Gemini couldn’t help but note that Lila’s new home was situated in a really rich district, as he followed them down the impossibly clean road. Three-storied buildings flanked the street, and gazes fluttered in from all around as people focused on the odd-looking fellow that was Hereward.

“From what I gathered,” said Gemini, “you first appeared in this form during the Conference of the Four, right? What advantages does such a form have?”

“Well, you don’t drive people insane or make them faint simply by speaking and looking around, for starters,” said Hereward. “Since we exist as a higher lifeform, the pinnacle of Orb’s hierarchy of life, our words themselves are very powerful compulsions. It would be no exaggeration to say that a single one of us could end an entire mortal war, if the enemy fails to make preparations for our descent.”

“But I don’t give off that feeling,” Gemini replied.

“It’s because…well, you’re more used to controlling your presence,” said Hereward, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. “We great gods don’t usually think too hard about reining in our presence, but you’ve had a decade or two to practice.”

The Sentinel of Space glanced at Lila, Aria and Eliza. “Yeah, it’s kinda disappointing. The only reason why we feel so awesome is because we never really had a reason to rein our awesomeness in.”

“Keep bragging,” Gemini muttered.

“Are you two always like that?” Eliza asked. “You two seem like siblings or close friends, from how you banter with each other. How fun.”

“You don’t…” Hereward’s voice trailed away. “My apologies.”

Eliza chuckled. “I usually spent all my time in mediation. Those who knew me have either passed away from old age or from the ravages of war. A lot of good people died during the Second Extermination and in our flight from the Wildlands. There’s very few people that dare to banter with me now.”

The hint of loneliness in her voice prompted little Aria to reached out with her little hands, and as the little baby patted Eliza’s forearm, Gemini couldn’t help but let out a low whistle.

“Yeah, your daughter’s really amazing,” Hereward noted. “I might not know much about little babies, but I do know that she’s really smart.”

“Doesn’t stop her from having potty emergencies, though,” Gemini replied with a chuckle. “Must be all that contact with Demigods and us gods. How many babies can say that they’ve been patted by not one, not two but five great gods? No B-O-D-Y, that’s who.”

“You sound very delighted.”

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“She broke a world record!” Gemini chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I be delighted?”

“A world record, you say…well, if you don’t mind, I’m going to send in this entry to the Octantis Book of World Records,” Eliza replied. “The baby patted by the most number of great gods. Last I checked, the record was two.”

“…Why is there even such a record?”

“Anything can be a record,” Eliza replied. “I mean, sure, you guys might feel a bit offended at being treated like a metric for record-breaking, but isn’t it interesting?”

Gemini thought for a moment, before turning to look at Hereward, who had a very amused expression on his face. The Sentinel of Space didn’t seem all that offended by that thought, so the Demon Sovereign decided to play the big man too and let the people behind the Octantis Book of World Records off.

After walking for a few more minutes, Lila stopped in front of a house, which boasted of three floors. It looked like a tiny mansion of sorts, and Aria made a happy little noise as Lila pushed the front gates open.

“Looks like it’s been cleaned, though,” Gemini noted. “No dust anywhere.”

“Ark City’s new construction methods make use of dust-proof construction materials,” Eliza replied. “It’s a point of pride for us. Now, people can leave their homes for a few months and still come back to a relatively clean house.”

“I’m sure things like the bed, chairs and tables are still going to be dusty, though,” Gemini noted.

“The bed?” Eliza chuckled. “You do know that there are visitors over right now, right? Ah, youth.”

“Lila…did Eliza learn something from the Memory Sifter, or was she always like this?”

“I’m just teasing you, Gemini.” The Demigod grinned. “Speaking of the Memory Sifter…”

Gemini’s heart sank. “Something happened to her?”

“Yeah. She found her daughters. And both of them are married.” Eliza rolled her eyes. “She was utterly distraught to find out that she didn’t get to poke fun at their spouses, since one of them was legitimately dangerous and the other was busy in the North.”

“Legitimately dangerous?” Gemini licked his lips. “Her daughter got together with a Paragon?”

“Not just any regular Paragon,” Eliza replied. “She married the only godslayer to ever exist in the history of Orb, as well as the youngest person with the strength of a Paragon, Gaius.”

“Gaius…” That name sounded really familiar to him, and the pieces fell into place a moment later as he said, “The Lost Star, Gaius?”

“Oh, you know of him? Yeap, that’s him.”

Gemini deliberated for a moment as he glanced at Hereward, who was staring intently at Eliza. The great god was clearly wondering about something, and he had the feeling that it didn’t preclude the possibility of kidnapping the Memory Sifter and using her as a hostage.

“There are some lines we shouldn’t cross,” said Gemini. “And besides, a person is unlikely to matter in the grand scheme of things. What would you do if he calls our bluff?”

The Sentinel of Space turned his eyes to Gemini, the light in them flickering. “Hmm. You might be right. But…”

“No,” said Gemini. “This is not something we should do. We will set a dangerous precedent, even if we succeed. We have lost many things, but if we were to step across this line…how are we any different from the Human God?”

“Gemini?” Eliza looked at him, and then at Hereward. “What’s wrong?”

“Lots of issues, actually.” Gemini closed his eyes. “I think we need to tell you some things related to this upcoming battle. About the Abyss Sovereign…and his identity.”