Another day, another demi-god from history dead on the ground.

Jack wiped his mouth, removing the blood as he picked up his severed arm and reattached it with mend.

In the crater below him, was another apostle, this one named Lugh. It was lanky, with a multitude of arms that bore many weapons when it had attacked Jack, ambushing him as he attempted to rest once more.

Yet it, just like the other apostles fell to the might of Gehenna.

“I hate nagging, but you should see your kids,” Lilith said, the violent specter shaking her head at Jack with disapproval. “As much as I enjoy fucking shit up with you, you haven't eaten in four days, haven't drinked anything in two, you're no good to anyone if you're dead. Selfia's strike team can wait long enough for you to shower at least.”

“I rather not lead more apostles to my home.”

“Whether you want to or not, Sahaqiel’s presence there alone draws them in. If you die, don't you at least want to see your son at least once? At this rate we'll be dead and then what?”

Lilith had a point, the Selfian's were still setting up at their staging point for their assault, plenty of time for him to visit for a moment before going back to his hunt.

But only for a moment… then maybe everyone would stop hounding him to see his kids.

“Now Jack,” Lilith said with the sternness of a mother rebuking her child, “Holy fuck! When did I become a mother scolding her child?! Fuck, do whatever you-”

“Yeah yeah, I'll get to it,” Jack replied before summoning a mythical hammer in his hand that he’d kept for such an eventuality. With one palm holding his hammer and the other outstretched, Jack muttered the activation phrase “Bifrost teleport” before being whisked away.

***

Sitting at her desk that had once been Kenichi’s, Selfia stared blankly as she listened to Lita and Kenichi reading their daily reports.

With Lunacrypt capital a cesspool of bodies, demonspawn, abandoned debri, Selfia was forced to move her base of operations far from the clutches of the Apostle invasion which saw the emergence of threats never before seen since the founding of the Imperium.

Moving her capital had been a herculean task, more so due to the displacement of millions of imperial citizens and infrastructure that no one city could hold.

Fortunately, the floating city of the Theocracy remnant gave her options, gave her housing and protection to the thousands that followed her to the last gasp of the world.

Unfortunately with the migration of such large quantities of refugees, so too came the problems.

Food, for starters, was scarce as is.

Coupled with ammunition shortages, replacement parts, and infighting between nomad, paladin, and imperial survivors, Selfia had her work cut out for her.

“The tribal chiefs aren't happy that their food supply are being cut again to give to the paladins,” Kenchi grunted, “The Shi-liyu are threatening to close the fisheries and the Goguryeo aren't working the mines.”

“Lumenese, my paladins require that food. As the bulwark to the demonspawn threat, my warriors require sustenance to sustain our fight, especially against the Apostle's that probe our city defenses,” Lita, the defacto leader of the Theocracy interjected.

“If my miners and workers don't get food, they won't be able to supply your warriors with more ammo and materials,” Kenichi frowned, “Remember Paladin, this is our land. We have bled and toiled for the soil beneath our feet. To demand tithes makes you no better than invaders.”

“Would invaders offer protection? It is only due to Lord Jack’s request that Hoshido remains safe. Without the blessing of Saint Citri offered by our city you would all succumb to the poison that blights our world.”

Lita had a point, but so too did Kenichi. Although Selfia's air fleet had brought their own supplies and materials, the constant influx of refugees and attacks were draining their reserves. And while Selfia hadn't broadcasted their location, rumors quickly circulated of the flying city that kept the hordes at bay. Perhaps from soldiers radioing home? Perhaps from the High Table? Either way Selfia had a better grasp of what Jack had to endure when he led these people.

“Kenchi, how many awakened warriors can the tribal leaders spare?” Selfia asked as Di'luk and Kamila served them tea and biscuits.

“How many do you need?”

“At least a platoon, maybe we can pull Tenno from guard duty. Lita if we eliminate the Apostle's probing our defenses can your men do with reduced rations?” Selfia said to the Templar Commander.

“If we can open up logistics to commandant Victoria’s wall, then yes, lumenese,” Lita bowed.

“So we just need-”

Suddenly a tingling sensation blanket the room, a chill in the air that turned everyone to the hammer laying in the corner of the room.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

A bright beam illuminated the chamber with ice cold air dropping the temperature of the space by several degrees as Jin and the rest of the royal guards charged into the office space.

“Stand down,” Selfia said, blinking repeatedly as Jack stepped out from the sigil of ice that lay painted on the floor. “About time you came around, I take it the headless horseman is dealt with?”

“Athena is gone,” Jack replied, stepping past his uncle to dump a plant out of a vase before drinking the water. “So are Hermod and Lugh.”

“Three apostles in one day?” Lita whispered, almost in awe.

“It's getting worse out there,” Jack said as Kamila handed him a biscuit and a bottle of water. “I'd run into one once a week but now it's several times a week, maybe twice a day.”

“We're faring no better. Tenno and your aunt have been busy fending off the swarms but we're noticing more and more Apostles showing up,” Selfia reported.

“Intel on the Black King?” Jack asked, walking out of the office with Selfia and an entourage trailing his heels.

“Python's been busy, but nothing yet except for what you already know, I take it Sahaqiel already got you the Intel?”

“Yeah, I'm here to see my son before the opportunity passes,” Jack said morbidly as he stepped out of the building used as a city hall to gaze upon the city of Hoshido.

Gone were the rural trailers, the hovels on wheels, and log cabins. Instead, what replaced the rustic village he had left behind was a city of stone, mortar, and nomad style buildings of red shingles painted with cherry blossoms.

Around the city, Jack could see flags with emblems of angelic wings embroidered on silver tapestries. The de facto symbol of the city state of Hoshido.

Stepping from the office space, the nomads going about their business froze up upon noticing Jack. The crowd outside collectively turned, bowing to their leader who remained indifferent to his people.

There was work to be done.

Every moment he delayed was another moment an apostle locked onto his position.

Still covered in his own blood and tattered rags, Jack moved through the city, walking past the crowd who parted ways with respectful bows.

Despite the fact Jack hadn't seen his home, hadn't been to the village since its reconstruction, he knew the way towards Ada and his children.

He could feel them. More specifically Celeste, his senses since evolving keenly attuned to others similar to himself.

Others that the apostles would come for if he didn't hold them at bay.

Despite wanting to talk to Jack, Selfia hung back, allowing Jack to ascend the steps of the homely cabin built beside a pond to where his loved ones were.

Jack paused, eyeing the tapestry on the outside wall, a colorful hand drawn image of a stick figure with wings battling against monsters.

“Pew pew…” Jack muttered, reading the words drawn around what he assumed were guns in the man's hands.

Suddenly the door opened, revealing Yukino in a floral hoshidan robe who gasped before recomposing herself.

“What is it?” Ada called out over the sound of a TV blaring.

Yukino said nothing, instead standing to the side to allow Jack to enter the home.

“Daddy!” Celeste yelled, dropping her game controller and zooming across the carpeted floor to tackle Jack's waist.

“T-Tanji!” Ada let out, falling from her couch before scrambling across the floor to hug Jack with tears in her eyes despite the blood still coating his body.

“Hey… honey,” Jack said as Ada pulled away with her hands on his face.

“W-what happened to you? Why are you wearing an eye patch? Are you ok? Oh my god!” Ada screamed upon touching the scars below his left eye.

“It's okay, Ada. I'm okay, it happened during my battle with Selfia's brother. I'm okay,” Jack assured before he caressed Celeste’s blonde head. She was growing fast, already at four years old and she was up to his waist.

Still, despite seeing his daughter for the first time in six months, it brought him no comfort. Instead, he was filled with fear, dread, panic at the prospect that because of his morphology he had endangered his child.

But that was why he would fight. Keep fighting until every threat was exterminated.

“I'll let you guys be alone,” Yukino said before quietly leaving.

****

After an hour of talking and assurances and in a new shirt, Ada and Jack sat alone in the white-tiled kitchen as Celeste lay napping nearby with a half-eaten taco on her chest.

“Ada-” Jack began.

“It's okay,” Ada said, her soft hand reaching over the table to touch his hand.

Jack closed his eyes, accepting her warmth, taking in the gentle touch of another being that wasn't trying to kill him or begging for mercy.

“How was the… birth?” Jack asked, unsure of how to word it.

“Ten pounds!” Ada exclaimed, “That's what I had to squeeze out of me! Do you know what it's like having to push another human out of you?! Absolutely NOT a fun experience I'll tell you what!”

Jack smiled softly, his eyes focused on the woman's beautiful glow, “Can I see him?”

“He is your son, I'd hope you would want to,” Ada teased before standing up, rising to her feet with her figure almost as slender as she was pre-pregnancy. “Come on.”

Ada took his hand, guiding him through the hallway of her home until they came to the nursery illuminated by deep blue lights that gave the room a soothing feeling.

Inside, ocean sounds, a little speaker beside a camera that pointed at the crib where a sleeping baby lay.

Jack clenched his jaw, fixed in place as Ada gingerly reached down into the floral crib as she picked up the now cooing infant.

“Your grandma was a lot of help with the set up. Min and Mo Ye did most of the building but the crib is actually Yukino’s,” Ada turned, bringing the little baby to Jack. “Ito Chae-wong, meet your papa.”

Jack hesitated as Ada suddenly handed him the baby whose golden eyes fixated on him.

Ito’s tiny hands reached out to Jack who remained frozen, his gaze unable to look away from the being who was so fragile, so weak, and tiny in his arms.

His son.

Before Jack knew it, tears were streaming down his face, his lips quivering as Ada quickly moved to assure Jack and take their child.

“I'm sorry, is it too much?” Ada said, her eyes darting from Jack to their child repeatedly as he turned away with Ito, cradling the infant close.

“I… I’m okay,” Jack said, smiling despite the fresh tears flowing from his eye. "I... I'm just..."

For the first time in months, the cold vice that had griped Jack's heart had shifted, and in its place, something warm as Ada hugged him.

He couldn't save Eleanor.

Couldn't save Mai, Itadori, Mike, and so many others.

But his son... his daughter.

Jack would fight a thousand battles so long as they were safe.

From above, Sahaqiel sat atop the red-shingled house, slender legs tucked in as she listened to the man cry, unware of the news she had that would both hurt and help him.