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Chapter 5: Family

Six blooms since the pyramid, It had been two weeks since Mul left for Lucach. Oya had decided a few days ago that he wasn't coming back. Whether he was dead or just abandoned her didn't matter, gone was gone and she was on her own. But in the time since they met Oya and Thanata had become close friends. The two would spend their days together taunting the dead and causing all kinds of mischief for the living. Periodically Thanata would up and vanish to handle someone's death, leaving Oya alone. But unlike Mul Thanata always came back.

One day near the eastern shore of Terrabe, Thanata watched intently as Oya gracefully pummeled a group of bandits that attempted to have their way with her. She didn't kill them because she didn't want Thanata to leave. So she just beat them until they retreated. "That was fun." Thanata gleefully stated, floating her way up to her friend. "If that's what you want to call it." Oya replied dryly. "So now what do you want to do?" Thanata asked as she twirled around in the air. "Wanna show me how to fly? You have wings but they don't flap like a bird, u just kinda float." Thanata thought about it for a second. "I can try, I guess. I don't really know how I do it." "Thanata!" The little voice made them both turn around. A little girl that looked exactly like Thanata? only her hair and wings were black not white, and her dress was white not black, floated in the air behind them. "Mother sent me to bring you home." "Hiii Ninti!" Thanata yelled excitedly. "Hi Thanata, now come on or we will be late and you know father doesn't like when we do that." "Okay but I'm gonna bring my friend." Ninti looked at Oya and then at Thanata. "You know you can't bring random mortals home." Oya spoke up. "I dont think I'm mortal." Ninti shrieked "Wh-what, she can hear me?" Thanata smiled and flew around Oya. "Yes isn't she amazing? She's an Aeon like us." "But how?" But instead of giving her sister an answer, Thanata grabbed her and Oya by their wrists and they all vanished.

Gold and lavender colored clouds painted a royal blue sky as a golden sunset-like hue washed over the endless amber grass that stretched further than Oya could see. A gentle pleasant breeze tickled Oya's face as she stood frozen in place by the magnificent beauty of this new realm. "Come on Oya." Thanata yanked on her arm a few times before Oya decided to go with her. A small cottage surrounded by yellow, orange, blue, red, violet, and white flowers sat nestled at the peak of a small hill. Small colorful spores floated by as the trio made their way to the front door of the cottage. Ninti was the first to enter, then Oya followed by Thanata. The interior of the cottage was immensely larger than it looked on the outside. An array of various clocks of different shapes and sizes hung neatly in order on the walls. Potted plants and flowers lined themselves along the walls. A few rabbits nibbled on some of the foliage while two tiny blue birds chased each other throughout the rooms. "Mom!" Thanata yelled, causing the rabbits to flee. "Child, must you always make as much noise as possible?" A voice asked from the other room. A beautiful young woman who didn't look old enough to have kids stepped from around the corner. She wore a loose green sundress, and a laurel wreath on her head. She was barefooted, which is where the twins must have got that from. And a flurry of small white wing butterflies danced around her. "And Thanata, you mustn't tease your father by being late all the time, no matter how humorous his reaction might be." The woman froze when she noticed Oya. "Mom, this is my beeeest friend in the entire cosmos, Oya." Thanata gleefully danced around Oya who waved nervously at the woman. "Well Oya it's very nice to meet you. I'm Genetrix, but you may call me Trixie and you are more than welcome to stay for dinner” Not knowing what to say Oya just smiled. “Ninti go let your father know that dinner is ready." Without a word Ninti got up and ran into the room. "Isn't Oya just the best, mom?" Thanata, barely able to contain her excitement, bounced up and down in her chair. "Of course dear, she is quite amazing." Ninti ran back into the room and sat back in her chair. Soon after an older man that looked like his kids should have kids shuffled into the room. "Trixie, what's this about Thanata bringing a human here?" The man stopped mid shuffle and stared at Oya. "Ninti." The old man started. "This girl is by no means human, at least not completely.” The old man walked closer to Oya in an effort to examine her but she stepped away from him. “Can I help you with something?” She asked, annoyed by the invasion of personal space. The man paid her no mind. “Thanata, is this the one you spoke of?” he asked. “Yes! Isn't she sooooo cool?!” In her excitement Thanata almost fell from her chair. The man looked back at Oya once more. “Hmm, human and Aeon. Hidden from time.” “Who are you?” Oya asked, in a less than respectful tone which caught the man off guard. “I do apologize my name is Aevum and I am the Aeon of time.” Aevum shuffled over to the table and sat down. Suddenly Thanata slammed her hands on the table. "Ooooo Oya what are you the Aeon of?" “I don't even know what an Aeon is, T.” Oya replied. “We are aspects of existence made manifest.” Aevum explained, “We usually manifest when said aspect is out of balance for some reason and needs conscious management. Trixie and Apep being the only exceptions, they have always been. But you seem different, like you were a forced manifestation.” Oya thought about it for a while before speaking up. "Well there was this one time a fat crow said something about free will." Aevum and Trixie looked at each other. “It got on my nerves so I fried it." Oya took a sip from the cup in front of her. "Oh dear." Aevum stated. "Well that's in the past." Trixie joked prompting her and her daughters to giggle. Aevum didn't seem to find the joke funny, and Oya didn't get it. “Who’s Apep?” Oya asked. Ninti tensed up at the name and Thanata looked at her and shook her head as an answer. "Well Oya you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like." Trixie offered while tickling the bird on her shoulder, ignoring the question all together. Oya took the hint, "Nah I'd better get back. The whole "family" thing makes me uncomfortable." Trixie gave a look of sympathy. "Well, feel free to come visit whenever you're feeling lonely." "Sure." Oya said, finishing off her drink. "T, How do I get out of here?" Thanata jumped out of her chair and gave a salute. "Thanata, reporting for duty." Ninti tried to hide her amusement at her sister's antics. Thanata grabbed Oya's hand and the two of them popped away. Trixie glared at Aevum who was no longer paying attention to the conversation unaware of what he did.

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