AN: Finally, another chapter. The other project has taken up a lot more time than expected but i think after a few more chapters i will be back to working on this more. Sorry for the long-ass wait, truly. i felt guilty and rushed this one.
Yeah, you can probably tell after reading, no? I feel that this will be a bit of a let down after the long wait. I apologise.
Anyway, sorry again. Editing will be done later. For now, sleep. Remember to rate, review and comment on whatever you wish.
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"Holy shit. . ." Loki muttered. "To think you two have that sort of history is. . ."
Fenris, who recovered from her shock-induced catatonic state, looked at her father contemptuously.
"Jealous, are we?"
"Fuck no." Loki instantly refuted. " Woman scares me. No, im just feeling sorry for Roland here. He wont be getting any more peaceful days. But that aside, im surprised. "
She nodded. " Totally unbelievable right? I mean she, of all people, falling in love? That's insane." She shook her head in wonder.
Roland stayed silent.
How could he say anything. He had no idea what he had done in that life to gain Morrigan's affections.
Why did she love him? What did he do to earn her devotion?
He had no answer, and that killed him.
He felt like he didnt deserve her love, felt like it was not truly his. That she wasnt his. But in the end knew that if it were him he would not be convinced by such frail doubts.
He could only let out a bitter smile.
Loki changed topic. " But damn, you said you reincarnated? Then how did you get killed? Because I know that someone like you wouldnt have died from some sort of illness or something." He stated.
Roland shook his head. "I died of natural causes."
"Bullshit." Fenris said. "I can just smell the lie. Well, a half-lie anyway. So spill."
He stiffened. " Its a bit personal. I think not. "
"Whats the point of hiding it?" Loki asked, tilting his head.
" As I said, it's personal, Loki. There isnt much more about it. Its my problem anyway. "
"Maybe we could help. You never know. "
Roland, hearing such a thing from someone who didnt even understand his situation, the things he has already tried, instantly snapped. " You cant. Loki, this isnt the first time I have been reincarnated! I dont even know how many times its been already! For all i know this is the hundredth, the thousandth! And everytime I do, my memories are locked away, out of my reach.
My loved ones lost to me. I cant even remember their faces and yet sometimes I would get a name, a smile, a certain laugh or figure. . . They're like ghosts, haunting me in my sleep. Have you ever heard of a situation like this? I've done the research, and I couldnt find anything like it. So, is your curiosity sated? Can either of you help at all? "
Roland's voice rose and fell, feeling a mixture of annoyance, pain, anger, grief and other emotions that sat in his stomach like bile.
The two looked at him, stunned by his sudden and unexpected outburst. Especially Loki, who had rarely seen his friend so trustrated. He had seen him angry to the point of exterminating an entire clan, but this was simply a new look that expressed countless regrets and emotions he couldnt keep up with.
In his long life he had rarely seen this type of look on anyone.
Finally Fenris couldnt help it, and said, "Bullshit! Reincarnation is one of the core laws of creation, not some broken toy! A person with a strong soul can escape the process and go straight toward a new body, whether it be one about to be born or one recently dead, but you cant simply skip the process so many times and keep your soul intact! It just isnt done! Gods, demons, magical beasts, or any other type of supernatural creature are all bound by Karma, which governs reincarnation. If what you say is true then everything we know about heaven's laws is worthless!"
She shouted. Fenris let out everything in a single breathe and was now busy refilling her lungs.
Loki nodded vigorously. "Not that I dont believe you, but seriously, what the flying fuck? I have a massive headache here. Roland, my dear friend. . . No, I dont have any words to even. . . Damn, how the hell have I never met you before if what you say is true? How come no one I know has met you? The chance of a person like you remaining unknown is infinitely small. Unless you haven't been reincarnated too many times or the majority of them has been during the time of the truly ancient gods that have now been long removed from power, then I dont see any damn reason for me to have never even heard rumours of you!"
He stated, his voice rising with each word.
Roland laughed, sounding a touch resentful. " Who know. I certainly dont. So my question remains, can you two help at all?" His voice betrayed his thoughts, full of disbelief.
The father and daughter looked at each other.
An awkward silence filled the room.
Loki coughed, feeling a bit put on the spot. He raked his brain for an answer. After a long while he simply let out a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Then, very quietly, " Roland. . .I dont think anyone in this age can help you. You dont seem to be cursed. At least I cant feel one on you. But your situation seems like your soul is being controlled by forces that none of the powerhouses I know can go against. Perhaps if it were the time of the Old Ones, the beings that exsted when all of creation came into existence, or in the time of Forgotten Kings, who left their thrones for people liike my father or Zeus to fill . . .Perhaps they could offer more insight. Solomon, he knows many things long since gone from existence but I dont think even his knowledge can aid you. If you want my advice. . .I dont think I can offer any,"
Loki's entire bearing expressed his regret.
Fenris, too, felt uncomfortable.
They were curious about his circumstances but now it seemed this wasnt a matter that was easily talked of.
Loki understood why he never spoke of any of this. Roland knew Loki would, despite his ealried promise, push the matter. It as in his nature, he had to admit. And after hearing the situation he felt like he intruded upon something that he shouldnt.
This type of thing was never heard of before, at least not to him. In all his long years of existence he had never known of any situation like it. Karma, reincarnation, this was not something that was know all that well by anyone.
Roland, smile, unaffected, " I didnt expect you two to be of any help anyway, so dont worry. I'll probably find a way sooner or later." He smile didnt last.
Grace. . .She needed a father. And he would be that, for what time he had left. But he could be a mere child nect they met. He would forever be younger than her. Her father, him, would have to leave her again and again.
Morrigan was fine with that because she fine simply being with him, but the girl, would she understand?
However, he shook those doubts from his mind.
He had already made the decision to be her father for as long as she would have him. It wouldnt be a normal father-daughter relationship, it may even be a rather cruel one to her, but it was probably better than nothing. . .
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Sighing, he changed the topic. "Loki, how has the bead been coming along?"
Loki blincked, " What? Oh. . .I'm on the 335th seal. Getting harder. But I think I can fo it. Ah, and all the prepaaration are done for the trip. We dont really have many classed, or students, here so we can take them all with not much trouble. I;ve gotten a ship for us too. We can leave anytime. Just thought you should know."
He said distractedly.
Roland's eye shined excitedly, choosing to ignore the previous talk.. " Good. You've been waiting for Morrigan too get back, havent you?" He said, looking at Loki.
His friend coughed. " Well, we couldnt simply leave without her. . ."
" I suppose. Fenris. . .Will you be coming? " Roland asked.
"Sure, why not. " She laughed a bit, still not quite transitioning from the previous topic completely. She didnt know what to do, she felt sad for him but at the same time she couldnt help at all. And sympathy or pity would simply be like an insult. " I can show you my territory. I have quite a bit of space in the Higher Plains under my command. In the forests and such, anyway. Training for the young'uns, yes? I can help." She offered.
" Thanks, but no. Loki, about Solom, I still want him to take a look at the kid's curses. Reina's is the only one I believe has activated, but the three others. . .I dont know."
He remembered the cures of the boys, how especially mean and nasty they were. Soul Flames, sealed inside their bodies. Saren with one to burn his soul and James with one to freeze his body.
Pain, endless pain. Not even giving them the ability to pass out.
He could take the pain onto himself, take their place, but that would be a temporary fix. He could even try tieing the curses together to cancel them out. But he didnt want to mess with them, as now believed they may be hiding something even more sinister. Rather, he thought it may be contagious in a sense.
He still felt a certain coldnesss in his limbs at times, then a searing heat, coming and going. He thought maybe it had something to do with the boys' curese and wondered if it might spead to others somehow.
He also had to check on Reina, see how she was doing with that training method he taught her. And to make sure she wasnt traumatized by that event earlier.
Lilth and her father wanted to speak with him, and he pretty much already guessed their intentions. The two seemed a bit awkward and bad at interacting with others so he may have to do most of the talking though.
Which reminded him, Saren and James wanted to speak with him as well. He felt he fainly had an idea of what they wanted as well.
He also wanted to spend a bit of time with Grace and Morrigan, to catch up.
He remembered the little girl, Reina and Lilith's adoptive sister. . .Charlotte.
He wondered if she would be a good playmate for Grace. They were roughly the same age afterall. Charlotte seemed to be a rather lazy girl though. From what he heard she slept often.
He wondered if the parents would want to go. He knew thay had connections to the Higher Plains.
Loki had said that he was once contacted by the girls' real family. It looked like they had a bit of influence,
He thought that they might cause trouble, but he was prepared for it.
"Anyway, we can leave in a few days. Have the students pack and be ready to go."
"Already on it." Loki reported.
Heh, this was going to be fun~!
Such was his sentiments regarding the matter.
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In a large room, laying upon silken sheets the color of snow, were two figures.
The first was a lovely young woman with tanned skin and blonde hair that seemed to hold sunlight.
The other was a man, his hair was long and if he stood it would have reached his back. The color was black, ending in a fiery pattern of red near the end.
His looks were soft, almost angelic but held a perpetueal look of cold arrogance and superiority, His smile, even in sleep, was reckless and almost taunting.
At his side a crystal tablet emmitted a bright light and low sound.
After seaching in the darkness with a hand the man finally found the thing and tapped it tiredly.
A voice shouted at him, panicked. " Mephisto, wake up! Loki just called maybe a few hours ago, I think he and Roland are in trouble! Get up off your ass, we have to go! Im outside your castle, hurry up!"
The many let out an annoyed grunt. "Aries." The voice was dripping with irritation. " Do you even know what time it is? It time to rest. And I need my beauty sleep. Go away." Seriously, this guy. . .
"But Loki and Roland are--!"
"Able to handle themselves. Wait, isnt Roland by himself? When did he and Loki meet up? Wait, no, I dont care. Again, go away!"
" But if they're together im pretty sure its on the planet Loki set up that ridiculous school! And I heard Gehenna was spotted there!" Actually, he wasnt sure about this. But it was a good guess. Loki hadnt left that place for over a year already. ,aybe Roland went to visit him. Or course, how he would have gotten the location, he didnt know.
Mephisto, his heart pounding in his chest, jumped out of the bed and causing the woman to wake up. " Fuck start with that! I'll be out in a bit. Shit, that woman, why her? Dammit those two, they better not get themselves killed!" He cursed quietly.
"Honey, what's wrong?" A sweet voice called out.
"Roland and Loki. I think they're in trouble. Gehenna may be involved. Have to go." Mephisto rushed the words,
"I thought Roland was out on his own in the Lower Plains? Since when did he and Loki . . .? No, nevermind. Doesnt matter. But I think at least Roland could handle himself though . . .?"
" Maybe. That woman is dangerous though. Tricky. I hear she attacked Asmodeus' city a few days or so ago. Now she shows up near them? Cant be a coincidence. I have to leave, Aries is already here."
" Alright, but if you die Im not forgiving you. " The woman murmured, still half asleep.
Mephisto kissed her cheek quickly . " Please, im harder to kill than a cockroach. "
"Yes, yes. Hurry back, then. " The woman got up and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a kiss of her own.
Her slender curves pressed against him, making him for a moment want to get back in bed and forget the entire thing.
" Devilish woman, let me go already. " He smirked, teasing.
"Stop flirting with your damn wife and lets go! " Aries' voice came through.
" Damn bastard. . ." Mephisto muttered. " Those two better be dying or else im going to be pissed off. "
However he was actually concerned.
Who knows what chaos that Gehenna would cause? Ugh, he hated the thought of going to the same place she was.
"Till later, husband of mine. " The woman let him go.
" Dont worry, I should be back in a few days." He called out.
And with that he walked to the large window, opened it, and jumped.