Sachihiro

It turns out we’re outside the Den Compound and my abrupt entrance didn’t go unnoticed.

Quickly armed guards in the colours of Conclave Militus soldiers with a few sorcerers from Spiritus and even someone from Sovereign Enclave group around us as Didi leads me deeper into the Den Conclave property grounds, I didn’t recognize the place till just now.

I recognize no one here but very quickly the people sent to investigate an intrusion turn into as escort as Didi confirms who I am after I've already given the proper key words for the captain in charge of perimeter security. A centaur with grey striations in his fur that make him seem much older than he feels to be.

I don’t say much watching everything and everyone for any suspicious activity, the two spiritus members particularly suspicious as they keep blooming spiritually as they send feelers at me that don’t penetrate. At the gate my mana signature is confirmed as a belonging to a Conclave member and everyone is more relaxed after that.

The dome is brimming with people, many even sleeping out around the fountains in sleeping mats, stirring as we passed now escorted by a single guard and a representative from Civitus Enclave. I hold Didi’s hand throughout, I can’t loose her again.

‘’Your family has been setup as comfortably as we could place them in a set of apartments at Underside,’’ the annoyingly enthusiastic Civitus representative says stealing another curious glance at me from the corner of it’s eye.

‘’As you can see there isn’t much space to go around and resources are pretty limited.’’

We go down into the undercity passages and in no time Didi is banging on a door shouting for someone to open up. I turn towards our two escorts, ‘’that will be all.’’

They look at each other, the soldier nods and leaves pulling the other person behind him as the door is opened by the most beautiful sleepy face I have ever seen.

I engulf Orochi in a hug that has my aura blooming in joy.

‘’Da? Da!’’

I’m engulfed myself in no time as everyone comes rushing out throwing themselves into a mass hug that melts my hurt. Love, pure unconditional love suffuses all of us as we hold each other tight sobbing and laughing in bittersweet embrace celebrating having each other while mourning those that aren’t with us.

‘’Da,’’ little Anya sighs in my ear.

‘’My babies.’’

‘’How are you here?’’ Isis asks carrying two toddlers whipping away tears of joy from her face.

I kiss my son Orochi, I kiss a bright eyed Serenity that refuses to leave my arms so I lift her placing her on my shoulders as I stand to gaze at my mate and the two babies she has in her arms. I kiss Anya who runs back inside after disappearing in a display of magic that has my brows in my hairline.

‘’And who are these two beauties?’’

‘’This little guy is your son, Honestus.’’ Isis says with pride passing the fat little toddler into my arms.

"Honestus, beautiful name.’’ He smells nice, tears leak from my eyes as he starts crying reaching for his mother. Sere is there to wipe my tears with her small hands wrapped around my head.

‘’And this little princess is Apricity, your granddaughter.’’

Apricity, she more readily comes to my arms. Wide eyed and curious, touching my face looking at me as only an inquisitive child can.

‘’How did you all make it here, what happened, where are there others?’’ I ask kissing the babies.

‘’Come inside,’’ Isis says and I do. The door closing ominously behind me.

It’s a small apartment with the kids sleeping in the living room but I find somewhere to sit, the rascal on my shoulders not letting go.

‘’Orochi go get your father something to eat,’’ Isis commands harshly as awkwardness comes over her.

Isis seems to be tired, she has aged with frown lines and the unpleasantness of necessity having come into her aura. I feel her shame as she adjusts the old patched dress about her, her discomfort under my gaze as I sit close to her and place a hand on hers.

The aura stinks with bitter necessity, bittersweet tears, hope and primal survival.

‘’What happened?’’ I ask as gently as I can.

She pulls her hand looking away from me stifling a sob. I shuffle closer pulling her to me even as she resists uselessly. With three kids on me I manage to pull her to my chest and she starts sobbing like a dam has broken, I pass Didi the babies as I hold Isis tightly to my chest.

‘’Oh Sachi I’m so ashamed,’’ she cries into my chest and I just hold her as my family assembles around us. I let her cry in my arms as I happily look at my family here with me alive, it’s like a dream.

Taking their grief comes easy as I'm happy just having them here, safe.

Dishna, Orochi, Anya, Serenity and now little Honestus and Apricity. I drink them in with every sense I have, happy to feel them within my awareness engulfed within the sphere of my spiritual aura. Only the toddlers haven’t gone through an awakening, Orochi is so much taller than I remember, Anya more shy, Serenity more clingy.

‘’Thank you,’’ I receive the bread and ham with a bow of my head and a ruffle of his. Placing the plate on the small table so I can easily gauge everyone properly.

They’ve had it rough that’s plain to see.

They are dirty and it seems to be the norm, their clothes are old but patched with care. Everyone is happy now but I can see Didi sobering up from the euphoria of my presence and the news of Saya’s return, I can see how spent my second born is. The shame on Isis is plain by how she flinches from my touch, her spirit unsettled with elements in it that are clearly foreign I can’t place.

Awkwardness starts creeping in with the silence once Isis has stopped crying, no one wants to talk and that creates a heaviness in the room. I smile at little Anya staring at me from across the room.

She squeaks as she startles running into the other room eliciting laughs from everyone around.

‘’Something I said?’’

‘’You weren’t suppose to see her, she was being invisible,’’ Serenity helpfully says from across my shoulders.

‘’Right, so all of you can do magic now huh?’’

‘’Yes! I can turn into a boy like ma.’’ Serenity says proudly as she morphs into her twin Orochi with starrling ease after concentrating. ‘’See!’’

‘’I see, well done.’’ I pull her over my shoulder into my lap holding her tight.

Orochi shrugs, ‘’I can move things with my mind.’’ My plate wobbles but levitates from the table circling around before dropping suddenly. ‘’I’m still practicing.’’

‘’That was very good Orochi, well done,’’ I pull him in embracing the twins together tight before letting them go. I may be a bit clingier myself.

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Orochi, Sere and Anya sleep here in the receiving room with Isis and the little ones sleeping together in the other room on maths. Dishna doesn’t sleep here so probably in with her priestesses or her husband Browly and her son Alta somewhere else, but she hasn’t mention them at all. Little Rayna isn’t here, Kira isn’t here and Lysandra isn’t here; nor is Shea which gives me some hope those not here aren’t completely alone.

‘’What’s happened?’’ I ask again, taking everything in.

No one speaks, I feel like I’m going to explode as I imagine all kinds of horrible things that have happened and are happening to people I love. I clench my left fist tight opening the sigil to burn into my hand painfully.

I look at Didi directly, ‘’where is your son?’’

Her hands to her face she stifles a sob, takes a deep breath stilling herself, ‘’he’s dead.’’

The story unfolds mostly from Dishna with additions from the little ones and Isis filling the blanks. Toura the Pathfinder managed to get everyone to the Foothills safely but then the Foothills turned out not to be safe from the Alderman. They closed their boarders hiding their lands and every foreign male within was put to the spear. Uncle Brian is dead with his whole family, Hale and Galen who also took Alderman mates are dead, Didi’s husband Browly dead, everyone from the Conclave that lived there as part of treaties agreed to, dead.

They basically closed their lands and killed everyone male not born an Alderman.

The women and children were taken as slaves, Deep Keep claimed and used as some sort of base. Solomzi had the kids at first, treated them relatively well forced by an escaped Didi which is how Anya and Orochi are back. They were reclaimed from Solomzi. But then he was expelled by the Aldermen and his assets confiscated, which somehow resulted in Alta, Didi’s son dying when they tried to rescue them.

Isis, Shea, Saya, Lysandra, Kira and a bunch of others were kept as slaves. I have a hard time believing Nyye, a random wood elf that took a liking to sparring with me at the Brothel went all the way from Tiba to the Foothills looking for me, but he did, and apparently now has Lysandra and Kira with him. I can’t decide if that’s good or bad but it terrifies me as a father, especially being so close to my children while others are still lost to me.

They eventually managed to find Serenity but Rayna they couldn’t find so Shea remained in the Foothills to look for her, Saya got caught in their escape which is how she got left behind. The rest left the Foothills and eventually found shelter here, where they discovered Toura had left the new borns Honestus and Apricity when he fled Deep Keep.

‘’I’m so sorry Sachi,’’ Isis says after a minute of my silence as I absorb the picture being painted.

‘’You have nothing to be sorry for, you did all you could, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for.’’

‘’What about you da, what happened with you, what happened with everyone?’’ Didi asks.

I smile sadly before sharing the tale of how I got separated from the others and ended up in the Underworld. I go into detail about the place as I notice how raptly the kids listen, breaking up the ham and bread feeding them as I tell the tale. I mention Phosphorus by name, mention the Acolyte and explain the deal that got me out of there unpossessed and owed. I go into detail about my whole experience trying to get out of there until the three little ones are asleep.

‘’What now?’’ Isis asks after putting them in her sleeping mat in the next room.

Now I get my family together, ‘’we go home.’’

Didi snorts, ‘’what home?’’

‘’Home is wherever family is, where ever one feels most safe and free, we go home.’’

As they are packing the scant possessions they have there is a knock on the door that takes me away from my family, which in a way is a relief. I’m escorted to the master of the Den to whom I give a report of my whereabouts and what I’ve been through. It’s cathartic to talk about in a way that puts it behind me as an experience I survived, something I’ve overcome.

I cut it short not going into detail but naming names like Phosphorus, Acolyte, Library, Draug. I explain how the Library works as far as I know and how I think the conclave could benefit from the association. My history with establishing amicable relations with foreign powers helps as the Den Master reviews my involvement with Conclave Sovereign. Ironic with how disastrous the Aldermen alliance turned out to be.

‘’Could you establish communication with this Library on the Conclave’s behalf?’’

‘’Even better, I could connect you guys directly with a portal for people more qualified than me to judge their usefulness and safety of the association.’’

The Den Master brings in more people from the other enclaves and I start my story all over again.

‘’And what of this Draug creature, any chance we could benefit from your association with it?’’

‘’Uncertain, currently the Draug is a volatile existence far beyond my influence and understanding. Frankly, it does whatever it wants but I don’t think it would be interested in associating with a group of humans, gnomes and dwarves, no offense meant,’’ I say to the room at large, no one takes offense. Taking to my story, my title of herald to the Draug and the potential connection to the Library with mixed reactions but mostly excitement at the potential benefit the Library could bring.

‘’What are you going to do now?’’

I look at the people in the room assessingly, serious people with serious personal power and authority to exert their will. I’m pleased they asked instead of giving orders and assigning missions like they used to when I still had things I wanted from them. I look at the conference of multi racial beings that took my people in all those years ago remembering how highly I used to see these people. All masters of their fields, all 3rd tier awakened with their eyes on me waiting to hear what I will do next. How things change.

‘’I’ll get my family together and safe, make sure they aren’t stranded on those islands. Once we’re settled I’ll wait for things to calm down but then I want the Alderman, I’ll spend some time exacting myself upon them.’’

The Conclave Sovereign guys looks at the military guys in silent communication then back at me. ‘’We will be honoured to help with that, it’s important we send a message to those that would double cross us.’’

‘’Why did no-one here move to retaliate when you heard what was happening in the Foothills?’’

There is silence as they look at each other and me without anyone really shifting their eyes.

‘’The Foothills were closed to us, we couldn’t even find them nor did we imagine they kept anyone alive in there until a group of escapees were found wondering the Ash Plains.’’

I nod curtly as I stand.

‘’Would you like an update on the situations from our active communication channels?’’

Do I want to know the shit that’s happening out there? ‘’No,’’ I need to keep my focus narrowed. ‘’So long as nothing is specifically relevant to me,’’ I respond. Nothing seems to be so I leave going back to my family as the Den starts waking to activity.

*

The Den Compound tries to stay organised but it’s a mess of people jostling about trying to get food and shelter with plenty of thieves and pickpockets about the streets taking advantage of the hustle and bustle of being crowded together. Most everyone is armed and everyone we pass is an awakened of some sort which creates a dynamic of exciting danger and the respect of the unknown that keeps would be opportunists more on their toes than would be expected in such crowds.

It doens’t completely dissuade them though, a minor Spirit Oppression concentrated at a particularly talented pickpocket as he edges towards me has the vampire crumbling on the street, dead. Shit, I didn’t mean to kill the man.

We pass by the created spectacle quickly.

Armed Militus members walk the busy streets in groups harshly shutting down any and all conflict that starts but there are just too many desperate people packed together on top of each other for the strategy to be effective. We jostle our way through the compound to where I got a lot of my initial training as a sorcerer started.

I recognise no-one but apparently I’m known as we’re escorted to a summoning chamber without much question. I’m given everything I need though a fair number of people watch as I draw my spirit connection circle using Conclave resource.

I communicated with Mooletre and the Library is more than happy to open its doors to more people, I activate the sigils and a teleportation mirror is summoned through. Immediately, the scholars are all over it spooking Anya who hides behind me melting my heart, I pick her up holding her to my chest as she does her trick of seeming invisible but doesn’t shy away from the touch.

They study the mirror a while ensuring its ‘safety’ before allowing me to activate it. As a level 6 Library member I have teleportation privileges, for a price I can bring others with me. Carrying Anya in my arms I pass through the mirror into a foyer where Mooletre awaits along with some others. Didi comes through followed by Orochi, Serenity and Isis carrying the babies.

We stand aside as two Conclave representatives walk through, I nod at them, my part done.

We are escorted to where Saya sleeps. Didi breaks down again at the sight of her, the little ones happy to see her but quickly curious about our surroundings.

Things are happening distantly for me. I watch everything as though it’s happening to someone else distant from me. I’m dizzy with heartache and euphoria unable to fully grasp the authenticity of my reality. I really found them, my family is really here. I keep Anya in my arms even as I allow Mooletre to give the twins a tour of the places they’re allowed.

We get cosy as we wait for Saya to wake.

There is a lot of wine but not much else to eat besides meal bars here, I pay for them anyways and we eat. I get everyone a body-suit and a few changing clothes, somehow we are all strangers to each other now. It’s in the way we tip toes around each other, the glances I get and give, the broken heartedness I can’t hide from my gaze as I see the brokenness in them. Isis once so proud is meek now, lost. Didi is never happy for longer than she receives good news before getting lost in a quiet melancholy hidden behind a sad half smile.

Saya opens her eyes.

‘’Hey sis,’’ Didi at her bedside says with a smile calming her quickly.

‘’My baby?’’

‘’She’s right here, safe,’’ Isis quickly reassures bringing the baby to her mother now sitting up assessing the room.

‘’Da,’’ she says after a moment of settling Apricity in her arms. ‘’I thought it was a dream, you came for me.’’

I can only nod once, tears brimming in my eyes as she looks at me intensely. I can’t take this shit anymore.

I leave Anya, finding my own corner of privacy I cry for everything I’ve lost. I mourn my children and those still lost to me, I cry over everything I still have.