We called the girls over and discussed the change of plans.
"So are we really killing it or is Papa going to catch it."
"Really fighting it, Papa is going to catch the humans with it." Eve answered, tickled by the fact Quatal was sceptical as well
"Wait... Dad, are you?"
"I am."
"Wow! Never thought I'd see you teach humans how to make it to be honest. That world left a pretty deep scar on you for a while."
"Hahaha! Oh that is funny, I'm not gonna teach them how to make it, I'm going to make it, then a book on how to make it. Then I'm going to force them into a unification of the human race into a single empire under the permanent rule of an ageless king, or a forced partnership with shared control over the book."
I explained my plan to curse both the book and the potion, it will be impossible for anyone to replicate either and if either are abused or treaties broken, then those under its effects would die.
Cosmael seemed unconvinced it would work, but agreed it would at least be worth the effort.
Quatal couldn't have cared less as we all mostly expected, but then she suddenly asked the question. "Wait, does that mean my human aunties and uncles will live forever?"
I paused briefly. "Quatal, I may let some of them take the potion. I won't promise it though..."
"But, why not?" She asked, somewhat confused and somewhat angry.
"Quatal, humans change quickly with time, rarely is it for the better. Today's friends can be enemies tomorrow and reckless gifting could cause the very suffering I seek to end."
"But they're our friends, we can't let them die, that's mean."
"They're mortals Quatal, they are meant to die. If they don't die they quickly reproduce and then people starve when there isn't enough food."
"But you can just use magic to make more."
"I won't be here forever either Quatal, Your mother and I will leave as soon as we are done reshaping the world into a more balance one. We will take our place in the Domain of Black, we will also spend time in The Garden, but if we stayed that could cause problems."
"You'll leave me?"
"Hahaha! Of course not, my silly girl. You'll leave our side long before that, but only because you'll be able to come and see us wherever we are, whenever you want. okay?"
"Promise?"
"That I can promise, I will not leave this world until you can follow me wherever I might go and find me without issue."
"Okay then Papa, I'll believe you, but you have to come visit this world to."
"I will, this world is my sister's home and I will visit her when I am forgiven. The other thing you have to consider, is that some humans simply do not like the idea of eternal life, so even those who do drink it, may one day ask me to free them for it, or activate the curse to leave me free of burden. I also forbid you from asking anyone to drink it."
"Bu-"
"Quatal, promise me. You may make them feel pressured for eternity. Emotional blackmail is mean remember and it is easily done without meaning to."
"Fine... I promise."
"Good girl, now you have promised, I will let you tell someone, but only one person, outside of the family that it was your papa who made it and if they want to take it they just have to ask me directly. The dwarves will always know when I will next visit them if I have left by then."
"Papa, are you saying that for when I find a mate?"
"Gah! No! Quatal, never say that again you aren't allowed a mate... not for fifteen-thousand years or so. I'm saying it for when you find someone who means as much to you as Mama and Papa do."
"So...Never?"
I chuckled and hugged her, knowing she was still far too young to care about such things. The fact was though, that as with children of any species, she would grow up and want to find someone to live with.
I didn't like them... I didn't know them and it was possible that they hadn't, or maybe even their parents, hadn't even been born yet.... But I hated them.
With that discussion finished, we did a spot of training then kept moving. The change in schedule meant we were suddenly three days from our next job in the wastes passed the mountain valley of Abelegia.
The crystal dragon was in an area that was unpopulated and until recently, ignored. The reason why it suddenly became necessary to clear that area was my own request directly to Vedna when discussing defence plans.
It was a large, resource rich area that went untapped because of the immense danger of prolonged habitation. Such things wouldn't deter someone like Sil however and if she managed to form a stronghold there it would undoubtedly leave her free to destroy Eve's homeland.
As a result, Vedna formed a preliminary expedition and they found the crystal dragon golem almost immediately. I wan't particularly against this prey, but I was thinking that he misunderstood my request. I wanted there to be monsters there.
Monsters were a hassle, one like this was on par with the mutated Crackling Jabber naturally. They would make it difficult for Eve's apparent followers to set-up a stronghold on her behalf and I doubted that she would risk going there personally and risk us picking up her scent.
Two fledgling gods, three deva, Layaera, Bell, who would likely fight with intent to kill if Kuronovus asked Constivita to order it. We were a formidable force, for a foe such as this Kuronovus may even ask me to send her their way so they could face her together if we were still under-prepared.
Sil was most certainly mad, whatever history we had, she was willing to do whatever it took to get me to herself. The silver-lining was that she was still too weak and inexperienced, she gave that much away through her current tactics. She wouldn't reveal herself and risk putting her vision for the future in jeopardy, I had to acknowledge that much, even if it did make me feel sick to my stomach.
"You're thinking about that woman aren't you?" Eve grumbled.
"I'm thinking of my failure you mean. I should have killed her when we first arrived."
"Yes, you should have..." Eve sighed deeply. "...But if you had I never would have taken an interest in you, wouldn't have been close enough to get involved when that commander turned up, never would have realised who you were. I would have returned home and lost the chance to fall in love with you... It may have only been a couple of months more to wait, but those months have meant the world to me."
"Don-"
"No, I'm not grateful. I'll rip her throat out and feed it Flookuro... No, he might get sick. I'll just cleanse it in fire to stop her infecting anything else. I just wish she hadn't been so twisted, I wish I had realised her "love" was simply possessive obsession."
"I love you Eve." I smiled, her ferocity in the face of a threat to her family and the contrasting compassion of wishing things had been different.
She smiled back before kissing me and making the girls groan, which only made her kiss me again.
"Mamaaaa... I want to go see the dragon, you two can kiss when we go to bed." The grumbling girl managed to make her laugh too much to continue.When I had been liberated however, Quatal was suddenly more interested in her share of affection, which also meant Little One wanted her's.
"Before we move again, can we try something?"
"Can you three try something for me?... I want to see if you can merge with my shadow." I suggested, the seemingly ludicrous suggestion with entirely undeserved confidence.
Eve was about to say something, but Cosmael stepped forward and slipped straight in. "Why do I get the feeling she knew about this for a while and has been waiting?" Eve chuckled.
"If I had to guess, this is one of those things she can't tell us and we have to discover or think up on our own."
"Mum get in, it feels like waking up while being cuddled." Cosmael said with very convincing enthusiasm.
"How do I do that exactly?" Eve laughed as she jumped up and down on my shadow.
"Just imagine how it feels when you hug and melt into him but wish it to happen even further." Cosmael replied, her voice more relaxed than we had ever heard.
Just like that Eve stopped jumping and took a deep breath before slowly sinking in. As she finished disappearing I tilted my head to gesture for Quatal to try, unfortunately she was maybe a little too confident and tried to dive in head first.
After kissing the non-existent boo-boo better for a couple of minutes while the other two coached her it became clear that she couldn't sink into it for some reason. The best reasoning coming from Eve when she said "maybe because she isn't imbued with The Black as fundamentally" which made sense but still seemed strange given that The Black joined her to us at the wedding.
"That just means you get to cuddle Papa for the next bit." I said as I picked her up and wrapped her round me.