The hesitation didn't last long, now the aspect's divinity was swirling. "I understand, poor child. You were reaching out, hoping to make sense of it all, hoping to find someone who could truly understand your feelings." I paused. "You should all get behind me, it will test me, the multiple waves worked against us, it wants an individual to understand but now it isn't sure if I am one or many."
"Adam, we're her for you, ok?"
"I know... I need to be there for this child now. Forgive me." As the storm of the aspect's emotion smashed towards us the groaning of the earth and vibration of the air returned with a vengeance, the earth split, the air itself recoiled that created vacuums and distortions.
Several pockets even imploded and released shock waves the brought down structures, but I responded in kind. Gathering the infused divinity and launching it toward the coming disaster.
The forces met and caused many more reactions, more pockets explodes, some combusted, some froze solid. Some produced small crystals of hyper compacted elements. The battle, no it wasn't a battle, it was a non verbal heated-discussion, one that was shaking the very laws of the mortal realm with its urgency.
As the contrast between the linear collision of opposing divinity and the chaotic repercussion that flared into existence before snuffing themselves out, was a juxtaposition of indescribable beauty, a feeling that worked its way into the force I expelled.
For a second the aspect yielded a few dozen metres as I sensed confusion seep into it as its response, then I heard an ethereal infantile voice. "You don't understand!" It was warped and twisted with grief and sorrow and broke our hearts to even hear. I felt foolish for letting that glimmer of joy seep in but then it retaliated with new found fury and a sense of betrayal.
I empowered my side with everything negative I could muster, desperate to keep the fight fair so it didn't lash out in earnest, but my life now was filled with so much love and light, how could I belittle it by claiming to still understand a life of hollow suffering?
Then a voice, soft and tinged with sadness spoke up from within me, echoing from behind the wall of my first life. "It seems I need a bit of help. Why don't I add the pain of bidding my world, my father, my siblings, my friends and most importantly my precious daughters farewell. Come now child let us see if that pain matches yours."
My divinity disappeared as the new wielder regathered it.
"Dad..." The word was ripped from Astrael's lip like a partially formed scab from a fresh wound.
"Your Dad is dead girl, a memory, cherish it internally as memories are meant to be." As he finished speaking, the aspects power loomed mere millimetres from his outstretched hand. "Rest now child, you are understood. Not by me, no, I am merely the pacifier to put you to sleep. They are the ones who understand, the girls still reeling from the loss of one foolish enough to leave them. Now sleep."
Unimaginable power followed, it wasn't simply divinity infused with emotion, it was as though he created a whole new aspect in that moment, to embody the essence of that battle and to create the outcome we all wanted.
He couldn't stay, so he gave it a sibling, the very same that could truly understand it.
"Treasure my girls damn you..." They were the last words I heard from him as he stepped back behind the wall.
"Astrael... Cosmael... I-I'll... be there... in a second... just... need... to..." My body gave out, having the original master of The Black wielding the poultry scraps of power I had, stretched them to the limits.
Strangely the next thing I knew I was waking up, no meeting with the fake Idir, no pretence or strange epiphany. "Astrael, Cosmael, Eve, Layaera, are you all ok?"
"Us? You had us worried there, I can't believe he did that to you, he could have torn your body apart, why do you think we don't tell you secrets of divinity?"
"Oh.... That's it, I just thought you were mischievous."
"They are my love, but they also love you dearly."
"Stop it, please. Eve, I'm ok... I promise I'm ok, you must be in rough condition to."
"You both are. Cosmael, I'll take the newborns back to sister, you and Layaera patch them up as much as you can."
Cosmael was clinging to us both. "Come on Little One, don't be sad, you should be happy to have two dads fighting over you."
"He's mean, I only want you, I really thought about it this time and that's my decision." I felt a pang of distant heartache but it was marred in acceptance and understanding.
"I'm sure he will be sad to hear that, but I know he will be just as happy to see you become who you want to be."
"Oh and of course I want Mum to when I said "I only want you" I meant I only want you as a dad, just like I only want Mum as Mum... Sorry Mum, this is sounding bad."
"Don't worry Little One, I know what you mean, but seriously girls, can you get started on healing there was a lot of blow-back there and my body feels like it got hit with a mountain."
"On the bright side we now know how to channel feelings into divinity and if you are pregnant we can ensure it only knows the love and joy their family has for them." I said before using what strength I had to kiss her whilst placing a hand on her belly.
"Guys... Hello, you know we're here right, I haven't even left yet. Hello? Fine... Girls have fun, Cosmael, I hope you don't remember seeing this when you're reborn it's bad for a child's emotional growth."
"Actually on that note, you two need to redo the privacy enchantments on your hot spring room. After you left Babylon said "I think they need this, their divinity has been leaking out." She thought you two were arguing, so I had to tell her that it doesn't just happen when you're mad to stop her panicking about you training her."
"Wait..." Eve stopped kissing me immediately. "How much was leaking out?"
Astrael laughed briefly. "Don't worry, Quatal and Fala were too far away, but the ladies have definitely noticed when we were taking a bath before bed. You two are animals."
"Little one... We are so sorry." Astrael had to leave then, before she was too indisposed to do her job.
"I don't want to talk about it, can we just go get Quatal and forget it please... Just don't forget the enchantments... Please. Astrael has been teasing non-stop."
As soon as we were healed and restored enough to move properly, we sent Layaera home and went to collect Quatal.
"Quatal! Come down, we're back." She didn't bother landing, just transformed and plummeted.
"Mama, Papa, Big sis, everyone ok?"
"Yes, everybody is fine... Embarrassed, but ok." Eve and I told everyone that the problem was solved and explained it in full.
They wanted to know how it happened but we just didn't know, so I told them my best guess was it was corrupted divinity that made Idir immortal and he must have leaked it into the city where it accumulated into the aspect.
"You're sure it's gone?" One of the higher ranked guards asked, not out of doubt, but out of vulnerability. The man had see his home on the verge too many times lately and it showed on his face, his hope was fragile and simply couldn't raise it if there was a chance it would come crashing down.
"How long have you lived here?" I asked, making him blink with confusion.
"All forty-one of my years, if you don't count my absence through duty."
"Forty-one years you called this land home and defended it. How many of those years were you defending it from the ones ruling it?"
"More than I care to admit, you don't need to tell me... I failed."
I walked up and slapped him on the shoulder. "You didn't fail a single day of those forty-one years. This land was carried on the backs of you and all those like you. Yes the land you knew has crumbled, but with the weight gone stand tall. You and your men need to rally your countrymen and band together now to rebuild."
"Sir, I am no politician, they all died to hubris and self-service. We have no one to lead our country."
"As future king of Eden I offer you this, I will take the outlying lands under my care and guidance, until such a time when Kanelsia stands strong enough to support them. When that day comes, we will give back half. Old kanelsia tried to break Eden, Eden tried to spare Old Kanelsia only to fail. Let the future be one where Eden and New Kanelsia stand as equals to guard the eastern shores from coming threats."
The man nodded, new motivation reigniting the dying embers of his hopes in Kanelsia.
"I accept, Your Grace."
"Don't tell me... I said future king... What you need to do, is send word to the man currently at the helm and I will pass word of my offer in advance so he knows to expect it... Now go... Tell your people... Their suffering is gone but their home merely waits to be reborn and rebuilt."
The men ran off eagerly....
"So..." Eve started, a judgemental twang in her voice. "...You just couldn't be bothered to rule the whole east, could you?"
"Eve... My love... There is absolutely no Black forsaken chance I was ruling the whole east. For now... It's Halsan's problem. He should be happy, we can get those workers now and we have more manpower in general."
"Yes... Not to mention about twenty-two times as much land to govern..."
"I did not know it was that much..."
"Mama, Is uncle Halsan gonna hurt Papa?"
"Yes sweetie, but Papa deserves it so don't be mad."
"Ok, but he can't hurt him too bad, only I can if he tries to eat the baby."
"Ok, Papa is not eating the baby, full-stop. Quatal, I think I need to help you through some of this snake trauma. Males like me don't eat our own babies."
"Papa, I can honestly say I have yet to see enough proof to take the chance." The point was both ridiculous and completely logical, leaving me hurt, offended and sulking. "I really hop you aren't faking to make me feel bad, it will just make it easier to fight if you try to eat the baby."
That was when I became absolutely certain. I had no way of proving my truth until I didn't eat the baby.