Queen's note: I discovered a new word! And I hope I used it right, not sure if I did but here's hoping! Sorry for the delay of this chapter, I was writing AUs, and a few new ideas to help my mind rest, if that makes sense? Also got chickens hatching! Chicks are so opinionated, it's great.

Garnets

Chapter Eighty Two:

Calm Before The Dragons

"Daddy?" the little girl asked, shifting in her bed, looking up at the man. He froze, feeling a mix of shock and thrill gripping his chest.

"Yeah babygirl?" Frederick could only ask back, and felt another thrill as the girl grinned sleepily.

"What time is it?" the little seven year old asked, still flushed with fever.

"It's tomorrow," the man said as he laid down beside Lily's bed on the floor. Catching the waving hand and feeling it close over two of his fingers, "You should try to go back to sleep."

"If it's tomorrow…tomorrow now…" Lily wavered, looking like she was about to fall asleep again as she looked up at the only dad she knew. "That means... You're really my daddy now?"

Oh look, Frederick could see his heart melting out of his chest. The man leaned forward, giving his newly adopted daughter a cuddle as he settled, cheek pressed to her head. He grinned wide, feeling like he was about to cry, "Yeah baby girl, I'm officially your daddy by law today. But I've always loved you, don't forget that. From the first time we met, I fell in love with you."

"And mommy?" a sleepy voice asked.

"And Mommy." Frederick smiled as he watched Lily falling asleep. Looking over at the couch his wife was fast asleep on. Having their things delayed in shipping with the move was never better. More so with his daughter snuggling against him to get comfortable. "Time to go to sleep babygirl, once you feel better we can go fishing okay?"

There was no response this time, the girl was back asleep. Not that Frederick minded one bit as he settled down too, relaxing as best he could with being half on a small bed. He was officially a dad now, though his adopted daughter had been calling him her dad for a while now. This was the first time he was called a Daddy. Frederick smiled against the sleeping little girl, still absolutely thrilled as he closed his eyes.

A sneeze had Frederick opening his eyes, almost jarring his phantom self with the real present. He was still holding his daughter tight in a hug, but they were standing together off to the side of the cleared section of the large hall. Away from the bodies laid out to rest. Lily was not the tiny child but a young woman, though was resting her head against his shoulder as she rubbed her face with her own shirt. Trying to get the dust away from her eyes.

It took a few long moments for Frederick to root himself back into the present day. Looking around at the Argenta that were giving them some space, though most still towered over them both. It was really strange not to be one of the tallest but instead one of the shortest.

"Dad?" Lily asked softly, her voice much stronger compared to when she was a child. Still had that soft tone that Frederick recognized that meant Lily was unsure but trying to hide it.

"Yeah babygirl?" Frederick looked back down, and smiled even as he recognized the echo from memory. Trying to be reassuring and the steady anchor he used to be.

"I missed you." Lily said again, but this time able to keep herself from crying. Just barely.

"I love you," Frederick repeated as well, because he did. He knew that she was never far when as a living blade, yet it was different for Lily. Stooping to press his cheek against Lily's once more, Frederick hugged his daughter tightly. "I love you, I love you so much, babygirl. But I've been here. Well, with the big guy, not far."

"What… what's it like?" Lily asked slowly, shifting to be able to watch the Argenta move and get ready for something. Looked like they, or Jade was uncovering a blocked side hall or…stairs? "Is it bad to ask?"

Frederick smiled, grinned really at the face he saw Lily make, being almost distracted as well. "You mean what's it like as a Crucible?"

"Yeah. You're okay, right?" Lily asked, turning back to look up at the phantom of her dad.

"Yeah, yes," Frederick blinked and then tilted his head as he thought about it. Trying to explain, "It's oddly…. Calm most of the time. I can feel the big guy, and you around. Something, someone gives me… not food but it's filling? As well as warm. I can see through the big guy…. John, sometimes too. It's so weird seeing you babygirl, you look smaller."

Lily smiled as her dad's phantom cupped his hands on her face. He was trying to clean the tear streaks. "Over half of everyone seems to be taller… or everyone is right now. Even taller than you dad."

"I know, it's weird, isn't it? They're all so big." Frederick looked around at the Argenta and how that some were forming a defensive line by the doorway that was being uncovered. The phantom man tensed, shifting to put Lily more out of the way. Though blinked as the Slayer was shifting to plant himself between the work and the two in the back. His helmet in hand, and head tilting to listen to something.

"...is he on alien steroids?" Frederick whispered softly to Lily, grinning as it made her giggle.

"I don't know? God-ish steroids?" Lily whispered back, she still felt safe with John around, more so with being able to hug her dad the moment the need came up. That need happened a lot, Lily was not guilty that she had to hold a hand when they walked. She thought of the mentioned 'divinity machine' that had come up a few times. John said it changed him to be stronger, but did not seem like he wanted to explain it in depth. The expression he started to make before going neutral, it gave Lily a hint that whatever happened to John not only saved the Argenta people and this city back then, but he had been hurt enough that he almost flinched when they were talking.

Movement coming closer had the two looking up, Valen walking to them as Malum walked past to the now open passage. Lily was momentarily distracted as it looked like several of those large stone chunks of the wall were… floating? It was almost like time was rewinding partly as Jade was lifting the rumble with barely touching it to move and somehow secured it into the walls they came from.

Was that really Jade's wraith gift? Suddenly Lily was starting to grasp why John, Valen and the Sentinels from the Fortress wanted a 'geo witch' so much.

A large, metal hand rested on Lily's head, lightly ruffling her short hair. She looked up as Valen smiled at her. "We're going to go down to the next level once the Shadowed Sentinels clear the path. I did not bring your second skin when I got you off the Fortress. So while the Sentines finish checking the lower sections of the building to get to the engine room and the wintherin, I'll make you another one."

John tilted his head, dark hair shifting a bit as he lifted a hand to scratch at his scalp. Mildly annoyed with his hair being a bit longer than he liked. Using that as an excuse as he stayed in place, listening but making it seem like he was just studying how the Shadowed Sentinels were moving.

The Slayer glanced down at his hands, his gauntlets. Then blinked at a thought that almost popped up in his mind, he smiled, liking that thought. John just had to get to the lower armory and its smaller forge first, before Valen did. He turned, chuffing at the small group for attention, lifting a hand to motion them to stay here at first. Stay back, keep Flower safe.

"Of course," Valan arched an eyebrow. That order might be more for reinforcement to the new group of Sentinels than to Valen himself. Not that he minded, more sets of eyes to watch out for Lily also meant more bodies to protect her.

Haco came back to the small group as the Slayer motioned him to stay guard as well. The tall Argenta man grinned in his helmet as Lily squeaked at his appearance, "Hello again Lady Lily."

"Haco?" Lily paused and stared, then looked baffled. She really did not have much of a poker face and it was easy to read her confusion.

"It's me," Haco smiled more in the safety of his helmet, taking a good look at the shorter Phantom. If it was a true reflection of the man in life, he was almost as tall as the Slayer had been when first showing up on Argent D'nur. Haco's voice reflected his amusement as he spoke. "Did I change that much?"

"You're fucking massive," Lily blurted, paused and flustered, but no one seemed offended. Valen was chuckling. "I mean, you're a giant as it is, but… did you get dunked in steroids?"

Lily finally let go of her father's phantom to take the offered hand, trying to grasp Haco's wrist to compare. She had been allowed to before on the Fortress, and though could not fully wrap her hands around his wrist. Now even with armor it was notably thicker between her smaller hands.

"Not like the Divinity Machine, but almost?" Haco offered, still in good humor and then pride as Lily seemed distracted by his forearm. Her smaller hands let go to touch a spot over the inside of his forearm. On the vambrace section of his armor. "Do you see it?"

"Why is your armor glowing from the inside?" Lily asked, aware of her dad's phantom leaning over to look at what had her attention and then made a startled sound.

Frederick reached back without looking, his fingers brushing over the spot of his hilt. Where the Slayer's mark was burned into the living metal, willingly aloud there. The phantom turned, but the demigod (god?) in question was already walking down the stairs with the first scouts. He turned back and tilted his head seeing the proud look on Valen's face.

"You see the mark?" Valen asked, smiling.

"...am I not supposed to?" Lily worried, pulling back, only to squeak a sound out as Haco ruffled her hair next.

"It's a good thing, little Lady. It means Mother Bastet did fix your wraith gift." Haco smiled and he showed Lily his other arm, "That you can see the Slayer's mark is a good thing. It's over my tattoos, the gift he gave at least."

"How did he give you a gift? Like the wraith gift?" Lily asked, looking around and did not see John anywhere.

"Not sure how he did, it was when he killed the titans." Haco started to scratch at a spot on his arm, paused as he realized he was in full armor and could not reach the itch. Sighing as he resigned to the itch for a bit.

"From what I understand, he doesn't know how he did it either." Valen noted, snorting in a bit of amusement, then smiled again as he saw how Lily was now eyeing him. Then looked startled, focusing on his prosthetic left arm, then turned to her ghostly father again as if to confirm something, getting a nod in return.

There was rapid movement by the stairs, drawing attention, Jade stepping aside as one of the scouts hopped up the last of the stairs. She smiled visibly as her lower face was exposed, having a wolf-like helmet on as her own wolf bounded past to bounce at the others waiting. "It is safe in the lower armory and forge room. The Slayer King said he wants his… flower?"

Haco smiled, glancing at the Phantom before bending over and picked up Lily. The human yelped and tried to smack the helmet nearer her now, "Got her here. Come on Crucible, use those legs while you have them."

"Dad! Valen!" Lily protested, offended as Haco just chuckled at her attempts to free herself. First by smacking him, then wiggling, as she was carried down the stairs. Much like John, Haco easily pinned her against his armor and was more amused than anything.

"Hey! Put my daughter down!" Frederick demanded as he followed after, but Haco could clear three paces to one of the Phatom's.

"Come on, you're not as short as the Lady," Haco teased as he looked over his shoulder. "Well, maybe you are. You definitely don't have the same breathing issues she does."

"Rude!"

"Rude!"

Valen smiled as he followed after at slower pace, pretty sure that was where some of Lily's sass came from. Not that she had a lot but it was amusing to see the reflections of family showing through.

"Energetic," Malum noted as Valen came up beside him.

"Everyone just got some form of gift or reinforcement of their gift from Bastet. Are you that surprised?" Valen asked as he waited to go down the stairs, seeing Fredericks glowing form trying to stop Haco by grabbing the back of his silver armor. Only to get dragged after and just about climb up the Argenta's back.

"It's like when we gave Bi'Jay a foster for the first time. But the child had to go to the healers." Malum tilted his head one way, then the other. "That's exactly like it, Haco was the one that carried the child and Bi'Jay on his back at the time."

"I heard of that, but did not see it myself." Valen sighed, running his right hand over his hair. Having a moment of realizing he would like some proper shower time. Having already gotten used to the luxury of being able to keep up cleaning at the Fortress.

"I'm pretty sure he was biting Haco's shoulder to make the child laugh." Malum chuckled, letting Valen go first before dropping to all fours to walk, partly crawl down the stairs after him. The hallway for the side passage was pretty tight for the Sentinel Commander's bulk and armor, but there was no shame from him or aimed at Malum.

"I would not be surprised," Valen smiled as he heard the echoes from farther down the hallway drifting up. At least Lily sounded less offended and more amused herself now while calling for her dad to save her. "Haco has always been good about boosting the spirit of his brother and sister warriors, and giving reassurance to those we protect… that Sentinels protect."

"We, brother," Malum spoke, watching Valen's back and the subtle body language of his old friend. "You are still a brother of the Night Sentinels, if not one of the fathers."

There was a pause, Valen hesitated between steps and Malum just managed to stop in time to not run over his friend.

"Mother Bastet still wholeheartedly claims you as a son," Malum said, his voice lowered a bit to try and be reassuring. "I do not know what really happened, the stories the Deag tried to spread about you were not consistent, Valen. Even if you stood as a murderer, I think you would still hold to the Sentinels. And Deag Nilox has definitely lied that you were one."

"...I suddenly dislike him even more now." Valen growled slowly in the semi dark of the stairs, old torches had been lit by phantom wolves with the scouts.

"You would likely dislike them for how they look now." Malum chuckled, shifting his forearms as Valen started moving again. "The Sentinels trapped there, by charm, blinded or binded duty that are not corrupted? I am impressed with them. Just smelling were Grav had been, before he escaped? Blah, reeks like death, rotten skin and… vinegar."

"Vinegar?" Valen asked, baffled as he turned to look back at his old friend. The metallic left hand brushing the side wall with fingertips so not to trip on the stairs.

"Strange is it not?" Malum was shifting, with his armor and increased size, the altered man did look like a massive wolf easing through the stairwell a step at a time. "It's like they think bathing in vinegar will clean the blood of their corrupted souls. Or their master likes it so they cling to it like a scent. I prefer the floral scents of the nobles of old compared to the mix of that and rot."

"It is strange," The once commander made a thoughtful sound, hearing voices again as they entered the lower level. The once armory door was opened up like the vault. Powered not by a proper battery but several of the wraith crystals wedged crossed in the area a battery would be. "Was that the Slayer or some of your scouts?"

"I… it's admittedly likely to be both of them." Commander Malum admitted coming out of the stairwell and stretching his back and shoulders. Ears twitching as there was a faint chuckle. Turning to see one of the wolves sitting just in the vault-like space was in fact not a wolf, but one of the scouts from before.

Looking into the secured armory was interesting. Seeing the phantom form of the blue crucible in a full play fight with Haco now. The Slayer's heir was sitting up on the edge of a certain table where she was likely put, cheering on the Last Gift in a soft voice. Frederic.

The Slayer, who still had not put his helmet back on, but put it beside Lily, was coming back to his daughter. Having one of the smaller second skins that Valen at least recognized by color as what Asa used to have as a child. Once red, now a faded, mottled pink and red mix of colors. John hummed for attention and Lily looked back, lifting her arms. The fur coat resting on the surface so just the light purple shirt on as the second skin was wrapped around her to test fit despite the fabric.

John glanced up as Valen came over, smirking a moment as he adjusted the fit and then turned back to the task at hand. Personally helping to keep Lily safe when he was not around.

"Is that Asa's old training armor?" Valen asked, seeing how Lily perked up at that. Looking at the second skin that was being messed with and cut a bit to size beside her.

John nodded, showing the inside that was a softer raspberry tone of color. It also had a shimmer that the piece on the Fortress did not.

"Good choice," Valen nodded, approving at the choice, looking around the once familiar place he used to teach in. Then at the confused head tilt form lily he added, pointing to that shimmer on the inside. "It has more of the material to disperse energy, even hell energy, away from your body. Say, hellfire was thrown at you, it…curves the energy away, not all the heat but you would not have a new opening through the chest."

"...lovely," Lily made a face, the thought of Hellfire had her pausing, touching the still visible scarring around her neck. Though not as predominant as they would have been without Asa's care and the Wraith gift, after the Wretched's attack. "I still don't want something like that to happen."

"Hmhm," John shook his head, turning back and seemed confident with his work. Motioning Lily to pull the back of her shirt up, while shifting to stand between her and the others. Using his own bulk to shield Lily as he started to put the relatively thin armor against her spin. Staying neutral and calm so that his daughter would stay calm. Though Lily wiggled a bit to pull her arms into her shirt once seeing that Valen had turned his back. Adjusting the flexible metal under the cover of the lavender fabric.

Lily blinked at the surprisingly comfortable fit. Looking down and then squeaked at the large hand pressing over top of her back behind her neck. Two fingers pressed down on the connection point over the spine and then ran his hand down. Fallowing the line so the under armor mold to her spine and the plate settled correctly attaching to the spine before the rest formed even better around her chest and torso.

The young woman gave a shiver-wiggle at the feeling, though it did not have to double wrap around her like the first time Valen had put his own under armor on her. "Oh, blah, that still feels so weird."

John chuckled, glancing over to see Haco was still distracting Frederick, both seemed to be having fun. At least he knew the Crucible phantom was through the bond. Turning his attention back, the Slayer smiled as Lily got her arms through the sleeves again. When she blinked up at him, John smiled leaning down to press his head against Lily's before signing something between them. Standing back up with that fond expression still.

Promise? Lily signed back.

The Slayer nodded firmly., hiding something small in the light armor. Promise.

Malum glanced back over just barely catching that. Studying how the Slayer was being notably far more gentle with the girl then anyone else he had personally seen. Other than a wintherin egg or puppy. The altered man has more than enough discipline to shiver physically. Yet still felt the chill internally at the thought of seeing anything happening to that fragile heir to his king. Valen was right, if anything happened to that girl, their souls would be forfeit as he watched the Slayer giving unhindered affection. By personally making sure she was protected from at least longer range energy attacks by demons, and bumping his head against hers while they were still in a sheltered spot.

Possibly to make up for the indifference he would be forced to show once in the semi open?

Malum hoped the girl was not used to his King's way of fighting. Or the Sentinels on a whole, Lily definitely seemed to have a softer healer's heart.

There was a grunt and then a heavy clatter of a large, armored body hitting the ground. Drawing attention to where Frederick's phantom had finally flipped Haco over and twisted his arm up behind his back. Grinning a mix of victory and pride.

"Yay, dad won!" Lily cheered in a low voice but was still herd as Frederick looked up to find where she had gotten to.

"That," Valen arched an eyebrow, having been watching what the two were doing. "Is actually very impressive that your skills are imprinted on your soul, to remember how to do that as a phantom, Hawkins."

Frederick let go of Haco, startled a bit and partly confused that Valen knew his last name. He glanced at where Lily was sitting on the odd, lifted table, John working on something beside her to his left. Then again, if Valen had been protecting his daughter too, it would make sense she talked about things, or used her own last name that was shared with Frederick.

Sound had Frederick looking down and watching as Haco rolled over, shaking his arms out. The phantom offered his hands to the Argenta man, feeling an odd strength that almost seemed to bleed over into him. It let Frederick be confident to help pick up the Sentinel, though was a bit surprised that he was able to do so.

"How did you do that brother?" Haco asked, looking down at his armored form. "That was impressive, I thought I had a good hold of you, and you did not do the phantom cheating thing of going intangible."

"Training- wait, I can do that?"

"...pretty sure you can. We can definitely see through you."

"Wait, what?" Frederick looked down, and made a startled sound as he just found out that he was, indeed, semi-transparent. "What?"

John gave his own huffing chuckle as he watched. Wanting to stay for a bit more as he offered the next part of under armor to Lily. Motioning to a spot off to his left that would give shelter for her to change and test to see if he got the size right. Lily nodded, hopping down as her father's phantom was having a moment.

The Slayer touched the disk that Bastet gave Lily, smiling.

He could help his big baby, show her his new adopted daughter, and get Lily somewhere safe so he could start actively hunting the Lich now.

Reviews!

XFireStoneX:
Oh trust me, I was crying writing the last few chapters. Grandma Wraith would love you to come back after your had fun killing demons!

Guest:
Thank you! hope you've been enjoying this monster, and here's the new chapter!