A screech of agony pierced the air.

Felwinter's mountain had been home to the Iron Lords for several years now, quarters and armories and many other rooms made by digging further into the mountains, or by re-purposing rooms of the observatory. An ecstatic Silimar had drawn up plans and started construction of a large base building on the side of the bridge Felwinter's cabin was on.

The base in Old Chicago(or rather, Old Chicag-NO, as Timur now called it) had been abandoned as a monument to the Iron Lord's beginnings, and now that they lived somewhere high up and safe, some of the group had started to lay down roots.

Today... they welcomed a new Iron Lord to the world.

"COLOVANCE! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME!" the coherent words faded back into pained screeching.

"I know! I know, I still love you, Bret, I love you with all my heart!" The Warlock insisted, insane with joy and panic as he massaged his wife's shoulders meticulously while she endured. Her hair was matted with sweat, her skin glistened with the stuff, and her face was red and wet with tears. Ashraven stood at her side, one hand resting on the Titan's abdomen with solar Light pulsing from her skin to try and ease the pain of the process, while Weyloran ran to the door and yelled at Timur again.

"HURRY UP WITH THAT WATER ALREADY!" he yelled at a volume to rival that of the birthing woman's.

Meanwhile, Timur's head was in a frenzy. Get the water Timur! Wait no, too cold; but what if it's too warm? Wrong water! Wait, if that's the wrong water, which one is the right one? WHAT DEFINING QUALITIES SEPARATE THESE TWO KINDS OF WATER!?

"Timur, CHILL, take the water, and go!" Deidris slapped him in the face. He'd said it all out loud. A higher pitch of agony swept through the air.

"I'M RUNNING!" the Warlock dashed for the room Bretomart was birthing in, feet nearly tripping over each other, hands nearly shaking so violently, he almost dropped the water. Was this what a responsible uncle looked like? Probably not.

He burst into the room. "I'M HERE! I GOT IT!"

He somehow managed to yell louder than the infant that was now wailing as Ashraven bundled the small being into a blanket, casting her fellow Warlock a withering look.

"Too late." she said. Bretomart looked exhausted, face read and wet with sweat and tears, but there was undeniable joy in her gaze as well. Colovance was swaying slightly, looking giddy.

"Huh. Hehe..." Timur caught a glimpse of the blood, and fell to the floor in a dead faint, dropping the water as he hit the concrete face-first.

"My hero." Bretomart rasped sarcastically as Weyloran marched into the room with a bottle of cold water, stepping over Timur's unconscious form.

"Are we doing anything about that?" he asked, pointing down at the other Iron Lord.

"Nah, we're too busy. Just leave him, Haakon and Efrideet can tease him about it later." Colovance waved one hand casually, while watching Ashraven intensely. The Warlock approached, passing the child to Bretomart. The Titaness smiled down at her daughter. Nine months of a fretty, over-protective team had finally payed off.

"Hi, Finnala." she whispered.

"She's a beautiful child, Bretomart. No deformities that I can see, and perfectly healthy to boot." Ashraven told her.

"Does she have Light?" Colovance asked, not looking away from the child.

"It's a bit too early to tell, we're not even sure if it's hereditary. I'm interested to see if it is, and if she is able to control the Light..." Weyloran said. "Well, remember Efrideet? She was barely even sixteen when she met her ghost. We don't want to introduce Finnala to her Ghost when she's too young, or she'll stop ageing. Efrideet got lucky in that she was tall for her age."

"We'll keep that in mind, but nothing's killing our daughter. Not if we can help it, not for a very long time." Colovance told him. Using one hand, he stroked Finnala's head gently, a thrill of excitement passing through him. This was it. This was him, being a father at last.

It was the best feeling in the world.

*ahem*

Just go ahead and pretend it hasn't been over three months since my last update... I got distracted by Mass Effect.

So, nobody had anything to say about Felwinter? Dang, that's cold(pun totally intended).

Anyway,

Read and REVIEW!