Chapter 26

Lian flipped absentmindedly through the pages of his father's version of the story. He was in the library. His twenty five days were up.

Vadanya stood next to him, still a fox.

Lian had stopped counting the amount of times this story was brought up in any and every one of his classes. Kids would always talk about how their mothers had read the book to them when they were little and the know the whole thing by heart.

Nissa had never read the book to them. It sat on the bookshelf. They had all read it of course, in school. And everyone knew the story whether they'd read it or not.

The illustrations of Jace were moderately terrifying. He was drawn to be very snakelike in general. He was slender, perhaps to the point of being unhealthy, and his limbs were slightly unnaturally long. His pupils were thin lines and his irises took up his entire eye. His hair was also much longer in the illustrations and braided. The clothing he wore was much darker, mostly black with some dark blue and grey accents.

"I've never actually seen you look through that book," Seth'ius commented.

Lian stiffened. He swallowed, "I...wanted to see the pictures I always heard everyone talking about." He turned around with his head cocked to the side, "Is it true that Mother drew these?"

Seth'ius nodded. He studied Lian for a moment. "Let's hope you find the story enlightening, since you seem unwilling to listen to all of the warnings I have attempted to give you," he said darkly after a moment.

Lian lowered his gaze, "Yes Father."

Vadanya growled.

Seth'ius turned and walked away.

Lian sat down next to Vadanya, "You really don't like him."

"He tried to kidnap my sister and he locked my brother at the bottom of the ocean," Vadanya commented dryly.

Lian nodded. He watched the door to the library swing closed.

Kayla trotted in a second later, without Tasha.

Lian got to his feet and watched her skip up to him, "Where's Tasha?"

"She's helping Kala," Kayla explained, "Father said I couldn't go with because of what happened last time."

"Father?" Lian repeated.

Kayla nodded, "Yep!"

"But I thought..." He stared at Kayla, "Didn't you used to call him...Daddy?"

Kayla shrugged, "That was before."

"Before what?" Lian asked.

Kayla studied him for a moment. She glanced at the fox. She shrugged, "Before I went to the bottom of the ocean with you."

"And you freaked out-" Lian's eyes widened. He looked at Vadanya, "Wait a second!?"

Kayla cocked her head to the side curiously, "What?"

Lian returned his gaze to her. He studied her long and hard, "Who lied?"

Kayla grinned darkly. She leaned closer to Lian, "Daddy lied."

Lian leaned away from her slightly, "About…?"

"Everything," Kayla shrugged. She jumped around in a tight circle, "But Jace said not to tell anyone because otherwise Father would kill me."

Lian stared at her in surprise, "But you're his favorite."

Kayla stopped and fixed Lian with a deadly serious stare, "The corrupted get no mercy. No remorse. No justice. They are no longer human. And the only release for them is death. And by destroying them you are saving them from the darkness that has consumed their soul."

Lian shuddered. He remembered their father telling that to all of them. Over. And over. And over. "Until it was second nature," he whispered.

Kayla looked up from where she was kneeling down in front of Vadanya.

Lian looked at her in surprise, "You were just-"

"You weren't paying attention. You were in your head so I thought I'd leave you to it," Kayla jumped up, almost headbutting him in the chin.

Lian nodded, "Oh." He ran his hands through his hair, "Okay. So if… Father lied… about everything… what do we do?"

Kayla shrugged, "We don't do anything." She looked at Lian, "If you disappear, it's normal. If one of us is with you, it's a crime."

"A crime?" Lian repeated.

Kayla nodded, "Father never outright says it, but we're not allowed to be with you. At all. Anywhere. He thinks your connection to the sea will corrupt us." She studied Lian, "You're a threat. Not a tool like the rest of us."

"A tool?!" Lian repeated.

Kayla nodded again, "Why do you think we've all had to train since we could walk? Why do you think Aria doesn't talk unless he's spoken to? Why do you think Tasha is with me everywhere I go? Why do you think Daria is always the one to find you?" She lowered her gaze, "We're all tools. Weapons to be pointed at the Old Gods when the seals break."

"And how do you know all of this?" Lian asked.

Kayla walked very close to him and whispered, "I'm a telepath."

Lian's breath caught in his throat. He coughed, "You...are?"

Kayla nodded, "He's been teaching me. It's all there. In Father's head. Every lie he's ever told. And every wound he's ever caused." She paused, "There are other things in his head too. Darker things. Terrifying." She looked at Lian almost curiously, "I don't think Father is okay. Something is wrong with him. He was experimented on. By this man with a freaky arm. But there's no helping him now. The damage done to Father is irreversible."

Lian glanced at Vadanya.

She nodded, "Whatever choice you make, I will protect you."

Lian looked back at Kayla, "Do you know how long it is until the seals break? Did he tell you?"

Kayla shook her head, "He doesn't have a specific time estimate. He said a few months. Maybe a year. And then it all comes crashing down."

Lian cursed. "If I disappear, it's normal. If one of you is with me, it's a crime," he mumbled. He chewed his lower lip, "I am so dead. I might as well throw myself in the ocean to be locked away." He patted Kayla's head, "Sit tight. I'll be back...whenever I'm back." He stepped around her to leave.

Kayla's eyes narrowed, "You aren't expecting to be back." She turned to face him.

Lian swallowed guiltily. He lowered his head. After the silence stretched on to the point it was uncomfortable he turned back to her with sadness in his eyes, "No. I'm not." He left the library.

Vadanya put her nose against Kayla's leg, "I'll make sure he comes back."

"Thanks, Danya," Kayla leaned down and petted her.

Vadanya raced out of the library, after Lian. She found him in his room shoving some of the old books on magic she had helped Lucy smuggle to him into his backpack. She trotted up to him and sat on one of the books.

"Hey!" Lian pouted at her.

Vadanya stared into his eyes, "If Jace's time estimate is a few months to a year, I'm not going to be here much longer. I will have to leave."

"You-that's right. You said that didn't you?"

Vadanya nodded. She got to her feet and got very close to his face, "Promise me something, Arkos'mii'lian."

Lian's eyes widened in surprise at his full name. He swallowed, "Yeah?"

"Promise me you will return to your sister," Vadanya demanded, "If you do not promise me that, with every intention of keeping it, then I will not let you leave."

"I thought you said you didn't care what choice I made!" Lian snapped.

Vadanya nodded, "I don't. But your siblings need you. More than anything else in this multiverse. They need someone with real knowledge of worlds outside this one. Because when all of this falls through, they will need somewhere to go."

"They won't be able to stay here?" Lian asked.

Vadanya shook her head, "I highly doubt it. As far as I know this world is held together by Seth'ius's very existence. If he were to die in the conflict that will follow the seals breaking then the world will fall apart."

Lian stared at her, "So everyone here will die?"

Vadanya shook her head again, "Honestly? I do not know. I do know that I can't promise the world will survive Seth'ius's destruction."

Lian sat back and held his head in his hands, "Is it impossible to avoid killing people?!"

Vadanya hopped off the book and sat next to him, "I'm afraid not. Unfortunately, people will die no matter what you choose."

Lian gritted his teeth, "I've already caused too many deaths. I don't want any more blood on my hands. What am I supposed to do?"

Vadanya touched his arm.

Lian looked at her.

"I will protect you no matter what choice you make," she promised.

"But you're leaving! You're going to leave!"

Vadanya nodded, "Unfortunately, I will have to. Seth'ius's banishment won't allow me to stay much longer."

"Will it somehow get stronger when the seals break?" Lian asked.

Vadanya nodded, "It's designed that way, yes. So that those of us outside of the world cannot intervene in the battle that will follow."

"So they're easier to defeat?" Lian asked coldly.

Vadanya nodded, "Yes."

"It's not fair," Lian snapped, "Did he just tip the scales in his favor to start off with? The five of them weren't able to beat him last time!"

"They weren't gods last time," Vadanya said calmly.

Lian looked at her in surprise, "They weren't?"

Vadanya shook her head, "They were just planeswalkers. And most of the Old Deities were just normal sentient beings we were before given the power we have now."

Lian cocked his head to the side, "So they could stand a chance this time?"

"A better chance at least," Vadanya nodded.

Lian's eyes widened suddenly, "Wait...you beat my father...into a stale mate when he was a god and you were just...a...a normal sentient BEING?!"

Vadanya shook her head, "Not quite. It's a long story that I can tell you when this is all over."

Lian deflated, "Oh yeah." He looked at her, "What am I supposed to do? I don't want anybody to die."

Vadanya nodded sympathetically, "I know. You can only make the choice you think will cause the least amount of pain in the end."

"In the end?" Lian asked uncertainly.

Vadanya nodded.

Lian stared at his hands. After a long internal debate he took a deep breath, "I'm going." He didn't sound as resolute as he had wanted. His voice shook and he mostly just sounded scared.

Vadanya nodded, "Very well. Promise me you'll come back."

Lian studied her, "I will."