"Sister, Kuronovus, hear me... You have my permission, and my heartfelt plea, if any should mean my family harm, or inspire sedition, then drown them in a blood-red sea." With my words spoken through the black the earth rumbled and air trembled.
"Not to continue the rhyme, is that necessary?"
"The Black bound us, it made its own promise to see us protected. Its children are bound to that same promise and they should be informed that we will not be at the other's side."
"Fair enough. I think you might have just killed Byurik though, Kuronovus seemed... Furious."
"I sense a gate. Beyond anything I can create or use, Kuronovus is unrestrained and would be here in an instant. I feel the others to, they are... scared. They are telling their kin to prepare for war, to protect the heiress at any cost... They say "she" will not lose another, I would assume Kuronovus but I sense not, something far worse will happen if anything happened to you. I'm scared Eve, I love you, but I think the stakes are far higher than we realised."
"I love you to Adam, you best come back safe so we can put minds at ease. Now go,, before I get angry, I never want to say goodbye, but I simply refuse to say it without a kiss and in anger." She kissed me then pushed me away.
I then walked through a portal to The Cabin, to walk through the one to the larder and used the teleporter to appear at the new garrison point.
"Girls, come out, I can feel you lingering." The three deva appeared. Bundling into me. "Sorry everyone, especially you Little One, I ruined your reversion."
"Don't worry Dad, I want to help finish this and besides, I get to be with Celsael one last time."
"How did you know I was here?"
"I would never be blind to my family's presence Celesael, I felt you arrive as strongly as Astrael's fist during surgery."
"Seriously! How is it you remember THAT!?"
"Astrael, thank you, that was incredibly painful, you stopped my suffering." My words made her uncharacteristically coy.
"I'm too weak to do much tonight, let's rest here for now, we can move out tomorrow. Celesael, why don't you tell me what you can of what you have been doing, while we get dinner prepped, could you two prepare a shelter and beds."
Celesael, told me the work was exhausting, admitted she felt more fulfilled than ever and that she still keeps tabs on us and the others from the divine realm. "I nearly killed them all when that cur threw that rock!"
She periodically revealed all the narrations she had been making as she watched us like a soap.
"So that's how you knew to come, I felt you arrive when you got to the clinic, then you slipped back."
"Your connection has gotten much stronger, since I left as has your divinity. You should try calling the denizens of black more though, they are eager to meet their future lord."
"I will summon no one until I'm someone worthy of their service... Anyway, let's eat, then get some rest, we have a busy few days ahead."
No one tried comforting me, they knew it would be a pointless endeavour. With that said they filled me in fully on everything that happened after I fell in the fight against the Crystal Dragon Golem whilst we ate, then we turned in.
"I'm so proud of you Fala... You've come a long way."
The next morning I was already back to fall strength, Celesael wasn't wrong, my recovery time was no joke.
"First things first..." I said as we prepared to head out. "We mark out the manaless area, I'll go in and clear it all alone... Wait, how did I store the chucks of crystal? I was acting on instinct when I did it and didn't even notice I'd done it."
"You really are oblivious. You used your divinity to will it open when you wanted it to do so. You're getting better and better at using divinity as a different kind of mana." Celesael laughed.
I nodded. "I will have to be careful, not using up that extra divinity could of changed how that battle ended."
"Agreed, you wouldn't have stumbled and gave it time to take your legs and drain you dry healing Dad, please stop being reckless, Mum was crying endlessly until you were stable." Cosmael's words hit hard, she was clearly angry at me as well.
"Little One... Speak your mind."
"You're an idiot and reckless! You told me to run when I would have been okay. Yes the sound may have affected me too, but all that would have done is make me use the divinity in me like you do. You treated me like a burde-"
"I treat you as a treasure. One I would never see in danger. Was it the right call? No, we both know it wasn't. It was one I'd make again though, I know you're stronger than me Cosmael, but how many fights have you fought?"
"...Not many. Im str-"
"Let me ask. While I was fighting, who were you watching, the monster or me?"
"You..."
"Even with omniscience, you were focused on me. Imagine how distracted I'd be trying to keep an eye on you. You would have been fine, but I would have been focused on watching you, then you would have focused on me when I started taking damage. I wasn't reckless, but I will not let harm come to my family because of me."
"Dad, you can be an idiot sometimes."
"Don't worry Little One, I will make sure you have enough experience for me to fight by your side without getting distracted, if that is what the new you wants."
"Can you two save the parent-child drama, right now I want to be selfish and enjoy my little remaining time with my sisters." Astrael huffed.
When we found the dead-zone, we marked it out as planned, then I moved in alone to clear crystal remains. The sight of them sent a sharp ache through my legs and a burning sensation through the rest of me.
"A mobile manaless zone, two kilometres in diameter. A terrifying enemy you made us. Its remains though, they'll be a weapon for me to use against you. Still, a shame I had to waste my plan to control the humans, they get annoying on a long leash."
"Dad, you're getting really close to lawful evil."
"I'm not evil, I'm just my own version of good." I laughed.
"Sure, just do us a favour and don't make your version of good any more evil." Astrael laughed.
"Why are you guys calling me evil all of a sudden? Is it punishment?"
"No, they're talking about a game our Dad used to play with us to inspire creativity. he used to tell a story and give us choices, while we pretended to be the ideal version of ourselves all grown up. It was stupid, you do-"
"Hahaha! You're just saying that because you wanted to be a shut-in in the game too." Astrael laughed mockingly. "Me and Cosmael, would go on an adventure, help beasties and fight candle lights and the beasties that tried to stop us, you would be like, "I grab snacks and go to bed", then you grabbed snacks and cuddled with Dad while we played."
"Astrael you called him Dad again."
"No I didn't!"
The telepathic conversation devolved into sibling squabbling from that point forward so I just laughed and enjoyed the drama. Even when I was finished and told them we were moving on, they continued their bickering, somehow managing to stay on task as we continued toward the coast.
"Dad, why are we heading toward the coast?"
"I have a bad feeling that I need to confirm and action."
"You think there is more?" Celesael asked
"I do... The one I fought, didn't attack until we told Eve to try using magic. The one seen at the coast was either a normal one, or a different one of the mutated variety."
"So what, We're just gonna rip it apart with brute force?" Astrael joked.
"No, but it's been a stressful two days, time I showed you girls the tranquillity that comes with skipping rocks across the water. Oh! How to make a rainbow is a must to, don't tell Quatal we left her out though."
"Okay... That does actually sound quite relaxing and fun."
When the coast was on the horizon I conjured us four large piles of stones perfect for skimming and four balls that looked perfect for cannon fire.
"Dad, we're still a bit far from the water."
"Little One, that is because it occurred to me. You guys have never done this before and it's embarrassing when you mess it up... So! We are gonna practice before we reach the water. Oh and don't throw the orbs unless you're sure you're gonna hit the target."
"The target?" Celesael asked, though her amused tone betrayed her understanding.
I created an incredibly dense lance of fire and earth out of highly compacted mana, then launched it toward the water. It travelled unimpeded a fair ways, then quickly destabalised until it fell apart completely.