A loud bang rang out, signally that the door had been shut. 

"I'm right here."

Morrigan walked in elegantly, seeming entirely indifferent to everything with not a hair out of place.

"Where've you been then?" Roland inquired. 

"I had a talk with that thing over there." She inclined her head to Mercury, her face unreadable. "And after that was done I decided to get some fresh air. Why, is there something I missed during my absence?" She looked pointedly at the erected barrier. 

Her gaze also landed on Roland's half-unbuttoned shirt.

"Mommy!" Grace immediately replied. "Listen, this vile woman, to daddy, she was--!"

Roland didn't feel like revealing to his wife that he was nearly sexually assaulted by a hormonal Goddess, so he quickly wove a spell to rob his daughter of her ability to speak for a moment.

Grace's hands moved to her throat, finding that no sound came from her mouth at all. She felt betrayed!

"No, nothing at all." He told her smoothly. Then frowned as Morrigan reached him. He held her chin up with a hand and looked at her oddly. 

"Is there something wrong, husband?" Morrigan didn't react at all, merely allowing him to examine her.

After a moment he let her go. "Apparently not."

"Alright then." Solomon interjected. "Can we move on to the imporant part now? So, Ro, what's the verdict?"

"She's not pregnant, if that's what you're asking."

" Care to explain what that mysterious energy I'm sensing inside her is?"

"No. Doesn't matter anyway. What does matter though is that she's not pregnant. So there's nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?" Lilith stared at him closely, having long since went to Reina's side. 

"Quite so." 

"Wait, this means you didn't put a bun in her oven?" Mercury sounded disappointed.

"Of course not. I'm no chef. In this case, at least." 

Grace, her voice now released from it's entrapment, was crestfallen. "I'm not going to be a big sister?" 

"Afraid not, little one."

"Oh..."

Morrigan smiled at her. "Don't worry, darling, if you really want one I think it can be pretty easily done. Right, husband?" 

Roland stubbornly refused to answer that. 

" Ahem." Sol coughed politely. " So...can we get on with the tests then? You can keep your secrets if you want, Ro, but my time is precious you know? Best not to waste it."

"Wait, you're certain Reina's fine? There's nothing wrong?" Lilith was stubborn, she wanted to know more. 

"There's no reason for you to worry, she's not in danger at all." Roland insisted. 

Lilith couldn't help it. Despite still having some misgivings, she decided to trust his words.

"Okay..."

"If that's done with then let's get on with the tests."

"Oh goody." Solomon monotoned. "Right. Hey, girl." He snapped his fingers in front of Reina's face.

"Yo, Redhead, wake up. Good news, ya ain't preggers yet."

Mercury went and blew into one of the girl's ears, which caused her to come back to her senses with a shudder.

"Come on, let's go." Lilith urged her still rather dazed sister.

"On the circle, hurry up now. "

Once more the four kids walked onto the magic circle. 

With Saren and James fighting back the urge to bolt when they saw the great mage smiling at them reassuringly, which really just did the opposite, they all saw a soft green glow coming from their feet.

"You may feel a slight stinging sensation." Solomon warned.

Saren didn't like the sound of that. "Right, exactly how sligh--...!!!" 

He was stopped dead in his tracks by a wave of pain. It wasn't unbearable, but it felt like being bitten by thousands of ants all over his body. It drove all the air from his lungs and made him stiffen up involuntarily.

Thankfully he only barely registered the appearance of the sensation because it passed quickly. 

"And sudden fatigue." Solomon continued.

As soon as he said that, James, all six feet of him, started to fall.

"James?" Saren rasped out, still breathless, rushing to his brother's side. "Hey, are you alright? James? James!"

The poor boy, his skin sickly-pale, could only mumble a few incoherent words before he shut his eyes. 

Solomon went on even further. "Also nausea." 

"Oh...oh gods...I think I'm going to be sick..." Reina's face was turning a greenish hue, holding her stomach and dropping to her knees. She was a sad sight indeed.

Lilith prepared herself. "Okay, what's next?"

Solomon stared at her weirdly. "Whatever do you mean?"

"The next symptom. What is it?"

"There's isn't another one." He sounded almost offended by the very question. "Know who you speak to, girl, there's no way there'd be a fourth. Those three are just lightweights you know? The chances of  even one of them coming down with a symptom is less than 5% at the most."

"Buncha pansies" Aries barked out a mocking laugh before taking a long drink of what might have been wine. 

Solomon conjured a bucket and threw it to Lilith unceremoniously. "Don't let that sister of yours puke all over my floors."

He then turned to Saren. "That kid's going to be out for a while. Want me to get him a pillow or something?"

"Can't you just wake him up?"

"I could." Solomon nodded. "If you don't mind him likely regressing to the mentality of a ten year old."

"..."

"Thought so. Now, I'm also going to need a blood sample." Solomon snapped his fingers and silvery tendrils rose from the ground to prick the youths on their shoulders.

"And if you wouldn't mind placing your hands on the sphere." At his words a large, glowing ball came to life in front of each of them. It was like a mini sun, a bright orange-gold.

Saren and Lilith did as instructed, then helped their siblings do the same.

Once that was done there were around ten floating screens that appeared by Solomon's side, displaying words, numbers and graphs that were indecipherable.

"Hm, right, right." Solomon nodded to himself. "Mhm, all good so far..." He manipulated the screen and browsed through them swiftly. "Yup, nothing out of the ordinary." The screens disappeared in a flash. "Ro, come here for a second will you?"

Solomon smiled and took his friend by the arm, leading him out of the room under the curious gazes of everyone else. 

"What've you found?" Roland promptly took back his arm. 

"It's bad." Solomon didn't bother sugarcoating it.

"And by that you mean...?" Roland urged.

"Those four little bastards aren't human."

"Bullshit. They're as mortal as can be."

"Mortal maybe. Human? No."

"Sol, hurry it up. Just tell me, what did you find? Is this about about the curses?"

"No. Worse. Here, see for yourself. " Solomon brought back one of the screens from before and sent it towards the other man.

Roland carefully read through every word. 

"This can't be right." He shook his head after several long moments.

"It is. Trust me, I'm not wrong. Dragon, Elf, God, Demon, Angel...those four have the lifeblood essence from each of those races coursing through them." Solomon's face grew serious. "I don't understand how they could survive childhood without exploding due to the bloodlines of these races rejecting each other. Ro, they shouldn't be alive. No, actually, they literally should not even exist!" His eyes blazed wildly. "Just what the fuck have you gotten yourself into?"

**********

Chapter sixty two

"Go to Hell."

Through bloodied lips, those three simple words bespoke all the hate and distaste he had for the person opposite him.

It was dark. Darker than any place had the right to be. There was no sound. None. At least none that came from outside sources. Yet he could hear his own heartbeat, steady and rhythmic. It was a curious thing, that.

He wasn't sure how many years he may have been trapped here. 

The sound of blood running through his veins, the sound of his heart pumping that blood all across his body, may have started to drive him insane.

Not like he wasn't insane before, in a certain sense. But still. 

Fuck. He was hungry. And thirsty. Was it too much to ask for double bacon burger, curly fries, and a gallon of...apple juice? He was craving apple juice. Had no idea why.

"Tell me."

There was a very eerie, yet somehow pleasantly lyrical, voice which emerged from the darkness. It was cold, and harsh, and made Loki want to.

It also made his skin crawl.

"Tell me how you found us." 

"We were happy. It was just the two of us, we didn't bother anyone. No, not much. Why, why did you have to ruin it? It must have been you. Helping her. That's why he disappeared. Left me. I'll kill all of you!" 

The woman was insane.

"We had nothing else. Only him. But he didn't even recognize me, not at all, not even a little. What did you do? You and that bitch, you must have done something! Turn him back! Give my brother back to me!" 

She had been speaking nonsense like that for who knew how long. Always switching between bouts of what appeared to be sadness--which Loki thought a foreign concept to her--and murderous rage.

"I just want him back. Why don't you understand? We looked for so long! We deserve this!"

"What was the point of taking him? How did you? Why? She did something. Undo it. I won't let her trick him any longer! Turning him against me, I won't forgive any of you. Just help me. Why won't you listen? I'll let you go. Promise me. Please? Do it!"

It was all an incoherent jumble of words. Barking like an angry dog, nearly foaming at the mouth. 

And then came the beating. 

It was not a nice way of asking for help. Of course he never would help this bitch with anything. It was just a bit of pain anyway, what happened to this body didn't matter to him much. 

But what were the meaning of these words? Who was this brother she spoke of? Loki didn't think the woman had any siblings. Adopted brother? Ridiculous. The very thought of it just didn't sit well with him.

This woman, it was impossible for her to care about others. Loki knew this. She didn't have the capacity to do so. And no one had the capacity to return any care for a beast like her. So why was she saying things like this?

She must be delusional.

The only explanation for it, that.

"If beating you won't get you to talk, perhaps I should visit that daughter of yours?"

And she finally said something that made Loki respond with something more than a simple string of profanities.

"Don't you dare." Even those three words were forced out in a great show of will. 

"Tell me."

"For fuck's sake woman! What do you want!"

"I want my brother!" She roared maniacally. This plane of endless darkness shook, trembled, before her anger. "I want you to tell me what you did to him! I want you to reverse it, I want him to remember me! Morrigan, that bitch, took him from me. Seduced him away, hid him, bore his child just to spite me! But you...you'll help me take him back!"

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

As she took her rage out on his helpless body, he could only retreat into his mind and take refuge from the things she did to him.

And it was only then, at that moment, that he finally understood who the woman was talking about.

Ro...Ro is her brother....?

The more he thought of it, the more sense it made. 

Roland, was he like her? Was her of her blood, is that why the universe dealt him the hand it did?  

Or, no...

All those years ago, after that battle, during the time Gehenna and Morrigan went missing...was it possible that both of them...?

Roland said he'd had multiple lives. That he couldn't control it. What if he...had met Gehenna at one point too?

...Loki had one of the quickest of minds, and thought of things from every angle and possibility when he want to figure something out.

That said, he came up with a plausible theory.

Gehenna, at that time, had to be severely weakened. She would have landed on some planet far away from the notice of the other major Pantheons. Sought out a...a host? And after that, eventually, had met with Ro. 

Perhaps the host did not know anything about what dwelled within her. Perhaps Gehenna was so weak she had to enter hibernation and regain her strength. Only faintly aware of her surroundings.

If that was so...then maybe that's why she considered Roland her brother. Given what Ro revealed about the details of how he reincarnated, he couldn't have been born from a mother but instead materialize as a babe. Body born, like a True God's physical body, from pure energy. 

He'd have to be adopted into a family. Gehenna would have to have bonded to the soul of an infant, which would burn with life energy she could slowly absorb.

The family she was born into, likely adopting Ro at some point too judging from how she called him brother. Was that how it went? 

Loki's mind thought up something else too: The Gehenna before him, was she the same exact one he knew? Or had she, over time, absorbed the soul of her host? If so, that may account for why she had not been as active in recent years slaughter-wise. 

But at the same time, he also rejected the idea. 

Even if it was true, even if the soul of a being like Gehenna were to fuse with the soul of another, that would never be enough to influence her like this. Right? That should not be possible at all.  

And for Ro to have a connection like that to this woman, how absurd! 

These were all just theories. Nothing more. 

But her words gave them credence. Morrigan, she said her name clearly. Morrigan would never take the initiative to seduce anyone. At least, she'd never pursued anyone...apart from Roland.

And she, being what she was, could never birth a child. It was impossible for her...until Roland. 

Fuck. 

Son of a fucking bitch.

Loki cursed violently within the confines of his mind.

Gehenna was obviously deranged. She held a strong belief, apparently, that Roland was taken away by Morrigan. But the truth might be more cruel than what she imagined. 

And nothing Loki would say would ever get through to her. He knew it with every fiber of his being. Even if he had the ability to speak right now, even if he told her what he knew, she wouldn't believe a word.

Gehenna was angry. Hurt. But mostly angry.

Roland was her brother. 

Fuck. 

And Morrigan, Gehenna hated her with a passion.

That's it then, isn't it?

As soon as she's done with Loki, she'll go after Morrigan next. And if she learns the truth of things, that Ro is unable to revert back to the person she remembers, then her fury won't end with just Morrigan.

No. She'll cause a massacre.

**********

They started their return not long after Solomon had said his piece. 

The story was that he found nothing out of the norm, but he and Roland knew that wasn't the case at all.

Grace was still bowing her head in disappointment at no longer getting a little sibling to play with. Even Evie's, the little fox's, best efforts did little to help.

"You were crying." 

Roland voice was small, soft.

"Nonsense, dearest." Morrigan smoothly denied. "I assure you that not a single tear dropped from these eyes of mine."

"Liar." He accused. "I'm your husband. I may not have been so for long, but it's my job to recognize things like that. Contrary to what you may think, I do make it a point to pay attention to you. If something's bothering you, I'll know."

These words should have brought her joy, but Morrigan found nothing of the sort right now. 

Instead they just irritated her. 

"I know that you want to try and play at being a good husband." She scoffed contemptuously, almost mocking him. "But when your feelings for me are lukewarm at best you should stop with the pretending and learn to leave well enough alone."

It was a very sour, mean tone. She'd lashed out, and instantly regretted it.

Luckily Roland wasn't affected by it at all. "I don't have to pretend. I've decided to accept you as my wife in this life, for what's left of it. Maybe that's only because of Grace, but even so I do care very much when you're upset." He then looked at Morrigan with clear disdain. "Don't think that you can scare me away with something of only that level either, woman. You and I both know your prickliness just now was a front, nothing more."

She might be able to pull it off with other people, but not him. 

"Fine." Morrigan huffed. " I still never cried though." She insisted, pouting sulkily.

"Did you know that your eyes are still puffy?"

"No they aren't." She refused to acknowledge his words. 

But they were. No one else noticed, yet he did. Morrigan was not happy about that, however. Not at all, not a single bit. 

...He really did pay attention to her though, didn't he? No, she still wasn't happy about it. 

"So you admit that they were at some point?"

He tricked her. How annoying. 

"No. At no point were they ever puffy at all." She spoke as succinctly as she could.

"You're quite stubborn, aren't you?" Roland smiled." Very well, don't tell me. Keep your secrets."

"Thank you for your magnanimity. " She monotoned.

"You're welcome." He replied with a small nod. "Far be it from me to put pressure on a woman when she doesn't want to talk about something. Let it not be said that I don't know the meaning of patience."

"Oh? And what's that supposed mean, husband?"

"It means that you'll tell me what's made you so upset eventually. It's only a matter of time."

"So confident?"

"Indeed. Very much. When you're ready to talk about it, you'll tell me."

Morrigan didn't get upset over small matters. Still, she would tell him. He was sure of it. 

"Ah yes." Morrigan suddenly turned her gaze towards him, as if having remembered something. "I just recalled. Tell me, husband, why were several buttons of your shirt undone a while ago?"

"...I was getting hot."

"Really?" She stared.

"It is so."

"Liar."

"Perish the thought."

"Grace was about to tell me something before you interrupted her. Remember that?"

"I've no memory of such a thing ever taking place." He lied shamelessly. "Dearest wife, are you ill? I think that perhaps you might not be quite in your right mind at the moment. Shall I carry you?"

"As delightful as that might be, I think not."  

****

The Higher Planes. An infinitely large place with countless realms inside.

As old as creation, or just about. In fact it's believed to be the point at which all universes collide. Like mutliple pieces of broken glass just stacked atop one another haphazardly.

With Apollo's ship able to travel to the Planes, and Solomon having come to them, it saved a lot of time.

Once you entered the Higher Planes it became much easier to travel around the various realms so long as they were inhabited. 

It was three days since Apollo courteously dropped them off at the nearest realm, and they quickly secured lodgings for the students.  

They left Abigail and Morrigan in charge, but Roland, Solomon, Aries, Mephisto, Fenris and Mercury stayed behind on the Delphi to look for the still-missing Loki.

Apollo waited for them go do it too, not wanting Loki anywhere near him. Especially not hiding on his ship.

Which was a strange thing: How can he not know where the God was? 

If he really tried he should be able to pinpoint his location, yet he came up blank.

He only needed to know who to search for and he should be able to find them. If he didn't know to do so, it would be understandable. Yet he was asked. He knew the Prankster God must still be aboard.

So he should have found him. 

But somehow...he couldn't. 

And this had them all rather worried. 

"I couldn't find his scent anywhere." Fenris, meeting back at the hotel Roland and the others had been staying at previously, announced the results of her labors.

"I had a few drones scan the area and performed seven locator spells. It was useless." Solomon tapped his foot impatiently, dissatisfied with his failing.

"I checked all the bars. He's not chatting up any ladies at any of them." Aries leaned back on the counch and stretched his arms with a tried yawn. 

"The upper levels of the ship are no good either, I sent out my consciousness and felt no large or powerful patterns at all." Mephisto took a sip from the coffee cup in his hands.

"He's not at that succubus lair you guys told me about." Mercury shrugged. "And I tried using my connection to him to find his location. No dice."

As for Roland, he was busy making himself brunch--a ham and cheese egg roll with a side of french toast.

"...Alright." He said to break the silence. "We're all thinking it. Go ahead and say it."

"That crazy bitch definitely has him." Solomon monotoned. "See, I fucking told you letting her live would be a bad idea, but no, no one listens to good 'ol Sol anymore. I mean I'm only the wisest, most handsome person in all of existence. What do I know?" He folded arms, glaring at the man spitefully.

Then, seeing it had no effect, the mage merely tapped his foot and set fire to Roland's delicious creation. 

"Bastard." Roland, seeing the ashes of his food blow away, couldn't help but curse.

"I'm not the one making himself breakfast while our friend is probably being tortured. Fuck off."

"It's brunch. " Roland corrected. "And I was hungry. Also it's Loki we're talking about. He'll find his way out himself eventually. Plus we both know torture doesn't work on him."

The god didn't care overmuch about what happens to his physical body. And other methods were child's play to a guy who, in his more sadistic times, invented about a thousand new ways to break a person without even harming their flesh. 

"Even though that's true, how do you plan to punish that bitch for doing this in the first place? Ro, she can't be allowed to do shit like this!" Aries stood up and shouted.

Roland sighed. 

"I know. I know. We have to find him. And we have to punish her."

Sol frowned. "You mean kill, right? I can still summon my--"

"No. Gehenna's supposedly been keeping to herself recently, right? Not caused any major incidents? I see no reason she should have to die. It seems like right now she isn't much worse than any of the other beings capable of wiping out entire planets so as long as she stays docile I don't think it's worth it."

Fenris put forth her own opinion, "Okay, fine,  but everyone knows she isn't stable. Who can say when she'll revert back to her old ways? Her being here while a few of the strongest people in the Higher Planes are also conveniently close by and just laying on their asses is a chance which won't likely come by again. I say let Solomon summon his posse so we have a better chance at bringing her down while the time is ripe."

"I'm sure some people will be tracking her down too since the other pantheons had already been notified. If we can at least just keep her here until then you can all have at her together."

"She hasn't done anything wrong though." Roland insisted, not sure why he really even cared that much.

"She's kidnapped our friend and is likely beating him to a pulp." Mephisto said flatly.

"So? We've all wanted to do that before. Actually a few of us even have. That's what we do!" Roland countered.

This caused a shift among them, because they couldn't really deny his words...

"It's how we show our love." Roland smirked.

"Sadists, the lot of you. In any case before we decide what to do with her, we have to go and save that guy. I mean I'm all for leaving him there with her for a maybe a day or two more, but we are practically the same person after all. Can't just do nothing. " Mercury started biting her nails. 

Even she somewhat disliked her other selves at times. Still, she couldn't simply not help him. 

Roland considered for a moment, then spoke up once more. "Actually, about that...I might just have a way to get to him." He said casually.

"What? How?" They all questioned as one.

"It's simple: You guys just have to leave."

***

It was many hours after they'd left. Including them, Roland also asked Apollo to leave as well. It annoyed the Sun God, but he grudgingly left as per his request. He didn't care about Loki, but he was promised Gehenna would be dealt with.

He in no way wanted any part of that. After numerous assurances that both his people and his ship would remain unharmed, he reluctantly agreed. 

No one knew why Roland asked them all to depart from the ship, but they trusted he knew what he was doing. 

So they left and sought their own accomodations in the city below the Delphi,  anxiously awaiting the results.

Roland, currently, walked idly through the streets of Apollo's cities. He did this level by level, going downward until he arrived on the lowest level of the ship.

He just continued to step along the streets, picking the ones that were empty and lifeless.

Walking. Waiting.

"Brother?" 

And then he heard it. A soft, feminine voice that was both beautiful and somehow frightening all at once.  

"So...that's what we were, huh." 

For the second time Roland came face to face with the terror of heaven, hell and everything in between. 

Gehenna.

***

He looked exactly the same. The same thick black hair and sharp blue eyes. 

The same way of standing, like he ruled over the entire area. 

Calm, steady, as if nothing could faze him. 

Perfectly at ease, even now, with that familiar aura of confidence and power that had always made her feel so safe and warm ever since she was a little girl. 

Gehenna was euphoric, giddy. 

Finally...finally none of those pesky people were here. Only them, alone, like it'd always been before.

He didn't look mad, or unhappy. Just idly walking along at his own pace...as if he were waiting for something. 

Someone. 

Gehenna felt it. 

She knew what he was doing. 

Knew he was baiting her. 

Yet she couldn't help it, she wasn't able to pass the chance up. It was just them now, she had to talk to him. 

...Maybe...maybe he even...remembered...

But Gehenna's hopes were dashed in an instant.

Because as soon as she called out to him, as soon as he turned to face her, there was no recognition in his eyes...there was just...nothing at all...

"So...that's what we were, huh." 

The words were crushing. Gehenna felt her chest tighten, but held on. 

"I suppose you and I should have a chat, right?" She heard him say, breaking her from her thoughts. 

"Brother...I..." Gehenna wasn't sure what to say. She froze. 

After so long, after so many years apart and countless dreams about how their reunion would go, she found that she could't find any words to say at all. 

"You know, even though I understand what we were to each other now, it's still a bit hard to believe." He gave an awkward smile. "I imagine my previous words to you were hard to hear. You must have felt awful, hearing something like that from someone you care about. Brother...I really don't think that title suits me. Although I guess it's not any worse than being called a father." He chuckled. 

The reminder of that time made her flinch.

"I'm sorry. " She whispered, head bowed. "I'm so sorry...I...I didn't know she was your daughter...I really didn't..." She felt like she would cry. 

She hurt her. His daughter. His precious daughter. She almost killed her.

But she was just so angry, so blinded by hate, that she couldn't see the resemblance until the ring caught her eye. 

She'd only been able to see her face in the girl. Morrigan's. 

Not his. Not until it was too late. 

"Don't worry, I didn't know she was my daughter then either." Her brother grinned. Then grew serious. "Although..."

Gehenna understood what he didn't say. 

It still wasn't right, was it. Her doing that. 

He couldn't forgive her so easily.

"You know, I've been told quite a bit about you." Her brother eyed her carefully. "None of it very nice." 

They told him things. They must have. 

He probably thought she was a monster.

She hated herself, because she knew she was. And yet things were different now! 

"No, it's okay!" She rushed to assure him, to try and make him understand. "I've been good, brother! I've tried! I have, really!  Ever since you left, I...I stopped...I did! I stopped! Please, you have to believe me! I'm not...like that anymore..." She finished weakly.

It was hard. So hard. Everyone hated her. Everyone wanted her dead. And she hated them, too. All of them.

It was a constant need, an unquenchable hunger...to end lives, to take away. It was her calling. Her curse. 

But she fought it. 

Why?

Her brother would dislike it. It was "wrong". 

"I've really... been good. A good girl. Like you said. I don't kill anymore!" 

Be a good girl. That's what he'd once told her. And she made an effort to follow it.

Good girls didn't kill, didn't hurt others. They controlled themselves.

Gehenna wasn't able to completely stop doing the latter, but she didn't kill. 

Even when she really, really wanted to. 

Because when she wanted to, she was always reminded not to do it. 

Like with Asmodeus. She held back. Didn't kill. She would have, could have, but didn't. 

Before she wouldn't have cared at all.

She changed...she did...really...

"I see." Was all he said. 

And he looked at her. Really looked. What was he looking for? Searching for? She didn't know.

"Where is he?" After a long moment, that's what he asked. Against all expectations, he said something she couldn't understand.

"Who?" 

"Loki. I know you have him. I want to take him back."

So it was him. That's what he wanted.

"Back? Take him back? Why? He can help us! He can help make you you again!" 

She was angry. Really angry. More than she'd ever been. 

Morrigan, was it her? Did she come up with this? Have everyone leave, have her brother come here like this and aske her to give up the person who can help them?

Despicable! 

It was her! It had to be, there wasn't any other explanation! She wanted to keep him like that, wanted him to stay how he was, broken!

Gehenna hated her! Hated her so much! Why, why couldn't that woman leave her alone? Why, why, why?! Wasn't the first time enough? Didn't she suffer enough? 

She only wanted to put things back in order, she only wanted to go back to those days! With him and her and their little house they'd built all those years ago....So why...why did that bitch want to torment us? 

I really hate her very much, so very much.

She wants to take from us. Take everything we love. The only thing we've ever loved. 

But no. We'll be the ones to take from her this time. Take everything, every ounce of happiness that she stole, everything that was ours by right! 

They'd take him, their brother. Take his daughter. Leave her, that bitch, with nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing at all. 

Then we'll go back. Yes. 

To that place. It's still waiting for us. There, she could see it now.   

Three, it can fit three. Even if it couldn't, they'd make it. Sleep in one room, like they used to when they were young. 

We'll be so happy, then. 

Just us...a family. 

Him and us and her--our little niece. We'll raise her, yes. Of course. Like she was ours. 

She should have been ours! 

Happy. Together. Just like it should have always been.

...Morrigan just has to die first...

He paused. "Gehenna..." 

She snapped. "Don't call me that!" A harsh, biting snarl. "I'm Grace, right? I'm your Grace, aren't I? Aren't I?! Even if you don't remember, I do! We remember my name! I...no, we...We're still...I'm..."

Her head hurt. It was like it was splitting open. Screaming. All the screaming, the noise, constant noise like static. And the voice. Not her's. No.

Grace?

Gehenna?

Two names, her name, their name. Yes. Both of them. One--no, two. That's right. They had two, not one, no. Two. They each had-- 

...They? "They" who? 

...It hurt...Her head...Her heart...Everything....Pain, so much pain, why was there so much p--?

"Grace?"

It stopped.

"Yes, brother?" Grace questioned, tilting her head curiously.

He was acting weird today, wasn't he?

Big brother.