Clang! Clang! Clang! The smithy was the only building alive in this darkest of nights. The orange glow peaked through the windows and under the fur at its door. Snow covered the ground. The entire village was eerily quiet between the sound of hammer an anvil. The sky was full of darkened clouds blocking the moon and stars. Every so often the wind would howl through the round houses and over the long house.

Enid had given up trying to be a proper lady by this time. All her children were grown, her husband and wife long dead. She was dressed in leather breeches and a tunic. She wore leather gloves and was pounding on the rudimentary shape of a sword. It was the final blade she would craft for Hazel who paced behind her. The sides of her head were shaved, and the rest of her hair was tied in tight braids. She wore the armor of a soldier. Her face was still stained with the blood of the Romans. Hazel was ranting about the sword that broke. Her arms were alternating between tightly crossed arms and sweeping movements as she described the battle that left her swordless.

“I told you that you had the alloy mix wrong Hazel. It is very specific, and very important. I taught you better the that. I will not always be here to craft you a new sword.”

“You are speaking nonsense mother. You are immortal.”

Enid pushed away her bangs that had fallen loose with her work with her forearm. That failed so she pushed it back with her gloved hand causing her face to become blacked with streaks of soot. She brought he hammer down again and again shaping the blade. She had used the Atlantean alloy this time. She had melted down several weapons she had liberated and had never been used as she had done with Lucius. This sword would never break. It would serve her daughter well and should a supernatural threat arise it would cut them as surely as Hazel’s werewolf claws. Enid brought the hammer down again. The Atlantean metals were difficult to work with. Resistant to shaping, had she lacked her supernatural strength this would be impossible. She pounded again, she dunked the blade in the thick red liquid and it sizzled and smelled like burnt meat. She dunked in water then back in the vat of her blood as she had done so many years ago with Lucius.

Are you sure crafting her an Atlantean blade is a good idea?

Enid placed the quenched blade on the worktable. She sighed.

“No Lucius I’m not sure, but you know why I must.”

Hazel paused in her pacing and looked to Enid’s ornate sword.

“Is something happening I do not know of mom?”

Her face was once again her ten-year-old daughter’s untouched by years of war. Enid sighed again and pulled out her Atlantean tablet and scanned the blade. This was her third attempt after melting it down again and again. The sword was perfect this time no imperfections the weight was distributed where it should be. She put the tablet away. She closed her eyes. Atlantean metal was meant to be shaped not forced to confirm by hammer and anvil.

“Mom? What are you not telling me?”

Enid pulled the blade into the hilt and pinned it as she had so many times before. She began to shave off the excess metal she said nothing as she worked.

“Mom, you are starting to worry me. Is something wrong?”

“It is a conversation I do not want to have right now.”

Hazel grabbed her mother’s shoulder and forced the younger looking woman to look at her.

“Tell me.”

“I am going home.”

“But my sword isn’t finished.”

“No, I am going back to where I came from. My father finished translating my sister’s journal I know the spell to take me home.”

“You…you are abandoning us?”

Enid turned away blood tears dripping down her cheeks. She began to polish and sharpen the blade with an Atlantean shaping tool.

“Mom, you can’t leave, what am I going to do without you?”

“You will grow, and you will learn.”

Hazel grabbed her mother again.

“Leave the stupid sword, tell me how I can make you stay?”

“Nothing you can do will make me stay, I don’t belong here Hazel.”

“We fight a war against the legions of Rome and their undead leaders. And you are leaving. Pick up your sword! Help!”

“I cannot fight this battle.”

“You are the greatest warrior of our people, and you will not draw blade? You will flee instead?”

“Hazel, I have been here too long already. I am stifling you and your siblings. How can you grow up if your mother never passes on?”

“I never thought you a coward mother.”

Enid pulled away from Hazel and went back to polishing the blade and sharpening it.

“The wisdom to know you will cause more harm then good is not cowardice, Hazel, I taught you better than that as well.”

Hazel had tears in her eyes now. Something she would never admit to she considered tears weak these days. Enid lifted the polished and sharpened blade as with the last one she crafted it looked like it was the surface of a placid metallic lake. The finish was mirror like. Hazel’s breath caught in her chest as she looked at it. The sword was a work of art.

“I know you will never understand Hazel. I cannot make you understand. If you should ever have children, you will know the pain of what I need to do is causing me. I cannot fight this war with you, but I can give you a weapon with which to win it.”

Enid held out the blade on her palms.

“I give you the Blade of the Winter Wolf.”

Hazel reached out and lifted it by the hilt. She looked over the blade and could find no imperfections. It felt like it belonged in her hand, was an extension of her. She touched the blade, and it was cold to the touch.

“It is cold.”

“I asked the Winter Wolf to add his breath to the mix. You will find no resistance in your foes and a proper blow from it will sunder most metal armor and weapon.”

Hazel took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Enid knew she was thanking the Winter Wolf for his blessing. Hazel sheathed the sword and looked back towards Enid.

“Do not go mother.”

“You know I must.”

“Where you going to say anything?”

“I was, when I had my preparations complete.”

“Why must you leave now? Why can’t you fight in the battles to come?”

“Because you will not be alone in your fight. I will be there.”

“Your memory is not you mother!”

“No, one of my kind. She has been tasked will putting down the ring leaders of this rebellion.”

“Rebellion?”

“The leaders…the undead leaders. She’s been tasked with killing them for starting the uprising and causing this war. And she will do her job with vigor.”

“How do you know this?”

“Because I’ve already lived through this war once.”

“What?”

“Hazel, the other one of my kind, is me, my younger self. There are two of me in this time and place. I know what she is going to do because I’ve already done it.”

Hazel shook her head.

“Mother you are sounding crazy again.”

Enid pulled her daughter close and stood on her toes and hugged her tightly. Hazel was just over six feet tall, and Enid could scarcely come up to her chest now.

“Never forget my lessons Hazel and I will always be with you.”

“If you cannot stay then take me with you!”

Enid put her hands on the cheeks of her daughter and smiled at her.

“Hazel you belong here, and unlike me, you have a part to play in this war and with the pack. You will have a legend. I hope you will have children and a legacy. No matter what time and place I find myself in you will always be my favorite daughter, my youngest, my baby.”

“You mean that?”

“Of course, I do sweetie. I wish I could stay, but my father is right, the longer I am here the more damage I cause.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know Hazel and I cannot explain it to you. You have not the words to comprehend it.”

“Then teach them to me.”

“I do not have time. Once father arrives with his blood I will need to leave.”

“How long?”

“Less then a week, more than a day.”

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“My men and I will be in battle by then away from here!”

“Then when you leave for the battle, it will be a final goodbye.”

“Could you not just stay a month more?”

Enid put her finger on Hazel’s lips.

“Shh. You know the answer to that question. I am how old now by your reckoning?”

“A hundred seasons, maybe more.”

“Who is the oldest person in the village besides me and your siblings?”

“Halvd.”

“How old is he?”

“I do not know, fifty seasons.”

“And is he going to die soon.”

“Yes.”

“Who was the oldest wolf to have ever lived in the pack?”

“Silver Tooth, of course.”

“And how old was he when he died?”

“A hundred seasons, no more.”

“Then ask yourself should I still be here? Should I have died decades ago?”

“You are not a normal person you’ve touched by the spirits.”

“I am upsetting the natural order of things. I cannot stay in one place for too long using the same identity. It breaks things, lines of succession, people’s expectations. And soon, soon the church will come looking and try to kill me. Then many innocent people will die. I should have left decades ago, before you were born.”

“Do you regret me?”

Enid smiled sadly.

“No Hazel, I don’t, but there is a natural order to things, children grow up, parents grow old and die. I should have been changing my face to appear older and eventually pretended to pass away but I was stuck and had no ability to use my powers to do so, then it would have seemed odd if I had suddenly started growing old. Look hon, if I was a normal human I would have died with your father and my wife. I would not have been able to have you. So, this was a blessing, but it is time now.”

“Who will care for me?”

“Who will care for you? You’re almost sixteen seasons! You will care for yourself.”

“I mean who will love me mother?”

“You will find a mate. The wolf-kin are lining up to win your heart.”

Enid opened her arms again. Hazel stooped down and wrapped her arms around Enid tightly.

“I love you, Hazel.”

Enid grabbed her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

*****

Enid sat on the bench in her Round House her farewells had been spoken. She had visited each of her living children and told them it was time for her to join the spirits that they were calling her. Hazel was the least understanding. She was the only one of her children that had her full attention. She had spoiled the girl they had the closest relationship of any of her children. Even closer than Eyre she wished she could take her with her. Sextus was reading over the tablet version of Mariana’s now complete journals.

“It seems everything was transcribed perfectly.”

“Your people did amazing things.”

“Yet they failed to stop the Black Son.”

“That took the conservation of energy theory, and the genius of three determined women, there were no female Atlanteans, that was where you went wrong.”

Enid kicked her legs absently.

“Are you sure the Atlantean armor is necessary Enid?”

Enid looked at him with a bit of disbelief.

“God yes. The last time I did this I fell a hundred feet in day light. Who knows where I’m going to end up next? Or if I will even be conscious for it. The armor has wings that can slow me if I’m falling and cannot stop myself.”

“I can see why you’d want to use it. But it is a bit out of place…well anywhere.”

“Well, your precious Covenant of secrecy can kiss my pale skinny white ass. I’m the Empress now. Also in the future… I kind of blew them to pieces by killing seventy pugmentia on worldwide streaming. So, since, the future is already fucked, I choose not to die a painful death on re-entry.”

“Do all women speak with such crassness in your time?”

Enid made a face.

“Some are worse. But not many.”

“I see where Hazel gets her personality from.”

Enid made another face.

“Remember you promised to keep her safe.”

“I will treat her like she is my own daughter.”

“Just not like she’s Mariana right?”

He looked pained then gave a slight smile and shook his head when he looked at Enid and she winked at him.

“You are incorrigible and always have been. How three husbands have lived with you I have no idea.”

“It’s the boobs dad. Always has been.”

You’re not wrong.

Sextus coughed as he was swallowing. Enid laughed, more at Lucius then her father’s reaction.

“Got you again Dad. You’re so easy.”

“For a two-thousand-year-old vampire you seem to be rather immature.”

“I’m young at heart. I want to see Eyre, Mitena and Mariana. I’m also going on a date.”

“A date?”

“Its like. Well, it’s not like anything now well not exactly, spend time with a man, or a woman, preferably a man. But not in the behind the stable way. More like in a let’s get to know each other and have non-sexual fun, but it could be sexual…later. It is hard to describe.”

“Have you ever been on a date?”

“Several in fact with a very special woman.”

“Why are you…dating her?”

Enid shrugged, she was now laying on her thick table looking up at the straw thatched roof of her round house that she had come to call home she put her hands behind her head. A slow smile crossed her lips.

“She was cute and she asked me out when I threatened to kill her if she talked… I was expecting she’d want money.”

“You have lived an interesting life. I have never known you to be concerned about matters of the heart. Why the change of heart?”

“I used to think that if I loved a mortal I was just playing with my food, that I could not have a deep and meaningful relationship with one. I mean Henry was great, but he was still a means to an end, I needed a mortal pawn to take over the domain, so vampires were out of mortal affairs, and he was easily manipulated. But Hazel. I built a connection with her like together we were better then apart. And Rolf, when I would lose hope, or I would be frustrated with being a bloated pregnant blob for the thousandth time he would look at me with those kind blue eyes of his and hug me and it would be alright. The world would be like it should be. There are other benefits to companionship…umm…”

Enid started to blush as she touched her abdomen.

“Anyway, my time here made me realize that with no world ending event, and no villainous entities trying to kill me I will have nothing to live for, that’s the wrong words, nothing to…distract me? Basically, the loneliness will kill me as surely as the Black Son would have.”

“But you have your daughters, and Mariana.”

“Yes, and I suspect I also have a slew of…comic book villains to deal with based on recent, well my recent events before here.”

“Comic book villain?

“I have been running into super humans. One of them was stronger and more durable than me, actually crushed my spine, probably should have used the armor.”

“Vampires, wolf-born?”

“No, just humans who have powers and they don’t know how to control them, or they are using them to well…think of a Pugmentia that since its now stronger, faster and harder to kill deciding that its time to take what it wants no matter who gets hurt.”

“That is what the Covenants are for.”

“The covenant of secrecy is way past gone. That would be like trying to empty a sinking boat by pulling other pieces of the boat to patch the holes that were already there.”

“What have you done?”

“What I had to do dad. Look most humans carry the equivalent of mini-Atlantean tablets around with the that are capable of recording everything they see. It was getting near impossible to cover up pugmentia at the best of times at least they were usually concerned with self-preservation. But random humans getting abilities it was a nightmare to try and cover up, so I put on the Atlantean armor and started fighting them. Put on a pretty face with long blonde hair and called myself a Demon slayer. Humans believed me. I admitted that the things popping up weren’t demons and I did not know what they were but that I was here to help. And poof, all those troublesome vampire and wolf-born and other things were just that, meta-human events. They have no idea we exist as an organized society and are so busy chasing their tails and the meta-humans the vampires are safe. But eh, I guess that last part isn’t true either after the whole Black Son thing. Shit they probably think I’m going to be another Christ, died come back. Fuck.”

“So instead of trying to conceal us you are hiding in plain sight.”

Her father’s words brought Enid back to the conversation at hand.

“Its better, I’m not hiding at all.”

He shook his head.

“I know you disagree, but different times require different methods.”

“I do question the wisdom of your choices.”

Enid sat up suddenly and grabbed her pack and pulled out her modern tablet. She powered it on and found the news report she had downloaded. She replayed her fight in front of the bank in Edmonton.

“Every person in the world could just open up their tablet and watch that live. Millions upon millions. Tell me how I cover that up.”

He winced a few times as he saw Enid get thrown around like she was nothing. Enid laid back down, she didn’t care if the battery died now, she could just recharge it in a few hours. Her father was quiet for quite a while Enid had been laying on the table enjoying the cold wind blowing across her face. When she looked back up, she saw he was staring at something on the screen his own eyes moist.

“What are you looking at dad?”

He offered the tablet to her it was a picture of an older version of her when she was working at the children’s hospital as a surgeon. The picture was taken from the roof, she remembered that day. The children, teenagers and adults that were gathered there had come because she was getting an award. Each one was a life she saved. Her own eyes grew moist she touched the screen.

“They were there for you, weren’t they? Why?”

A few tears slipped down her cheeks and she smiled touching her fingers to her lips.

“I saved their lives.”

“Enid, how many lives have you touched and made better?”

“I don’t know.”

He hugged her.

“What was I thinking banning us from interfering with mortals? You didn’t use your position to rule them, you just used it to help them. I will die knowing my daughter is making a difference in the world I never had the courage too. Do you the kind of gift you have given me?”

“I know dad, I’m a parent too.”

“Since the beginning of everything I have tried to make the world better at every turn I thought I had failed and ruined everything I touched. Now I see my gift the world will never be me; It will be you. It is you.”

“That is every parent’s gift to the world, their children.”

He smiled.

“Sometimes you are so wise…and others…I ponder if you’re still twelve.”

Enid shrugged.

“I’m a mixed bag. Sometimes you get the crappy bland wheatie, others you get the cheese stick that fills your mouth with flavor.”

“I have no idea what you just said, but I suspect it was deep and full of meaning.”

Enid laughed holding her stomach and she started coughing.

“I basically said you’re right.”

“Words I never thought I would hear you speak.”

“I am old enough to admit that you know more than I do.”

“Tell me, what is the scariest thing you have ever faced so I may prepare your younger self?”

“Vector calculous.”

“What could this vector calculous do that made him so frightening?”

Enid laughed again so hard she began to cough and was holding her side.

“It’s not a him, it’s a kind of math, calculation…I forget what the Romans called it…call it. I mean my professor was a nightmare. Could not speak English to save his life and kept breaking into Cantonese when he got excited. I understood the Cantonese but his English I had no clue what he was trying to say. No one did.”

It took Sextus a few moments to understand and he broke into laughter.

“You’re talking about lessons.”

“Yes, I needed to learn a bunch of math to be a pilot. The mortals have expanded their knowledge of science and math to places not even the Atlanteans went. It was never something I was good at, add in a language barrier and it was a thing of nightmares.”

“So, you have no foes that have frightened you?”

“No, I don’t fear dying when I’m fighting, just failing the people depending on me. Fear will kill you faster than any blade, because it makes you hesitate…but you know this…”

“You used to fight, just to fight, why do you fight now?”

“To protect the people I love.”

He smiled and glanced at the setting sun.

“It is almost time, are you ready?”

“No. I don’t want to leave Hazel.”

He smiled and nodded.

“I will make sure she knows she still has a grandfather who loves her and is watching out for her.”

“She’s, my baby. She is the only child I raised on my own, no other parents, no twenty-year gap, just her and I against the world.”

“She will do alright Enid; You have raised her well.”

Enid sighed and pulled on her pack. She glanced around the Round House that had been her home for over eighty years. She traced the worn indents where Rolf would have his elbows when he sat at the table and ate talking to his wives across the table. She remembered his kind blue eyes and the feeling of Hazel’s hand on her thigh. A few tears dropped and hit the table splashing across its surface. The sun went past the horizon, and she felt her powers return.

“It’s time.”

She spun around and hugged him tightly.

“I will miss you dad.”

“I love you Enid the best choice I made in my life was rescuing you and calling you my own.”

He bit his hand and drained blood into the mix of herbs they had put together. Enid began chanting over it. And traced a doorway on the wall of the round house. It flashed to life and Enid spun and hugged Sextus one last time. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. She picked Lucius up from the table and strapped him on her back. She looked up at Sextus one last time.

“I love you and so does Lucius.”

Sextus’s face creased and he reached out his hand to stop her, but Enid had already spun around and lunged through the portal.