Pantheon of the Great Lord of Time (1.12.9980 AS)

Aetas was sitting in front of his desk in his specious bureau. He was starting to feel uncomfortable, not because of the hundreds of papers stapled neatly into towers in front of him, but because of the deep blue eyes watching his every movement.

After a while he couldn’t take it anymore. “Bella isn’t here, so what are you doing here? And how did you manage to enter my bureau? Didn’t Bella tell you not to run around my palace? Don’t you know you’ll get into trouble if some other god meets you?”

Clair looked bored at the questions. “I know Bella isn’t here, why else would I hang out with you? And to answer your second question, Bella showed me to use that mirror.” Clair pointed at the mirror behind next to Aetas.

*Sigh*

“By my nonexistent beard, why would she do that?” Aetas looked more annoyed at Bella than at Clair.

“Maybe because she knew it would make you feel uncomfortable having to deal with me.” Clair tried to look all innocent.

“You! Even knowing that I would get mad you came here? Are you that brave or just plain stupid?” Aetas stood up and smashed annoyed the papers he had in his hands on his table causing the paper towers to collapse.

Seeing the chaos created by Aestas didn’t face Clair at all.

“I’m neither stupid nor brave; it’s just that I’m Bella’s play thing, so I’m pretty sure you would be on the losing end if you did something to me.” Clair gave Aetas an understanding smile.

Aetas deflated and sank into his chair as he realized what she had said made perfect sense. He waved with his hand, causing the papers to return to the position they were before his little outburst.

“You still haven’t answered my question, why are you here? What do you want from me?” His change of tone was almost scary since he now sounded so calm and collected.

“I don’t know, I just came here as usual, and Bella wasn’t around so I decided to pay you a visit, since I didn’t feel like waiting all by myself over there in her quarters.” Clair answered disinterested, almost mechanically.

“Why not just stay at home instead of coming here wasting my time?”

Clair giggled a little, hearing the God of time talking about not having enough time. “Well, my live there with the mortals isn’t really the burner; to be honest; I would get mad if it wasn’t for my time spending here, where I can be I without having to play the princess.”

“And watching me working is so much better than what you have there?”

“Yup, way better; you know it’s not about what you do to spend your time, but about the people you spend it with.” Clair nodded sincerely.

“But you and I have almost never interacted with each other, how would you know that I’m so much better than the mortals living with you?”

“Because Bella truly loves you, and if she does care about you that much, it means you must be someone I can trust.” Clair said with an honest tone causing Aetas to blush a little.

“You sure know your way with words, missy.” Aetas said, standing up and walking over the couch Clair was sitting on to take place next to her.

‘Now I see what you see in her…’ He thought as she watched him move next to her with big eyes.

“So how was your day?” He finally asked the same question Bella would ask her whenever they met.

“The same as usual; I’m still not allowed to leave the palace, I was taught about how evil the demons are and like always I had to amuse some nobles and those people that try to act as my friends.” Clair said with a tired voice.

“Boy, that sure sounds cruel, being grounded for years straight. If it was me, I would have told you of, because you did something reckless.” Aetas nodded honest as he answered her.

“Well, I will probably stay grounded till the day I get married off to that idiot Viktor.” Clair said with a sad voice.

“…” Aetas didn’t know what to say. He genuinely felt sorry for Clair and anger towards her parents for treating her so bad. ‘I will have to talk to Bella, to treat her better than she does now, or else she might break completely. I mean comparing her to the girl she was when I first saw here, she’s nothing more than an empty shell.

“Do you have any ambitions that belong only to you and you alone?” Aetas asked concerned.

Clair nodded with a happy smile. “You see two years ago, I fought that one Demon in Terra… I want to meet him again; I have so many questions to him! And I also want to fight him again! I want to beat him! I want to win against him in a fair and square fight just between the two of us!” She said enthusiastically.

“I see…” Aetas answered with a small voice. “And how are you going on about it?” He added.

“I don’t know I’m still in the planning phase, so I don’t know yet the details.”

Aetas took out a clock from his pocket and gave it to Clair. “When the time comes you just have to use this, and you’ll have a reliable tool to reach your goal.”

Tri; Fors’ Domain (1.12.9980 AS)

“Do you think it’s fine for us to be here?” Dunkler as was leading a party of five people through a thick oak forest.

“Of course it is, why shouldn’t it? I’m here to visit the grave of my dead brother and his wive.” Bella who was dressed in a tight black dress answered as she followed Dunkler who was wearing a black suit.

“Oh, yes, I’m sorry for my stupidity.” Dunkler bowed towards his masters before he continued walking in front of the group.

After a few minutes they were finally out of the forest. A little earlier than they had expected, back then the forest would cover most of Tri up to the small area reserved for the three Gods as their living quarters.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Now most of the old forest was gone, replaced by small wooded lodges. “Do you feel it, they are staring at us.” Mephis noted as they continued to follow Dunkler who had assumed a fighting stance as he slowly walked past the houses.

“Yeah, but they won’t do anything to us, so quit that stupid stance and walk like a normal person.” Bella warned Dunkler, who shrugged a little after hearing his master’s words and finally let his ward down.

“I still can’t believe how the things changed here since we last were here!” Helles pointed out and continued to survey her surroundings with big eyes.

“Yeah, it’s hard to believe that he changed this realm so much, destroying all of Alexa’s trees.” Gabe looked sad at the wooden houses and their owners.

“…”

None of them said another word and continued walking in silence, till they finally reached their destination: Permix’s and Alexa’s former house.

To their surprise the big white plantation house was surrounded by a tall black metal fence on whom wild plants had started to grow. Thanks to these plants they could barely see through the fence.

Soon the group started looking for an entrance. When they had been last here, there was no fence, so they didn’t know where to look for the entrance. After walking almost a full circle around the big house, or better said mansion, they finally reached the entrance.

Bella gestured Dunkler to open the big clunky Iron Gate and followed him inside. They walked past the mansion and finally reached the graves of Permix, Alexa and their unborn child.

Bella sighed sadly as she saw the state of the graves; the wilderness had taken over most of the area around the mansion and did make stop on the graves of her brother and his wife.

“Clean that up.” She said with a cold voice, as she sated on the graves with a sad expression.

Her four guards did as they were ordered and started cleaning up the area around the graves. They easily did so, thanks to the use of magic. They even decorated the graves, as they saw fit.

Bella finally nodded, satisfied. “Much better, it’s been ten thousand years big bro.” She continued with a sad voice. “A lot happened. I finally got married to Aetas as you advised me to, but unfortunately this damn body of mine is cursed and not being able to bear a healthy child.” Bella’s expression turned darker than it already was.

“But don’t worry, I’ve found a replacement, I bet you would have liked her to.” Tears started flowing on Bella’s rosy cheeks. She wiped them with her hands and looked upwards to calm down a little.

“I… I also found a boy with that might have the potential to be your successor.” She smiled bitterly. ‘And don’t worry, you’ll soon be able to rest in peace, I’ll soon make your last wish come true and take revenge on Fors.’ She finally managed to calm down and looked rather determined as she thought those words.

“We are going back.” She said after giving her guards a few minutes for themselves with their former masters.

When walking back they found Fors waiting for them next to the Iron Gates. Fors that looked like a man in his mid-fifties was wearing a short silver beard that did fit pretty well to his short silver colored hair. He faked a smile at Bella and her guards, causing his face to show his wrinkles.

“Well that’s a surprise, what did I do to deserve the visit of the goddess of beauty herself? Let me guess, you got sick of Aetas and are running into my arms to comfort you!” He said roaring in laughter.

Bella just ignored him as she walked past him without even sparing him a glance.

“Hey, I’m talking to you!” Fors screamed annoyed and ordered the black haired woman next to him to block the path of Bella’s group.

Dunkler immediately took a fighting stance as he was leading the group.

“Long time not seen Yaru.” Dunkler said as he realized who the woman in front of him was. “So you finally reached Reiter level!”

Yaru ignored Dunkler’s provocation. “Indeed, it’s been long since I last saw you.”

Dunkler looked taken aback, he clearly did not expect Yaru to react so collected. Gabe used this and squished himself between the two of them pushing Dunkler behind.

*Sigh*

Bella sighed at Dunkler’s and Fors’ behavior and turned towards the latter with a fake smile. “Aren’t I allowed to visit my brother’s grave on the anniversary of his death?”

“You are, but why are you visiting now?” Fors sounded intrigued. “So many years passed and you never bothered visiting.”

“Well, today marks the ten thousand’s year of his death, so I had to come, ten thousand is a really big number.” She said keeping her cool.

“You can’t fool me.” Fors pointed his fingers at Bella. “I know you’re up to something, in my world! But you know I won’t allow it! Yes, whatever you are up to, I won’t let it happen! Things in my world aren’t going as I planned them to and then you show up! Coincidence I don’t think so!”

Fors took a deep breath. “Unfortunately, I don’t have any evidence on you, but once I have I’ll have to go to the court and will have you punished… Let’s see what your husband does, if he punishes you like you deserve or if he spares you… Just to gain the hate of other Gods by showing he isn’t capable of deciding objective.”

Fors looked pleased as he came to that conclusion.

“Yeah, yeah, tell me when you find any evidence on me.” Bella answered with a sarcastic tone and shoved Yaru by side, who was still trying to block their paths.

Fors just stood there holding onto his rage as he watched Bella’s group disappear into the village around the mansion.

“Do whatever you see fit to deny her!” He barked at Yaru. “Make sure that her stupid plans end in tragedy, kill whoever you see as a threat. Just make sure that her plans fail.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Fors could hear Yaru’s determined voice from behind him as he walked through the same way he had come to the mansion.

Nocturnio (2.12.9980 AS)

Laidir was walking nervously up and down in his office. He looked anxiously at his clock. “Why would she want to see me? I did everything I could without making people wary of me! It’s not my fault that that Schatten boy managed to prevent my plan at such early stage. And I even promised Ray and Lamia not to touch him.”

He sighed depressed as the door of his office was suddenly opened.

“Kyaaa.” He let out a for him untypical sound escape.

“What’s wrong dad?” Mala his legitimate daughter entered the office.

“Nothing, anyways, why are you here? I don’t have time for one of your childish ideas. I’m expecting an important guest, so please leave immediately.” He said with a cold voice.

Although, Mala his daughter he didn’t really like her, she looked too much like her mother, a woman he couldn’t stand. So he always treated her coldly and tried to interact with her as less as possible.

“Grandma told me, I had to be present in this important meeting.” The petite brunet said, trying to hide the disappointed in her thin face.

It was the first time she would be part of such an important meeting with her father no less! Her father, who hadn’t accepted her since she was small, and now she would show him her worth. Yes, no matter what she couldn’t mess up this meeting no matter what, she had to show him that she was worthy of being a Zerstörung. That’s why she smiled so brightly to her father.

Unfortunately, her father took her smile as a form of mocking. What an angered him more. “Fine, if you have to be here, just stay there behind me and don’t say a single word.”

Mala nodded and walked behind her father facing the door, her brown eyes glued on the back of her father.

Then finally the door opened once again; it was Yaru.

“Welcome home Granny.” Laidir bowed deeply towards her, so did Mala after a few seconds of thinking if it was appropriate to bow to a stranger.

“Yes, yes, let’s skip the small talk and go straight to the point.” Yaru said as she slowly closed the door and walked into the room, taking place on Laidir’s chair.

“Of course, we are at your service!” Laidir said with a serious expression on his face, while Mala nodded behind him.

“Good, the goal hasn’t changed much, but instead of just obstructing their wealth accumulation, I want you to kill Siegfried and Nana.” Yaru said with a serious voice.

“The other clans won’t accept that. Nana is under the protection of the Schatten and Siegfried is backed up by the Tod, so we can’t rush our actions.” Laidir tried to explain.

“I knew you would say something stupid like that, that’s why I ordered the next clan head to join this meeting. Mala, do you feel like you would be able to kill an old woman and a mad scientist with the help of some Verheerung?” Yaru said towards Mala, who was taken aback by hearing her name getting thrown into the discussion so casually.

“Erm… Yes, I think so.” Mala answered insecurely.

“That’s great, you can’t think of a better way to introduce yourself as the next head of the clan!” Yaru said happily. “Your stage will be the new year’s party thrown by our clan.”

“Yes… But… Who are you?” Mala brought out of her mouth.

“I’m the founder of this clan; Yaru Zerstörung.”

“That Yaru Zerstörung?”

“Who else would I be, silly?” Yaru said and walked towards Mala and linked arms with her, now let’s discuss the details.