Carl arrived at HQ, where he knew there was at least one pet waiting for him. "Carl, how can I assist you?" Aldra asked,
"I need to be alone, just don't tell anyone you saw me, is the gate-room occupied?"
"No... They are all off-world. You should know, there hasn't been any big events in the two days you've been gone."
"Two days? Oh, right... You're free to start your role as emissary whenever you want, if you wish to wait, just go tell Bahamut your start has been delayed because I have you all here guarding the territory in my absence and ask Equinox to pass the same message onto Tiamat."
"Carl, are you okay? Maybe his abilities will be more useful?"
"I'm fine, just have something I need to do..." Carl turned and plodded down to the gate-room, found the planet he was looking for in the database and stepped through when it crackled into life.
Back in the misty village...
"Aldra says he just came through, he seemed defeated, asked to be alone. Unfortunately that was enough to make Aldra not able to follow, but it didn't stop him from letting us know." Omedra announced the news with both eagerness and apprehension.
"Omedra, I'm sorry, this is my fault..." Klaire admitted, sensing her discomfort with Carl disappearing.
"It was a lot, I don't think anyone is at fault, the situation isn't what it seems... Dad missed you, a lot, then he finds out that because of him you'll never be able to raise your own child."
"It isn't his fault though."
"It is Mum, everyone wishes it wasn't but it is. The fact that he didn't ask for it doesn't change that. The fact he can't help it doesn't change it."
"While I'm happy to see one his creations so objective a thinker, you are all missing vital information." Lillim started, trying to make the most of the little time they had left. "I said you would be able to visit and also, that necessity will be redundant if you two can supply it enough divinity."
"What? How can w-"
"Were you children born without brains or do you simply prefer to ignore them? The DIV stat dear, that is divinity, you two have been granted the ability to use it prematurely. Carl has begun to understand it more intimately and even learned how to produce it. The only reason I haven't ruled your child being taken is because, as I say, your access is premature and I do not know if you will hit a cap of some kind."
"You also have several faction members able to use it, if our combined total is sufficient, that is all we need. Klaire, I'm truly shocked you'd both think I'd allow such cruelty... Especially after suffering that same experience..." Kyubi muttered.
"Nor me, I think we all know how I feel about my kin being harmed in any way. If you think I'm in any rush to have Levi attack me after what I saw, you are sorely mistaken." Fayolorna added drawing the attention of Lillim and Kyubi.
"Why, what did she do?"
"Nothing special, only attacked our intruder, twice no less."
"What!? You tell me this now? You senile old fool... Was it before or after you blessed her?"
"Before, why else would I bestow my blessing on someone not of banshee heritage?"
"Well, maybe next time my grandson creates something that can actually do more than shake in that situation you should tell me. I wonder... Levi, try and paralyse us would you." Levi only looked confused and to Klaire for permission.
Klaire gave a nod and a smile and Levi's scales snapped open, everyone bar Klaire, Lillim, Kyubi and Faylorna was completely paralysed, but Lillim also struggled to move her human form as did Faylorna, although Kyubi had no difficulty.
"Seems her ability attacks both the soul, aura, mind and body... She was never able to do that before, so how?"
"When that man got close to Mum I got scared, I opened my eyes when he stopped me and then it really hurt..."
"By really hurt she means every eye exploded and he had to heal her, then she turned around and attacked him again." Faylorna corrected, knowing the signs that Lillim had had her fill of half truths and omitted facts.
"It seems we have a powerful ace. Only an all-rounder like Kyubi will be able to defend against completely, but at the same time Levi still seems very young, so she has a lot of potential left to unlock." Lillim beamed as she stroked Levi's jaw and ego simultaneously.
"Levi, Do you know if the effect would be cumulative if there were more of you?" Kyubi asked, the question one Lillim was going to ask before the interruption.
"I don't know, there's never been more of me before." Levi's unique way of stating the obvious so blatantly, it made even immortals doubt their intellect.
"Anyway, enough distractions for now. Finally, Faylorna and the Bashe clan will be joining the faction, under the guise of keeping a leash on Faylorna to avert war with Tiamat and Bahamut."
"What? No. Absolutely not, no. I can't bring my entire family into this!"
"Stupid girl, we already are, everyone is. Besides, it would happen anyway, or did you forget that you are my named heir already? When I finally die, you will inherit all I have. Between command over the banshee and whatever power I have at the end, you have quite the windfall coming, though it does also come with leading the clan..."
"What if I refuse? This is ridiculous, I'm eighteen and can't be responsible for the entire Bashe clan, there a million of us."
"No thanks to you and the boy.... Look, this isn't a discussion, the terms of my contract will be ultimate and non-negotiable. I will be swearing absolute fealty, only rendered void if the clan is in danger of being betrayed.... Oh and you can just do what I did and have MAeb run the family for a century or two."
"I think not! I am far too old and this way Danielle can see her duty fulfilled." Maeb argued, more trying to pass the responsibility since she knew the three immortals weren't going to give up.
"Agreed then, no offense, but since they are merely a seat warmer until Klaire is ready, it really doesn't matter who does it." Faylorna shrugged as she unceremoniously plucked Maeb's circlet from her and tossed it to Danielle.
"Can I say one last thing? Not that I expect any of you to care." Klaire was done arguing, it was clear that everything was simply beyond her control.
"Of course." For the first time during the conversation, she had resumed the relaxed and grandmotherly demeanour that they had taken for granted the last few months.
"I hate this, none of it is fair. If we win, can Carl and I leave and live our lives?" Klaire was defeated, the finality of her tone was clear.
"Klaire?" Danielle reached for her but she shrugged away.
"Sorry, I'm done... If we have no choice but to sacrifice everything, then I don't want to be a part of whatever is left in the end."
Lillim couldn't help but understand her sentiment. "Klaire, when we're done, you can raise the whole world... I'll even help you. I know this is all wrong, I hate doing it to the both of you, but I will do it to see you live long enough to be free of it."
"Okay then, we do this then we leave, whoever's left standing at the end can do what they want with it."
"Klaire, for what it's worth I understand... I was made for no other reason than to be Adam's wife. When I turned my back on that, I had made an enemy out of God, but I atleast had Samael and was given enough power to protect that freedom. What is happening to you both is far more cruel, to what happened to me, or Faylorna... Don't discredit Kyubi's loss however, her family was sacrificed for this game, so I only hope that you don't belittle her loss."
"I won't, but I'm sorry, there is a very real chance I will hate you all by the end."
"Something none of us would blame you for. With that I suppose we're done. Why don't you go find Carl, start making your plans for after, give yourselves something you want to fight for."
"Now whose being stupid? I'm the selfish one, I imagine Carl's probably trying to put an end to this himself right now. He's probably talking to him even as we speak."
"He wouldn't, he's reckless, not suicidal."
"True, but you just told him that he restored Levi, didn't kill me when he had the chance, that he might be his father, that he might be able to shed light on what he is as well as who...."
Everyone's faces twisted with panicked realisation, they suddenly realised why the girl who always fought to the bitter-end was defeated.
--- On a distant world ---
Carl stood in the mouth of a cave looking out. To his right, the once jagged rock now looked like wax that had melted and resolidified. Its surface was black, the lingering scar of a wyvern's breath a now permanent landmark.
The ground between where he stood and the forest edge, which had once been relatively clear except several patches of dense vegetation. Now though it was completely overgrown with plants which looked like they were made by mistake.
Their roots intertwined and sprouted up, as though they were legs the plants produced just to flee. At the same time the stems had all grown out and elongated so the area now looked to be decorated with plants sculpted to look as though they were fleeing in terror.
At the epicenter was a black circle, the ground scorched by an incursion gate that had opened across it.
Carl approached it, hands shaking as he twitched with every step, coming to a stop just several away from it. "Margo, can we talk about this game of yours?"
The moment the words left his lips the roots grew further and the gate that had caused the damage reopened...