him and he loved them. But the owl-man's aura was different. It was… sad. It didn't make him feel good, and he kept getting the same sensation from it. He not want me here.
Wanting to be alone was something Kath did understand. He liked being alone, too. But it was different coming from Arkiri. Something about the mixture of being sad and wanting to be left alone made his aura feel bad. Kath didn't like it. He especially didn't like knowing he was unwanted. Why had that other man left him here with someone who didn't want him around? He wasn't scared or being hurt, but he still didn't want to be here. He wanted to be with his daddy instead.
Just like that, he found himself (book and all) in the room where he'd seen his daddy earlier. He looked around, not comprehending the change in scenery. What happen? Thoroughly confused, he stood up the same way as usual and walked over to the bed. Just like before, he couldn't reach nor see high enough to spot his father. "Dada?" he called hopefully. There was no response. "Oh," he mumbled, those hopes crashing. Suddenly, he was sad, too. "Dada still s'eeping."
He sat back down on the floor, sniffling quietly. Nothing made sense to him today. The other man had told him they were far away from his tepesh. He insisted this was Babylon, but wouldn't explain why it looked different. Lari was big now, and she and daddy were both sleeping and wouldn't wake up. His other friend, Kani, wasn't here. He didn't know where mama was. The wolf didn't like him and didn't want to let him pet it. The owl didn't want him there. He was sad, confused, and even a little lost and scared. Now his eyes were full of tears. I want go home.
It didn't take long for him to be found, the door to the room opening to reveal Arkiri walking inside. He approached Kath and knelt down, smiling a little. "What in the world are you doing all the way over here?" His tone was as soft as ever, hoping to help Kath calm down. The owl had even gone to the length of hiding his aura just so his emotions couldn't further affect the baby.
Kath rubbed at his eyes with both hands while also mumbling, "P'etahi." In rough terms, that more or less meant something along the lines of, "It was an accident."
"It's okay," Arkiri said softly. "You got upset, too, yeah? You alright?"
"I miss home," Kath sniffled. "I want Dada wake up and I want go home."
Arkiri sat down more fully in front of Kath. "I'll be honest with you. Something happened, and… if your dad isn't waking up right now, it may be a little while. We've had this mean lady messing with people, but I know he'll be okay."
"Mean lady?" Kath repeated, plainly confused. The only "mean lady" he knew of was his grandmother, but he didn't think she could make his father sleep like this. Dada always keep me safe from her. She not beat him. In light of this knowledge, he asked, "What lady?"
"Her name is Nareish, and she's… really old. Probably part of what made her so mean, if you ask me." Arkiri shrugged. "She's not a good person."
Young Kath thought this over briefly. "I not like her," he decided aloud soon thereafter. He was no longer sniffling and his eyes were mostly dry, but his voice remained small, sad, and scared.
"Me either," Arkiri answered. "But, for the time being, we can't get too worried about her. Are you hungry?"
It didn't come as a surprise when Kath shook his head. His problems with eating (or, rather, not eating) hadn't manifested solely in his adulthood, after all. They'd been lifelong. Even his statement on the matter was unchanged. "I don't wike food."
"I bet you that I might know something you like," Arkiri said with a bit of a smirk. This earned a pout and another shake of the head. "How about this, then? You try one thing, and then I'll show you this cool thing called a 'starmap'."
"What that?" Kath asked him, his curiosity already piqued.
"A big map of the stars," Arkiri explained. "It expands over a ton of places you've never been."
Careful consideration wasn't required. Kath gave in to Arkiri's desires without any further complaint, though there was a bit of a whine in his tone. "Okay…"
Arkiri offered his hand toward Kath. "I'll take you up there. I'm sure you'll love that map." Kath had to shift to crawl forward about a foot or so before he could reach Arkiri's hand, but once he could he went ahead and took it. Smiling, Arkiri picked him up and stood to fulfil his end of the deal.
~保護者~
Haru had been great company so far. He didn't talk often enough to become annoying, nor did he cause unnecessary irritation. The same could not be said of an arrow that stuck into the flooring, followed by a woman casually dangling herself in the doorway. "It appears you have a friend now. Color me surprised."
Ryuji's previous guest was… less than impressed with the arrival. Haru eyed the arrow for a moment before huffing. "I assume this is the woman you mentioned before."
"I am apparently noteworthy as well," Arein commented.
Ryuji actively ignored Arein's statement, looking at Haru alone. "Correct. The nuisance." There wasn't any sort of true anger in his tone, but it was clear that he found this vaguely irritating.
"Hm." Haru took a sip of his latest drink before stating, "This 'nuisance' appears to want to talk. Perhaps you should indulge her."
A groan escaped Ryuji and he stood up. "God dammit." Just my goddamn luck. Without addressing her presence, he walked toward the door and snatched the arrow out of the ground. He saw her standing some distance away, back turned. Only once he was near did he speak up. "The hell do you want?"
"You okay?" she asked softly, glancing in the direction of Hyale. "A lot was lost… and your family was wrapped up in it all. I can't imagine you've simply recovered."
"My family will manage," Ryuji answered. "My grandson is resourceful and my daughter is a strong woman. The only one to worry about is the cat."
"Mm." Arein let out a slow sigh. "You didn't answer me. Are you alright?"
Ryuji took in a deep breath, thinking about the answer. "I am fine."
"Good. I was worried." Arein glanced at him, allowing obvious exhaustion to show on her face. "In the wake of it all, I have not had much of a chance to check. People have needed care and protection."
Why she showed so much obvious trust, he didn't understand. It was an unusual trait amongst their people. "Chameleons are good at this sort of thing. Taking care of one another when things take a turn for the worse."
"Yet you seem to think little of our people."
"My choice. Better if I'm not involved."
"I doubt that, but I won't drag that topic on. I have no intention of upsetting you today." From a pack on her back, she produced a fruit. "When did you last eat?"
"Just give it to me, already," Ryuji groaned. "You're gonna give it anyway, no matter what my answer is."
Arein cracked a weak smile. "Smart man." She tossed it over, then turned to face him fully as he caught it. "I have one for you to take to your friend as well."
"You didn't know he was here."
"Correct."
Ryuji caught on to what she was doing and shook his head. "Do not forgo feeding yourself to feed others. It's a waste."
"I would not. I presume he is not traveling as a result of his exhaustion, yes? You both are also likely candidates for danger to find… simply based on your power."
He took in a breath and sighed heavily. "Fucking hell. Your eyes are as sharp as your wit."
"Flattery gets you nowhere." Arein snickered a little, rubbing at an eye. "I'd almost think you're getting used to my presence."
"Quiet."
"You normally would have started pushing me away. Is there a reason?" she teased softly.
"Quiet."
Arein smirked a bit. Oh, the temptation to lead this off with 'Make me' was present, but riling him up too much was far from the point of her visit. "Fine, fine. I'll leave you be once more, but next time… come see me. I live in Veila. I'll make an obvious mark for you."
"What makes you believe I will come to your home?" Ryuji questioned. "Do you act-"
"I do not have to believe one way or another, Ryuji. Either you will come, or you will not." Arein smiled a bit to him. "Though… the way you're shifting makes me think you might be inclined."
Ryuji was briefly taken aback and stopped any movement he might have been making. "I assume you stating this confirms that…" He tried to think of a better way to state this, but came up blank on other options. "You like me?"
"Yep." She was unashamed to admit the truth, hands on her hips. "If you come to my home, I know I can keep talking to you. If you do not, then I know to stop. I won't pursue someone for this who does not want it."
He supposed there was some respect for her stance that he could hold, but right now he wasn't sure how to react or respond. He simply stood silently for a few seconds before sighing. "I will think on it. Go rest."
Arein smiled wider. "Of course." She reached in her pack and tossed the other fruit. "For your friend, as I stated. I hope your relationship with him continues to grow. You seem similar enough."
Before he was given a chance to respond, the woman vanished. Ryuji groaned internally and walked back to his home. Damned woman.
~保護者~
This wasn't something she knew how to approach, but… she at least felt comfortable talking to Silver. He'd been good to her this whole time, and that had gone a long way for her trusting him. That didn't make it much easier. She walked up to Silver and Blaze, then paused when she realized she had no idea how to broach this topic. How the hell do I just tell them I want to help with Kohaku?
It didn't take long for the other psychic to spy her and call out. "Hey, Eila. What's up?" This naturally drew his wife's attention, and she looked over.
Eila's gaze flicked briefly to Kohaku, then returned to Silver. "I- uh…" Her voice trailed off as she fought to piece together the words well.
The couple traded a look, then for the first time Blaze decided to speak to the other cat. She had noticed where Eila's attention had briefly gone. "Is something the matter with Kohaku?" she asked. Her voice was gentle and motherly, not at all accusatory.
"No, don't think so," Silver interjected. He looked at Eila, hoping to prompt her to speak. "Something else is on your mind, right?"
The white cat paused as she opened her mouth before ultimately just saying what came to mind first. "I think I can help Kohaku."
Interest sharpening, albeit in a cautious way, Blaze asked her, "Help him how?"
"I read Sonic's thoughts and came to know about what happened to Kohaku in the past. I… I think I can help with restoring who he used to be, if I have the right help." She looked back to Silver, biting her lip as obvious anxiety crept over her.
For the second time, Silver and Blaze traded a look, this time in shock. Blaze's amber eyes started to water when she spoke next. "You… You can do that?"
"I can try," Eila murmured, turning her gaze away quickly. "All I can promise is effort." She thought for a moment, then added, "If it doesn't work… I can guarantee that he will also be okay. I would… not be happy if he was worse off due to something I did."
"If you're gonna do this," Silver said with uncharacteristic seriousness, "then I'm gonna help you. I trust every word you said, but I've assessed his condition before. We have a better chance of success working together. You have every bit of my permission to try to help."
"Mine as well," Blaze murmured. "Of course… Of course you have permission."
Eila took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she calmed her nerves. She couldn't let her emotions interfere with something so delicate. I want to help… Reminding herself that this was for Kohaku further soothed her, and she took a seat. "In this case… Blaze, please ensure that nobody approaches. Silver, I would like to see your memories of Kohaku."
"Understood," Blaze answered. She gave Eila a brief smile full of gratitude for even being willing to make this effort, then walked off to go speak to everyone else.
Silver, meanwhile, chose a spot beside Eila and also sat down. "Sure, go ahead," he invited. "My mind's open to you."
With the invitation, Eila blocked out the outside world and focused on Silver's thoughts, seeking out his memories of Kohaku. To undo whatever damage had been done so long ago, she'd need to know who he was. From there... she could only hope things would work out.
~保護者~
Black Doom appeared without a sound, perched on the edge of one of the two chairs that had been created near the bed. He was in a sort of crouch with his legs up and his arms down between them, hands lightly gripping the very edge of the chair as though for balance. It was a lot like how a four-legged animal would sit, Espio reflected, but he didn't voice the thought. What was more important to him was the fact that Shadow had likely called out to his father in some way, and as such there was no reason to rebuke this sudden arrival.
That wasn't something that mattered, anyway. What was more immediately attention-grabbing was his appearance. Somehow, he looked like Shadow. From what little bit Espio had heard about this man in the past, this wasn't supposed to be the case. And yet the being before them was clearly a hedgehog in appearance. He was wearing a long red scarf around his neck for some reason as well. The rest of him was carefully covered by a tattered cloak and equally tattered pants - both made of Darkness rather than fabric. Was it… normal for a Black Arms to wear clothing? Espio wasn't sure. Even if it was, the fact that he looked like a hedgehog wasn't.
Shadow's father moved to check on his son, assessing his condition with light touches and careful sniffs - scrutiny which Shadow surprisingly submitted to. For some reason, though, his father didn't actually say anything to Shadow or anyone else. He simply settled back into his original position in the chair. His posture was tense and concerned and his ears straight and alert, nose twitching constantly.
Espio glanced at Toru. It didn't strike him as particularly unusual that the other chameleon was too focused on Shadow to notice the new arrival. After thinking about it for a moment or two, he decided it might be worth speaking up to at least get Toru's attention. "Toru," he called quietly. "Someone is here."
Toru didn't even react for a few seconds, having to take those few seconds to process that he was being spoken to by someone that wasn't Shadow. He looked to Espio, then turned more fully to see Black Doom. "Oh." This lackluster response earned a huff from Espio, but scarcely a glance from Black Doom. "You know you can come over here, right?" Toru said, watching Black Doom with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think anyone will have an issue with it."
Only after a moment of silence did Black Doom reply. "I am fine here," he responded a touch stiffly. His tone wasn't unfriendly, per se. More… uncomfortable. He was lingering close to Shadow, but didn't have any desire to increase his proximity to anyone else.
After a moment of watching Black doom, Toru turned back to Shadow. "Hey, your dad is here. Black Doom."
Shadow gritted his teeth tightly against another wave of pain. Only once it eased was he able to really focus on Toru and better understand what he'd just said. Emotions hit. Confusion was among them. Important questions could wait just a moment, however. Right now, he just needed confirmation. "...Father?"
"Yes," Black Doom confirmed. "I am here."
Greatly tempting though it was, Shadow didn't dare try to roll over to look at him. Laying still was agonizing enough as it was. "How?" he bit out.
His question was dismissed. "Later. Now is not the time." Black Doom's voice was largely calm, but there was a noticeable edge of parental concern over his son's pain. "Focus on breathing. This is progressing more rapidly for you than it does for most. You will need all the energy you can muster soon."
"If there's anyone to listen to, it's the guy who knows what you are," Toru added with a vague shrug, squeezing Shadow's hand. Shadow could really only nod this time, less because he was heeding the advice and more because of the building pain.
Things were largely quiet for a short time before Black Doom spoke again. He had just enough experience with chameleons to understand what their protective instincts were like, and so rather than touch Shadow himself he directed Toru in what to do. "Help him turn over onto his back. His position now is unsuitable."
Toru nodded immediately and carefully moved his hands to shift Shadow, making sure to keep it nice and steady so he didn't too greatly exacerbate the pain the hedgehog was in. I hate seeing him in pain like this. I hope that this all ends soon and he can rest.
~保護者~
Han knew he was asleep. How and why he was aware of that, he had no idea. Frowning, he looked around the strange dreamscape he found himself within. It was odd, this place. Dark. Quiet. Filled with fog. Equally odd, he supposed, was the fact that he still knew what fog was. But that was hardly an important detail right now.
"Come out," he muttered. His eyes shifted to look at a vague black shape standing in the distance. Faster than he could blink, the mysterious person was standing in front of him. He recognized the feel of their magic. It was the woman from the woods. Though she remained little more than a dark shadow, he was sure of that. "What do you want?"
He didn't get an answer. Not a verbal one, at least. A hand reached out, fingers grazing across his cheek. This made him recoil, fists clenching in a mixture of surprise and a sudden desire to retaliate. Neither of those emotions felt like ones his body was used to experiencing. He wasn't sure what to make of them, or of the grin he could practically feel being aimed at him.
"What do you want?" he demanded again, a bit harsher this time. He watched as slowly, gravely, she reached her hand out again. This time, she simply tapped her index finger on his chest. After that, she reached up and tapped his forehead. For the second time he experienced the desire to force her to stop. Violently if necessary. Maybe even if it wasn't necessary. That was a course of action he felt somewhat okay with for reasons that so far eluded him.
That train of thought was cut off when she finally spoke. "I want," she whispered, "to witness every moment of your changing life. You're changing even now. Those Immortals interfered… but I took care of that." He could feel her grinning at him again. "No more headaches. No more signs and warnings. Changes can occur unimpeded."
Narrowing his eyes, he muttered, "I will not change for you. Ever."
She leaned in close, invading his personal space again to whisper in his ear. He somehow got the sense that her flirtatious behavior was directed at everyone at least once, not just him. It was another gut feeling. Was it strange that he had a sense of being familiar with having those? He wasn't sure. "No," she agreed softly, cutting into his thoughts again. "You will not. But will you change for yourself…? Sooner or later, you will learn to want this. The power and freedom it affords people like us… is incomparable."
Why couldn't he move? It felt as though something was forcibly holding him in place. "Do not compare yourself to me," he bit out, teeth gritted.
"And why should I not… when we will soon be so very much alike?"
"I will never be like you."
She laughed quietly, her breath tickling him. "Perhaps not," she conceded. "I hope to be proven right, but perhaps… seeing you turn to your own form of wickedness will be just as pleasurable." Before he could even reply, she kissed his cheek.
Han woke suddenly to the feeling of an unfamiliar person's energy in his vicinity. He opened his eyes, the memory of his dream fading from mind, and lifted his head off of Ylden's couch a little. In doing so, he found himself greeted by a strange sight. Ylden was asleep on the floor with some… woman? It struck Han as strange. Then again, perhaps it wasn't. They may know each other, he reasoned, laying his head back down. Although, that didn't explain why she had her arm around him. He couldn't think of any situation that warranted being held by someone, no matter how close two people were. It was… strange. Incredibly so.
For a time, Han laid where he was, semi-dozing with his eyes mostly shut. What convinced him to open his eyes again eventually was when he heard one of them move. He glanced their way. Seeing and hearing nothing else, he sat up on the couch and rubbed his eyes. After that, he slipped his glasses on. From there, he took his time deciding on what he wanted to do.
He eventually decided on one quick thing he wanted, even needed, to try - though he wasn't exactly sure why for some reason. He cast a quick hex that would conceal his magic from others' senses for a short time. The way it functioned made it so that the hex itself was undetectable. He then summoned forth a ball of sparking magic into his hand and looked at it. Carefully. Very carefully.
Soon, he was satisfied (maybe even a touch relieved) and banished the ball. No red. Good. It looks and feels normal. He sighed softly and undid his hex. There was no more reason to hide his actions from those two, Ylden in particular. He worries enough, for one reason or another. I have no desire to make him wake up with fresh worry because I am testing things.
Ylden's eyes cracked open and he panicked briefly, having arms around him. He immediately phased past her in a form of pure Darkness, then stood and brushed off his body. "That…" He shivered for a moment. "Don't want to do that again…" Han blinked and looked over. Did they not know each other after all? Ylden's attention soon went to Han, and he seemed to relax a little. "Hey, Han. How are you feeling?"
"I'm alright," Han replied with a small shrug.
"That's good," Ylden answered, glancing idly back at Tempest before approaching Han. "I'm thinking it's about time to see if I can reach out to the Faein, even if I need to go through someone else. We've been waiting too long as is."
"Who are you going to ask this time?" Han asked, though he was only very mildly curious.
"May have to go back through Steam. He's one of the only people who knows how to contact them, as far as I'm aware." Ylden frowned a little. "It's weird."
Han was no longer interested. What he was interested in instead was the other person in the room. Rather than address her indirectly through Ylden, he spoke to her without any hesitation. "Who are you?"
"How in the hell have you forgotten?" Tempest asked slowly, raising an eyebrow while she finally got off the floor. This only served to make him frown. "It's fucking weird to think a Hexan forgot something."
"He has been affected by Nareish and her army. His memories were taken," Ylden explained.
Tempest frowned and crossed her arms. "What purpose does that even serve?"
Han refused to comment, feeling a touch annoyed by the questioning. It was just a bit of short-lived teenage moodiness, though, and nothing more. He wound up making an internal complaint to himself, but then moved on. Why does she care?
Ylden decided to cut in before Tempest could further incite irritation in Han. "Nareish or her followers apparently found it reasonable enough, so they did it."
"Hmph." Tempest huffed a little, then turned her attention back at the Hexan. "So you actually don't remember me?"
Han shook his head. "No. I assume that I've met you before, then?"
"Yes," Tempest answered. "My name is Tempest. I believe you have also met my sister, Calypso."
"Why would I have met either of you?" he asked, more curious than suspicious for the moment.
"You liked traveling around," Tempest replied flippantly. Han didn't have much to say to that since it wasn't new information, so he just sort of mentally brushed it off.
Ylden let out a sigh and flicked his hand, opening a portal. "Tempest, I think you need to get going. When was the last time your sister saw you?" She looked as if she was going to argue, then grumbled under her breath about it being too long before she walked on through. Once she was through, he closed it and let out a sigh. "Fucking hell…" After a moment of silence, Ylden spoke up with a question. "So, you doing okay after Sein and Alana helped you?"
"I feel fine," Han shrugged, having done a brief self-assessment already earlier.
"Good…" Ylden murmured, taking a deep breath. "I hate that you're being put through all that and still don't really know why the hell you were corrupted."
When he found that he was lacking in any other ideas for what to say, Han just shrugged again and murmured, "I said I'm fine. Don't worry so much."
"It's just… unpleasant…" Ylden sighed, opening up a window with his magic to check on his daughter. Sure enough, she seemed to be doing alright. He did fail to notice that she was in a different area of the Highlands, and closed the window before the realization could even hit.
Han shrugged yet again, his thoughts shifting elsewhere. This place, while safe, had gotten boring. He wasn't keen on the idea of staying here long-term again. There's so much else to see and explore. Why do I keep having to return here?
"You look restless," Ylden observed. "What's the matter?"
"I'm bored," Han sighed.
Ylden frowned a little, but ultimately nodded. "I'm not surprised. Wanting to go exploring?"
"Yes," Han admitted. "I don't like just sitting around."
"Any names of places in the books you've read that you'd like to take a look at?" Ylden questioned, eyebrow slightly upraised.
Han considered that for a moment. "There was a place called Planet Babylon that was mentioned. It didn't say much about the world beyond that it's in ruins now, but I… keep thinking about it. I don't know why."
"You used to… well, kinda live there. It was an important place in your past. We can go there, if you'd like," Ylden offered. "Been a bit since I've been there, as is.""
"I'd like to," Han admitted quietly. "I want to see it for myself."
"It's not the same Babylon you first went to. The original was destroyed. We'll be going to a place called New Babylon," Ylden explained. "It's still an interesting place."lace, regardless."
Standing up off the couch, Han idly combed his fingers through his hair to fix it. "Why did I live on the original one?" he asked. "The Lost Hex is my home, not some random world."
"You married a woman, worked there as an inventor. The main reason that kept you there was your wife, though, Mara. From what you've told me… it happened very quickly."
"...Who was Mara?" Han asked, though he was slow to do so. He wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to know, if only for one specific reason. Whoever she was, she didn't seem to be in his life anymore. Was she dead? Were they just no longer together? Perhaps it would have been best not to ask.
"I can show you," Ylden murmured hesitantly. "It will be an unusual experience, but I could. It may be best to wait on that matter." Han wound up nodding a little, but not doing much else. "For now, we should go to Babylon. It will give you more understanding of who she is when you meet her."
"Okay," Han conceded. He supposed he was as ready as he could be for all of this.
Ylden waved a hand and opened a portal. "Go on through," he instructed easily. "This is gonna be a hell of a tour."
~保護者~
Marthal drew in a deep breath. He had led Tyria and the two mysterious Light users to an area he knew Analia had liked to spend time in during times long since past. It was the third such place they'd checked. He definitely could smell her in the area, and he almost smiled to himself. Guess some things really never change. Find a field of flowers, and you're fine Analia. Sounds about right.
Following his nose, he walked through the field. Yeah, she was definitely here a long time. She must have been resting. She's gotta be exhausted still. Wish she'd stop pushing herself… Sighing, he turned to Tyria and signed, "Analia was here, but she left recently. The scent vanishes abruptly right around here, so she teleported. I can't track her farther than this."
"That's problematic…" Tyria murmured under her breath, glancing around quietly. "Is there anyone else that we can go to in order to find out?" Marthal only shrugged.
The male Light user spoke up. "I'm assuming he lost the trail."
"Obviously," Tyria huffed softly. "She teleported elsewhere.""
"A waste of time, then." When his sister elbowed him, he grumbled some vague semblance of a thank you before teleporting away as well.
The woman was a touch more grateful. "Sorry about him. He just… Anyway, thank you. We can take it from here. I can feel her energies lingering somewhat, and I think we can use that to find her. We can take it from here."
Tyria stared silently for a long moment before nodding. "Should you both come across other beings of Darkness, let alone chameleons, the apprehension and vague disdain shouldn't be present. Others would kill you."
"...Right," the woman frowned. "Understood." She said nothing more before teleporting after her brother.
Marthal signed to Tyria. "What did they say?"
Tyria signed out several irritated curses before properly explaining. "The male is an ass. He said this was a waste of time and I explained to them that they should be more careful with their attitudes around other beings of Darkness." Marthal nodded slowly with a frown. She blinked once and waited for any sort of reply.
Once he realized that she was waiting for him to properly answer, Marthal let out a sigh. "If they want to be asses, I say leave them to it. I don't care either way. Yeah, they're disrespectful to your people and that's not really okay, but it's better than them being actual threats like so many other things in this era."
"I would have killed them if they were a threat," Tyria signed, making her agitation known in her rigid movements. "But, regardless, they can fuck off with it. We were helping."
"Trying to, anyway." Marthal shifted his hold on Mei, who was squirming in his arms. He could see that she was mewing at him even though he couldn't hear it. "Anyway, I've got a more immediate concern. Gotta feed the kit. I can just catch up with you later if you want to go home."
"I can stick around with you for now," Tyria signed back. "Without your hearing, I do not like the idea of leaving you on your own."
"Suit yourself, but trust me when I say I'm fine. This isn't exactly a new thing."
"I would still prefer to stay nearby to you with recent events."
"Yeah, alright. Fine." Marthal simply turned and began heading deeper into the wilderness to find food for Mei. Tyria moved after him, intent on staying close by.
~保護者~
At this point, Satsuno was fairly certain that something was going on. There was a portal open in Shadow's room, one that was oddly staying open continuously. Espio, Toru, and Shadow had all gone through it. While Espio had come in and out of it several times, the other two had not. A man who Satsuno could only assume was Toru's father had also gone through it. On top of it all, Aniko had been at the house very briefly as well.
Whatever in the world could have been the cause of all this activity? He wasn't sure, nor had he had much time to ponder over it deeply. By now, it was morning. The children were all awake and needed monitoring. Satsuno took it upon himself to handle that so that Seiko could get a bit more sleep. Naturally, all three of the kids had the same questions he did.
Just what was going on?
Where were Toru and Shadow?
Why had they been gone for so long?
He couldn't answer any of them. All he could do was try to distract them. He kept Lia entertained by letting her tell him stories, as he'd promised the night before, and then by encouraging her to play with the veritable mountain of toys the girl had somehow amassed. Once she was sufficiently taken care of, he switched his attention to the older two. Time with them was spent on light instruction.
These two sorely needed training in regards to their spiritual abilities. Seiko may have banished the spirits who had been lurking the night before, but already there were a host of others. Dead things are drawn to vampires, he belatedly recalled. Vampires are themselves so closely tied to death, after all… Given that, trying to simply "get rid of them" wasn't productive. It was a fruitless endeavor.
It made much more sense to do both rather than to just do that one thing. Training and banishment together might just suffice, if all involved were lucky. However, whatever progress they were making was interrupted by another fresh arrival to the house. This was no newcomer, though. Aniko was back. Why, he wasn't sure. However, it wasn't as though he wasn't able to ask. She'd appeared in the living room with the rest of them, after all. Still… letting the sometimes-moody woman speak her mind first sounded more ideal. So he held his tongue momentarily.
"Satsuno," Aniko murmured, walking up to him the moment she saw that it was him.
Satsuno inclined his head in greeting. It occurred to him briefly that, while Seiko had reunited with her some time ago, he was pretty sure he hadn't. But he wasn't much for small talk and so settled on a mere polite, "Hello."
"You have something that you want to say," Aniko pointed out, blinking once slowly. There was no need for extensive small talk in her eyes, either. She would only do it with Seiko to appease her. "Speak your mind."
With permission granted, Satsuno turned a bit to face the children and said, "Myriu, come here."
Myriu wasn't there anymore, but she did drop from the ceiling beside Satsuno and looked at him. "Yes?"
Satsuno gestured calmly at Aniko while speaking to Myriu. "There is something you want from her, is there not? Now is the time to ask." As promised in a previous conversation, he didn't leave her alone to do this. He stayed right there with her and made clear his intention to continue doing so.
The younger chameleon frowned visibly at him, vaguely irritated before turning to Aniko. "I would like to receive shinobi training to make up for the years of training I have lost."
Aniko paused for a moment at the sheer boldness of this child (alongside her blatant disregard for the respect she should show Satsuno). This was a good trait for a member of their race to have, but at the same time… she could feel intense anger in the girl's dormant Darkness. It reminded her of herself. "Yes," she agreed before she could think more about it. "I will train you."
Good, Satsuno thought to himself. He nudged Myriu, silently beckoning her to show at least some gratitude.
Aniko got to watch as Myriu silently stood there for several seconds, not quite sure what she was supposed to do. She cracked a smile in amusement and saved her the trouble by simply nodding. "No need, child. Simply give me your name."
Why? Myriu frowned a little. "My name is Myriu."
"I am Aniko," the older chameleon said softly. "From this point on, I will be your sensei and teach you the ways of our people." Myriu did little more than nod to this. "In the future, I will also have to teach you the manners of our people, but for now… there is a lot happening in this home. We will begin when this has settled."
"We will not continue to interrupt you," Satsuno assured her. "I am aware that something is going on. If there is some form of trouble, I ask that you inform Seiko and I. Our grandson is involved in some way." I assume he may be having the baby… somehow… but I would prefer confirmation over blind assumptions.
Aniko nodded. "I will move along, then-"
"You don't know?" Myriu asked, turning her attention up to Satsuno.
"I have an idea," he answered, raising an eyebrow at her. "But it is seldom wise to operate on mere guesses."
"It's because Shadow is part Black Arms. Exposure to blood in an open wound causes pregnancy," Myriu explained, setting her gaze fixed in the direction of the portal.
"And how do you know this?" Satsuno asked her.
"Heard them talking about it."
"You should not be listening in on their private conversations, Myriu."
"Why?"
"For one thing, because they are private." Satsuno looked at Aniko. "I will not keep you longer. Thank you for your time."
Aniko smiled a bit. "I had briefly thought of staying. This young one is amusing." This made the former king huff in a display of his own amusement. Myriu managed a faint smirk at this, but whatever she was going to say died on her lips when Aniko spoke up. "I suppose I should go, though, amusing as you are," she said to Myriu. "I look forward to training you."
Blinking, Myriu nodded and watched as Aniko left through the portal. "Hm." Without waiting for anything more from Satsuno, the girl walked off and went back to her room. Truthfully, all of this excitement had worn on her and she was tired. Curling up in a blanket and relaxing was the most she could bother mustering the energy to do.
"Wild day, eh?"
Myriu rolled over with the blanket and closed her eyes for a second, then opened them and stared at the spirit next to her past the blanket. It was her father again… but he looked a lot more visible. The walls of the room were hazy at best, and beyond them she could see other spirits. There wasn't any use in paying it more mind, so she simply ignored this fact. "Yeah. Weird alien stuff and apparently a kid coming. On top of vampires and Toru getting the shit beat out of him by some woman… Weird stuff."
"Hm, so it seems. You've been keeping busy with that other girl around here. Lia was her name, yeah?" her father asked, passing a soft smile in her direction.
"She has a lot of energy, yes," Myriu said, glancing in the vague direction of Lia's room. "Her company is nice, though I prefer Shadow."
"Heh, good to see you've made a friend, especially one that's a little closer to your age."
Myriu scratched at her face a little, frowning in thought. "Yeah."
He waited a moment for her to continue talking, then continued. "There's also the whole thing where you just got accepted to be trained by the Aniko. Excited?"
"Suppose so. I don't see what there is to be excited about, but I do want this." Myriu explained after a moment. "I would like to be a shinobi."
"That's good to hear," he said gently. "I'm really happy for you. Wish it could've been me training you, but you need someone physically there for you."
Myriu blinked and nodded slowly, slowly crawling around until she could poke her head out of the blanket. "So… you actually care about me?"
Her father paused briefly, staring down into her eyes before chuckling. "Of course I do, kid. I know you haven't had many people that do, but I always will."
"Ah." Myriu curled up again, resting her head closer to him. "That's nice…"
He smiled vaguely and set a hand over her head, letting her feel the comforting touch as she drifted off. Myriu had a habit of staying up too long, so it was about time she got some sleep again. Kid doesn't even know my name… but at least she's comfortable and safe. That's what matters to me.
~保護者~
Novei knew how to find her mother. The woman gave off a distinct sensation wherever she was, making the place feel more… dangerous. Not only that, but when Tempest tapped into her magic, it always left an easy trail to follow. She stared over the field of corpses left behind, letting out a vague sigh. The woman had no self control, as always. Though, there was no sound of fighting. Novei wandered forward and put her hands in her pockets, frowning. It didn't make sense. When she did find her mother, the woman was sitting on a rock, chiseling away at something she had apparently found. Novei walked up and stood next to Tempest. "What's the gem?"
"Bloodstone." Tempest answered with no hesitation. "I've been working on it for weeks. Finally was able to form it."
"Still just roaming and killing?" Novei foolishly asked. It was a waste of breath to voice that question.
Tempest blinked once. "Yeah. Don't do a lot else."
"I'm aware."
The silence was awkward until Tempest set down her gem and her tools, looking over at Novei. "You need something?"
"Li convinced me to talk to you again," Novei muttered. "I would have ignored your existence had he not."
Tempest didn't really respond to that for some time, simply staring at her daughter. She knew she'd made mistakes in the past, but admitting them was difficult. There was no pride in the way, she didn't care about that. It was about Novei.
At one point, Novei had been the love of her life. An adorable little baby that managed to bring a spark of light into Tempest's dark heart. Not much, but enough. Something to quell the rage.
That only lasted until Novei was old enough to begin really making her decisions. Tempest's lack of presence drove a wedge between the two of them rapidly. Early into Novei's teen years, they stopped speaking and made no attempts otherwise.
"Ah." Tempest fell quiet again, unsure as to how exactly to speak to her daughter. "Are… you alright?"
"Suppose so. I have a boyfriend, and I'm not dead," Novei replied, shrugging. "Hard to say anything too bad."
Tempest nodded a little at this. "Good. That's, uh… good."
Novei looked at Tempest. It wasn't often that she really was able to pick up on someone's emotions, but Tempest was obviously nervous. She could see it in the way her mother fidgeted with the jewelry she was making. "Yeah."
Once more it was up to Tempest to make conversation, something she had very little experience with. "It's… good to talk to you."
There was a moment's pause from Novei before she just shrugged. "We're not beating the shit out of each other."
A little sigh served as Tempest's response to that. She… didn't know what to say at all. After she fell silent for quite some time, she stiffened when she heard Novei walking away. Soon, the footsteps were gone and she was alone again.
The gem fell to the ground and shattered against stone, and Tempest grabbed her hammer to throw it. She was furious with herself, lashing out at the ground and any rocks she could see to vent her frustrations. She didn't understand why she couldn't connect with her daughter, or what was wrong with her. None of it made sense. Only when she collapsed from her self-induced exhaustion did she finally earn some reprieve from her pain.
~保護者~
It was quite rare that Kial ever felt "giddy" by any means. Though he was no longer the God of Mythical Creatures, he still had a strong bond with one such creature. His oldest friend, Vun, was brought back to life. That had left the man plenty happy. Of course, there was also his amazing girlfriend, Rose, who was now lying on the ground and trying to repel the assault being placed upon her by a wolf fond of licking. Though he couldn't see it… he could at least feel the emotions. They were both pleased.
He didn't quite know what to expect when her soft hands pulled him along to join them, and he was soon assaulted by the same wet tongue. Expertly, the man wrapped an arm under Vun's front legs and hefted him off the ground, then set him on his back so they could return the favor with belly rubs. It was all… really pleasant. The playfulness lasted for some amount of time before the massive wolf decided it was time to go roam around and search for a meal. In the meantime, Kial and Rose sat up under a tree and spoke to one another. "I'm so glad we could go back to… this," Kial stated softly. "All those years apart… and yet we're just like we were before."
He could sense Rose's smile, but he wasn't sure what that other emotion was. Excitement? It was present, even if he couldn't make heads or tails of it. "It is quite hard to deny the love we have for one another." That smile seemed to grow, and Kial turned his head to face her. "We fell for each other the moment we met. This much we both know."
Kial sat upright a little more, ears swiveling a little to listen to her shuffling around. "Of course. It was plainly obvious to Saethrim, though neither of us understood the emotion. And-" He frowned a little when she suddenly started walking around the tree and sat down in front of him.
"Hold out your hand," Rose said softly. There was an intense glowing he could just… feel. He had never sensed this kind of happiness from her, and so he lifted his hand.
A few seconds later, he felt something on one of his fingers. He looked around for a moment, unsure what to do about this when she didn't say anything, then yelped when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him. "R-Rose?" he asked, confusion in his tone despite simply wrapping his arms around her.
Rose took in a slow, deep breath and let it out. "Nobody in my life has ever made me feel the way you do. I… want to marry you, when this war is over. When we can settle down and live a better life than either of us has before."
"I-" Kial paused briefly before feeling tears in his eyes, pulling her in a little tighter. "Let's do that… I… couldn't think of any person in all of existence that I could ever love as much as I love you." What came next he didn't expect at all, a brave kiss from the woman in his arms. Once his confusion wore off, he returned it and held his fiancée tightly. It was too perfect to resist.
~保護者~
Honestly… Kaden wasn't sure why he suddenly felt emboldened to act. Zareil and the triplets were asleep. It was rare that Zareil slept deeply enough for him to slip out of her hold without waking her, but it was a feat he managed this time. He eased himself up and out of the bed slowly, being careful in every sense of the word so as to not disturb the four of them.
Once free, Kaden thoroughly hid his energies and teleported. He arrived on… his demonic world with practiced ease. This wasn't a place he'd ever wanted to return to. All sorts of terrible emotions (not to mention memories) flooded him. They left him shaky and overwhelmed. Emotions of any kind had always been extremely difficult for him to cope with.
The only reprieves he knew of weren't really helpful here. He had relied on Locke and Analia in the past, leaned on them heavily for support and guidance. That would… never happen again. He was never going to see them again for a variety of reasons. Which meant he was left with only one other tactic, which was just trying to ignore everything until he was in a safer place.
He drew in a steadying breath and looked around slowly. Right now, he was crouched low behind some rocks and debris somewhat close to the citadel. …Actually… What happened here? Reaching down, he picked up a piece of rubble. He recognized the material immediately. It was from the aforementioned building. Frankly, it had the appearance of something that had been destroyed rather violently, in his opinion.
On top of that, he could sense the new God of Demons was unconscious. Something had definitely gone down, but Kaden wasn't here to investigate that sort of thing. He was looking for… followers. Those who were still loyal. Those who could be convinced to leave this place and move out of their new leader's grasp. He was under no illusions that any of them would accept purification as Zareil had. But if they could at least be removed from the new god's forces, that would be far better than nothing.
After taking a moment to curb his emotions and steady himself further, Kaden used his magic to call forth several golems he had crafted during his time here. Since golems weren't sentient beings (merely statues animated via magic) and had no "life" to lose, he promptly dismantled them. They weren't capable of obeying anyone other than their creator, meaning the new god likely would have just destroyed them, anyway. Metal and stone fell around him.
As expected, his magic drew attention. Even when most were uncertain how to react to his presence, the Messenger was quick and decisive in its action. It appeared before him, sword brandished but not raised to strike. As it was the only demon he knew to still be loyal, Kaden wasn't concerned or alarmed. "If there are others who are loyal," he murmured, "find them and bring them here. This is an opportunity that cannot be wasted."
The Messenger vanished. Minutes passed. Soon, it returned with a small group of others. Kalek wasn't among them, but whatever momentary concern Kaden felt over that matter soon faded. He can and will fully fend for himself. He forced himself to focus on those here and now. They had questions and suspicions, but they were here regardless. He'd have to work with that. "I'm not here to fight any of you," he informed them, standing up, when he spied the weapons some were holding. "Nor am I here to try ordering you around."
"Then why are you here?" one demon demanded. "You are no longer one of us."
"No. I'm not." Kaden held back a sigh. He had to conjure up his previously authoritative demeanor with them. Nothing else would work. "I'm here to offer a chance at escape. Whether or not you choose to accept me any longer is your business. You're here because you don't accept Tianak. I can take you far enough away that he will be unable to control you. His power is great in some regards, but not vast. He can only extend his reach so far."
A different individual answered him this time after muttering something in a demonic language. Kaden hated that he still understood each of those languages that he'd learned in the past. "Wherever you lead, I will follow. I gave my oath to you in blood, and I will uphold that until my dying breath." Several others voiced varying degrees of agreement with the sentiment. That is, the ones who could talk. The ones that were more beastial and animalistic mostly grunted or growled.
Even a hellhound is among them, Kaden noted distractedly. Unusual. And unexpected. Refocusing, he asked the rest of the group, "And you?" Before long, he was getting more agreements. When the last one had communicated their intentions to trust him for now, he felt a twinge of relief and opened a portal to the Realms of Death. It was an area not far from where he had been staying as of late, one that he knew of from his own lackluster time in the role of the God of Death. "Go, quickly," he told them. "The new god is already waking."
Thankfully, they needed no further pressing. They departed through his portal without complaint or argument, and he closed it behind them. Only now did he allow his falsely calm mask falter. He let out a shaky exhale while turning on his heel and heading toward the citadel. While he had no intentions of picking a fight, much less killing the other man (he wasn't stupid), he did summon Saika into his had for protection just in case. Ylden had been keeping it away from him somewhere, but he doubted the cat would even notice it going missing for a bit.
Kaden carefully picked his way through the debris field until he came to stand over the god's semi-conscious and badly battered form. Even now that a decent amount of time had apparently passed, he could feel the residual energy in the area. "Malevolence…" he mumbled aloud in realization, looking around. He turned his attention back to the man lying at his feet. "What did you do, you fool?"
Tianak slowly collected himself to his stomach, eyes unfocused as he blinked. It took him a moment to even comprehend what was going on, and when he did, he suddenly lurched to unsteady feet with a sword appearing in his hand. "None… of your damn business…" he growled, his exhaustion entirely apparent. "Why are you here?"
"It could be said I'm to take care of things," was all Kaden said, sounding much more at ease than he felt. "Nothing that concerns you. Now, I'll ask again. What did you do? You managed to royally piss off Malevolence and wreck my citadel in a matter of what? Days? That borders on being maliciously idiotic."
The God of Demons shifted forward a step, only to stumble and drop to a knee with a grunt. It took a moment, but he was back on his feet before he replied. "I killed some damned spawn of it's. Guess it got all pissed off. The citadel was destroyed by a different God." He neglected to explain the full truth, staring silently at Kaden.
"You're a fucking fool," Kaden reiterated. "Had I been in possession of as little sense as you, I would slay you where you stand."
"Bastard." Tianak's voice was tired, despite the bite in his tone. "Get the hell off this planet. You're not welcome here."
"'Welcome'?" Kaden echoed, scowling. "I created this planet and every nonliving thing on it. You are the trespasser."
"Do I look like I fucking care?" Tianak demanded. "I am the God now. Not you. What you've done doesn't matter at all to me."
"It should… considering the fact that I can and will destroy this world once I'm finished with it." Kaden flicked a finger, bowling Tianak over with a mere spark of Darkness. "You are unwelcome, and I will only say this once. Get. Out. Now."
Tianak pushed himself back to his feet slowly, panting and fighting for the breath he needed. Once he had it, he surged forward and swung at Kaden, intending to get rid of him before he could make good on his promise. Kaden ducked out of the way and, taking a page out of Locke's book, simply decked the other man in the jaw. The god didn't immediately get back up, blacking out from the hit and collapsing to the ground. When he did wake back up, it took him a long time to get back to his feet. "Fuck… you."
Kaden gave Tianak an expressionless look. "You have two days, if that. Get out or be destroyed with this worthless rock. Your choice." With that said, he vanished. There was suddenly something he needed to check on. Something that had his emotions going into fresh turmoil all over again.
Tianak collapsed, no longer possessing the energy to keep himself on his feet. Sheer hatred and anger had been all that got him to stay standing before. This is bad.
At roughly the same time, Kaden appeared on Mobius. This act alone further wrecked his already frayed nerves, but the fact that he was nowhere near any people kept him from completely losing his cool. He was deep in a forest that had once been as familiar to him as his own two hands. He'd known every tree in the immediate area, every rock, every burrow, every nest. But that had been long ago. Long… long ago.
Truth be told, as much as he found he'd missed this place, it was for the best that he had come here in all these years. As a demon, he may well have destroyed everything out of spite or whatever else. The thought alone of losing such a precious part of himself and his past was gut-wrenching. However… that wasn't why he was here.
He needed to focus. With no familiar plants or the like to guide him anymore, he pushed through the thick bushes he'd landed amidst until he reached a truly miniscule clearing between the trees. From there, he walked with a bit more haste and purpose. His thoughts were racing. Memories of his ancient teacher and guardian, Saran, filled his mind. There were too many to pay attention to them all, but one was loud and clear.
The final Great Magic War.
His sensei feeling obligated to stop it all for good.
Saran changing out of his usual robe.
Saran bequeathing it and his staff to a scared, eight-year-old Kaden.
Saran leaving.
Saran never returning.
Kaden again strove to focus on what was going on here and now. The robe and staff both were important in multiple ways. Sentimental ways. Historical ways. Powerful ways. He'd never once had the desire to wear that robe, nor could he ever have used a Light Magic user's staff even if he'd wanted to. As such, his child self had taken it to the only place he'd known of where they'd be safe. Saran's library. The library that Saran promised would become his one day. The very library he had once allowed his friends and family to explore so many eons in the past.
But there was a problem. The barriers and spells and everything else used to hide and protect the library also made it so that, should something ever somehow manage to be stolen, he'd sense the disappearance. It had never happened before. Foolishly, he'd allowed himself to believe that it probably never would. Yet here he was now, trekking through the wilderness because he could just feel that those two precious objects were gone. Missing. Taken. If that was indeed the truth… What was he supposed to do?
Suddenly, he wasn't so sure that he could handle this.
When he had reached his destination, he had no idea. He'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed. Walking in had been so automatic and thoughtless, to the point where he was already well within the unlit, underground structure. Emotions threatened to strangle him. He forced himself to continue walking. This was something he needed to see. If they really were gone, he needed to verify it.
One look was all he needed. More emotions surged up, and immediately he knew that this had been a mistake of sorts. He'd needed with every fiber of his being to know the truth, but… he hadn't been ready for it. The feelings were too much. They were all too much. More than anything else, it was that fact alone which finally sent him fleeing back to the relative safety of Realms of Death.
He teleported his sword back where Ylden had had it earlier and, before he even knew it, he was back in bed just trying to breathe. If Zareil was awake and saying or doing anything, he wasn't aware of it. Responding to her wasn't something he could do right now. He just… He just needed to breathe. Everything else could wait.
~保護者~
12,778 words this time. Many thanks as always to Blazing Winds for all of his help and support, and I hope you all enjoyed. Posted (at about 4:05 p.m.) 08-21-22.