AN: I know, im in trouble. I said i would get chapters out more often but i failed to deliver so far. I still plan to though, i have a few in stock that needs some expanding upon. And editing. They're kind of frameworks right now. But still. Anyway, I meant to release this earlier but I had just finished releasing another chapter for my other series a few days ago and after that i fell asleep. Then I spent some time lounging around and stuff before i realized i never released this one. Anyeay, sorry about the wait.

I think I need to start working more with Saren, James and Lilith now. Can't neglect them, now can I? And Grace. Grace needs more screen time. Plus Fenris. And maybe Mercury? She seems fun. Gehenna I need to get back to as well. So much work...

Editing will be done later. Or maybe I will tak the time to read along with you guys and edit the problems as I find them. Remember to rate and review. Also, comment on anything you like.

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Throughout the walk to the library Morrigan became increasingly moody.

Why?

Well, it probably had something to do with the fact that her daughter had stuck to the red haired girl's side like glue.

Grace seemed to have some strange fascination with the girl, talking to her like they were long time friends...or even sisters.

Her eyes were bright and cheerful as they conversed, staring up at this Reina person with this sort of unconditional affection. And Morrigan had no idea where it welled up from.

Not only that, but the way the young woman sometimes glanced at Roland seemed a bit too trusting for Morrigan's liking. She knew that they couldn't have known each other long, but like Grace this sort of trust seemed almost inherent.

Also, they walked too close together. Sometimes the girl would have a bit of trouble crossing the slightly uneven terrain and Roland would, seemingly unconsciously, help her.

He did it carefully, lightly, leaving very little physical contact between them. But it still happened. And when they did touch, however briefly, Morrigan would catch a very slight change in both their expressions.

A small flash of light, a fleeting hint of...she wasn't sure what, exactly.

He told her nothing was going on between them, but was that truly the case? She didn't think he would care to lie about it, but who knows.

She didn't feel she had a right to simply walk into his life and ask him to give up any previous relationships he might have with other girls. In her heart, she felt she would be able to handle such a thing.

But the thought of having someone else occupy his time, of owning a place in his heart...Well, she hated it.

The things they went through together were too numerous to count. Perhaps it would be strange for those who knew her to hear how she was married, how she fell in love with...well, anyone.

But they wouldn't know all that he had done for her, all the things he went through to keep her alive.

That day, the day when Gehenna probably began to hate her, a great battle occurred. A few people banning together under the notion that Gehenna was too dangerous an existence. Using special methods, they forced Gehenna to use desperate measures in order to protect herself. Measures that had likely cost her dearly.  Morrigan didn't know what the cost was, only knew how she had disappeared for quite some time before showing up once more with a changed personality. Colder, perhaps even more ruthless than before.

Morrigan was weakened after that event too, weakened to the point where she lost nearly every bit of power she had. It had to be known, she and her Pantheon were not always gods: they achieved their divinity because they were powerful mortals who were elevated to godly status through the collective belief of their original world's inhabitants. Belief was truly powerful, and that is why many gods rely on belief to sustain themselves.

Mortals usually couldn't become as powerful as true gods like Loki: They lacked the inherent potential. But the way that they, Morrigan and the rest of her pantheon, had reached that point differed from the usual path and therefore they could do what normally wouldn't happen. They became equal to true gods. Or close enough.

It took them a long time to get to where they were now even so. To find ways to further increase their power to such an extent. It was a great struggle, and not all of their companions survived.

But after that time Morrigan was, in many ways, mortal once again. And the last spark of divinity she had left caused more harm than good, leaving her a succulent treat for any man or beast wanting to increase their power.

She, being a beautiful woman, would have been either raped or eaten. Those were one of the few ways to access that last spark of hers. It was left because she was, even before she became a god, a virgin. Never exposed to the darker, impure energies inherent in men.

If not for that she would have truly been mortal once more, not even having the power she once wielded as one. But even though she retained her previous abilities of that time  it still ended up not being enough. They weren't quite as strong as they had been and they were exhausted too quickly. They were unreliable.

When she was hunted down, nearly violated by a group of ambitious men, the one who had casually walked by was a boy no more than fourteen. Though he looked older.

At that time and many times afterwards, even when uncountable numbers of enemies came for her, even when he was exhausted after endless fighting and sleeples night, he would still always stand firm with an arm around her still severely weakened frame and say --

"This wild fluctuation of power, Mephisto wouldn't...Unless--" Suddenly her husband's eyes widened slightly as he spoke up, pulliing Morrigan from her thoughts.

He dashed ahead of them, his figure disappearing from view.

In the distance she saw him coming to a stop by the open library entrance.

After that, he disappeared once more.

She looked in the direction he left towards. He seemed much more powerful than he had been the last time she knew him,  When she heard of him some few years ago, when she had went to see him, he was a fair bit younger than now. And she could tell that the him she first knew and the him at that time were a bit different.

In this life, he advanced in power quicker than he did before. He used to be her equal, but now she felt he was on a higher level. Most curious.

Grace broke off from her talk with the red haired girl and followed after him. Morrigan allowed it, knowing she would be safe with her father there.

The girl--Reina--seemed to blink at the speed the two displayed. She glanced at Morrigan before averting her gaze. Morrigan was now alone with Reina and  the other girl.  Sara, who  had been suspended in mid-air by a certain spell, floated beside Morrigan. Her wounds were healed by Roland some time ago, but her body was still unconscious.

Soon a rather awkward silence stretched out before them. A tension hung in the air like a taught wire ready to break.

Morrigan was the first to break the ice.

"Grace seems to have taken a liking to you. "

"Ah, yes, it appears so..." She seemed a bit dazed.

"That's unusual for her, you know." Morrigan commented. She glanced at the girl. " Are you alright, girl? You seem a bit distracted." She smiled a bit, the expression feeling forced. Talking to the girl was a serious effort on her part. It wasn't something she would normally do, expecially to a mere mortal who should have long since died. What's more, Morrigan still resented the girl for interrupting them in the morning.

"...I guess i'm a bit overwhelmed..." Reina admitted.

" Oh?" Morrigan inquired.

",,,I just never thought I would be talking to someone like you. You and the other gods are pretty...Uh, popular, I suppose. Talking to you feels a bit strange. Standing here, having a conversation. It's just weird. Not in a bad way." She rushed to explain. "But, well, meeting a real god in person is a bit like a dream, really."

This piqued Morrigan's interest a bit. "I believe you have already met Loki, no?"

She knew they had.

"Yeah, but Lord Loki is a bit..." She began vaguely.

"...He is that, indeed. " Morrigan nodded, understanding.

Loki wasn't a normal god. He was a bit more open and sociable than most of the others, yet not. Hard to describe, really. He didn't give the impression a god should.

Also, his personality...it wasn't easy to discover, but sometimes he switched between semi-serious to playful. Not to mention the fact that he loved a woman's company a bit too much.  

"Getting back to my original topic, Grace does seem to have gotten quite attached to you for some reason. I heard her words clearly back then. Care to offer an explanation on why my daughter thinks you're her sister?"

The girl's words still confused her. Could it be that this girl was somehow blood-related to her husband in some way? Such a thing doesn't seem likely...For various reasons.

They don't even look alike...

It isn't impossible for the girl to be his daughter from some other woman, maybe from one of his previous lives. Or merely a descendent of his children. Such a thing isn't too far-fetched. However, the feeling that the two of them exude don't really match that sort of relationship. Morrigan could have been reading too much into it, but she doubted it.

Perhaps her husband didn't have such interest in this girl, but at the very least Morrigan though the girl may have complex feelings towards her beloved. Maybe not feelings of love, but something that could become such a thing later on.

So, given that, Morrigan didn't think that the girl was related to him by blood. Well, incestuous relations were not entirely uncommon, but still. Roland most probably wouldn't allow it to happen.

No, Morrigan felt something else was at play here, something that her daughter may have instinctively caught onto.  Something that made her young daughter believe this girl was Roland's daughter as well?

"That...I dont know. I really can't imagine why she would...." Reina looked worried. Morrigan picked up on the emotion easily.

It seems that the girl was lying. Or, well, not entirely. Still, she wasn't being entirely truthful either. She knew something.

" Well, it isn't a big matter anyway." Morrigan chose to let it go. She would get her husband to explain later. He would know. " Ah, but there is one thing I wanted to talk about...."

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Reina looked as if she felt a sudden chill.

"...Next time, knock a bit more, will you?" Morrigan smiled.

The girl nearly choked.

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Some time later, Roland, Morrigan, Aries, Mercury, Loki, and Mephisto were all gathered in Loki's office.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem. However...

Aries and Mephisto's gazes were locked on the chair to their front.

A chair like that was meant for one. But right now, it's occupants numbered two: Roland... and Morrigan, who was perched on his lap as if it were only natural. Her two soft mounds pressed against their friend, but she didn't move away or try to do anything at all about it. If anything, she leaned on him more. He didn't seem to mind it either.

This completely messed with the two men's psyches.

They couldn't look away, only staring dumbly at the two as Morrigan looked totally carefree and satisfied as she sat on their friend's lap.

Now, they had seen this before. Sometimes when they traveled together women would sit on his lap just like now, making eyes at him before he was dragged away. Seeing a woman on his lap was not really all that odd in those days. Hell, the two of them would sometimes do the same. Find a pretty woman and such, have a good time.

Well, not Mephisto, but Aries and Loki sure had.

So the fact the man had a woman sitting on his lap was not strange.

But...

The woman who was currently doing so, who was making circles on his chest with a finger while resting her head on his chest....

She was...

"Oi, you two." Aries spoke quietly. " If this is some kind of sick game, then..." He trailed off, unable to speak anymore as he saw Morrigan only had her attention focused on Roland.

Mephisto didn't say a word.  However, his breathing was a bit too deep. He fiddled with his long locks of hair, twining it around a finger. It was a very rarely seen sign of nervousness for him.

Loki averted his gaze from the two who dominated the attention in the room.

Mercury held a smile on her face, the expression looking strained and similar to that of a mask.  It felt like it could break any minute.

Then, almost as if challenging them, Roland spoke.

"Everyone, meet my wife...Morrigan."

There was a short silence.

Finally,

"#%$&!!"

Sounds of exclamation and various profanities escaped the lips of Aries and Mephisto simultaneously.

Aries jumped up, knocking his knees on the table and spilling the glass of amber liquid that was placed in front of him.

"Explain this, explain it right now!" He demanded with a glare, picking up Loki by the collar and shouting in his face as he shook him. "This is your doing, isn't it? A prank, right? What is this shit, an illusion? Did you drug me? What, which is it? This isn't funny, dammit!"

Mephisto, the hole in his chest having been healed long ago, also reacted. He stood and went to the side of the two who caused all this."Something like that, what the fuck, you expect us to believe that shit? What is this, Is it blackmail? Talk, what's he got on you?" He asked lowly, with serious concern.  

Roland, annoyed, felt as if this was way too much. "Alright, enough. Just calm down and listen t-"

"Calm down? Calm down?!" Aries sputtered, looking as if he would cough blood." You throw this kind of bullshit in our faces and want us to calm down?! You honestly expect us to believe that you and the Eternal Ice Bitch there, the woman known to lack any sort of romantic interest and seemingly void of any sex drive, are marri-?!"

Roland's eyes flashed darkly.

"Both of you, shut up. " His words, delivered so harsh and cold, made the men blink. " I don't know why everyone seems to find the idea so traumatizing...but I won't have you two talking about my wife in such a way." He said sharply. 

Suddenly his figure seemed to grow, a dark aura pressing down on the two men's hearts. It has to be said, when Roland got angry...it was a truly terrifying experience. Even Loki and Mercury, who weren't the ones such dark intent was being directed at, felt a cold sweat coming on.

Damn, if it were anyone with less grit than the people here wouldn't they have had a heart attack by now? 

Morrigan, though, seemed totally unaffected by this despite being so close to him. She merely continued to sit daintily on his lap while looking amused at the expressions the others made.

"Now,  let's all take a deep breath and sit down." Roland said, his tone filled with a casual air. The earlier pressure was gone so fast you would have trouble believing it was there at all.

Aries and Mephisto wouldn't be suppressed by that alone, but it surprised them. To make him that angered merely for a slip of the tongue...They didn't have any hate for Morrigan, and calling her a bitch wasn't done with any ill-will.

Roland probably knew that. And yet even still, he...

The two men sat down slowly.

Mercury's cheek twitched, and her mask-like face which was poised so carefully seemed to crack. She sighed.

"Well, it's not like you can really blame them for reacting that way." She muttered in a bit of a pout.

Anyone who knew Morrigan on a certain level would react the same way.

" Well, in any case, that's how it is. I know you two have a lot of questions. I don't really care to answer them. However, Morrigan is indeed my wife. So watch that you don't call her any names in the future or i'm going to have to kill you a few times." Roland warned. " After all, she is the mother of my child." He added.

This time Aries, Mephisto and Mercury collectively let their mouths drop.

Mercury had known that the two were married before this. Even still she was hardly able to stop herself from bursting out as loudly as the other two. But...

He said...

Mother, was it.

This Morrigan was....a mother?!

Something like that was not simply impossible, it was completely unthinkable, insane!

Aries and Mephisto felt the same.

"Son of a bitch, a mother! Don't be ridiculous!" Mephisto blurted out, almost enraged. Was he insulting his intelligence? A Death Goddess, a mother? Unless it was adopted, who would believe such a thing?!

"Alright, this had gone on far enough, don't take us for fools! Hmph, where, where is this child then? Show it to us!" Aries felt a headache coming on.

"Grace, dear, can you come in for a second?" Morrigan spoke up for the first time.

Instantly the door opened to reveal a young girl, no more than 11 or 12, with a head full of the same long and pure-white hair as Morrigan's. They even looked remarkably alike.

But the main difference...was her eyes! Deep blue, gem-like eyes that mirrored the skies!

Such a shade, they perfectly matched the man they called friend. That is to say, they were just like Roland's own eyes!  Even her face held traces of him!

A splendid mix of Roland and Morrigan's attractive features, combined to give way to an adorable, angelic young girl who entered the room with barely a glance at the others before rushing to the side of her so-called parents.

Mephisto and Aries glanced at each other, deeply alarmed at the revelation.

But they both knew that, logically, a child born from a Death Goddess was utterly impossible! Or at least they had never before now heard even a rumour of such a thing happening!

Was she truly, truly, the child of Roland and Morrigan?

The three, Mercury, Aries and Mephisto, had trouble believing it. Even more than they had trouble believing that the man and woman in front of them were married.

" Yes, I know what you're thinking. But even though I myself don't know exactly how it's possible, this girl is my--our--" He patted Morrigan on the thigh, "--daughter." He rubbed the head of the girl affectionately, causing her to smile and laugh lightly in joy.  

"But--but she looks so young..." Mercury said. She could tell that this girl wasn't that old. As experienced as she, how could she not recognize something like that?

Even if the girl's body aged slowly, it would all be in the eyes. They wouldn't look so youthful and without care if she were older than her appearance suggested.

Roland nodded. " She's still very young. But, the circumstances are a bit special. If you want to know, Loki can explain later. Myself...I don't care anymore. Maybe I should have told you guys," He looked at Aries and Mephisto, " A long time ago. But I felt you two didn't need to know, that it was my own problem. I had various reasons. But that...I don't know If I care anymore. Right now, I want to simply finish my business with those four and spend the rest of the time I have left with these two."

Roland motioned for Morrigan to rise, which she did reluctantly.

Then he, too, stood. " That's all I wanted to say. Loki called you two the other day when he learned about this, but I stopped him. It was an almost involuntary action on my part. But I won't hide the fact these two are my family. I'm happy to have them in my life. So I decided that it's fine for you guys to know. Maybe once I'm gone you can help look after them. Neither of us are in any danger." He assured them when they opened their mouths.

"As for Gehenna..." Roland paused. "She might be...a complicated matter. I don't want you guys to search and start trouble. Leave her be. If she attacks us, I won't hold back. But I don't wish to fight her and don't want you to either. Everything is fine." He said. "Loki, I think that we should leave today. The library and a portion of the dorm rooms are destroyed anyway. Abigail looked like she was stressing out when I  came to pick up Aries. Let's take her with us and let her relax."

Loki nodded in agreement. That woman needed a long overdue break.

" I'll have the kids ready in an hour or so. Well, they're already good to go. I simply need to get our transportation going. After that we can go visit Sol and see what we can do about those kid's curses. Plus see if he can work on the bead with me. After that, we can finally move on to the Higher Planes."

"Sol? Eh, was that guy here too?"  Aries and Mehpisto asked in perfect sync.