A few days had passed since Ayden and company arrived in Dòchas and their time in the lakeside town was rather peaceful.

Everything and everyone had a place and all of that was overseen by the Bloody Numbers.

They made sure no one starved and they kept the peace.

Ayden awoke in Ayanna’s arms and he slowly pried himself free from her grasp before lightly stretching his small arms.

During their stay in Dòchas, Ayden and company had shared what they knew with the Boss, although he seemed sceptical about the validity of their claims.

Ayden didn’t mind.

The more people knew about the truth of this dreaded night, the better.

Ayanna opened her eyes to find Ayden lighting a few candles.

She briefly smiled as she watched him sit back down.

He then inspected a certain necklace in the dimness of the room.

The boy let out a soft hum before noticing that Ayanna was awake.

Ayden smiled as he continued fiddling with the necklace.

That is until the sounds of footsteps caught his attention.

A knock came from the door and Ayanna stood up to answer it.

“Hello, Ayanna. The Boss says he wants to talk to you.” A Number said with narrowed eyes.

Ayanna nodded before gesturing that Ayden follow her.

Ayden quickly moved over towards Àlainn and shook her lightly.

“Mom and I are leaving for a moment, ok?” He said and Àlainn nodded before the boy followed his mother out of the room.

They then followed the Number and eventually arrived at the building wherein the Boss awaited.

They found him leaning against his desk with crossed arms and a faint smile graced his weathered face.

“I’ll be damned. There’s definitely something wrong with that town of yours.” The Boss said as he walked up to Ayanna.

“But, my word still stands. My men and I are going to Dachaigh Gual and we’re ending this.” The Boss said as he offered Ayanna his hand.

“Does that mean that you found Gi’ Kolarum?” Ayden asked as Ayanna and the boss shook hands.

“Oh, we found him. That and that bog of a town of yours is filled to the brim with mangy beasts. My scouts also say that he’s got an accomplice. Any idea who he might be?” The Boss asked with narrowed eyes.

Ayden and Ayanna glanced at each other, but they couldn’t think of anyone.

“No,” Ayden said.

“Oh. Anyway, rest easy. This night will end and when the sun rises, a glorious new day will bathe this land and its people in the light of hope.” The Boss said with a bright smile.

“Ok-“ Ayden was about to say, but he noticed that Ayanna’s expression was one of pain.

“Mom?”

Ayanna turned to face Ayden.

“I’ll give you some space.” The Boss said as he crept away.

Ayanna knelt to meet Ayden’s eyes.

“I want to go as well,” Ayanna whispered.

Ayden’s eyes shook.

“No. You heard what he said about the beasts- No. End of discussion. You’re not going anywhere.” Ayden said as his brows furrowed.

“But-” Ayanna tried saying, but Ayden pointed northward.

“Let’s talk to Fea and Àlainn about this, at least,” Ayden said as he walked out of the building.

Ayanna silently followed Ayden until they arrived at the hall.

They then entered their room.

Fea’s eyes narrowed.

“What happened?” He asked.

“The Numbers say that Gi is in Dachaigh Gual.”

“OK… and?”

“Mom wants to help the Numbers kill him,” Ayden said with a lowered head.

Fea looked at Ayanna, whose head was also lowered.

“Killing Gi will not take the pain away, Ayanna,” Fea said.

Ayanna raised her head to speak, but she closed her mouth before uttering any words.

“What will we do if you are injured or worse?” Fea asked as his eyes trembled.

"I... don't know." Ayanna said.

"And what of Ayden? What do you expect him to do should you not return?"

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“I don’t know,” Ayanna whispered as she fell to her knees.

Her skin then rapidly turned grey and her eyes burnt bright purple.

“Oh no, Ayanna!” Fea exclaimed as tears fell from Ayanna’s eyes.

“Àlainn, Ayden, try to calm her,” Fea said as he hopped over to an empty spot in the room.

He then closed his eyes before taking several deep breaths.

.

..

Fea opened his eyes to find himself in a certain garden, but he quickly flew into the doorway beneath the Sealladh rune before finding himself in the room with everyone else, except Ayanna was much larger.

Her size drastically increased as Fea watched.

“Ayanna!” Fea called out, but Ayanna tucked her legs within her arms as tears fell from her face.

Fea hopped over to her and saw that her skin shifted from a dark grey to swampy green as she grew.

She opened her big purple eyes and looked straight at Fea.

“You’re right. You’re both right. It’s just that…” Ayanna stopped as more tears fell from her eyes.

Ayanna’s body phased through the floor and walls as it continued to grow and Fea watched as Ayden clutched Ayanna’s physical body.

The boy then looked up and for a moment, it looked as though he was looking straight into Ayanna’s other eyes.

Fea took a deep breath.

“Ayanna… I will not repeat what has already been said, however, I want you to know that regardless of what happens, I- we will always be there for you.” Fea said as he closed his eyes.

.

..

Ayanna watched as Fea returned to his body.

Her mind raced as her body grew and grew.

She eventually grew so large, that she overlooked Dòchas and an idle Yar’ Ley could be seen in the distance.

Ayanna also realized that her legs had become embedded into the ground.

She tried moving, but instead of moving through the world, the world shifted.

She took several deep breaths before looking behind her, where infinite paths revealed themselves.

They were all thin ethereal strings that reach out to the stars.

Ayanna ignored them as she looked down at Dòchas.

She then nodded to herself before closing her eyes.

She felt the world shift and as she opened her eyes, she found herself above Dachaigh Gual.

She looked to the northwest to see a little house.

Ayanna faintly smiled before returning her gaze to the town below her.

She then opened her mouth and the world would tremble as she spoke.

“Gi’ Kolarum.”

The world shifted again and she found herself sitting in front of a certain fountain in the centre of Dachaigh Gual.

In front of her, stood a naked man with dark hair and eyes.

“Give him back to me,” Gi said, but Ayanna shook her head.

“No. Ayden is mine, but I didn’t come here to tell you that. I want to ask you to help me raise him.” Ayanna said, ignoring the countless beasts that swarmed Dachaigh Gual.

“What?” Gi asked, his face expressionless.

“I don’t know much about the reverie plane and all that other stuff. I was hoping that where I lacked, you could provide-“

“But your kind is hateful and bloodthirsty. Should dawn arrive and brother bloom, you will never experience peace again.” Gi said with slightly furrowed brows.

“I… we could work through that. We could keep him safe-“

“And what about you? You will live only for a bit longer. What then?” Gi asked.

Ayanna squeezed her fists as her breaths grew frantic.

“Hopefully, by then, I’d have taught you all you need to know to continue caring for him properly-“

“You speak as though I am currently incapable,” Gi snapped.

“Because you are. Currently, at least. At no point, during this night, did you search for him. All you did was send others to hunt and kill those he cares for-“

“Silence!” Gi said as his face became visibly flustered.

“You don’t care about Ayden. Not as much as you should. But if we work together, we can-“

“I tire of your ramblings!” Gi said as he walked towards Ayanna, who was firmly implanted into the ground.

He then raised his hand and placed his palm on Ayanna’s forehead.

Ayanna closed her eyes and held her breath.

An incredibly sharp pain then assaulted her mind.

She tried moving but found herself unable.

She then heard a voice.

“My lord, was that wise to do?” The voice asked.

It sounded familiar, but Ayanna couldn’t tell as it felt as though her mind was being crushed inside her skull.

“I don’t care.”

.

..

“Mom!” Ayden cried as Ayanna bled from just about everywhere.

Her eyes, nose, ears and gills bleed profusely as she slept in Ayden’s arms.

Àlainn grabbed a few towels, but just as she did, a loud knock came from the door.

“What’s going on in here?” A voice asked from outside.

Ayden turned to Fea, but Fea remained silent as he tucked his extra arms beneath his feathers.

Another knock then came from the door.

“Open the door, now!” The voice from before barked.

Àlainn stood up and slowly opened the door to find several Numbers waiting outside.

They shoved her to the side and laid their eyes on Ayanna’s blood-soaked body.

“Drag them out!” One the Numbers barked before the Numbers dragged Ayden, Ayanna and Àlainn out of the room.

Nearby Dòchasians left their homes and watched as the Numbers dragged Ayden and company out onto the main street where the Boss awaited.

“I see it now.” He said as paced back and forth.

“You really fooled us! I should have seen it. The signs were in front of me all along!” The Boss yelled as the Numbers dropped Ayden and Àlainn in front of him.

The Numbers then placed several saws on Ayanna’s neck as she writhed in pain.

“You must have seen us as the perfect prey! All gathered and ready for slaughter!” The Boss yelled, his face beet red and his eyes wide.

“What are you talking about?” Ayden asked.

“Bite your filthy tongue! Dachaigh Gual was merely a diversion, lads and ladies! No, what they wanted was for us to leave our nest and ravage our homes in our absence.” The Boss yelled as Ayanna coughed up even more blood.

“We know not what you speak of,” Àlainn said, but one of the Numbers kicked her in the back of the head before spitting on the ground next to her.

“Silence, wench! The Boss has seen through your schemes.” The Number said.

The world trembled for a moment and the moon's light intensified.

[Run!]

A voice yelled and in the next moment, all of the Numbers held their heads as blood flew out from their every orifice.

Ayden grabbed Ayanna and picked her up before reaching out to pick Àlainn up.

His little legs ached intensely, but he didn’t stop, even as anguished screams filled the air.

[Your Highness, now may be the time for you to sprout.]

The voice from before said as the Numbers fell to the ground.

Onlookers gasped in horror as blood lined the streets of Dachas.

Some of the Numbers eventually started walking towards Ayden.

“Don’t let them get away!” The Boss yelled through gnashed bloody teeth.

[Please, my lord!]

The voice yelled, but Ayden shook his head as he dragged Ayanna and Àlainn up the street.

The gate was about forty or so meters away, but Ayden’s little body continued to quake as he walked.

“I don’t want to turn into a monster!” Ayden cried as a cleaver whizzed past him.

[Your divine blood will not allow such! So please!]

The voice said.

“How?” Ayden asked and just as he did, he felt heard possibly the lowest possible sound.

It was a low drone that shook the earth and visibly caused the air to tremble.

Everything then went black.

.

..

Ayden opened his eyes as quickly as he could to find himself on what looked like a never-ending beach that was bathed in the light of a red moon.

He shook his head before finding Ayanna and Àlainn laying in the sand near him.

He crawled toward them before pulling them closer.

Ayden tried calling out their names but quickly realized that he couldn’t hear his own voice.

He then realized that the beach was lined with an innumerable amount of beings of various make.

They all raised their hands, claws, paws, hooves and tentacles as high as they could and they screamed with all their might into the night sky.

The vast ocean before them served only as a throne for what sat above.

Ayden slowly looked up to find a being whose chest alone covered half the sky.

Its dark form was a blend of the cosmos’ darkest colours and the bright shades belonging only to the brightest stars in the sky.

Its gigantic purple eyes stared at Ayden so intently that tears rolled down the boy's face.