Maruble waited next to The Sea. Waves brushed his boots, flaked with foam that clung to the shore with relentless abandon. Those dark waters were endless, swirling with strange power that enraptured and terrified him. A breeze swept through his cloak. The air was tinged with warm familiarity from his time living on Alta's shoreline. His domain had long since disappeared, but even though he would never step through the halls of that flaming fortress again, the rhythm of the waves felt deceptively comforting.

Still, he took a step back. He had witnessed the nuance of The Sea's power, and it was too unpredictable— gifting fortune as often as despair. Despite the soothing atmosphere, it was a place that represented Alta's deadly truth.

The foundation of the godlands was built on a game of chance. And too many had lost.

Hartley materialized on the beach. Running a hand through his hair, The God of Peace squinted at the sun. Dark lines clouded his eyes, but despite the exhaustion, the divine looked pleased.

"Sorry for the wait."

Maruble nodded. "How was the trial?"

"The Deruton rebels were arrested, but their sentence is light. Nothing to worry about."

"Any remorse?"

"Not yet," said Hartley, sighing. "Soon. Hopefully."

The God of Peace eyed The Sea and shook his head. Last week, the tides changed abruptly. Instead of pulling waves inward, it started stretching out like a never-ending high tide.

"How long do you think has passed?"

"I don't know," Hartley admitted. "There's no guarantee you'll make it in time."

Maruble pursed his lips. He knew The Sea's fickleness all too well.

When he was on Earth, and the waves moved away from the land, time passed quicker in Alta. Two years had passed— even though he had only been gone for two weeks. But now, the tides were moving in the opposite direction. Earth's time was slipping away with each second he stood on the beach. He still wasn't strong enough to flicker, so Hartley commissioned a door.

"I'll place the threshold. It shouldn't take long." He glanced at Maruble. "The gateway will only last for half a day. Will that be enough?"

"Plenty."

Hartley nodded, setting to work. He murmured words in Altani, and as the language of gods slipped smoothly from his tongue, a sharp tingling filled the air. A knot formed in Maruble's throat. It took six months to stabilize the Court of Balance after the war. He had waited a long time to visit Sarah and Jacob, but there was a possibility they didn't want to see him. If they were even alive.

After a while, Hartley brushed off his hands and sniffed.

"That should do it. You know, there's plenty of time to change your mind."

He shook his head. "I need to do this."

"Then I'll be here when you get back." The God of Peace grimaced, motioning to a stack of scrolls a short distance away. "Take your time. I could use the fresh air."

Nodding gratefully, Maruble turned to the door.

It looked deceptively human. The wood was painted white, and the doorknob was brassy and golden. He gripped the handle, taking a deep breath. He was scared— part of him wanted to run— but this was his last chance to see them. Wiping the sweat from his palms, he pushed open the door.

It closed behind him, and the God of Fire blinked. He stood across from the lake. Summer had returned, and the dock had been rebuilt with fresh slabs of wood, the rotting planks removed and discarded. Glancing around, he noticed the gateway was attached to the back of the garage. He circled the driveway, heart thudding in his chest.

Everything was different.

The house had a fresh coat of paint, and flowers bloomed in orange pots on the porch. The windows were pulled open, no longer boarded shut, and billowing curtains wafted in the breeze. A small bike leaned against the mailbox.

He scratched his neck awkwardly. Hartley was right— it was nothing like he expected. Too much time had passed, and someone else was living in his old home. For a moment, Maruble considered leaving, but he shook the thought. He had traveled this far. If he managed to get a single glimpse inside, he would be happy. With that in mind, he climbed the porch steps and knocked.

The door creaked open a moment later.

A child stood in the entryway, blinking at him. She didn't quite reach the doorknob in height. After staring at him a moment, she frowned.

"Who are you?

"I'm Maruble."

She leaned forward suspiciously. "Why are you here?"

"I used to live here. I am the God of—"

A woman grabbed the child from behind and spun her away from the doorframe. The girl squealed with laughter and ran away. When she was gone, the woman smiled at him— and paled.

The resemblance was unmistakable. It was Sarah, but she was fifteen years older. There were new lines around her eyes, and her hair was lighter but longer. He cleared his throat, a whirl of emotions making him feel dizzy.

"Maruble," she breathed.

"It's good to see you."

Sarah crashed into his arms. She squeezed him tightly and sobbing into his shoulder. Somehow, he made it in time— years late, but he made it. The child, who watched the scene from the staircase, ran off. A man bolted around the corner a few seconds later. He barreled through the door and grabbed Maruble's, shaking with disbelief.

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"It's really you," Jacob blurted out, then frowned. "What the hell? You haven't aged a day."

He sniffed. "It's only been six months."

"We waited for you." Sarah's eyes gleamed. "We waited. We knew you'd come back."

"What happened when you left? Tell us everything."

They ushered him in. He glanced around the house, finding it hard to speak. The house's layout was the same, but everything, down to the dirt-crusted flooring, had been restored. Only the furniture beyond saving had been removed. When the tour was over, Jacob laid out snacks, and Sarah made tea, placing large mugs between them on the coffee table. The words spilled from his lips. He told them everything, from his return to Alta, Death returning to the Underworld, and Rot's final words. After that, they talked about the Court of Balance and the Counsel.

After a while, Sarah cleared her throat.

"Do you know what happened to my father?"

"I don't know for sure," he admitted, "but with Noctavius in the Underworld, it's only a matter of time before he's freed."

Eyes watering, Sarah sunk into her chair but said nothing else. Jacob smoothly redirected their talk back to the Court of Balance, and they discussed work. He learned that Jacob confronted his parents after his near-death experience, shifting his major to architecture. Meanwhile, Sarah had become a teacher at their old college, focusing on Folklore Studies. While they talked, the child climbed into her mother's lap. She pestered him with questions until she fell asleep in Sarah's arms. While she was being carried to bed, Jacob smiled warmly.

"We named her Ruby."

Maruble chest welled with emotion. He looked out the window, sighing. There was only a few more hours before he needed to return to Alta. Before he could respond, Jacob pulled him from his thoughts.

"Before you leave, there's something I want to show you."

He led him to the garage. An object was sitting in the corner, covered in a black tarp. Jacob grabbed the sheet and tugged it off.

His bicycle.

It was in spectacular shape. The wheels looked new, and the handlebars glistened in the sunlight. Maruble rubbed a hand over his face. Trailing forward, he touched the small bell, and it felt cool on his hands.

"You kept it," he whispered.

"You're my best friend, after all." Jacob shrugged, looking away. "You're not coming back after this, are you?"

"I not strong enough to return on my own yet, and by the time I am— "

"We'll be long gone."

Maruble studied the ground. Jacob and Sarah were his first friends, and even though they were older now, the light in their eyes was the same. They had kept his memory alive for all those years, and he would do the same for them. Even though the idea of never seeing them again made a lump form in his throat.

"Some days, I wasn't sure it really happened, but I'm glad it did." Jacob pulled him into a tight hug. "Those two weeks changed everything."

They returned to the house. Ruby was fast asleep, and Sarah waited for them on the couch. The three talked for another hour, and as they laughed and recalled their college days, everything felt exactly like it used to. But as the sun sunk lower and lower, his time on Earth came to an end gut-wrenchingly soon.

"Take care of yourself," said Sarah, wiping her eyes. "Try to stay out of the Underworld. And civil wars, if you can help it."

He embraced her. "Thank you both for everything. I'll never forget it."

"Put in a good word for us humans, would you?" He laughed, slapping him on the back. "You might be a big shot now, but never forget where you came from."

Maruble snorted. "I won't."

Tears fell from his eyes in a steady stream. Maruble, Sarah, and Jacob hugged a final time. The moment stretched on, and he desperately wished it could last forever. But after a long time, he finally let go.

He wiped his face. "Mind if I borrow the bike?"

"It's yours."

The three said their goodbyes, and Maruble drifted to the garage. As he wheeled the bike onto the driveway, Sarah and Jacob waved from the porch, and he smiled. Taking a deep breath, he steered away from the lakehouse.

The sun was a sliver of gray in the sky. He rode in silence, wheels churning against the pavement. When he reached a small opening alongside the road, he slowly hit the brakes and stepped off. Maruble climbed through the brambled path. The trail was overgrown, and stray briars nicked his arms, but after untangling one from his cloak, he finally reached the clearing.

The forest was charred, but thanks to Hartley's pressing, the Gods of Florum had accelerated its growth. Small saplings dotted the earth, and birds fluttered through the treeline above. Where the old church once stood, there was only a heap of blackened rubble. Maruble stepped forward. He navigated the tangle of creeping vines until he reached the middle.

Six months ago, Death brought him here to restore his power. It was the place where the veil between words was thinnest. His heart pounded as he kneeled down, placing his hand into the invisible boundary.

"What do I owe the pleasure?"

Noctavius stood before him. His physical form was translucent, only a whisper of his past self, and yet power radiated from him like a beacon. Maruble brushed off his clothes and approached the God of Death.

"You're alive."

"When I'm in the Underworld, it feels like nothing has changed, but leaving takes a toll. In all the ways that count, I'm dead." The image of Noctavius wavered, and he paused. "Since we don't have long, I want to apologize, God of Fire. We met during a time when I was terrified and obsessive. I would have done anything to escape my fate.

"When I met you, I saw that same desperation— an aversion to weakness. It was like a disease." He released a long sigh. "The last few years of my life were misery. I hated the Court for banishing me, and I hated you for adapting when I could not. And yet, I loathed myself the most for abandoning the Underworld."

"I always wondered if you blamed me."

Death snorted. "I'm much too busy for that."

A smile escaped Maruble's lips. After everything, it felt like a small relief.

"How is Somel adjusting?"

"Too well. His pain is gone, but he has an unfortunate knack for administration. " Death frowned, amusement dancing in his eyes. "There's a long way to go before the lost souls mend. Some need... rehabilitation after being locked away for so long. It will take time."

They continued discussing the Underworld in length. As the sky grew darker, the forest buzzing with mosquitos and cicadas, he knew Hartley was waiting. Maruble bid farewell to Death and started walking away.

"Thank you for stopping me," said Noctavius suddenly, making him pause. "Thank you for stopping me in that valley— and for not letting anyone else die by my hand."

Maruble turned slowly. "I want to ask you a favor."

"Anything."

"Before I die, I want to join you and Somel in the Underworld." He fixed Death's gaze. "I saw what happened to the trapped souls, and I want to help restore them."

Noctavius blinked, tapping his chin.

He said slowly, "A God of Fire in the Underworld? Interesting."

"You'll put in a good word for me?"

"I'll see what I can do." Noctavius stepped back, smiling softly. "Goodbye, Maruble. And thank you for not letting me die alone."

The God of Death vanished.

Maruble trailed out of the clearing, wheeling his bike onto the road. He closed his eyes. For a moment, it felt like it was six months ago: Sarah and Jacob were laughing, he was taking college courses, and he lived in the big house by the lake.

The street lamps around him flickered to life. Maruble opened his eyes, and the illusion fled with the darkness.

He would miss this place.

Maruble left his bike propped against the porch. He looked at the house a final time. The warm glow reflected across the lake, soaking the water in a soft orange.

"Goodbye," he whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Maruble stepped through the door.

The Counsel waited for him on the other side. Justice clapped him on the back as he crossed the threshold. Grief smiled at him, gently brushing the ash from his sleeve. Maruble nodded at Hartley. The God of Peace murmured in Altani, and the door to Earth started to dissolve. Meditations, who had become his close friend as of late, told a long-winded story to distract him, but it didn't stop the tears from brimming in his eyes. Still, he was grateful.

He looked at the Counsel, then turned to the fading gateway. No matter where his path took him, he would never forget two humans who followed him to the depths of the Underworld. Maruble smiled softly and turned away.

He laughed at Meditations's rambling. When the door finally disappeared, swallowed by the everchanging currents of time, the God of Fire didn't see it. He was moving forward— his eyes fixed on the Court of Peace waiting across the valley.