Table of Contents

1. ~Greetings.~
2. ~On the streets.~
3. ~Identity.~
4. ~Bored agent.~
5. ~Home sweet home.~
6. ~Ball.~
7. ~Guests.~
8. ~Search.~
9. ~Found.~
10. ~Prisontime.~
11. ~Ranking hour.~
12. ~First Lesson.~
13. ~Stalker.~
14. ~Practice field.~
15. ~Search.~
16. ~Old and New.~
17. ~More cards.~
18. ~Contacts.~
19. ~In motion.~
20. ~Home, messy home.~
21. ~Famous.~
22. ~How far.~
23. ~Discoveries.~
24. ~Stealing flowers.~
25. ~Visit.~
26. ~Flowers and food.~
27. ~Bogded.~
28. ~Too big.~
29. ~Issues.~
30. ~Quarrel.~
31. ~Declaration.~
32. ~Whisked away.~
33. ~Timeout.~
34. ~Overtime.~
35. ~Wild life.~
36. ~The Queen.~
37. ~King.~
38. ~Sneak attack.~
39. ~Much to do.~
40. ~Results.~
41. ~One more time.~
42. ~Sightseeing.~
43. ~Experiment.~
44. ~Return.~
45. ~Missed.~
46. ~Who.~
47. ~Arrival.~
48. ~On a counter.~
49. ~Citadel.~
50. ~Charge.~
51. ~Crashed.~
52. ~On the verge.~
53. ~Slipped away.~
54. ~Return.~
55. ~Queue up.~
56. ~Search.~
57. ~Clueless.~
58. ~Poison.~
59. ~Intelligence.~
60. ~Counsellor.~
61. ~Welcome
62. ~Friends.~
63. ~Three.~
64. ~Strategy.~
65. ~Trouble.~
66. ~Locked room.~
67. ~Education.~
68. ~Information.~
69. ~Observe.~
70. ~Messed up.~
71 ~Personal.~
72. ~New.~
73. ~D.ad.~
74. ~Stolen.~
75. ~Crawl.~
76. ~Observe.~
77. ~Fighting dirty.~
78. ~Split.~
79. ~Alone in the end?~
80. ~Epilogue~
Credits
 1. ~Greetings.~

“If you let a prisoner go, you either use him to send a message, or you destroy his
credibility to create doubt.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Mana Storm
Seria
I walk the eternity between worlds. My essence is in the process of being torn apart,
but sheer will keeps me together. Images of distant places flash by, every one of
them a possible exit point and a promise to end this torture. But I only care for one.
The other realm is my goal, a place which lies in another dimension. When the end of
my path flashes into existence, I imagine myself stepping forward.
My body reassembles itself as I walk forward and out of the mana storm. The
process was agonizingly slow and I hurry to get away from the energies of the storm.
I am not a masochist and avoiding more pain is my top priority right now. Finally I am
free of the energies which are trying to rip me apart. Gasping, I continue to walk.
Gaining some distance is important.
Apparently my exit point was a little too close to the storm. That would explain the
exceptionally uncomfortable ride between dimensions. The storms are zones where
two dimensions touch each other, so crossing dimensions in their proximity increases
the chance of success.
The other dimension seems reasonably comfortable. I can breathe, something which I
shouldn't take for granted when I enter a realm which doesn't necessarily share the
same physical laws as my old one. The ground around the storm consists of the same
molten slag as in my native dimension. With enough time, the energies of the storm
grind everything to dust.
The sky is blue, contrary to the violet sky of Dedessia. But like in my home, there is
no sun. At least I can't see one from my current point of view.
After a short zone which is covered in underbrush, the destroyed landscape merges
with a forested area. That's another pleasant surprise. This dimension is habitable!
When I notice the five men who emerge from the forest I start grinning. Pleasant
surprise number three are intelligent inhabitants! And they even look like base-line
humans. The only troublesome thing is that they are wearing mean looking, black and
grey uniforms. Time to slip into my role as ambassador and to make first contact.
They are just about fifty metres away and have spotted me. Screaming in a strange
language they point at me.
Raising my hand, I call out, “Greeti-”
A fireball hits me in the face and burns my throat. I cough smoke and try my best to
stay on my feet. The fireball didn't have a lot of energy behind it, certainly not enough
to kill a god. I reinforced myself by expanding my aura just in time. It's a basic
defensive move for deities. But still, inhaling an attack spell isn't a particularly good
idea. Even if I am a god.
One of the men appears in front of me, swinging his fist. My body reacts instinctively
and my hand flashes forward. The man's head parts from his shoulders. In my own
realm, Dedessia, you don't live for long if you don't show a certain ruthlessness
towards things which are out to kill you.
Then the other four descend on me and if I hadn't had the advantage in limbs, I
probably would have gotten in trouble.
After being greeted so poorly I have no intention of letting them touch me. There are
ways in which even weaker opponents can disable a stronger one. Using my wings, I
block the attackers who approach from the sides. One of them circles around me to
attack from behind, but I ignore him and advance at full speed, charging into the man
who took the front.
Grabbing his arm, I twist us around and use him as a shield against the others. My
meatshield absorbs two fireballs before I silence my attackers by sending a wave of
force through my hand and into them.
Two are thrown backwards and into the mana storm. Their bodies don't withstand the
raging, orange energies of the storm and they simply disintegrate.
Focusing my attack on the remaining assailant, I sense a gush of air and reposition
my meatshield. The man in my arms groans as something hits him. Relying on my
instincts, I whirl us around to avoid other attacks.
At last I get a short pause to study the new combatant and his supporters. My initial
opponents were definitely lows. Back home in Dedessia, we rank the strength of a
person in three categories, lows, mids and highs.
The ones I fought so far would be categorized as lows, but the new arrivals are
definitely stronger. They rank at least in the lower spectrum of higher immortals.
Maybe they are minor deities?
I count four men and two women. If all of them work together, they might succeed in
bringing me down.
My meatshield says something and I shake him. Honestly, this guy is still alive? He
must be related to a cockroach. The six newcomers close in and I decide to bolt.
Probably my meatshield said something like 'Ignore me! I'll give my life for the cause!',
or something equally cliché.
I spread my mana equally throughout my body and flash step, reappearing at the
edge of the forest. The guy who seems to be the leader of the reinforcements
appears next to me with a flash. Teleportation! His long, blonde hair is a little
dishevelled after the fight and he looks furious. Raising his hand, he gathers mana to
cleave right through me.
I play my meatshield-card and he hesitates, just for an instant. It's enough. I kick his
shin and something gives way with a crunch. Blondy goes down with a scream and for
a moment I marvel at his well tuned muscles.
If I had the time I would eat a cutie like him.
Teleporting again, I flee the fight before his friends get their act together. Not caring
about my destination, I concentrate on distance and teleport several times in random
directions to throw off possible pursuers. In order to add to the confusion I also use
flash step from time to time. Contrary to teleportation, flash step is a purely physical
movement skill. It leaves no traces of mana which could be followed.
When I arrive at a nice, little river I decide that I am safe for now. I draw a deep
breath and take in the noise of the undisturbed green forest around me. A groan and
soft whimpering inform me that my meatshield is still alive. I dragged him with me,
holding him at his collar the entire time.
Oh boy, and he looks like he won't make it for long. Our opponents surely didn't hold
back, but somehow they avoided hitting his vital spots.
I drop him and place a hand on his chest. Invading his body with my mana, I stitch up
the most important places so that he won't die on me. First I close the deep cuts and
heal his inner organs. His left lung collapsed, but that little problem is solved soon
enough.
Be glad that the goddess of life and death wants you to live a little bit longer.
He tries to resist me, but I pin him down with gravity magic. Weakened as he is, there
is nothing he can do. Once I am sure that there are no life threatening wounds left, I
end my efforts. He is covered in bruises and has a nasty cut on his forehead, but
that's no concern of mine. Next I concentrate on his consciousness.
Recognizing the mental contact he tries to shut me out, but I tear right through his
defences. I already expected that there might be communication problems, so sucking
the language directly from his brain seems like the only sensible solution. I certainly
won't invest time to learn their language the hard way.
His memories flash by and I try to incorporate them with my own. But instead of
consciously analysing his sea of memories, I file them away for later use. I'll call it the
meatshield wiki.
Taking in enough to learn his language on the spot is pure torment anyway. When I am
done I let go of him and rub my temples. Headache! I was right not to take everything
at once.
“Wha... are you doing to mee...” His whiny voice draws my attention.
“Learning your language! Why did you attack me?” I glare down at him. This weakling
raises all my flags. Doesn't he realize that I just saved his life?
“We attack all garhe who emerge from the storm,” he answers.
Garhe? Apparently absorbing only his language didn't go as smoothly as I intended.
My father would have done a far better job. Searching through my captive's
memories, I realize that garhe is their name for what my people call a spirit. Magical
beings which were created from chaos magic. Spirits are dangerous and seek the
destruction off all life which isn't like them. My people also have their fair share of
problems with them.
“I am not a spirit!” I sputter exasperated. How could they even think that?
“Did you never look in a mirror?” he whines.
I gasp and run over to the river where I use some force magic to flatten the surface of
the water. What greets me is... me! I let out a sigh. In the first moment I thought that
the storm did something to me when I crossed dimensions. “What are you talking
about? I look perfectly fine.” I bounce my chest and run my hands down my curves,
yep! Good old goddess of life and death at her finest.
He gasps. “Does that mean that you run around in your spirit form all the time? How
dirty, don't you have any control!?”
I don't fail to notice the pure outrage in his expression. Is this a cultural thing in his
society? Do they frown upon showing their demon form? If so, do they also abhor the
skills which come with it?
Looking back at my improvised mirror, I reach for the horns which are crowning my
head... and my other features. My people are proud of their demon forms and once
we achieve them, we almost never revert to a purely human state.
Concentrating, I use my magic to retract the horns which crown my head like a tiara. I
catch the mana crystal inlays which were decorating them in my hands.
Next are my two sets of wings. First are the wings of light which are attached to my
lower back. Then there are the wings of shadow which sprout from my shoulder
blades. They symbolize my parents and are like a trademark to me. The goddess of
life and death with wings of light and darkness. Banishing my four wings feels like
losing two sets of limbs. I already hate this world.
Last point on the list is hiding my demon tail. Pouting, I watch it shrinking and
disappearing into my spine. Luckily my clothes are also made from mana crystals, so
a simple command closes the holes in my robes. Figuring that my current clothes
might look strange, I pick a memory from my meatshield wiki and change into
something the women of this realm wear on a daily basis.
The wide trousers which look like a skirt are fine, but the top seems unnecessarily
complicated and I try for a while until my breasts don't feel like I am in a corset. The
fact that Meatshield's memories regarding women's clothing aren't exactly detailed
doesn't help.
When I am done, I reform the ornaments for my horns into a set of rings and earrings.
Mana crystals can take any shape the owner wants, so it's simply a problem of
aligning my mana with them and concentrating.
The main bulk of my mana wanders into bracers for my lower arms.
Once that's done I return to my prisoner. “Do I look normal now, Meatshield?”
“You! You just ravaged through my memories and you don't even know my name?” he
sputters.
I don't answer and practice my death glare instead. A meatshield doesn't need a
name. When he doesn't answer I kick him, breaking a rib.
He coughs and finally admits that his life is in my hands. “...the eyes, your other
features like the hair are fine. There are many people who have problems with
controlling their spirit form, so you will blend in once you are in a big city.”
I return to my mirror and study my eyes and hair. I inherited my hair from my mother's
line. It's of a dark red which ends in pure black at the tips. I really don't want to
change it, so I simply tie it to a ponytail. When someone asks I'll simply say that I am
dyeing it.
My eyes are the real problem. I inherited them from Dad. They are of a pure black
with slit, golden pupils and a sea of stars floating in them.
Concentrating, I revert them to a normal white and manage a blueish grey on the now
round pupils. Somehow the sea of golden stars remains, against all my efforts, but I
manage to dim it down. As long as nobody looks at me in the dark, or tries to kiss
me, it should be fine. I study the slender features of my face and decide to end the
make up session.
Returning to my prisoner, I place my hands on my hips and study him. “Now?”
His eyes wander up and down my body. Somehow I resist the urge to poke them out,
but I'll still take my revenge for sizing me up so blatantly. He nods. “I guess... what do
you plan to do now. And who are you?”
Yeah, right. Like I would tell him my name. Being attacked without a word wasn't a
great introduction to this realm. First I want to study them. Then I can go home in
order to report to my parents. “I am just thinking about how to neutralize you. Killing
you outright could make things more complicated later on.” I already killed at least
three of them, but that was a battle situation and I acted in self defence. Now I am
dealing with a prisoner.
I kneel down and sit on top of his legs. Then I rip his uniform open to expose his
chest. Hm. His face isn't great, but at least he trained his body. Well, he is a soldier.
“What!? What!? What are you trying to do!?” He attempts to sit up, but my gravity
magic holds him in place. It doesn't help that his mana reserves are completely
depleted.
Bending down, I place my lips on his belly and start sucking. He wriggles and
screams, probably imagining that I am about to suck out his intestines or something
along those lines.
My lips part from his skin with a 'plop' and I grant him a disarming smile. He doesn't
notice it. Since he doesn't stop screaming I place a hand on his mouth to shut him up.
“I've decided. First I'll cover your body with love bites and then I'll edit your memories.
Once that's done, we will search for the nearest road and set you free. I wonder what
your commanding officers will think once they find you without clothes and looking like
you just had the hottest night of your life. Be glad that I bestow such an honour on
you.”
His eyes widen and his attempts at escape intensify. Of course to no avail. I force his
head to the side and start sucking on his neck.
Oh, I wish I could take a snapshot of their faces once they find him.
 2. ~On the streets.~

“While you are on the road, never look back.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Main street towards the Capital

Seria
I hum lazily as I walk down the road. My destination is this realm's capital city.
Meatshield and I parted ways when I found the first big road upon leaving the forest.
This society has a fairly sophisticated street system for those people who can't
teleport as they please.
Of course Meatshield followed my instructions and headed for the nearest military
facility, or Defense Force Installation, as they call it.
I turned the other way and headed towards the more densely settled areas. Getting
out of the forest was easy enough. We encountered a few patrols of the DF, but they
were just lows and easily evaded. Obviously their security is aimed against spirits. If I
interpret Meatshield's memories correctly, then that's the main purpose of the DF.
They guard the mana storm and stop spirit incursions. Since spirits tend to attack
everything on sight, there is no real need to have a good surveillance net in place.
I am not sure what to think of their apparent practice of offering their weak soldiers
as sacrifices for the spirits. It is pretty clear that those patrols are just spirit food until
the real fighting force arrives.
Mids and lows are on guard duty, while a small squad of higher immortals is waiting to
be called in if something emerges from the storm. That's essentially what happened
to me.
I search through the items which I stole from Meatshield. First is his identification
card, which isn't of much use to me, so I flip it into a bush next to the street. A small
bag with this world's currency is of more interest. Now I am the proud owner of one
gold coin, four silver and eighty copper. Enough to have five to seven decent meals,
but that's it.
There is even a letter from his family! I read a few lines, but it's just the boring talk I
already expected. Stay safe, love you, come home on vacation... blabla... I crush the
paper and throw it into the roadside ditch.
Once I reach the city, the first point on my agenda will be money. Lots of it. I need an
identity and a base of operations. The identity will be the biggest problem. This
world's society is big and has a good structure. Every citizen is logged and filed away
in their archives. I'll have to make contact with some dark elements to gain their
expertise in faking an identity.
Then I will simply wait and gather information. I sigh and focus on the road.
At least walking gives me time to sort through the stolen memories. This is the eternal
kingdom, or Newerth. They have a few ruling families, including their royal bloodline.
Their main reason for being in power is the fact that they are able to fight the spirits.
So they aren't that different from us. Dedessia is also ruled by higher immortals while
the rest does most of the work.
I yawn and take a look at my stolen map. The mana storm is located in a forested
area which is marked as military area. In the north is a big mountain range and the
rest of the forest is surrounded by inhabited farmland with some small villages. There
are also big towns, but they hold no interest to me. I am going directly towards the
capital, about a day to the south. I took a little off the travel time by teleporting half of
the way. Maybe I shouldn't have done that, but I am eager to get things going.
Teleporting all the way is too risky. They might discover the residues of my mana.
Surely they got a good signature from our battle at the storm. Or maybe the storm
masked my energy? Anyway, it is too risky.
So far I have hitched two rides with local farmers, but they didn't have much to say.
This society is using a lot of steam technology combined with magic. They clearly
don't have our mana crystals or they wouldn't resort to such measures. I can't even
say that they are doing a bad job of it; they clearly don't have to worry about
resources like my people.
The characteristic 'TukTukTuk...' of one of their vehicles alerts me that another one of
them is coming down the street. I turn around and wave a hand, smiling. I am just a
nice girl who is in dire need of a ride.
To my pleasant surprise the driver really stops the sleak machine. It looks like a car
on six wheels and has smooth curves which are pleasant to the eye. Clearly a luxury
item. The driver turns out to be an old man with grey hair. He opens the driver's
window and smiles. “Missy, what are you doing out here in the nature? It's one hour to
the next village.”
“Oh, I was visiting my friend in central and my bike broke down. You don't head in that
direction by chance?” I answer, still smiling.
“Of course, get in. We don't want you to be attacked by a roaming horde of lawless
folk. Are you from a noble clan? Those clothes are pretty good.” The old man nods
and I get into the car, taking the front passenger seat.
I am glad that I didn't have to influence him with mind magic. No matter how good
someone is at altering memories, if someone knows what to look for it is next to
impossible to get away with it. Maybe they won't know exactly what I did, but they
would know that I did something.
“You are joking, right? We live in peaceful times. Getting attacked on a public
street...” I let my voice fade away, hoping that I sound shaken. Maybe I can get away
with playing the maiden in distress?
“Hahaha, don't worry. I was just joking. But seriously. They just announced a warning
over the radio. Seems like a few hours ago a spirit emerged from the mana storm. It
killed three of the guards and escaped with a fourth one, probably as a snack for
later. He is still missing. It's not the best idea to run around so close to the military
area.” The old man starts his machine and hits the gas pedal.
We accelerate smoothly to about a hundred and twenty kilometres per hour. I don't
know this realm's metric system, but judging from the car's speed gauge, we could
probably go twice the speed. The car is definitely using a combination of steam and
magic, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't accomplish the job.
“You didn't answer my question.” The old man reminds me.
“Oh, I am sorry. No, I am not nobility. My family hit it quite good with our farmland and
my father is making a lot of money with his magical artefacts. I am visiting a childhood
friend in the city. He got an apprenticeship there and I wanted to invite him in person
to the upcoming new year party.” I blabber and pull a bullshit story out of my nose,
hoping that I won't meet the old man again.
Well, I am calling him an old man, but he simply chose a body with about forty years
of age. He isn't really a grandpa, but his hair is grey. If my meatshield wiki tells the
truth, then the people of this world are basically the same as in Dedessia. Meaning
that we can chose our appearance and are basically immortal, unless someone
decides to end us with violence.
We continue our idle chit chat. I would have wished to gain more information about the
escaped spirit, which is probably me. But aside from some random radio reports with
no real information I don't get much more out of him.
As we near the city, the landscape changes from an agricultural one to an
industrialized city. The streets are clean and there are a lot of people going about
their business. It feels almost like home.
I end our ride by requesting to be let out at the main plaza, assuring the old man that
I'll find my way from there. So far I am quite satisfied with my progress. I made it into
the city without relying on my own magic. That makes it much less likely that they sniff
me out, assuming that they are still on my trail.
Placing both hands in my pockets, I start walking. My next goal could prove to be
much more troublesome.
Taking my time, I play tourist. The buildings are largely made with grey brick-stones.
It gives the whole city a really tweedy feeling, which is totally broken when I stop at a
big construction site. The workers are using magic to levitate the materials and to do
all kinds of other stuff which is needed in such an undertaking.
Yeah, definitely not home... at home we would have simply asked for a new home and
the mana crystal would have grown according to our wishes. I certainly won't
complain about their abundant use of magic. The more magical interference there is,
the harder it is to track me down. I am exceptionally good at hiding my aura, but that
doesn't exclude a slight slip up from time to time.
After three hours of sightseeing, the blue sky starts dimming and quickly turns to
black. I haven't seen a sun and there are no stars, so I assume that this realm has to
deal with a similar mystery as Dedessia. Unfortunately my meatshield wiki is utterly
useless in this matter. I should have grabbed a scientist or at least someone with
decent education. Note for next time: Don't grab some stupid roughneck soldier for
interrogation.
Is it too risky to grab a teacher and correct my lack of knowledge? Unfortunately I
didn't come across a library. If my stolen knowledge is correct, then all the information
is hoarded by the royal academy. I have to earn the right to get access and most
people aren't even allowed past the entrance. Earning the right to enter would mean
that I have to show off my abilities...
That's a no go. I won't draw attention to myself. Especially if I don't even have proper
identification.
After two hours of roaming the streets in the darkest part of the town I am almost
about to give up. Maybe they really don't have crime in this world? Or did I simply
misjudge the neighbourhood? I purposefully chose the dark side streets and not-so-
clean parts of the city.
“Look who we have here? Care to explain what you are doing in our area little miss?”
I try my best to suppress a grin and to look frightened instead. Seems like the bait
lured in a few fish! Turning around, I find three men who are fanning out to surround
me. I back away and enter a dead end. The poor me was walking in circles around
this spot for over an hour. It's the perfect ambush point. “What!? Who are you? What
do you want!?”
I walk backwards and they follow me, the leader plays with his fingers and electricity
sparks between them. “Come on, lass. We just want to have a little fun and then we
take your money and those pretty gemstones of yours. Nobody gets hurt. I promise.
Don't make this hard. You know that you are retreating into a dead end?”
When we are about ten metres inside the narrow alleyway, I can't suppress the smile
any longer. “Oh, yeah. Actually that's exactly where I wanted you to be. In here it is
unlikely that we are seen,” I purr in a husky voice. Then I flash step, appearing right
behind the one who stayed at the entrance to the alley. Probably he always takes the
role of the lookout while the other two ransack their prey.
My strike hits between his third and fourth vertebrae. They shatter and my mana cuts
his spinal cord. The amount I used was minuscule, so I assume that it won't draw
attention from the authorities. Those thugs also intended to use magic after all. The
man simply falls forward, no longer in control of his own body. His head slams hard
onto the pavement. I jump over him, using the fact that the other two are still gawking
at the empty spot where I was before.
When attacker number two turns around, my middle and index fingers plunge into his
Adams apple. Using a little mana as a cutting edge, I run my hand down his entire
torso and open him up. Surprisingly he doesn't lose consciousness like the other one.
Instead he falls to his knees and tries to stop his intestines from spilling out. He can't
scream since his vocal cords are also done for. It takes a few seconds, but finally the
lack of oxygen claims his consciousness.
“What the fuck are you? Your eyes!” the leader asks with much less confidence in his
voice. He finally turned around and is now gaping in open horror at his friends and me.
I walk around the mess on the ground and approach him. He backs away.
Raising an eyebrow I ask, “Didn't you just say that this is a dead end?”
Finally he freezes and gulps, giving me the chance to approach. When I reach him I
rip off a piece of his shirt and start cleaning my hand. “Some things are going to
change and you are the lucky one to service me from now on. First, this isn't your
area any more. It's mine. Second, from now on you call me Boss! Third, I need to get
some contacts in the local underworld.”
I place a finger on his chest and he flinches. “Do you understand?”
He nods enthusiastically.
I didn't expect anything else from vermin like him.
 3. ~Identity.~

“When bluffing, be sure to keep a straight face.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“You are useless, Jimmy. And Jimmy, seriously? What kind of name is that? You
sound like some second rate gangster!” I complain to my newly gained asset. I've
been complaining since our little tour through the city started. It took the entire night to
threaten our way through the local hierarchy of gangs and small crime-lords.
My assistant lets his head droop, apparently giving up on pleasing me. “I am a
second rate gangster! Who else would jump a lonely woman in a back alley? I even
got my two minions killed and now I am in your clutches! How stupid am I? I even told
you my real name! Stupid! Why didn't I simply ride the reincarnation train?”
I purse my lips, fighting a smile. At least he doesn't have any illusions about his
situation. I had to break a few fingers, but in the end he complied. True names are
important. Especially if the soul in question is weak. Once I had his true name it was
just a question of time to get him to do my bidding.
Unfortunately Jimmy is just a random goon. At least he pointed me in the right
direction, even if it took a lot of time to work our way up the social ladder of the
underworld.
Seriously, this town's dark side is simply too well organized. We had to find Jimmy's
boss and then his boss. Afterwards it was the boss's boss etcetera! These guys are
overdoing it with the hierarchical structure.
“It's here...” Jimmy points at a metal door and knocks tentatively on the shutter. A
small observation slit opens and an eye peeks through. I hear some grunts from
behind the door as the eye studies us. First Jimmy, then me.
“Password?”
“A silver tongued devil.” Jimmy answers and smiles at the man. We got the password
from our last information broker, but I assume that the guy in question didn't
necessarily tell the truth. It should be fine as long as the location is correct.
The bouncer behind the door is unimpressed. Unfortunately we only get to see his
narrowing eye. I really want to know what all the grunting is about.
“Aren't you one of Landgrave's men? And what are you doing with the wench? Is this
a joke? Go home before we make you disappear.” And with that the shutter slams
closed.
Jimmy turns around and looks at me. Pearls of sweat are forming on his forehead.
“It's not my fault!”
I study him for a few moments. He really doesn't look like much. Average face with a
big, round nose, average stature. The black eye combined with the red handprint are
not helping in making him look like someone who should be respected. Maybe hitting
and slapping him was overdoing it.
Sighing, I gesture for him to step aside. “I'll only show you once how to do this.
Afterwards I expect you to manage your errands on your own.”
I knock on the shutter as fast and as annoyingly as I can. When it opens I don't wait
and slam my flat palm against the door. The metal door breaks out of the frame and
hits the bouncer who is guarding it. Then I jump onto the door and kick the man in the
head. He was buried under the door and can't defend himself. I jump up and down
twice for good measure, making certain that the guy is down.
The room behind the iron door is empty, except for a writing desk with an accountant
behind it. Behind him is another door which leads further into the building.
I approach him, smiling. “Greetings! I am here to have a chat with the Don.”
The accountant forces his eyes away from my victim and towards me. “Name?”
“I am using Boss for now.” I answer without flinching. I already introduced myself to
everyone else as the new boss, so changing it now feels stupid.
He studies me for several moments, then he asks, “Are you a cross-dresser?”
I almost double over! “No!”
“Then your alias is Queen.” He writes something into his notebook and gestures at the
door. “The Don is waiting.” The scrawny accountant pulls a phone from his jacket and
types a number. Then he waits for two seconds while it rings. “Bill? I need a new door
and a new door steward. The ones you sold me are broken. No, I need them now! It
gets cold in here...” He continues talking and waves me through.
Has this guy no fear of death!? I probably should reprimand him, but is it really worth
the effort? Probably not. I ignore the bickering accountant and open the door which
leads further into the building, just to slam it shut in Jimmy's face. The idiot doesn't
need to overhear the following conversation.
I find myself in a neat, little office. A man with olive-brown skin greets me from behind
a desk. In his black dinner jacket he looks like the perfect Mafia boss. He gestures at
the seat across from him. “I already heard about the new arrival in town. We didn't
expect that you would manage to come all the way to me. Landgrave was a good
fighter. It's a conundrum. Where did you come from?”
Taking the offer, I sit down and cross my legs. “So you already heard of me? I didn't
expect that.”
He shrugs. “One doesn't beat up four of our gang-leaders and two under-bosses
without me being informed of it. So? Why do you want to speak with me?”
“They are saying that you get things done. You are the man who holds the strings. I
need your services. The other ones weren't helpful, so they got a beating,” I explain
cheerfully.
His eyebrows rise a little. “So I'll get a beating if I am not helpful? But you know,
everything has a price...” His eyes wander to my chest.
“Good!” I call out. “If you can deliver, I'll pay you.” Raising one leg I pull back the cloth
and remove one of the metal rods which are strapped to my lower leg. It's not like my
people sent me on an important mission without giving me some resources. Back at
home I could probably buy an entire clan for what I am carrying around.
I pile three rods on Don's table. I have more, but three should be enough. He is
obviously enjoying the show, so I get to the point. “I need a new identity. A bulletproof
one. And I want the rest of that changed into clean money. Nothing which could give
me trouble.”
Don taps one of the rods with his finger, rolling it back and forth. “Girl, that's a little
much for three rods of silver. Are you sure that you aren't delusional? Things have
their price. You can't walk around and beat everyone who doesn't do as you please.
Sooner or later you will run into a noble and then you are fucked.” He grimaces,
probably because he had first hand experience.
I cross my arms in front of my chest. “That's pure platinum. I think it is more than
enough to do the job, unless you have someone who can transmute matter?”
He whistles and lifts the rod, weighing it in his hand to check the truth of my words.
“Okay, I am listening. Which noble did you rob?”
“I come from another country far, far away and I want a new start. My old line of
work paid well, but it also got me a lot of enemies. Unfortunately I am an illegal entity
at the moment,” I answer nonchalantly.
Don bends forward to take the other two rods, but I grab his hand and pull him
towards me. “One rod now, the others after you delivered. And I want a magical oath
between us. You swear that not a single soul learns about me, my new identity, or this
transaction. We don't get in each other's way once I am out of the door.”
He raises his free hand. “Your word is my command, lady. You should know that I
don't do fighting.”
I snort and let him go. “Yeah, you'll just send your people after me once I am out of
the room.”
He sighs. “Such a beauty. It hurts that you don't trust me.” He leans back in his chair
and turns around, choosing a folder from the shelf behind him.
Then he starts skipping through the files inside it. “That one sounds like what you
want. Fiora Havenforst, twenty-four, no family, grew up in an orphanage. No records
with the DF, a perfect sheep among many. She became a drug addict a while ago and
died of an overdose in her room. Of course the authorities don't know about her
problem.”
I raise an eyebrow. “How do I benefit from that? She is already dead.”
Don snorts. “Don't take my organisation for fools; we do a good job. Okay, I will
explain it, just because you are a beauty. We keep an eye out for people like her. No
family, no friends who would miss her and start a tirade when she is gone.
Once they die, we sweep in and take over their financials. We pay someone to pay
the taxes in their stead, show some face in public by making a few transactions. We
keep the identity alive, even if the real person behind it is rotting in a nameless grave.
It is the best way to trick the authorities. Do you want her?”
He offers me the folder and I take a look at the photo of a girl with brown hair and a
crooked nose.
Ruthless bastard! I bet that his people had a hand in her drug addiction. Maybe they
even sped up her death by tweaking her drugs. But I need that identity.
I shrug. “Can you change the name to Seria and correct the picture? I don't like that
photo of hers and changing my looks is troublesome.”
Don nods. “Of course, you are a woman with style. We have someone in the ministry.
He will upload the new photo.” He bends down and pulls a camera from the drawer
next to him. “Smile!”
I smile.
“Perfect! Now for the naming part, we will simply change it officially. You just have to
say that you wanted to wipe the slate clean and start a new life. Everything will be
done by tomorrow and you will have your documents. Maybe you should memorize
your new identity, but the girl didn't have much, so it isn't a big deal.” Don closes the
folder and places it back on the shelf.
I nod. “Good. Then for the last part. There is a vacant shop on the plaza next to the
Palace Park. I want you to buy it in my name. One rod is payment for you, one is for
my new identity, one for the shop. With the remaining money I want a bank account
on my name and clean money deposited on it. And I want that area free of your
crime-lords.”
Don bows and circles his hand. “Your wish is my command. You already killed
Landgrave. He was in charge of that area. Anything else?”
I offer him my hand. “You forgot the oath.”
He pulls a face and takes my hand. A moment later I feel our mana merging. “I swear
that I'll provide you with the new identity of Fiora Havenforst. Your name will be
changed to Seria Havenforst and we will buy and renovate the shop which you pointed
out. One of the three platinum rods is payment for me, what remains of the others will
be placed in your personal bank account. We will try not to interfere with each other
from that point onwards. You will be placed in charge of the area as the new crime-
lord, Queen. The punishment for breaking the contract is-”
“Death!” I cut in and seal the oath before Don can interject.
He hisses and pulls his hand away. “You don't do things half heartedly, Queen.”
I nod. “So why didn't you object when I wanted that area of the town for myself?”
Don shrugs. “Landgrave never made any profit. That part of the town belongs to the
nobles and they are trying their best to keep their shoes clean.” Then his expression
turns into a dirty smirk. “Landgrave invested more time in hiding and running than
getting anything accomplished. I don't expect it will be any different for you if you try
to pull a deal.”
Great! I don't want to dabble in crime. I just want some lazy time while I study the
people of this realm and try to predict their reaction towards Dedessia.
I wish Don goodbye and head for the door, taking two of the platinum rods with me.
He can have them when his side of the deal is fulfilled.
Back in the reception room I find three men who are already installing a new door.
The accountant is scribbling something and the bouncer is gone.
Upon studying Jimmy I frown. He is holding a bloody handkerchief to his nose and
waiting for new instructions.
“What happened to you?” I ask.
“Someone slammed a door into my face,” he answers with a muffled voice.
“Ah, try to avoid doors in the future. The round thing which you call a nose looks
strange enough as it is.”
 4. ~Bored agent.~

“Never make wishes, they always come with a price.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
Four weeks. I managed four weeks without getting bored and playing pranks on
people! I think that may be a new record. Well, I had a lot to do... so maybe not.
I spent the rest of the first night in Jimmy's apartment, which was filthy, so I forced
him to clean up until morning came. It didn't take long for one of Don's messengers to
appear at Jimmy's doorstep. I suppose it was only logical that they would keep an
eye on me after I left Don's office. The messenger had all my documents including the
certificate for the store. So I gave them the platinum.
The rest of the day was reserved for hammering the details of my new identity into
my brain. I grew up in an orphanage, parents unknown. Then I worked as an
assistant, travelling to different places and doing all kinds of odd jobs. The last three
years I stayed in the capital until I hit it big with an investment. From the money I
bought the store to realize my dreams.
The biggest problem was memorizing all the different locations I worked at.
Once our transaction was done I didn't hear a single word from the criminals. Except
for Jimmy. He is handling the gangs which remain in my territory, or better, he is
organizing their retreat from my part of the city.
I on the other hand had better things to do. Like remodelling the old store into a nice
coffee shop. We bought all kinds of chocolate and cakes, and I even arranged for a
little garden area in front of the shop. There is an apartment for me in the second
floor and it turned out to be quite cosy. I forced Jimmy into a butler uniform and now
he is working at the shop. It's probably the first decent job he ever had in his life.
Once the pathways reach this city I immediately have to send word to my father. He'll
never forgive me if I don't make that a top priority.
They have chocolate in this world.
That alone is a reason to invade them. But that will take another eight to nine months,
so until then I am in dire need of something to do. I certainly won't return to the mana
storm just to send a message. The newspapers say that they added additional troops
to stop any further spirit incursions. But the pathways grow on their own. Once they
reach outside the military zone I will be able to send messages back to Dedessia. I
just have to be patient.
So setting up the shop took one week, then I spent another week with drawing runes
to protect the apartment and to practise hearth magic in the shop. The small
apartment above the shop is probably one of the safest places in this town. I simply
needed a place to lean back and relax. I filled the whole building with so much of my
magic that it is safe against any method of spying I can think of.
All of that took me two weeks. The rest of the time I was sitting on my ass, reading
the newspaper and drinking coffee while keeping a low profile. It makes me crazy.
Especially since I can't allow myself to have any close relationships. I simply don't
know enough to play a person from this realm. There are still some things which give
me away. Like figures of speech or my accent. Luckily the people I talked to so far
didn't notice, but according to Jimmy I am always lisping when I have to deal with the
odd consonants.
I myself don't notice it, but apparently the natives will catch on during long
conversations. I need an explanation for that.
In absence of a better solution I put up some wards which divert interest from me. I
can't have anyone getting the idea to befriend me. It's subtle mind magic, so I guess it
won't be a problem. There is more than enough interference from the city. The people
of this realm are using magic for almost everything in daily life.
I sigh and scratch another rune into the park bench. The magic doesn't make me
invisible, but it makes me less noticeable. People still see me, but the fact that I am
there doesn't bother their minds.
I always visit the park in front of my shop when playing waitress or shop owner gets
too annoying. The green is my safe haven and since I excel in life magic the plants
feel like a part of me. The forest around the mana storm felt even better, but I
suppose I can't have that in the city.
Suddenly a girl sits down right next to me. I am not sure what startles me more, the
fact that she somehow managed to break through my wards, or that she is crying and
sniffing like a baby. I look around to see if there is someone who could be the reason
for her emotional outbreak, but there is no one. This is pretty much the centre of the
park. It takes about twenty minutes to walk here, so not many people head this deep
into the Royal Park. I am still a little baffled that the nobles allow public access to
their greenery.
I return my attention to the girl. She is maybe sixteen or seventeen? Her hair is brown
and she has a nice mouth with full lips. Maybe she is a little on the plump side, but
certainly not ugly. She is still growing, so that could solve itself in two or three years.
Of course only if her emotions don't drive her into an eating frenzy. Back at home I
knew a girl who grew to the form of a balloon because she drowned her troubles with
snacks and soft drinks.
The girl raises her hands and I feel her magic. It gathers in her hands and forms a
sphere of water. The spell is poorly executed and soon fails because she is unable to
counteract the wave-front which is caused by the city's magical interference. A typical
beginner's problem. The sphere splashes onto the ground and the girl covers her face
with her hands. Another crying outburst destroys my peace and I take sip from my
coffee, then I try to read the newspaper.
I really try my best to ignore her, but somewhere deep inside me there must be a soft
core. Otherwise this wouldn't bother me at all. After five minutes of continuous crying I
give up. “Oh, shut up! I am trying to read!”
She shrieks and jumps a good metre into the air. “Oh, gods! I didn't realize that
someone else is here! Something must be wrong with me.”
“Something is wrong with you. What happened? Were you raped?” I ask.
She pales. “N- n- no!”
I study her uniform. “Are you a student at the Royal Academy?” Maybe I can use a
young and stupid child like her to get accustomed to the people of this realm? She
should be less receptive to my slip ups. Young folks always try new stuff, especially
when they didn't regain all their memories.
She bows and wipes the tears from her face. “Yes, Adea Milowies.”
“Seria Havenforst, sit. Want some coffee?” I pat the bench next to me. “If you want to
talk, I have time to listen. It's better to share trouble than to bottle it up. At some point
you will break.”
The girl sighs and sits down. “You will probably laugh at me. I just had a really bad
day with my teachers and my schoolmates aren't accepting me and the boy I have a
crush on doesn't even recognize my existence and my Mom-” Adea stops for a
moment. “Sorry, it simply became too much.”
I nod and slurp on my coffee. “Then why aren't you doing something against it?”
“I am trying, but it seems like I am a dud. When the academy tested me and it was
revealed that I have potential to become divine... I had hope...” Adea continues to spill
me her life story. It's like a dam broke. I listen dutifully, mainly because it's the first
time I get a glimpse at the workings of this realm's high society.
Adea's mother is a prostitute, although, that's too harsh a word. It's closer to a
geisha. She is paid by men to service them for the evening. That can include sex, but
mostly only means that she is cooking and playing wife for them. Adea doesn't know
her father, but it stands to reason that he is nobility because she tested positive for
divinity.
Her mother claims that she never served a noble, but we all know how these things
go. That bastard probably has a nice little family of his own and when his wife learns
of his adultery... snippety snip! It's unlikely that he will ever step forward on his own.
The people of this world rank the strength of their fighters in seven categories. That's
warlock, immortal, archmage, spiritualist, demigod, deity and divine. The nobles of
this world rank at spiritualist and above. Anything less and you are dirt on someone
else's shoe.
There is only a handful of people who rank as divine. I suppose those guys count as
really strong.
The fact that Adea tested positive for divine potential puts her in a complicated
situation. It means that her father most likely was someone with power. We don't
know the exact reason, but gods very likely give birth to other gods. It's very unlikely
that a god is born between two immortals, or lows, as they are called in my world.
At home we have it much easier with our ranking system. You can blast a few people,
you are a low. You can blast a city, fine you are a mid. You can obliterate a mountain
and reshape landscapes? You are a high. Easy. I don't get why they need so many
ranks. Maybe to elevate a few more people to nobility?
Back to topic. Adea was tested and forced to join the academy. If someone has the
potential for so much power, he or she needs to learn control. Add in the fact that she
will be enlisted in the DF and forced to fight spirits. But because of Adea's uncertain
lineage she is treated like mud. Her mother's job doesn't help her reputation either.
Adea hoped that the school would open perspectives for her, so that she and her
mother could get out of their social situation. But Adea is doing really bad at school,
she fails at the simplest tasks while her classmates have no problems with classes.
By now it looks less like a bright new future and more like training for the shambles.
Maybe I judge them too early and they will give her a desk-job, but it doesn't sound
that way.
Everything came crushing down on her when she fell in love with the third prince. They
had a nice conversation and she fell for him because he didn't judge her. But because
of her situation she is too ashamed to speak to him. And the fact that he is always
taking advanced classes means that she only sees him during theoretic lessons. In
other words, she doesn't even register on his radar.
Her crush is only the tip of the iceberg. I understand that it can come crushing down
on you when you exist like this for years. And she is a teenager with her hormones
going rampant. A good hour of crying doesn't seem that wrong.
From time to time some people come close to us, but my wards quickly make them
turn around. I totally ignore them and concentrate on Adea's story. I can say that I
learned a lot about the people of this realm.
“...sometimes I wish I had been born normal. Then I wouldn't be in this damn school
and they would never send me out to fight spirits.”
Now that she mentions wishes, that gives me an idea. “That's a pitiful story. You have
my sympathy and I really want to help you. Hmmm.” I twirl a lock of my hair between
my fingers. “So what if I grant you three wishes?”
Adea looks up. Her eyes are still red from crying, but now she has a wary expression
on her face. “Why would you grant me three wishes? Just like that. We don't even
know each other.”
I tilt my head. “I listened to your problems for over two hours. I have the feeling that I
know you well enough.”
Adea shakes her head. “But I know nothing about you. And you are grinning like a
Cheshire cat. Something is up. Are you a jinn? They can grant three wishes, but the
wishes you make are always warped and come with a price!”
I pout. She saw right through my intentions. Maybe she isn't that stupid. “Okay. But
that's simply the nature of the world. If you wish for something big, you have to be
prepared for big changes. And big change more often than not means that something
comes back to bite you in the ass. The question is, are you smart enough to make the
wish you need?”
Adea's eyes widen and her lips quiver. “You are a jinn!”
I shake my head. “Not really, but does it matter? I offer you three wishes to have fun.
Let's play a game.”
Adea grabs the cloth of her trousers and focuses her attention on the ground. I can
see the gears in her head working. “Get me...”
I ready myself. Probably she will ask for money to free her mother from her job.
“Make me...”
Okay, maybe she is the unreasonable type and goes for the big prize? Something like
make me a divine?
“Teach me!”
I drop the coffee cup. “Teach you?” Now that's something I didn't expect.
“Yes. The others in school are just better than me because they have gods as parents
who teach them everything they know. I only get instruction from my teachers. You
are clearly at least a spiritualist, if not higher! I am currently ranked as an immortal
and you easily played some kind of mind trick on me. And not only that, you also
bewitched all the other people who came here. Or did you think that I didn't notice
two of my teachers abruptly turning away after they already headed for this bench?”
I bite my lower lip. “Okay, you might be onto something. But you aren't allowed to tell
anyone that I am tutoring you.”
And I certainly won't tell you that that's the worst choice you could have made.
“Why not?” Adea asks.
“Because that's my restriction. Because you made such a tiny wish?” I return the
question. “And regarding the other wishes-”
“I won't make them until I need them!” Adea intercepts.
I purse my lips. “Pardon me? I am the one who is doing you a favour.”
She nods and gets down to her knees to bow to me in dogeza style. “And I am very
grateful that you are helping me master, but my mother taught me that I should only
play my cards when I really need them.”
That's certainly a good advice. “Okay. Though I will make you wish that you had never
asked me to teach you. Do you know the coffee shop vis-a-vis the park entrance?”
Adea looks up. “The new one?”
“Exactly. I am the owner. Find me there every day after you are done with your
classes. We will go over your homework and your training schedule. I have to know
what the academy expects from you.”
And I will learn the skills of this realm. It's always good to know the opponent's
capabilities.
She furrows her forehead, but says nothing. So I continue. “First things first. Show me
that awful water spell again. And tell me what you intended to achieve with it.”
“It's a meditation technique. We are supposed to levitate the sphere above our hands
without losing control. For that purpose...” Adea launches into an explanation of the
spell matrix to create the water sphere, and the subsequent telekinesis matrix to hold
the sphere in the air. At least her theory is good. She learned it by the book.
Unfortunately theory and practical application are two different pairs of shoes when it
comes to magic.
“I want to bang my head into a tree.” I answer when she is finished.
That causes yet another furrowed forehead. Probably I am running into
communication problems. “Don't worry about my speech. I am not from here. But why
are your teachers making it so complicated? First we will train your mana
manipulation until you can hold the spell formation despite the interferences.
“Then we train the basic elements until you can summon them in your sleep. Once
that's done I'll show you some short-cuts with the spells. If you have control problems,
all you have to do is to compress the spell matrix to basic commands. Your teachers
are teaching magic by the book, but that's not a good starting point for everyone.”
Adea turns all teary eyed and I already start to fear that I said something wrong. But
then she hugs my legs.
“Thank you, thank you... you are such a nice jinn!”
“Gods! Let go of me! And I am not a jinn!”
I am something worse!
 5. ~Home sweet home.~

“Hearth magic is the ability to infuse items with your mana. It allows the user to
claim a place as his own. A big part revolves around making food with magical
effects. Most witches practice this form of magic. The users of hearth magic can't
do much without their items or while they are away from their source of power. But
challenge them on their own turf and you are in for a surprise.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“Seria, why are you always reading newspapers and books about history?” Adea
asks me. She is sitting in a comfy corner of my coffee shop. Since I started tutoring
her, she is spending a lot of time in my shop. My lessons started two weeks ago and
I have to say that I am very pleased with her progress. I won't complain about her
presence since it is the easiest way to tutor her while I keep an eye on my business.
Raising an eyebrow, I place the dirty cups in the washing machine. It's a simple box
with a rotating cylinder which is powered by magic. Nothing too complicated, but it
does the job. “I simply like to know what's going on. Like how the DF is doing with the
spirits, or how our country is related to our neighbours. It pays off to know the
political situation.”
Adea whistles while she levitates five pencils above her hand, arranging them to
different formations. It's a technique to learn control. I am also trying to teach her
memory techniques in order to unlock her memories faster, but that would require far
more serious training. I am not sure if our relationship is up to that. She is making
good progress anyway. As long as she catches up to her classmates it will be fine.
Back at home I would have thrown her into a pit to fight some monsters. There is
nothing better than a near death experience to regain some memories.
“I am sorry, it just makes you seem kind of old, Seria. How old are you anyway?”
Adea frowns.
I smile and answer cheerfully, “Twenty-four.”
Adea snorts. “You know that's not what I meant. I wanted to know how much of your
memory is unlocked?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Don't worry about it. I am sure that once you unlock enough of
your memories, you too will avoid talking about them. Now get on with your exercise,
or is it already too easy for you?”
“No!” Adea answers and finally concentrates on her exercise. The pencils form a star,
then they change positions to outline a cylinder. The point of the exercise is to move
them simultaneously without collisions.
When the washing machine is full I sigh and survey the shop. We have ten tables
which are separated from each other with sight screens. Another ten tables are in the
garden area in front of the shop. I've decorated everything with flowers, but the scent
of chocolate and coffee is dominant nonetheless.
The bar is to the left side of the room and behind it is the stairway which leads to my
apartment.
Jimmy is outside to serve the customers. So far he is doing a good job. Maybe he
found his destiny in this line of work? I am paying him starvation wages, just to keep
him alive.
I take a look at our account. We made a small loss during the first month, but I
expected that. I find it more surprising that we are almost in the black. Normally a
new business has it very hard during the start up phase. Maybe I should take that as
a good omen?
Since the academy is nearby we have a lot of young nobles here, that's why I am
betting only on high quality food. There are also some businessmen from the
surrounding offices, but they are the minority.
It still pays off to simply listen to the people. They talk about their daily lives and
current, interesting topics regarding the country.
Newerth is quite big. Maybe they control an area which is equal to a planet? There is
also some form of assistance treaty with neighbouring countries. The treaty's main
concern is assistance in case of spirit invasions. Something which can turn out quite
dire if I trust the rumours.
My thoughts are interrupted when three students enter the shop. Two boys and one
girl. They search the tables and immediately head for Adea when they spot her.
Adea, in turn, drops her pencils when she notices them.
I grab a kitchen knife and a towel. The mana inside the knife immediately responds to
my feelings. Then I follow them, pretending to clean the knife.
“Look who is here? Finally we know where the bane of the class is running off to
when lessons are over. Have you forgotten that you are supposed to copy our
homework?” The speaker slams his hand onto the table and makes Adea flinch.
So she was investing her time in writing the homework for four people? No wonder
that her theory is so good while the application is bad. If she uses all her free time to
write, then there isn't much left to practice magic.
“I- I- won't do it any more. I have to invest all my time in keeping up!” Surprisingly
Adea shows some backbone. The boy scowls and raises his hand which surprises me
a lot.
Before he can hit Adea I tap the boy on the shoulder. “Excuse me, what's your
order?”
“We aren't here to order something,” he answers. But a least he drops his hand.
I frown. “Then you aren't a customer? Get out. You are annoying paying customers.
That's not happening in my shop.”
“Don't interfere, servant!” The boy shoves me away and I drop the heavy kitchen
knife. It responds to the attack by spinning and orienting itself. Once it has acquired
its target, the knife accelerates further to add to the force of gravity.
Hearth magic is semi-intelligent and acts on its own once the spell is in place. It is a
very stupid idea to attack me inside my own house. I had a lot of time to enchant
everything. No matter what form an attack might take, instant retaliation is
guaranteed.
The knife lands with a heavy 'thud' point first in his foot. It was of course an accident.
The room is completely silent while the boy stares in shock at the knife which
penetrated his shoe and sank deep into flesh, pinning him to the ground.
I hit him before the screaming starts. His nose flattens with a satisfying crunch and he
blacks out. To keep him from falling, I grab his collar and retrieve the knife.
Pulling him with me, I realize that I have the attention of all the customers. They are
looking at me. I raise the limp body for everyone to see. “He didn't buy anything and
was annoying a paying customer. We are running a decent business. The price
includes that you aren't annoyed by stupid troublemakers.”
Finally the background noise of talking people and chattering tableware resumes and I
head for the front entrance. Once there, I guess the distance from here to the pond
which is across the street and behind the fence of bushes. Maybe twenty metres? I
toss the troublemaker in a high arc towards the water. He wasn't hit that hard, so he
should wake up once he impacts the cold water. A distant splash tells me that my aim
was true.
His two friends dash past me to rescue their comrade.
I return my attention to more important stuff. Jimmy is staring towards the park where
the hooligan disappeared out of sight. He isn't working, so I flick my fingers. “Jimmy,
do something useful and call the authorities. We have to file a report before those
idiots run home to tell their parents a totally different story.”
Turning around, I find Adea in front of me. “You will get in trouble for this. Their
parents are high ranking nobles.”
I shrug. “What can they do against a full room with...” I hurry to count the people in
my shop, “fourteen eyewitnesses. He caused a ruckus and attacked me, right guys?”
Most of the people nod.
I'll never again complain to my mother that hearth magic is useless. It may not be
capable of outright brainwashing someone, but it smooths the feelings and eases the
heart. When used properly, it can even create a strong feeling of loyalty towards a
certain place. I make it a rule to enchant all my food and the place as a whole. There
isn't a single customer who doesn't leave the coffee shop relaxed and with renewed
energy to work for the rest of the day.
To everyone who visited my shop more than once, I am an angel who brings light into
their dark lives. I am an oasis of peace and righteousness in a dark and unfair world.
Maybe the fact that the shop is already going so well shouldn't surprise me after all.
“Did I allow you to take a break?” I study Adea's conflicted expression until she yields
and returns to her seat.
Two minutes later two officers from the DF arrive. There are a lot of them in this part
of the town, so the reaction speed isn't surprising. They start asking questions right
away and I hurry to bless them with coffee and a smile. Everything on the house of
course. It's not like I am trying to win them over. I am influencing them, just a little.
None of my customers betray me and when the three brats return five minutes later, it
is they who are shackled and led away by the officers. I take the chance to fuel
myself with some coffee and to take a look at Adea's progress.
But when I approach her, she wears that wary expression of hers. “Who are you?”
I smile. “Seria Havenforst, owner of the Hearth Cafe, your tutor and, according to
your wild fantasies, a jinn. You have two wishes left.”
“Why did you help me? It's not like you had to... and they will surely be back,” Adea
mumbles.
“I am not so sure of that. And how am I supposed to tutor you when most of your
time is consumed by their homework? Aren't your teachers supposed to do something
against bullying?”
She presses her lips into a thin line. “Most don't bother with the students. A few care,
but they can't be everywhere at once.”
I play with my ponytail and study Adea. It turned out that she is a troublesome pet.
“Tomorrow we will start with combat training. You have to be able to protect yourself.
At least long enough until help arrives. We should have done this sooner, but I didn't
realize that you have them ganging up on you.”
“But I am just one person?” she answers questioningly and without confidence.
“You are supposed to have divine potential. Nobody is able to bully a god unless they
are prepared to lay waste to the city. Once you reach that level, all you have to do is
ignore them,” I answer confidently.
Adea starts playing with her fingers. “There is something I wanted to ask you.”
“What?”
She looks away from me, avoiding eye contact. “There is a party next week. No,
more like a ball. They celebrate the end of the semester. Every student got a free
ticket for their parents. My Mom, well, she doesn't want to go since all the adults
there will be at least spiritualist rank or higher. I thought that you... maybe... ahem...
the ticket is anonymous and they didn't specify that it has to be given to the parents.”
“Okay. I'll go.” What a nice surprise. I'll be able to listen in on the conversations of the
nobles and get some first-hand impressions of them. It seems like taking Adea under
my wings was a good decision. “Just what is the formal dress code for such an
event?”
Adea stares at me as if I just went full demon mode and ripped off my clothes.
“It was a joke. I have a proper dress.” I hurry to correct myself. Jimmy will have to do
some research for me. I have to know the code of conduct for such an event. Maybe
he can organize some pictures to make sure that I don't violate the dress code.
 6. ~Ball.~

“There is no bad weather, just bad clothing.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“This is just too much! And how did you even get the car!? Is your shop earning that
much money?” Adea looks around, not trusting the peace.
I pat her thigh and smile. “Don't worry about my financial situation. The car is already
rented and we have Jimmy to drive for us. I am doing this as much for my own
convenience as for yours.”
A low growl from the drivers seat makes Adea retreat a little. Then she whispers,
“How did you even meet him. He strikes me more as one of those guys who would
ambush you in a dark alley at night.”
“Don't worry. Jimmy is the moody type, but he wouldn't even harm a fly,” I gesture at
our driver. I wouldn't know how to drive one of the vehicles of this world even if my life
depended on it.
“I still don't know how to thank you for the dress. Originally I planned to go in my
student uniform. But I'll make sure to repay you. Though it might take a while.” Adea
looks at her green and brown ball gown. I chose it because it fits her green eyes and
her brown hair.
I went with a black and red one because it matched my natural hair colour so
perfectly. “You would have stood out like a sheep in a pack of wolves. Don't worry
about it. I am more surprised that the idiotic system which forced you into the
academy doesn't prepare you for such events. And there is just a limited amount of
festivities before you graduate. We have to put our best efforts into each and every
one of them!”
Adea turns her gaze downwards. “Sometimes you talk like you don't belong here.”
Crap! I have to distract her. “And besides, I put so much effort into propelling you to
advanced classes. It would be a shame if you weren't able to sway that prince of
yours.” I reach around Adea and rub her back. “You will go and get him, girl!”
Adea turns red and squeals. “No! I can't. Who implanted that idea into your head!?”
“You have no choice. We spent over a day to make you pretty, so the least you can
do is to ask him out for a dance. You can dance?” I ask, horrified, as I notice the little
dent in my plan.
“Of course I can dance! It's one of the arts. My mother wouldn't allow me to leave the
house if I could not,” Adea answers.
I sigh in relief, but at the same time I ask myself just what Adea's mother is teaching
her.
“We are there,” Jimmy breaks the silence and stops the limousine in front of a big
building. He gets out of the car and hurries to open the door for Adea and me.
We get out and I give Jimmy instructions to park the car and wait for us, then we
approach the entrance.
I study the invitation which I got from Adea. It's not much more than a card which
allows the student to invite one to four people. Adea already informed me that it is
intended for relatives, but we can always say that I am a distant cousin from her
mother's side.
The door steward doesn't cause any trouble for us. He simply takes the invitation and
rips it in half, so that it can't be used again. Then both of us register their aura at the
glass orb which is placed next to the entrance. In case of wandering outside the
building, we can always return to the festivities by identifying ourselves.
I am not so happy about having my aura registered by this device, but there isn't
much I can do about it. It simply means that I have to behave so that I don't land on
some list for wanted people.
Once inside, I link arms with Adea and we roam through the area. There is a big hall
with a dance floor and some tables with chairs so that people can rest. There is also
a smaller hall with a catering service in case someone gets hungry. I help myself to a
drink with red berries inside, but one sip and it is clear that the drink is something
alcoholic.
Our exploration leads to another ballroom. The music in here is more groovy and it is
clear that this is where the students gather. A single glance is enough to spot the
prince. It's a young guy with a lean face. I can't discern more of his features because
he is the centre of a flock of students, mainly females.
“That's him...” Adea mumbles with a dejected voice.
“Good!” I push her forward. “Go and get him!”
She resists. “Are you out of your mind? I can't go in there and ask him to dance! They
will rip me apart!”
I shake my head. “They won't do anything of the sort. They are much too concerned
about looking good in front of him. If they make a scene and he is as good a guy as
you think he is, then he won't forgive them. That's the first test for the new you. If you
don't go there now, I'll stop tutoring you.”
“Arg, jerk...”
For a moment I expect Adea to go all tears and downcast on me, but then she storms
forward and throws herself into the crowd. A few moments later she is with the prince
and talking to him like a shy little girl. She transformed as soon as he set his eyes on
her. That woman doesn't know her own powers.
I guess everything depends now on what type of guy the prince is. Of course I notice
the evil glares from the surrounding crowd, but Adea doesn't. Her eyes are glued to
the third prince.
After a minute he indeed leads her towards the dance floor and I judge that my job is
done. What type of guy would deny a cute girl one dance? In my mind there was
never a question that it wouldn't work out.
Grinning, I turn around to do some reconnaissance of my own. Adea will find me once
she gets sick of her little romance story.
I make another round through the premises and assault the catering service to fill a
plate with food, then I go to listen to the people's conversations at the tables. After
spending a really boring hour there, I decide to for seconds.
Unfortunately I bump into someone upon turning around. The fact that he stood so
close behind me without me noticing him sets off all my alarms. It's almost like he was
sneaking up on me.
He is a hunk of a man with the body of a weightlifter. My eyes roam his body from his
thighs to his chest, and then to his face. That's when my appraising expression
freezes in place. It's one of the DF soldiers who came in as reinforcements when I
was attacked at the mana storm. To be more precise, it's the one whose leg I broke.
The multiverse has a truly wicked way of punishing me. All I did was kill three people
who attacked me with lethal intent. I focus on his blue eyes and the blonde hair. When
I look at those lips I really want to eat him, no matter the consequences.
When he opens his mouth, whichever spell he had over me is shattered like a bowl of
glass. “Look, Cutie. I've a free arm and you seem to be lonely.”
I swallow down whatever physical attraction he has on me and lock those feelings
away. I am a rational being and not some kind of instinct driven animal. At least he
didn't recognize me.
My eyes wander from him to the brunette beauty who is clinging to his right arm, then
to his left arm which he is offering me.
“Yeah, I think... not, whoever you are.” I step back since he is violating my personal
space.
Weightlifter's eyes bug out and his liaison gasps. A suppressed chuckle pulls my
attention to the man who is apparently accompanying the two. “Look, Perseus. There
are apparently women in this kingdom who don't know you. Aw, I wish I had a
camera.” He claps his hands.
The speaker is a little smaller than Perseus and less muscular. I can see at a glance
that he isn't working out as much as my weightlifter, but physical proportions don't
mean much in a world with magic. If I had to put him into a category then he is more
like a swimmer? Perseus... where did I hear that name? Oh, shit! The first prince!
Perseus leans forward and offers me his hand yet another time. “I can see that you
recognized me. You aren't at fault. The photos can't capture the real me.”
I lick my lips. “No, thanks. I am not into threesomes.”
The swimmer starts laughing loudly, not holding back at all. I am glad that I am such a
great source of amusement to him, but the prince isn't amused at all.
“Nobody refuses me. I am the first prince and who are you? I can't even feel your
aura. Who had the audacity to invite a lowly warlock rank to this party?” Perseus
growls and reaches for me, but I glide out of his reach and around him, using the
brunette as a shield. His hand grasps empty air and he almost stumbles over his
girlfriend.
I dance into the swimmer's arms and baffle him by placing his arm around my waist. “I
am sorry, but this guy seems to have much more need for me than you. It would be
unfair if you get two while he goes empty, wouldn't it? And don't insult me with such a
low rank! There are people who have their aura under control and don't pollute the
environment with their waste mana.”
Perseus's jaw drops, but the girl at his arm starts laughing. She, too, clearly doesn't
fancy the prince's idea of a date. “She is right, Perseus. Why don't you let her be. It
seems like she already made her choice.”
The first prince's jaw muscles work in silent anger, but suddenly he starts laughing.
“Then I certainly won't be the one who gets between you two. I am sure that there will
be more than enough chances in the future.” At last he decides that it isn't worth
creating a scandal and he turns, guiding the brunette into the crowd.
“I am sorry, but the whole first prince business is getting to his head,” the swimmer
apologizes.
I look up to study his cold, grey eyes and his black hair. “I am sorry for using you as a
shield. What's your name?”
Interest flickers in his eyes. “You can call me Marc. And who are you, oh mysterious
beauty?” He kisses the back of my hand and smiles, shamelessly using the position I
brought on myself to press me to his body.
“My friends call me Seria. My cousin invited me to the party; normally I don't have
business with the academy or nobility. Our standing is far too low to mingle with the
high society on a daily basis,” I explain.
He nods. “That explains why I've never seen you on the campus or at other events.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Are you often at the academy?”
He chuckles. “I am a teacher. Mana theory and combat lessons are my main subjects,
but I also teach summoning lessons when it is needed.”
“A teacher? How does a teacher become involved with the first prince? You seemed
to know each other well,” I ask, baffled.
Marc shrugs. “He and I were in the same class when we were still students. We kept
the relationship alive since then. But how about a dance? I would be heartbroken if I
don't get the full menu after you threw yourself into my arms.”
I bite my lower lip and follow him onto the dance floor. He might not have the same
effect on me as Perseus, but he certainly has the better character. My eyes slide to
his ass and I consider fulfilling his wish. Okay... full menu. It's your own fault.
We dance and spend our time with idle chit chat, not really giving away information
about each other. I can't blame him for keeping his cards close to his chest. I am
doing the same.
The conversation focuses on the kingdom and problems with the spirits. Marc has
much more insight into the whole spirit affair and he lets slip that the spirits are
becoming more active recently. I also get to know that this world doesn't have contact
with other realms, or is even aware of us. They think that all other dimensions are
overrun by spirits. Not surprising if every portal to another realm ends up as a focus
point for another invasion.
The ballroom slowly empties of people while we talk, signalling that the party reached
its end. I am the one who has to end the conversation when I see Adea roaming into
the ballroom. She is looking around as if she is searching for someone. I excuse
myself and tell Marc to stay put.
Then I hurry to intercept Adea. A short exchange tells me that everything went perfect
on her end and I send her on her way without me. I've still plans for the evening, so
we agree that Jimmy will take her home.
When she is gone, I return to Marc who was waiting for me at one of the tables.
When I approach he gets to his feet. “So you really want to continue the evening?”
“Of course, just had to step out for a moment. I had to tell my cousin that she doesn't
have to wait for me.” I get to my toes and use a husky voice to whisper into his ear.
“And weren't you the one who requested the full menu?”
His jaw drops in shock. His reaction is cute. It feels like that's the first time that
something like this happened to him. “I am not sure that I can stay a gentleman if you
make such an offer.”
My shoulders slump. Is he the type who needs several dates to get laid? I don't want
a fixed relationship from him. A long, relaxing night is good enough. I am on physical
withdrawal since more than a month. Which doesn't mean that I had any real
relationship back at home.
“Do we have to make this complicated? I was offering, what's there to think about?
Unless you have someone? If that's the case-”
He grabs my hand and pulls me towards the exit. “There is a one night hotel just
across the street!”
I giggle. “Sounds like you have experience.”
“I don't! But I know where the young couples go when the party ends,” he answers
and quickens his steps. It's almost as if he fears that I might withdraw the offer.
A few minutes later we storm the room which he rented on his name. I manage to
close the door just in time before he lifts me and presses me against the wall, seeking
my lips.
It's then that I let go. Having a succubus as a mother left me with certain... cravings. I
send my mana into him and scratch at his control and reasoning.
Somehow we manage it to the bed while we take turns in getting rid of bothersome
clothing. There I surprise him with my strength. He tried his best to hold back, fearing
that he could hurt me. But that's certainly not needed.
I throw him onto the bed, making it creak under the impact. Then I follow and straddle
his hips between my thighs, his erection hard against me.
He massages me to readiness while I get lost in nibbling at his neck. Finding myself
getting much too used to his hand between my legs, I lift my hips and sink down on
him ever so slowly. Gasping, he curses and I start riding him, not giving him a chance
to take control.
Well, I am a little starved after a month and Jimmy... well... Jimmy is Jimmy. One
shouldn't satisfy oneself with a piece of furniture.
Finally I feel my belly cramping up with my first orgasm and Marc pants upon finding
his own release which results in a hot feeling inside me.
Grabbing his arm, I whirl us around and pull him on top of me. “Your turn!” I gasp and
close my legs around him. When he starts moving without complaint I can already tell
that this will be a long night.
The next morning I sleepily open my eyes and rub the drowsiness away. Marc is
cuddling me in his arms and I feel bad for snuggling out from under him. I watch his
sleeping face and sigh. He wasn't bad. Well, okay, he was good. Very good.
But whatever there may develop between us, I am still from another realm and I can't
risk going soft during this mission. And he is a friend of the prince. That can only result
in complications if I make this more than a one night stand.
Growling a little, I focus mana on my fingertip and draw a rune on my belly. A little
prevention magic, just in case. Then, on soft feet, I get my things and get dressed.
Once that's done I decide to grab his shirt and jacket as a memento.
Okay, I am doing that with all my conquests, so it's more like a trophy.
After looking at his sleeping expression one more time I sneak out of the room and
take my leave.
 7. ~Guests.~

“One step forth, two steps back.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“It's truly hilarious! The whole academy is talking about it,” Adea proclaims loudly. She
raises the cup of coffee and grins.
I rub my temple and raise my own cup to take a sip. “What? Is it really that big of a
deal that you had the prince one evening for yourself? I am a little disappointed that
you two didn't go all the way. Though I guess young people aren't bold enough for
that. Are the others envious and making up rumours to get their pitiful revenge?”
Adea blushes. “That's not the case and it was mean. And no, I meant something
different.”
Jimmy cleans the table between us with a towel. He really found fulfilment in tending
to my shop. “You have to forgive the mistress. It is still early and she didn't have her
coffee yet. She can be quite edgy without her morning shot.”
Adea follows Jimmy with her eyes as he continues his work with the other tables.
“Sometimes he freaks me out. What's going on between the two of you?”
I shrug and don't answer.
After a moment Adea continues, “Anyway, I was talking about one of the teachers.
Marcus, he has quite the reputation for being an impenetrable fortress. That's
regarding his magic and his love life. And just two days ago, after the ball, people
saw him leave the hotel which all the couples use; without the upper part of his suit!
Apparently he got laid and his princess decided to take a memento.”
I freeze. “Princess?”
Adea nods. “Yes! Isn't it normal to call the mysterious woman a princess? She
bedded the second prince after all! But that's not the important part of the rumour.
Apparently Marcus is running around like a headless idiot and trying to find her, but
she disappeared without a trace and the recorded aura from the ball's entrance-
sphere is useless. He doesn't even know her full name. It's like from a bad fairy tale.
Just that everyone is mad at the mysterious woman for ditching him.”
The gears in my head creak. “Maybe he didn't perform to her satisfaction? But
second prince? He doesn't look like the first prince. There is no similarity between the
two.”
She scowls and squints her eyes in suspicion. “Duh!? That's not surprising. They have
different mothers after all!”
I need more coffee. “Different mothers? Ah, now that you mention it! The king was
married twice; Perseus is from his first, but she was killed in battle during the last
spirit invasion. He had three children with his second wife. Marcus, the second prince,
Lilith, first princess, and Caden, third prince! And you say that this Marcus has a good
reputation?”
Adea's head bobs up and down in agreement. “Unlike the first prince, his two brothers
aren't misusing their status. Marcus is even working as a teacher and I must say that
he is one of the better ones. He isn't a war hero like Perseus, but he clearly cares for
the people and has a much better reputation. His brother is the one who is a notorious
womaniser, though he holds a high rank in the DF. That's what makes the whole
rumour even more surprising.”
Shait! By Dedessia's sewers! Send me through a spirit army! I fucked up. Now I can't
risk going anywhere near the campus!
Adea frowns upon studying my expression. “You look like you bit into a lemon. Is
something wrong?”
I shrug. “Not really! I just met someone at the ball. He called himself Marc and didn't
really give away anything about himself, other than that he is a teacher. I found him
quite pleasant and one thing led to another... and we ended up in bed. I also stole his
shirt and his jacket as a memento. They are above us in my apartment. I expected
that both of us understood that it was a one-night-only encounter.”
Sometime during my speech, Adea choked on her coffee and spit it all over me. Of
course Jimmy immediately rushed to my assistance and is now trying to dry me with a
clean towel. Adea is now staring at me, shocked and wide-eyed. Coffee is dripping
down her chin.
I tilt my head. “Do you think that this Marc fellow and your Marcus are two different
persons? There is always hope. Well, it's his own fault for holding back important
information.”
Adea slams her head onto the table. “You can't go anywhere near the campus!”
I already got that far. “At least we now know the repercussions of your wish!” I smile.
“My wish!? You are the one who fucked up!” Adea points at me.
I point at myself and smile. “Have you forgotten? Jinn! I explained how this works.”
“You said that you aren't a jinn!” she shoots back.
I shrug.
“Oh! Back to not talking? I tell ya-”
An ear-splitting siren interrupts Adea and I look up. The noise is slowly declining, just
to rise in strength a few seconds later. It sums up to a wailing crescendo which can
hardly be ignored. I notice that the people on the street are changing directions, some
are even running.
“What's wrong?” I ask curiously.
“Spirit alarm! Have you never heard it? Something is attacking the city.” Adea answers
with a shocked expression. I get to my feet and head over to Jimmy who is listening
to the radio. Upon arrival he informs me of the latest news. “Some idiot dabbled with
portals and gave the spirits an anchor point. They are invading the Tandeen district.”
I scratch my chin. “That means we retreat to the shelters like everyone else?”
Jimmy nods. “I'll just close the shop. There should be time.”
I turn towards Adea while Jimmy closes the roller shutter and locks the store. The
customers already left anyway, some without paying! At least I've made sure to
remember their faces.
But now that I look at Adea, her expression is lost and frightened. But not by our
earlier conversation.
“That's where Mom works.”
I grab Adea's arm and pull her out of the shop, so that Jimmy can lock the entrance.
“Your Mom will surely escape to the nearest shelter.”
She shakes her head. “You don't understand! Tandeen is were the poor make their
living. They have only a few shelters and those will be full in no time.”
Then she grabs my upper arm. “Please! Go and save her.”
“That's not so easy. I can't fight an entire invasion force,” I answer.
Adea leans onto me. “Please, it's my second wish if it must be! I know that you are
more than you seem. The way you speak and how you sometimes don't know obvious
things. I never insisted on knowing what's going on and I will never tell anyone. You
don't have to fight the damn spirits. Just get my Mom to safety.”
I sigh. “This will have repercussions. I can prophesy that much.” I gesture for Jimmy.
“Go and get the car. At least buying the damn thing was good for something.” Taking
Adea's arm, I pull her towards the parking lot which is located a few blocks down the
street. Jimmy sprints ahead of us.
“You bought the car?” Adea asks surprised.
I smile. “Yes, these vehicles are so rustic! I have to get one to my father. He will have
a lot of fun while taking it apart! He likes those kinds of things.”
Jimmy stops next to us on the road and we get in. Moments later we are on our way,
surely breaking all the speed limits. Our driver manoeuvres expertly through some
side streets, cutting the way short. This way he also avoids the heavy traffic and quite
a few street lights. I am honestly surprised about his expertise with the car, though
not so much about his knowledge regarding dark side streets. “Don't you need
directions, Jimmy?”
“I already brought Adea home, once. I didn't forget,” he answers solemnly. I pat his
head. “You turn out to be surprisingly useful, good job!”
A single tear runs down his cheek. “That's the first time you've praised me.”
Adea clings to the door-handle as Jimmy takes us into a sharp curve, causing some
cars to veer to the sides. “If I wasn't so frightened for Mom, I would insist on learning
to know the relationship between you two!”
As we quickly near our destination, we advance faster because all the traffic is trying
to get away from the battle zone. Some hastily assembled DF units are also making
their way there, but they simply fly with levitation magic and don't waste their time
with us.
The neat and tidy city looks more and more like a warzone. It is clear that the DF
already fought the spirits and drove them back. The ground is covered with the
corpses of civilians, soldiers and spirits.
It is a massacre. The remnants of a fought battle. But there is no guarantee that they
got all of the spirits. Some rogue elements might have been left behind.
I notice that Adea's face took on a green shade upon seeing the destruction and the
corpses, so I hurry to lower the window next to her seat. If she has to puke, she may
as well do it out the window.
“There is no point in driving any further. If Adea's mother is so deep inside the battle
zone I doubt that she is still alive. Adea, where would your mother most likely go in
case of an attack?” I ask.
Adea is clearly not herself and as pale as a ghost. “She always said to run down the
main street towards down-town when something happens.”
I nod towards Jimmy and he complies, speeding up as we arrive on the indicated
street. He manoeuvres around the wreckage like a professional and it doesn't take
long until we encounter five spirits who are gathered around a manhole. One of them
is desperately trying to get into the much too small opening.
Jimmy hits the break and the tires screech as we come to a halt. “Too many. Too
many.” He puts the car into reverse, but I open the door before he can turn the car.
“Get whoever is hiding down there. I'll draw their attention.” I get out and pull my left
crystal-bracer out from under my clothes. It looks more like a piece of jewellery to be
honest.
“Don't! Those are lycans!” Adea calls out, but Jimmy locks the doors and manoeuvres
the car to the side.
I concentrate on the bracer and form it into a featureless mask. No time to be gaudy.
Then I place it on my face and release my aura, drawing the spirits' attention. They
are vaguely humanoid with wolf-like features. All of them bare their teeth upon looking
at me.
Walking forward, I let go of my control and spread my wings. It feels good to have
them back! Next are my horns and the tail.
Then I spread my hands to embrace the first spirit who jumps at me. It wrestles with
my strength, but my inner mana manipulation is stronger than it. It sinks its jaw into
my shoulder, but the teeth don't penetrate my skin. Its limbs flail helplessly as I
increase the pressure and with a howl of pain its spine yields.
I drop the corpse and raise my finger to taunt the remaining spirits. They are nothing
more than foot soldiers. Maybe on the level of a mid in Dedessia's ranking system.
Finally they manage to break their frozen state and surge forward. I jump to meet
them, using my wings as shields against the ones who come from the side.
Using one of my father's spells, I send a spark of chaos energy at the one in front of
me. It howls and chars to a crisp. The one who went in from below twists in mid air
and grabs my leg. I feel myself being flung around and into the nearby wreck of a car.
Cursing, I get up and dig my fingers into the wreck's metal, sending my mana into it.
Using gravitation magic, I lift the car and club the first incoming spirit with it. The poor
thing lets out a single 'yelp' as it is crushed under my improvised weapon.
Then Jimmy hits the pedal to the metal and runs one of the spirits over to get to the
manhole.
The last one turns his attention to Jimmy's car and I use the chance to flash step into
reach. As its head swivels back towards me, I strike out. Hitting its forehead, I send a
burst of mana into its third eye, the eye to the soul.
Every soul has spirit connections to connect to its physical body. The third eye is the
most important one of them. My death magic forcibly disconnects the spirit's soul
from its body and the ugly thing drops dead.
Without its twisted body, the spirit's soul simply shatters and fragments.
I turn my attention to the manhole where Jimmy is helping a group of people out of
their hiding spot. Adea is holding the hands of a woman who is lying on the ground, a
ghastly wound on her stomach. From the colour of her hair I guess that it is her
mother. The wound looks really bad.
Geez. Why did I have to play the wishing game? But once I set them, I stick to my
rules. Adea wished for me to save her mother. It wouldn't count if she dies now.
Upon looking around, I find that the spirit who was run over is still alive. It's just a little
broken, but its life force is still strong and pulses in my vision as a bright light. It tries
to crawl away, but I can't let it do that. Walking forward, I plunge my left shadow wing
into its back. It howls, but can't do much as I lift it like a skewered piece of meat.
Dragging it with me, I approach the group with Adea's Mom. Most of the people back
off. Some even run away.
I ignore them and touch the mother's open belly with a wing of light. Then I start
draining the life force from the spirit and channel it through me into Adea's mother.
The wound closes quickly as the spirit stops struggling and shrivels to a dry husk. If
there were some plants around, I could do this without a sacrifice. But the city in this
area has just stone and earth to offer.
Once she is out of danger, I retreat my wing of light and toss the dead spirit away.
“Get her into the car and out of here. I'll follow later,” I whisper to Jimmy and he nods,
picking up Adea's mother.
Not a second too late. The two incoming auras are almost here.
I flash step away from the group of civilians, barely avoiding the axe-chop as
Perseus's mana covered hand parts the air where I was just a second ago. He
instantly returns to a fighting stance as Marc appears in front of the civilians to shield
them from me. Or should I call him Marcus?
Perseus squints his eyes at me. “I hoped that you didn't disappear. Now I'll get my
rematch!”
I close my eyes and block his hand as he appears in front of me. The shockwave
flattens the house behind me and I reach out to slap him. He senses that there is no
force behind my attack and doesn't even bother to block. We exchange blows like this
seven times, each time another house has to pay for Perseus's idiocy.
Finally he stops his attacks and spits on the ground. “What the fuck are you!”
Marcus, who shielded the civilians, steps in. “Don't you get it? It... she is a divine
level! You would have to lay waste to the city if you want to get through her defence.”
Being called an 'it' hurts a little, but I have to admit that my spirit form looks more
monstrous than others.
“Then what can we do to stop it!?” Perseus asks, still in a fighting stance.
Marcus purses his lips, thinking. “Lure her out of the city? Though I don't get why she
isn't attacking like the others...”
“Back at the mana storm it attacked with lethal force. Don't get lured in, it is just
waiting for a chance. Must be one of the intelligent ones. Maybe she even is the one
who opened the portal to get their forces into the city,” Perseus answers.
I use their bickering to bend down and pick up a pebble, then I wave my hand to get
their attention. Both of them freeze like sheep caught in the headlights. Probably that's
their first time to meet such a strangely behaving spirit. Pointing at my cheek, I pat it
seven times.
“Maybe she wants to tell us something?” Perseus speaks his thoughts aloud.
“She slapped you seven times. Are-” Marcus doesn't get to finish his sentence.
Perseus reaches for his cheek and I flick my fingers, activating the delayed force-
spell which I placed there, amplifying it with each slap. The force of my first slap is
amplified and doubled for each slap I managed to land. That's seven times to be
precise.
His head snaps sideways as the force is applied directly to his body. Spit, blood and a
set of back teeth spray from his mouth as he tumbles over and over, landing in a
mountain of rubble.
I throw the pebble at the group of civilians. My estimation of Marcus's reaction is spot
on. Instead of helping his brother or stopping me, he moves to intercept the pebble.
Which is just that, a pebble. Though he doesn't know that.
It draws enough of his attention for me to get away. I flash step, teleport, flash step,
teleport, each time choosing a new direction and distance. The fourth time I conceal
my aura and hurry to return to my human form. From then on I run, hurrying to leave
the battle zone.
Adea and Jimmy have to be safe. I doubt that Marcus would simply leave their side
after showing such protective behaviour.
I just have to hope that Adea won't snitch on me. Jimmy can't talk, even if he wanted
to.
 8. ~Search.~

“How events are perceived lies in the eye of the beholder.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I sit in my office with my feet placed on the table, rubbing both my temples. “Why is
this happening to me!” Taking the empty tea cup from the table, I throw it at the
chalkboard which is covering the wall. The glass shatters and sprays onto the floor.
On the chalkboard are two mindmaps, representing the two different cases which are
causing the royal family no end of trouble.
The first one is the spirit invasion and the four winged spirit which is apparently
roaming unchecked around the city. We still don't know how she pulls off her
disappearances and how she is hiding herself. I study the mindmap.
Mana storm – three dead, one abducted
Abducted found – not lucid, doesn't know what happened! Raped?
No further deaths, Fourwings disappeared
Portal opened in Tandeen district – cellar, three summoners of low rank, research,
dead
Fourwings reappeared – at fault? Connection to summoners? Didn't attack, no
deaths! Fled!?

This spirit is a loony one. I want the old times back. Spirits who are obviously sane
enough to have plans of their own and hold back their instincts freak me out. And we
don't really know anything about it... her... why do I keep calling it a her?
But we always suspected that there must be spirits with some sort of intelligence.
How else would they connect to a portal to start their invasion? The theory is that they
first send their trash through the portal, then some big ones and then... we never
allowed it to go that far.
My mind keeps returning to yesterday's encounter. That pebble! She knew exactly
what I would do and played me like a musical instrument! My brother keeps saying
that it is just another spirit who has to be dealt with, but she is clearly intelligent. Why
doesn't he admit that?
My eyes keep flipping to the second mindmap and I groan, remembering that one
night. Why did I let her go!? Stupid! And especially running out of the hotel in hope to
catch her on the street. I acted like a lovestruck teenager. Then I spent the day
running around the campus and asking students about her. There was no better way
to start the rumour mill!
My parents chewed me out for half a day when they learned about it. I don't get why
they are giving me so much stress about one wonderful night. My brother is the one
who whores around. Can't I fall for a woman once in a while?
At least I regained some sense and secured the registration sphere later on. There
was not a single noble at the ball whose picture matched Seria. And I looked through
all of them. The only anomaly was an aura which wasn't registered as a known noble.
And that's impossible. All nobles are registered. So this one aura has to be Seria's.
But a colour coded aura with a forename attached to it doesn't get me anywhere! And
we can't force the whole population to have their aura recorded.
Is she a rogue? A spiritualist who... somehow... slipped through the system?
I want to strangle the guy who was in charge of the ball's security. But then again,
who would attack a public event with the nation's strongest fighters? There are some
criminal elements, but they would never lay a hand on us. We are running raids every
few years to keep the organized crime syndicates down. They won't risk our ire.
And it was just a simple school ball. Not some consecrated event with the king and
queen at the head of the table.
Our country was at peace and thriving for generations. Other than the spirits there
are no big internal or external threats. Which country would be stupid enough to start
a war with their neighbours if at any time, any place a portal could open to spit out an
army of crazed monsters. All it takes is one idiot who plays with inter-dimensional
travel. Those times are gone, why don't they see it?
And the spirits don't do spying, at least they didn't until recently. Maybe we have to
put much more effort into our security. I have to tell Father once I see him.
I stop massaging my temples and close my eyes. Every time I close them, I see
those bouncing... and her smile. Gods, how am I supposed to think logically when I
can't have her in my arms. This is the first time something like this has happened to
me.
I take a deep and long breath. This will be solved. It's public, and she is on the DF's
wanted list. Nobody beds nobility without having his or her credentials checked. They
will find her once they are through the memories of the people who agreed to a
memory check. It's just a matter of time. The stupid guard was useless since almost
none of the faces he looked at stuck. His only concern was ripping the invitations. But
someone must have seen her entering the building or associating with someone.
A knock from the door draws my attention. “Enter!”
Another teacher enters the room, Trebor. He is ranked as a demigod and very proud
of it. Too proud in my opinion. As far as I am concerned, he is an asshole. But I never
told him that. Instead I try to stop him from abusing the weaker students by staying
on his good side.
He may not be a divine rank like me, but he is smart. If he gets pissed and puts his
mind to it, he can cause some serious trouble. I don't fear him, but I assume that he
will vent his rage on those beneath him. I can't be everywhere.
“Teacher Marcus. I am coming to you with a very serious issue regarding the rogue!”
Trebor starts the conversation.
Rogue? A picture of Seria flashes through my mind, her arms around my neck as we
dance at the ball. Damn. Is that everything I will ever have of her? Some nice
memories?
Seeing that Trebor won't continue on his own, I decide to urge him on. “Rogue?”
“Ah, Adea Milowies! She is refusing to answer my questions truthfully, so I am coming
to you. I am sure that someone of your status has ways to force her,” Trebor replies.
I let my eyes wander to the ceiling. “Adea Milowies, yes.” Such a coincidence. I
totally forgot that the talented girl is also a rogue, but one who was recognized by the
system. She is proof that there are more than enough nobles who would rather keep
their mouths shut and risk innocent lives than to report their... slippery adventures. A
single divine who slips through the system could cause untold damage if they aren't
educated properly. Such tight restrictions are sad, but how else should a society deal
with persons who are walking nukes?
It's interesting that I recently had a long and nice chat with Adea. She ran off to
rescue her Mom when the spirits attacked. She even encountered our mystery spirit
and the story she and her friend had to tell us was unbelievable. Apparently the
strange spirit saved them, even fighting her own comrades. And she even healed a
lethal wound on Adea's mother. I still have to add that point to my mindmap. Strange
behaviour indeed.
“I am afraid that you have to elaborate,” I gesture for Trebor to go on.
“That little shit was always a bottom feeder. Her muddy blood doesn't allow for more.
But recently she improved drastically. She is keeping up with the top students and she
managed to get transferred to the advanced lessons. She even laid her hands on your
little brother. Did you know that?
Some of her techniques weren't taught at the academy. She is clearly being taught by
someone else and that's not acceptable. It's law that young divines have to be guided
carefully to their awakening. There is no place for illegal tutoring!” Trebor huffs.
Everyone teaches their children, you moron! It might be a law, but one which isn't
followed by anyone and most certainly one that isn't enforced. Trebor must know that
the law is intended for something entirely different. Pure home tutoring of offspring
with divine potential isn't allowed. It guarantees that no family can hide away their
children and gather people of unknown power in their house.
This bastard is simply pissed that someone with enough time at hand is tutoring Adea.
She slipped into the advanced classes, so he can't pester her any more. Something
which the poor girl certainly deserves. “And which question is she refusing to
answer?”
“I just wanted to know who is teaching her. But either she avoids the question, outright
lies, or doesn't answer at all,” Trebor answers enraged.
Ok, that's strange. Why doesn't she want to give away her tutor's identity? Is it
someone who is afraid of persecution because he is teaching a social outcast? My
eyes wander to the chalkboard. Or is it someone who is afraid of being found out?
Like another rogue?
Like her.
And from whom did Seria get the invitation to the ball? She registered normally, so
she must have had one. We interviewed all the students on who got their invitation,
but nobody admitted that they gave it to someone outside their family.
And now we learn that Adea is hiding something. Or better... someone. I smile.
“Maybe we should follow the girl for a while. Just to make certain of who her friends
are. I am concerned about her surroundings. If everyone treats her like dirt, she may
follow the wrong path. And we don't want a potential divine following the wrong path.”
I squint my eyes at Trebor. “Do you understand my meaning?”
Trebor looks away. “Of course your highness. She won't be reprimanded for her...
consultation of another teacher.”
 9. ~Found.~

“The truth always has several layers.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“The number of my pets is increasing. I have to be careful. Before I know it they will
take over my home and my business,” I mumble.
“What was that?” Adea's mother asks and places a cup of coffee in front of me. “You
shouldn't drink so much of that stuff. You will be unable to sleep.”
“Nothing.” I take the cup and empty it in one go. “And I got kind of addicted to the
stuff, so... no.”
Adea's mother, Patricia, has chestnut coloured hair. Her oval face is slightly above
average, but she does a wonderful job with make-up. That lifts her from average to
beautiful. Her body also has curves in all the right places, which promises that Adea
will develop nicely in the future.
It has been four days since the invasion and Adea didn't snitch on me. She didn't even
ask about my situation and simply accepted that my spirit form looks a lot more
inhuman than those of most other people. I had always thought that Adea wouldn't
betray me, but it's nice to see my hunch proven right. It was also lucky that the DF
didn't forcefully interrogate her. I doubt that she is able to resist strong mind magic.
I still have to do research on how this custom against showing off one's spirit form
came to be. From what I've seen and heard so far, it's not much more than a custom.
But a very important one.
My eyes survey the shop. When Patricia got in here, she immediately started to
decorate and rearrange things according to her ideas. Since then we've been fighting
a constant battle about how the shop is supposed to look like. So far, I've the upper
hand. My hearth magic guarantees that the items in this house obey me and not some
stranger.
Since Patricia's establishment was inside the battle zone, it got completely destroyed.
The DF is still counting the dead, reports speak of ten thousand victims and the
numbers are rising. Since the portal was opened in a very poor part of the city, there
was almost no one above immortal rank at the site. The spirits went through the
civilians like wolves through frightened sheep until the DF arrived.
The reports speak about illegal experiments with dimensional travel, but I think that
the reporters are just talking for the sake of entertaining the audience. They know
nothing concrete and a silent news channel makes for bad publicity.
Be that as it may, Adea's mother lost her home, if she wants to call it that. Until the
DF declares the Tandeen district as safe and lifts the blockade, Patricia can't go
back. In absence of a better solution, I hired her as a waitress and arranged for an
apartment close by. Of course that caused me no end of bowing and hugging from
Adea's side. I still don't understand why that girl has grown so much on me.
But I have to admit that Patricia is good for the business. I watch as Patricia beams
yet another smile at a male customer, bending down and flashing her neckline for him
to take a good look. Of course totally accidentally. Since she started working here,
our financial situation is more than green. I didn't realize it until now, but most of our
customers so far were female. According to Adea they are here to ogle Jimmy. None
of the other shops have such a strict dress code as the Hearth Coffee Shop with its
butler. And now we even have a maid.
I am called the Owner, or the Princess for the regulars.
“I am back!”
Adea's voice wakes me from my reminiscence and I watch her skip into the room.
“You seem to be awfully cheerful today. Did something good happen?”
“I! Was officially invited on a date by Caden, the third prince! In front of the entire
class!” Adea replies, puffing out her chest.
“Kyaa! I am so happy for you!” Patricia charges at her daughter and hugs her. “I told
you so. Just strengthen your resolve and talk to him. There is no way that a guy could
resist my little girl.”
I smile and pass on pointing out that I was the one who blackmailed her into taking
action. Although Patricia thinks that I am just a very good friend of Adea's. I see no
need in changing that.
That's when I sense it.
I stop my current task of operating the coffee machine and drop to the ground, using
the bar to hide behind. Then I recheck my aura, but there isn't a single leak. How by
Dedessia did he get here?
The shop's door opens and a gasp tells me that Adea knows the person who just
entered. It also tells me that Adea didn't intend on leading a divine rank to this place.
I felt a very strong aura coming close, so I hid, just in case.
“Hello, Adea. You really seem to like this place.” I recognize Marcus's voice.
“Y- yeah! My Mom is working here, isn't it obvious that I like it?” Adea answers.
How did he catch on? Did they draw a connection between me and Adea? Did
someone remember us being together at the ball? There are countless possibilities.
How do I play this?
His voice sounds anticipating. “But according to two of your classmates, you've been
coming here for more than a month. And your mother was hired just after she lost her
home to the spirits. I would like to speak to the owner. My sources tell me that this
shop belongs to a certain Seria Havenforst.”
Crap! Crap! Crap! He knows. What do I do? Oh, I know! I just need to look different!
Like someone who he has no interest in. Like an old hag. Yes.
I concentrate on illusion magic and cast a glamour spell, turning my hair blonde and
ageing myself by about forty years with quite a few wrinkles. That must do for now.
I cough and try to get a somewhat cranky tone into my voice. Then I grab one of the
packs with coffee which are stored under the bar. I need a reason for crawling and
hiding, then I stand up. “What do you need, young boy? I am Seria Havenforst.”
Two people are at the entrance. One is Marcus and the other is a man with rat-like
features. I immediately dislike him. Marcus stops smiling and squints his eyes at me. I
think that I actually tricked him... for a moment.
When Patricia's and Adea's eyes bug out upon looking at me, I know that my ruse
failed. I can't blame them. A young, virile Seria jumps behind the bar and an old,
ripened woman comes back up. They aren't trained for something like this.
Of course Marcus notices their expressions. “That's a low blow, Seria. I've put so
much effort into finding you, do you really think that I haven't researched your shop
and accessed your files before I decided to pay you a visit?” he asks, then he looks
me up and down. “And that appearance? Seriously? Who in this world wants to look
old? And I felt a spell being worked behind the bar. Don't take me for a fool.”
The Rat looks surprised as he moves his gaze from me to Marcus and then back
again. It seems like he didn't know what this visit was about.
Ok, so my improvised disguise is no good. Fine. I can live with that. But what now?
Do they know that I am the spirit which emerged from the mana storm, or is this
about something different?
I decide on saying as little as possible until I know what they want. Seria Havenforst
didn't do anything illegal as far as they should know?
So is this just about me having a ride on top of the second prince? Dispersing the
glamour, I return to my previous form and sigh. “Fine. You have me. What do you
want?”
The rat points at me. “She is a rogue!? And teaching one of our students!”
I furrow my forehead? A rogue? Quickly, I search my meatshield wiki and a light pops
up above my head. Of course, not literally; that was just a figure of speech.
But being seen as a rogue might not be so bad. Of course I'll repent for hiding myself
and crawl and bow in front of the nobles. And then I might even be able to play
among them.
Marcus reacts entirely different. He smiles and walks forward. Then he cups my free
hand in his own. “I just want another date!”
“What!” the rat calls out.
Patricia whistles and Adea's pale face lights up a little.
I try to get my hand back, but Marcus doesn't let go. Instead he massages it and
places a kiss on the back of my hand. It's been a long time since someone did that
and I feel myself blush, just a little. “But I am a rogue?”
“Yes, your highness! Think about the scandal!” The Rat chimes in and I have a sudden
wish to rip off his head.
“Why didn't you tell me?” Marcus asks.
I use all my acting talent to press out some tears, a skill that was always handy when
I was a child. Unfortunately my parents learned ages ago that I can cry on command.
“I never told anyone! Just Adea knew, and she found it out by accident. I don't know
how I slipped through the test when I was a child. Maybe they messed up. But a year
later I got those nightmares and dreams. I didn't think of them as memories at first.
“When I realized what was happening and that I am surely above archmage rank, I
was so afraid of being conscripted into the DF to fight those monsters. I simply
couldn't tell anyone. I knew that I would slip at some point, but the fact that I kept it a
secret for so long...” I let my voice fade out, hoping that I didn't lay it on too thick. Too
much improvisation, and the story might sound strange.
Marcus nods, still holding my hand. “It's okay. You were alone, no family. You had
nobody to confide to. I will help you in working out an arrangement.”
Oh, boy. Really? The way he looks at me... it's like I took him into thrall or something.
If his family finds out, they will make me one head shorter!
“Your highness! Your judgement is clearly hindered! I'll take care of this from now on.”
The rat steps forward, producing a handcuff from somewhere and slapping it onto my
hand. That, along with his feelings towards me, are enough to trigger a reaction from
my house.
The latent magic comes to life and the packet with powdered coffee explodes
outwards in a shaped cone, right into the rat's face.
He coughs and screams as the powder gets into his eyes and nose. Then it ignites in
a shower of sparks, burning away his facial hair. As he stumbles backwards, one of
the chairs moves as if by an invisible hand and the Rat drops into it.
A burst of kinetic energy propels the chair and the Rat with it through the window.
Glass shatters and they tumble in a high arc over and over until they disappear out of
sight. A distant 'splash' tells me that the Rat just went for a swim in the pond which is
located a few metres away in the park.
Everyone is staring at us.
Marcus is completely unfazed by all this. Instead he is smiling. “I was wondering
about all the magic this place is brimming with. Hearth magic?”
I reply with a smile. “Seems like you deserve being called a teacher.”
 10. ~Prisontime.~

“In some Native American legends, a Skinwalker is a person with the supernatural
ability to turn into any animal he or she desires. To be able to transform, legend
sometimes requires that the Skinwalker does wear a pelt of the animal, though this
is not always considered necessary.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I rattle my shackles, causing the runes on them to glow with blue light. Then I survey
the empty room, pursing my lips. There is just a long table with one big chair, which I
am chained to. On the other side of the table are four more chairs. The walls and
floor are as grey as the furniture. This is an interrogation cell. Which is located in a DF
facility next to the academy.
It's funny that I came here on my own accord. Marcus brought me here and
persuaded me to stay put until he manages to sort the situation out. It might be
possible that he ran into some trouble while doing so.
It has been five hours since then and I was visited by five interrogators. Each of them
was carried out by the guards after they tried to read my mind.
I understand that even Marcus can't simply wave his hand and make procedures go
away. I declared myself a rogue after all, which should be marginally better than
multidimensional spy and princess of another realm, which is filled with beings just like
them.
But I felt no deceit when he said that he would help me. That he would work out an
arrangement, to be precise.
If they hadn't tried to get into my mind I would still be relaxed. Of course I didn't let
them, but it might be time to think about getting out of here. It's nice to have the
greatest mind and soul mage in existence as my father. Daddy couldn't stand the
thought of having me controlled by someone, so he taught me almost everything he
knew.
When it comes to mental defences I doubt that I am any weaker than him.
It's just the really beefy stuff which I have to struggle with. Like taking complete
control of another being, sending my soul into them. Father calls it soulwalking. Or
creating soulbonds. That's stuff I better not lay my hands upon. It feels creepy to put
on the body of someone else like a piece of cloth.
I only send the people over the edge. What happens to their souls afterwards isn't my
concern. I have no problem with admitting that my talents only go so far. The goddess
of life and death isn't almighty. My talents are life and death magic. That's enough for
me. One should always know her talents.
The door opens and two people walk in, a woman and a man. They look very similar
to the pictures I saw of the king and queen. Their clothes are definitely more elegant
than the uniforms of the people who tried to poke their greasy fingers into my mind.
The silver and gold embroidered garments hold an aura of nobility. Not that us gods
give a shit about such things.
But even amongst beings like us exists something like a pecking order. The
hierarchical pyramid of a kingdom is the most similar to it. So it would be very
surprising to ever find a society with gods who chose to live in a democracy. It's
simply against our nature.
They undeniably radiate power. Those two are strong.
I smile and rattle my chains, waving a hand. “Hi.”
They stop, looking at me like I am a genuine alien. Well, I am! But they don't know it.
The man decides to speak first. “We've heard that you withstood our top
interrogators? Three of them aren't quite themselves at the moment.”
Shrugging, I spread my hands as far as the chains allow. “They tried to look at my
memories. That's sacred ground where no one but me is allowed, so I threw them
out. They will regain their composure soon enough. I tried to avoid permanent
damage... this time.”
The man straightens, but the woman places a hand on his. “Charles, we do this the
civilised way, remember?”
“As you wish, Clarity.” He replied with a grumpy voice. I have a feeling that he would
love to tear out my throat and drink my blood.
Turning to me, she smiles. “And you, I hope you understand that you are causing us
headaches. Somehow you, a divine, slipped through the system. We have to make
sure that this doesn't happen again. And the fact that you remained hidden for long
enough to regain so much knowledge is troublesome.
“I hope that you understand that your mere existence is shifting the power structure.
All the noble families are asking whom you belong to. And the fact that my son is
protecting you elevates all this to a whole new level.”
So they think that my father might show up, call out 'Daughter!', and I jump into his
arms to tell him all the secrets of state I may have learned from Marcus?
I nod and tilt my head. “You don't have to worry that I'll run off to join the opposition.
Even if my progenitors reveal themselves, why should I give a shit about them? I was
quite happy with my coffee shop. If I hadn't slipped with Adea and developed
maternal feelings for her, nothing of this would have happened. I would still be sitting
in my shop and serving tea and coffee.”
She raises her eyebrow. “And what is my son to you? He made quite the speech in
your favour.”
Seriously? I circle my hand as far as the cuffs allow it. “What's there to say? We met,
we danced, we had a nice chat. I liked him and we spent an even nicer night together.
It was intended as one-night-only encounter, but then he made a scene to find me. I
must admit that it is quite charming to have a guy chase after you like that. He might
even make me fall for him. So far, he did a good job of it.”
I smile and drum my fingers onto the table. “Now that he has what he wanted, can I
go back to my shop? I like it there. I spent my entire life in this kingdom and I never
bothered anyone. Just look at my records. I even went with Marcus without putting up
a fight. He promised that I wouldn't be harmed. And these walls make me
depressed.”
Clarity raises both her eyebrows. “You have spine. I'll give you that. But you have to
understand that all nobles in this country have responsibilities. The fact that you are
above spiritualist rank makes you automatically a noble.”
I furrow my forehead. “And I am above spiritualist rank because...”
“You kicked Trebor's ass when he tried to arrest you in your shop. He is ranked as a
demigod. So that makes you at least a spiritualist who was lucky, or a demigod.
Though I suspect that you are stronger. I was at your house to take a look at your
wards and your hearth magic. The fact that I wouldn't want to fight you in there says
something. That place has a lot of power, especially the upper floor. What you've set
up in the shop itself are just pranks to shoo bullies away,” she explains.
I draw a sharp breath. “You didn't let the DF search through my stuff? Did they steal
any of my underwear!? I know men! They do stuff like that.”
Now it's her turn to look genuinely befuddled. “No. My husband and I searched
through it. Some of your wards would have killed anyone who is less than a demigod.
Especially those in your apartment. You really like books and history, do you?”
I shrug and squint my eyes at the king, conveying the silent message that he is dead
meat if he ever drops a word about my undergarments.
Maybe he understood it and maybe not. His face stays expressionless. “I hope that
you understand that while we might give you the benefit of the doubt, we still have to
know what the current you can do.”
Clarity smiles. “What Charles wants to say, is that we will allow you to roam freely.
But you have to take a ranking exam, so that we can judge your potential and give
you a proper rank. And you will be given a job that fits your skills. Until we have a
better idea of what to do with you, I have decided to make you a teacher at the
academy.
“You seem to have a good grasp of your memories. The job you did with Adea is
proof of that. Of course you will be paid for the work. If you still want to work in that
shop of yours during your free time, that's your choice.”
Hooray! That sounds better than what I hoped for!
“And I want a pregnancy test! I never expected much from Perseus, but my Marcus
doesn't get to go around causing trouble!” she adds.
My smile immediately drops. “I am sorry, but I am not that kind of woman. Don't
worry, I've been careful. Can I go now?”
They nod.
“Then we can start the ranking assessment right now. Marcus said that I should play
nice, but those interrogators almost made me go back on my promise.” I smile and
twist my hands, pouring all my mana through my inner magical system. The runes
flare up and the chains break. Then the runes which should prevent me from using
magic flicker out.
The chains were good craftsmanship and the magic which was embedded in them
was a piece of art. But the spells can only be as good as the material which holds
them.
As long as I can overpower the spells for long enough to bend the metal, it is no
problem to get free. A spell matrix is very prone to failure. A little bend in the material
is enough to cause the enchantments to fail. That's why I prefer hearth magic. It
fades with time, but doesn't rely on the matter it inhabits.
I claw the useless handcuffs from my wrists and gesture at the door. “Please lead the
way.”
 11. ~Ranking hour.~

“Once your gun is empty, you can throw it.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I smile upon seeing my father leaving the detention cell, followed by my mother and
Seria. I heard no screams from inside the room, so it must mean that it went well. A
little feeling of dread stole itself into my heart when my parents informed me that they
want to speak to Seria alone.
Stepping forward, I address Seria, “I am sorry for the time you had to wait. And for
the guys who tried to interrogate you. You are fine?”
“She is fine,” my father harrumphs, answering in her stead. “And she must be a deity
at the very least.”
Clarity nods. “Yes, she tore her restraints like they were nothing.”
“Then all that's left to do is taking the test and she is free to go?” I ask.
Seria looks at me, considering something. Then she steps in front of me and plants
her fists on her hips, smiling. Her bittersweet voice cuts into me like a blade made of
ice. “I am afraid that your mother insists on a pregnancy test. The ranking will have to
wait.” Then she turns away and walks down the corridor, backtracking the path which
led her to this room.
I feel the corner of my left eye twitch with slight annoyance. That's not how I imagined
our reunion. I realize that I am coming across like a stalker for tracking her down. But
I simply needed that second chance at deepening our relationship... if I am allowed to
call it one.
My expression is frozen in a smile when I address my mother, voicing the word
'Why?'.
She answers by crossing her arms in front of her chest, making it a statement. I sigh
and hurry to follow Seria, who slowed her steps to allow us to catch up. She can have
only one reason for doing so, meaning that she doesn't know how to get around the
complex.
I gesture to the left. “The medical facilities are that way.”
“Great! Then we will soon know if we should call your mother a grandma!” she
answers.
I wave my hands in the air. “I am not sure what she said, but she certainly didn't mean
it in a bad way.”
But what should I do if she really is pregnant!? It would be a wonderful reason to go
on more dates, but at the same time it would look like she tricked me. I don't want to
think of her like that.
No matter the circumstances of our reunion. The nobles will say that she is
blackmailing the royal family. Before I can think of a smart way to start the
conversation, we reach the medical ward. I try to follow her in, but Seria slams the
door shut in front of me. My mother glares at me and follows her in. I remain on the
corridor in front of the medical facility.
I just want to know why my brain shuts down when she is in my vicinity. Is it the blood
loss? My blood tends to be pumped somewhere else when I look at her.
“She is playing you, Son,” my father says from next to me.
I furrow my forehead and look at him. “Say what?”
“That girl is a snake with a twisted tongue. Don't fall under her spell and question all
of her actions. She is playing a far bigger game than we think,” Father explains, his
eyes shining with a silver hue.
I squint my eyes at him. “Is that what your sight tells you? Is she dangerous?”
Charles blinks and the silver in his eyes is gone. “The future holds many paths. My
ability is just telling me that she represents a crossroad for future events. I can't say if
it's good or bad.”
“What a useless ability if it doesn't tell you which path to take,” I snort.
The king shrugs, “I value the simple fact of knowing that I have to treat her with great
care. And you should also keep your eyes open and your senses sharp.”
Before I can answer, the door opens and my mother steps out, followed by Seria.
“That was fast,” I note and study their faces. Clarity's expression is relieved, while
Seria's is screaming, 'I told you so!'
“You were lucky,” Clarity proclaims. “Now we can finish this and go home.”
I roll my eyes and smile at Seria. “I would have been lucky either way.”
She raises an eyebrow.
Okay, maybe not the best pick-up line. But I'll work on it. Just wait and see, my red
haired goddess, I'll melt your heart.
Charles takes over and leads us directly towards a teleportation circle. Unfortunately I
don't get much more chances to talk to Seria. Having my parents so close is awkward
as hell, so we spend the entire trip in silence.
The teleportation circle takes us directly onto a training field outside the city where
several examiners are waiting for us. They look like they were reassigned to this job
on the fly. One of them is even in his private clothes.
Unfortunately I recognize their leader, Trebor. The new look which Seria gave him is
hilarious. The medical team healed his burned face back to perfection, but apparently
the healer who was in charge didn't deem it necessary to regrow Trebor's facial hair.
I fear that he will try everything to get back at Seria, but maybe not today. It would be
very dangerous to pull some petty revenge with three members of the royal family
watching the proceedings.
Trebor gestures for Seria to come closer. “You know the proceedings for a ranking
test?”
She shakes her head. “No.”
He draws a deep breath. “We will give you a rank according to your performance in
the three categories,” he raises a finger, “Mana control, spell knowledge,
performance under pressure and raw power.”
Seria nods and gestures for Trebor to go on.
Trebor points at a wooden obelisk which stands about a hundred feet away. “See that
target over there? It consists of five separate blocks. Each has a number from one to
five. Sort them.”
“Children's game...” Seria mumbles something and raises her hand. One moment later
I feel her magic reaching out and the blocks raise up in the air, sorting themselves.
It doesn't take long and the task is finished.
Another examiner asks Seria a question. “Tell us everything you know about the inner
and outer magical system.”
“Why should I do that?” Seria answers with a question, baffling the examiners.
“The more you impress us with your knowledge, the more points you get?” one of
them offers.
Seria considers that for a moment and finally decides to give us an old school
explanation of the inner and outer magical system.
To cut the crap short, every intelligent being needs several things to use magic. First
of all you need a soul, which is nothing more than a quantum wave which carries the
memories of any immortal being. The soul interacts with, and controls, its physical
body through spirit connections.
The body, in turn, is the vessel which holds and generates mana. The inner magical
system is mainly composed of the body's nervous system and enables someone to
control the magic within his own body.
The outer magical system is the ability to emit mana from the very same nerve
system, to create a spell matrix which influences the world around us. Thus it enables
someone to cast spells.
“...and if you completely master one of the two, you will loose the ability to use the
other. Forever, in all subsequent reincarnations.”
Well, that's certainly something not everyone knows! I think there are actually just a
few people in the whole multiverse who achieved such a feat. Seria didn't let us look
at her memories, did she know one of them?
The examiner nods and writes something into his report.
Once that's done, Trebor returns his attention with a vicious grin towards Seria. “And
now, try to topple the tower of cubes while we use all of our strength to stop you.
Feel free to start any time you want.” He flicks a finger and all of the other three
examiners immediately cast magic resistance on the wooden tower of cubes. Their
main concern is that Seria uses a form of force magic.
Seria squints her eyes at the four cubes. “That's really, really strong magical
interference. It will be hard to cast a spell through that.” She raises her hand, but as
she starts gathering magic, Trebor slaps her.
Her eyes widen and she raises her hand to her cheek. I think her eyes flashed golden
just for a moment. And I had a strange feeling, but it was very short. Hmmm. Seria is
a master at keeping her aura in check.
Trevor grins at her. “Didn't you listen to me? This is about casting magic while you are
under pressure! What are you mumbling about? I don't understand you when you
whisper.”
“...hit me... force equals mass times acceleration... cubes maybe a hundred kilograms
each... what's your weight?”
“What- hrgh!”
Seria's hand shoots out and strikes Trebor's Adam's apple with a karate chop! Two
more hits impact his shoulders in quick succession with cracking sounds, and before
any of us can react, Trebor is whirled around and sails off into the distance.
All of us watch in silent awe as he hits the cubes after four, long seconds of flight and
causes the monolith to collapse.
“That was an attack on your examiner!” Clarity calls out.
Charles snorts in amusement. “I've never seen the test solved in such a creative way.”
My eyes wander back to Seria. I love that woman! And not only because she kicked
Trebor's ass and I hate the guy.
Seria snorts. “Nobody said that I am not allowed to defend myself. And the cubes are
down, what do you want?”
Two of the examiners hurry down the range to render first aid and Seria calls after
them, “Don't worry! He is alive! Just a little broken...”
The last member of Trebor's staff points a trembling finger down the other side of the
range. “If you would be so kind and demonstrate your most destructive spell?”
Seria shrugs her shoulders and points a finger in the indicated direction. “Mass
destruction isn't my profession, but I'll try.”
A blue light forms on her fingertip and she draws a set of runes into the air. Pouring
more energy into the spell, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small paper
bag.
Then I feel her power pouring into the spell matrix and she throws the bag through the
rune system onto the ground. For a moment, nothing happens. Then roots burst from
the bag and start growing rapidly.
I laugh as I realize what she did. The testing range is a desolate and empty piece of
land. Everyone who gets tested chooses to show off with some form of
megalomaniac nuke spell. But Seria somehow supercharged a bag of flower seeds
which are now rapidly overgrowing throughout the entire training range.
She throws back her hair and grins. “Just try to copy that. I call it the green hell. They
won't stop growing until the charge runs out. I think this area should be a forest by
then.”
 12. ~First Lesson.~

“When there is gum in your hair, cutting it is sometimes the only option.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I ruffle my hair, looking through the curriculum. “Who decided that I should teach mana
control, magic theory and practical experience? Whatever the third one is? I obviously
showed incredible skill with life magic when they tested me! Why not let me teach
what I am good at? It must be that rathead's doing. What was his name?”
“Miss?”
“Trebor! Yes, that's it! He should have been glad that I broke him just a little and not
completely. The next time I won't show mercy!”
“Miss?”

“What!?” I look up and scream at the student in front of me. The whole class looks at
me as if I am a maniac. But I am not. I just don't give a shit about them... well...
except for Adea. Sorry, guys, I know that it's horrible to have a teacher who doesn't
care about her students. But that's life. Deal with it!
The student who is apparently the bravest of the entire bunch asks me in a confused
tone, “Who are you!?”
“I already introduced myself as Seria.” I try to speak slowly, pronouncing every word
for him, so that his rattled brain can understand me this time. Maybe he didn't listen
when I greeted them?
“Yes, but why are you here?” he continues.
I roll my eyes. This isn't the brightest fellow in the world. “Where am I sitting?”
His forehead wrinkles in confusion. “In the teacher's chair?”
I clap my hands and finally he looks a little angered. “So it stands to reason that I am
your new teacher!”
“And what about the old one?” he asks. “This is supposed to be the advanced class.
You didn't teach us anything. Instead you are sitting here and studying documents.”
I shrug my shoulders. “Before I teach you anything, I have to know the curriculum. I
am new at this job and since they forced it onto me, I didn't have the time to prepare.
And as for the old teacher, I suppose they simply deemed me as the better choice.”
The student's eyebrows rise. “Teacher Hondwein is a deity. There are only a handful
of people who are better than him. And he certainly had better experience and
manners than you. Normally I don't insist on status, but you are rude to the extreme!
As the third prince, I can't tolerate that.”
I look away from the documents and inspect the student. He has dark, brown hair and
a lean build. Now that I look at him, I indeed recognise similarities to Marcus. “Third
prince you say, Caden?” Don't tell me that he is Adea's crush.
My eyes wander to Adea who is sitting behind him. On the outside she is a perfect
part of the classroom, but a slight shifting motion tells me that she is trying to warn
her Wuwu by using her foot to poke him. Well, well...
My expression turns into the broad grin of a Cheshire cat and Adea groans. Then she
slams her forehead onto her table. The noise alarms the prince, but it's already too
late. I have my sights on him.
“Why don't you join me out here in front of the class? This lesson is supposed to be
about mana control and I certainly won't stop a student who is eager to learn,” I purr
with my best seductive voice, stealing the trademark skill of my mother.
The male part of the class gasps, while I earn a killing glare from the girls. Caden
snorts, unimpressed. He stands up and joins me, standing next to my desk.
“Now. First I have to gauge your abilities, so we will start with something simple. Oh, I
know. Caden, cast a magelight and then I'll try to break your concentration. You know
what happens if you lose control of a spell and don't abort it correctly?” I ask.
Caden nods. “Of course. The mana will flow back into me and cause sensory
overload. In the worst case scenario, the caster can go into shock and die.”
“Wonderful, so make sure not to use too much mana on the magelight. It's a small
spell, but we don't want you out of commission for the rest of the day. You may start.”
I wave my hand and gesture for him to go on.
Caden snorts and summons his magelight while I watch. The blue orb of light which
appears above his hand is a perfect sphere. I don't recognize any fluctuations. He
channels the mana through his hand to stay in control and support the spell.
The technique may be a basic one, but it certainly allows for the most control.
Stretching out my leg, I poke his thigh. He shows no reaction, his attention is glued to
the spell. At least he isn't underestimating me. I stand up and walk around him,
studying his technique.
Bending forward, I whisper into his ear. “You like Adea? You gave your best to ignore
her, but sometimes it's better to listen if someone tries to stop you from doing
something stupid. Don't you also think that she is cute? Ever thought about undressing
her?”
His control wavers a little, but not much. Turning, I place myself in front of him so that
the class can't see my expression. “You are good. But you should work on channelling
mana through your whole body. Currently you are simply guiding it towards your skin
and then channelling it towards your hand. That can have a very bad ending when
someone touches you in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Parting my lips, I smile and reach out, brushing my fingers along his cheek and down
to his neck. I try my best to catch his eyes with the most lusty expression I am
capable of.
The sensation of my touch causes him to shudder and the flow of mana is disturbed.
As expected, he doesn't manage to abort the spell and the magical backlash hits him.
The magelight sputters out of existence and Caden starts trembling. Foam gathers at
his mouth and he drops like a felled tree.
I turn towards the class and clap my hands together. “And now we will inspect all of
you for similar mistakes!”
Adea is the only one who doesn't look shocked. Instead she is just sitting there, her
hands on her temples and staring at nothing. Due to the silence I can even hear her
mumbling. “...bad wish. Never should have wished for something. She warned me, but
as the fool I am, I didn't resist the temptation...”
Well, maybe I was a little harsh. The class could certainly need a little success after
seeing their prince defeated in such a manner. Adea should be able to pass the test. I
trained her in a similar way and she learned very fast to avoid the backlash. I just
have to avoid using her name. Otherwise people will know that we are related. I point
at Adea. “You there, pay attention during class. You are next.”
I point at two other students in the first row. “And you two, clear that up. You know
first aid? Lay him in a corner so that he can't swallow his tongue, then return to your
seats.”
The two chosen students nod and hurry to execute my commands. I really could get
used to this... being a teacher I mean. It's almost like being royalty, just that the circle
of people to command around is smaller.
I turn my attention to Adea and smile. This will be fun.
An hour later, three quarters of the class are out of commission and I am happily
skipping along the hallway towards the exit. I already had two other classes today
and it's evening, so there is not much more to do than going home. All in all, I think I
did a great job for my first day as a teacher. Though I must say that Adea's class was
the most trouble.
The students of the previous two classes were much smarter and avoided drawing
my attention. Though that will only help them as long as I need to study the
curriculum.
Seriously! How do they expect me to teach from scratch. The only reason why I got
at least some things accomplished was that I already have a general overview about
what the students are supposed to know. The month I spent teaching Adea was a
great help.
Though I still have to know what I am supposed to teach next. Back at home in
Dedessia, we avoid all the schooling and teaching nonsense. Instead we focus our
time on awakening the memories of our previous lives. Why relearn something when
you already know it? Recovering the memories is much easier.
The people of this world are apparently not willing to risk their lives in near death
experiences, which are the best motivation to recover old memories.
Hah... but all that isn't important right now. I still have plans for this evening. Like
sneaking into the director's office and finding out who is responsible for the subjects I
have to teach. And it's also a good warm-up exercise for raiding the palace. Yes! I
seriously need to gather some dirt on these people. Enough of leaning back and
enjoying a different culture.
Tonight I am going to spy!
Turning around the corner, I run face first into a broad, hard chest. Definitely a man. I
step back, but the obstacle catches my hand and kisses it.
“Seria! It's so great that I managed to intercept you. What do you think about going
on a date tonight?” Marcus smiles down at me in a way which makes me want to
commit more than a small sin with him under me. He looks at me as if I am sex on a
stick.
What's wrong with this guy? Always kissing my hand? Is that a fetish of his, does he
like hands? Not that I would complain, it's kind of flattering when he does that. I force
myself to smile. Well, maybe spying will be more difficult than I thought. This man is
worse than gum in my hair. “If it doesn't get too late?”
 13. ~Stalker.~

“Life, or death? Or both?”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
“Will you continue to teach Adea?” I ask. It's more to keep this evening's conversation
going and less because I've actual interest in Adea. But Seria obviously likes her and
my little brother has a crush on the girl. Adea seems to attract everyone once she
manages to break the ice. So I guess that I have no choice but to include her in our
discussions.
And I honestly don't know what else to ask Seria. This evening's date progressed
quite smoothly and I have the feeling that I asked every question possible. Sadly
talking to Seria always feels like I am getting fed only half the truth. I don't know why I
have this feeling. It makes me sad.
On the other hand it doesn't feel like Seria is doing it out of malicious intents. And
there are always my father's words in the back of my mind.
My father's spirit form came with the very rare gift to predict the future. I don't think
that relying too much on it is a smart move. But when my father says that someone,
or something, represents an important decision, then he is almost always right. And
when he isn't, the person in question had at least something to do with an important
event. So Seria is more than she seems...
She nods. “Sure. Adea and I have an agreement. I gave her my word to be her tutor.
Once I give my word, I try to keep it. Of course that also means that I won't allow her
to back out of it, even if she wants to.” An evil smirk appears on Seria's face.
“Ohoho... so I have to be careful if you promise me something?” I snicker. It would be
fun to catch her with her own web of responsibilities. I wonder how she would react if
her own principles become inconvenient.
I take a sip from my wine and study her. She is sipping on a cup of coffee and at
peace with the world. “You really like coffee, do you? I think you are the only person I
know who consumes so much of that stuff at eight in the evening.”
Broadening my smile, I see a chance to steer the evening towards the bed. “You
won't be able to sleep, don't you want to join me in my house? It feels lonely there.
We could continue the evening just with the two of us.”
“Seesh... my motor is running on the stuff. Maybe I am even addicted. The only thing
which keeps me alive is the fact that I am a divine!” She then blushes upon realizing
what I just said. “And I am sorry, but not tonight. Despite the amount of coffee I
consumed, I can hardly stay awake. I've the feeling that taking you up on your offer
means that I will get no sleep. None at all. And I need my beauty sleep if I want to
catch up on the curriculum.”
I sigh. “I've thought that it wouldn't be easy. Admit it, you think that I am a creep for
seeking you out like this, even though we said that it was a night without strings
attached. And on top of everything I even follow you around. Are you mad at me for
uncovering that you are... were a rogue?”
She shrugs and purses her lips. “I always knew that I would slip up sometime. And to
be fair, yes, you are creepy. But in a strange, gentleman kind of way. So the fact that
I don't want to take this night any further is nothing to be held against you.”
I take her hand and kiss it. “Then I'll apologize nonetheless. Sorry for falling for you.
Sorry for stalking you. But I simply had to know if there could be more between us if I
just had a second chance.”
The corners of her mouth twitch upwards and I stand up to help her to her feet. “The
bill is on me. I won't delay you any further then, for tonight.”
To my surprise she hugs me. “You are a creep. But a gentlemanly and nice one. Good
night. Something tells me that I don't need to be told that we'll see each other again.”
Then she lets go and I smile. “Really?”
She looks me up and down, judging my eyes for a long moment. “Yeah, you are a
creep. Surely you will be stalking me again by tomorrow. I don't know why, I simply
know it. And another part of me tells me that I should run to the next court to obtain
an injunction against you.”
I slap a hand to my heart. “An injunction against the second prince!? Scandalous!
They will arrest you for denying the royal bloodline an heir. Goodnight, the prince of all
creeps is glad that you forgave him.” I bow.
She rolls her eyes and waves me goodbye. “Bye.” Then she stalks away, using those
legs of hers to tell what I am missing out tonight. If my personal sin of lust had a
name, it would be Seria.
Pulling at my lower lip, I stand there until the waitress finally brings me the bill. I pay
and leave the restaurant.
On the yard in front of the building I close my eyes and breathe in the night's air. It's
becoming a little frosty, but that doesn't bother me. I am concentrating on Seria's
mana. The first time we met she already intrigued me. Her control over her aura and
her spells is almost perfect. Most people leak so much energy, they are like barrels
with a fist-sized hole punched into them.
Not so Seria. Hers is just a small trickle, but I am getting better at sniffing her out.
Slowly, I reach out and search for her trail. There is none besides the one which leads
to the restaurant. Did she teleport? No. The whole area would be full of mana. And I
would have sensed it, even from inside the restaurant. That can only mean that she
backtracked the same path we came? But that would lead her back to the academy
and her apartment is in the other direction.
I place my hands in my pockets and try to think about this. Then I follow Seria's path,
careful not to lose her tracks. I seriously don't like my father's opinion on her. But
maybe I should keep an eye out, just in case.
After a few minutes of following her, I finally get the feeling of catching up. Then I
glimpse a shadow in the dark area ahead of me. Seria's trail led me back to university
grounds where she strolled around in a seemingly random manner. I lost her several
times and wasn't sure on which direction to take. Sometimes she simply turned
around and walked back the way she came. Other times she crossed a path she
already took and chose a random direction, creating a confusing network of tracks.
She knows how to throw off people who are trying to follow her.
If mana itself wasn't my primary talent as a deity, she would have shaken me off long
ago. In fact, I doubt that someone else could have managed to track her. I peer out
from a shadow between two street lights. The trail leads directly to the figure who is
crouching in the dark next to a wall.
I watch in silence as the figure suddenly scales up the wall to the third floor of the
academy's administrative building. Staying in my hiding spot, I watch as the cat
burglar disappears in a window. A few minutes pass. I don't move, I don't even
breathe, relying on my magic to keep me alive. A perfect part of my surroundings.
Undetectable.
Then the figure reappears, dropping from the third floor and dashing off. A strange
magic of shadows is surrounding the figure. Even the light from the street lights
seems to part as the figure disappears in the night.
After a few more minutes I decide that it's safe to move and breathe. Was that Seria?
Or someone else? Concentrating, I follow Seria's trail towards the dark spot where
the figure was crouching.
And there Seria's energy simply vanishes?
I crouch down and touch the ground, then the wall. Seria's mana is full of life and feels
like earth and nature. Clicking my tongue, I notice my mistake. Seria's trail didn't
vanish. It's crossing another trail, equally faint and well controlled. Someone with at
least as much control over his aura was here. But the residing mana is cold and
promises death. Not Seria's. And... maybe a hint of... mana storm? Chaos?
Running a hand through my hair, I furrow my forehead. Did the strange spirit come
here? It surely feels like her. Dark magic, chaos, light and, something else. Is Seria
hunting it? This makes no sense.
In absence of any further clues, I follow the trail of death up the wall and commit a
little cat burglary of my own. The two trails are still mixed.
Upon reaching the window with levitation magic, I realize that all the wards are
disabled. Whoever did this broke into more than one magically secured facility. The
best thing is that it was done in a way which leaves the wards active, just not
functionally.
When I slide through the window, I realize that this is the director's office. Quickly and
professionally, I check everything for traces of mana. In the end I find some very
compromising... toys... and documents in a hidden and locked vault behind a wall
closet. If the mana hadn't caused me to investigate closely, I would have never found
it.
The documents trouble me, but the sex-toys even more. The director and his
secretary? Oh, man... he is married! I always thought of him as an upright man with
principles. And I never knew that he has gambling debts.
Following the mana back to the director's desk, I find out that the academy's
organisational documents where thoroughly searched. I pull out a folder which holds a
high amount of the dark magic. The user of the dark magic had it in his or her hands,
that's for sure.
Flipping through it, I find out that it's Seria's dossier. A small magelight casts just
enough light for me to read it. Upon reading the signature of the person who
organized her lessons I squint my eyes. Trebor.
I was wondering why she got exactly those lessons which are held during my free
time, denying me to meet up with her during the day. Trebor, you are in for a horrible
little revenge party from my side.
But that's not important. What's going on? I have one person who stinks of spirit and
black magic, and Seria is somehow related to that person? Her trail is overlapping
with the spirit's, so she was researching what the spirit was interested in. Bad news,
it held Seria's folder.
I massage my chin and return everything to its previous state. Then I jump out of the
window and follow the trail of dark magic which is now overlapping with Seria's life
magic.
She went after the spirit and I have no idea how she knew that it would be here. And
the spirit obviously knows of her. Crap. Crap. Crap.
I reach an open yard and both trails of magic simply end. Baffled, I run a few circles
around the yard, but am unable to find the trail again. Whatever trick the spirit uses to
throw off any followers, Seria knows it too. And that disturbs me. It hints that there is
a deeper relationship between the two.
I huff, annoyed at the fact that I lost the trail. So far the spirit and Seria are the only
ones who ever escaped my tracking skills. That dents my ego and I'll move heaven
and earth to restore my perfect score. Something in the back of my mind is
screaming that I misinterpreted something, but I simply don't know what it is.
The easiest way would probably be to confront Seria with everything. But she is a
divine and she already made clear that she won't tell what she doesn't want to. And
using force on a divine always ends badly. If she casts that greenery spell inside the
city, we would be busy with lumberjack work for the next two generations. No.
I'll find out her secret... and the colour of her favourite underwear. The corners of my
mouth curl downwards. Yes, first her underwear, then her secret. A man should have
priorities.
 14. ~Practice field.~

“An old man pokes a vaguely humanoid piece of meat with a stick. 'Do you see
that? You can tell that they are well done when you poke him and no blood comes
out. They stop screaming long time before that. If you take them off the fire at that
point, it usually means that they are just crusty, but still raw on the inside.
Remember, we don't eat our enemies, it makes us sick. Though a little nibbling is
okay when you are hungry. Just their hearts.'

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“Okay, guys and girls, time to pack up. We've ten minutes to return the training field to
its proper state. Everyone who is still standing has to help.” I clap my hands together,
urging them to work faster. The holes in the ground have to be closed and new
boundaries laid.
The students grumble, but they already know that disrespect only results in harsher
treatment and more intensive training. Chuckling, I lean back and watch while they
work. Of course, that is just until I spot a certain someone homing in on us.
“Well, shit.” Yes, that's a proper way to describe my willingness in dealing with
Perseus. He approaches me like a king, his body all muscles and tendons with not a
single ounce of fat. Of course that last part is just guesswork. It's not like I've ever
seen him naked, though my body certainly would like to.
“Look who reappeared out of nowhere. Never would have thought that my brother
would fall for a rogue,” Perseus opens the discussion as soon as he reaches
speaking distance.
I raise an eyebrow. “If I remember correctly, you also tried to add me to your list of
conquests.”
Perseus laughs. “And the offer still stands. Unlike my brother, I wouldn't deny a
woman her wishes.”
He reaches up and touches my cheek, much like Marcus did. The touch sends a rush
of desire through me and I step away. Even though it was just a simple touch, I still
feel a prickling sensation running down my spine. Why is my body betraying me like
that? Did he try some sort of seduction spell?
Perseus didn't move when I stepped away. Instead, his eyes are on the students. A
few of them looked up to listen in on our conversation.
I scratch at my cheek where Perseus touched me, trying to scratch away the taint he
left in my flesh. “If you ever do that again, I'll rip you to pieces and use your bones as
a decoration in my apartment!”
He gapes at me. Is he surprised that whatever he tried to do didn't work? It's his turn
to raise both eyebrows. “That's interesting. It's the first time that I've met a woman
who can resist my charms. Now I want you even more to belong to me than before.
And it isn't just because my brother is interested in you.”
Great, what's this? Some soap opera in which two princes are fighting for the
maidservant? “I am sorry to inform you, but I don't belong to anyone. And just for your
information, I was classified as a divine. If you ever come anywhere near me, be
prepared for collateral damage!”
He hesitates for a moment, but then he places his hands behind his back. “You would
do something that would harm the city? You were living in this town for your entire
life.”
I hiss. “And I have even more memories of places you can't even dream of, so try
me!” Then I realize that Perseus's attention isn't on me, but rather on someone behind
me.
“Back off, Brother. I think the lady made it clear that she wants some space.”
Turning around, I find Marcus behind me. He is inside my personal space, but I've no
idea how he got there. I didn't even feel him approach. Startled, I step away and
return my attention to Perseus.
The huge man purses his lips. In the end he decides to smile.
“It was nice to meet you again, mysterious lady in a red gown. I am glad that we will
be able to meet much more often in the future.” He turns away with a silent promise in
his eyes and walks towards the academy buildings, away from the training field.
“Do you have any idea what that was supposed to mean?” I am still scratching at my
cheek and try to get a grip on myself. Perseus definitely didn't penetrate my
defences. He did something which wasn't related to a spell, or a charm, or to magic
at all. Maybe I'd be well advised to find out what his trick is, and fast. Maybe I
already should have smelled that something was wrong when I encountered him at
the mana storm.
Back then I also reacted aroused, though we were fighting and it certainly wasn't the
time for romantic thoughts. The guy is getting under my skin!
“I am very sorry. Perseus never managed to deal with the death of his mother, and
Clarity wasn't able to replace her. Since then he has always been acting like an
asshole,” Marcus mumbles.
I turn my attention to Stalkerboy. “And what's the relationship between the two of
you? Because if you tell me now that you are Best-Bros-Ever, this isn't going to work
out between us. I am sorry to inform you, but the points against you are piling up
while the points in your favour are failing to increase in numbers.”
Marcus raises the corner of his mouth in half a smile. “So I still have a chance? Even
if yesterday's date apparently wasn't to your liking?”
I stop scratching. “Why do you think that it wasn't to my liking?”
He tilts his head. “I don't know. In my world, a great date is followed by an invitation
to deepen the relationship. An average date is followed by an appointment for future
dates. And a bad date ends with the woman running off right after she is excused to
do so?”
I lick over my lips and think of a good way to answer. It's true that I kind of fled the
scene. Shutting him down completely isn't what I want. And he drove off Perseus. I
am not sure if me harming the first prince would have ended in my favour. But the guy
is begging for some broken bones.
“I don't want you to misunderstand. I don't have the hots for you-”
The corners of his mouth curl downwards.
“-and your tendency to stalk me creeps me out! Don't walk up behind me like that! It's
creepy.”
He nods.
“But I am not in a relationship and at least you know how to behave.”
Tilting his head, he smiles at me.
“So I can't really say no when you invite me to go out with you.”
He gestures with his hand, circling it. “So basically, I am not the guy who makes you
wish to bend over and pull down your panties. But since you are bored and there are
no other prospects, you will allow me to redeem myself by paying for a few high class
restaurants?
Hahahaha. Now you should see you own expression. But I think that's only fair. Yes, in
fact I like the chance you are giving me. That makes it all the more interesting. Okay,
next time I'll show you a little more of myself and what's my idea of date.”
I cross my arms in front of me and push up my chest to distract him. “So you have an
idea to sway my feelings for you.”
He spreads his hands, helpless. “It's not so much an idea, as to showing you who I
really am. What I like, what I do in my free time. Isn't that more important than visiting
expensive restaurants?”
Squinting my eyes, a grin steals itself onto my face. “Oooh, you want to save your
expenses and take me directly to your home? What's your plan? Will you cook for
me?”
He blinks. “Not exactly. But I am afraid that I have to add another bad point to your list
and make you wait a little. Do you have some free time this weekend?”
There are still two days until the end of the week. “That's really surprising. I honestly
thought you would grab my skirt and hold onto it like a little boy until I give up.”
Marcus shakes his head, his expression turning sad. “I am afraid that was exactly my
plan until work got in the way.”
“Work?”
He takes a deep breath. “It's been a few days since the invasion, and the chaos
caused us to lose track of a lot of things. The battle zone is still in a state of martial
law. But we heard that there were quite a lot of disappearances. At first we thought
that those people were caught up in the invasion, but the number of requests is still
rising rapidly and there are also people who were definitely seen after the event. I am
going to look into that. It's my duty as a divine.”
I twirl a lock of hair between my fingers, thinking. Probably I am going to regret this,
but maybe being close to Marcus gets me access to some secrets of the state? He is
a prince and obviously involved in some highly classified stuff. Perseus is in this
realm's military and would probably be a better choice, but he feels dangerous.
“Okay!”
He furrows his forehead. “Okay? Okay... what?”
“I am going to help you.”
 15. ~Search.~

“When you are on a leash, the one who is holding it is important.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“You are not going to help me! You stay here, where it is safe,” Marcus states matter
of factly. I ignore the blunt rejection and follow him, skipping on my feet. “I fear that
you don't have the means to force me. And I am bored. The years I spent in hiding
were tiring on me. Now that the cat is out of the bag, I may as well use my abilities to
their fullest.”
“It's possible that we are lucky, or unlucky enough to encounter the abductors. Can
you even fight?” he asks.
“I am fairly sure that I am one of the best fighters you will ever meet,” I answer,
showing my teeth with a broad grin. Both of his eyebrows rise in surprise.
“So it wasn't a fluke when you beat Trevor?” he asks, putting something together, the
gears in his head working at double speed. After a second he nods. “Okay, you may
as well join me.”
“Sure, and why do you think that this investigation will come to a fast conclusion?” We
leave the training ground and I gesture to my students that they are dismissed. While
I do so, Marcus informs me of the rising numbers of missing people. In his mind, there
is no way that someone is able to abduct so many victims without making a mistake.
And according to Marcus, one mistake is everything he needs to track someone
down.
A few minutes later Marcus takes me for a ride to the battle zone which is still in a
state of martial law. Originally it was called the Tandeen District, but everyone I've
talked to so far simply calls it the battle zone.
I didn't bother myself too much with the after-reports of the catastrophe. Like the
media of most realms, the reports turn very repetitive after watching them for an hour
or two.
Marcus informs me that the spirit invasion was apparently caused by summoners who
tried to open a portal. But that's only guesswork by the DF.
The portal was opened in a small cellar which belonged to a group of archmage
ranked researchers. It was very lucky that the portal's size was limited by the used
rune system, so nothing truly cataclysmic managed to get through. The resulting
swarm of low level spirits tore through the civilians nonetheless.
The fact that the cellar was a mess of gore and blood by the time the DF arrived
didn't help in gathering any clues.
I've seen enough spirit invasions myself, so I have no reason not to believe him.
Whoever is stupid enough to open a portal, is likely to end on a spirit's menu. And
most of them tend to eat their food whole; bones, hair, and all the rest. They aren't
picky.
I mark all the disappearances on a map while Marcus drives us around in his
V16GearM, a very, very expensive car. It doesn't take much time for me to
understand that he is a transportation freak. One of those men who pick the currently
idolized transportation device of their choosing and worship it with unbelievable
devotion.
At least I now know which car I'll steal for Dad, should Marcus ever piss me off.
Sometime in the afternoon, we stand in front of an empty house. He does his sniffing-
thing while I mark yet another spot on the map. “Marcus, what is this deep inhaling
for? It almost feels like you can track mana by scent? I don't want to complain, but
are you sure that simply standing at the crime scene will solve anything? Your work so
far wasn't very scientific.”
“Not exactly, but it's close to the truth. My spirit form gives me the ability to track the
most minuscule amounts of mana. I've been trying to separate the different trails from
each other, looking for a trail which was present at most of the crime scenes,” he
explains.
I run my hand along my ponytail. So far we've been visiting the homes of the people
who were registered as missing. Not all of them look like the inhabitants were taken
from their dwellings, but some look damaged. As if there was a fight.
Then it hits me. So he can recognize me by scent!? That's a problem. Quickly, I check
my own aura. It's on a tight lock down, just the life magic bleeds out a little. “How do I
smell to you?”
He smiles. “Just calling it smelling isn't appropriate. It's more like a combination of
smell, taste and touch. And to answer your question, you feel like life, smell like forest
and taste like earth. I think it's a trait of your nature magic. Oh, I forgot. Of course
there is that stinging aroma of coffee all over you.”
I'll have to be careful with him. If my dark side leaks out, he may recognize me. I am
not entirely sure, but whenever I was in spirit form I didn't hold back any of my magic.
So maybe that's throwing him off my trail?
“Thanks. Found anything?” I ask.
“Yes, and no. There are trails which feel very similar to each other, but that's all.
Either we are dealing with a large group, or they have very potent magic to cover
their tracks. The one thing I do know, is that they always come from and lead back
towards the battle zone. But that area is so full of magic from the recent battles that it
is hard to track them there,” he explains, pointing with his finger.
I nod and show him my map. “That's what I figured out. All the crime scenes you
brought me to, are bordering the battle zone. I fear that the abductors have their base
somewhere inside it. It will be a hassle to search for them since that piece of the town
is a mess and largely uninhabited. I bet they are hiding during the day and go on raids
in the night. That would match up with the times of the disappearances.”
For a moment I ponder over this information. “It may be wise to increase the patrols
at the borders of the battle zone. It could be that a group of spirits escaped the clean
up operations. If that's the case, then they are using the night to get some snacks!”
Marcus looks at me with a horrified expression. “As much as I dislike the thought, you
may be right. The mana trails I spoke about feel twisted. It could always be the same
group, but their mana slowly changes with time. That threw me off. We have to
organize a big search, but that will take time. The DF has to move in again.”
Then he curses long and creatively. “...I told my brother that withdrawing the troops
so soon isn't good.”
I shrug. “I need coffee. My place?”
His expression lightens up. “Definitely, yes!” He turns around to the car and opens the
door for me. I get in and a few seconds later we are on the way. He makes a few
calls from his car's radio to report our findings.
Once we are back at the Hearth Coffee, I hurry to get inside and draw a deep breath.
Yes, it smells like my house. At one of the tables is Adea, looking at me accusingly. I
wonder what I did now?
Marcus follows me to her table and we take a seat. Shortly afterwards a cup of
coffee appears on my table, brought by Jimmy. I didn't even have to ask for it.
“What's with the sour expression, Adea?” I ask to start the conversation.
She shrugs and her eyes flick to Marcus. The second prince has said nothing so far,
instead he is eyeing Adea with interest.
I pat his shoulder. “It's okay. Just tell your big sister and ignore the creepy man.”
Adea's eyes widen. “You realize that he is the second prince?”
“I realize that he is a stalker and wants to get under my skirt.” Sometimes the truth
works best to break the ice.
Marcus snorts and Adea gasps, but after a while she decides to talk. “It's nothing,
really. It's just that Mom is acting strange. And you... you know... back then, that
spirit... I thought she was going to die and the strange spirit healed her for some
reason. I can't help myself. She has been behaving strange since then.”
I turn to take a good look at Patricia. She is at the bar and propping her head on one
hand, drawing circles on the wood with the other one. Her eyes flick shortly towards
Jimmy and back. Then she sighs.
Marcus also turns to inspect her with renewed interest.
I smile. “I think your Mom is perfectly fine. Should I talk to her? As the shop's
manager, it's my duty to ensure that all of my employees are happy.”
Adea's eyes widen in shock. It's clear that she assumes that I am up to no good. “I
think-”
Interrupting her, I stand up. “It will take just a minute. I'll be right back. Marcus, why
don't you talk with Adea in the meantime?”
Strolling towards the bar, I take a bar stool and place myself across from Patricia.
“Hi. What's on your heart?”
Patricia is a very open-minded woman and doesn't hold back in sharing her feelings.
Probably comes with her trait. So it's even more surprising when she attempts to
block me. “It's nothing.”
I lean over and whisper, “It's about Jimmy, isn't it?”
Her eyes widen and she sighs. “Okay. If I am that obvious I might as well get it off my
soul. I am envious. In my job I learned a lot about men and nothing of it was good.”
Again, a sigh. “Jimmy is different. He is so grounded and hard working. He is reliable
and trustworthy...” She continues to count his good points, repeating several times
how he saved her and cared for her after the spirit healed her.
I purse my lips, listening to everything. If I remember correctly, I ordered Jimmy to
take good care of her. I never took that order back... sue me.
“...but he is totally devoted to you! I don't know why. Everything that's in his heart is
the shop and serving you.” For a moment, hatred shines through her eyes, but it's
gone as fast as it came. “I can't blame you. You took us in and gave me a job.
Someone with my qualifications would probably have to work on the street if it weren't
for you. I can't do that to my daughter. Seriously, falling in love like that. I should know
better.”
Tilting my head, I take a peek at Jimmy who is working in the garden area in front of
the shop, taking orders. The bastard probably doesn't deserve it, but this might
actually be fun.
I reach out and take Patricia's hand. “The relationship between Jimmy and me is
special. He was a very, very bad man when I met him. Someone who doesn't deserve
to even be looked at by a beautiful woman like you.”
Patricia is working with Jimmy day and night, so she may find out his secret sooner or
later anyway. It's better to tell her before she finds out on her own and gets the wrong
ideas. I have no clue how she developed those feelings, but then again... since the
shop has two employees now, I am not here most of the time. Patricia and Jimmy are
running it almost without me.
My grin broadens. “He owes me big time. That's why his behaviour may seem strange
to you. I know his biggest secret and have kept him on a tight leash to keep him from
doing something stupid. But you seem like a woman who could deal with him. Do you
want to have a little leverage on him?”
Patricia furrows her forehead. “What... no...” then she decides. “Tell me!”
I bend forward and whisper into her ear as silently as possible. “His true name is
Kylar, Randun, Brent.”
When I pull back, Patricia's mouth is formed into a silent 'o'. It takes a moment before
she manages to regain her composure. “That's why he is working almost for free?
That's evil. What did he do to deserve that?”
I shrug. “Not important. Now that you know, what will you do? Will you bitch to me
about it, or will you use it to your advantage? Just imagine, the man you love, fulfilling
your every desire.”
Well, I didn't tell her Jimmy's full, true name. But three of his four names should give
her enough power over him to issue commands. My own command to keep his mouth
shut about me can't be overridden.
Patricia's face shows inner conflict and I have to wonder which side will win the fight.
Did I judge her wrongly? She is a woman who surely saw the worst sides of men.
Surely she will have nothing against being on the controlling end for once?
Then she stands up and her face straightens out. “Thank you. I'll put your... advice...
to good use.” She strolls outside to assist Jimmy, radiating a certain imperiousness.
Oh, Jimmyboy... I am not sure if I just granted you absolution, or threw you into the
deepest pit of hell.
Whatever! I turn around and give Adea and Marcus a thumbs up!
 16. ~Old and New.~

“Sometimes it takes a few iterations of the multiverse, but you always meet
again.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
It's the second day of our search and we've got nothing. After my duty as a teacher
was fulfilled, I searched for clues. But even with Marcus's excellent tracking abilities
we came up empty handed and retreated to our base, the Hearth Coffee.
Sighing, I press a cup with cold milk to my forehead. Marcus is sitting across from
me, enjoying one of the enchanted cakes. He eats with pleasure plastered all over his
face.
But then his eyes set on me. “You know that what you are doing with the food is
dangerously close to breaking the law regarding mind control and magical
addictions?”
I freeze and force myself to smile. “Really? I must admit that I don't know the wording
of that law, not a single word. Hahaha...”
He squints his eyes. “Just make sure not to go any further than implanting emotional
suggestions in your food.”
I wave my hands. “Nono! Never. I would never do that.”
Besides... using hearth magic for that purpose is wasted effort. If I want to control
someone, I would torture his true name out of him and place a strong compulsion.
There is almost no way of breaking out of that. Hearth magic can only affect
emotions, the rational decision still belongs to the affected person. “The stuff at my
shop is only supposed to give my customers the ability to relax. Nothing more.” Well,
maybe a little more than that, but I certainly won't admit to something that causes me
trouble.
We are interrupted by Patricia, who is taking the used tableware. “Have you seen
Adea recently?”
I shake my head and look around. “Ahem, she was at the academy today. I didn't see
her afterwards. But I think she was with her B.F., so she should be okay. Probably
they are just making out somewhere.”
Patricia's gaze rests on the table. “It's just that she kind of walked in on Jimmy and
me in an inopportune moment. We were busy doing some kinky stuff. I didn't manage
to talk to her about it since she ran off. And when she didn't show up at the shop
today...”
I purse my lips and raise my eyebrows in surprise. Patricia surely doesn't waste any
time. Go girl! Will she also marry Jimmy? Or just use him as some kind of vibrator? “I
hope you aren't using my shop to explore each other. I am paying you for work, you
know?”
Patricia blushes. “I would never do that! It was at my place, though I suppose it's my
and Jimmy's place now.”
She doesn't waste any time.
“Her B.F., you mean that she was with my little brother?” Marcus asks with a
concerned voice.
I look at him. “Yes?”
He tilts his head in thought. “It's probably nothing, but he talked about exploring the
battle zone with his friends. They think it's some kind of courage test. Of course I
forbade him to go anywhere near the area.”
I puff up my cheeks and let the air flow out. “Dang! If they really want to go exploring,
they will surely find a way past the blockades. It's not like there are enough soldiers
to cover the whole area.”
Marcus shakes his head. “My little Bro is still childish at his core, but he isn't so stupid
as to not follow my orders when I say that something is dangerous.”
Patricia's voice turns unexpectedly sharp. “Oh! You never had children, did you! It isn't
about him being smart or a good kid. It's about the people in his group. Three smart
heads don't count for much if there are seven idiots to counter them!”
Marcus pulls a grimace, one of concern. “We better go and look for them.”
I sigh. What did I get myself into when I took Adea in. “You stay here, Patricia.
Maybe Adea is just late in showing up.”
The woman nods and I follow Marcus out of the shop and to his car. As soon as I am
inside and the door is closed, he accelerates and we are on our way. The way in
which he decisively takes the first street towards the battle zone tells me that he
knows something I do not.
“Did your little brother tell you where they intended to go?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, but I've known Caden's aura since he was born. I'll always
know where he is as long as he is close enough.”
I say nothing to that. Sometimes it's beneficial to have an inbuilt GPS-Tracking-
Device. I wouldn't want my family to always know where I am. Though getting away
from them is always a challenge.
When we close in on the battle zone, Marcus opens the window of his car and slows
down. “He really came here.” With a sudden jerk on the steering wheel, he pulls into a
side street which leads away from the blockades.
The blockades are intended to stop people from entering the restricted area. The
reason for the lockdown is as much the fact that there are still bodies all over the
place, as to stop people from looting.
Nobody cleans up several thousand bodies in just a few days.
I say nothing, figuring that interrupting his concentration doesn't help. Instead, I
concentrate on watching everything on my side of the car. It's late in the evening when
Marcus finally stops at a street which leads towards the battle zone. “They are in that
street... and something else.”
The statement wakes me from daydreams and before I can stop him, Marcus is out
of the car and running down an alleyway.
I hurry to follow him, stretching out my senses. There are fourteen people in front of
us... and five of them don't feel normal. Their auras feel twisted.
Three people are on the ground, but alive. They are students. The six remaining
students are pressured against a wall, obviously frightened. They indeed managed to
encounter our mysterious attackers, but the supposed spirits look entirely too much
like humans in my opinion.
“Stand down, or suffer the consequences!” Marcus calls out, but the strange men are
unimpressed. Two of them turn towards us and attack while the three others go for
the students. A shadow in the corner of my eye alarms me and I dodge out of pure
instinct.
Everything what happens afterwards is a matter of action and reaction as I don't even
have time to think about it. We are surrounded by enemy reinforcements as they drop
from the roofs.
My attacker strikes out yet another time and I barely avoid the hand which has
strange claws instead of fingernails.
Bringing my leg up and around his head, I use him like a dance pole to get to the guy
behind him. As I twist around my unwilling victim, I force his head to rotate with me
until his spine crunches to my satisfaction.
The next opponent in line isn't as unprepared and blocks the first strike. I didn't hold
back, so it's a little surprising to be simply stopped with an explosion of displaced air.
Frowning, I re-evaluate the danger level of these guys. My opponent raises his other
hand and I recognise the forming spell. As my father taught me, I jab two fingers into
the spell matrix and emit my own mana into it, empowering the spell.
Using spells with long casting times in hand-to-hand combat is just stupid. I dismiss
the opponent from my mind, as his spell goes out of control and backfires, his own
death magic rebounding into his body.
As I turn to face the battle, something hits my chest and I exhale in pain. Fire wavers
over my skin and scorches me. The smell of burning flesh wafts into my nose. Fighting
these guys while keeping my aura in check is difficult, so I abandon keeping my life
magic under control.
A quick search exposes the guy who threw the fireball at me and I scream, using a
flash step to get into his defence.
The following rain of fists quickly takes him down. The life magic is already repairing
the damage as I place my fist in his side, breaking the fourth and fifth ribs. He folds
over and I use both hands to strike the back of his head.
A scream returns my attention to Adea. She is on the ground with one of the
attackers looming over her. He raises his arm and Adea blocks the following strike,
barely. It seems like the stress of real life combat made her forget about our combat
training.
Whatever our attackers are, they aren't in a completely human form and his claws rip
through her clothes and into her flesh.
And I do nothing.
I just stand there, waiting for the finishing strike. The battle around us is in a
stalemate, but Marcus is tearing through the enemies like through a group of
preschoolers. If Adea isn't pushed over the edge soon, she will have lost her chance.
And then it happens! With a scream, Adea points her palm at her attacker and a
stream of pure, uncontrolled mana shoots out, instantly obliterating the man's upper
body!
My eyes widen as Adea panics and attempts to drop her hand. That would be bad for
the city! In an instant I am at her side and grab her wrist, forcing her to point the
uncontrolled spell safely towards the sky. That much power could surely tear through
half the city.
“Control!” I order her, looking deep into her eyes.
Finally she gets a grip on herself and aborts the spell. I look up and scan our
surroundings. Several of the students are down and moaning about their injuries. It
doesn't seem like any of them are in danger. Marcus is standing above a mangled
body, looking for more attackers, but there are none. Whoever they are, they decided
to retreat when Adea's spell went nuts.
I let go of her arm and give up my kneeling position at her side to get to my feet. Then
I study one of the corpses who fell close by. Claws instead of fingernails, strange,
completely black eyes and a set of a little too sharp teeth. It wouldn't surprise me if
someone has a spirit form which looks like that, but several people with exactly the
same spirit form? Not likely. Unnatural.
“Are you okay?” Marcus calls out to me while he helps his little brother to his feet.
“Sure,” I answer, still studying the corpse from afar. Something else I noticed is that
they didn't make a single sound while fighting. I don't like it when something puzzles
me. This is definitely something my parents want to hear about.
“Are you raving mad!? Why did you just stand there and watch!” Adea screams at me
and gets to her knees, shaking. Her forearms are a shredded mess, but I should be
able to heal that in no time.
“I just wanted to give you the chance to remember, aunty!” A mad smile spreads on
my face as I dig in my memories to remember from where I know Adea's power.
“I... I... don't...” Adea visibly tries to understand what just happened. She had a
flashback to one of her past personalities. And now I know why that girl grew so fast
on me!
Before she can say or do anything, I bend down and reach under her armpits. Then I
lift her like a little child and spin her around, laughing.
“I would have never thought that I'll ever meet you again, aunty Jazira!”
Adea pales upon hearing the name and her pupils dilate, her voice drops to a whisper,
“Your parents aren't here, are they?”
Our little reunion is interrupted when Marcus approaches us. “You aren't hurt, are
you? I saw you taking that fireball head on! Why didn't you release your aura?”
His words get stuck in his throat as his eyes wander to my chest. I look down on
myself and drop Adea to cover myself. If that wasn't a treat for him, then I don't know
what was. I never should have bought the clothing of this world. The crystal mesh of
my own clothes would never rip because of a little fireball!
“If that wasn't a treat in your favour! Stop staring and give me your jacket! It's not like
you haven't seen them already!” I reach out with an open hand, expecting.
“Aw... yeah... sorry!” He quickly gets out of his jacket, leaving him with just his shirt. A
stupid grin spreads on his face. “You definitely like my clothing.”
I seriously don't have an answer for that.
 17. ~More cards.~

“Persistence hunting (sometimes called endurance hunting or cursorial hunting)

is a hunting technique in which hunters, who may be slower than their prey over
short distances, use a combination of running, walking, and tracking to pursue
prey until it is exhausted. Grey wolves, African wild dogs, spotted hyenas, lungless
spiders, and humans are adapted to using this hunting strategy. A persistence
hunter must be able to run a long distance over an extended period of time.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I squint my eyes at Seria. A day passed since we saved my little brother and Adea.
But something happened yesterday night between Seria and Adea. Unfortunately I
have no idea what it was. Now she is going even more buddy and tutor on Adea, even
though the girl almost lost it. That's not the right reaction towards a flashback. This
academy has the purpose of helping its students slowly along their path to divinity. We
do everything to avoid an uncontrolled change to one's spirit form.
Only the strongest of us can control the instincts which come with an altered body.
My little brother informed me that Adea is shocked, but doing fine... if you take into
account that she got messed up by those monsters. Stupid kids, I hope they learned
something from the experience.
At least Seria wields very potent healing magic and patched them up right away. If
she wanted to, she could surely make an career as a healer.
At last Seria spots me at the edge of the training field. She calls an end to the training
session and starts skipping in my direction. The woman looks at peace with herself
and the world. Somehow I wish that she would smile like that for me. I huff and cross
my arms in front of my chest when she reaches speaking distance.
She raises a hand in greeting. “Hi, did you have a nice chat with the DF
investigators?”
“I informed them of what happened. And ordered that they follow those things. We
should know soon enough where their hideout is. And then we go and get some
answers,” I say.
Seria nods and attempts to walk past me, but I hold her back. “Have you reprimanded
Adea for her loss of control?”
“No. Why?” She looks up at me, puzzled.
I almost double over. “She had a flashback! What if she had shifted into her spirit
form?”
Seria tilts her head. “So what? I held back in helping her, just so that she would
remember something about herself.”
I draw in a sharp breath. “Do you hate her? If she shifts into her spirit form and loses
control, we would have to put her down! I thought she means something to you!”
Her mouth opens in shock, as if to say something. Then she closes it again and bites
on her lower lip. She definitely was about to spill something she didn't want to say.
Realizing my chance, I try to force her to answer before she can think about yet
another lie. “Well, what's your answer?”
Then her cool demeanour is suddenly back. “I can use my life magic to control the
shift. If she had gone out of control, I would have stepped in. How do you think I
managed my time as a rogue when I had no teachers?”
I feel my eyebrows arching in disbelief. If it wasn't common knowledge, I would have
said that Seria doesn't know that spirit forms are uncontrollable. Everyone who shifts
completely, goes mad and is taken over by his spirit form's instincts. Most times the
person in question ends up no better than a spirit. “You really can stop people from
shifting against their will?”
Seria smiles. “Of course.”
Let's say that I simply swallow that point without further questioning. It still sounds
strange to my ears. “What exactly happens after a shift?” I ask.
Seria's smile stays plastered to her face and she doesn't answer for a long moment.
“They go fubar?”
Her answer sounds uncertain and questioning, like a student who simply guessed the
answer. And what does fubar mean? Did she just invent that word to confuse me?
I don't allow her to back out of the discussion so easily, remembering my father's
words. She is hiding something, so I stare her down. Seria's lips form a thin line. After
a while she breaks. “Do you remember that I hid my flashbacks from the people
around me?”
I nod.
She spreads her hands and sighs. “Turns out that the ceremony to unseal my
memories failed. It's normally meant to stop the developing personality from being
overwritten by an old one. I was an orphan and an individualist, so nobody realized
when I woke up one day and whoever lived my life before me was gone. It took me a
while to search the room and puzzle together what happened.”
She sighs and shrugs. “Honestly! I asked myself several times why nobody caught on.
Did you never ask yourself why the girl who lives a lonely life as a part time worker
suddenly cut off all her past ties and opened a coffee shop?”
My eyes widen in horror. Such a thing is almost unheard of. There are some cases,
but it happens just about once every fifty years. And then the media goes all crazy on
the one who fucked up or forgot about the ceremony. I clench my fists. “When? Which
drunken bastard performed the ceremony on you? No, forget it. I'll find out. Such
failure is a serious crime-”
Seria flicks my forehead with a finger, smiling. “It's a statistical error, I checked. All
the other children from my orphanage are fine. I doubt that he did it on purpose.
Seriously, I wondered why nobody ever asked me about my sudden change in
profession.”
I feel the corner of my eye starting to twitch. “Of course I read your files. They said
that you got lucky with some investments. Everything looked like it was in order.”
She snorts. “Yeah, sure. I, the average shop assistant and saleswoman suddenly
know about investment fronts and market prediction. Why should I even do that out of
nowhere in the first place? The previous me had no qualifications whatsoever in that
direction. Once all the attention was on me, someone should have noticed.”
Raising both hands, she gestures with her fingers to signal that all alarms should have
gone off at that point. “I came to myself two weeks before I made the investments.
So I don't really know much about this world, except for the things which I learned
through self study.”
I draw in a sharp breath. “At least that explains why you allowed nobody access to
your mind.” And it also means that she is a perfect actor. When I uncovered her as a
rogue, she went all emotional on me.
My eyes flick down to her. She is standing close, staring at the ground and sulking.
Then she grumbles, “How should I know that spirit forms are bad? This society treats
the whole issue like one, big taboo!”
I am being played! She is playing my strings, I know it! But her story makes perfect
sense. How is she able to come up with this stuff on the fly? Think! Think! Think! I
already have all the pieces, I just can't put them together the right way. I am sure of
that.
She pokes my chest and draws a small circle on it. “Coffee at my place? I promise to
tell you who I was in one of my previous lives?”
Urgh. It's gone. Whatever was on my mind is gone! And why should one of your
previous lives be important to uncover your mystery? I need your current secrets.
“Why do you keep spinning a web of lies? I am sure things can be sorted out if you
just give us a chance.” I reach down and cup her hand in mine.
She rolls her eyes. “For the same reason I tried to hide. My previous reincarnations
had enemies and I am just trying to get a grip on this world before someone manages
to use my ignorance against me.”
I close my eyes and drop my head. Seems like today I won't get anywhere either. But
I like the chase. If I can't catch her quickly, then I have to use endurance to chase her
down. No matter how smart she is, at some point her house of cards has to come
down, and then I'll be there to catch her.
Turning her around, I force her to take the lead, only to encounter Trebor! He points at
Seria. “You! You were the one who tore my office apart! I know it! You'll pay for this.”
Balling his hands into fists, he continues. “And I don't know how you managed to
persuade the director to change my lessons to eight in the morning and five in the
evening.”
I purse my lips and squint my eyes at Trebor. “Actually, I was the one who suggested
for you to take the odd lessons. Since you have the leisure to mess with someone
else's time table, I figured that you could also take the lessons which nobody else
wants.”
The man starts gasping, turning red. But since I am royalty he doesn't dare to do
anything. I know him. He is the backstabbing type, only using open confrontation if he
feels like he can't lose. Or is totally enraged.
Seria lifts her finger. “It's insulting to accuse me of such a childish prank. Do you have
proof? Isn't it much more reasonable to assume that a few students searched your
office for the answers to their next test? If I were you, I would make sure that nobody
got a hold of your documents. Teachers who don't manage to keep their materials
under wraps have their pay grade reduced. When I got the job, that fact was pointed
out several times.”
Trebor gasps like a fish, then he turns and flees the scene.
Seria snickers at my side, covering her mouth with a hand. Why do I have the feeling
that several copies of Trebor's documents are already circulating around the campus?
 18. ~Contacts.~

“When your priorities shift, try not to stumble.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I messed up big time. Marcus definitely suspects that not everything about me is as
cosy as it seems. Such bad fortune. I even had to touch him in order to flip his male
switch. Guys always get distracted when a woman touches them on her own.
Distracting his thoughts worked, but it opened up a box of ghosts I didn't want to be
opened.
While trying to deal with my own conflicting emotions, I study his profile. He is driving
the car with a grim earnestness which I didn't notice in him before. His nose is a little
angled. It's not beautiful to behold, but it allows him to play the bad guy. If he wants
to. I like bad guys...
Damn, if this investigation lasts any longer we might end up in bed... again.
The fact that I am the one who is sending out positive signals for him is a complete
fuck up on my part. And touching him like an old friend, showing him that he has a
chance with me, is absolutely messed up. Especially since I don't want to break his
heart when I go back to my realm.
I even invited him to my shop several times already. Isn't that almost equal to allowing
him into my home? I click my tongue in displeasure, realizing that I may have stepped
over the deep end and am now with one foot above the ravine. No, it's not that bad...
yet. He wasn't in my apartment.
This isn't going to work.
Enough self-loathing. People are dying and Adea was attacked. I still need more time
to talk to Adea, or aunty Jazira as I know her.
We didn't manage to go over every little detail, but Adea regained a good portion of
Jazira's memories. She remembers some events about her and my parents' first
transcendence to godhood. Sadly, Adea has no idea what her soul was up to in the
meantime.
She doesn't remember everything, but at least she now has access to her most
powerful weapon; her mana pool. Jazira's abilities were never about skill or control.
The smallest spells are blown out of proportion by her sheer power. A brute in a
silken gown.
A stupid grin appears on my face.
“...listening to me?”
Marcus's annoyed voice wakes me from my daydreams and I blink. “I am sorry?”
“Try to pay attention. I just informed you that our search parties are continuously
failing in tracking down the new spirits. And something that's even more concerning, is
the fact that a few of the attackers from yesterday night were registered citizens.
Something changed them, and not in a good way. They were a lot stronger than they
should have been.”
I purse my lips, immediately thinking of zombies, vampires and werewolves. “It isn't
something contagious?”
He shakes his head. “No, the DF checked that possibility first. It doesn't look like it.”
Sighing, I try to focus my thoughts on the situation at our hands. “Did they lose control
of their spirit form?” No, that's not how Marcus explained it. The spirit forms of this
world are the same as in mine. But the people here apparently have control issues. Is
it because they suppress their spirit form for so long? That solution sounds odd. In
Dedessia we also have people who awaken late in their puberty and they have no
problems at all. Are there any other differences between the two realms?
It would be cool if I could solve their problem.
When did I start thinking of these people as important? I am from Dedessia. It's not
like I should feel anything for them. Yet another sign that I got much too deeply
involved in this realm's problems. I just should grab Adea, Patricia and Jimmy and
abduct them back to Dedessia and that's it.
Do I really have to wait for months until the pathways allow a less bumpy return to my
dimension? A simple trespass into the DF's prohibited area would allow me to return
through the mana storm. There, problem solved, mission ended successfully.
“... not listening, again!” Marcus screams into my ear. He looks away from the street
and towards me. “Is something wrong? Your mind seems to be all over the place.
Please understand that your circumstances don't change what you mean to me, you
have to understand that. I like you.”
I blush and point at the street. Why does he even like me? “Concentrate on the traffic!
And I am sorry. There is a lot to consider recently.”
Closing my eyes, I concentrate. “You said that the search parties have trouble in
locating these strange... Turned? Spirits? What do we call them?”
He grumbles, but I wave my hand to stop him. “Bring me to Lakehill Street 23. I might
know how to find help in locating them.”
Marcus furrows his forehead. “Okay? Who are you going to ask for help?”
I shrug. “Better if you don't know.”
“That's even more reason to investigate,” Marcus grumbles, but he takes the right turn
and changes our direction.
Whatever. Even if he starts pulling all his strings, I doubt that the DF can unearth
anything before I am gone. My little criminal friend is an evildoer, but a competent
one. Don isn't the type who can be pressed for information. And we have a binding
oath. He can't snitch on me.
“It's a contact to the underworld.” Why not trying the truth for once? I mean, if Marcus
is really earnest about me, then he has to be able to deal with my antics.
“What!” Marcus calls out.
I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Not what. How did you think that I managed to
make those investments out of nowhere? I needed someone to help me.”
“And for that reason you turn to criminals?” Marcus asks.
We arrive at Don's place and I pat Marcus's shoulder. “At least I know what to expect
from them. Stop here and wait, I'll be back shortly.”
Marcus hits the break and the car stops. “I am coming with you!”
He is still fumbling with his seat belt when I am already outside and around the car. I
bend down to look through the window. “Just stay here. They know and trust me.
Your face is enough to make them run away.”
I smile. “I know how to negotiate with these people.”
He huffs. “Ten minutes. Then I am going in.”
Nodding, I turn and walk to the heavy iron door which leads to Don's office. Hmm...
they upgraded the thing since my last visit. I approach without haste and use the
knocker to announce myself. Then I step back and turn to Marcus who is waiting in
his car. I smile and wave at him to show that everything is okay.
The door's shutter snaps open. “Yes, who-”
I kick the door, enforcing myself with magic. The door's hinges break and the heavy
thing tilts into the room, burying whoever was behind it under a thick steel plate. “Yes!
That's what I needed! Blowing off some steam is still the best therapy!”
Skipping, I enter the room and ensure to use my full weight on the bouncer beneath
the door. Everything looks like the first time I visited. The accountant is in his usual
place, looking up from his desk.
His forehead develops deep wrinkles as he stares at the door and the man who I
stand on. I place my fists at my hips and smile at him. “Hi! I am here for business!”
The accountant's eyes wander to me. Without answering, he pulls a phone from his
jacket and dials a number. “Bill? I need a new door and a new bouncer. And not the
cheap stuff! She is here and she simply kicked the door and broke it! You promised
that nobody would break that door! Come here. Pronto!” He continues talking while
waving me towards Don's office.
I take him up on the offer and don't waste time, only to find Don reading the
newspaper. He lowers it when I enter, showing me just his eyes. “Queen! I hoped to
never see you again!”
“You are so nice! I also wouldn't be in this rathole if I didn't need your questionable
skills,” I answer.
He drops the paper and tilts his head. “Everything has a price! And I heard that you
entered the upper ranks! Quite the achievement for someone who materialized out of
thin air.”
Oooh... you have no idea.
Waving my hand, I dismiss the question of money. “That's fine! I'll arrange for the
state to pay. Actually it's in your interest to help me out!”
I quickly fill him in on the problem with the spirits and the fact that they attacked one
of mine, which requires retribution. “...so I need a map of the Tandeen district. But not
the average one. I need one with all the safe houses and hideouts you can think of.
Where can these things hide to evade even the DF? Something like old, forgotten
sewers and the likes. I have a strong feeling that it's underground with a well hidden
entrance, since the DF has most likely searched all the houses above.”
Don raises his eyebrows and blows air from between his lips. “Queen, your visits are
never boring.”
 19. ~In motion.~

“One event causes another, till eternity.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
“Why should I pay a criminal for telling me where his hideouts are?” I ask in confusion.
The more I learn about Seria, the more questions I have. And I have a strong feeling
that it will only get worse.
“You are seeing it in the wrong light. Just imagine it as paying a foreign intelligence
service for their info. Countries do that all the time in exchange for certain favours. In
this case, the favour is a hefty sum of money.” Seria points towards the left. “Second
road, left. Then we are there.”
I manoeuvre around two wrecked cars which weren't yet removed from the street.
Using my car to get around the destroyed Tandeen district may not have been the
best choice in my life. I flick my eyes to the now empty houses. In the centre of the
battle zone, the destruction is almost complete, but by moving closer to the outskirts
of the prohibited area the destruction lessens drastically. We are currently searching
an area which shows almost no signs of battle.
If it wasn't for the occasional abandoned car, nobody would suspect that there was a
battle at all. Except for the blood stains. The clean-up crews still have a lot of work to
do, but at least the main streets are almost free of bodies. Such a waste of lives.
“Stop here,” Seria informs me and I stop. Then I use the car's radio to inform the DF
of our position. A raspy, male voice answers and confirms that reinforcements are
close.
Once that's done, I get out and follow Seria who went ahead. She studies the map,
turning it, tilting her head.
“Is there a problem?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No, I am just thinking about the best way to approach this
hideout. It's the most promising one. That's why we stopped a little farther away. We
don't want to wake up those... things.”
I study her face. She is carefully concentrating her attention on the map, avoiding to
look at me. I frown. “Then why did we stop at the previous five hideouts after we
shared the coordinates with the DF?”
She folds the map neatly and pulls on the neckline of her clothes to hide the map in
her cleavage. “Because the hideouts were on the way. And because we had to
ensure the validity of the information we got. Why did your brother refuse to move the
DF after gaining such information? I would have expected the whole army to move in
to check every location.”
She is right. “I am not as deeply involved in the DF as my brother. There may be
logistical problems. His reasoning that he would have to leave other parts of the
district unguarded isn't false. I heard my father cursing several times, complaining
about the lack of people, and the area we have to cover.”
I think back on the conversation I had with my brother over the radio. It was short and
precise, like always when we talk to each other. The fact that we are half brothers
always left a rift between us. My mother also never managed to fulfil her role and
always managed to make it clear that her own children always come before Perseus.
Though I would like to think that we can tolerate each other, even though his
behaviour towards women ticks me off.
Seria tilts her head, looking at the sky. Then her attention returns to me. “Logistical
problems? Sure. Marcus, your eyes are stuck. Quit staring.”
I force my eyes towards her face and smile. “In my defence, I didn't think about what
you think I thought. I am simply of the opinion that going by your previous fighting
records, putting the map there,” I point at her boobs, “provides probably the least
safety for such a valuable document.”
She looks down on her chest, then back at me and squints her eyes. “Well played.”
Without further consideration, she turns away and stalks towards our destination. She
guides me along a narrow side street, leaving the main road. On the other side of the
block, all my senses scream that something is wrong. Reaching out, I stop her. Then I
step in front of her so that her scent doesn't interfere with my senses.
It's remarkable that she adapted so quickly to the knowledge about my ability. She
even thought about approaching our target against the wind. The corner of my mouth
twitches upwards. That will make her even harder to track in the future.
I breathe in deeply through my nose and my mouth, using my tongue to taste the
miasma which is filling the air.
“Something wrong?” Seria asks from behind me.
“Definitely,” I answer and pull out my cell phone, dialing the number for the provisional
DF-HQ. It doesn't even ring once before it clicks, informing me that the call was
answered. I don't give the one on the other end a chance to talk. “Marcus here. Tell
Perseus and his people that the position I last reported from is hot. We need a few
divine here. Don't send anyone under demigod rank. They are just cannon fodder for
those things.”
“Understood. The staff and the general will be informed immediately.” Whoever
answered my phone hangs up and I return the phone to my pocket.
Seria is looking at me with raised eyebrows, so I elaborate. “I smell those things.
Several of them. The stench of chaos and spirit is overwhelming. And I smell death
and rotting corpses. Many. The only time I remember such a smell was when I got too
close to a mass grave after a small village was hit by a spirit attack.”
My eyes wander up and down Seria's body. She is wearing a grey tunic with wide
trousers, traditional style. Easy to move in and more sturdy than the modern, silky
stuff which got torn when she helped me to save my brother and Adea.
“Should we go and take a look?” Seria asks, eyebrows still raised.
I nod and take the lead. This time I follow my nose instead of Seria's directions. The
stench guides me out of the alleyway, across the street and into a small garden. I
take the fence with a single leap and approach the house which seems to be an old
hotel. But instead of towards the house, the now unmistakable tracks of residing
mana lead to an overgrown area in the garden. The area is covered with plants and
bushes. The growth looks close to an untouched forest, confirming that this place
wasn't taken care of for years.
Fighting my way into the bushes, I find an old stone pavement with a recently cleared
out trapdoor. There are broken branches all around the entrance. I allow Seria to
inspect the trapdoor while I message our exact position to the DF.
“I think I don't want to go down there. Can we blow everything up from up here?” She
asks, sniffing at the door. “Gods, that smells awful, what's down there?”
Wrinkling my nose, I confirm my previous assumptions. “Those things, rotting corpses,
death and evil magic. Why is there even a hideout like this in the middle of the town?”
Seria grabs her hair, inspecting it with concern. “If I go down there, the stench won't
come off even after several showers. And magic isn't evil, the users are. And
according to Don's documents that's one of the city's old drainages. The rainwater
has to go somewhere.
“A ladder should go down ten metres from the entrance. Then, a short distance down
the narrow tunnel is a cistern which is supposed to hold the water. The cistern is big,
about fifty metres in width and a hundred metres in length. The ceiling should be ten
metres high. Perfect hideout as long as it doesn't rain too much. The documents say
that this is the only entrance, unless you can crawl through ten centimetre pipes to get
in or out.”
I snort. Whoever wrote that report definitely suffered from paranoia. But that helps us
now. “So if we go down there and take a look, nothing can get past us. We just have
to stay at the entrance?”
Seria's eyes widen. “Or we stay up here, don't crawl down into that pit, and wait until
the DF arrives? And if anything comes out of that hole, we behead it.”
“Where is the fun in that?” I bend down and open the trapdoor. The miasma from
earlier wafts out of the hole and I have to fight the instinct to retch. Seria jumps
backwards, waving her hand in front of her face. “By everything that's holy!”
Grinning, I jump down and summon a magelight. I land with a splash in shallow water
and mud. Blue light fills the narrow tunnel which doesn't even allow for two persons to
stand side by side.
The stench of rot, death and excrements is so strong that I even attempt to breathe
through my mouth, protecting my nose. But the horrible odour attacks my sense of
taste, leaving me only with the ability to choose between two bad options.
After taking two steps into the tunnel, I hear Seria landing behind me and I turn
around. “This place is flooded. Doesn't seem like a comfy hideout if the water is
coming in, even though it didn't rain in the last week.”
Seria whines. “My shoes! And that's not water!”
I bring the magelight closer to the ground and have to admit that she is right. It's
blood. Someone was very busy down here. Steeling my resolve, I pour more power
into the magelight and walk down the corridor, creating splashing sounds with each
step.
Just a few metres further, we arrive in the cistern where I force my magelight to shine
even brighter. Despite all the power I pour into the spell, the light seems to be sucked
away, penetrating the darkness for only a few metres.
What the light reveals makes the hairs on my neck stand on end. The walls are
painted with runes of blood. A few metres into the cistern is a dry island with a big
magical circle painted onto the ground, also in blood. I immediately recognize the
workings of a portal spell.
And there are bodies, piles of them. Men, women and children were carelessly
thrown on top of each other, to power the spell with blood magic.
“Crap!” My voice sounds loud through the cistern, even though I spoke very quietly.
“You have a serious case of critter infection in your city. I've never heard about spirits
like that, but if they have enough intelligence to create a portal, then they promise
trouble. And boy, those things are ugly!” Seria's voice sounds loudly behind me. She
speaks as if her eyes are able to penetrate the darkness.
And then the dark which isn't penetrated by my magelight moves. All of it. There must
be dozens of them down here!
An ugly, vaguely zombie-like thing flies out of the dark and I block its claws just in time
with a barrier. My barrier reverses the kinetic energy of all approaching objects, which
results in the zombie's unspectacular return to where it came from.
Seria raises her hand and a mote of white light shoots at the circle on the ground,
carving it up and rendering it useless.
I raise my second hand to start weaving more wards and barriers into the first one,
adding layer over layer as the cistern lights up with magic. Whatever these things are,
they can cast spells and have no qualms in using their ability.
Magical attack spells waver over the sphere of defence which I created around Seria
and me. Some dark energy sparks through my defensive web and Seria dispels it
with a wave of her hand, pushing the spell away from us by releasing a wave of pure
mana. “Sneaky bastards! Set up something against rune curses!”
I do as told and create a small opening in our defence as Seria throws something like
a life-curse at our enemies. I've never before seen someone use life magic as a
curse, but whatever she did was effective.
The magical energies between us and our enemies are woven so tightly that direct
observation is impossible, but the resulting wailing crescendo of pain goes hand in
hand with a lessening of the magical power which is thrown against us.
Both of us retreat back into the tunnel and towards the exit. The things don't follow
and we hurry back to the surface, their wailing screams still echo from the hole in the
ground when we are back in the light. But it's getting dark. Maybe half an hour, then
those things will try to come to the surface, assuming that they really don't like the
light.
“What did you throw at them?” I ask, slamming the trapdoor shut. Not that it will stop
them for more than a second when they do decide to follow us.
“A healing hex which jumps from person to person, using their own energy to heal
them. They looked mighty sick and unhealthy. Of course the hex is set to heal
damaged nerve tissue first,” Seria answers, trying to clean her shoes in the grass.
I start laughing. “How cruel does someone have to be in order to devise a spell like
that. It sounds like it was originally devised for torturing prisoners.”
Seria smiles and twirls her hair between her fingers, smiling. “It was, but it also
seems to work great on those zombie things. The ones down there looked much
worse than the ones who attacked the students. We might have to deal with more
than one lair.” A smile steals itself onto her face. “At least I understand now why they
call you a fortress.”
That makes me shut up. “Or they only send out the new, healthy ones, while the sick
are working on the circle. We still have to find out how they turned the civilians.”
We are interrupted by a small army of DF soldiers showing up, including my brother.
They swarm around us, their eyes fixed on the entrance from which we can still hear
the howls of pain.
Perseus walks up to me, my father and my mother close behind him. That surprises
me since my father normally doesn't involve himself with DF matters. He gave most of
his responsibilities to Perseus.
I nod in greeting at them. “You are coming just in time. The situation down there has
to be contained...” I quickly fill them in and forgo the fine speech, using the last
minutes of light to prepare them not to take the situation lightly.
Once that's done, Charles pats my shoulder and nods towards Perseus and his men.
They listened in on the conversation. Armoured with the knowledge of what to expect,
they descend into the hole and moments later the sounds of fighting start.
“Well done. Thank you for using your exceptional tracking skills. There is no telling
what could happen if they open yet another portal. I'll order more troops into the city,
even if it means less security for other towns. This situation has to be controlled at all
costs.”
I purse my lips. “Well, I didn't find their hideout alone. Seria was a great help!”
“And my shoes suffered the price. The blood will never come out,” Seria complains
and drops her shoes into the grass. They are normal everyday shoes, but their
pattern and colour scheme matched Seria's hair. At least before she walked through
ankle deep blood. “I would rather go barefoot than submerse my feet in gore until I
get home.”
Clarity chuckles, “The DF is setting up a provisional base with cleaning facilities. You
two can get cleaned up there. We will take it from here. The spirits are changing their
behaviour, so we have to study this lair and learn everything we can.”
Since both of us aren't presentable, we excuse ourselves and follow one of the
soldiers to a small camp which formed around one of the intact buildings. I am a little
peeved when Seria disappears into the closed off women's area to shower.
Sighing, I hurry to get myself cleaned up. Then I return to the spot where Seria and I
split up. Not finding her there, I assume that she needs more time, so I head back to
the site in order to give my parents a more detailed update of what we encountered.
Clarity and Charles are greatly worried about these new developments, just like me.
In the end I realize that I spent a lot of time discussing the new situation with them.
Perseus and his crew cleaned out the lair some time ago and everyone who's left are
guards and scientists who are picking the whole place apart.
A look at my clock tells me that I haven't seen Seria since one and a half hours. I have
to escort her home. Concentrating on her scent, I follow her trail back to the showers
where we separated. As I assumed, she isn't there. It would make no sense for her
to stand around and wait. Surely she went exploring.
I follow the trail which leads to the canteen for the soldiers where it mingles with
something that I recognize as Perseus's mana. Quickening my steps I follow their
trails towards the trailers which double as living quarters for the DF commanders.
There I catch them in front of the general's trailer. Perseus's trailer. He has the door
opened and his hand on Seria's back. She is smiling at him in the same stupid way all
women do once they spend time with my brother.
I wish she would smile like that at me. Why is it always him who gets chosen in the
end? Don't they realize that they are just another conquest to him?
Perseus raises his hand to Seria's cheek, stroking it. Then he trails his fingers down
her neck and her expression relaxes even more. He whispers something and his
fingers wander along her collarbone towards...
My heart cringes and I raise my voice, anger welling up inside me. “Perseus! Seria!”
The strange, fluffy atmosphere between them breaks. Perseus's head flicks towards
me and Seria's complacent smile is wiped from her face. Light flashes in her eyes and
her expression changes to pure, uncontrolled rage. Her hand comes up and grabs the
finger which trailed her collarbone, bending it backwards with a snap! The action is
followed immediately by a good hook into Perseus's side. My brother folds over as he
is taken completely by surprise.
I am simply too stunned to react to what just happened.
Perseus straightens himself, using the trailer to steady himself. Seria retreats her
hand, pulling two fingers out of his chest. That's when I realize that she didn't hit him
with a fist. She rammed her fingers between his ribs and into his lung!
Perseus spits blood on the ground and covers the wound with his hand, then he sits
down on the ground.
“If you ever try to manipulate my mind again, I'll rip out your heart and eat it!” Seria
hisses with a voice which could make hell freeze over. Then she catches herself with
a shuddering breath.
Blood wells up from Perseus's mouth as he casts a healing spell. “You will pay for
that.”
I approach them and pull Seria away from Perseus, sending out a thin thread of
magical energy. There are very faint traces of his magical energies on her. They didn't
penetrate her defences, but were used in another way. By manipulating the right
nerves in the skin, someone can cause trouble to the victim's brain in countless ways.
That's most likely what happened here.
My mind returns to the ball, when my brother touched Seria the first time. That time
she also seemed startled by him, but she managed to pull back and stepped away
from him. Then I think back to other events, other women. Some of them I even liked.
My head swivels towards my brother who is looking up to me. My big, older brother,
who I suddenly see in a whole other light.
“What?”
I hit him, feeling a set of teeth breaking out of their sockets. Then I get in a second
and a third strike, smothering him good. At last he releases his aura. So do I, and the
force of my fourth strike rips the trailer to pieces and sends the wreck into the
destroyed house behind it. But I didn't do anything to my brother. With the power he is
using right now, I would have to level the city to get to him.
“Coward! Why are you hiding behind your aura? Afraid that you can't take me?” I ask.
He opens his mouth, but then our parents appear between us. They teleported
directly towards us. Charles raises an eyebrow, looking around and taking in the
scene while men from the DF shout and run around, seemingly believing that we are
under attack.
My father looks from Perseus to the trailer, then to my bloody fist and to the blood on
Seria's hand. His eyes glow in a silver hue, so he is using his ability to divine what
happened here.
My mother looks uncertainly at me and Seria, then towards Perseus.
Charles curls his lips downwards and points at Seria. “I assume that you felt the proof
of his actions on her?”
I ball my hands to fists. “Yes!”
Father snorts and his expression turns sour. “Go. We will deal with your brother, even
if it hurts me that I apparently failed as a father.”
I turn and grab Seria's upper arm, pulling her with me. There is no need to see what
my father will do to Perseus. “Come. We don't want to be here when my parents
snap.” I lead her away from the tent city, towards my car.
We don't speak until we arrive. Once there, I place Seria on the passenger seat and
get into the vehicle myself. Then I start the engine and manoeuvre us through the
streets.
“How did he know?” Seria asks after a long silence.
I huff. “My father has limited abilities as a seer. Sometimes he can catch a glimpse of
the future, but never clearly. What he can see perfectly though, is a short time into the
past. As long as he arrives just a few minutes after the deed is done, there is no lying
to him.”
Seria pulls some of the paper tissues from the drawer in front of her and cleans her
bloody hand. Then she throws the towels out of the window and repeats the process
with my hand, forcing me to drive one-handedly during the process. Her healing magic
prickles over my skin.
She isn't completely done when I stop close to her shop and wait for her to get out. “I
am sorry.”
She sighs. “Not your fault. I messed up. Thought I could defend myself, but he didn't
use a charm, did he? It was purely physical, stimulating my nervous system, right?”
I smile and look at her in the dark. “Yes.” Some strange light shines in her eyes and I
come closer. When Perseus ticked her off, I already thought that I saw her eyes
flashing with golden light. There is a sea of golden stars floating inside her pupils. It's
faint, but I can see it from close up in the dark. Beautiful.
Is she losing control?
Misunderstanding something about me coming in close, she suddenly closes her arms
around my head and presses her lips to mine. My lips are parted by her tongue, and
her hand snakes around my body, releasing the safety belt.
Somehow she manages to open the door on her side of the car and pulls me outside
with her, not taking her lips from mine. When she closes the door and locks the car I
finally get my mouth free. “Seria, it's okay. You don't have to.”
“But I want to!” She pulls me with her and into the shop, which is closed. Jimmy and
Patricia already went home.
“You just had a bad experience. To do this right now would be seriously messed up.” I
try to explain that she might not be totally in control of herself right now.
While I ramble, trying to find the right words, she locks the shop and pulls me up the
stairway to her apartment.
The apartment floor is a single, large room which is segmented in several areas with
a bed, kitchen and a study. Another door obviously leads to a bathroom. I feel the
magical energy of her wards and runes filling the entire place. They are everywhere,
floor, walls, even the ceiling is warded. Is she afraid that some country would try to
spy on her?
Seria closes the door and starts throwing off her clothes until she is only in a black
bra and laced, black panties. I keep stuttering, but not because I don't want her, but
because the whole situation doesn't feel right.
Suddenly her eyes flash in golden light and her pupils turn slitted... oh... bad! “Seria?
You are still in there? You aren't going to lose control, are you?”
“Shut up and be a man!” She grabs my shirt and pulls it apart, popping off the buttons
with no effort at all. Kissing my chest, she presses her naked form against me.
Rubbing up and down like a cat in heat, her quick fingers are, in no time, inside my
trousers and have my pants down.
She slides to her knees and unceremoniously buries my entire length in her mouth,
cupping my balls in her hands. I lean against the door while she slides me in and out
of her mouth, sucking. When I almost can't hold it any more she cruelly lets go and
kisses the tip.
Smiling, she walks over to the kitchen table, using her legs as weapons to fire my
imagination. Then she bends over, resting her upper body on the table and undoes the
laces of her panties. With her backside presented to me and her glorious legs
standing wide, she pushes two fingers between her folds and moans. “Don't tell me
that this doesn't give you ideas?”
Panting, I follow and grab her hips. Then I push into the goddess who offered herself
to me. What follows is quick and hard with no mercy. But I think that's what she wants
right now.
She moves herself against me, answering my thrusts until our bodies shake with need
and she tightens. I bend over and bury her upper body between me and the table.
With my arms around her, I force her hips against me and feel throbbing fire explode
from my groin.
“Hahaha.” She gasps, laughing. “I already feared you would leave me hanging and I
would have to search for someone else.”
I growl. “What? You can't.” I pull her closer and force myself deeper inside.
She shudders. “Yes, that's the spot!”
Cupping her breast in my hand, a stupid grin appears on my face and I turn her
around to kiss her. “Tell me how you want it.”
Her eyes flash golden and she closes her legs and arms around me. Then she
whispers into my ear. “Hard on the floor, slow in the shower, and then in the bed until
neither of us can stand. And tomorrow... the students can teach themselves.”
 20. ~Home, messy home.~

“Your ability to take a situation with dignity shows the strength of your
character.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I chew on my lower lip while I have a serious staring contest with the ceiling. Figuring
out how to deal with the changes to my situation isn't easy. The worst thing is that I
am not sure if I came out on top yesterday.
I learned a lot about the spirits and I found out something very important about
Charles. Knowing about his ability will have serious impact on every future negotiation
between Dedessia and this realm. It's exactly because of things like this that I came
here in the first place.
Then there is the fact that I messed up with Perseus. Killing the stupid bastard was
on my mind and I just barely avoided finishing the deed. That could've been seen as
an assassination attempt. And Marcus probably wouldn't have forgiven me if I
executed his brother in front of him.
Oh, yeah... and there is Marcus... who I promised not to invite into my apartment.
And look how that turned out! I huff, dissatisfied with myself. Some part of me is
wishing that I wasn't in complete control at the time, but I remember everything
clearly. I wanted a good boning from him, damn the consequences for our
relationship. Marcus even showed remarkable restraint... for a man.
The male blanket which is covering me mumbles something, shifts, squeezes my ass
and goes back to sleep.
If he wasn't a hugger I would have nothing to complain about him. He is smart, has
skill and influence, his heart is in the right place and his endurance is exquisite. I could
really get used to having him in my bed. Oh, and he is definitely not a morning person,
but that works for me.
I sigh. So does that mean that I have to abduct him too when I go back home? That's
so not going to work. Though Mom would surely have nothing against it. She is fire
and flame for educating men into proper husbands, damn the guy's opinion.
But what will Marcus do once I have him in my realm? The members of my family are
the only ones who can use the pathways. I would have my very own prince waiting for
me in my bedroom. Dad will surely make me some sturdy chains if I ask nicely.
Oh, yeah... but there was the call from his mother. Perseus was temporarily arrested
until all his ex-girlfriends are questioned. Once all the evidence is taken care of,
charges will be pressed and Perseus will most probably lose a lot of his power and
prestige. This realm has some pretty harsh laws against any form of mind
manipulation.
Perseus's attack on me alone can get him a few years if I personally press charges
against him. All in all the royal family of this country will have a nice scandal on their
hands once the reason for Perseus's imprisonment becomes public.
And that means that the succession might shift, making Marcus even more important.
Coffee. I need coffee to start the day. And then I can deal with all my slip-ups.
Pushing his shoulder, I slowly ease myself out from under Marcus and crawl to the
edge of my oversized bed. I swing my legs to the floor in order to get up.
At least that's what I intended to do...
One of my legs halts mid air and I lose my balance, slipping with my butt over the
bed's edge and landing on the floor with a loud bump! This results in me lying on the
floor, with my left lower leg still on the bed.
I use my hands to get into an upright position and inspect the golden shackle which is
around my left ankle. From there, a silver chain runs to a similar shackle which is
attached to Marcus's right ankle.
He is grinning at me, propping his head on his right hand. So either the noise of my
fall, or the tug on the chain, woke him up. Raising his leg, he rattles the chain. “Not
twice. Not with me. If you run off after giving me the best night of all my memories,
then you at least have to properly say goodbye.”
I reach for a pillow and throw it at his face. “I didn't have the intention to run! What
good would it do me? You've proven that you would just run around and search until
you find me.”
Nodding, he reaches forward and unlocks the shackles. Which have number locks... I
strain my neck to see the correct code and Marcus readily allows me to watch.
“Having the number does you no good. The chains are spelled to wake me up either
way if they are removed. And that was the whole goal of having them anyway.”
I furrow my forehead. “You are that afraid that I'd run away?”
“I am just prepared for everything. Falling in love with a mysterious goddess like you
causes a man to be careful.” He slides closer. “Your eyes are back to normal, that's
good.”
Falling in love... that's what I fear will happen to me if he gets any more likeable. I
reach up to my eyes. “Normal?”
He shrugs. “You went all snake eyed on me yesterday. So I figured that saying no to
your request would have been bad. You have to work on your control, though your
eyes are beautiful.”
I shake my head. “No, that's fine. They simply do that when I get excited. It's not like I
am in danger of losing control.”
Once the shackle is off, I get to my feet and invade the kitchen area. There I use
some powdered coffee to make me a quick fix. Looking out of the window, I pull a
grimace. “It's already getting dark again! Our day-night cycle will be totally out of sync
after pulling an all-nighter.”
“Not a single second of it was wasted.” Marcus sits up, but just in that moment
something pulls on my magic. Someone is trying to get into the shop. And not only
that. There is a very strong curse trying to find a target, but my wards are blurring our
exact location.
Marcus gets to his feet and releases his aura as he starts a defensive working of his
own, dispersing the attack while sending his mana into my magical formations,
strengthening the wards.
The runes on the walls, floor and ceiling start glowing and I scream for Marcus to
take cover as something shatters the window. I quickly hide behind the stove. A
torrent of fire shoots into the room, just to be bent out of shape by my runes. The
firestorm is redirected back outside to be returned to the attackers.
My wards scream in alarm as someone breaks into the shop below and my hearth
magic automatically attacks. Before I can stop him, Marcus is up and out of the
window. His exit is followed by an explosion shortly afterwards.
I give up my hiding spot behind the stove and follow him outside. I jump out of the
window, dropping one floor to the street in front of my shop. Right into a group of
eight spirits. Marcus is enclosed by his own opponents, four bodies at his feet.
Two of them are charred and crispy while the other two look like broken dolls. I
recognize his handywork.
One of the spirits jumps at me and I dodge, placing a perfect roundhouse kick on his
upper torso. The force sends the creature flying into the ground floor of my shop,
where several other zombie spirits are fighting for their lives as my hearth magic tries
to kill them with dancing kitchen knives, forks and pans. The brooms are doing their
best in trying to stake the intruders while animated chairs and tables are running
rampant.
The whole of my inventory bursts out of the shop to attack my enemies. They turn to
flee, but are either staked by the two brooms, or overrun and trampled by the
furniture. The brooms remind me of oversized shashlik skewers. I didn't fully realize
how dangerous they are when I spelled them.
Taken by surprise and falling into complete disarray, the spirits try to retreat towards
an open transport truck. One of them gets into the driver's seat, but Marcus summons
an axe of light and hurls it at the creature. The spirit is torn apart as the summoned
weapon splits like a fragmentation grenade upon impact.
I follow his lead in cleaning up the rest of the attackers, making sure that none get
away. Despite our best efforts, some manage to escape over the fence and into the
park.
As I pound the head of a zombie into the hard pavement, I notice the lights of DF
vehicles and the screams of civilians who were still outside on the street when the
attack happened. Since the spirit's forehead has an unhealthy dent, I deem it as
unnecessary to further desecrate the corpse. My father taught me early on that a
fight is only over when you are sure that the enemy is down and stays down. Forever.
Just in time, I notice Marcus finishing off the last attacker with an axe of light. Viking
style, splitting his head and a good part of the upper body.
Then I realize that the battle must have taken longer than it felt. DF personnel is
screaming and running around, some of them heading into the dark park to search for
escaped spirits.
Charles and Clarity pop into existence right in the middle of the battlefield. Despite the
late hour, they look perfect in their clothes. I have to give them kudos for their reaction
time. Seems like they are really behind the problem with the new form of spirits.
From somewhere appeared reporters with cameras. Only Fate itself knows how they
got here so fast. Cameras and flash-lights light up the road even better than the
street lights. And a not a small amount of them are focused on me!
I look down on myself, just to realize that I am in my birthday suit. Completely naked.
Just like Marcus.
Clarity's eyes widen upon taking in Marcus and me, displeased. Well, she should be
happy that there is no semen dripping down the inner side of my thighs. Had the
spirits struck last night or later tonight, that would have been a real possibility.
There are several options to deal with this situation.
I could cover my womanly parts and scream like a little girl, running back to my
house... no, I have more dignity than that.
Or I could start crushing all the cameras in the vicinity and wipe the mind of everyone
who laid an eye on me. Strikes me as the arguably better solution, but probably not
possible with three very strong divine ranks right next to me.
Finally, I could simply take this with dignity. It's not like having a beautiful body is a sin.
I'll never understand why Mom is trying to train this so called 'decency' into me.
“Seria! You aren't hurt?” Marcus lowers his light-axe and hurries to my side, which
results in rapid clicking of cameras as the paparazzi have a feast.
If there was any doubt about our relationship before, then that last piece of
uncertainty is now well and truly gone. I straighten my back and strike a pose to
ensure that nobody gets the idea that I am the girly type. My back straight, chest out
and arms crossed, of course not in a way which makes it look like I am trying to hide
something. My stance is wide enough to show that I don't care about the leechers all
around me, but not so wide as to expose myself unnecessarily.
At last I smile coolly at Marcus and the royal couple. “Of course not. But these spirits
should be taught that it is rude to attack a lady at her private quarters.”
“Especially if she has company!” Oops. Why did that last one have to slip out of my
mouth?
 21. ~Famous.~

“To become famous, you must do one of three things. Something incredibly stupid,
something incredibly smart, or nothing, and let others do the work.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I sweep up the broken pieces of glass and shards of wood. “My beautiful store looks
like a battlefield! Scrap that, it was a battlefield. Someone has to pay for this!”
Jimmy and Patricia already joined me in restoring everything to its previous glory.
They were shocked when they arrived this morning at their workplace. For it to be
attacked by the new spirits is a mystery in its own right. First, the fact that this was
obviously a targeted attack.
Then the unexpected fierceness. I know that it ended in a one sided slaughter, but
had my wards not been there, the first death curse could have assassinated Marcus
and me and nobody would've known what happened. It was a strong spell, strong
enough to slay a god. It was only after their curse failed that they tried more direct
methods.
Adea watches me from her usual place in the back of the shop, her chin propped up
on her hands. “I don't want to sound impertinent, Seria, but why are you using a
broom to clean? Everyone knows by now that you are a god, so just wave your hand
and restore everything to its proper state. You are on the news! Everyone is talking
about you, no point in hiding your skills.”
I sigh and look at Adea, then at the broom. “I guess not showing off with my powers
feels natural by now?”
Surveying the shop, I assess the damage. Much of the damage just requires cleaning
and replacement of broken equipment. But there are also things which require
professional craftsmanship. If I do this without magic, it would surely take over a
week to repair everything by hand. I bite the inside of my cheek, considering. Two
weeks of being closed down costs money, and I want this business to be successful.
I drop the broom and release my aura, carefully holding in the death magic. My mana
floods the place, enveloping everything in its energy. Some people on the street gasp
and halt in their tracks, overpowered by my aura. I pay them no heed.
Then I close my eyes and search my memories, imagining everything returning to its
previous state. Slowly, the shattered glass rearranges itself, returning to its place in
the windows. Broken wood knits together, the steel fence bends back to shape.
My minds expands as the world reshapes itself according to my wishes. When it's
done, I reel myself back in together with my power.
Upon opening my eyes again, the shop is whole, ready to welcome customers.
Though there are still bloodstains in the front, and the crime-scene tape is a deterrent.
Patricia gasps and gets back to her feet. At some point during the process she had to
sit down. “You really are a divine. I heard that their power equals a god. Experiencing
it first-hand though is something completely different.”
I smile wryly. “Sorry about that. Maybe I should have kept it down a little more.”
Patricia wrinkles her forehead. “You could release even more power?”
Adea answers the question for me. “All divine have almost unlimited power reserves,
Mom. Gods are keeping their auras mostly suppressed, limiting their own power. If
they don't do that, most lesser ranks would get overwhelmed by their presence. The
lower ranks who are living in this city would be writhing on the floor with foam in front
of their mouths.”
I touch my cheek, basking in old memories. “Aw, aunty Jazira! Don't try to be polite. If
you let go completely and release your whole power, even the ground under your feet
melts away and your immediate surroundings are charred crispy!”
Adea whines and squirms. “Don't call me that! I am Adea now. The Jazira who I
remember was much too girly.”
I decide to tease her. “Aw, the immortal empress simply knew that she has womanly
charms. The current you just has to regain a little self confidence. And then you can
finally take the lead in your relationship with the prince.”
Patricia eyes her daughter with renewed interest. “Her previous reincarnation was
more womanly? That's somehow hard to imagine when I think about my daughter.
She is always hiding behind others and plays the meek little girl. Maybe it does her
good if her relationship with the prince forces her into the limelight.”
Adea shakes her head. “Luckily Seria is a much stronger magnet for attention. The
media are calling her the flashing goddess of death!”
I gasp. “Flashing goddess of death!?”
She nods. “Yes, mainly because of that video. Haven't you seen it yet? The one
where you bash in the spirit's head while being naked? They say that you corrupted
the second prince and stole his innocence. Some groups are demanding an immediate
marriage to restore the honour of the royal family.”
I clench my teeth. “And what's with the escapades of the first prince?” The scandal
regarding him isn't even public yet.
Adea raises both hands. “That's just what the people are saying. It doesn't mean that
anyone forces you into anything. The masses are always coming up with the stupidest
ideas. Where is Marcus by the way? I thought you promised to yourself that you
wouldn't end up in bed again?”
Patricia charges and hugs me. “Kyaaa, so it's true!? I knew it! You two are such a
good match.”
I push her away. “Don't overdo it! I don't love him.” Yet. “I simply wanted someone to
relieve a little stress. We are... friends with benefits.” If I want to have sex, I can
damn well fuck whoever is in reach and attractive. It's not like I am married.
Adea purses her lips. “Riiight... but it seems like you can tell that to your honeydue
yourself.” She points behind me and I turn around. Marcus is approaching my shop,
coming from the street. While I stayed behind after yesterday's attack, he went with
the authorities, namely his parents, to make a statement regarding the attack. Of
course I was also questioned, but Charles and Clarity seemed much more interested
in having a private word with their son.
Or to clarify the nature of their discussion, a word from king and queen to the second
prince.
A few moments later he enters the shop, his expression transforming into a smile.
“Seria! You are fine? What happened to the shop? It's back to its former homeliness!”
I shrug. “I figured that using my powers would be forgiveable if I keep it tuned down.”
Patricia nods. “It was awesome! She simply closed her eyes and then there was this
power... and everything returned to its former state.”
Jimmy sighs, entering the discussion for the first time. “It just means that she doesn't
allow me a single day off, even if the shop is torn to pieces.” Until now Jimmy sat
silently at one of the tables, waiting.
As if on command, the first guests enter the shop and Jimmy walks off to tend to
them.
Marcus joins us at the back wall of the shop and takes his usual seat. “I've got some
very disturbing news regarding the spirits.”
I raise both eyebrows. “More disturbing than that they attacked us here? Or the fact
that someone must have informed the media for them to be at the scene just a few
seconds after the attack? More disturbing than spirits who apparently have enough
brain cells left to formulate a plan? Why we even became a target at all?”
Marcus presses his lips together. “It's correct that all those questions need to be
answered, but I learned that the DF caught one of them alive. And it talks.”
I lean back. “A talking spirit? If that isn't interesting. What does it want?”
Marcus's expression turns confused. “That's the strange thing. It's talking about other
dimensions and gave us an ultimatum.”
“Ultimatum?” Adea asks.
Marcus spreads his hands. “Yes. It accuses us of hiding someone from Dedessia. But
we have no idea who, or what Dedessia is. The spirits want us to hand over the
person in question. Otherwise they threaten to intensify their attacks. My parents
want you to see the spirit.”
Why do they want me to see the spirit?
 22. ~How far.~

“Civilised nations don't conquer other nations and don't torture prisoners. They
know that torture doesn't yield results.
Uncivilised nations conquer other nations and torture prisoners. Do they know
something others do not?”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
“We want you to interrogate the spirit. Find out everything you can, then inform us of
the results,” Charles addresses Seria with a severe expression on his face.
Seria's eyebrows rise and her forehead wrinkles in a way which looks hilarious. I
didn't fail to notice Seria's concern about being called to the palace. To be honest, I
seriously think that she played with the thought of running away while I brought her
here.
I shift uncomfortably at her side. My father's request surprised me too. I thought my
parents wanted to have a word with Seria regarding her relationship with me. The
little debacle from yesterday night is today's biggest news. Especially the photos of
us standing next to each other, naked. I really should have worked out a little more.
I've developed a little belly since I started working as a teacher. Due to my relaxed
job I never particularly cared about my body. Does Seria care about it? Gods, what
am I thinking in a situation like this!
Clarity clicks her fingers in front of my eyes and glares at me.
I know what she is thinking. Speaking isn't necessary. She is totally against the fact
that I am falling for a woman I barely know. But what can I do? I shrug, showing her
that I am not concerned at all. I don't often manage to get from pure physical
attraction to something that can be called a half-assed relationship. So far it's just
sexual, but I can build on that. Walking away from the possibility of getting something
good with Seria isn't my style. And the thing I could have with Seria is promising to be
really good.
The only issue that needs answering are her secrets.
When I brought her to the DF headquarters at the palace I already asked myself
what's going on. But now that we are here, in the observation room of the prisoner's
cell, things are starting to fall into place. My father wants to test her.
“And why are you asking me to interrogate that thing? I am not a member of the DF.
And you have no reason to trust me.” Seria circles her finger, pointing at the creature
on the other side of the mirrored glass.
The thing which was caught by the DF is vaguely human. One of the spirits who
attacked us, but it isn't the rotting type. This one looks perfectly fine to me. I wonder
if there is an important difference between the rotting ones and the ones who look
fine.
My father shrugs. “Our interrogators already got everything they could from the
creature. Now I am simply throwing the dice with you. You already showed us that
you are well educated in mind magic and interrogation techniques. None of our people
managed to break your defences. I am offering you an opportunity to show us what
you are capable of. Show us your loyalty.”
The confusion on Seria's face spreads even further. For a moment it looks like she is
going to refuse, but then her gaze homes in on the creature.
She runs her fingers through her hair, studying the spirit like an object. “What am I
allowed to do?” she asks.
Charles shrugs. “Everything you can do. Everything you want to do. We need all the
information we can get.”
That raises my alarm bells. Father never even suggested taking an inhumane action in
my entire life. Something grave must be going on. And why would he give Seria free
reign in this?
Seria tilts her head. “Why are you saying this. I thought this fellow is some kind of
ambassador who was sent here? Isn't it rude to punish the messenger?”
Charles purses his lips, thinking. “Hardly. It was caught by the DF, it didn't willingly
seek us out. Only after our people tried to study it, it started to talk. It spun a wild tale
about how the spirit realm is going to take over all other dimensions and our only hope
is to give them what they want, which are hunting grounds. Then it threatened that
their attacks would only intensify if we don't surrender an agent from Dedessia to
them. Apparently their intelligence is saying that someone from Dedessia crossed
over to our dimension. Beyond that, we didn't get much of value from the spirit. If you
want my interpretation, then that thing is just a common soldier who tries to play for
time by spinning a wild tale.”
Seria purses her lips in obvious curiosity. “So whatever I do, I can't do any real
harm?”
Clarity smiles at Seria. “Do your worst.”
Seria shrugs and looks at me. After a moment of indecision, she heads for the door
towards the cell with the prisoner. Once she is inside, I squint my eyes at my parents.
“You are doing this to test her.”
Clarity nods. “And you have to see what she is capable of. No simple person
enchants her home like she does. You are making a grave mistake if you think that
you can simply fall in love with her. You don't even know her. She is a rogue who
recovered her memories on her own. Who knows what kind of baggage she is
carrying around under that cute, little face.”
I sigh. “If so, then I am no different. I've no illusions. It takes time to truly learn to
know someone. But I understand what you are doing. You suspect her of being that
agent from Dedessia. You want to give her a chance to let us in on some knowledge,
if she thinks that we should have it. You are giving her an opportunity to slip us
information without really uncovering her identity.”
Charles tilts his head. “We don't know if Dedessia is an ally or an enemy. What we do
know is that if we uncover the supposed agent, then he or she will become a target.”
I blink. “So you think that Dedessia could tell us something important regarding the
spirits. That's why the spirits don't want us to have contact with Dedessia.”
Clarity makes a dismissive gesture. “It doesn't matter. The simple fact that the spirits
want to stop contact between our realms is enough to justify seeking that contact.
Unfortunately we are completely in the dark regarding that agent or Dedessia.”
I scratch my head and finally some pieces of the puzzle connect. “No, I think we
already had contact with that agent. It's the strange spirit with four wings. The only
instance when it was aggressive against us, was when we attacked it at the mana
storm. Afterwards it even fought against the spirits who invaded Tandeen.”
Charles turns towards the window and studies Seria. “Interesting. The winged spirit
never showed up again. Which either means that it is hiding and not even trying to
return through the mana storm, which wouldn't make much sense, or that it can
assume a human shape, which means that Dedessians can control their spirit form.
That theory is supported by the fact that the winged spirit showed up in the middle of
the city.”
I turn my attention towards Seria and remember her eyes. But her aura is completely
different from the spirit. Can she change her aura?
Seria is standing in front of the spirit, smiling. The spirit is clad in ragged clothes and
eyeing her with the black orbs it has as eyes. Magical chains are holding it in place
against the wall, allowing almost no movement. It is surrounded by several protection
circles which keep it in check should the chains fail. Seria didn't say a single word.
She is just looking at the spirit, studying.
Finally the spirit bares its sharp teeth at Seria and snaps with its jaw, as if it is trying
to bite her. “Come a little closer. I am hungry.”
Seria tilts her head, unimpressed. “Silence! I am thinking.”
“What's there to think? I've told you people what you have to do. Release me!” The
spirit fights against the chains, but it's too weak.
Seria steps forward, still smiling. “I am just trying to figure out how your body works.
There is no real reason for discussion.” She trails a finger along the spirit's chest. The
action is uncomfortably familiar to how she played with my imagination yesterday.
Does she do that to everyone whose attention she wants?
The spirit snarls and snaps again, but suddenly Seria's hand is at its jaw and holds the
spirit against the wall. “I'll take a sample.” She reaches up and uses a pinch grip to
break one tooth out of the spirit's mouth. The creature howls and writhes, but Seria's
hold is like a vice.
Then she steps back, studying the sharp tooth. The spirit stops and spits at Seria, but
a thin bubble of blue energy blocks the attack. “You will pay for this! Wait until I am
free. I'll decorate the walls with your intestines! You will learn to fear monsters!”
Seria looks up, still smiling. “You have no idea of monsters. I know monsters who go
bump in the night. You aren't one of them. And you've already broken the three most
important rules about being a monster. First, monsters don't speak. Second,
monsters are not allowed to be seen until it's too late. Haven't you ever watched a
horror movie?”
The spirit roars in a blind rage, but after a moment it recovers its composure. “You
have forgotten to mention the third rule, little girl.”
Seria drops the tooth, seemingly having lost interest. “Oh, that. You see. A horror
movie doesn't do a good job when the monster feels pain. So it's pretty certain that
you aren't a monster.”
She rips off the spirit's tattered shirt and places a finger on the spirit's belly, pushing it
inside, slowly. The howling and writhing starts again until she pulls her finger out.
There is a little blood on her hand and on the spirit's belly. Strangely enough there is
no wound to be seen.
Seria nods approvingly. “You feel pain, that's good. And my healing works on you.
That's also good.”
“Why?” The spirit whines.
“It means that you won't die on me while I weaken your mind a little. So how about
telling me the story about Dedessia and this so called spirit realm?”
Charles purses his lips. “I like her.”
 23. ~Discoveries.~

“Many people say that life isn't fair. They are stupid. Life is fair... to everyone.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I stare at the pumping heart inside the cavity of the spirit's opened chest. Badabum,
badadum... somehow I like the rhythm. The muscle is deformed, but functional,
though that's not what interests me. The nerve tissue which is running through the
spirit's body is oversized and the body's spirit connections are all wrong.
After the thing told me everything it knew, I opened the creature up as much as
possible. It felt like a thorough investigation of its mind and body is necessary to
understand its nature.
When I broke into the spirit's mind, I didn't learn much. Dedessia already poured a lot
of resources into research regarding spirits. The insane, animalistic ones harbour
souls which are pieced together from various other souls which got caught up in a
mana storm.
Though this one is different.
A patchwork of souls almost always ends up as an insane creature. But not so with
this one. This spirit is almost sane. I say almost because it still has some serious
psychopathic tendencies.
Something twisted this guy's mind until he believed himself at the top of the food
chain. Reaching out, I push the nerve which controls the heart and sent a small jolt of
mana into it. After pushing and nudging a little with the spirit connection, I deem it as
repaired.
The spirit's head lolls to the side and his tongue rolls out of his mouth. Smiling, he
purrs like a cat and is obviously pleased with what I am doing. “Morrrreee...”
Sick bastard. Apparently repairing its twisted mind is somewhat enjoyable to it.
Maybe it was a mistake to try to repair the broken pieces of his soul. It would have
been interesting to learn if a spirit can be returned to temporary sanity. Even if it is
just for their current lifespan. Souls aren't made to be mixed and fused together like
potato mash. The multiverse itself has something against it. Each soul has its own
quantum wave frequency. Mixing frequencies always ends in white noise according to
my father. He postulated that souls are just an expression of a metaphysical entity
interacting with the multiverse, hence shaping it through observation.
My brain totally zoned out when he tried to explain the math behind his theory and
what a soul really is. I am good at stuff like this, but when Dad goes all out on me,
even I understand just mumble jumble!
But one thing is for sure. This spirit wasn't born from a mana storm. Statistics should
allow for one almost sane spirit every once in a while, but these things are popping up
one after the other. It all depends on how the different souls' frequencies interact with
each other. They must have some way to influence the creation of a new spirit.
According to the spirit in front of me, the spirit realm bleeds with magical energy. A
place of pure energy with no physical form. The spirits only gain a body when they try
to enter another realm. It would surely be interesting to pay them a visit. There must
be a whole different set of physical laws at work over there. My father will flip when
he hears about this.
Sadly the spirit couldn't explain why they are even interested in realms like this one.
But I felt it when I was inside its mind. A primeval need to exist, even if it is an
existence of pain and hunger. The spirit actually feared to be returned back to the
spirit realm, to a stagnant plane of non-existence.
Hm. But that didn't explain its memories. The spirit materialized in a different realm
than this one and was transported here during the Tandeen incident.
It only means that the spirits have already taken over at least one other realm. Or,
which sounds more likely to me, another realm is using them as footsoldiers to
prepare other realms for invasion. The spirit didn't really get to see his birthplace
before it was sent here.
So we could basically drive them back to their realm of pure energy if we crush their
footholds in all the material realms? A funny thought.
I guess my parents already unknowingly tipped off the spirits when they used the
mana storms as fuel for the creation of their new pathways. Maybe the pathways can
be reconfigured to leech off the spirit realm's energy? I need to return and report
back as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
At least I learned why the spirits know that I am here. They saw me fighting their foot
soldiers when I saved Adea's mother. Since nobody of this realm can stay in his or
her spirit form without going insane, they deduced that I have to be from somewhere
else. I already feared that saving Adea's Mom will have repercussions.
Though I don't know why they know of Dedessia, or why they are so sure that I am
from there. Is Dedessia the only realm with people who can control their spirit form?
I sigh, though their knowledge of Dedessia can also be explained. Moonray and his
groupies. It would be hilarious to learn that they fled from us, just to get stranded in
the spirit realm, or at a place which was already taken over by the spirits. The stories
I heard about my ancestor don't paint him in a good light.
The erratic rhythm of the spirit's heartbeat draws my attention.
...badabum, badabum... ba... da... then nothing.
Pursing my lips, I poke the damn thing and pour another stream of healing energy
directly into the heart. My efforts aren't rewarded. I contemplate the option of
catching the spirit's misshapen soul, but what good would it do me? It's not like I can
use it for anything. Dad would be pleased about the present, but I think he places
much more value on chocolate.
“I think it bled out,” Charles's voice startles me and I turn around. My feet create
splashing noises as I do so, and I look down.
“Oh, damn. I thought I avoided all the major blood vessels.” I curse. And there goes
another set of good shoes.
“Isn't it natural for something to bleed out when it is prodded and poked for hours?
Not to mention that you turned him inside out like some sick sculpture.” Clarity's
dejected voice causes me to return my attention to the royal family.
Marcus and Clarity entered the room together with Charles. Sadly, Marcus and the
king don't show any emotional reaction to what I did. Somehow I hoped to shock
Marcus by taking them up on their offer to do my worst. It would be so much easier if
he simply lost interest in me because of my... special talents.
Strangely, something deep inside me is glad that he isn't going all emotional because
of what I did. Is it because I dissected a spirit? Would he react differently if I did the
same to a serial killer of this world? But if he can accept this, then maybe he is even
able to deal with my eccentric parents?
My attention turns to Clarity. She is pale. Paler than usual. “I hope you won't pass out
on me?”
She grumbles. “It's just the smell!”
Marcus sniffs the air and shrugs. “That's nothing. It would have been much worse if
she had opened the stomach or the intestines. Did you have to drape them around his
neck?”
I furrow my forehead and inspect the corpse. “They would have fallen on the ground
otherwise.”
“That's all well and nice. What I want to know is what you learned from all this.”
Charles gestures with his entire arm at the scene.
I clear my throat and let them in on what I learned. It's not like there is much
information which has to be held back. Telling them about Moonray or Dedessia
wouldn't make any sense at this point. Though I drop the hint that Dedessia may be
an enemy of the spirits.
The spirits are after me and I don't want anyone to know that I am the winged spirit.
But I decide to let them know that the winged spirit is indeed the agent from
Dedessia. It may be helpful if they don't go full killing mode on me the next time I am
forced to go all out.
The situation is definitely turning worse rapidly and even with everything that I have
learned, it feels like my mission is doomed sooner or later. I've to tell Adea about the
new pathways or at least get her out of the line of fire. Though I am not sure if I can
completely trust her new personality. Normally I wouldn't care, but the pathways are
really sensitive information.
 24. ~Stealing flowers.~

“It’s always the gardener!”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
This is becoming overly complicated and I am not into complicated stuff. At least not
when it involves the lives of those who are close to me.
Complicated point number one. I created a complete mess in that interrogation cell
and they simply let me go. As if what I did was completely normal under the
circumstances. The only one who seemed at least a little fazed was Clarity.
Complicated point number two. Are they suspecting something? Was it some kind of
sick test to make sure how far I would go? But how did they even connect me with
the spirits? Pure deductions and suspicions? I am fairly sure that there is no solid
evidence. Maybe Charles's gift is more capable than Marcus allowed me to see?
I turn around the last corner and head directly towards my shop. It's late evening, so
the shop is still open and Adea is usually hanging out there. After a long time of
fighting my conflicting feelings I decided that I can't trust Adea with the knowledge
about the pathways. My guts are telling me that I can trust her, but my brain says no.
Despite her regained memories, Adea is still a different person. As Jazira, she always
looked out for me… apart from that one incident when she abducted me, and my
parents went out of control to get me back.
Our roles as protector and disciple are now reversed. I haven't known her long
enough to be completely sure about her reactions towards my plans.
She and her mother lived an entire lifespan in this realm. They have ties to this place
and won't give it up that easily. Or am I making it too complicated? It's not like they
made the best of memories in this city. But with the third prince Adea found someone
who she likes. And things are looking good for her. Young love can be the cause for
some seriously stupid decisions.
I'll have to protect her in a different way than giving her sensitive information about the
pathways.
Reaching for the bracer on my left forearm, I imagine three pieces of jewellery. The
mana crystal obeys without trouble and forms the items I wished for. Once they are in
my hand, I concentrate to embed the necessary enchantments into the items.
Enchanting mana crystals isn't an issue of power, just one of knowledge. The crystals
themselves are already pure energy, so the process of enchanting them is just a
matter of forming the spell matrix. Which means that the crystals are only as good as
the knowledge of the enchanter.
Once I am done, I enter the shop and notice with satisfaction that all three of my pets
are at home. Patricia is in front of the shop, serving the customers. Jimmy is at the
bar and Adea is at her usual place, doing homework. First, I head over to Jimmy and
smile at him. He is standing behind the bar and doing some calculations regarding the
monthly income.
After a few moments he notices me and looks up. His brows arch and he looks at me
as if I am about to do something really horrible to him.
As if... though I have to admit that four out of five times I am up to no good.
“Do you like Patricia? She is investing a lot of time in you,” I assert.
His eyes narrow as he tries to find the correct answer. It’s cute that he still thinks he
can avoid trouble with the right choice of words. “She is beautiful.”
I poke his chest. “You've indeed learned a lot since I started to take care of you. But
this time I want to know what you really think.” Leaning in closer, I whisper, “How is
your private time with Patricia? Would you stay with her, even if she didn't know your
true name? Should I give you the chance for a little payback? I could lock her up in
the basement and find out her true name...”
His face reddens in anger and he forces the words from between his teeth. “Don't...
hurt... her!”
“Stretch out your hand.” I command, putting power into my voice.
Jimmy's expression slackens and he reaches out. I take his hand and place two of the
trinkets in his hand, then I whisper a set of instructions into his ear and let go. He
closes his hand around the items and forms a tight fist, an expression of disbelief and
shock on his face.
I am honestly not sure if he is about to laugh, cry, hug, or hit me. What's interesting to
watch though, is the fact that the redness of anger is replaced by pale dread as he
walks out of the store and across the street.
Maybe a bit too much compulsion?
Nah! I turn around and head for Adea who is doing her homework at her usual place.
She eyes me with suspicion as I approach her. When I am close enough, she
whispers, “You did something to Jimmy! Didn't you?”
I raise both eyebrows and take the seat next to her. “I thought you don't like him?”
Adea snorts and shrugs her shoulders. “Mom likes him. I am not so low as to be mad
at her for finding someone who she is happy with. My initial reaction was just so bad
because she really surprised me. She could have told me sooner. What made her
think that I'd disapprove of her finding one guy to go steady with? In fact, having one
man is far better than dozens.”
Smiling, I place the third trinket in front of her. It's an earring. “Then you will like her
reaction when Jimmy returns. I just returned from my visit to the palace and brought
something that's important for his future.”
Adea's eyes start sparkling as she reaches for the earring. “That's so beautiful! It's
made out of the same crystal as the ones you are wearing!”
I smile and nod. “Yes, I am a very generous person.”
Adea purses her lips as she inspects the item. “This feels strange. It's almost like...
his items. There is so much power. Are you sure that you don’t know where your
parents are?”
“It's a mana crystal. I enchanted it with a little protective charm. Please wear it at all
times. Something dangerous is going on with the spirits. If you have this, I will be able
to sleep much better.” I take the earring from her and close the clip around her right
ear. The item melds firmly to the skin, making it almost impossible to remove.
My little pupil reaches up towards the earring. “How do I take it off?”
“You can't,” I answer, smiling.
She drops her hand. “What if I want to take it off?”
“You can't.” I answer, still smiling.
“Are you joking!?” she calls out.
“Nope.” I pat her head. “Keep it for now. It will keep you safe when I am not here to
protect you. When you become a god for real, you will have it off in no time.”
Now it's Adea's turn to become worried. “Is it really that bad with the spirits? There
are rumours at the university, but everyone is saying that the people are
exaggerating.”
I shrug. “Who knows. I think it’s better to take precautions than to be sorry later.”
Through the window, I see Jimmy returning from across the street. In his hand is a
hand-picked bouquet of flowers. They are apparently fresh from the palace garden
inside the park. The flowers there are unique to the city. A gardener is tending to them
twenty-four-seven. I point at the scene and pat Adea's shoulder. “Oh! Oh! This is
going to become good! Just watch!”
Adea's mouth opens in surprise. Sadly, her jaw is unable to fall further. Otherwise it
would have surely hit the table. “You...”
I allow myself a girly squeal as Jimmy heads directly for Patricia who is serving a pair
of customers. He drops to his knees, offering her the flowers and the two rings I gave
him. Everyone is looking at them and Patricia's forehead is furrowed in honest
surprise. Jimmy is saying something.
For a moment, I fear that she smells my involvement in this, but then she screams in
delight and snatches the rings away from him.
Sealing the deal, she puts one ring on Jimmy and the other on herself. People all
around start clapping and whistling. The rosy atmosphere is a little dulled as someone
who looks like a gardener comes across the street, shouting.
I put a hand around Adea and sigh. “That's exactly how it should be.”
Jimmy starts bowing to the gardener, apologizing. His face shows no remorse at all.
Adea shakes her head. “You are evil. Was it your idea to steal the flowers from the
palace garden? You knew that would happen.”
I lean my head on Adea's shoulder. “Oh, child. You've forgotten so much about your
previous self. Such things aren't memorable at all if everything is perfect. Now they
have something to look back to and laugh.”
 25. ~Visit.~

“Most times people are happier with a lie than with the truth. Why? That’s easy.
The truth is often something that people don’t want to hear. First, the truth is
never simple. And second, it’s uncomfortable and harsh most of the time.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I descend the old stairway down to the palace’s high security prison. The stairs are
dusty and clearly not used often. What’s down here is best forgotten. Only my own
magelight illuminates the walls. No outside sources of energy are allowed down here.
It would be too much of a risk.
For the situation to spiral out of control like that. When my parents apprehended
Perseus I thought that there would be a public trial, followed by Perseus losing a lot
of his power and maybe a prison sentence. The people would have finally seen his
true nature.
But to end up down here. What happened between him and my parents after I left
with Seria? They didn’t want to talk about it. In fact, I feel ashamed that I didn’t
realize what’s going on for so long.
It has been three days since they made Perseus disappear and there was no news
report on the media.
The prolonged silence should have made me wary. The first prince of the country
doesn’t simply vanish without so much as a single question about his whereabouts.
Charles and Clarity even made the media shut up. All the reporters are allowed to
make public, is that Perseus is on extended leave because of a secret mission.
I reach the high security door and punch the runes which allow access to the high
security installation. I wondered about the change of all passwords and codes, but if
my brother is here, that’s perfectly reasonable. The heavy steel flows apart to allow
me entry, just enough for a single person to squeeze through.
Once I am on the other side, the metal flows back into position and the runes light up
with renewed power.
Turning around, I head down the long, empty hallway. The air is humming with power.
I feel the layered cages of magic, even though I am outside them. This is a prison for
holding gods and divine spirits. The worst of the worst are locked up down here.
It’s a place without return. There is not a single case in recorded history where my
parents let anyone out of here once he or she was imprisoned.
It’s worse than a death sentence.
Back in the days when the multiverse was whole, the worst fate a god could suffer
was to be cast into the eternal darkness of a black hole, or get lost in one of the void
zones. Both were places where no pathway could reach. A dead end, damning one to
wander the emptiness alone.
I walk past rows of windows which grant a view of white, circular rooms. The rune
system which is carved into each room’s walls, is a work of art. A trapping spell which
bends reality and forces the prisoners to live inside a circle with a radius of three
metres. The sealing spell repeats itself three times and is protected by three layers of
additional security spells. A prison which even a divine who lets go completely can’t
break.
Passing the cells, I take a peek at spirits who are kept in here for study, or were too
strong to be killed in a conventional way. Now they are left here to starve and wither
away.
Some cells hold people. I barely know any of them. The few who I know deserve
worse than this prison. Each of them looks up with interest as I pass by. Me moving
past their windows, is the only diversion in their dull existence.
At last, I reach the cell which is holding my brother. He is lying on his belly inside the
magical circles which are binding him. Hands and legs stretched out, he looks like he
is asleep. There is the slow movement of his chest, so he isn’t dead.
I reach for the rune system which is engraved in the wall next to the window.
Activating the visitor setting, I lower the security to the point which allows me to
communicate with Perseus.
Otherwise even sound wouldn’t be allowed to leave the cell.
I clear my throat and announce myself. “Perseus?”
He doesn’t look up, but his voice can be heard clearly through the window. “Took you
a while to pay me a visit, brother.”
I tilt my head and study the man in front of me. He looks less intimidating than I
remember. Is it just the fact that he is lying on the ground? “I am sorry, but I guess
you understand that I don’t really feel bad about your situation. You brought this onto
yourself. And on top of that, in the worst possible manner.”
Perseus starts chuckling. “That’s so funny. You all really think that I am something evil
which has to be locked away? I just took what’s mine by right of birth. I am the heir to
the throne!”
I squint my eyes at the figure on the ground. The mad undertone in his voice is
disturbing. “Your current situation doesn’t allow you to fulfil that role. You would be the
first member of the royal family who reigns from a prison cell.”
“I won’t be in here forever. I just have to be patient. Though I would get out much
faster if you show a little brotherly love and open this damned cell,” Perseus answers.
“Never. After everything you did to those women? That was rape Perseus. But for our
parents to go so far as to throw you in here. Why are you in this cell? With the worst
of the worst? Were you too proud to kneel down in front of our parents and
apologize?” I ask and snort, imagining my brother blurting out some stupid line about
being the first prince.
Perseus’s shoulders start heaving as if he is laughing. “You are such a sheltered
existence, Marcus. They honestly didn’t tell you? Well, that’s just their style, letting
you find out on your own. They are too weak and afraid to look at your face and tell
you the truth. That’s why you are down here. They didn’t have the guts to finish it, to
go public and admit that one of their own did something sinful. Instead they locked me
up in here and threw the key away.
“But it doesn’t matter. Tell me, how is my little Seria doing without me? Does she miss
my touch?” He scrambles into a sitting position, still looking away from me.
I snort. “She didn’t even mention you. That’s how much she is missing you.”
He chuckles. “Aah, I see. A strong one. Tell me, did she ravage you after you took her
away that night?”
I stiffen, but say nothing.
“That’s just a part of my ability, but I am sure that I flipped some important switches in
her. She is an interesting one. You could call her the white to my black. The Yin to my
Yang. There is a mutual attraction between us. We are fated to be with each other.
Funny that you fall for the only woman you can’t take from me.”
I feel anger welling up inside me. “What did you do to her?”
He turns around and stands up, approaching me as close as possible. That’s when I
notice for the first time that he had changed. His skin is unblemished and his features
are finer than when I last saw him. It gives him an otherworldly beauty. But his eyes
are black as the night, the pupils widened to the point where the iris is almost
completely gone.
Perseus spreads his hands and smiles at me. “I did nothing to her. Her own instincts
will force her into my arms. The important thing is about what happened to me. I
embraced my spirit form. That’s all. And it feels great! All those women I snatched
away from you. It feels the best to interrupt a developing relationship. Stepping in at
just the right moment, when both partners think that they are meant for each other.
“I am an incubus, little brother. And it feels good to let go. You should try it yourself.”
Perseus licks over his lips as if in anticipation. “And I am fairly sure that Seria is
something close to a succubus. I could taste it on her. She is different from the other
women I've had so far. Closer to her spirit form than most. That’s why she won’t
escape me. What’s wrong brother? Don’t look at me like that. I simply embraced
what I am. You should too. It’s our nature. We-”
The thing inside the cage tries to say more, but I reach up and engage the highest
security setting, cutting off the words. Perseus realizes what I did and throws himself
against his prison. The resulting surge of energy blinds me and I raise my hand to
block the light. He continues his blind rage, but it achieves nothing. The barriers hold
without a problem.
Turning around, I leave Perseus behind. If I could, I would forget what I just saw. My
brother gave in to his spirit form. He completely lost it. No wonder that our parents
locked him up. We can’t even present him to a court. They would demand his
immediate execution. The royal family would be shamed for generations to come.
What will the people think when they hear that Perseus, a war hero of countless
battles, succumbed to his instincts? One of the royal line and one of the most
important fighters to stand between them and the monsters.
This is truly a case in which having elevated a single person to celebrity status comes
back to haunt us twice over. And more important, what will my parents do to cover
this? Will Perseus’s dead body mysteriously appear somewhere after the next
invasion? And what will I do? My brother is as good as dead. That means that I’ll
have to rise up the ladder.
I turn and look back down the hallway, realizing that I am breathing much to heavily.
What do I do about Seria? Did Perseus lie about her? What if he said the truth? Can
she influence me? Even if she doesn’t know what she is doing? What if she goes over
the edge?
 26. ~Flowers and food.~

“Where there is one...”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
Humming, I rock back and forth while I try to reach farther outwards with my spirit.
Using the new pathways isn't a piece of cake. My parents tried their best to make it
as hard as possible for strangers to utilize them. The most important of those safety
features was to make the pathways almost unnoticeable. If people don't know that
something is there, then they won't try to mess with it.
The new pathways are now noticeable to me for the first time. If I force myself into a
trance, I can sense them as faint lines of energy all around me. Funny to think of them
as the roots of a metaphysical entity which is slowly spreading throughout the whole
multiverse. My parents are truly insane to devise a plan like this. What if something
goes wrong?
It will still take some time until I can use them. And then I have to decide on what to
do.
So far, all I did was collecting information. Revealing myself as foreigner would have
probably done me no good. Especially since we can't communicate with Dedessia
anyway. All it would have accomplished, would have been that I became the one who
had to answer uncomfortable questions. It's not like I know the big secret which
makes Dedessia different from Newerth.
Maybe it's the blue sky, or the way they deal with their spirit forms. Nothing which
they could change overnight. Even if I tell them now, it probably won't make much
difference in the long run. All I have are guesses, and bad ones at that. It's surely not
like the people of this realm didn't try different ways to control their dark nature. If it
had been something that's easily solved, then surely someone would have stumbled
across the solution.
Or not?
Though not all of the spirit form's instincts are bad. My mother's succubus side is
very... ah... damn! Now I lost concentration. The pathways are gone.
I sigh and open my eyes. My apartment is dark. All the light is coming from the six
candles which mark the points of the hexagram in which I am sitting.
Sighing, I get up and order one of the brooms to clean up the salt which is forming a
pentagram between the circles. Despite the benefits of many modern, magical
systems, using some candles and a salt ring as focus points is still a very cheap and
easy way to increase the control over magical formations. Apart from that it helps to
sharpen the ability to sense energy.
A circle of dry salt has a very distinct energy signature which can be used to calibrate
the caster's energies. The energy which is provided by the candles forms a beacon to
return to.
Many who dive too deeply into such a deep trance never return, but it's important to
sharpen one's sense for mana. Especially when it comes to performing soul magic
and other forms of highly sensitive energy manipulations. My Dad always says that
mastering and understanding one's own soul is the first step to manipulating others.
I blow a strand of hair out of my face and survey the room. Then I start collecting the
candles. Once the pathways are usable, I will have to reveal myself. Or I carry all the
information back home and let my parents decide. Though it's not really a choice in
the long run. If we ignore this realm, it could mean that we just have to fight more
enemies later on.
At least the normal development of the pathways means that I don't have to use the
mana storm again. That was one ride I am glad that I'm not going to have to repeat. I
may have chaos magic, but fighting against the storm while trying to reassemble my
body wasn't fun at all. It was like putting together a puzzle while someone rips away
pieces of you.
A knock on the door startles me and I stop my activities. A visitor at this hour?
Hopefully not another attack by spirits. But no. A spirit would have had to pass
through the coffee shop to get to my apartment’s door. All alarms would have gone
off. I purse my lips and approach the door, conjuring a thin crystal dagger from my
bracer.
Better safe than sorry. We still aren't sure how the spirits knew where to attack. They
must have had at least some insider information.
I open the door and am greeted by a bouquet of flowers. And food. Aw, that smell.
Did someone raid a five star restaurant?
“You are drooling.” Marcus offers me the basket in his hand. It smells wonderful.
Salvia in my mouth, I can't help but take it. It was a god damned reflex! Then I realize
what he said and wipe over my mouth. Nothing. “Liar!”
He smiles and steps closer, just the flowers between us. The sudden action forces
me to be either uncomfortably close to him, or to take a step back. A memory of him
on top of me flashes through my mind and I falter. Unable to guarantee that I won't
jump him like a cat in heat, I step back.
Marcus takes it as an invitation and smiles, pushing past me and into my apartment.
With a few steps he is inside my kitchen area and chooses an empty vase for the
flowers. For some reason this guy always manages to get under my skin. I dismiss
the crystal blade which I hid behind my back.
Grinding my teeth, I close the door, trying not to slam it shut. He clearly devised a
plan to gain entry to my apartment. Then he executed it mercilessly, pushing all my
buttons. I can't even be mad at him because he brought presents. And now the entire
room smells of him and food and flowers.
“If you don't want me to have dinner with you, then I'll go. It's just so lonely at my own
place, so I thought that you would be lonely too. Maybe?” Having finished arranging
the flowers, he takes the basket from me and retrieves two trays with metal covers.
They are most likely enchanted to hold the food warm.
“Please don't tell me that you cooked this.” If he can cook food which smells like this,
then I really have to chain him up.
“Of course not, I don't have time for that,” he answers with a smug smile.
Thank the gods.
“But I might have been a decent chef once or twice in my life. If you tell me the dishes
you like, I could do a little catching up in no time.” He wriggles his eyebrows and looks
at me with heat in his eyes.
I hurry to grab one of the plates from his hands and snatch a fork and a knife. “You
may have wriggled your way into my apartment, but the least we will do before
anything else happens, is to eat.”
“That sounds like a decent plan. Do I have a chance for some action afterwards? And
then you will tell me all your inner desires.” He smiles and follows me to the kitchen
table.
I snort. “Yes. As if! Why should I tell anyone my inner desires.”
He rolls his eyes. “How am I supposed to fulfil them if you don't tell me.”
I sigh and take the cover from my plate, saliva immediately watering my mouth. Fried
rice with meat strips, salad and curry! “You... somehow you knew my favourite food.
Who told you? But then, nobody knows except... nobody.”
He places both hands in a praying position. “Guilty, I used the surveillance files we
have on you. That was the thing you ordered most often in the recent months.” Then
he adds unrepentant, “But then again, it's not my fault if you order delivered food half
of the time.”
So they were gathering intelligence on me! Do they have someone who is watching
my house? If so, then they are good. I didn't notice anything at all.
With a harrumph, I start shovelling food into my mouth. Oh, the flavour is bliss!
Marcus is such a sweet, slimy, nice, bribing, loveable, sneaky guy/bastard.
We sit across from each other and eat in silence until he finally decides to move
everything to more serious matters. “I've thought about who could have ordered the
attack, or informed the spirits of the whereabouts of your house.”
I shrug. “Hard to find out. Your family must have as many enemies as there are grains
of sand on a beach.”
He nods. “That's true, it comes with the position. But I think that the actual target was
you.”
I stop chewing and feel my eyebrows furrow. “Why?”
Using one finger, Marcus draws a line of light into the air. “Think of the timeline. We
find the hideout of the new spirits. Then the incident with my brother, then me bringing
you home. And the attack one day later. I highly doubt that they knew that I was there
with you. We never left your apartment from the point when we arrived here.”
“So I was the target? But I have no enemies. Who would know about me? Who would
send the spirits for me? The spies who gather intelligence on me?” I gesture at the
window, assuming that out there in the night is someone sitting in a tree to spy on my
house.
Marcus shakes his head with a sad expression. “It makes absolutely no sense from a
strategic point of view. Taking you out may shatter my heart, but it wouldn't have
made any difference to the country.”
I cringe... shatter his heart. “Maybe as a hostage to blackmail you?”
Again, he shakes his head. “They never wanted a hostage. Their first mode of attack
was a very dangerous death curse. Someone who wants a hostage doesn't throw a
grenade at the hostage's house.”
Tilting my head, I look at the ceiling. “Then the only reason that's left is purely
malevolent intent. I made an enemy and he tricked the spirits into attacking me.”
Marcus nods with a serious expression on his face. Then he starts filling me in on
what happened to his brother. When he is done, I can't help but have a sour
expression on my face. “I am sorry. It can't happen to you?”
He shrugs, looking tired. “It can happen to anybody. It's not like I want to lose
control.”
I don't want to lose him like that! There must be a way for him to gain control over his
spirit form.
He looks up. “You sounded like the whole spirit problem doesn't affect you. Shouldn't
you be more concerned about yourself instead of me?”
“Hahaha... why would you think that?” I start fidgeting, but luckily he lets the matter
go.
“It's highly likely that my brother is involved with the spirits. Maybe he tried to use
them to increase his own glory. But the fact that my parents detained him right after
our quarrel makes it unlikely that he ordered the attack on your house. He was trying
to seduce you, not to take your life. We have to consider other elements. Other
enemies you've made.”
I close my eyes. “I can't think of anyone. Well, of course. I angered some people, but
I gave nobody enough reason to collaborate with spirits. They would have to be
insane.” And I am fairly sure that I left no loose ends when I cleaned out the
underworld bosses in my part of the city. The Don is a trade partner, and oath-bound.
He has no reason to send the spirits for me.
Marcus looks down at his plate. “You made Trebor very mad.”
Trebor? “The teacher? But... but...” But nothing. Self-righteous bastards like him killed
for less because someone trampled on their pride. “That son of a bitch!”
Marcus raises a finger to stop me. “We have nothing concrete. It's just a suspicion.
We have to investigate.”
Or we simply grab him and wring his neck until the truth comes out.
My violent thoughts come to a freezing halt as something touches the inner side of my
thigh and my eyes flick to Marcus. He is grinning at me as he uses his other leg to
massage my toes. “But I hope that it has time until tomorrow? Or at least until we get
the tension out of our systems?”
I feel the corners of my mouth twitching upwards as he touches my core, using his
mana to send a wave of burning fire and need into me. Taking a deep breath, I let it
out slowly. Whatever. We already did it so many times. What difference does it make
to have him as my regular partner?
Spreading my legs, I kick off my shoes. Then I lean back and slide lower in my chair
to reach him and return the attack.
“Maybe? But you should know that I am the student of someone who is a master at
this game.”
 27. ~Bogded.~

“Once, a very talented magician tried to break magic down into basic spell
components. Not just into runes, but magic's own version of zero and one. He
hoped to decipher the nature of the universe by doing so. Just when he proclaimed
to be close to the solution, he turned mad.
Some say it's because he always was a nutcase. The ones who know better, say that
it was because he succeeded.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“That is illegal! If this gets out on top of everything else, then there will be hell to pay!
And as if that isn't enough, it's so tight in here, I can't even admire your rear,” Marcus
complains while we crawl through the ventilation shaft.
I roll my eyes, regretting that I entered the shaft in front of him. It was hard to
persuade him to search Trebor's office, but in the end he yielded. “I offered for you to
stay behind.”
We chose the early hours in the morning right before school starts. Otherwise we
would have had to wait for the next night. The main reason why Marcus gave in so
easily, is because he has no other leads.
He snorts. “And I said that we should simply lean back and let the royal investigation
team do the work. They have legal access to all the kinky stuff.”
“I already told you that there will be no problem. I already broke into his office the
same way. Sadly I didn't do a full search of the room at that time. Didn't deem it as
necessary,” I mumble.
“So it really was you. What are you? A spy?” he asks.
“No. And if you didn't want me to do something about it, then why did you bring up the
matter with Trebor in the first place?” I stop in front of a lattice and start
disassembling a set of wards. Marcus crawls over me and watches my work. “That's
neat. You do this kind of thing often?”
I smile and study the pattern of the runes which are protecting the lattice. They are
deliberately set as a distraction. If I outright dismantle the ward, I'll just trigger
another alarm. So I shoot a spark of mana at a connection between two runes.
With a sizzle, one of the runes fades out while the rest keep glowing in a blue light.
That should stop any alarm from going off, while the ward itself is still in place. “I am
famous for going where I want to go, so I need to know stuff like this.” Without
waiting for a reply, I scratch off the screws which are holding the lattice in place. With
a 'clunk!' it falls into Trebor's office and frees the way.
I squeeze myself out of the shaft and into Trebor's office. If the bastard has a dirty
secret to hide, then it will be here. The school shares the palace's security system.
It's the safest place in the world from this realm's point of view.
Of course my father taught me that no lock or safety features are ever truly safe. He
measures every lock, wards, or guards, just in how much time it takes to break them.
All that gets accomplished by making a security system more expensive and
complicated, is to increase the time and effort which has to be put into defeating it.
Therefore all you do is to decrease the number of people who are willing to break it.
A security system is only worth its money if it takes more effort to get past it, than the
stuff which is protected by it is worth.
Once outside, I turn slowly around myself and search the room with my senses. “If
Trebor has truly sensitive information hidden somewhere, he surely has a set of his
own protective charms on it.” Sadly, I can't find anything of the sort. “Maybe this is a
waste of time after all. There isn't anything which carries his signature. At least he
created none of the wards himself.”
“You can tell so fast?” Marcus crawls out of the shaft and dusts off his clothes. “I told
you that he wouldn't keep anything compromising in his office. Sadly the whole room
stinks of him anyway, so my special skills aren't of much use.” Then he walks over to
Trebor's desk and pushes a few buttons on the phone. “But Trebor called a few
people who aren't saved in his contact list. I'll request the DF to check the numbers
out.”
In absence of any other clues, I decide to run a more thorough scan while Marcus
searches Trebor's desk. Carefully setting up the magical formation, I cast a spell
which allows me something close to x-ray vision. Turning, I search the walls for a
hidden safe or something similar. Maybe Trebor thought that the school's safeguards
are enough. Or he assumed that a simple, hidden locket would be harder to find than
something that sparkles with magic.
Though the easiest explanation is probably that he was simply too lazy and stupid to
hide his stuff properly. Then my searching eyes fall on a part of the wall which is
definitely hollow. “By my great grandmother's-”
I abort the curse just in time, remembering the one time I made her really angry. No. A
fury isn't fun to deal with. And the worst part is that all you achieve by blackmailing
such an entity, is making her angrier... unconsciously I reach for my ass. Nope. That
isn't an experience I want to repeat.
Luckily I am not a child any longer. She won't lay me over her knee ever again.
I approach the wall and punch my hand through it. Then I tear off the well hidden
cover which was hiding the compartment behind it. This reveals papers and
documents, lots of them. I take one of the stacks and flip through it.
“Gods! Seria, you have to stop destroying everything. We won't be able to cover this
up,” Marcus complains.
I shrug, not concerned at all. In my own mind I already judged Trebor as guilty. “Do
you think that a teacher like Trebor has the money to buy real estate on such a
scale?” I hold out the documents for Marcus to take a look at.
Loverboy rubs his temple while he adds up the numbers. “According to this, Trebor
bought about a hundred square miles, using the identities of several of his family
members. There is no way he has that kind of money. And even if his whole family is
in on the deal, they could never pay the taxes for that much land.”
I raise an eyebrow and take another look at the document. “Oh? I thought those are
forged identities.”
Marcus shakes his head. “No. Definitely not. I know several of those names.
Unfortunately, this doesn't connect him to the spirits.”
Raising an eyebrow, I notice that the bought land can be split into five large
properties. “Are these properties surrounding something important? Five is an
ominous number when it comes to such things.”
Marcus scowls and checks the addresses against the map in his head. I already
noticed that he is good with stuff like that.
“They form a pentagram around the city. He is definitely up to something.”
I nod and close my eyes. This is turning into something big. “Then I suppose it's best
for you to go and get permission to arrest him?”
Marcus nods rapidly and hurries back to the ventilation shaft, disappearing inside it. A
few moments later his head reappears again. “Aren't you coming? We have to get
this to my parents. If they hurry to verify the information, we may be able to arrest
him by morning.”
There is just an hour till sunrise and school will start half an hour later. Marcus really
has to hurry if he wants to do this legally.
“Aah... nah... I'll dig around in here for a little longer and clean everything up. You go
ahead and do this according to law. I'll see to it that Trebor won't notice that someone
was in here.” I gesture for Marcus to go on without me.
He furrows his forehead in distrust, but after a few moments, due to the fact that this
can't be allowed to linger, he decides to go. “Okay, but make sure to be out of here
before he returns.” Then he scuffles back down the shaft.
I take a deep breath and head over to Trebor's office desk. A quick and messy
search equips me with a fistful of pencils and a sharpener.
Equipped, I head over to the office door and kneel down next to it. If someone opens
the door, I'll be initially hidden by it. Clenching my jaw, I start sharpening my weapons
and use a transmogrified crystal dagger to etch the surface of each pencil with curses
and spells to weaken the target. As I do so, the night slowly surrenders to the
daylight.
I never really intended to follow Marcus. Even if he manages to speed up the gears of
bureaucracy to top speed, it will still take some time to arrest Trebor legally. I don't
want to wait for that.
This person is our best guess to find out what's going on. And if he really has
something to do with the spirits, then I have to repay him for my house.
A few minutes before lessons start, the door opens and Trebor steps into the office.
He says nothing and just stares at his office. “Not again. That damned bitch!”
I rise from my kneeling position and kick the door shut. Then I ram the first pencil into
the joint between his right arm and his shoulder blade.
Trebor opens his mouth to scream, but the bloodspell which was etched into the
pencil kicks in and muffles all sounds. In quick succession, I jab another pencil into his
lower spine and between his ribs before he can turn around.
The curses on them are intended to bind a divine being, even if it's only temporary. My
main concern is that Trebor unleashes all his power to get away. If I have to
overwhelm him, betting our power against each other, the school would surely suffer.
This sneak attack may be dishonourable to the core, but it's the only way to stop him
from causing serious damage. And I also don't want him to change into his spirit form.
If he goes crazy on me, I might be the one who gets blamed afterwards.
As Trebor goes to the ground, I stab him with eight more pencils, each one carrying a
different curse. He raises a pleading hand, but I grab it and ram a pencil through his
wrist.
From there on I continue my work and draw a binding circle with his own blood. After
ramming the final pencil into his upper thigh, I decide to relax. All eleven main-soul-
connections of Trebor's body are pierced by my cursed pencils. Even if the curses
wouldn't drain and disable him, casting a spell with a body which was damaged in
such a way is next to impossible.
I get back up and look down at my own crucified and staked version of the Vitruvian
Man. “And now that our relationship to each other is clear, you will tell me what's
going on.”
Trebor's pained expression turns into a snarl and transforms to high pitched, amused
laughter. “You have really no idea what's going on. Too bad that you are already too
late.”
 28. ~Too big.~

“Grass isn’t the bottom of the food chain. All things learn that once they are
dead.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
“So what you are essentially saying, is that we should fuck the law and grab this
Trebor. Then we tear off his extremities until he decides to talk?” Charles raises an
inquisitive eyebrow and studies me, his eyes locked on my face.
Clarity covers her face with both hands. “How did it come so far without our notice. Is
it this world? Or is it me?”
I spread my hands in silent surrender. Maybe Seria was right and it was a mistake to
pursue this matter by using official channels. I even rushed for a personal meeting
with my parents to circumvent any other legal parties. Catching them in their office
seemed like a present from the heavens.
Charles rolls his eyes. “Dear, don't get carried away. You did your best with the
children. Marcus isn't like Perseus. These are extraordinary circumstances.” His
expression turns pained. “If anyone is to be blamed, then blame me. When Perseus's
mother died, I should have been there for him. I wasn't. And now he is down there in
that cell.”
My mother looks away from Charles. Her expression says that she isn’t entirely
unhappy with Perseus being locked up. I try my best to ignore my mother’s mean
side. It’s not like I can do anything about their relationship. My mother will always
carry the cross of being the second wife.
My father rises from his chair and gestures for me to lead the way. “Go and show me
where to find this Trebor. If I am there, we can divert the legalities of the situation
from the DF. We will simply say that Trebor is under the suspicion of high treason.”
I sigh in relief. It went exactly as I hoped. By involving my father directly, we can avoid
the whole jurisdictional chit chat which would come down on me otherwise.
Just as I turn around, the whole palace shakes with the force of an earthquake.
“What's this!? I've had it with the surprises!” I reach for the wall to steady myself.
Charles turns and grabs Clarity's hand to support her, then his eyes gain their silver
hue. It's always like this when he has a vision. “Clarity, go, find our daughter and
sound the alarm. The palace and the school have to be evacuated.”
My mother nods and vanishes with a flash of light. Apparently she knows exactly
where to find my little sister.
Charles steps forward and reaches for my upper arm to pull me with him. Just as we
reach the balcony, a crack appears in the room's ceiling and a part of it collapses into
the room.
I purse my lips in dismay. Being buried under a ton of rock isn't lethal to a god. What's
troubling me though, is the damage to the palace. It's a beautiful stone building with
many archways and frescos. An earthquake as big as this one will do untold damage
to the entire structure.
“We are in deep shit. Look.” Charles points at a red portal which starts forming right
above the academy grounds. The portal isn't even completely stabilized and there are
already spirits trying to push through.
My mind starts racing as I try to find a reason for Trebor's actions. When I noticed the
suspicious placement of Trebor's acquisitions, I already feared problems. But this is
beyond everything I suspected. “They are already executing their plans! Dad, you
have to check properties which I reported to you. There must be a way to collapse
the portal.”
Charles closes his eyes and opens them again, the silver hue gone. “That won't work.
The portal isn't powered from this side. The spirits were already waiting for an anchor
point in this realm. Destroying the circle which summoned the portal won't do
anything.” He raises his hand and unleashes a blast of pure power at the portal,
obliterating the spirits who are pressing through and probably a good part of the ones
who are waiting on the other side. The portal wavers for a moment, but then the
stream of creatures continues.
“Go and search for your brother. He must be down there somewhere,” Charles
instructs me and uses levitation magic to propel himself towards the growing portal.
I snort, torn between following him and searching for my brother. Wouldn’t it be much
smarter if I join the fight at the portal? As long as we fight the spirits there, we have
the advantage of a bottleneck.
But maybe he saw something in his vision? I force my eyes away from the battle in
the sky and jump over the balustrade. Releasing my aura, I propel myself towards the
school grounds. Using my abilities, I home in on my brother’s signature with unerring
certainty. He is directly under the portal. How unlucky can a child get? But then again,
the portal opened directly above the main school building. It isn’t surprising for most of
the students to be there at this time.
When I arrive, the building is already crawling with minor spirits who got past my
father. As always, the creatures come in all shapes and forms. Touching the ground, I
send yet another burst of mana through my muscles. The asphalt under my feet
cracks as I propel myself towards the window from where I sense my little brother.
A spirit with eight spidery legs is trying to get inside, but a fireball forces it back.
Screaming, I try to gain the thing’s attention as I approach. And indeed, the spirit
stops its attempts at entering the building and turns towards me. Satisfied, I summon
an axe of light and cleave into it, burying the summoned weapon deep in its guts.
The weapon’s energies invade the creature and attack its nervous system as I kick it,
sending it towards the ground.
Not wasting any more time, I enter through the window and find the classroom in
chaos. Several students are playing cat and mouse with a vaguely humanoid spirit.
The thing is standing in front of my brother who is trying to shield Adea.
With a burst of speed, I jump at the thing and ram it. At the moment I am not
concerned about graceful fighting. What counts is taking out the spirits as fast as
possible. Then I have to get the students out of here and find Seria.
Damn. She must be somewhere in the vicinity. I hope she is okay.
The spirit shrieks and rakes its clawed hands across my body. The full force of my
aura protects me from grave injuries, so ignore the attack and summon a hammer.
Bringing down the weapon of light, I hit its forehead dead centre.
The skull caves in and brain splatters everywhere. The spirit goes silent instantly and I
whirl around to search for the next opponent.
But there is none. Just wounded and whimpering students with a badly wounded
teacher. I think I talked to him a few times, but I never bothered to remember his
name. With over a hundred teachers for the university grades alone it isn’t surprising
that I don’t know everyone personally. “Silence! Pick up the wounded and ready
yourselves to get out of here. We are going through the windows, so prepare your
levitation spells.”
Not even waiting for an answer, I use a gust of wind to blow the glass out of the
windows. As I do so, my brother pulls Adea to her feet.
“Go! Go! Go!” I take the lead, hurling myself out of the window. I encounter three
more spirits. Summoning a bow of light, I sent three arrows of pure energy at them.
They blast apart in a spray of blood and gore.
The students run for their lives as I lay down cover fire, following them with a levitation
spell. It’s only when we reach the courtyard towards the palace, that I dare to take a
breath and turn back towards the portal. It increased in size, despite the joint efforts
of my father and several DF soldiers.
“No! We have to find Seria!” Adea’s screams draw my attention and I float down to
join her and my brother on the ground. My little brother is trying to pull her further
towards the palace.
I try to calm her down. “Adea, you should go with him. Seria is strong enough to take
care of herself. Once you are safe, I’ll go and search for her.”
The girl shakes her head. “You don’t understand. Seria is-” Adea’s eyes widen and
she covers her mouth with her hands. It looks as if she was about to spill some
important information.
I squint my eyes at her. “What is Seria?”
Adea shakes her head and points at the portal. I turn around, just to see huge claws
trying to widen it. And then a huge foot steps through and comes down on the
school’s administrative wing, crushing it. Whatever is trying to come through, it’s too
huge to fit the portal, even at its current size.
That can only mean that we are about to have a divine spirit right in the middle of our
town. We can kiss the town goodbye if it gets through.
Adea reaches for her earring and starts muttering something. The earring looks
suspiciously like one of Seria’s.
One moment later Seria appears right next to her. “There you are!”
She appeared out of nowhere. I blink in surprise. There isn’t even a trace of mana
around her like it should be when someone teleports.
“You are here! I wished for you to save us and you really came. You must be a Jinn
after all!” Adea hugs Seria, all the fear gone in an instant.
Seria awkwardly pats the girls’ back. “You wished for it? That can only mean that this
crazy plan of mine might really work. But I need your mana to kickstart the spell.”
My brother approaches them. “A Jinn? Adea, don’t you know how dangerous-”
Seria kicks Caden and he folds over. “Get out of the way. We are trying to save this
city.” She takes Adea’s hand and curls up her sleeve. “We need to perform a
bloodspell, so that I can take control of your mana. You haven’t completely relearned
to control it, so it would be too dangerous if you do it yourself.”
Adea pales. “But blood magic is… and control?”
Seria uses her fingernail to cut Adea’s forearm, sprinkling the blood all around them.
The girl winces, but doesn’t scream. Then Seria cuts herself to add to the mess. “I
hope you know what you are doing.” I comment with an insecure voice and hurry to
pull my little brother out of the way.
Blood magic isn’t to be messed with. If it goes wrong, it goes seriously wrong. Like
you will wish to never have been born wrong.
“Don’t worry! It’s all peachy!” Seria chimes happily.
The blood around Seria and Adea flows into a crazy and mad pattern. Seria places
her hand on Adea’s shoulder. “Kneel down.”
Adea cringes. “Did you ever do this before?”
“The first time is always magical!” Seria slams her palm onto Adea’s forehead and the
girl opens her mouth for a silent scream.
Immediately both of their auras merge and Adea’s eyes start glowing with blue light.
Their auras are so dense, it feels like I am being pushed away. Is Adea really that
powerful? I can’t follow Seria’s spell and shield my brother instead. The immense aura
completely overwhelmed him.
When I look up again, Seria and Adea are surrounded by a dense sphere of mana. It
is so powerful that it even melts the ground around them.
As I watch, thin lines of energy start spreading from the sphere. No, those aren’t
lines, it looks more like a network of roots. The roots take a blue, ghostly form and
latch onto Seria and Adea. A pulse of power lights up the entire network and it feels
like something is trying to tug at my own aura. The network spreads towards the
portal and surrounds it like a living thing.
Then huge, blue, ethereal roots appear at the portal. They stick to the leg and claws,
then to the portal itself.
As I try to shield my brother from the strange energies, I realize that Adea’s mana
didn’t call forth the network of roots. It just gave them enough power to manifest
themselves as a physical thing. They seem to spread much farther than Adea’s mana
is allowing us to see. And the roots appear to absorb the mana to somewhere else.
As I still try to grasp the nature of Seria’s spell, the blue roots completely enclose the
portal and turn red as they suck away the chaos energies. Whatever is trying to get
through the portal shudders and tries to retreat its leg.
But the roots don’t seem to be picky about from where they get their power. They
develop huge thorns with hooks as they rend the flesh from the creature’s leg, tearing
it to bloody bits!
Seria cuts off the power and carefully disentangles Adea and herself from the mana-
sucking ghost plant. But that doesn’t stop the roots from devouring the spirit’s leg and
absorbing the portal.
At last, the portal snaps shut as the power supply falls too low. Cut off from the
power which gives the roots physical form, they also start fading away while they
wriggle and search for a new source of power.
Seria carries Adea to me, smiling, but with shadows under her eyes. “That was tiring.
I am glad that I had such a handy mana bag at hand to do this. Otherwise the roots
would have taken me.”
Taken her!? “Don’t do that spell ever again! Whatever it was.”
 29. ~Issues.~

“It moves, but shouldn’t? Use duct tape. It doesn’t move, but should? Use WD-
40.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“Look, do I really have to explain this now? Closing that portal took a lot out of me.
It's not everyday that I summon something that could just as happily suck the mana
out of me as out of my opponents.” I hunker down next to Adea and try to look pitiful,
but mainly I want to avoid questions.
Maybe that would have worked with Marcus, but not with king Charles. The
scrutinizing man arrived shortly after I solved their problem for them. And now I am
the one who is being interrogated? That’s so unfair!
“You just displayed a lot of power and my people almost got caught in the crossfire.
Those vines, or roots, weren’t exactly picky in who or what they catch.” Charles
glares at me, not taking his eyes off me.
“I already said that I am sorry. I explained that calling forth a mana eating plant isn’t
easy. But it was either that or having a huge monster going on a rampage through the
city. Pick one.” I cross my arms in front of my chest, showing him that I won’t yield in
this matter. I did him a favour. He should carry me on his shoulders and sing songs to
my glory. I am the benevolent, lovable, unerring, goddess of life and death. Just
because I am trying to keep a low profile, people are starting to get the wrong
impressions of me. I am not to be messed with.
“That doesn’t change the fact that you are turning out to be quite dangerous, despite
your attempts at keeping your abilities a secret. You appear out of nowhere, an
untaught and undisciplined divine rank. So far I tried to overlook you because of my
son. But this newly revealed power of yours seems to be quite dangerous. Especially
after seeing what you are capable of. Your display in that interrogation cell proved
that you have a mean side. How can we be sure that your loyalty lies with us?”
Charles looks down on me.
I bite my lower lip and try to feel for the pathways. But they are diminished. My little
experiment sped up their growth, but they returned to a dormant state after they
devoured the portal and the spirit. Maybe I really have to spend my last weeks on this
world in a cell. “I just want it to be understood that I won’t hand you a spellbook with
all my knowledge and abilities on a silver plate. Every immortal has secrets, and their
magic is the most important one. If someone knows all your favourite spells, you
might as well tell them your true name and be done with it.”
Charles raises one eyebrow, a hard expression on his face. “You are
misunderstanding. What I am concerned about is your constant meek behaviour, when
that clearly isn’t your character. You are hiding something.”
Marcus steps in. “I think Seria is just trying to help as her abilities allow. She is right
about not putting her abilities on display. Why don’t you let us handle the matter. Seria
is a good person and so far she harmed nobody who didn’t deserve it.”
Yes, that’s my man. I am the cute little goddess from next door. No need to call for an
interrogation. Though when Marcus said that Charles should let us handle the matter,
I am sure that Marcus meant he would handle it.
Then Marcus adds another argument. “And don’t forget that Seria didn’t summon the
vines on her own. She wouldn’t have been able to do it without Adea’s mana pool to
kickstart the spell.”
Charles’s attention turns to Adea who is lying next to me. “The girl? Why her? Is she
really that powerful, or had it something to do with the spell?”
I squirm. This conversation is going in a direction which I don’t like at all. But at least
it’s directed away from me. “Adea has extraordinary access to her mana pool
compared to other gods. She can channel much more power in a certain time frame
than any other divine I have ever seen. But it doesn’t make her almighty. Her gift
comes at the price of control. I knew her in one of her previous incarnations. Even at
her peak, she only knew how to do things with brute force, rather than any
complicated spells.”
“You knew her in a previous life? How strange. I’ve never heard of people meeting
each other again. The multiverse is a much too big place for that. Do you share a
soulbond?” Charles’s inquisitive gaze returns to me.
I try to to shake off the anxiety. “No way, hahaha. I guess it was pure luck that I
recognized her. We would have never found out if her ability hadn’t been so unique.
She’s the only one I know who is capable of wielding so much mana.”
Luckily, Adea groans and opens her eyes, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’ve a
headache. Seria, you little bitch! You could have warned me of what you were about
to do.”
Caden, who stayed silent so far, hurries to Adea’s side. “Adea! You are alright. I was
so worried when she included you in that dark ritual.”
Adea waves a hand in the air, signalling that it’s nothing. “Don’t worry, Seria would
never physically harm somebody as long as she can manipulate or blackmail them. Of
course that only counts for her friends and family.”
Of course, that returns all the attention to me. Maybe it’s time to feign being the
maiden in distress and to use Marcus as a shield. Raising a hand to my temple, I
flutter my eyelids. “Now that you mention it, Adea. You aren’t the only one who is low
on mana. Marcus, why don’t you bring me home? I suppose that the school activities
are on ice for now?”
“Of course.” He is immediately at my side and picks me up in a princess carry.
Smiling, I bury my face in his chest so that nobody can see my expression of victory. I
would take a bet that he is already getting dirty thoughts just from carrying me
around. Which means that he will double his efforts in getting me away from his
father.
“One moment!” The king’s sharp voice destroys all my hopes of getting away without
a loooong explanation.
Though I really don’t know what’s there to explain? I seriously have no idea what
makes Dedessia different from this realm. And that will be the only important question
once I tell them about my home. They will want to know how to control their spirit
forms. But I don’t know. And if I can’t tell them, I could end up as some kind of guinea
pig. Not gonna happen. I really have to talk to my parents about this problem before
this realm learns anything about Dedessia.
“Nobody is getting away until I at least have this Trebor! Wasn’t he the one who is
supposed to be behind all of this?” Charles’s voice makes it clear that this isn’t up for
discussion.
I stiffen up. It was so clear that it would end with this. When I have my expression
back under control, I look up from Marcus’s chest. “I caught him in his office. If
nobody freed him, then he should still be there… and if the spirits didn’t decide to
snack on him.”
Marcus sighs. “You didn’t wait for me. You caught him single handedly to interrogate
him, didn’t you?” He starts walking towards the school’s office wing. Strangely
enough, it seems to be largely intact. Charles and the rest of the group follow us.
“There was no reason to wait. He has his hands in the affair, though I didn’t manage
to get the whole story. According to him, he and his family were working for a party
which is trying to take over the country. From his description, they have help from
someone with a lot of power, though he didn’t know who exactly he was working for.
What he could tell though, was that the entire matter went on for years. Trebor was
regularly instructed to set up incidents with spirits. According to him, his unknown
master used those incidents to gain power and influence. I also noticed that his mind
was under a strong compulsion. Someone must know Trebor’s true name...”
I continue my explanation of some minor details until I reach the point at which the
portal opened above the academy grounds and I was forced to interrupt my little chat
with Trebor. I continued until the last possible moment in hopes of learning how to
close the portal. When the portal became too large, I left to search for Adea.
My story isn’t completely told, when we enter Trebor’s office. He is indeed still there,
though the blood loss caused him to lose his consciousness. But that’s no problem
since I included a strong regeneration spell in his binding. The silence is slowly turning
disturbing as everyone stares at the mess on the floor, so I decide to wake them up.
“What!?”
Caden hurries to the window and starts puking, Charles slaps his own forehead and
Adea points at Trebor. “That looks painful. I understand the need to bind him since he
is a demigod, but was the thing with his innards really necessary?”
I study the work of art which I left on the ground. Dad would have been proud of me.
Even as I watch, the innards which are placed out in a flower pattern, are slowly
being pulled back into Trebor’s body. His latent self-regeneration is hard at work to
restore him.
A human body has about thirty metres of innards, so he looked much worse when I
left him. Had to. Otherwise he could have broken the binding and escaped.
“You are overreacting. Keep in mind that I had just a few pencils, blood, and duct tape
to secure him. Tell me who else would have managed to bind a demigod with such
meagre resources.”
 30. ~Quarrel.~

“What’s normal? What’s sane? Well, the stuff which is done by the majority of
people is normal and sane. Doesn’t matter if they are assisting murder and child
labour. Doesn’t matter if they have no clue what they are voting for. The majority
says so, the majority is right.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“Nononono! You are doing it wrong! This exercise is about meditation. You have to let
go of your other senses and feel the magic. I'll hit everyone who thinks that he can
solve this test by closing his eyes and sleeping for an hour or two. You have to
actively feel the magic, eyes closed and ears muffled,” I lecture my students, not
giving a shit about being nice. The classroom is perfectly silent, but I can still hear that
some students are trying to bide their time with more interesting things.
Like talking to each other, or exchanging paper messages.
They have to learn to rely on their ability to sense and manipulate mana. It should be
particularly easy right now. The entire school-ground is empty of power. Yggdrasil
didn't only suck the mana out of the portal, but the network also took any residual
magic. The mana has yet to flow in from the surrounding area. That makes this sort of
training easier than it would be normally.
“You can do it. Just concentrate on the people around you. This place is almost empty
of residual mana. It would be hard to spot a small candle in a room which is lit by
daylight, right? Guess what, right now it's dark outside and the lights are off. You
should be able to see the candle right away. Rely on your mana sense.” I take a look
at the watch which is hanging above the classroom's entrance. Clapping my hands, I
end the lesson. “But I am afraid that our time is up. I expect that all of you train this in
your free time. It's important to be as skilful as possible at sensing mana.”
The students grumble and start packing their things. They clearly didn't like the new
training. It's something that's being taught to children. I nonetheless forced them to
hone their skills in this area. Since I became their teacher, I noticed that a high
percentage of this class is lacking the skill to sense small amounts of magic. That
directly results in mistakes when handling complicated spells.
You can't manipulate a spider's web with a club.
The only student who stays behind is Adea. She is holding her bag in front of her
chest and looks at me in dismay. “You aren't angry. Are you?”
I raise both eyebrows in surprise. “Why should I be angry?”
Adea shrugs her shoulders. “Just because I let so much slip in front of Marcus and
Caden. About our relationship and the wishes... and all that.”
I twirl my hair around my index finger, studying her. “Don't worry about it. Our
relationship was an open secret from the beginning. If anything, then I am the one
who should apologize. You surely went up a few steps on the king's radar because of
your involvement in a spell which was able to close a portal.”
Adea sighs and pulls out one of the chairs to sit down. “Yeah, but the one you should
be careful of is Marcus. After yesterday's report, he searched me out to ask a few
questions about your previous life.”
I draw in a deep breath and exhale. “Not surprising. What did you say?”
Adea tilts her head. “I tried to keep it vague. Just that we belonged to the same
pantheon aeons ago and that you adore me, while I can hardly remember anything
about our relationship. Only that I was something like a guardian to you.”
I laugh. “Oh, aunty. There would have been no need. I am not trying to hide my past.
Though it’s best not to boast about it. Mom and Dad would be angry.”
Now it's Adea's turn to look surprised. “So I was right that your parents are still
around? It struck me as strange that you were reincarnated without them. I
remembered a lot since the last attack, including your soulbond. I wonder why you
are hiding them. Are we still on the same side, Seria?”
I close my eyes and sigh. This is the conversation I avoided so far. “Of course we
are. But you also have some loyalties which I don't have. If you are suspecting that I
am not telling you everything, then you are right.”
Adea's expression turns clearly worried, so I hurry to continue. “You are the Immortal
Empress somewhere deep down inside. You seek peace and are fiercely loyal to
those who you regard as yours. I sincerely hope that it won't happen, but if I tell you
everything right now, it might put you into a conflict of loyalties. Do you still want to
know?”
The girl squints her eyes at me and suddenly there is something old and wise in her
eyes. “So your parents are still around. Are they in conflict with this kingdom?”
“No.” Not yet.
“So you are here as a spy. Surprising. There must be some extraordinary
circumstances behind it.” Adea fumbles with her fingers, looking down at the floor.
I attempt to speak, but Adea cuts me off by raising her hand.
“It's fine. I don't need to know more. People with our life experience tend to change
slowly over time, but they mostly stay the same. From what I remember by now, I
knew you for a very long time. You aren't a person who is out to do evil because of
some petty reason. Everything you did for me and my new mother was good. I am
not back to my old self, but you've been helping to correct that. So I'll trust your
judgement for now.” She drops her hand again, allowing me to talk.
A grin spreads on my face. “That's so shrewd of you.”
Adea furrows her forehead. “What do you mean? Don't confuse me.”
I step closer and poke her with a finger. “You said that I don't do evil things without a
reason. You didn't say that I am not capable of doing evil.”
Adea purses her lips. “Seria, you are, in body and soul, the daughter of a mad
scientist and an evil witch. Your father is chaos and magic personified, while your
mother is a zealous fanatic who craves order. And I saw your father's true face, once.
You are the spawn of the devil, no matter the mask you wear.”
I straighten my back. “My father's true face? What do you mean? And I am not a bad
person, just one who gets things done.”
A mad laugh escapes Adea's lips and it takes a few moments until she calms down.
“Good and evil, white and black. Those are just things we make up for our own
convenience. Don't be troubled when someone attaches those labels to you. I meant
that you fit as his daughter. What I tried to say was this. I... experienced... your father
when someone stepped on his trigger and it wasn't nice. Your Mom and I huddled in a
corner until it was over and then we vowed to never talk about it.”
Adea's eyes wander off to something only she can see, but only for a moment. “Let's
just say that you definitely adopted a part of his personality. I am not sure if it's
because of what you experienced in the meantime, or because the soulbond is doing
something to the three of you.”
I snort. “Now you are over-dramatizing things. Let's just say that I am fine with being
the monster in a good horror movie.”
She laughs, but this time it's a heartfelt, warm laughter. “You are certainly right. Being
the monster isn't bad. The monster doesn't have to fear being eaten. Just being slain
by the hero in the end.”
I snort and gesture for Adea to move on. “Those are the bad monsters. I am one of
the things which can only be locked away at most.”
“You certainly don't lack confidence.” Adea gets up and heads out of the classroom. I
follow her onto the corridor, where we run right into Marcus.
I put on my best smile. “Hi! Didn't see you since yesterday! Did Trebor spill any
additional information?”
Marcus purses his lips, but says nothing. Then his gaze turns to Adea, sending her a
silent message.
Adea gets the message and bows to us. “I'll bunk and bide my time at the shop. Have
a nice day, you two.”
My attention returns to Marcus as Adea hurries down the corridor. “So what's so
important that Adea can't hear it?”
Marcus takes my hand and guides me slowly away from the other people who are
roaming the corridor. When we are outside the building, he finally decides to talk. “Ah,
nothing that interesting. I just thought it might be better for her to concentrate on her
training. That much power has to be brought under control. The sooner, the better.”
“Okay?” I punch my palm with my fist. “So how went the interrogation? Do we know
who needs a beating? I am eager to bring them down for what they did to the
school.” My eyes turn involuntarily to the damaged buildings and the crushed
administrative section. I was about to get my own office there. Not that it would have
meant much, but my own office is my own office. Such things have meaning.
“We are hunting for everyone who was associated with Trebor, but they went into
hiding, which probably had to be expected. At least we confiscated their properties
and destroyed the magical cornerstones there,” Marcus explains.
Now, if that isn't a surprise. “Who in this day and age would use cornerstones to
summon a portal? The magic formation is unstable on such a large scale. And the
method is old… and by old I mean antiquated.”
Marcus nods. “But it’s cheap and did the job. That's why we see it as proof that they
were working in direct consent with the spirits. Trebor was very helpful when my
father threatened to give him to you. He may think that he was working for some
political faction of this country, but that's idiotic. The cornerstones must have been
able to stabilize the portal for not much more than a few seconds. That would be too
short for anyone to home in on the signal. The spirits must have known where and
when the portal opens.”
The corner of my mouth twitches upwards. “I can have Trebor?”
The expression of my friend turns icy. “No. He talked, so you can't have him. You can
exercise your skills on his family head, Braun. Once we find him.”
Judging by Marcus's voice, he doesn't know where to find this Braun. “But you know
where he is?”
He shrugs. “Not yet, but soon enough. I have a lead to investigate, so you can go
home for today.”
As he turns around, I grab his arm to stop him. “One moment! Not so fast, sir. I
thought we are a team by now. We investigate together.”
His expression turns troubled and I catch him avoiding my eyes. “I don't think you
should follow me on this one. The person who I need to question runs a rather
dubious enterprise and I am not certain that we should be seen there... together.”
I put on my best ice queen expression and stare at him. “What are you hiding from
me?”
He glares at me. “Not much more than you. It's not like you are forthcoming either.
Why do you pull this act on me when I want to keep one of my secrets, Seria? Are
you the only one who is allowed to have them?”
My expression falters. Somehow I knew that this would happen sooner or later. But
right now? “Which secret are you talking about?”
He crosses his arms in front of his chest. “How about starting with an easy one.
What's that appearance and disappearance skill of yours? At the battle you
materialized out of thin air. There wasn't even a trace of mana and I followed your trail
several times, just to have it vanish as if you deleted your existence.”
That's easy to answer. “It's called flash step. A physical movement skill which uses
only inner mana manipulation. It relies on moving the air around your skin to avoid
friction. Of course it has drawbacks compared to teleportation, like limited range, and
line of sight is required. It's good to get rid of stalkers. Like you.” I couldn't help
myself. I had to add that last one, though it probably wasn't smart to say that.
Marcus clenches his teeth, but keeps his cool. “Okay. That’s neat. Next one. Who are
your parents?”
The silence stretches out for several moments as I try to find out why he decided to
ask that one. Did Adea give him a hint when he talked to her? If so, it must have been
an accident. The other question is which name I should give to him. It’s not like Mom
and Dad are going by only one alias.
“It seems like this is a rather complicated question for you. I’ll make it easier, before
you try to tell me that you don’t know your parents. I am interested in your parents
during the time when you knew Adea. She said that you were part of their pantheon.
That was quite unique during the time of the old multiverse. Tell me about it.” Marcus
looks down on me, tight lipped and angry.
Are we having our first fight? If so, I wonder who will win? “That’s exciting,” I mutter.
He raises a hand to his ear. “What did you say?”
“It’s probably better if we talk about this somewhere private. How about your car?
We can drive to wherever you have to go to get the information about Trebor’s
friends.” I gesture towards the university’s car park.
Marcus starts walking and I follow him. But what leaves his mouth isn’t satisfying at
all. “I can take you home. But you won’t accompany me to my informant.”
“Then we won’t talk about my old life and I’ll simply follow you. It’s that simple,” I
answer, startling him.
He turns around. “You can’t!”
“I can and I will. Do you really think that I need a car if it weren’t for altruistic
reasons? I have enough power to teleport right out of this kingdom and to the next
neighbour if I want to. Could probably do it all day long if I had a good reason.” It isn’t
a threat. I am simply stating the facts. Who needs a car? I am only using them when I
don’t know where exactly I have to go. The one I bought would collect dust if Jimmy
didn’t use it regularly.
Marcus turns around and almost runs to his car. Oh, shit! I just insulted the only object
he deems as holy! Today I am really showing myself from my worst side. “Wait! Are
you running away? Why is it so important that I don’t meet this information source of
yours?”
He reaches his car and enters it on the driver’s side, so I flash step towards it and get
inside as if it’s the most natural thing to do.
He looks at me as if I just pissed on the engine bonnet. “I didn’t say that you could
come.”
“Too bad. You made this too interesting. I am coming. And my parents back when I
knew Adea were Ascathon and Celestial, the founders of the Ascended. Dad was
called the Bright One, though he always hated that title.”
Marcus's eyes wander up and down my body. “You are Sera, the executioner?”
I smile and wriggle my fingers at him. “Oh, so some remember those old stories. I am
honoured. Do you now understand why I don’t want to talk about it? The Ascended
Ones made a lot of enemies back then. And this new version of the multiverse allows
everyone to remember.”
Marcus purses his lips. “I can’t imagine you purging entire solar systems just because
your parents told you to do so.”
I spread my fingers and smile. “My parents and I weren’t evil. We just brought peace
to the multiverse. Before we knocked down everyone else from their high horses, it
was an endless chain of war and blood feuds. And guess what, right after our rule
ended, everything returned to its previous state.”
Marcus furrows his forehead. “I still can’t take you on this trip. The place which I have
to visit isn’t where a woman like you should go.”
I snort and raise my chin. “Say that again? Either you take me with you, or you can
kiss my ass goodbye. I don’t want to waste my time with a man who doesn’t respect
me.”
His eyes widen and he curses. Then he starts the car and ignores me for the rest of
the trip. It’s somehow bugging me that he is trying to shield me from something. In the
end he is the one who breaks the silence upon reaching a parking lot which isn’t far
from the city centre. “I just want you to know that I normally don’t visit such parties. I
am just going there because it’s the only way to catch my informant.”
“Now you are starting to frighten me. What’s the big secret? Are they making blood
sacrifices there? You could have said so sooner, I don’t want to dirty my clothes.” I
get out of the car and follow him to the entrance of a big warehouse where a woman
with some documents is waiting.
He looks back, straight into my eyes. “Just believe me when I say that this isn’t my
preferred locality. I visited this place only twice, and that was before I met you.”
Gods! What’s going on?
I decide to say nothing and follow him to the waiting woman. Upon reaching her,
Marcus pulls two big bills from his jacket, enough money to eat three times in a very
good restaurant. “We want to join the party.”
The woman takes the money and bows. “I assume you know the rules?” She hands
Marcus one of the documents and he signs with his name.
“I do. She is new.” Marcus gestures to me.
I get my own document and make sure that it isn’t a magical contract, then I sign it
while I read the purely legal crapshit which is written there. There aren’t many rules,
but there are a few which are troubling. “Make sure to use protection. Don’t force
anyone against his will. Always follow the orders of the security staff. Don’t hurt
anyone who doesn’t beg for it. Stay safe! Have fun!”
“What’s this place?” I follow Marcus through the veiled entrance and into another
world.
We are in a disco bar with people who most definitely seek more than dance, drugs
and music. The stage is filled with naked women and men who are having their fun
with each other, or with the dancing poles. Several people are just talking with each
other, but just as many are in various stages of performing ‘the deed’ with each other.
And most of them forgot the clothes… I like this place!
“It’s an orgy.” I turn to look at Marcus, who seems to be quite embarrassed. “That’s
all? I thought you were going to take me to a place where they eat souls… or
something like that. It’s just a swinger club!” Okay, a very free spirited swinger club.
My eyes stay stuck on a girl who is expertly circling her perfect hips on top of a guy
who looks like he is in heaven. With such a performance I am getting thoughts about
trying my own gender for once.
“Seria!”
I blink and turn towards Marcus. He is at a door which leads deeper into the club.
Apparently there is more than this first level. I follow him, circling around a woman in a
very revealing maid outfit. She is carrying free drinks and toys for various pleasures,
so I help myself to something that looks and smells like alcohol.
Sadly it’s not.
“Don’t pull such a face. This place doesn’t serve alcohol,” Marcus reprimands me
when I reach him.
“Why not? It would be perfect if I had a good drink,” I mumble.
This causes Marcus to miss a step and he almost trips. “Some parts of this club
wouldn’t work out when the minds of the customers are impaired.” He leads me
through various rooms of sin and lust. Seems like every room has its own theme.
There is the smell of sex and perfume in the air. Not being able to help myself, I feel a
fire burning inside me. My body definitely wants to get in on some action.
Marcus walks around two girls and a man who are shamelessly rutting with each
other and we enter an area which seems to belong to the hardcore section. The
various equipments are of the painful sort. Yep, almost feels as if I am at home in my
father’s dungeon.
Marcus turns around and points at a corner in the room. “You can wait there. My
friend isn’t exactly a friend of women and the next area is exclusive for men. Just say
no if anyone gets annoying. You’ve read the rules.”
I furrow my forehead and nod. Marcus looks at me for several moments as if he is
trying to make up his mind. Then he turns around and leaves the big room through a
door with a sign for males above it. Next to it is another door with the symbol for
females, so I suppose that there are exclusive areas for both genders?
“Seems like your man abandoned you?” A strong male voice startles me and I feel my
butt being spanked by a strong, hard hand. Thinking of blood and murder, I turn
around. The man in front of me isn’t bad looking, but I simply don’t like his dark olive,
Italian skin tone. There is a metal collar around his neck with a short chain attached to
it.
He bends over me, as if to intimidate me. “If you want me to, I can lend a strong,
guiding hand, lovely.”
That’s it. “I am not ‘lovely’. And you either put a lot of distance between us, or I’ll
introduce you to a world of pain!”
Suddenly he falls to his knees and offers me the chain of his collar. Something strange
flashes in his eyes. “I am unworthy. To make a mistake as not to recognize my
mistress! Do whatever you want to me, punish me!”
Okay? I survey the room and notice the attention of several other people who
stopped their S&M practices to watch the exchange. This part of the club is definitely
for the weirdos. I’ve to do something. And he spanked me.
“You want pain?”
“Yes!”
I take the chain and yank, pulling him over to one of the human-sized crosses. There I
use the provided shackles to chain him with his back to the room. I do so slowly, just
to give him ample time to object. “So you are really a scum-bag who gets off on
things like this?”
“Yes, mistress! Tighter!” he answers with a deep, aroused voice.
“I think they are tight enough.” I run a finger across his back, trailing a rune to ensure
that he isn’t able to cheat. Then I turn around and single out a man who is toying with
a whip in his hand, a woman is hugging his knees. The pair looks like a master and his
dog.
I approach him and point at the whip. It’s well made and out of black leather.
Definitely not one of the cheap tools. “Could you lend me that for a while? I am new
and I forgot to bring my own toys. I promise it won’t take long.”
His eyes wander to the man who spanked me and he grins, offering me the hilt. “Only
as long as you give us a good show.” Then he whispers, “You know that he is
normally a S? I guess your looks scrambled his brain and he is trying to get close to
you.”
Grinning, I lick my lips and inspect the whip. It’s soft. That only happens to leather if
it’s used often. “I’ll do my worst to educate him.”
Cracking the whip in the air, I approach the guy who dared to touch my butt. It’s a
loud, resounding crack and the guy at the cross looks for the first time as if he is
doubting his decision. “Let’s see how much you can take. Though I personally think
that you are a wimp who can’t take a good spanking! Didn’t take me seriously?”
Cracking the whip, I pull a first, fine trail across his back, just not enough to draw
blood. Over the next minutes, I slowly increase the speed and intensity. I take my time
to enjoy my revenge, always giving him enough time to recover. If I go too hard on
him he might call it quits before I am done. The fool clearly struggles to stop himself
from crying out. I am almost sure that he will give in any second, when someone taps
my back.
Turning around, I look at Marcus. He is looking down on me with a raised eyebrow
and I notice that a huge crowd gathered to watch my work.
“I give up! Red, Safeword! Just stop! Can’t take any more!” the piece of trash calls
out.
That’s when everyone starts cheering and clapping. The watchers clearly enjoyed the
show.
Marcus’s eyes wander to the man and back to me. “So you are skilled in that area?
Care to explain why you drew a heart around the S&M on his back?”
I throw the whip back to the man who lend it to me and he catches it, saluting me.
Then I turn to look at the piece of art which I drew with the whip. Fine, almost knife-
like cuts write S&M on the idiot’s back. Around it is a big heart with rose petals.
Twiddling my fingers, I decide to let Marcus in on my thoughts. “Isn’t it obvious? It
means Seria&Marcus. Sometimes you are really slow.”
Marcus inspects the man’s back as a woman in a dominatrix outfit unshackles the
nameless idiot. There is clear surprise in his face.
“A normal person would have used a tree...”
 31. ~Declaration.~

“You know that you will never escape? There is always another life, and I’ll follow
you even then.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I mull in my own thoughts while I drive Seria back to her shop. It’s been a long day
and I am ready to call it quits. Especially with her sudden confession to deal with.
I've to admit that I was worried about bringing Seria to the club. Especially since my
brother planted those doubts about her nature in my mind. A succubus in a swinger
club? There are too many bad jokes with such set-ups.
In the end it worked out better than I feared. Though her skill with a whip is frightening
and she looked much too much at home in that S&M room. I never thought of myself
as the highly possessive one-man-one-girl type, but Seria awakens those tendencies
in me.
By the gods, I've let go of plenty of women when my brother seduced them and they
broke off the contact with me. Now I understand that they were probably too mortified
to continue the relationship with me.
But with my feelings for Seria, I suppose that I would have broken a few necks if I
had returned and found her with someone else. She is... special. This morbid jealously
must mean something.
Though her really weird declaration of love was freaky! I really don't know how to feel
about it. On one side I should be happy that the woman of my dreams finally
confesses that I am not just another random guy in a long, endless line of random
guys.
On the other side, she has a really strange way of showing it. I wonder why she
chose exactly that moment? We exchanged some harsh words just a few minutes
earlier. It wasn’t quite a lover’s quarrel, but close.
I guess it would have been better if she had used a tree.
That’s when Seria breaks the silence which we had going on since several minutes.
“You are too silent, Marcus. I admit it. That declaration came at an inopportune
moment, but my mind kind of went on autopilot while I whipped that guy. Who knew
that I would think of you while doing something like that.”
So does that mean that she wants to whip me? I clear my throat. “I kind of hoped that
you would finally answer my feelings, but you have to admit that the timing was
awkward. Though I have to tell you, being whipped until I bleed isn’t my thing.”
Seria blushes and I try my hardest to keep the car going straight and my eyes on the
street. It’s the first time that I managed to observe such a reaction from her.
She shakes her head. “It’s not like that. I am not thinking of you like that. Not at all! I
don’t get off on such things… though you could be a little rougher when we do it.”
I try not to swallow my tongue. “Rougher?”
“Yeah, I mean, I understand that you are the sensual and slow type. But to get
started I like it when the first time is rough and animalistic. No holding back. I already
admitted my feelings, so why not tell you everything. You have the stamina, so why
not use it?”
Damn. I thought she likes a slow start. “You’ve admitted your feelings? It felt more
like you admitted them to yourself back then!” I don’t want to spoil her openness, but
we have to clarify the situation. This discussion in itself is awkward enough.
Seria scowls. “Fine, I love you. I like to talk to a stalker like you and I like having you
with me. Sometimes I think about buying a set of shackles to chain you to my bed. I
am not a person who gets attached to a lot of people. In fact, you are the first one
since several reincarnations to whom I admitted such feelings. And then it had to
happen in such a haphazard way. The words came out on their own.”
I purse my lips, thinking about our first night. “Maybe we could try it. And I love you
too, though your secrecy drives me crazy. I won’t put up with it for much longer. Once
we get a spare minute, we will have a long discussion. I mean it.” Stealing a glance at
her, I notice her expression turning sour.
“Try what?” She asks, trying to change the subject.
Scratching my cheek, I clarify, “Maybe I could allow you to chain me… to the bed?
But no whips and stuff like that. I wouldn’t get it up.”
Her expression turns into a devilish grin. “There are also feathers and candles. I am
sure that I can make you weep with a joss stick.”
This woman. “Then be prepared for my skills with the massage oil. You will scream
before I am done.”
She smiles, but the her expression turns serious. “So what did you find out? Or was
the trip just a waste of time? They didn’t attack you in there? Did they? Your ass
belongs to me!”
I cough, imagining what she is suggesting. I hope she meant that as a metaphor. “No.
I am hundred percent straight. But I managed to talk to Apex. He is a former
classmate of mine and he has a lot of connections. Including knowledge about
Trebor’s bunch. He suggested to look into the relationship between Trebor and
Senator Zhon. According to him, there are a lot of transactions which are suspicious.
Though I don’t get how Apex knows anything about the exchanged money between
those two.”
Seria gestures with one hand. “Maybe he didn’t mean money? The underworld is
often trading in favours. Such things are hardly documented and can be denied to
outsiders.”
“I’ll order the DF to look into it. In the meantime, we will really lean back and let them
do their job.” I try to put weight into my next words. “If it’s true that a senator is
involved, one of my father’s trusted advisers, then we have to be careful not to make
a mistake with false accusations.”
Seria nods slowly. “You are really sure that we shouldn’t just raid his office and turn it
upside down to find something that hints at his involvement? The entire situation
crossed the point of being subtle long ago. In my book, since they destroyed the
Tandeen district, to be more accurate. And it’s been a while since then. Do you really
want to tell me that your parents are still not prepared to take the gloves off?”
I sigh. Who am I kidding? Getting one nice night right after we declared this
relationship as something more than bedtime studies was asking too much. “Yeah,
understood. We’ll check the palace first and raid an office. Why not? That’s the first
thing which is on my mind right after the woman of my dreams admits that she has
feelings for me.” I switch to a higher gear and press the pedal to the metal.
 32. ~Whisked away.~

“Making plans is an attempt at predicting the future. Some people claim that their
business plans can predict the market up to five years from now. Can you explain
why we believe them any more than the next witch with a ball of glass between her
hands?”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“I am intrigued. Why do we have to sneak around the palace like this?” I imagined my
first visit to the inner sanctum of this country differently. Maybe a little night-raid to
forage through the various offices, combined with a little artistic façade climbing. Or a
highly official visit as the representative of another realm. But I see now that the
multiverse still has some surprises for me.
I never would have thought that I would simply walk past the security, the second
prince at my side, to break into some senator's office. And all that just a few seconds
before we send a message to Charles and Clarity, so that they can deny any
involvement in case this goes awfully wrong.
“Because I might have the clearance to enter this area of the palace, but I am
certainly not allowed to break into a private office. We want to have some time to
look around before the guards and my parents show up. Do we not?” Marcus asks
irritated.
I tilt my head in contemplation and nod slowly. “That might be helpful. But why are we
admitting to our crime outright, instead of making it so that our involvement never
comes to light?”
“Because my father is a seer, and while he certainly doesn't care for every little crime
scene throughout the country, he most certainly does his daily rounds around the
palace, searching for important visions. Nothing major happens in here without him
finding out about it,” Marcus explains and gestures at an open door. “Your turn. I am
not that good with locks.”
Furrowing my forehead, I look up and down the corridor. Marcus led me through a
labyrinth of offices to get here. I actually harboured some doubts that I would be able
to find this place on my own. The palace seems to house the whole of the
administrative body for this country. The size and complexity of the building is as much
a protection as the security.
Kneeling down, I send out a tendril of mana to inspect the lock. At the same time I run
my hand across the door, searching for magical traps. Luckily the lock and a little
alarm spell are the only problem. Seems like security is more about letting nobody get
to this point in the first place. Marcus escorted me through three barriers which are
shielding this place. There is only one entrance to get inside, and that one is guarded
day and night by twenty guards.
The alarm yields with the snap of a shattered circuit. I didn't go for subtlety.
It would have been hard to get in here on my own. I would have had to poke a hole
into their barrier without anyone noticing. Hard to do and time consuming. I also would
have had to repeat the process three times and I am sure that they regularly send out
patrols to check the barriers for breaches. It would be stupid to set up such a system
otherwise.
At last the lock decides to follow my wishes and the door opens, revealing a messy
office. I gesture for Marcus to get inside and close the door behind us. “So what are
we looking for?”
“Anything that connects the Senator to Trebor. Once we have that, we will get
everything else from the Senator himself.” Marcus gets to work, choosing one of the
shelves with documents. He takes the first folder and flips through it. Deeming it as
irrelevant, he drops it to the ground and goes for the next one.
I take the senator's office table and have a look at his phone calls. There are a lot of
unregistered ones, but that's not enough to accuse him. Going by a hunch, I try the
one that connects to the landline network. To my surprise, it even gets answered!
“Tuviard mansion, who are you?” a voice answers the call.
I wet my lips. “Samantha Harlton here, do I know you?”
The voice stays silent for a moment. “No. Samantha, what's your relationship to the
Tuviards?”
Suddenly an arm is on my shoulder and I flinch, but it's just Marcus. He silently moved
to my side while I was talking. “The Tuviards are a branch family of Trebor's
household. I assume that you are talking to a DF agent. They must be raiding their
house right now.”
I nod and clear my throat, then I answer with a cheerful voice. “I don't know the
Tuviards. Actually I must have entered the wrong number, sorry!” Then I disconnect
the call.
“Well, at least that's a lead,” I mumble and continue the search.
“It may be enough. My parents went on witch hunts for less. And their reputation
already suffered enough during the recent weeks. Father won't care about a little
more trouble,” Marcus mumbles.
I cross my arms in front of my chest. “What could be any more trouble than some
asshats who are trying to summon mindless weapons of mass destruction to your
city? Oh, let me correct that, according to our recent findings those weapons are not
as mindless as we thought, which makes them all the more dangerous.”
Marcus reaches for yet another folder, but this time he isn't rewarded with yet another
legal document, but blueprints. He frowns and studies them intensely. As I watch, his
expression turns worried and then enraged. I myself can't make anything out of the
blueprints, but they seem to be for some kind of underground complex. “Is there a
problem?”
He raises the papers. “Those are plans for the high security prison under the palace!
Nobody should have these!”
“Prison? You actually have a real dungeon under your palace? How old fashioned! Will
you take me on a little tour when all of this is over? I am interested in all sorts of
dungeons and high security installations. You could call it a hobby of mine.” I ask and
pull on my lower lip.
That startles Marcus, but he pulls himself together and hurries to the door. “That
place isn’t for vacations. We use it to lock up the worst of the worst. Spirits and all
sorts of divine rank criminals who still have a little more value alive than dead.”
I follow him and we sprint at inhuman speed down the corridor, shocking a group of
guards. Seems like Marcus is really afraid of whoever is imprisoned down there.
He busts us through the security checkpoints by shamelessly using his authority. The
guards seem to be too intimidated to even ask for an identity check. I have to
remember this. If I manage a satisfyingly real illusion, I may be able to walk in here
without a fuss.
It doesn’t take long and we arrive at something like a throne room. It’s the first time
that I get to see it and the beauty takes my breath away. The room’s walls are filled
with wooden carvings and gold inlays.
And there is a really nice artwork of a battle scene on the ceiling.
While I am caught up in admiring the craftsmanship, Marcus points at a man who is
standing close to the throne. He barks a few orders for the guards, and the man with
a lean figure and grey hair is enclosed in a barrier. I admire the fact that the soldiers
didn’t even blink to delay their reaction. They simply followed the order without
question. A nice attribute in a guard as long as nobody manages to impersonate a
person who has authority over them.
Charles stands up from his throne, Clarity at his side. “What’s this supposed to
mean?”
Marcus raises the documents. “We’ve found some leads which caused suspicions
towards Senator Zhon. Several calls from his office link him to Trebor’s associates.
And upon searching his rooms, I found these.” He throws the blueprints at Zhon, but
the papers harmlessly impact the barrier which is locking him in. “Why would you need
the blueprints for the prison under the palace? Do you want to bust someone or
something out of there? Don’t you realize-”
Zhon didn’t say a single word so far, but his eyes suddenly seek something behind me
and he nods. Before I can turn around, a searing pain explodes in my back and a
blade bursts from my chest. A second blade comes up from behind and stops just a
moment before it touches my throat. I want to scream the pain away, but all that
comes out of my mouth is blood. The people in the room stand still, like frozen,
nobody even daring to move, including me. Well, I don’t want to make it worse by
increasing the injury. Judging from the blood in my mouth, my attacker must have
penetrated a lung.
Not instantly deadly, but hurts!
“Drop the barrier. Then we can talk about letting her live,” A voice demands from
behind me.
Marcus raises his hands and a bow of light appears in them. “She dies, you die!”
The man who has his knife in my guts twists it, just to make a point. “Oh, I don’t think
so.”
“Why don’t we try to speed up the inevitable, now that the masks are off.” Zhon
raises his hand and his body makes a drastic transformation right in front of us. He
grows a set of sharp teeth and horns. His eyes turn black and his fingernails turn to
claws. He is one of the spirits who tried to open a second portal.
Zhon’s eyes wander to the king. “We demand your total surrender, or this realm will
fall by invasion. The spirit realm will take over.”
Charles focuses his entire attention on Zhon. “And what if we would rather ally
ourselves with Dedessia?”
Zhon squints his eyes, but shows no reaction otherwise. “Dedessia fell to our invasion
forces long ago. They are just barely avoiding the inevitable by being too stubborn to
surrender to us. It’s a barren and poor realm. They don’t even have a proper
government. Not worthy of much attention. Besides, I think we can do some damage
to your ruling cabinet before we go down.”
Four other people who seemed like advisers pull weapons and change into various
spirit forms. But their forms differ from person to person. They look much more like
the forms I am used to. Are they from Dedessia?
Then I realize what Zhon just said. What’s this guy talking about? I would rather say
that we don’t give a shit about the spirits as long as they don’t enter the safe zones.
They can struggle on their own for survival in Dedessia’s wilderness. Why should we
protect desert and untamed jungles or even swamps from them? Do they have the
illusion that they defeated us?
We eat spirits for breakfast because there is often no other source of meat! Why
would they even get the idea? Oh, that reminds me, do the people of Newerth ever
have a reason to eat spirits? Their realm is well off and they certainly don’t lack food.
Could it be that eating spirits supplies some form of hormones to take on spirit form
without turning mad? That explanation actually sounds reasonable to me.
I reach up and grab the blade which is protruding from my chest. My other hand takes
the man’s hand which is threatening to cut my throat. He tightens his grip and growls,
“Don’t move, or I’ll sever your head from your shoulders.”
A gurgling laugh escapes my lips as I release my aura, all of it!
I feel my horns and tail grow as I hurl my body around, pulling the man’s hand with
me. Stepping out, I trip him over my leg while securing the blade in my chest with an
iron grip. Handling pain is one of my strong points. I never quite learned to switch it
off, like my parents do, but I have a very high tolerance from the start. Getting caught
in their traps hardened me.
He loses his grip on the weapon in my back and lets go, dropping the knife which he
had at my throat, he catches it in his free hand. Now that I get a good look at him, I
recognize the assassin. It’s hard to do so, because he also switched to his spirit form,
with long elven ears and high cheek bones. But I am certain. My parents shared their
memories with me. He is one of the slavers who escaped through the portal.
He tries to knife me, but the death magic which is surrounding us weakens him. I bat
the weapon away and embrace him, pulling back his head. Then I sink my teeth into
his throat and take a hearty bite. He shudders and twitches in my arms as I chew on
his carotid artery. I swallow as I drop him and feel my wings spreading from my back.
It sure feels good to be back.
“Neck tissue is so chewy… just blood vessels, skin, muscle and tendons.” I crack my
shoulder blades to allow my wings to grow. “Actually, I think that you are afraid that
Dedessia and Newerth compare notes, just to find out that eating you guys grants
control over our spirit forms. I’ve thought long and hard about it without finding a
satisfying answer. This is the first theory which can easily be put to the test!”
The man to my feet stops twitching. As if that was a signal, the room dissolves into
chaos. Zhon batters against the barrier while his comrades attack the guards who are
channelling mana into the barrier. Charles jumps into action and Marcus fires an arrow
at one of the spirits.
The resulting flash of light annihilates the spirit and punches a huge hole into the wall
which I adored just moments ago.
Zhon breaks his barrier and jumps at Marcus, throwing a stone at the ground behind
him. I scream as a portal snaps into existence and Marcus is pushed through. Without
thinking about the possible danger, I jump in behind them. Not one moment too late,
as the portal snaps shut behind me and severs two of my wings.
While moving through a tunnel between dimensions, the three of us grapple with each
other. In a mindless rage, I rake my fingernails across Zhon’s face and suddenly he is
gone.
I hold onto Marcus as I reach out for the pathways and pull at them with all my power,
expending all of my energy. Then we are whisked away by the flow of energies, but I
don’t care where the pathways take us. As long as it isn’t where Zhon intended us to
go, it will be fine. Then the darkness takes me and I realize that ignoring the blade
inside me might not have been a good idea.
 33. ~Timeout.~

“Some things are better left asleep.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Somewhere
Marcus
The air is brushing against my face and I open my eyes, just to realize that we are
falling. I have Seria in my arms and we are falling. And the sky is violet? I grunt, trying
to force my brain to get back to work. Then I cast a levitation spell and the rushing air
comes to a sudden halt. There are definitely better ways to be woken up.
Levelling us, I take a first look around and realize that we are hovering about a
hundred metres above a rocky landscape. There are rocks, and rocks, nothing but
rocks up to the horizon.
This isn't home.
The warm, wet feeling of blood brings me back to the situation at hand and I lower us
down to the ground. Seria is bleeding badly, so I place her on her side, not knowing
how else I should deal with the set of wings which is protruding from her back.
“Seria?”
She doesn't answer, so I check her pulse. It's there, but weak. There is a long,
curved dagger lodged in her body. She ignored it while she transformed, but at least
leaving it inside kept her from bleeding out. I pull it out and throw the weapon aside. I
press my hands to the wounds at her front and her back. Forcing my mana into her, I
apply a healing spell. There is no resistance at all, which is strange. Normally a body
should naturally resist invasive magic. It's an inbuilt, instinctive reaction.
My eyes wander to Seria's wings which seem to defy logic. One set looks like they
are made out of a metallic light, eternal and fixed, while the other is a flowing,
changing mass of shadows. A slow trickle of blood flows from the wounds where they
are cut, but it's already healing and doesn't look life threatening. She is really the spirit
who we were searching for? Dedessia’s agent?
“You can give up on her. She'll never wake up.”
I look up and find Zhon just a few metres away from me. Apparently he was pulled
with us when Seria took us... wherever we are now. I squint my eyes at the curved
dagger in his hand. It's awfully similar to the one which was stuck inside Seria. So he
really is in league with the hidden assassins. He even has their weapons. Slowly, I
stand up and summon a sword of light. “Excuse me?”
Zhon points his dagger at the bloody one which is lying to my feet. “Our weapons
have a binding curse embedded inside them. It catches the victim's mind inside an
endless, accelerated loop. While you lowered her to the ground, she spent millennia
alone. I am sorry, but the second your girlfriend lost her consciousness, she was
doomed. Okay, maybe I am not sorry, but I thought that I could give you the
opportunity to say goodbye. Since we are both fucked. But at least we can kill each
other, which gives a little comfort.”
Raising my weapon, I point it at him and step over Seria to shield her with my body.
This guy is clearly not sane. Nobody can kill a god. Well. Our bodies can get killed,
but we always come back and remember. And Seria is still alive and breathing. I
haven't lost her yet. “I don't understand?”
He shrugs and scratches his chin with the tip of his dagger. “An accelerated loop of
nothingness. It’s like getting caught in a void zone and turning slowly insane from the
deprivation of sensory input. How long can anyone take it before he turns insane?
Your girl had the dagger inside her one, maybe two minutes after she blacked out?
That sums up to about two, maybe four thousand perceptive years of nothingness for
her. Even if she wakes up after this, she will hardly be sane. More like a blank slate.”
His expression turns to a grin and I feel my blood boiling. Circling my shoulders, I try
to loosen my body for what's to come. “I'll cut you to pieces and eat you bit by bit,
just like Seria suggested.”
All thoughts about Zhon's betrayal and his collaboration with the enemy are gone as I
lunge forward. Probably I should try to take him prisoner, but he hurt Seria and that I'll
never forgive.
He parries my sword easily with his dagger and strikes out, which I avoid to direct the
force away from Seria's body. We are both divine ranks and I didn't hold back when I
attacked. Zhon may have blocked the blow, but the resulting shock wave still wasted
the landscape of rocks. Both of us use our full aura, so the released forces are
enormous.
“You are at a grievous disadvantage. On one side you are weaker than me, since you
don't have access to your spirit form. On the other, you have to keep us aligned in a
way which doesn't endanger your girl. Was it hard to understand when I said that she
is gone?” Going for a feint, he lightly stabs towards my leg, but I ignore it in an
attempt to cleave him in half.
Zhon jumps back, just in time to avoid my blade. Otherwise I would have taken a
piece of his head.
Grinning, I let go of the weapon in mid arc and let it fly forward. Directly into his chest.
Before he can react I flick my fingers and dissolve the magical formation which is
giving my spellblade mass and form. This results in an explosion of energy right in
front of me. But I am prepared and the force is deflected harmlessly away from me.
Fire crashes against my barrier, quickly dissolving as there is nothing to fuel it further.
To my great dismay, Zhon is still standing when the dust and smoke dissolves. He
looks a little battered and has a gaping hole in his chest, but as I watch, the wound is
beginning to heal. “It's shameful that you managed to inflict damage on me. Normally
a fighter doesn't let go of his weapon. But you still don't have a chance. I'll heal faster
than you. It's a perk of being in spirit form. Harder to kill, better body and such
things.”
I snort and summon up a spear. “Other fighters probably don't have an endless supply
of weapons. And to be honest, all I needed was a piece of you. If Seria is right.” I
bend down and scrape a piece of charred meat from the stone next to me. It was
flung there when I blew that huge hole into his chest. Then I put it into my mouth and
chew, letting go of my power, embracing the thing which I shut for so long in the
darkest cellar of my mind.
My bones crack as I feel myself growing by a few inches. My vision blurs as my eyes
adjust and I block Zhon's dagger by instinct. He drives me backwards as I try to cope
with the changes to my body. And there is this craving I've always had, but never quite
admitted to.
To tear the flesh from bones, break them, to kill. Everything in my sight is prey. Why
does lowly prey even dare to attack me? I wrap myself in layers and layers of
barriers, each one just above my skin. Ignoring Zhon's dagger, I ram the blunt end of
the spear into his belly and claw my fingers into his side.
He swings the dagger at me and I jump back, tripping him, and pulling out the rib
which I broke off.
Falling to his knee, he stares at me in helpless shock. His expression makes me
realize that I am the one who is loosing it. If I give in to these instincts, I may end up
on his side. I force myself to concentrate, reeling in the instincts. Apparently a little bit
of flesh isn't enough to gain complete control.
That's when someone steps closer and I shift my position to see who is interrupting
the fight. It's Seria! She is still covered in blood and holding the dagger which I pulled
out of her. “Seria! Step back, you are in no condition to fight.”
She looks at me with an empty expression and eyes as cold as ice. Then her gaze
wanders to Zhon.
The other man squirms on his knees, holding his side where I ripped out the rib.
Apparently healing a complete bone is more troublesome than a flesh wound. “Help!”
He points at me. “That monster is trying to kill me!”
Her searching gaze turns to me.
“Seria!? You remember me? Don't you?” I shift again, considering the possibility that
she might attack me. Who knows what she will do if Zhon's story is true? For a
moment, we are caught in a strange triangle of possibilities.
Then Seria smiles, a sweet, heart warming smile which makes flowers bloom in
winter. She returns her attention to Zhon. “A long time ago I stumbled into a void zone
and got lost. There was nothing there, but white. I stumbled and walked for an
eternity... and I think... maybe my mind got a little crack during that time. I got the
ability to simply shut down and sleep. When I found myself again and a way outside, I
swore to do my cruellest to anyone who inflicts something even remotely similar on
me.”
“I think getting locked in an endless loop classifies as such a thing.” She furrows her
forehead like a child who didn't get what she wants. She raises the dagger and licks
off the blood. “Sadly, I already killed the one who stabbed me. But no worries. I'll find
his soul and put him back together. Dad will surely help me. He is good with repairing
broken souls. That's his thing.”
Then her eyes fix on Zhon. “In the meantime, I'll take you as a substitute.”
Zhon gets up, but Seria is suddenly in front of him. The dagger flashes down and is
embedded vertically in his shoulder. He screams and Seria's hand is at his throat,
crushing the windpipe shut. Raising a hand, she uses her fingernail to slowly carve
two runes into his forehead. While doing so, she is pinning his hands with her two
remaining wings. “Shhh... don't struggle. I'll mess up the rune and your head will go
'pop'. We don't want that.”
When she is done, Zhon is just kneeling there and staring at nothing. I am still unsure
of what to do when she turns around and looks at me as if I am a bug. Then
recognition flickers through her eyes and she smiles. “I like your new looks.”
She walks closer, completely ignoring the spear, and hugs me. She nestles her body
against mine and sighs satisfied. “I had a bad dream, but having you with me and
being at home is enough to make up for it.”
I drop the spear and hug her, which is kind of hard to do with the wings on her back.
“I see. I am glad that you are fine… though… what do you mean by ‘home’?”
 34. ~Overtime.~

“The Aziza (African) are a type of beneficent supernatural race in West African
(specifically, Dahomey) mythology. Living in the forest, they provide good magic
for hunters. They are also known to have given practical and spiritual knowledge
to people (including knowledge of the use of fire).”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Seria
“You are sure that you are fine?” he asks again.
I sigh and let go. My whole body is aching and my mana reserves are low. Well, not
low, but I can’t access them with this splitting headache. “Yes. No permanent injuries.
Nothing that won't heal. Quit asking.”
“I didn't mean your body. I was asking about your soul. He... he described a nasty
curse the dagger should have inflicted on you.” He looks down on me with a worried
expression.
Smiling, I try to change the subject. Experiences like this curse, tend to crack the shell
which I carefully erected around my personality to shield myself from the ugly truth of
existence. Nobody should ever experience this unending nothingness of a void zone.
First, you try to make your best out of your situation. When you realize that you could
stay imprisoned for a really long time, you start to think. You bitch and moan and try
to entertain yourself, but after a while being with yourself gets boring.
And once you get bored of yourself, you know that you have a problem.
When the talking starts and you realize that you are talking to nobody but yourself,
you might as well put a bullet into your brain. Just that, at that time, you are already
past the point of making such a decision.
And it gets worse with each second, every minute, every hour, every day, you spend
in that forsaken place.
Then you start trying things... things which might seem mad, but even the slightest
chance of gaining a new insight has appeal under such circumstances.
Like standing on your hands. Or talking backwards, I got pretty good at that. Or
trying to divine something from your own intestines, which sucks. Gods back then
always healed up again unless certain precautions were taken. It's quite disturbing if
your guts move during the divination attempt while your body sucks them back inside
you.
And there is the hunger. Gods can flood their bodies with mana and avoid starving to
death. But it doesn’t change the fact you start craving for food once your belly starts
shrivelling up. And once it’s empty, the hunger will always be with you. Until you try to
eat yourself and learn which synapses to cut in order to feel nothing.
And one day you wake up and realize that you aren't quite normal any more. In your
head. And that's the one thing that’s really disturbing to a god. We get our strength
from confidence in ourselves. And thinking, knowing that you are mad, eats away at
that confidence.
“I'll be fine,” I answer.
Marcus leans in and presses my head to his chest. “No, you are not. But I'll do my
best to protect you from such an experience. I'll never leave you alone... if you don't
want to be alone? Now I wish I had pulled out the dagger sooner.”
I tense. “Didn't I say that I am fine?”
He strokes the hair on my head. “You were talking aloud. But don't worry. You said
this is your home?”
I was talking aloud? “Great, so that curse really awakened a few memories.”
With quite some effort, I untangle myself from him and take a look around. “Yeah.
Feels like we are in Dedessia, the realm I originally came from. But I have to admit
that I don't know where exactly we are.”
Marcus says nothing, instead he looks at me as if there is a lot to talk about. Closing
my eyes, I massage the bridge of my nose. Oh, well. “I am an agent who was sent to
your realm to investigate certain traitorous elements which fled from our realm a few
years ago. Strangely enough I found that one of them was the assassin who tried to
turn me into shashlik.
“Dedessia has its own troubles with the spirits, but up until I encountered the
intelligent ones in your realm, I didn't even see them as a threat. More like some force
of nature which simply exists in this multiverse. I didn't reveal myself because you
would have asked uncomfortable questions which I wasn’t able to answer at that point
in time.”
I go on for a while longer, trying to explain the cultural, ecological and topological
differences between Dedessia and Newerth. Like the lack of resources and our way
to deal with our spirit forms. “...but that doesn't really matter if we don't get out of
here. First thing on the list is to find something to eat.”
Marcus's eyes focus on Zhon who is still kneeling at his place. A little bit of drool is
running down his chin. I still have to find out how to use that curse without making the
target look like a lobotomised fool. I want to see the pain which they have to endure in
their minds.
“Not him. We still need him for information. I am sure we will find something on the
way”. Though finding edible things in Dedessia isn't exactly easy.
“I didn't suggest that. Though the impulse crossed my mind. How can you live like
that, Seria? What are you? And how do I look like in my spirit form?”
I return my attention to Marcus and purse my lips. “You still look mostly human. Did
you take a bite from Zhon? I didn't expect my theory to actually work.”
Marcus forces himself to smile. “I don't think it worked a hundred percent. I have
these cravings to hunt and kill. Break bones and tear flesh from bones. But I think I
am still me. The instinct is manageable, so I take that over losing my mind like my
brother did.”
I nod. It would be very surprising if simply taking a bite out of a spirit is enough to gain
complete control. “I think I am not an actual mythical creature, like most spirits are
classified, but more like a cross between my parents. Dad is a shade and Mom is a
succubus. It's rare, but I was told that it happens if the child was born between two
particularly strong gods.”
“As for you...” I take a step back and try to take my time to study him. “You got a little
taller, I think. Your eyes are now greyish blue and you got a nice set of fangs.”
Marcus raises both hands to his mouth, which causes me to chuckle. “Don't worry. I
only saw them when you smiled. They aren't tusks. You also have some kind of
symbol on your forehead, like a third eye, but it looks more like a rune.”
“I think your base spirit form might be an Aziza, but there is something mixed in that I
don't recognize. Maybe some form of shapeshifter? When I woke up, you were
fighting Zhon. I am not sure if you realized it, but when you ripped a piece out of his
side, your hands developed claws.”
Marcus tilts his head in contemplation. Finally he decides to shrug. “It could've been
worse. Like developing a set of wings. How do you even move indoors with those
things.” He points at my additional set of limbs.
I stretch and concentrate. The shadow wings shrink and flow around my waist to form
a black skirt, while the wings of light settle around my upper body and turn into a silky
shirt. I am unable to do a full body transmogrification like my father, but at least my
wings are total subject to my whim.
I would be raging otherwise. Marcus is right. Having wings would be inconvenient in
small rooms. “It stings to do that while they are still healing, but the weight distribution
is much better like this.”
Marcus furrows his forehead. “But they will heal, right?”
Nodding, I turn to our prisoner. “Will you carry him? I feel sore all over. You don't have
to worry about him, or it, regaining consciousness. I am not sure of what to call these
guys. They aren't like us, but they also aren't what we call spirits.”
Marcus shoulders Zhon in a fireman's carry. It's probably the most comfortable way to
carry someone over long distances. “Do you have an idea of where to go? Or do we
simply pick a direction and go straight until we find a city?”
I purse my lips at the amusing thought. “That would probably get us nowhere.
Settlements are scarce and well hidden in Dedessia. Without us knowing where to
find one, we could walk right past one without even realizing that it’s there. Of course
not with the big ones, but there are very few of those. People largely don’t like living in
a desert, or swamps, or rainforests with all kinds of poisonous animals.”
Closing my eyes, concentrate and point out a direction to my left. “There, the
pathways are getting stronger that way. So home should be in that direction.”
Marcus’s eyes follow my finger, which points at the horizon. “Pathways? Seria, I feel
like we have to sit down and talk for two or three days. No, make that a month.”
I purse my lips. “My parents kind of created a world enchantment, which is currently
growing throughout the multiverse and reconnecting the various dimensions. But they
are a little paranoid, so currently the members of my family are the only ones who can
use them. Do you remember the roots which I used to close the portal? Those were
the new pathways, but they still need a lot of energy to grow. So using them is a little
dangerous because they tend to take their energy from wherever they get it.”
He clears his throat. “Who are your parents again?”
“Ascathon and Celestial, didn’t I already mention that?” I ask a little miffed. I don’t like
repeating myself.
He stares at the horizon. “Ah, so I am about to ask the two most infamous beings
throughout the multiverse’s history for their blessings? Oh, joy. Seria, I am trying to
cope with all this and it may seem as if I take all these little secrets of yours with
ease, but sometimes you take me off my feet. How old are those two? I mean
mentally?”
I link arms with him. “Don’t worry. They are nice people once you get to know them.
You can play the teleporter. I am still weak.”
His voice turns a little anxious. “That’s no real answer, Seria. Tell me what I need to
know.”
“Okay. I would suggest you start teleporting. It could be a long way until we arrive.
Ah, and in case that we encounter something that’s alive, don’t get too close. Some
creatures in this world think of gods as nothing more than a snack. But we should be
fine.”
He fixes his eyes on the horizon. “Wonderful. Who would have thought that I get to
work overtime on the day when you finally admitted your feelings.”
I lean my head against him. “Sorry.”
 35. ~Wild life.~

“The rockcrawler is a grey festering blob of infinite malevolence, described as the

lesser spawn of a leviathan and a dragon, born from their bile and tears. All those
who get close enough to be grabbed by the tentacles, or to be spit at with its acid,
have to face a cruel end. But as they are fairly common in rocky regions, the
denizens of Dedessia tend to harvest them for nutrients.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Marcus
“Don’t make such a face and eat. We can’t afford that you go berserk because you
lose control of your spirit form,” Seria reprimands me with an oversized fork in her
hand. She formed the thing from her mana crystals. Then she carved a flat surface
into a rock and heated it with fire magic. And that’s how you get an improvised stove
in just a few minutes.
I survey the flat, rocky landscape. Not that there is anything here which could be used
as fire material.
Though I still find my lightforging much more convenient. It’s definitely faster and more
versatile in regard to creating a weapon on the fly. On the other hand a mana crystal
is permanent and can hold spells, so there are some definitive advantages to using
mana crystal based weapons.
She gestures at the piece of meat in my hands and I wince upon taking another bite
from the chewy flesh. If I’ve ever wondered what shit tastes like, then I am sure to
know it now. I’ve always prided myself in having experienced everything there is to
experience. But I’ve never encountered such a vile tasting creature.
From worlds with endless jungles and no technology at all, to swamps and deserts.
I’ve lived through it and conquered them all. Hell, I even hunted a dragon or two
before I became a god. But nothing tops this world. “Why did you even force me to
eat parts of it raw?” I complain.
Seria doesn’t show any pity and crosses her arms in front of her chest. She looks at
me as if she is enjoying this. “Because we have no idea how this works. Or if it’s
really just about eating a spirit. If it’s some chemical compound, then it’s possible that
cooking or frying the meat reduces the effect. And we don’t know which body-parts
contain the hormones, or whatever it is that allows you to stay in control while in spirit
form.
“So I would strongly recommend to stop bitching. Eat. Think of it as very exotic sushi.
At least the effect seems to be permanent.”
“Permanent?” I ask and feel for my new, pointy canines. They are almost like a
vampire’s. “I hope not! It’s been just one meal, but I already gave upon counting how
many times I almost bit into my tongue.”
Seria shrugs. “We are completely winging this, but at least I suppose that it’s true by
taking me as an example. I was living in your realm for several months and I never
had trouble with my spirit form. If the effect weren’t permanent, then I should have
developed the same trouble as everyone else in that realm. But I didn’t, all chemicals
should have left my body by that time. So we can safely assume that whatever eating
a spirit does to our bodies, is permanent.”
My eyes wander to the gigantic slug, tentacle-like thing, no, I suppose every attempt
at describing this thing is doomed from the start. Seria calls it a rockcrawler and
according to her it’s a standard food supply of the dedessian people. Like deer back
in my own realm.
Just that this deer has long tentacles which are strong enough to crush bones. And if
that isn’t enough, the huge, five centimetre long thorns which cover each tentacle
ensure that nothing gets away. Oh, and did I mention that the thing spits acid with a
paralysing effect?
And it can hide very well by changing its shape and colour. At least Seria warned me
of the stone which turned out to be our next meal. We teleported practically right next
to it and if it hadn’t been for Seria, I would have never known that the thing was just
waiting for us to come a little closer.
If she calls those things relatively harmless, then I don’t want to know what’s
supposed to be dangerous in this realm. My eyes wander to Zhon. He is still
completely out of it and sitting on a stone, drooling. The spit is running down his blood
smeared chin. If we let him be for too long, a puddle will form under him. And I am not
particularly excited to slip in it when I have to pick him up.
“Don’t even think about it. We need him alive.”
I blink and return my attention to Seria. “I would never do that.” Though I have to
admit that the idea is appealing. The rockcrawler makes my stomach turn just by
thinking about it. The longer we are in this place, the more likely it becomes that I’ll
resort to cannibalism. “But just to satisfy my curiosity. What exactly did you do to
him?” I nod my head at the drooling idiot. So far, Seria’s treatment worked better than
any restraints we could have put on him.
Seria returns her attention to Zhon and uses the fork to scratch her chin, an
expression of disgust on her face. “You could say that I lobotomised him. But in a very
special way. It doesn’t impair his memories or anything like that. But! The rune forces
him to relive everything that caused him fear or pain, again and again. It also
strengthens those memories each time he experiences them. If we leave him in this
state for a few more days, all his future reincarnations will have a certain tendency to
regain all the painful stuff before he remembers anything else. Once we remove the
rune from his forehead, he will return to normal though, but the strengthened
memories should remain.”
She smirks. “Forever.”
So he will be a serious nutcase, even if he reincarnates. I frown and study the two
runes on Zhon’s forehead. Normally I would say something against such methods, but
in this particular case I don’t care. My morals are a stretchy issue when it comes to
mass murderers. Seria used her fingernail to scratch the runes into his skin and for
some reason Zhon’s healing ability didn’t work on the rune. The wound was closed by
the dried up blood, but not before it bled all over Zhon’s face. Watching him like that is
seriously disturbing, but neither of us cared to clean him up. He would just sully
himself again anyway. “But how do we remove the rune?”
Seria purses her lips and makes suggestive movements with her fork. “Isn’t it
obvious? We take a sharp tool and peel the skin from his forehead. I didn’t scrape
deep enough to scratch his skull.”
I shouldn’t have asked.
Seria’s eyes turn to the horizon. “If you are done eating, we should go.”
I get up and dust off my dirty clothes. “I understand. We have to hurry.” Then my eyes
wander to the sizzling meat on Seria’s improvised stove. “Don’t you eat anything?”
She shrugs. “Nah, it’s just a few more jumps until we are home. No point in eating that
nasty stuff.”
I feel my own expression turn sour. “I thought we have a long way ahead of us?”
She shakes her head and smiles. “I just wanted you to experience the culinary
delicacies of Dedessia. No point in missing out on the good stuff if we run right into a
rockcrawler.”
The good stuff? I still have the vile taste in my mouth! “I’ll get you for this. I don’t
know how, but this calls for revenge.”
 36. ~The Queen.~

“The Shahmaran is often depicted as a wise, intelligent woman, having female

features above the waist and those of a serpent below. She is described as the
queen of the snakes. When the Shahmaran dies, it is said that her spirit will pass
to her daughter.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Marcus
The familiar flash of light causes me to blink and when I open my eyes again I see...
nothing? Did I mess up the teleportation? No. I took my time to concentrate and went
slowly through all the steps to cast the spell. I am absolutely sure that I am where
Seria told me to go. Not that there could be any misunderstanding if I get pointed into
a direction and am told to teleport exactly five hundred and four kilometres straight
forward.
Turning in a circle, I scan the landscape, but there is nothing noteworthy in sight. No
town, no signs of a settlement. No nothing.
Just a big, green wildlife reserve with hills and grasslands. I guess we can count that
for something at least. This environment actually looks pleasant and life supporting.
Some trees are mixed in here and there. A river is flowing rapidly to our left, ending in
a small lake. It’s really nothing special, but if I had to compare this landscape to the
rest of Dedessia, then I would call this a paradise. I hadn't imagined that there is
something like this little jewel among the vastness of Dedessia's unfriendly
ecosystems. Seria guided me through a desert, swamps and across a sea of acid.
This is the first region where I dare to relax a little.
Though Seria had a nice little story to tell about the acid sea. How there was once an
island in the middle of it and about the inhabitants who managed to piss off her
parents. Now the island is no more.
I wonder if she wanted to teach me something by telling that story. The subtle hint not
to piss off either of her parents was definitely there.
“I don't want to sound impatient, but didn't you tell me that this is the last teleport?
Shouldn't there be someone or something here?” I ask, doubting my own eyes.
Seria already explained that most of the small settlements put a lot of effort into
hiding themselves from spirits or malevolent groups of raiders. This world is harsh and
for many it’s survival of the fittest, morals be damned. But from what I understood, it
sounded like the crystal sphere is something like a central hub for a large part of
Dedessia's society. It's the seat of power from where her parents rule their society,
though not all of Dedessia. Nobody can control an entire dimension.
It's obvious that nobody is able to control a whole dimension. The space is simply too
large, even for a whole society. In case someone wanted to control a population of
several trillion entities, he would have to take some seriously sick measures.
Dedessia has another problem in this regard. The low population density puts a tight
lid on the expansion efforts of Seria’s people.
Seria points at the sky. “Right above us. They lifted the whole city into the sky some
years ago. Safe zones are very rare, so Mom and Dad decided to make this into a
park for people to relax. Everyone who wants to chill can come down here any time
they want.”
I see, so her Mom and Dad decided. It didn’t sound like anyone else had a word in
the matter. I look up and gape at the floating, compartmentalized construction which is
floating above us. There are several interconnected and intersecting discs, which are
mashed together. It's almost as if some child decided to create the ultimate frisbee,
but couldn't decide on how the toy should look like. Therefore the creator glued things
together as he saw fit. Houses, skyscrapers, fields and parks. Though I don't get it,
there seems to be order to the chaos. “What's this abomination?”
It’s hard to tell how far away the construction is, but it must be huge. And I have a
distinct feeling that the architect of this structure did his best to cause an uneasy
feeling to everyone who looks upon it.
Seria pouts and crosses her arms in front of her chest. “That's the crystal city, central
hub of Dedessia. There are some smaller branch cities heading out in various
directions to explore Dedessia, but this will always remain the centre of our operation.
The current population is somewhere between seven and eight million people. We are
doing our best to gather people from all over Dedessia. I know that your country has
a bigger population, but eight million is quite good for a place like Dedessia.”
“I see,” I grunt. She called it ‘our’ operations, so I assume that she is involved in her
parents’ decisions.
If I remember correctly, the mana crystals allow to create a lot of dangerous
technology. Once, I heard a story in which an old crystal construct blasted away a
whole planet. If that's true, then Dedessia is nothing to be messed with. And they
lifted a whole city into the sky. I thought these people have problems with resources?
Apparently my expression was pretty obvious, so Seria launches into an explanation.
“I am sorry if you got another impression from my explanation. When I told you that
we lack resources, I didn’t mean to misguide you, it is still true. But the fact that we
have the mana crystals allows us to compensate for a lot of things. You should have
visited us before I was reborn. Dad had just reinvented the crystals by the time of my
birth. Of course I didn't see it for myself, but my parents told me that when they
reincarnated here, the people of this realm actually lived under medieval
circumstances.
“Can you imagine that stealing firewood was more common than robbing someone of
their valuables? And that the punishment for stealing firewood was the harsher one?”
I nod. I got a good look at this world. Apart from this safe zone, I didn't encounter
anything which could be used to create a sophisticated building. Most acceptable
constructions rely on wood. Well, unless you build just from stones, which isn't exactly
easy if you want to create a structure with more than one floor.
I sigh and shift Zhon’s weight on my shoulder. I am the one who has the doubtful
honour of carrying the drooling idiot. “So how do we do this? Do you go first and talk
to your parents while I wait here?”
Seria shakes her head. “No. Everyone in the palace knows me. As long as you are
with me there will be no trouble.”
“I see, so it’s normal for you to walk around while someone with a bloody meat-bag
on his shoulder follows you?” I ask, smiling at her.
Seria shrugs. “Yeah. My brothers tend to brutalize the guys who are too meddlesome,
so the palace guards are kind of hardened when it comes to half dead bodies being
carried around.”
Then she steps closer and holds onto my sleeve. “I’ll teleport us the last bit. It’ll spare
us additional explanations, so we will take a short-cut directly to the throne room.”
Before I can say anything to complain, Seria teleports us. She should have told me
that little titbit about her brothers sooner!
We appear in a large entrance hall. It's nothing more than a nicely decorated room
with two opposing doors. The larger one is guarded by four guards and a woman who
is currently having a serious discussion with them. No, correction, the woman seems
more like their superior, if I interpret the expressions correctly.
“Manti!” Seria calls out and rushes to the woman, hugging her tightly. Manti has
brown, curly hair and a definitive liking for make-up. In addition to her black uniform
she is wearing dark mascara. She even chose to paint her fingernails black.
“Seria, you are back! Isn't it too early? Your father told me just yesterday that the
pathways aren't stable enough.” Manti pats Seria's back.
“There are things we have to talk about. Many, many important things,” Seria calls
out.
I frown and step closer, but one of the guards points a blue, crystalline spear at me.
Seria raises a hand and waves him off. “It's fine he is with me. But you can take the
guy on his shoulder to the dungeons. The deepest parts, and be careful, it's an
intelligent spirit and a little insane.”
All of the guards frown, or raise their eyebrows in surprise. Seria’s explanation must
sound a little outrageous to them, but nobody questions her. Two of them bow. “Yes,
princess.” They hurry in my direction and I lower Zhon to the ground. The guards don't
seem to care that much for Zhon's well being. Each of them grabs one of his legs,
then they pull him through the unguarded door and are gone.
Soooo, no questions asked?
Then it dawns on me that they called Seria a princess! I am such an idiot, but I
suppose that I never really thought about the meaning behind her words. Seria never
claimed high status for herself, so I never thought about her as someone who has
influence and power.
Damn it. Ever since we fell through that stupid portal I am just stumbling along. Even
though there is no other choice, it still annoys me.
On top her parents are fucking legends and the rulers of a developing society. I must
be still in shock from all the revelations Seria dropped on me since we landed in her
world. My mind is still not working correctly.
“Marcus? Are you alright?”
I blink and return to reality. Seria and Manti are standing at the open door and waiting
for me. I sigh and wipe the sweat from my forehead, just to find out that my hand
comes away dirty. Awesome, not only that I am going to face her parents, I look like
a beggar. At least Seria doesn't look any better. She doesn’t seem to care. “Yes,
sorry. I am coming.”
I follow them into a large throne room. It's completely empty apart from two large
thrones and two writing desks in front of them. The setup makes this look more like
an office, rather than some official reception room.
Floor, ceiling, and walls, everything is coloured in the distinct blue of mana crystals.
The people of this world really seem to have no other building materials. I guess it's a
high status symbol that the furnishing in this room looks like it is real wood.
A woman is sitting on the second throne, which, from my perspective, was the one on
the right. Her whole concentration is on the document in front of her. My attention
immediately locks onto her horns, which look like a tiara and are very similar to
Seria's.
When she looks up and spots us, her expression turns into a wide smile. “Butterfly!”
Butterfly? I frown as Seria's mother gets up and knocks over her throne. Then she
rushes towards her daughter, wings spread and with a wagging tail. She pulls Seria
into a tight embrace and starts laughing in relief. “I was so worried about you. You
and your adventures. Promise me to never again go on such a long mission.”
So this is Seria's mother, Elona. She is a beautiful woman with a lean face and a
sensual body. Not actress-beautiful, but more like a cold, inner beauty which radiates
confidence. She is also not relying on a lot of make-up, unlike Manti.
“It's fine, Mom!” Seria tries to push her mother away, but the other woman is far
stronger than her. It doesn't match up with her figure, which is definitely very pleasing.
In fact, her whole appearance and the black and red dress she is wearing screams
lust and sex. No, this woman is definitely not ashamed of being a succubus.
At last, Elona lets go of her daughter and inspects Seria's appearance with a critical
eye. “You look like you had it rough. Please tell me that nothing serious happened to
you.”
Seria shakes her head. “I visited one of the other realms, like we planned it. Newerth
is actually a very nice place, but they also have trouble with the spirits...”
From there, Seria launches into a short explanation how she masqueraded as a shop
owner and how she stumbled into a conspiracy which apparently involves spirits and
inter dimensional warfare.
Elona's eyebrows rise higher and higher while Seria is telling her tale, which is cut
down to the most essential parts. It takes, nonetheless, a few minutes to give Elona a
rough picture of the situation. Elona listens to everything, only interrupting with a short,
chipped question when something needs more explanation.
In the end the queen straightens her back and purses her lips in surprise. “Well, well.
We assumed that Moonray is up to something, but this tops our wildest expectations.
At least you caught one of their elites. We should get a better picture once we hear
his side of the story.”
Elona's attention turns to me. Her eyes wander from my legs, to my hips and chest,
until they find my eyes. “So. That's all nice and fine, but I couldn't help but notice that
you didn't introduce your companion.”
Seria clears her throat. “Yes! Ahem, that's Marcus, second prince of Newerth. Some
things happened and events led from one to another, so I guess the both of us ended
up as permanent?”
Elona turns to her daughter, clearly understanding what she meant, but not allowing
her to get out of this with a half-assed explanation. “You do realize that your
explanation didn't make any sense?”
I step forward and decide to introduce myself. “Let me explain that, since Seria and I
haven't exactly clarified our relationship with each other. I love your daughter with all
my heart, and I hope that you aren't opposed if I continue to court her.”
Elona's expression turns from surprised to outright baffled and for a moment I am
afraid that I made a mistake by being blunt. Then Elona starts smiling and spreads
her hands, hugging me a little bit too enthusiastically and therefore pressing her
formidable chest against me. “Finally!”
I try my best to stay calm, reciting the fact that the woman who is hugging me is
Seria's mother. But my knees feel weak!
“Mom! Don't suck the life energy from my boyfriend! I love him and therefore he is off
limits, or do you want me to tell Dad!?” Seria steps in and separates us with force. As
soon as the contact is broken I feel my strength returning.
“Actually, involving your father in this might backfire.” Elona chuckles and pats her
daughter's head. “Sorry, sorry. Hahaha. I guess I got a little excited when I heard that
you finally found someone to be with. I lost the control over my ability. We have to
organize a big party and choose the wedding dress wisely.”
“Wed... wed... dress!?” Seria stutters.
I raise a hand. “One moment, isn't this developing too fast?” Not that I am against
tying Seria down, but we barely know each other apart from our affection. We are
just beginning to share our secrets. Who knows how this will work out in the end?
A cold, red fire appears in Elona's eyes and I feel myself shrinking just a little bit. “Of
course! How long do you think I've waited for this moment? You, my daughter, are the
most notorious single I've ever met! For you to declare your love for someone, that's
the most important event in aeons!”
Seria raises one finger. “I was married, once or twice.”
“Bah!” Elona slaps Seria's finger away. “You met the poor boy when you were
children. And then you educated him as if he was some sort of servant. I'll give it to
you, you were friends, maybe even best buddies. But that marriage thing you had
going wasn't the real deal. Face it, Seria. If you weren't the goddess of life and death,
you would be the personification of loneliness. Your twisted pranks are just an attempt
to get attention. If you get the chance at something good, then you have to jump into
the pool, even if it means that you risk drowning.”
Seria visibly deflates in front of her mother, but stands her ground. “I am just saying
that you are blowing this out of proportion.”
Elona crosses her arms in front of her chest and smiles at her daughter like only
mothers do. “I am doing nothing of the sort. You don't even need to do anything. Let
me take care of it.” She flicks a finger towards Manti. “Go and tell the others, Seria
isn't getting away without a party. It has been almost a year since she took that stupid
assignment.”
Manti nods and hurries towards the door, an evil grin on her face.
Ah, I suppose that Seria didn't lie when she said that her parents are strange people
with even stranger ideas. Gods, all I want right now is a bath.
“That's all well and fine, but we need to interrogate the prisoner. It has top priority to
find out what's going on. Where is dad? I am sure that he'll put a little more priority on
the problem with the spirits. And we need to return to Newerth and help them against
the spirits. If they fall, it will just mean more trouble for us later on.”
Elona furrows her forehead. “Oh, Shade? I suppose he is in his basement and
building stuff. You know how he is. He has this thing with revenge... and Moonray was
the first one who actually got away after playing a game with him. But I suppose we
could go and look for him. Haven't seen him since last night.”
The queen tilts her head as if she is thinking about something, then she shrugs and
walks towards the king's throne. Once there, she presses a button which looked like
a piece of the armrest's ornament. With a 'click', the throne swings to the side and
reveals a narrow staircase.
How old fashioned. I turn to look at Seria. “Who is Moonray?”
 37. ~King.~

“Chocolate is a typically sweet, usually brown, food preparation of Theobroma

cacao seeds, roasted and ground, often flavoured, as with vanilla. It is made in the
form of a liquid, paste, or in a block, or used as a flavouring ingredient in other
foods. Cacao has been cultivated by many cultures for at least three millennia in
Mesoamerica. The earliest evidence of use traces to the Mokaya (Mexico and
Guatemala), with evidence of chocolate beverages dating back to 1900 BCE.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Seria
I launch into a short explanation of Moonray's betrayal. I already explained to Marcus
that there must be a connection between Moonray and the traitors in Newerth. But I
kind of forgot about explaining in detail why we have a grudge against him.
My mother waits above the narrow staircase and looks down into the darkness, a
slight twitch of disgust pulls the corner of her mouth downwards. She immediately
straightens her face to a neutral expression and gestures for us to follow. “Come.
Let's find your father and introduce Marcus to him.” She chuckles and descends down
the stairs.
Clapping my hands, I jump up and down. “Oh, he really did it! That's so geeky. I had
to suggest the idea with the throne several times until Dad finally agreed.”
I take my 'lover's' hand and squeeze it to reassure him. “Don't worry. If we have my
mother on our side, our chances are more than good.” We follow Elona to the
staircase and take one stair at a time.
Marcus looks down at me with a worried expression on his face. “Why do I have the
feeling that you are winging this introduction thing blindly.”
I purse my lips, pouting. “I am not winging this blindly. Not at all. Didn't I share my
memories with you, so that you can speak our language?” I intentionally used the long
route to teach Marcus all the essentials about Dedessia. Of course, I could have used
the pathways to teleport us directly, but that would have left Marcus in a room with a
lot of people who don't speak his language. This way he had at least a little
preparation.
Marcus snorts. “Yeah. You shared your memories about language. There were no
specific events, so don't use it as leverage on me. Teaching me your language was
the only smart thing to do.”
I sigh and gesture at my mother. “I am very sorry, but I am not used to introducing my
life partners to my parents. The both of them live in their own little world and once an
idea pops into their heads, they start pursuing it no matter what.”
Marcus's eyes flick towards Elona and back to me. “You really want to say that she
didn't mean it as a joke? She is going to marry us? Even though we are barely
starting to know each other?”
Massaging my temples, I concentrate on the stairs. “I fear that she wasn’t joking.
Sometimes I get the idea that even immortals can suffer dementia.”
“I heard that!” Elona calls over her shoulder, but continues to lead the way
nonetheless. “And don't forget! Don't look back, or the thing gets you.”
Marcus stiffens, but continues to walk forward. “The thing? Don't look back?”
I try to make my answer sound as cheerful as possible. “My father likes to secure his
toys. One of his security measures are traps. A lot of them. His most favoured traps
activate when someone turns around on his path. Like this staircase.”
Marcus nods. “I understand, though I don't get why someone would build such a
strange trap.”
I clap my hands together. “Oh, but I think it's perfect! Magical traps with such
behavioural conditions never have to be switched off. Of course a thief could get past
the traps by sheer luck, but which person with dishonest intentions would never check
their rear?”
“I think he is just playing games,” Elona interrupts. “He is just like a big child in that
regard. One that's playing with an anthill, just that he sometimes doesn't get the
difference between ants and people.”
The queen stretches herself as if she is preparing for a fight. “I think I got a little
sloppy. He has been holed up down here for over a day. I wonder what he is building
this time.”
I can't help myself and smile. Watching Dad building stuff is always relaxing.
Especially when I get him to explain what he is doing. “So he is going through one of
his creative phases?”
Elona finishes her stretching exercise and touches a bulb on the wall. We descended
far enough to stop sunlight from reaching the staircase. Elona's touch is enough to
light up the staircase with a relaxing, blue light. “Yes, yes, but he isn't taking care of
his body. If it wasn't for me, he would starve down here without even realizing what he
is doing to himself. I've already thought several times about arming myself with a
torch and a pitchfork to raid this place.”
Marcus furrows his forehead. “Why a torch and a pitchfork?”
My mother shrugs. “The torch to burn the laboratory down and the pitchfork to
immobilize him. Otherwise he would jump into the flames to save his stuff. He is the
kind of guy who needs a good argument to change his ways.”
I wonder how she intends to immobilize Dad by stabbing him.
We reach the end of the staircase and enter Dad's main-laboratory. It's a huge room
with a dome-like shape. The ground is filled with workbenches and tools, while some
constructions are freely floating in the air above the ground. Dad likes to simply attach
a gravity spell to old projects, just to get them out of the way by floating them up to
the ceiling.
In the middle of the room is a huge cloud of shadows, using long tendrils of shadow to
manipulate several tools and items at once. There are also two large eyes floating in
the cloud, focusing their attention at two different projects at the same time.
Elona raises her hand and waves at the cloud. “Darling! We have guests.”
I notice Marcus's Adam's apple working up and down as one of the golden eyes turns
in our direction. “At least I know now where you got your wings and eyes. I guess I
can't sway his heart by telling him that his eyes look beautiful?”
“Don't do that if you want to live another day,” I whisper.
“Butterfly!”
A loud, booming voice echoes through the dome and the cloud of shadows surges
forward and picks me up with two tendrils. I immediately slap at the tentacles. “Stop
that! I am not a child!”
Shade lets me go, but not without complaint. “Stupid. You are always the child of your
parents. That never changes, no matter how old you become.”
Oh, well. Once I tell him why I am here he will have another issue. I gesture at
Marcus. “Dad, this is Marcus, he is my boyfriend, lover, partner in crime. Whatever
you want to call it. I am simply introducing him to you, this isn’t a topic that’s up to
discussion.”
For a moment it looks like Shade's shadow form is completely frozen in time.
Unmoving. Which I thought impossible up until now. His cloud-like and formless shape
is always moving in some way, though I never understood the reason.
Ever so slowly, the second eye comes around and settles on Marcus. Shade only
used one eye to pay attention to us, while the other stayed focused on his projects.
But it seems like we have Dad's full attention now. It's a little disturbing how Shade
uses his spirit-form. Even real shapeshifters aren't capable of such creepy behaviour.
Sometimes I wonder if his mind is still human.
“You dare to touch my Butterfly!?” Shade sweeps in to loom over Marcus, daring him
to say just one wrong word.
Elona pats one of the tentacles. “You should hear their story first, before you violate
the rules of hospitality. Marcus's people need our help. And stop using that ugly
appearance. Return to your normal shape. Now.” The last word comes out as a
growl.
One eye swivels towards Elona and returns to Marcus. I already fear that Dad will
make a scene, but in the end he slowly reverts to his human form. A tall, lean body
with black hair and a completely average face. It doesn't impede his appearance,
since the aura which is surrounding his whole demeanour screams that disobedience
isn't tolerated. “Then it seems that Seria's mission failed. We sent her out to find allies
against the spirits and Moonray. Why should we start saving every small dimension
which can't take care of itself?”
I clear my throat and pinch Marcus to remind him of the plan and the ‘special’ item I
gave him.
He reaches into his dirty clothes and retrieves a bar of vacuum-packed chocolate.
Since I got my hands on the stuff, I am always carrying around one or two bars. Just
in case that I need to depart hastily. Since Marcus is about to introduce himself to my
father, I figured that he needs one or two bonus points to survive the encounter. My
father would never decline chocolate, even from his worst enemies.
Shade’s eyes flicker from Marcus to the bar of chocolate.
“I feel very honoured to make your acquaintance, sir. I’ve heard a lot about your
projects and thought that you might want to talk about various vehicles. I am a
collector of all sorts of transportation devices. And I hope that you allow me to
continue to court your daughter. And I even brought a present since I heard that you
favour the sweet side of life.”
Suddenly Elona’s hands sneak around my neck and she starts to strangle me. “Seria!
You! Do you know how long it took me to get Shade clean of his addiction? There is
zero chocolate in this world and you… you… you walk off and bring that drug right
back into our paradise!?”
Shade snatches the bar of chocolate from Marcus’s hand and lets it disappear in his
sleeve. “I might be willing to hear you out.”
I pry my mother’s hands apart and take a gulp of air. “Thanks! Dad!”
Shade smiles at me with a tired expression. “Of course, Butterfly. I hope that you can
show me where we have to help.”
Marcus purses his lips. “I wanted to ask this since a while now. How did Seria get the
nickname 'Butterfly'?””
Shade furrows his forehead. “Oh, that was my idea. You see. When she shifted for
the first time to her spirit form, her wings had exactly the shape of a beautiful
butterfly. Hence the nickname. Do you want to see photos?”
Marcus starts grinning. “Of course! It might give me an idea of how our children will
look like.”
With a move, so fast that it’s almost invisible to the eye, Shade kicks Marcus’s
kneecap and sends him to the ground, gasping. “Don’t overdo it, Boy. You aren’t in my
good graces yet. I would never sell my daughter for a single bar of chocolate.”
Marcus does the sensible thing and tries to negotiate. “H… how many?”
Shade pulls down the corners of his mouth. “At least a factory and a firm foothold in
your realm. I’ll need supplies.”
Elona drops me and sighs. “It’s always the same with you. But enough fooling around.
There are very important things to talk about.”
Shade scratches his chest and tilts his head. “Yes, actually I already listened to the
discussion you had in the throne room. But I still had to test the determination of this
fellow.” He pokes Marcus with the tip of his shoe. “I suggest that you go and get
yourself cleaned up. I’ll prepare your captive for interrogation and then we can have a
nice little chat in the morning.”
 38. ~Sneak attack.~

“A wedding ring or wedding band is a finger ring, often made of metal, indicating
that its wearer is married. Depending on the culture, the ring is typically worn on
the base of the left or the right ring finger.
The earliest examples of wedding rings were found in ancient Egypt. The Western
traditions of wedding rings can be traced back to ancient Rome and Greece and
adopted by Christendom in Europe in the Middle Ages.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Marcus
“I hope you didn't do anything inappropriate to our sister. Otherwise we would have a
problem with each other.” The lean man in front of me smiles and uses his knuckles to
create a horrifying sound. I wince and try to ignore it. Dismissing the guy in front of
me, I let my eyes wander to the second assailant. Both have dark hair and are
definitely related to the queen and the king.
Seria already warned me of her brothers and their misguided over-protectiveness.
She also informed me of how to deal with the problem, should it arise. Unfortunately,
her solution will only create more trouble for me.
After yesterday's meeting we retreated to get cleaned up and have a good night's
sleep... in separate rooms.
I get the feeling that the multiverse has something against me being with Seria. From
the second she confessed to me, everything went downhill and I didn't get a single
opportunity to make out with her. After her mother's speech I thought that there would
be no problem with me being with her. But apparently that wasn't the case. Why else
would they put us in separate rooms? Well, at least I got a good night's sleep and
something to eat. It's not like I didn't need it.
I draw in a long, deep breath and slowly let it out.
“Hey! Are you listening to us?” The goon directly in front of me finally realizes that I
am not listening to him and his antics. Not at all.
“I am sorry. Erez and Mishra? Your big sister told me everything about you two. Be
assured, I hold your sister in the highest regards. There is no need to protect her
from me,” I try to plaster my best smile to my face, but for some reason it doesn't
work out that well. Both of Seria's two brothers don't look convinced.
“I get the feeling that you aren't taking us seriously!” Erez, the younger brother and
ringleader of this operation almost spits in my face while screaming at me. I hate it
when people don’t keep their distance during a conversation. His cheeks took a nice,
red shade. This guy should really take some anger management courses.
Keeping my expression neutral, I try to defuse the situation. “I am really, really sorry.
The past three days did a number on me, so I am not at my best. Why don't you
solve this issue with your sister? I am sure that Seria will be happy to clear up any
misunderstandings you might have had about me.”
The the brothers share a silent moment, looking at each other. The action in itself is
so cliché that I have the sudden wish to puke. Seria was completely right when she
told me that it doesn't matter at all what I tell them. They will try to test my strength
nonetheless.
It feels like beating up kids. Even though Mishra is the older one, he's still a teenager
who is just approaching his twenties. And Erez is even worse. How old is he?
Sixteen... maybe seventeen at most? How could these brats grow up to be so snarly
and self-centred?
They even waited for me out here in the hallway, as if they couldn’t collect the
courage to knock on my room’s door. At least their strange plan allowed the servants
to bring me something to eat. Yes, this definitely feels like being attacked by a pair of
half-assed muggers.
But Seria made it clear that she has a long history of establishing a pecking order
when it comes to her siblings, and that anyone who wants to get in on the fun, should
be prepared for a little drama.
I sigh again, something that I've been doing a lot since the two of them stopped me in
front of my room. “Why don’t we get it done, so that I can be on my way. Seria
already told me about you two. I tried my best to be friendly nonetheless, so don’t
say that I didn’t give you two a chance.”
They exchange another glance and Mishra raises an eyebrow. “What did big Sis say
about us?”
“That you are two snotty, little brats who need a good beating to learn their place.
And that I shouldn’t back off, just because you are her brothers.”
“You!” Erez raises his hand, but I am faster. While he tries to go for an exaggerated
strike, I simply knee him in the belly and catch his head between my hands. One
moment later, a hollow ‘thud’ echoes down the hallway.
Then Erez slowly sinks to his knees and lolls against the door to my room,
unconscious. The wooden door has a little dent. That’s all the damage I caused by
slamming his head into the door.
I wonder why it sounded so hollow? Was it the door? Or is his head as empty as it
seems to be?
“Erez!” Mishra jumps forward and exchanges a short series of blows with me,
releasing his aura. But it’s clearly not as strong as mine. Yet. I suppose that Mishra
could get much stronger with a few more years under his belt.
Releasing my own aura, I catch his hand and twist. For a moment he resists me.
Then I overpower him and sneak an arm around his neck. He tries to pry my hands
away, but I have a good headlock on him. We wriggle against each other as I try to
choke him to unconsciousness.
It's when his face turned a nice shade of blue, that someone taps onto my shoulder. I
am so surprised that I turn around, forcing Mishra to follow the movement.
Elona crosses her arms in front of her chest and raises an eyebrow. Her eyes wander
from Mishra to Erez, who is still sunken against the door of my room, a small trail of
blood marking the path which his forehead took. “I see that you are already getting
acquainted with the rest of the family. I wondered what the ruckus was about, so I
came to investigate.”
I drop Mishra and straighten myself. “I am sorry, but...” How exactly do I explain this?
Elona waves her hand smiles. “Don’t worry. They deserve to be reprimanded. I’ll
never understand how the two of them ended up like this. I think it hurts their egos
that their big sister is and always will be the stronger one.” She gestures with her
hand to follow her, not sparing a second glance for her two sons.
I look down at Mishra who is on his back and gasping for air. All of a sudden I feel
sorry for the two of them. No wonder that they turned out like this. I suppose that
Seria and Elona are shattering their self confidence on a daily basis. “Sorry,” I voice
soundlessly at Mishra and for some reason he nods.
Upon catching up to Elona, I try to redeem myself. “I am really sorry. I know that I
shouldn’t have let it go out of hand like that, since I am obviously the stronger one.”
She makes a dismissive gesture. “Don’t worry. Seria likes you, so you would have had
to give them a beating sooner or later. The two of them are too much like gang-
members in that aspect. Besides, I have something for you.” Elona holds out a hand
with two items on it.
A ring and an amulet. I furrow my forehead in confusion and take them from her.
She smiles and urges me to put them on. “Go on. I am sure that you will like them. It’s
something that all members of the family have.” She raises her hand and shows me
her own ring and the amulet on her neck.
Without a real reason to refuse, I follow the order. Seria gave me a very detailed
report of what to look out for when dealing with her family. She didn’t mention anything
about a ring or an amulet.
Elona’s expression turns from friendly, to smug and satisfied when I put on the ring.
“Aaaaah!”
A scream from the end of the hallway draws my attention and I turn to find Seria
standing there, pointing an accusing finger at her mother.
 39. ~Much to do.~

“The mythology of spirit doubles can be traced back thousands of years and was
present in many cultures of the past, holding a prominent place in ancient legends,
stories, artworks, and in books by various authors. Perhaps the most well-known
reference to spirit doubles or ‘alter egos’ is the doppelgänger, a word still used
today to refer to a person that is physically or behaviourally similar to another
person. Doppelgänger is a German word meaning “double goer”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Seria
I feel the soul-link snapping into place and for a moment the world tilts a little. Fighting
the strange feeling by pure force of will, I stay on my feet and use the wall to steady
myself. Then I stomp down the hallway, glaring at my mother, silently cursing her for
her tricks and for meddling in my affairs. Who told her to interfere in my relationship
with Marcus?
Upon reaching my lover, I grab his hand and try to pull the ring from his finger. No
luck. The little piece of metal is stuck there, just like my own.
When I woke up this morning, I didn't realize that someone had been in my room while
I slept. The slightly shifted curtains should have alerted me that someone sneaked
into the room, but I simply wasn't paying attention.
Maybe it was the wound, or the curse, though that doesn't matter any more. I slept
the sleep of the dead, not waking up, even when my mother slipped the ring onto my
finger.
When I woke up, I staggered into the bathroom, still half asleep. When I stood in front
of the mirror and brushed my teeth, I noticed the shining piece of metal for the first
time.
Of course I immediately recognized it and hurried to warn Marcus. Obviously I was
too late.
“Is something wrong, Seria? Your mother said that all members of the family are
wearing something like this,” Marcus asks. There is doubt in his voice and he is
definitely smelling that something is fishy about what just happened.
I scowl. “Yes. Literally! That's definitely the case. Didn't I tell you to be extremely
careful with my parents?”
Elona clasps her hands in front of her chest and smiles at us, a single tear running
down her cheek. “Finally! I never would have thought that I would be able to witness
the moment when my daughter finally finds her significant other.”
I glare at her. “How could you put something like this on me? Without even asking!
Didn't you learn by experience how dangerous soul magic is when it comes to bonds
like this!” I raise Marcus's hand and point at the simple, golden ring. Then I shove my
own matching piece at her face.
She puffs up her cheeks, but it's more an expression of annoyance than guilt. “The
two of you are looking so good together. And you said yourself that you like him.
That's enough for me. Years and years of watching you meddling with others, just
because you have nobody to entertain you. Now that problem is solved, even if he
dies.” She smiles.
Marcus freezes. As do I. Together, we stare at my mother. At first I thought that this
ring is just a regular wedding bond, just like the one my Mom and Dad have. But this
seems to be much, much worse.
“What have you done?” Marcus asks with a weary voice.
Elona shrugs. “I asked Shade to forge a special item for the two of you. It's the first
time in millennia that Seria brought home a guy and admitted that she loves him. I
think that only happened one other time... back then you got cosy with the son of our
enemy. But ever since then you never were really in love with anyone. Isn’t it lucky
that you two ran into each other again? After such a long time?
“I just thought that it would be awful if Seria would lose the only person who works
with her type. So while Marcus and you wear that ring, he will slowly be forged into
our soulbond. Just a little at a time. It won't be a traumatic experience like it
happened with the three of us. Aren't you glad that you finally aren't the eternal third
wheel any more? Happy marriage!”
I feel my face reddening and anger bubbling up inside me. This meddlesome, self-
righteous, egocentric-
But Marcus doesn't give me a chance to lash out at my mother. Instead, he smiles as
if this is the best present he ever got. He bends down, hugs me at my waist and lifts
me into the air. “That means that we will be together! And to think that it was you all
along!”
Holding onto his shoulders, I try to steady myself. “What do you mean, it was me?”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth I finally realize what my mother just said.
“I haven't thought about her for an eternity! But the name! You are actually her, aren't
you? We've already met in another life!” He whirls me around like on a carousel and I
let myself melt into his arms.
The multiverse is really starting to annoy me. How can I be angry at my mother when
it's actually fate that I should be cursing at. “You are Nathan?” Thinking back, I
remember that one life when I actually pro-actively pursued a relationship! When I hit
it off with a boy who turned out to be the son of my father's arch-enemy.
“And you are Sariel! We weren't gods back then, but I still should have remembered!
To find you again! That was the best lifetime I remember!” He crushes me against him
as if I am some long lost pet.
My mother wrinkles her nose in disbelief. “You mean that the two of you found out just
now!? I thought you already know that you already met. It’s so obvious. How long did
you dabble around each other without realizing?”
“You knew!?” Both of us ask in unison.
She nods. “Of course. It took me a while to put everything together. The way you
move and look at each other. I thought about it yesterday while we were on the
staircase. All the way down to Shade's laboratory. And once we were there, I asked
him via mind-link if he recognized your soul. Why do you two think that he agreed so
readily to your relationship? Anyone else would have been at least taken apart and
reassembled to find out if he poses any threat.”
I sigh and touch my forehead to distract myself from the developing, throbbing pain. “I
think I am getting a migraine. A big and ugly one!”
Elona shakes her head. “You can't. We still have to visit Shade in his torture-chamber.
He interrogated your prisoner all night long and this morning he was really excited
about something. It must be big news because he didn't even eat the whole chocolate
bar up until now. He is just nibbling at it, one lick at a time.”
I frown, wondering myself what could be interesting enough to stop Dad from
devouring all the chocolate in one, big bite. “Zhon didn't strike me as someone who is
in on big secrets. Of course, he must know some interesting things since he was
obviously plotting against Newerth. Though is that interesting enough to hold Dad's
attention? Is he really that obsessed about finding Moonray?”
Mother shakes her head and gestures for us to step closer. “There is no point in
speculations if we can find out. Come closer. I'll teleport us right there.”
Marcus puts me on the ground and we step closer. Elona's skirt starts moving as she
transforms it back to her wings. Then she encloses all of us and one moment later the
scenery changes, without so much as a hitch. Elona transforms her wings back into a
seamless skirt.
“That's a really neat teleportation spell. I didn't feel that spacetime was affected at all.
Would you care to let us in on the secret?” Marcus asks with an impressed tone.
Elona looks at him for a moment, as if judging on whether she should share the skill.
Then she shrugs. “Whatever, it's not like the two of you could replicate it even if you
know the technique. I used my wings to spin a thin bubble of mana around us. Then I
applied the same process which I use to flash step in rapid succession to all three of
us, moving us down the hallway, down the stairs, and so forth. Until we arrived here.”
She gestures at the room.
I feel my own eyes widening in surprise. I’ve never thought about chaining several
flash steps together to overcome the limitations of the technique, much less taking
two people with me while doing so. Oh, yes. I can carry someone and flash step with
him. But that’s a rough endeavour.
Marcus whistles. “I really have to learn this skill. Especially because Seria is always
using it to run away. But I guess that we should first deal with our original goal.”
 40. ~Results.~

“The mirror universe is a parallel universe where the patterns of events move in
similar manners to that of the primary universe, but the intentions and
characterizations are different, often showing "evil" characteristics in place of
"good" and vice versa. The mirror universe shares a similar history to that of the
primary universe and many of the same people exist in this reality, but they and
the galaxy they live in are skewed versions of their "normal" counterparts.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Marcus
Elona took us to a mostly white room. There is a chair in the centre, with Zhon
chained to it. The former advisor doesn’t look as bad as I expected. There is just one,
ugly wound on his forehead. Otherwise he looks to be in a better shape than before.
Someone must have healed him to keep him alive. Shade is looming over the traitor, a
scissor in his left hand and a voice recorder in the other. He even went through the
trouble to put on a doctor's attire.
The white robe is sprinkled with blood, which makes clear who exactly is responsible
for the ugly wound on Zhon’s forehead. The entire setup is good reason to associate
the king of Dedessia with a mad scientist who is just about to start a new experiment.
A human one.
“Oh, I thought you were already done?” Elona points at the prisoner who is strapped
down so tightly that he can't even move his head. Shade used ducked tape to strap
down Zhon's forehead and chest. The arms and legs are held by strong crystal
handcuffs.
Shade scratches the stubbles of his unshaven face with the scissors, regarding Zhon
as if he is a very unusual specimen. “Yes, I didn't have much reason to hurt him.
Sadly. He was very cooperative from the moment I woke him up by removing Seria's
rune.” The king gestures at the bloody, fleshy mess which is left of Zhon's forehead.
Just like Seria said, the king didn't have any qualms about partly skinning the guy. I
can't help but wince. Such a wound must hurt like hell. The bone is visible where
Shade cut a little deeper than necessary.
“I would never defy the great one, never! Believe me! I didn't know that they were
working for the great one...” Zhon starts babbling nonsense, but shuts up when Shade
puts a finger on his lips, silencing the man with a simple gesture.
Then the king turns to face us. “I've taken my time, listening to Zhon's story. How he
was trained in his realm as an agent, how he went to Newerth in order to prepare the
realm for the taking. He spent years as an undercover agent to worm his way into the
realm's government. The ones who he is working for are very patient people and plan
their invasions over the course of generations.
“First, they invade a realm with their spirits, using them to soften their enemies up.
When the natives think that the spirits are nothing more than animals, or a force of
nature, the agents are sent in. They undermine the government and ensure that all the
military force of a realm is concentrated in one place. Then they go in with their main
battle force and wipe out the army, together with assassination attacks to take down
the government.”
“Once that’s done, they use the power vacuum to establish a bridgehead and continue
from there.” Shade tilts his head as if he is regarding a spot on the ceiling. “It's
actually surprising that their strategy works so well. According to Zhon, the spirits
have already taken several dimensions. Or at least established secured bridgeheads.”
After a short silence, Shade shrugs. “Whatever. That's all besides the point. What's
really interesting is that Zhon thinks that he knows me. And he is so sure of it that he
even calls me master. Apparently this so called spirit realm isn't just another
dimension of the multiverse, but a whole new multiverse which is running parallel to
ours.”
The king's expression brightens and he grins at all of us. “And apparently there is a
copy of myself there, who is the leader and has taken over everything. He is ruling
with an iron fist of terror by using the spirits as his personal army of mindless drones.
His subjects have to call him the great one and since his multiverse seems to have
links to ours, he is now trying to take over this multiverse too!”
I wet my lips and try to wrap my mind around this outrageous story. “That somehow
doesn't fit together with what I know about dimensional physics. Of course I know the
concept of parallel universes, where the same person can exist in each of them, but
makes different decisions. I thought the multiverse itself has proven that each person
exists only once, since there is only one soul. Parallel universes are just a fiction.”
Shade lifts a finger. “Yes! That's all true according to everything we knew up until now.
But we can't close our eyes in front of the facts! This multiverse is vastly different
from the previous one. There were no mana storms, no endless, strange planes
without planets. Those are all new and unexplained phenomena. Why should a new
multiverse work so differently from the old one? Why did the old one end in the first
place? It bugged me all along, but this is the explanation.
“So far I've thought that the mana storms are caused by the convergence of two
dimensions inside our own multiverse. But why should that be? It would mean that our
own multiverse is unstable. If that's the case, then why does it exist in the first place?
A second multiverse would explain everything! The mana storms are caused by
another multiverse which is currently colliding with ours. And that also allows for our
souls to exist twice. The two multiverses are currently trying to wipe each other out,
which results in the storms. They are areas in which they are colliding. I was wrong
when I thought that two dimensions of our own multiverse are intersecting. The math
never added up when I tried to prove it mathematically. But a second multiverse would
solve the problems quite nicely.” Shade spreads his hands in a grand gesture. “Of
course we still have to prove it by comparing the same soul from each of the two
multiverses.... hmm... that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean.”
Elona points at Zhon. “But does that mean that he is from a mirror multiverse? One
where we are evil!?”
“Shouldn't you two be good persons in a mirror universe?” I mutter, realizing too late
that I spoke out loud. Luckily the two of them don't pay attention to me. Seria cuffs
me in my side nonetheless to shut me up.
Shade shakes his head. “A mirror universe would mean that everything is reversed,
but that's not the case here. In this case it's simply a universe in which our alter egos
took slightly different decisions. Though I don't understand how the other me
managed to utilize the spirits as weapons. And even less how Moonray got to work
for him. There is still the point about that slaver. Or could he be another mirror
person? No, that would be too much of a coincidence.”
Elona shakes her head. “I can't understand how you can be so happy about an evil
twin!”
“Isn't it obvious!? I've fought so many opponents and in the end each and every one of
them fell in front of me. It's the first time that I get to fight myself! I wonder how he is
like... and why he is trying to take over his multiverse. It seems like a lot of
unnecessary effort to me. Maybe he even is a genuinely good guy who is simply
misunderstood? Like in that story with the king who wages war to establish eternal
peace,” Shade answers.
Seria raises her hand. “I might have an idea why their multiverse is so different from
ours.” Then she addresses Zhon, “Does the great one have her as a wife? Or me as
a daughter?” She points first at Elona, then at herself.
Zhon's eyes widen in shock. “The great one rules by himself. There is no need for
lesser beings! His rule is eternal!”
Seria nods slowly and the corners of her mouth curl upwards. “I always wanted to
know how my existence would have played out if it weren’t for that damned accident
between Mom and Dad!”
 41. ~One more time.~

“An addict is a person who is in the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice,
or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Seria
“But there is one thing I don’t understand. How did Zhon recognize you as his boss? It
strikes me as highly unlikely that you look exactly the same in both multiverses.” I
continue my train of thought and gesture at the prisoner.
Shade nods. “I also found it strange, but apparently Zhon has recognized my aura.
His version of me has some strange cult going on. They aren’t even allowed to see his
face.”
“That makes the whole issue a little more untrustworthy. What if he simply mistook
you for someone who feels similar?” Elona asks.
I understand that my mother has a problem with believing this story. There is just one
witness and I don’t think that Zhon is trustworthy. He is a spirit, a being who had his
soul mashed together from several different donors. That makes him insane by
definition. Who knows, maybe he is able to lie even to himself by some strange quirk
of his insanity. There would be no way to detect that.
“Of course. We shouldn’t put too much weight on his words. But I checked his
memories and the aura he felt when he was in his master’s presence, it really felt
awfully similar to mine. Unless I don’t have a doppelgänger, his master really must be
another me,” Shade explains.
Okay. If Shade checked Zhon’s memories, then that at least means that Zhon himself
believes that he is telling the truth. I have a feeling that we are on the right trail, but
we are only scratching the surface of the truth. There is a lot more to uncover, and
learning the location of Zhon’s realm should be the first point on our to-do list. I tilt my
head and focus my attention on Zhon. “We need the location of their base. As far as I
am concerned, the spirits have far too many advantages at this point. They know how
to attack us, but we can’t strike back at them. This has to stop.”
We can’t fight a war if we don’t even know the enemy’s location.
Shade smiles and pats Zhon’s shoulder. “Yes, but my friend here has no idea how to
open a portal. He always just used the portal stones which were provided by his
superiors. They are charms which are able to open a portal for a few seconds. Just
enough for a handful of people to get through before the portal collapses.”
Marcus shakes his head. “I don’t understand why you are so happy about this.
Doesn’t that mean that we can’t get our hands on them? We are stuck in this realm, if
I understand the issue with the pathways correctly. And while we are sitting here, they
cause havoc in my own realm.”
My father smiles at us. “Ah, yes. I’ll try to find a way to send you back sooner. Once
you are there, you have to try to get your hands on one of their portal stones. Like the
one Zhon used to abduct Marcus. It doesn’t matter if the stone is already used up. All
I need is the magical formation which targets the portal towards another dimension.
The residual energy should be enough to get the coordinates, so to speak.”
I shift on my feet. “Can’t we use the mana storm? I have a feeling that time is of the
essence. And do you remember about Adea? I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
Elona crosses her arms in front of her chest and smiles. “Oh, yeah. That one. I am
looking forward to meeting Jazira again. She still owes me ten silver coins for that one
night in the bar when she left without paying.”
Shade raises an eyebrow. “Even I am not that pitiful to collect a debt which is a few
lifetimes old. And regarding the storm… we sent you through the storm when it was in
an active state. Right now our side of the storm is fairly inactive, which means that the
two dimensions are fairly far away from each other. It would be a big risk to use that
method right now. But don’t worry. You used the pathways to get here. If I try some
configurations with the seed, I might be able to open a pathway ahead of time. You’ve
proven that it is possible.”
Elona’s smile turns into a wide grin which shows her perfect teeth. “Oh, but it isn’t a
small debt. How much do you think she owes me with interest? I intend to collect on
that.”
“She is just a child right now,” I mutter.
“Whatever.” Shade sighs and points his scissors at Zhon. “Do we still have a need for
that one? I’ve recorded all of his memories into a mana crystal, so his only use would
be as a hostage.”
For a moment nobody answers. My father shrugs his shoulders and the scissors flash
forward, opening Zhon’s throat from ear to ear. A wide arch of blood drops sprays
onto the white wall and Zhon’s eyes widen in shock. He tries to speak, but that’s kind
of hard when someone opened your neck like that. His eyes turn glassy and his head
lolls to the side, blood still pumping from the wound.
I notice that Marcus swallows, as if he is about to say something. But in the end he
decides to stomach the situation without saying a word. It seems like he remembers
enough of his life as Nathan to know that being squeamish in front of my father isn’t a
good idea.
“Now. That’s a mess. Why did you execute him like that? Normally, you torture them
for days, just for the fun of it,” Elona says with raised eyebrows.
Shade cleans the scissors on Zhon’s clothes, taking extra care not to dirty himself.
“He is a spirit. There is no point in torturing him since he has no afterlife. Once he
dies, the different quantum waves which make up his soul simply dissolve in an
attempt to return to their natural order. Souls can be influenced and changed, but they
always return to a natural state. It’s like scribbling something into the beach. If you
scratch deep enough, the marks might remain for a tide or two, but in the end the
beach will return to normal.”
He sighs and shrugs. “If you leave me alone for now, I’ll try to find a way to get Seria
and Marcus back to his realm. Just give me a little time.”
I excuse myself and retreat with Marcus while Elona stays behind to speak about
something with Shade. After guiding him out of Shade’s laboratory, we end up back in
the throne room and I realize that he is watching me intensely. “What?”
He crosses his arms in front of his chest and raises his hand, showing me the ring.
“It’s been a while since we had a chance to talk. Don’t you think that there is a lot of
explaining to do?”
I wet my lips and look at my own ring. “That’s a wedding bond. Once we are attuned
to each other, we might even be able to share thoughts.”
He sighs. “That’s not what I meant. I know what a wedding bond is. My parents have
one too. What I am concerned about is the fact that we still weren’t able to confirm
something that you told me before all of this started.” He spreads his hands,
seemingly enclosing the whole city.
“Oh…” I think I know what he means. “I could take you on a little tour.” A thought
flashes through my mind and I imagine myself naked under him. “After some catching
up.”
He stills. Apparently he caught my thoughts over the telepathic link. “Was that your
imagination right now?”
I take his hand and guide him to one of the empty reception rooms which are located
right next to the throne room. The guards don’t cause any trouble this time since
Marcus was cleared by the head of security.
Once we are there, I lock the door and turn around to face him. The room is empty,
except for a table and a few chairs. “I already told you that I love you. But I guess
that men need physical proof.” I smile.
He smiles and slides his arms around me, kissing my neck. “It isn’t about that. But I
would be horrified to find out that your little confession changed our relationship in a
bad way.”
I sigh in contempt and let my hands slide to his trousers, working hard to free him.
There is a burning, itching feeling between my legs which stayed unsatisfied for far
too long.
He growls and reaches for my skirt, pushing it up. “We’ve no bed,” he complains.
Then he discovers something else. “No panties?”
“Damn, I was caught.” I giggle and pull him to the floor, wrapping my legs around him.
Marcus explores me with his fingers and quickly finds out that there is no need for
foreplay.
“You really are a succubus.”
“Only half!” I pull him closer and seek his lips, pulling him into me. Seconds later we
are gasping and rocking against each other as if there is no tomorrow. We didn’t even
take the time to remove our clothes.
When his movements get urgent, he sends me over the edge and I feel my entire
body shuddering with desire, which causes his release in turn.
Finally, we lay there in a dishevelled mess. I gasp. “That was good. Even if it was a
little fast.” Then I realize that Marcus didn’t deflate.
He growls and raises my leg to flip me onto my side. “I don’t think that I want to stop
already.” Forcing my hips against him, he thrusts and I shudder.
Then my eyes fall onto the amulet around his neck. I didn’t notice it before, but now
that I look at it from close up… it’s strangely familiar. I point at the piece of jewellery,
wondering where it came from. “W- W- wait! That, ah!”
He grabs my hand and forces me down, not even stopping the rhythm. Then he
whispers into my ear. “I feel like I could go on forever!”
Mom! Curse you and all of your descendants! No, wait. That that would be me too.
Forget it, I have to take the amulet away from him. Another thrust sends a shiver up
my spine and Marcus nibbles on my ear while he slips a hand under my shirt to
massage me.
Well, maybe I should wait a little until I take away the amulet? Just a few minutes? Or
hours?
 42. ~Sightseeing.~

“Several versions of the Nachtkrapp exist. In most legends, the Nachtkrapp is

described as a giant, nocturnal, raven-like bird. In Norse mythology, the
Nachtkrapp (Swedish, "Nattravnen") is depicted with no eyes which if looked into
cause death. It is also depicted with holes in its wings which cause illness and
disease if looked at.
Some of the most common legends claim that the Nachtkrapp leaves its hiding
place at night to hunt. If it is seen by little children, it will abduct them into its
nest and messily devour them, first ripping off their limbs and then picking out
their heart.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Marcus
The tour through the city is really nice, awesome, awe inspiring! The huge crystalline
structures and the delicate artwork are definitely worth looking at. It seems like some
citizens have nothing better to do than to decorate every building with delicate
patterns and statues.
But I definitely want the amulet back. My eyes wander involuntarily to the piece of
jewellery which is dangling between Seria's... points of interest.
Yesterday evening I had the best bed-sport I ever had in... ever? Shade really had a
moment of inspiration when he created that thing. No exhaustion, no pain in the back,
and the best is that I could literally go on forever. Sadly Seria took it away before I
could go through all the various positions.
“Are you listening to me?” Seria drops her hand. She just pointed at one of the
outrageous skyscrapers which grow directly from the crystal base structure. She was
telling me something supposedly very important about its design.
The people of Dedessia are living on a crazy structure of interconnected crystal discs.
Some of them merge with each other, while others are just loosely connected to the
main structure.
When I got to see the whole apparition for the first time, it looked like the design of a
madman. But in fact, there is no designer. The people can add and remove living
space as they wish. Over time, that resulted in a ridiculous structure. But there is a
certain level of organisation to the madness.
The main disc is primarily used as living and work space. The living areas are located
more towards the centre, while offices and other organisational enterprises are
located at the outer areas.
Industrial facilities and greeneries were banished to off shore discs which can be
abandoned any time. I suppose that makes sense, since some of the crystal
technologies can result in really fantastic explosions.
Returning to the matter at hand, I force my eyes away from the amulet and smile. “Of
course, Dear. I was just a little overwhelmed. I suppose we could call it culture
shock?”
I am not lying. The people of this place are really going all out in showing off their
spirit forms. There are all kinds of shapes and colours. From the standard demon to
beast forms and other even more fantastic spirit forms. I should have known when
Seria decided to take me out on a tour, but seeing it in person is different.
It’s simply something that I would’ve never imagined in the realm I grew up in. Will our
people become like this once taking on spirit form isn’t dangerous any more? I am
sure that the chemicals or the energy which are responsible for a safe transformation
can be isolated. It should be fairly easy now that we know what to look for.
My thoughts drift back to the little intermezzo we had just a few minutes earlier. The
foxgirl who was trying to take up with me was particularly interesting. Not that I would
ever get the idea to cheat on Seria. It wasn't necessary for her to intimidate the poor
woman to the point where she was crying. She didn't know that I already had
company since Seria was off to buy some snacks... or what passes as a snack in her
realm.
And I had no idea that Seria was that well known and feared as the crown princess.
I had a little doubt when I heard that Shade and Elona are recreating the pathways. A
realm with almost no natural resources would have great interest in the materials of
other realms. But I suppose that the Dedessians will be more interested in raiding the
food-markets of other dimensions than in conquering them.
Food is the least of our problems.
Seria closes a hand around the amulet and squints her eyes at me. “I don't believe
you. If it weren't for the amulet, I would have thought that you were ogling my chest!”
I can't help but smile. “And I am not allowed to? Ogling my woman’s chest should be
the most natural one of my rights.”
“You are allowed to. But the amulet is off limits until I have my own!” She links arms
with me and guides me through the small park we are currently in.
I’ve to admit that the people of Dedessia are making the best out of what they have.
After a moment I frown as a thought worms its way through my mind. “Are you really
sure that you need an amulet too? What if neither of us can stop once we start doing
it?”
“I guess that remains to be seen. Don’t waste your precious thoughts over it. My
father is occupied with opening a pathway. He has no time to make another amulet.”
Then she leans against me. “Are you even sure that your people will have nothing
against us? There could be diplomatic issues.”
I snort. “If my parents had something against you and me being together, then they
would have said so from the start. Now it turns out that you are a princess in your
own right. Or at least you belong to the leading family of a big and strong faction of
immortals.”
She shakes her head. “I didn’t mean that. I thought more about the new you. You
seem to be pretty comfortable in your new spirit form. At least I didn’t hear you
complain and you stayed in spirit form for the entire time you were here.”
I frown and try to imagine how my parents would react if I burst into their living
quarters, looking as I do now. Total failure! We’ve to change back before we return.
“Well… at least they heard your little speech before we were forced on our trip down
the rabbit hole. I suppose that’s worth at least something. And maybe they are even
trying to put the theory to the test. It would be easy enough. If it brings back the
people who went over the edge, then they will surely spread the knowledge.” I shrug.
“Who knows. Maybe it can even save my brother.”
Seria looks up and glares at me. “I am sorry to say this, but I think that your brother
is beyond redemption. At least in my book.”
I sigh, remembering his words and actions. “Maybe you are right. Judging from his
words, he seemed to enjoy following his instincts. It’s doubtful that he would return to
being a respectable person over night.”
I look at the huge crystal towers which are the most remarkable feature about
Dedessian architecture. “I just hope that your father finds a way.”
 43. ~Experiment.~

“Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in
Japanese mythology.
His name is derived from the Japanese words rai ("thunder") and "god" or "kami"
(shin). He is typically depicted as a demon-looking spirit beating drums to create
thunder, usually with the symbol tomoe drawn on the drums.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia
Seria
“Oh, this is so exciting! Just think about it. You were just married and now you go on a
honeymoon to a distant realm.” Elona claps her hands together and smiles at us as if
it is the most natural thing to do. “Make sure to send us a message. Shade said that
the pathways should be strong enough for communication after he sends you two
back.”
“Ah... yeah,” Marcus answers. It's clear that the whole situation feels awkward to
him. Then he bends down and whispers into my ear. “Why is she acting as if we
already had a big party and a ceremony?”
I roll my eyes. “It's the rings. In Dedessian culture two people are legally married
once they place a wedding bond on themselves. There is no party or ceremony
involved. It's a remnant of the old days when resources were so sparse that people
had to account for every bit. Parties are only held in times of abundance.”
“So in other words: Never!” Shade comments from the sideline, surprising Marcus. My
lover looks up and inspects Shade with raised eyebrows.
Dad shrugs and points at his ears. “It comes with being a shade. I can hear you
whispering from across the room as if you were screaming at me.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that,” Marcus answers.
Shade looks down at a sheet of paper with a lot of arcane calculations on it. Then he
makes a few last adjustments with his instruments. “We really didn’t have a party,
even though times are better now. I would feel bad to send my daughter off without a
proper party! Why haven't we organized a party, Sugar? Even though the two of us
had one.” He turns to Elona.
The queen dismisses the question with a wave of her hand. “The only reason why we
had a party was because our clans merged and we had to show everyone that we
stand united from then on. It wasn't so much a wedding party, as a public event to
make a statement.”
The king tilts his head in deep contemplation. “I suppose that makes sense. We
should try to have a little feast nonetheless, once Marcus and Seria saves the
chocolate realm. That has priority right now.”
Marcus almost doubles over. “Chocolate realm!?”
“It's the only noteworthy aspect about your realm... now... stand still. I've to adjust the
machinery. You don't want to arrive in pieces, do you?” Shade returns his attention to
the console in front of him. “I wonder what would happen if I crank up the power even
more… I might just do that when I don’t transport immediate family.”
I reach for my temple. “I feel the headache returning. Why can't we just wait until the
mana storm enters an active phase? This apparatus gives off a bad vibe.” I let my
eyes wander through Shade’s laboratory.The walls are in white and the machinery in
grey. That’s surely the work of my mother. She has certain expectations of what a
laboratory should look like. Totally unlike my father, who is fine with working in a cellar
if the conditions don’t harm the equipment.
Marcus and I got to spend another night with each other since we got tricked by
Mother. Of course we used it to shamelessly explore the functions of our wedding
rings. It's interesting to share feelings while we are doing it. I think that it wasn’t
enough. Not by far. But for some reason we were chosen to save the day. Well,
maybe we will just grab Adea and make a run for it. It depends on what waits on the
other side. Things were in chaos when we left.
But right now I feel more like a labrat.
Both of us are standing on a white platform with Shade and his instruments in front of
us. Elona is supervising the 'experiment' from behind him. They even called it an
experiment! No joke!
Though that isn't the disturbing thing about our situation. There are eight large, metal
spikes pointing directly at us. They protrude from the walls and form a crude half
sphere around us.
The setup reminds me too much of a Tesla machine… with us at the receiving end.
My father said that this apparition is needed to inject enough mana into the network.
The intention is to overload a small part of the network with energy. I did basically the
same when I forced the pathways open while Marcus and I were between the
dimensions. Once the pathways are saturated, they should start to disperse the
collected energy through the network to let it grow. We should be able to use the
resulting energy wave to ride the pathways to our destination.
Or so goes the theory at least. These spikes look more threatening than anything
else. And I don't like having several zetawatt of power pointed directly at me.
“Here it goes. Make sure to stash me some chocolate. The next one who visits you is
me. It should be just a few days until I've charged the pathways enough to open them
permanently.” Shade winks at us and grins.
I hug Marcus from the side and prepare myself to grab and hold onto one of the
pathways. Since Shade is already supplying them with power, they are now visible to
my mana sense. No special effort involved since they glow like a christmas tree.
“Don't do something stupid like dying. We still have to introduce Marcus to the rest of
the family. Like grandma and Mom!” Elona waves at us, a cheerful tone in her voice.
“Wait. There are more of you?” Marcus asks, dread in his voice.
I fight hard to hold back a snicker. “Don't worry. My grandparents are really nice
people.”
Unfortunately Marcus isn't dense enough to overlook the 'but' in my comment. “What
aren't you telling me? Is there something special about them?”
I wince. “Other than that Elona's parents are a meddling succubus and an ogre? And
Shade's side of the family tree contains a bitchy sex demon and an ice giant. Oh, and
my Grandma is a fury. She is still out for revenge against Moonray by the way. It says
something about a person if she is able to hold a grudge for over thirty years. I think
the only decent persons in the family are my aunt and her husband. She is a siren and
tries to keep her distance as much as possible.”
Marcus furrows his forehead. “That sounds like I'll have a lot of fun once the
introductions start. Are there any cousins or other in-laws I should know about?”
I roll my eyes. “Don't get me started about that. It would never end. Let's just say that
you will wish that I never introduced you to some branches of the family tree.”
“Stop flirting and get ready to jump on the train. The pathways should be ready any
moment now,” Shade informs us, one finger hovering above a big, red button. Though
his attention is fixed on a screen with a lot of data.
“Why did you use a red button for this? Normally you use the red ones only for really
dangerous stuff,” Elona asks.
Shade raises an eyebrow and checks the position of his finger. “Oh! Thanks, Sugar! I
almost pressed the wrong one. If I didn't have you as an assistant I would be lost.”
His hand changes position, just a centimetre to the left. It comes to rest above a black
button instead. “Are you ready?”
“Yes!” I answer.
“No! What would the red button do? This doesn't raise my confidence in your
methods!” Marcus tries to step from the platform, but I hold him back.
Shade grins, showing his teeth. “Don't worry. You wouldn't have felt anything.” Then
he presses the button.
 44. ~Return.~

“Thou has a thousand eyes and yet not one eye; Thou host a thousand forms and
yet not one form. -Guru Nanak.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I feel myself being jerked upwards as the world suddenly blurs around us. Then the
loss of gravity forces me to hold onto Seria, who was doing so from the start.
Something tells me that she knew what was coming. Before I can ask a question, the
world rights itself and we are falling through the air. At least that takes away the
feeling of weightlessness.
Seria stretches out a hand and casts levitation to give us the time to get a hold on the
situation. A short survey of our surroundings tells me that Shade brought us back.
Under us is the capital city of Newerth, but something is wrong.
The palace in the centre of the city is damaged and several smoke columns are rising
all over the city. It's clear that they are from burning buildings, though the fires seem
to be out. That's a small relief.
“It looks like there was a large scale battle and it was recent. The fighting seems to
be over though,” Seria reports her interpretation of the situation, confirming mine. “I
hope they didn't damage my shop...”
This woman. The whole city lies in pieces and she is thinking about her shop. “We
should check out the palace. My parents are the most likely ones who have a picture
of the full situation.”
I manipulate Seria's levitation spell, pulling her with me. What I didn't say aloud is that
we have no confirmation that my parents are still alive. Or my siblings. I don't even
want to think about other possibilities.
The chaos in the city becomes more apparent as we lose altitude. The damage looks
a lot like what I already saw when the Tandeen district was attacked. That makes
another spirit invasion very likely. There are people on the streets, but almost no
corpses. I suppose that they were already taken away.
Seria clenches my hand and smiles weakly. “I am sorry. It must be horrible to see this
and know that you weren't here to help. If we had been back faster...”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “No. What could we have done? Look at the
streets. The battle must have taken place right after we fell through the portal. Even if
we had arrived at your capital right away, it still would have taken Shade a day to
send us back. This looks like a large scale attack with the goal to cause as much
destruction as possible. They didn't have the intention take the city.”
Seria takes another, long look at the scene in front of us. “You are right. The damage
is very localized. It looks like the spirits brought in a few commando troops and
dispersed them all over the city. Once they got the signal, they struck and worked
their way through the city. Some streets are completely untouched.”
I nod and try not to look at the damage. The blood-smears in some streets tell the
whole story. This didn't go down without victims.
At last, we arrive at the palace and I lower us into the courtyard where we are
greeted by a few guards. They look relieved upon recognizing me. Luckily we
remembered to change back to our human forms beforehand. With the city in this
state I have a strong feeling that our soldiers would shoot first and ask questions
later.
A gesture of my hand stops them from asking useless questions. “Guide us to my
parents. We have important information to share.” I don’t even dare to ask them if
everyone is alright.
Both of the guards salute us and lead the way into the palace. Seria and I follow on
their heels.
While we walk, I look around and try to assess the situation and the morale in the
palace. A lot can be told just by observing the reactions of the soldiers and personnel.
I can’t help but notice that there are a lot less people who belong to the governing
body of the country. Something decisive must have happened.
After a seemingly endless march through the palace’s innards, we arrive at my
family’s private quarters. The guards stay behind while I make my way to my father’s
study, guessing that it’s the most likely place for him to be. Even if he retreated to his
private quarters, he must have his hands full with work.
To my great surprise we encounter the whole family in the traditional red garb which is
worn in times of great mourning. “What are you all doing in here? And what happened
to the city.”
My two siblings, my father and my mother turn their pale faces towards us, looking at
us as if we are ghosts.
Then my mother jumps up from her seat at the couch and runs towards me to hug me
tightly. “We thought that we lost you! You have no idea how scared we were when
you disappeared into that portal! Where have you been?”
Seria lifts her hand, a guilty expression on her face. “I am afraid that we were a little
inconvenienced and had to wait for the next flight to this realm. But my parents were
great hosts. Don’t worry, your son had a nice time.”
 45. ~Missed.~

“An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“...and now we are back.” Marcus finishes his lengthy explanation of what happened
during our forced absence. He tried his best to keep it short, but how do you explain
in a few words that we landed in another realm and had to find our way back. In
addition he had to find a way to explain the wedding bond between us. His mother is a
very attentive person and of course she immediately noticed the two matching pieces
of jewellery.
Once we are alone, I have to thank Marcus for spinning a slightly less provocative
story for his family. One in which he actually had a choice in marrying me, even if it
wasn’t according to the customs of his country. Otherwise this could have come
across in a slightly offending way. Clarity and Charles could have seen it as an
attempt to steal away their heir for all it’s worth.
“I see.” Charles starts pacing left and right. “We started to experiment with… eating
spirits… and the result speaks for itself. Seria’s little show was enough to convince
me that the matter deserves research. But as you can probably imagine there is a
high amount of resistance from everyone who didn’t witness the initial attack. I’ve to
deal with a whole society of people who are convinced that turning into a spirit
creates a mad, rampaging monster. After the last attack I am of the opinion that we
need this power. Though I have to be subtle about introducing it to the public.”
“Yes, about that. What happened after we fell through the portal?” I ask.
Clarity massages her forehead, using enough force to flex the skin and redden it. “It
was bad. I ran off to take Caden and Lilith to safety, but the whole city was dissolving
into chaos around us. And Caden didn’t want to be taken without his girlfriend. So we
had to secure her too. And with that her family. I really have to create more protocols
for emergency evacuations. This is becoming a regular activity.”
Good. So Adea is in safety. Though I wonder why Clarity’s first reaction is always to
run away and hide her children. It would be funny if her spirit form turns out to be
some kind of rabbit.
Charles continues to get us up to date. “It turned out that the spirits infiltrated a large
part of the governing body. I am still amazed at how many they got in.” Charles
expression turns sour. “I suppose that’s what we get for our blindness. It didn’t even
occur to us that someone would put so much effort into taking down the country. We
prepared against all sorts of scenarios in which the attack comes from the outside.
But none of our security measures was aimed against a third party which was coming
from within.”
Marcus shakes his head. “How should you have known. We were looking for traitor
within the nobles, but the spirits were using them just as chess pieces. You can’t
defend against a force you know nothing about.”
His father lets his shoulders droop. Suddenly he looks much, much older. “I had
visions about this. But I wasn’t able to interpret them. Anyway… when you uncovered
the secret agents, they activated their plans prematurely. They had hidden explosives
all over the palace and the city. In addition they had several groups of turned civilians
in private cellars. When they gave the signal, they caused as much chaos and
destruction as they could. They even tried to release the prisoners in the basement.
Luckily our security measures held. That’s at least one thing they didn’t manage to get
their hands on. It took the army hours to restore law and order.”
Marcus looks relieved. “So that means that my brother is still in custody. Have you
tried to treat him? Did he regain his sanity?”
The king shakes his head. “We didn’t try that. It was much too early for such
experiments and I have a feeling that it wouldn’t help Perseus. He lived with his
instincts for a long time. It would be asking too much to have him cured just like that.
Of course we will try, but I don’t have my hopes up.”
I nod and study Charles’s expression. It’s clear that there is more to his story than he
told. “You said that they activated their plans prematurely. What makes you think
that?”
Charles shrugs and walks over to the window. “You said so yourself. They intend to
topple this country to create a bridgehead to this realm. They need a base of
operations where they can create a safe portal to let their armies through. The attack
practically took down the government. The army had to make their own decisions. I
am not saying that my generals can’t do their job on their own... but it’s one thing to
get your instructions from the legal authorities, and another to see the palace with the
government inside being blown to pieces. On top of that the city is attacked by
marauding bands of spirits. It has a demoralizing effect at the very least. And it did
have that effect. The fact that it took so long to reinstall a working chain of command
is proof of that.
“I think that they intended for this attack to go down hand in hand with an invasion.
The two of you discovered their plans prematurely and they decided to trigger their
part of the operation while they still were able to do so.” Charles ends his explanation
by taking a deep breath and letting out sigh.
I scratch my chin and let my attention wander. Marcus and I are standing in the
middle of the living room, while Clarity reclaimed her place at the couch. Charles is
still studying the scenery outside the window, which looks depressing to say the least.
Caden is trying to comfort his little sister. It’s the first time that I get to see Marcus’s
youngest sibling in person. She is still a child of twelve years, but I can already see
that she will turn into a spitting image of her mother. It will take just a few more years.
Then a thought strikes me. “Have you found the location where they intended to
summon the next portal? They must have one in preparation if your theory is true.”
Charles turns around, furrowing his forehead. “Sadly not, which is a sore point in my
theory. We’ve gathered a sizeable part of the DF in the capital. That’s the strange
thing about the situation. With that many troops we were able to search the whole
city. All we found were their hideouts, but no portal or anything that’s needed to
create one.”
Marcus scowls. “But that’s exactly what they want. They want to take out most of the
fighting forces within one given area. Have you ever thought about searching the
surrounding lands. It’s becoming clear now. They need to establish a bridgehead. But
opening a portal and sending troops isn’t enough. An organized military is always able
to plan a counter attack to take out the portal. That’s the weakness in their plan. They
need to prevent that they are cut off from their realm.
“And they found a way to counteract that weakness. I bet that their plan was to draw
all your troops into the capital. Once their terror attack went down, our troops would
have been busy with saving civilians. The perfect opportunity to open a portal in a
rural area and start sending troops. By the time the army has regained its mobility,
they face a force which outnumbers them.”
His assessment of their strategy makes sense. But if he is right, then why hasn’t
Charles heard anything about the portal? “Is there a possibility that they managed to
inform their homeland of their failure? If not, then the second part of their plan must
still be in the workings.”
Charles shakes his head. “I doubt that they haven’t heard about what happened. The
terror attack on the capital hit the news right away.”
I grin. “Yes, but if they had opened a portal anywhere close, then your people must
have sensed it. So if they haven’t, apart from Zhon’s portal, then their army is still
waiting on the other side, without an update regarding the situation. After all we
slightly deviated from Zhon’s plans. Maybe they haven’t sent word, since they thought
that Zhon got through anyway.”
Marcus’s expression turns to a wicked grin. “And if that’s the case, then we just have
to find the place where they prepared the portal. And once we open that with a little
preparation of our own, we have a straight gateway to their base of operations.
Wherever it is.”
I smile at him, not caring to hide the malicious intent in my expression.
 46. ~Who.~

“I already gave you my daughter, so don’t expect any more presents… ever!
-Shade”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“It would fit with the information which we got from Zhon. The only thing we have to
do, is to verify his story. But I think he didn't mention the location of the portal in his
tale. Too bad that we can't ask my Dad.” I ball my hands into fists, cursing myself for
the negligence. It was such an obvious thing to do and now it bites us in the ass. A
little more planning and our task would have been that much easier. “I guess we will
have to search the surrounding land the traditional way.”
“Don't fret. I highly doubt that he knew the exact location of the portal. It would be
stupid for an agent who is operating behind enemy lines to know such mission-critical
information. If he had been caught, the whole mission would have failed,” Marcus
comforts me.
I nod, seeing his point. If Zhon had that information, Dad would have given it to us.
Father is very thorough when it comes to interrogation. Vital information such as the
location of an enemy base would have been pointed out. Zhon probably didn't even
know about the attack on the city. He was in charge regarding the palace and that's it.
“So we are back to square one, unless one of the search parties gets lucky. We have
to wait for the arrival of my parents and secure something that allows my father to
locate the enemy.” I turn towards Charles. “Have you secured the stone which Zhon
used to open the portal? The remaining energy signature should be enough to follow it
to wherever Zhon wanted to go. I want to be on the attacking side for once.”
Charles nods. “Of course we have it. We wouldn't let such a dangerous artefact fall
into the wrong hands. But first...” His attention turns to Marcus. “We have to address
the lies in your story.”
Marcus forces a cringing smile into his expression. “Lies? Which lies? I never would
have the audacity to lie to you. I know that you recognize such things immediately.”
The king squints his eyes at Marcus and purses his lips, considering something. “Ok.
Let's not call it lies, but things you haven't said. You are very good when it comes to
manipulating the truth, Marcus. I couldn't help but notice that your story was very thin
regarding Seria's realm and her parents. Of course, your explanation on Dedessia
and Dedessian culture was detailed enough, but you didn't mention why you trust
them so much. What makes you think that Seria and her people are any better than
the spirits?”
Oh, I know the answer! “We don't eat people?” Though you will probably have to pay
tribute in chocolate. I better don't mention that.
A glare from Charles causes me to drop my hand, admitting the hypocrisy in my
statement. Dedessian history is full of cases of cannibalism. The old practises are
almost completely gone since my parents started their reign. Spirit meat is still
standard food though.
And to be honest, my parents never really forbade eating our foes.
Marcus stares at his father, considering his options. Then he shrugs. “You may know
them under different names. Like Angrod and Celes, or Ascathon and Celestial? The
Ascended?”
Clarity's eyes widen and her attention switches to me. “The goddess of death!”
“The Executioner!” Charles calls out. “Now I understand how she was able to close a
portal almost on her own and slay a divine beast while doing so!”
Charles and Clarity are looking at me as if I am dangerous. I decide to use Marcus as
a shield. Their gazes are making me uncomfortable. I've no problem with standing
naked in front of a crowd, but being looked at in such a manner is troubling me. Is that
what Marcus felt when he had to endure the inspection of my parents? “Goddess of
Life and Death! Please remember that. The 'Life' is important, though I admit that I
lean towards the latter subject.”
It's much easier to 'off' people, than to put them back together.
Marcus sighs. “Seriously? Now you have objections against her? You know that her
parents are ten times more dangerous? Be happy that Seria and her parents are on
our side. And she even is a true princess! The complaint that her standing is too low
doesn't count.”
Charles raises an inquisitive eyebrow. “Are they? And her social status was never a
question. You know that. Shouldn't I be more worried about the fact that you invited
such people to our realm?”
I nod... then I shake my head... then I nod again. Aw! How should we answer that. It
feels like lying to Charles would be a bad idea in this situation. “Mom and Dad are,
per definition, always on their own side. Everyone else can stay out from under foot,
or be squashed.”
“I don't think that was the correct way to put it,” Marcus grumbles.
“But it's true! I just tried to show them the way which involves the least pain,” I
counter.
Marcus sighs and raises his hands, with their palms out, in a calming gesture. “Look,
I've met them in person. I've even lived one of my previous lives with them. They
aren't as bad as one might think. It's just that they overreact when someone threatens
them. They aren't people who take commands from anyone.”
Except from each other, but I better don't mention that. “Yes. And the spirits and their
minions are pissing them off. So you only benefit from working together with us. We
have a common enemy after all.”
“You never mentioned that you lived with them!” Clarity calls out. “Why did you never
tell me that you had such a harsh life? Am I not your mother!?”
Marcus bites his lower lip and the corner of his left eye starts twitching. I think I
remember that behaviour from our previous life. Nathan always did that when his brain
was one moment away from frying.
“Look, Mom. I am sorry that I didn't even try to go through an eternity of memories
with you. If we did that, this version of the multiverse would probably end before we
are done. So why don't we return to the important issues. Like mad spirit beings who
are about to take over our dimension, a war between two multiverses and traitors
wherever we look?” He spreads his hands and gestures wildly.
“You forgot that there seems to be an evil version of my father,” I add.
His expression turns sour. “We already established that this isn't a mirror-verse. For
all we know your father might be the evil one.”
I tilt my head, considering the possibility. “No. He is batshit crazy with a total
disregard for human life, but that doesn't make him any more or less evil than a force
of nature.”
Charles raises a hand. “Just stop. Please... just stop. I can't take it any more. So
when are your parents due to arrive, Seria? And what can they do to aid us? Will they
help out with troops, or technology, what do I have to expect?”
I open my mouth to answer, then I close it again. We indeed forgot to discuss the
topic. At least my parents didn't feel the need to tell me what they will do once the
pathways are open.
Marcus sighs and answers for me. “They said that they will follow with their capital
city. Shade said that he wants to go directly after Moonray if he finds any hint of his
whereabouts.”
Now it's my turn to look baffled at my husband. “When did he say that?”
Marcus shudders, carefully avoiding eye contact. “He arranged for a little discussion
in private when I was alone. It was shortly before our departure. There were some
things he wanted to clarify with me. From father to son-in-law, or so he said.”
 47. ~Arrival.~

“Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's
useless.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I follow Seria into her shop. After we cleared things up with my family, we left my
parents and let them take care of the army and issue orders. We also ensured that
the portal stones are ready once Seria's parents decide to show up. I hadn't thought
about it before, but my father had the bright idea that the cornerstones which were
used to summon the portal at the university grounds could also be helpful. Once
Shade arrives, he will have more than enough artefacts to work with.
My eyes wander involuntarily to Seria's backside and I hum in appreciation. One day
that woman will make me lose my mind. At least she decided to have a quick battle
with me. We used a small closet to get some privacy before we came here. Though I
am not a fan of doing it in odd places. Gods, I am also beginning to fear that our
sexual relationship might develop in the wrong direction. We are doing it in too many
random places, instead properly in a bed.
Seria's staff is hard at work when we enter. Adea is in her usual place, but when she
sees us, she jumps up and hurries to Seria and hugs her. “We heard that you fell
through a portal! They all said that you have to be dead, but I never believed them. I
am so glad that I was right!”
Seria pats Adea's head while she greets Jimmy and Patricia. “I am happy that you
folk are fine. And I see that you followed my instructions regarding the shop.”
Jimmy's expression turns to an uncomfortable smile. “I am glad that I didn't have to
give my life in protection of the store.”
Patricia furrows her forehead, but decides not to comment on the subject. Instead
she serves come coffee and chocolate cake for all of us. “You gave my daughter a
real fright. And me too. Please try to inform us in case of future absence. We think of
you as family.”
Seria chuckles. “I am sorry, but I think I can't predict when I'll fall through random
portals. At least I got to see my parents. My mother sends you greetings, Adea. She
says that she will be coming to visit you soon.”
Adea stiffens with her arms still around Seria. “I thought they were far, far away?”
“That's still the case. But they decided to pay this realm a visit when we asked them
for help.”
My comment was intended to clear up the situation, but Adea lets out a shocked
gasp. “They are coming here? When?”
“As soon as they are able to. Don't worry, Adea. Mom didn't sound as if she is angry
with you.” Seria returns the hug and squeezes Adea.
The girl turns even paler. “No. I didn't mean it that way. It was just... this life. At first it
sucked and then it got so much better. I thought that this might turn out to be a
genuinely good lifetime. But now I am becoming involved with your parents again...
and... and...”
“Oh, please. They aren't that bad,” I try to appease her in order to comfort the girl,
but it has the opposite effect.
“Of course they aren't that bad! But there is always something going on with them!
Isn't there? Once, we had this night and we got really drunk. Then we had this contest
and talked about our previous lifetimes. Ascathon and Celestial are always involved in
something! From rampaging gods, to soul eating monsters. And if they aren't being
attacked by some monster, they try to take over the multiverse! I had my fair share of
power hunger, but even on my peak I only ever thought about taking over a world, or
two!”
At that moment, Adea realizes that she had an outburst. She turns around to peek at
her mother who is looking at her with new eyes. “Hahaha... not that I ever subjugated
a world. I would never do such a thing.”
Seria snorts. “Yeah. Just a continent or two. Don't deny that you aren't much better.
And right now you are snuggling up to one of this country's princes, setting yourself up
for a position of power. I wonder who is the one with power hunger.”
Adea pales and opens her mouth like a fish, but I step in. “Why don't we stop this and
enjoy our time while we wait for new information. Without any leads, all we can do is
to wait.”
Seria sighs and lets the subject go, instead she sits down at the bar and digs into the
chocolate cake. Then she takes a sip from the coffee and groans in pleasure. “Ohhh.
I really missed this. Just a few days without coffee and I felt like some addict on
withdrawal.”
While Adea opts for a silent retreat, I take the seat next to Seria and forego the fork.
Instead I pick up the cake with my fingers and indulge myself. Yep, I never
complained about Dedessia's food, but this is definitely better than salted meat strips
and bread.
I wasn't in Dedessia for long enough to really feel the lack of different food-stocks.
But from what Seria told me, their entire food industry stands on just two legs. The
first one is spirit meat, mostly salted or cooked. The second one are the fruits of
Yggdrasil and some wheat from the safe zones. Spices and sugar are rare. There
are projects to create them artificially, but without the proper plants to mass produce
them, people have to do without.
Seria's mother already started a revolution in creating sugar plants and industrial
methods to recreate what many remember from other worlds. But those projects can
only be executed in a limited quantity. Things are a lot better from what I heard, but
there still isn't much room for luxury.
A sudden explosion stops my daydreams. I blink and look around, noticing that a lot of
people outside the shop are pointing at the sky. I get up and hurry to get outside
where I join the crowd of spectators. They are all watching the sky, where a large,
blue rift of energy was formed.
Only then I realize that the explosion wasn't so much an explosion, as more a very
loud 'crack'. As if lots and lots of air was suddenly displaced from one moment to the
next.
And that's exactly what happened. Somehow, someone tore a hole into our
dimension. As I eye the spectacle with suspicion, I am joined by Seria and Adea.
“It seems like Dad couldn't wait any longer and went for the brutish method,” Seria
comments on the scene with a raised eyebrow.
As if on command, the large, central disc of Dedessia's capital city shoves itself
through the widening rift and reveals a network of glowing pathways in the
netherworld between the worlds. I force my attention to the people around us and
realize that the whole city stopped moving in order to watch. “Great. Your parents
could have given us a little more warning,” I complain.
Seria tries to downplay the situation. “Aw, you know how they are. Sometimes I have
seriously considered hiring a PR-manager for the sole purpose of limiting their stunts
to manageable levels.”
As Seria ends her complaint, the last part of Dedessia's capital floats through the rift
which promptly closes behind the city. Once that's done, I watch the gigantic construct
as it hovers above my city, blotting out the sun. I hope that nobody overreacts. With
all the recent attacks, all we need is one trigger happy person to cause a panic.
Then the rippling effect of a teleportation spell influences the air in front of us and
Shade and Elona appear out of nowhere. “Butterfly! I was so anxious about letting
you go back alone. I simply had to speed up the process. I hope you stashed away
some chocolate for me.” Shade raises a hand in greeting, hugging Elona's waist with
the other.
Errr, yeah. A guy with golden, glowing eyes and horns on his head. And a woman
snuggling to his chest with horns, wings, and a tail draped around him. This isn't going
to work.
“Kyaaaaa!” It starts with one hysteric scream from a woman who was sitting close to
Shade and Elona. In the next moment all the civilians are running, emptying the street
in record time.
Shade doesn’t seem to notice the chaos around us. Instead he strolls forward and
plucks the chocolate cake out of my hand. I didn’t realize that I was still holding it.
He takes a hearty bite and a smile which covers his face blooms while he is chewing.
Apparently that’s all it takes to appease this invader.
Seria huffs and places her fists at her hips. Then she slowly looks around, taking in
the scene. Her eyes stay for a moment at the now empty shop. Well, except for
Jimmy and Patricia, who are still holding their positions at the bar. The latter one with
a broomstick in her hands. I wonder what she thinks she can do with that against the
godking. Adea must have also fled the scene at some point, since she is hiding behind
her mother.
At last, Seria returns her attention to her parents. “You two are bad for business!”
 48. ~On a counter.~

“The stuff I build always works as intended, which doesn’t mean that it works as
you wish it to.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“Honeybear, you should really try to pay more attention to what Charles is trying to
tell us.” Mom rubs Dad's back while he is savouring the taste of his eighth piece of
chocolate cake. The two of them are sitting at a table with Charles and Clarity facing
them from the other side. The king and queen of Newerth immediately dropped
everything when they heard about the arrival of my parents.
They arrived no less than five minutes after Mom and Dad had their grand entrance.
They made their introductions and started the negotiations right away. Charles wanted
to invite them to his palace, but my father insisted on staying at my shop… where he
is close to the chocolate cake.
The rest of us are waiting at a respectful distance while the grown ups talk politics. In
other words, we took the table next to them.
Dad starts speaking with a full mouth. “Why. Aren't we the ones who are saving their
sorry asses? They should be less suspicious, it's not like they have any other allies
available. All I wanted to have are some troops and specimens.
The troops bolster up our attack on the enemy base. Newerth has to fight their
enemies sooner or later, so why not do so when they have our assistance.
And when I demanded the specimen, I was just thinking of Elona’s agricultural
projects. Don't be mad at me, but having a farm for cacao beans would be great.”
Clarity places both hands flat on the table, leaning forward. “And we never said that
we wouldn't give those things to you, but we have to organize everything. We can't
simply wave a hand and have all of your 'requests' appear on your doorstep.”
Shade studies the other pair with a blank expression on his face. “Why not?”
Charles closes his eyes. “Because we had to endure three organized spirit attacks on
our capital. The people are frightened and your arrival caused a panic. My generals
were already planning to strike at your city when I arrived at headquarters and
stopped them. By the way, it would be a great help if your citizens would at least try
to stay in human appearance while they visit our city.”
Elona gestures with a hand. “We already heard that your people are uncomfortable
with their spirit forms. Don't worry, we gave orders to stay in human form while they
go sightseeing. Of course there will be some small incidents; not everyone of us is
that comfortable with a strictly human appearance.”
I look around. Some lonely stragglers had returned to the street since my parents
showed up, but it's far from what it was before. At least I managed to persuade them
to take on their human forms. Though it didn’t help to save the day’s business. Seems
like the word spread that two spirits decided to invade my shop.
Then Clarity leans back. “Please do. I think additional explanations aren't necessary.
You witnessed the situation first hand.”
Dad finishes the cake and lets his attention wander to me. Of course I notice the
expectant look in his eyes, but Elona kicks him. Of course she was trying to keep the
attack hidden under the table, but there is only so much a woman can do without
drawing attention. “That's enough. Concentrate. You can eat cakes until you have to
barf for all I care, but not until we are done here.”
Shade sighs and returns his attention to Charles. “So, I heard that you have quite a
few artefacts which could show us where to find our opponents. It would be cool if
you have them delivered to my palace. I'll start my research right away as soon as I
have them.”
Charles raises his eyebrows in surprise. Obviously he isn't accustomed to being
talked to in such a casual manner. “I'll give the orders right away. There is only one
thing I still want to talk about before we let our respective aides handle the details.”
His gaze focuses on Marcus and me. “What do you intend to do about them? Marcus
is currently first in line as my successor, should something happen to me.”
I feel myself tense. Aren't there more important issues than settling the question of
inheritance? I understand where Charles is coming from, but he is essentially immortal
as long as someone doesn't off him in a particularly gruesome manner.
My father shrugs. “Seria is her own person. She can do what she wants and live
where she wants. And if she decides to live with Marcus in this realm, that's her
choice. It's not like she can't pay us a visit in the blink of an eye, once the pathways
are re-established.”
Clarity gasps. “The pathways are returning!? When, how!?”
Oh, right. I guess we forgot to mention that little detail when we brought Charles and
Clarity up to date. Telling them about our little adventure down the rabbit hole was
much easier without dropping yet another bomb on their heads.
Elona decides to give them the shortened version. The one in which she and Dad
simply decided to create a living spell by using Yggdrasil's seed. A spell which is
supposed to grow and recreate the pathways.
She conveniently forgets to mention the reason behind the creation of the spell, apart
from recreating the pathways. I wonder how Charles and Clarity would react to the
knowledge that everything might come down to a big family feud.
Though we still don't know for sure how Moonray fits into the picture. Back in
Dedessia we discussed the appearance of one of Moonray's minions in length. Shade
pointed out that Moonray was cut off from his home-realm for an extensive amount of
time. It's entirely possible that our nemesis managed to avoid being caught by the
spirits, just to return to a dimension which was already taken over.
The other possibility was that he is fine, but managed to use the spirits for his own
power hungry intentions. Moonray was manipulating the fate of Dedessia for centuries
after all. It's hard to believe that a person like him would stop scheming once he
achieves his goal. He would simply pick a new target and continue playing his games.
When Elona is done, Charles and Clarity are left speechless. I kind of understand
them. The pathways were always a defining aspect of being a god. Having to exist
without them in this multiverse feels like a permanent loss of ability. Like playing
Diablo at level ninety-nine for ages, and then there is suddenly a patch with the
message 'Sorry, we found that the town portals are too OP! So we took them out.
Have fun!'.
Yeah, I always had the suspicion that the multiverse has no decent admin. Otherwise
something like the current failure of existence would’ve never happened.
“Is there any chance that we might get access to those new pathways?” Charles asks
after a very long silence.
My mother purses her lips, then she gestures at Marcus and me. “I am sorry, but the
pathways are currently restricted to our immediate family only. We thought that we
should keep a tight lid on inter-dimensional transportation until we are sure that it's
safe. The spirits are still posing a threat after all. So Marcus will be able to use the
pathways once his bond with Seria is strong enough. That will have to be enough for
the moment.”
Clarity squints her eyes at me. “So... that means that their children will also have
access to the pathways?”
Oh, one moment. That's so not gonna happen! “Stop! Don't even dare to start thinking
about establishing something like a feudal bloodline with exclusive access to the
pathways. That's just wrong and I certainly won't have a part in it! My children are not
going to be some kind of breeding horses which can be traded to the ruling houses of
other realms!”
Charles looks away from us and clears his throat. “It's not like you two will be
childless for long at the rate you two are going.”
I gasp while Marcus squints his eyes at his father. “What's that supposed to mean!”
The king of Newerth shrugs. “I have the sight. Do you really expect me not to check
for my chances of becoming a grandpa?”
Shade leans forward. “Regarding that ability of yours. I've been given a description
and it sounded less like an inherited ability, and more like a spell. Is there any
possibility that we could share some information regarding spying techniques? I am a
worshipper of information gathering and that ability of yours sounds really useful.”
Clarity raises a hand and shakes her head. “I think you misunderstood my meaning. I
am not that kind of person. I was just thinking of possible future consequences.”
“Oh, there will be consequences,” Elona comments from the sideline and shifts in her
seat. A few moments later she realizes that she has the full attention of everyone.
“What? Do you really expect me to give out presents without strings attached?” She
looks at me with glee. “Those rings aren't just a wedding bond, they are also a very
reliable ward against contraceptive magic.”
It takes a few moments until my mind makes the necessary connections. Then I
frantically try to pull off the ring. We didn't do it that much since we got the rings,
there might be time left. And I think I am having my safe days, but I am half succubus,
so I shouldn't rely on that!
When I don't manage to pull off the ring I hold out my hand. “Marcus, cut it off!”
“What! I could never hurt you!” He looks at me, horrified.
“Do you want me to have our honeymoon with a round belly!?” I ask with cold
determination in my voice. Then I turn to glare at my father. “I would have never
thought that you would be in on a scheme like this!” He made the rings after all. He
must have known their functions.
Dad looks away. “I just thought that having a child of your own might make you less of
a rascal and force you to settle down a bit. But don't worry, the ward against
prevention magic only activates after you've done it two hundred times. I figured you
might want a little time before it's really final.”
“What!? That's boring!” Elona complains.
I blink and try to remember my escapades with Marcus, counting on my fingers.
Normally two hundred times would be more than enough, but we had the amulet and it
has been days! We must have already burned through a sizeable amount of freebies.
“Marcus, you didn't keep track either, did you? How many times do we have left?”
Marcus turns expressionless and after a long moment he answers with a question.
“Does oral count?”
“Not helping!” I hiss.
He doesn’t look at me. “No, seriously. Because if oral counts, then we are screwed...”
Clarity leans forward and covers her face with both hands. “I never wanted to know
that.”
I answer her with poison in my voice. “Well, sorry for getting involved with my family.
Just wait until they find a reason to mess with you! Oh, sorry, I forgot. They already
have one! You need their help.”
 49. ~Citadel.~

“The home to everyone is to him his castle and fortress, as well for his defence
against injury and violence, as for his repose.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I was really surprised at how fast Shade managed to make sense of the magical
artefacts. Two days after my father had them delivered, Shade already presented us
with the inter-dimensional coordinates of our enemies. According to his research, all
of the artefacts are supposed to open a portal to the same spot.
That isn't a small feat if we take into account that Zhon's small stone was burned out
and the cornerstones were damaged because too much raw power was channelled
through them. I honestly didn't expect that Shade could gain any knowledge from the
rubbish which our troops managed to secure out of the ruins.
Despite everything, it still left us with the question of how to attack another
dimension? Should we copy the spirit’s tactics and create a portal, just to rush
through it with all our forces? I wasn't a fan of that idea and I made it known during
our strategy meeting.
The spirits had been using this method for centuries and I wouldn't call it exceptionally
effective. More like mindless sacrificing of troops in hopes of hitting a poorly defended
place. Which actually isn't a bad bet when you are aiming at taking over a whole
multiverse. Unfortunately I can imagine too many ways to die by simply charging into
enemy territory. We don't have limitless cannon-fodder as the spirits apparently do.
Not surprisingly, Elona, Seria and my parents also took my side on that matter,
pointing out that they know more creative ways to commit suicide.
In the end Shade informed us that his city could be split into different segments. He
could leave the agricultural and civilian parts behind, while taking only the citadel
through the portal.
The citadel houses the military and consists of a long, square piece of mana crystal.
On top of it stands the citadel, a long fort-like structure. It's basically a single building
which has more similarities to a spaceship than anything else. Of course using the
term 'spaceship' sounds a little misplaced. We've yet to find a realm which actually
has space and after living for so long in this dimension I find the thought of empty
space actually a little disturbing.
That solution met much more acceptance. It gave us a little more safety regarding
enemy countermeasures. But to understand why, it's important to know how most
portals work. Portals are, in essence, wormholes. That means that you have to know
the exact coordinates for the entrance point and the exit, which results in the fact that
a basic portal is always a one way ticket. There are possibilities to set up a portal in
both directions, but they require exorbitantly more power than a simple, one-way
route.
If we open a portal, there is always a risk that our opponents may be able to hijack it.
They could switch the entrance and exit points, or use them to aim their own portal.
We already know that the spirits have high capabilities in those sectors. Of course I
asked why we aren't using the pathways, but Shade pointed out that they are
probably too weak to get us wherever the spirits have their base.
When Shade brought his city over to our realm, he used the pathways to open a
portal from his own realm to ours. He compared his method to using a direct cable
connection, as opposed to sending the signal openly through the aether. This method
should be very safe as long as we connect two places which are both under our
control. But opening a portal to a spirit realm may allow them to hijack the pathway
system. At least it should make them aware of the pathways. Elona and Shade don't
believe that the spirits will be able to hack into their system, but they don't want to
ignore the possibility either.
So we decided to send the citadel and pack it with as many combatants as possible.
According to the citadel's specifications, it should be able to take quite a punch. The
shields and wards should be able to hold off the average spirit beast and according to
Shade there are offensive capabilities as well. Unless we encounter a heavy-weight
divine class spirit beast, we should have enough time to take a lazy look at our
opponents to decide on our next move.
Shade decided to lead the attack on the enemy realm. Seria and I are also joining the
attack while Elona and my parents will stay behind. Currently Shade is giving us a tour
through the citadel. Okay, the tour is mainly for me, since I am the only one who
doesn't know his way around. I'll also have to coordinate my realm's fighting forces.
We added an entire platoon of our best fighters to the operation, which means that
we are lifting our own weight in this adventure. All together, the citadel is now manned
with about a thousand divine class warriors.
I am still listening to Shade's arcane explanations when I get a sudden inspiration. “I
am not sure if the idea is actually feasible, but Seria already showed us that the new
pathways can be weaponized. Aren't you able to program the pathways with some
kind of auto attack against spirits?”
Shade stops his explanations and studies me with a raised eyebrow. Then he
scratches his chin as if he is considering the possibility. “Normally I am all in for
weapons which are capable of mass destruction and genocide. But you have probably
noticed that the pathways are still growing throughout the multiverse. And gravely
slow on top of that. Of course, the overall process is speeding up as the pathways
tap into new sources of power. The mana storms are currently their main power
supply.
“We think that the mana storms are areas in which we collide with another multiverse.
If that's true, then the pathways grow in those areas the fastest. That may actually
reinforce our own multiverse. Elona and I commanded the network not to spread into
realms which aren't on our 'wavelength', for the lack of a better word. Our current
hope is that the other multiverse may be crushed during the collision. In other words,
using the pathways for something else is a little outside their capabilities at the
moment. Though your idea has merit and once the network has grown sufficiently, we
would do well to set up a function like that.”
I furrow my forehead. “But if that's true, then all we have to do, is to outlast the
spirits!”
He raises a finger. “I said that we 'hope'. I didn't say that it would actually work. This
whole issue is admittedly outside my knowledge, but not because it's above my
paygrade. It's because I lack the necessary data to analyse the situation.”
 50. ~Charge.~

“Invincibility lies in the defence, the possibility of victory in the attack.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
It took us more preparation than we expected, but we are finally about to get on our
way. Planned departure from Newerth, ten o'clock. Planned arrival in another
dimension, ten o'clock. It's not like travelling through a portal takes any measurable
amount of time. Though the strange thing about the procedure is that an object first
has to enter a portal completely before it starts exiting at the other end.
I sigh, inter-dimensional travel without the pathways is so confusing.
If it wasn't for the unexplained personal experience which people have during their
transportation, then nobody would even doubt the theory. Which is saying that
departure and arrival should be occurring at the same point in time. When someone
steps through a portal, it seems like there actually is something between the entrance
and the exit points. I once managed to use that moment to divert our exit point when
Marcus and I accidentally fell through Zhon’s portal.
“You sound as if you are dreading what we are about to do,” Marcus comments from
next to me, eyeing the big screen in front of us.
We are currently at the citadel's bridge, or should I call it a command room? The
large, circular room certainly gives off the vibe... and it feels so familiar. Strange. I
turn to face Dad, who is idling in his command chair in the centre of the room. “Did
you copy the room's design from Star Trek?”
His expression darkens. “I knew it! I knew that I stole the architecture from
somewhere, but I didn't remember from where I had the idea! Damn it, I hate Star
Trek! Now I have to trash the entire citadel and rework the whole thing from scratch!”
One of the crew members frowns. “I also thought that it seemed familiar. Star Trek
was a good show.”
Marcus looks at me. “What's Star Trek?”
So Marcus didn't have a reincarnation on Earth? How sad, or should I say fortunate? I
only roll my eyes and tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear while my father starts
his rant.
“Be glad that you don't know it! It was a sickeningly nice Sci-Fi series from a planet
named earth! The characters ran around in pyjamas, calling them uniforms, and their
moral code must have been created by a nun. I always asked myself how the author
thought that a culture like that would be able to achieve anything! And the ship-design
was just awful! I should have remembered sooner! Looking back, I am glad that one
of my reincarnations dismantled the stupid dirt-ball for resources. If I ever find the
soul who was responsible for the creation of every true geek's nightmare then-”
And that's when I decide to stop it. “Dad, aren't we about to invade another
dimension? You can download all your memories about Star Trek. Then, when Marcus
watches it later, you can have a long and detailed discussion about it.”
“Actually, that's a good idea! Why haven't I thought of it myself!?” My father scratches
his chin. “Marcus, when we are done with kicking our enemy's butt, you and I will sit
down and do a little TV marathon.”
Marcus somehow manages not to look mortified. “Okay, just so you know... I am no
good at this fictional stuff. And returning to the matter at hand... why do we have to
attack at exactly ten o'clock?”
My father snorts and then a devious smile spreads across his face. “I've thought long
and hard about that. Especially how I tended to live my life when my better half wasn't
around.” He leans back in his chair, indulging in his memories. “Without Elona I would
always stay up late, working on some project. So after weighing all the different
factors, I decided that this would be the best moment to attack.”
So my father is still playing with the possibility that there is indeed another version of
him out there. And that this other version of him never met Mom. “Simply admit that
it's the most likely time for your other self to be asleep!”
“That sounds reasonable... even though I don't understand why you believe that your
other self is at wherever we are about to go?” Marcus furrows his forehead, trying to
understand my father.
Dad raises a finger. “Ah! I've no proof, but I simply assume that our enemy's head of
command must be at the other side. Invading another dimension can't be done on the
fly. There must be a big base, troops and supplies at the other end. Spirits may seem
like drones to us, but they still need food. And whatever troops will follow the less
intelligent ones will need to fortify their position. But enough of that. Let's start up the
engines and pay them a visit. My controls are all green, which means that everyone is
ready to depart.”
Shade punches a button on his armrest and a portal starts opening in front of the
citadel. It reveals a disturbing sight at the aether between worlds. Red energies of
chaos are fighting with a blue web of pathways. Dad presses another switch and the
citadel accelerates, flying forward into the portal. For a moment I've the strange
feeling of falling through the air and the floor bucks beneath me.
Then we exit on the other side and the energies part in front of us, revealing a huge
flying thing! An ear-splitting alarm goes off as we smash into something, or should I
say through something? The whole screen turns red with blood and gore. I hear
curses from my father’s seat as he starts mashing a button.
“What was that!?” Marcus calls out.
“I think it was a dragon? Or a huge, flying spirit?” I voice my opinion. I didn't see it for
any longer than the others before the citadel ran it over. Lucky that this thing has
shields!
“Elona always warned me about driving too fast. At least we've other means of
navigation than optical sensors,” Dad presses a few buttons and calls up three-
dimensional representation of our situation.
We are in an empty space, surrounded by spirits. Well, let's clarify that. We are flying
at high speed through a swarm of spirits of all shapes and sizes. Most of them just
float there, apparently in a state of hibernation, while some of the airborne species
seem to be awake. These spirits are represented as angry, red dots, surrounding a
blue representation of the citadel. The citadel itself is surrounded by a blue bubble,
our shield. The dots are converging on us, but flare out of existence as they reach the
citadel's shield.
“I am so glad that I ensured that we have an extra strong barrier! No way would I
want to clean that up!” Shade grumbles and manipulates the map, searching for
something other than spirits. But the sensors don’t find anything. No ground; just
empty space and air. Is this an empty realm? Or are we just really high up?
“Seems like we are in some sort of staging area where they are waiting with their
army.” I try to help by giving my opinion. “The ground troops seem to be hibernating
until they are deployed.”
Shade shrugs. “Even a staging area needs some form of headquarters.” He fumbles
one final time with his controls and reveals a huge pyramid with even sides. It’s about
three times the citadel’s size. “And I think I've just found something interesting!”
I take a closer look at the sensor data which we receive from the pyramid, but it
reveals nothing interesting. Just the normal composition of metals and synthetic
materials. A pretty ordinary flying base, whichever deeper purpose it actually has. The
gravity readings allow to assume that it uses a similar magical setup as the citadel,
but there is obviously no crystal technology involved.
One of the big spirits manages to get into the citadel's way, but my father scrolls a
trackbar on his armrest to its maximum and the citadel smashes right into the
oversized creature as if it is an oversized cannonball. The divine level spirit is simply
pushed aside, bowing down to the laws of physics. The floor shudders again, but my
father seems undisturbed by the manner in which he is driving his vessel. “Damn
insects... it's like driving on a highway, getting into a swarm!”
Marcus steadies himself and me by holding onto a console. “I am not sure, but
shouldn't we try to... oh, I don't know... talk?”
My father looks at us. “Talk? Why? We've found their base. Or at least one of them.
Now we go and demand some answers!”
I wince and reach for the console to hold onto it. “How!?”
My father shows us his teeth, a vicious smile on his face. “Their 'pyramid-thingy' is
only made from ordinary metals. Ever watched Space Pirate Captain Harlock? Should
be like driving a tank through a wooden shack!”
“I don’t know what he is talking about! Seria, something is wrong with your language
memories! There must be a translation mistake!” Marcus complains.
I grit my teeth and decide to translate my father’s geeky reference. “He wants to ram
the other ship!”
 51. ~Crashed.~

“I will feel no guilt on shutting my door to those who didn't listen.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Spirit Realm
Marcus
There isn't much time until we crash, so I take Seria in my arms and summon as many
barriers as I can. Shade's previous incarnation never struck me as a trustworthy
character and his new ego as Shade seems to be even more unstable. Why isn't he
using any weapons on the pyramid? They must have thrice as many people over there
as us. If we board them, we surely have to pay the price in blood.
Shade's attention is suddenly on us. Again, he is ignoring the screen in front of us
where the pyramid is rapidly growing larger, making everyone aware of the difference
in size. “Hey, don't grope my daughter in my presence! Go and get a room!”
“Oh, I don't know, Dad. He is just holding me so that he can protect me. It's nice to
have a man with protective instincts.” Seria chuckles and uses her position to pinch
my arm as if I am a piece of meat. Then she takes my hand and guides it lower,
suggesting something inappropriate. It makes my blood boil, igniting the wish to find a
quiet place and...
I've to correct myself. They are both mad! We are engaging the enemy and they are
thinking about that!
One moment later, our shield makes contact with the pyramid's and there is a blinding
flash of light. Then we impact the other ship and the sudden change in velocity throws
some of the people forward, despite them holding onto their consoles. Shade is
almost unaffected, as he apparently has enough safety measures in place. One of my
wards is also intended to dampen the effects of impacts, which I was able to apply to
this situation. All Seria and I feel, is a soft rocking motion. It's definitely better than
being thrown across the room.
The camera vision goes dark as we smash through the pyramid’s metal hull and the
first person view on the main screen is replaced by a three dimensional
representation of the collision.
Being inside the silent command bridge makes the whole collision somehow unreal.
The citadel digs itself deep into the pyramid, tearing through metal plates and
crushing them as if they were paper. It feels like the entire collision takes seconds
until the tactical display decides to show us a blue model of the citadel being lodged
halfway inside the red model of the pyramid. Some blue and red fragments signal that
the collision also threw out some debris, which is now spiralling away from us.
“We broke off some of our decorative elements. I've to take ramming tactics into
account for my next design.” Shade complains and manipulates his console, zooming
closer in to get a better picture of the pyramid's layout. It seems like our sensors are
now able to penetrate the pyramid, giving us a map of its design.
Seria separates herself from me and crosses her arms in front of her chest. “Well,
that was certainly not what you designed the citadel for. Do you care to explain why
we suddenly had to go kamikaze on them?”
Shade furrows his forehead and zooms the map farther out until we can see the
whole swarm. “There are simply too many of them. Sooner or later the ship would run
out of energy, so I decided to hide in the only safe place I could find.”
I almost double over. “Hide? Safe place?” How the hell did he come to that
conclusion!?
Seria's father spreads his hands and gestures at the screen. “Isn't it obvious? Most of
the spirits have less intelligence than a chicken. I highly doubt that they can
differentiate between friend and foe, so the ones who are using them as drones must
keep them away from their base, or control centre, or whatever this pyramid is.
Otherwise they would attack the pyramid. And now that we are a part of the pyramid,
we are also safe from attack.” Shade gets up and smiles at us. “Oh, by the way, give
the command to start the boarding action.”
One of the operators starts giving instructions and the map zooms closer once more,
deploying markers for our troops as they are leaving the citadel. I watch the scene for
a few seconds, hoping that Shade didn't jump to conclusions too fast. After a while
I've to admit that he is right. The spirits aren't attacking the pyramid, instead they are
staying at a respectful distance.
When we entered this dimension, the spirits immediately started converging on our
position. It was as if they were drawn in by a magnet. But now that we are close to
the pyramid, most of them seem to be returning to their positions in the swarm.
I decide to leave the boarding action to Shade and use the console next to me to call
up a picture of the whole swarm. “It seems like the pyramid is the centre of the
swarm. So it must also hold the Spirits close, not just repel them. Maybe the swarm
disperses if we destroy the pyramid? Even if some spirits stay in place, our enemy
would first have to collect all of them again.”
“And maybe they simply stay in place until they send a replacement pyramid. This is
obviously not their main staging area. It’s impressive, but too small for conquering a
multiverse. But your idea is certainly worth the try, once we've explored our other
options.” Shade points at the big screen. “Our troops report that they encountered
humanoids who are definitely not spirits, or at least the smarter version of them.”
The model of the pyramid is now filled with tactical symbols. They represent our
troops as they cut their way through the foreign structure, mostly ignoring the
pyramid's layout. “Why aren't they using the existing tunnels and rooms?”
Seria decides to enlighten me. “Standard seize procedure for foreign enemy
structures. I've written the protocol for our boarding parties. They are instructed to
avoid using existing tunnels wherever possible. Especially when it's so easy to cut
through the structure. It causes all sorts of problems for the defenders and lessens
their control over their own vessel. The more energy lines we cut, the less control
they have. Taking an unexpected route through the floor or the ceiling also avoids
traps and lessens the chance that our people get trapped between two fronts.
Fighting in enclosed spaces is always troublesome, but more so if the opponent is
more familiar with the layout. Changing the layout also ensures to lessen the enemy's
advantage.”
I need a moment to digest Seria's mental outburst, then I decide on an answer. “You
definitely had a lot more time to think about this.”
She smiles. “I am my parents' executioner. That didn't only include killing people, but
also taking command of our forces.”
An operator at one of the front consoles turns around to give us a report. “We've
encountered only weak resistance so far. Seems like there are a lot less defenders
than expected. The only places where our soldiers are being challenged, are at what
we identified as the main power supply and the enemy command centre. The
defenders have apparently given up on the rest of the pyramid.”
I furrow my forehead, not trusting the report. “That sounds a little too easy.”
Shade punches his palm with his fist. “Not in the least! I’ve waited for years for this
moment.”
 52. ~On the verge.~

“I’ve built many things, but my greatest invention was a little trinket which
brought my wife to her knees.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Spirit Base
Marcus
“Then let's assist our fellow crewmen in the attack and give those guys a beating!
Whoever they are!” Shade raises a hand and a staff appears in it with a flash of light.
The staff is made of blue crystal, which is criss crossed with veins of red chaos
energy. The entire scene would have been cool, hadn't one of the operators at the
front console spoken up. “I am sorry, my king, but the protocol forbids the high
commander from entering the battle without a dire need for it.”
Shade slams his staff into the ground, creating high, ringing sound. “Who thought of
this bullshit!? Why am I not allowed to fight my own battles? I am the king!”
Seria steps closer and touches her father, a guilty expression on her face. “I am
sorry, Dad. I might be responsible for that rule.”
Shade purses his lips, then he looks around. “Okay. That's solved easily enough.
Which one of you minions has the highest rank here?”
There is a short moment of silence until an older looking guy in a sparkling uniform
raises his hand. “That would be me, my king.”
“Good, you are in charge of this operation! I demote myself to a bystander who can
do whatever the fuck he wants!” And with that Seria's father disappears in a flash of
light. He teleported away, just like that.
Seria tugs at my sleeve. “We have to go after him!”
“I am not sure if I want to be caught up in the mayhem he is sure to create. I've seen
your father fighting and I don't want to be anywhere near him when he lets loose.
Your mother isn't even here to stop him.” And I have still trouble with my spirit form.
Jumping right into a fight might not be the best idea.
A memory of the carnal desires and lust for blood flashes through my mind and I
shudder. When I fought Zhon, I barely held myself back. No thanks, I first have to get
a grip on my spirit form.
Seria huffs and places her fists on her hips. “Well, you may not want to help your
father-in-law, but be sure to remember that I am his daughter. If anything happens to
him while you stood aside, then I'll never forgive you!” And she teleports, leaving me
behind.
I start chewing on my inner cheek and look around, gravely aware of the attention I
am getting from the other crewmen. Even the guy who is supposed to coordinate the
boarding action is looking at me. If I don't re-establish my authority, people will start
talking. “Return to your duties, or I'll poke out your eyes and shove them down your
throats! Just because I am an in-law, doesn't mean that I'll tolerate being looked at
like that!”
They immediately avert their gazes.
Unfortunately, they are right. I might be perfectly fine with leaving Shade to his own
devices, but I can't abandon Seria like that. “Aw, for fucks sake!” I close my eyes and
release my aura, concentrating on the link between Seria and me. Absent-mindedly, I
reach for the golden ring on my finger and turn it around and around, feeling for the
delicate insignia on it. I didn't even bring a weapon.
Sighing, I teleport.
Just to appear right in front of an angry guy, who swings an axe at me! I reach up and
grab the handle instinctively, blocking the heavy weapon. We seesaw back and forth,
then I abandon the futile attempt at wringing the weapon out of his hands. He has the
better grip, so I place a hand on the axehead and push it aside, ensuring that I don't
get cut. With the other I punch my opponent straight in the face.
The blow dazes him for a moment and I use the chance to summon a dagger of light,
plunging it right into his chest. He gurgles and goes down, falling onto his back as I
take his axe from him. Surprisingly, he isn't down for the count. He spins his legs and
jumps back to his feet, the dagger still in his chest. And I was so sure that I hit his
heart! Luckily I am not out of tricks in this exchange, so I command my dagger to
explode, opening his chest cavity from the inside out.
The explosion covers me in blood, gore and pieces of bone; and while I managed to
shield my eyes with the axehead, the rest of my black and gold uniform is ruined. At
least my opponent dropped back to his knees. Then planted his face in the ground,
creating a pitiful, last scene of his corpse with his ass high in the air.
For the first time I get a free second to take in my surroundings. Seria managed to
get me right into the middle of a huge battle. I am right in the centre of a huge,
rectangle-shaped hall. Our people are fighting their way forward from a big door. At
the far end, is another door which is held by the defenders. All of them are clad in
black and red uniforms, while our people's uniforms are in black and gold.
Shade is right in the middle of them, single-mindedly advancing on a man who looks
very similar to Seria's description of Moonray. I've no idea why he is here, but I guess
we will find out once Shade gets his hands on him.
I raise the axe and plant it in the back of an opponent who was fighting one of our
men. The soldier nods, and searches for another enemy. Continuing on my way, I
advance with the flow until I find Seria right in the middle of things, following her
father. It's clear that the battle is going our way, but the enemy commander is still
safely behind several rows of his men. Even if Shade manages to break through, all
Moonray has to do is to take a step back and close the doors behind him.
The huge blast door behind him looks clumsy, but I have a feeling that it can snap shut
in just a moment. “Moonray! Are you too afraid to fight your own battles? Why are
you hiding behind your men?” Shade taunts Moonray, blasting apart a soldier who
tried to get in his way.
Moonray turns around and I see his mouth moving, as if he is talking with someone
who is still hidden out of sight. It looks like he is trying to convince the other person of
something. To my astonishment it doesn't look like he is giving orders, but pleading for
something. In the end, he turns around and advances on Shade, a furious expression
on his face.
Another enemy blocks my path and I trade blows with him so hard that the blade of
my battleaxe chips in several places. In the end it's my opponen's sword that breaks
and I use the axe to behead him without a second thought.
Looking up again, I find Shade and Moonray trading blows. The other combatants
cleared a large circle around them, but I would do that too in this case. Their auras
are clashing with each other in a fruitless attempt to overwhelm the other party.
Shade's aura is blue and red, while his opponent's is a flaming orange. Moonray
wields a much too large, flaming sword while Shade blocks the blows with his staff.
Each time sparks and flames rush through the air, singeing everyone who comes too
close.
Seria reaches them and carelessly throws one of the enemy soldiers at the two
combatants, aiming for Moonray. The unconventional attack doesn't cause any
damage, but it causes Moonray to stumble, giving Shade the chance to bury the
bladed end of his staff in Moonray's belly.
He screams and for a moment I actually believe that the battle is won, but then
Moonray turns to pure flame and starts growing. He changes shape and turns into a
phoenix, while Shade takes on his shadow-form. Tentacles of darkness wrap
themselves around the firebird and I throw myself to the ground as the bird opens his
beak, granting me vision on a boiling hellfire in its throat.
A flaming jet of fire shoots out of it and almost burns away my scalp as it eats through
several layers of my protective wards. The last thing I hear and see of Seria is a
scream and her falling backwards as the jet of flames rushes over her and incinerates
friend and foe alike.
“Seria!” I shout and jump to my feet, all caution forgotten. Seria must be gravely hurt,
or worse!
One of the enemies bars my way, swinging a sword and striking my chest. The blow
pushes me back, but it barely registers as my vision narrows to a tunnel. My body
moves on its own as I step forward, growling. Nobody gets in my way when my
woman is hurt!
The man screams as I get a grip on his sword-arm and tear it off. The scream ends
as I rake my claws across his throat, delighted by the spraying blood. It shoots out of
the artery like out of a spring.
One of our men scrambles on all fours to get out of my way and I tear into the man
behind him. I wouldn't have cared less at the moment. All who stand in my way are
enemies. I tear off limbs and howl in triumph as the enemies fall before me. My wards
protect me from the worst, but each wound I get feels just like an annoying sting. All I
see is red.
“... Stop!”
Then Seria's voice reaches me and I find myself hitting an enemy with an improvised
club. His head is already dented, so all I am doing is mutilating a corpse.
Seria is in her spirit form. She shakes my shoulder, smiling and talking with a husky
voice. “Do you hear me? It's sexy that you switched to berserker mode for me, but
the battle is already over.”
“You are fine? I thought-”
“It's okay. I just tripped when that firejet hit me. We've known about Moonray's flames
for a long time, so we prepared ways to counter them. Is that a thigh-bone, what you
are holding? Oh, how wicked, you are indeed a fitting addition to the family. I find men
without remorse sexy!” She squirms and clenches her hands to her chest.
I try to regain my grip on the situation. The battle is indeed over... so I really freaked
out when I thought that Seria is hurt? And as a matter of fact I am holding a thigh-
bone. When did I rip that out of someone? And how? “Where is the firebird?”
Seria points at her father who is handcuffing the same man who had this awesome
transformation. And oh boy, he is really overdoing it. Moonray is bound by two sets of
crystal cuffs for hands and feet, which are then pulled together by a crystal chain. The
chain in turn is attached to a collar around Moonray's neck, pulling him into an
awkward foetal position with no room to move. “Dad subdued him. He even managed
to take him alive.”
I drop the 'club' and get to my feet to hug Seria. “I really thought that you were hurt.”
“Aw, that's so nice of you.” She pats my back. “Maybe we should make out later, but
now we've to find out who is behind all this.” She separates from me and points at the
big blast door which was closed at some point during the battle. “Moonray didn't talk,
but I have a feeling that he isn't the puppeteer this time.”
“He will talk! At the very least when I give him to Doreen! That'll surely loosen his
tongue. But for now, we've to get through this door.” Shade finishes his work on
Moonray who started whimpering when Doreen was mentioned.
“Doreen?” I ask.
Seria crosses her arms in front of her chest. “Doreen is my great grandma, you
haven't met her. But I think I mentioned that she is a fury. And she has more than one
issue with Moonray.”
I try to ignore the dark expression on Seria's face and inspect the claws which
somehow grew from my knuckles. “Ahem, I didn't have these before.”
Seria raises an eyebrow and shrugs. “I already mentioned that you must have two
spirit aspects. Your other half must be some form of shapeshifter. I wouldn't be too
worried about it. Simply concentrate on shifting back.”
I do as she suggested and with a little bit of concentration it indeed works. When I get
a free second I really have to explore the full extent of this ability. It feels like I am
playing with fire. What if I can't change back at some point? Can I also grow in size
like Shade?
Seria's father doesn't give me the chance to indulge myself in further speculations. He
picks up his staff and points it at the blast doors. A fine energy beam shoots out of
the red crystal at the staff's top and starts eating into the blast door, carving a circle
into it.
“We will be through in no time.”
 53. ~Slipped away.~

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Spirit Realm
Seria
My father finishes cutting through the heavy blast door and the circular piece of iron
falls to the ground with a heavy 'thud'! Of course he loses no time and rushes through
the hole. Marcus and I follow close behind him, just to end up in another room.
It’s empty, except for a big pedestal with stairs leading up to a throne. A few guards
are lining up to block our path to the person who is standing halfway up the stairs. He
is clad in a baggy, black cloak with a hood. The clothes shroud his identity completely.
What little can be seen of his face is covered by a featureless, red mask. He is giving
instructions to a guard who is standing to attention right next to him.
“Great. Now we even found a bad copy of Darth Maul! If that isn't the evil overlord,
then I'll forswear sex for a week.” The words simply come out of my mouth. I can't
help it. The whole scene is simply too cliché.
Dad points his staff at the figure and raises his voice. “You have to be the one they
call the Great One. Care to explain why you are creating all this mess?”
The figure ignores my father and turns back to the guard, whispering some
commands.
“Hey! Don't ignore me! And take off that stupid mask! I want to see the one whose
aura is supposedly like mine!” My father advances on the row of guards, blasting
them with his staff.
I take it upon myself to punch a hole into their line of defence, throwing myself into the
fight. The first soldier who decides to confront me gets a pressure point treatment,
which leaves him screaming on the floor. There is nothing above hitting a few nerve
endings, sending signals of pain through the target’s entire being. Marcus joins me
and together we clear a path for Shade.
That finally draws the attention of our nemesis. But the figure in black robes doesn't
react as expected. I thought that we would now finally have the big bossfight. Instead,
the figure grabs the clothes of the guard at his side and shoves him down the stairs,
tripping him. The guard tumbles into my father, halting his advance for just a moment.
Using the opportunity, the robed man turns and runs up the stairway, throwing out an
arm to create a shimmering portal next to the throne.
My baffled father needs a precious moment to gather his wits until he dashes
forward, shoving the man who stumbled into him further down the stairs. “Coward!
Where do you think you are running!?”
The robed figure jumps through the portal, just as my father lunges forward and
manages to grab a piece of the man's cloak in mid air. With an audible 'clap' of
displaced air, the portal snaps shut and Shade lands flat on his belly. He was just a
little too slow. Dad immediately gets to his feet, cursing and throwing a tantrum. He
throws the piece of cloth to the ground and tears the metal throne out of its socket,
hurling it across the room. The heavy throne creates a huge dent in the wall.
I just stand there while our soldiers file through the hole and overwhelm the remaining
defenders. There was something wrong about the cloaked man, but I can't put my
finger on it. Was it the way he moved? Or the fact that he always whispered to his
subordinates? Why is he so focused on hiding his identity? Marcus reaches for my
arm and touches me with his warm hand. That breaks my concentration and the
thought slips away.
“Is there something wrong?” He asks.
I smile at him. “No. Probably not. I've just the feeling that we are missing something
about this ‘Great One’.” I walk up the stairway and slip the piece of cloth into one of
my pockets while my father is still raging.
Marcus followed me and watched the scene with interest. “Well, maybe your
Moonray can provide some answers?”
Shade snaps his fingers and calls out, “Moonray! That's it!” He turns around and
hurries back down the stairway and through the hole in the blast door. One moment
later there is a suspicious 'crack' and a scream. The crack sounded familiar, like
breaking bones. And the voice simply had to belong to Moonray.
“I didn’t hear him ask a question,” Marcus mutters.
It figures that my father's first impulse would be to hurt the prisoner without even
asking a question. “Dad thinks that getting answers via torture only works if you show
from the beginning that you are perfectly fine with causing pain. First, he hurts them
until they ask him why he is doing it. Then he gives them the opportunity to make it
stop by spilling their guts.”
Marcus rubs his temples. “Yes, I remember. Though that doesn't sound like an
effective method. He is a soulmage who can pick someone's mind apart as if it's
made out of Lego-blocks. Why go through all the trouble?”
I tilt my head and inspect my husband. Well, husband to be? Thinking of him as my
husband may be a little too early. We didn't even have a proper party. Though we
already went through all the other steps. “Do you really think that my Dad is someone
who needs a proper reason to inflict pain on his enemies?”
Marcus shudders and shakes his head. “No, you are right. For a moment I forgot who
we are talking about. I guess I really need a few silent days to catch up with
everything.”
That makes me smile and I step closer, using my finger to draw a circle on his chest.
“What makes you think that I'll give you a silent moment?”
“You are forgetting... eight times left,” he grumbles.
I let my shoulders hang and close my eyes. “You had to mention it!”
He curls down the corners of his mouth as if he thought about something. “We could
forget about the amulet and settle for twice a week? If you need more time?”
“No way! We've used it for too long, I am addicted to the damn thing! I could never be
satisfied by going back to doing it normally!” It's true, doing it with the amulet is just
so much better! We can go on and on and...
Marcus sighs. “Then we have to resort to other means of protection.”
“Other means? Like condoms and a coil?” For a moment I consider shoving some
metal or plastic into… I shudder. There isn't much to consider in that case. “I would
rather get pregnant.”
“I see,” he answers.
I raise an eyebrow and look at him. “You have no objections?”
“I am not the one who will swell up like a balloon and scream my guts out once it’s
time. So I figure that I shouldn’t have the last word in the matter.”
Damn! He just had to go and say it!
 54. ~Return.~

“I don't think anyone, until their soul leaves their body, is past the point of no
return.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Spirit Realm
Seria
My moment with Marcus is interrupted when the room's lighting suddenly turns red,
combined with the noise of an alarm. Additionally a voice is talking in a foreign
language and it sounds a lot like it is counting down. “That doesn't sound good. Did
they flip the self-destruct switch?” I mumble concernedly. There must be a control
station somewhere in the pyramid, but it doesn't seem like we'll get the chance to find
it.
“I've a feeling that you are closer to the truth than it is to my liking!” Marcus doesn't
waste any time. He bends down and picks me up in a princess carry.
Dad finally stops mutilating Moonray and starts giving commands to evacuate. Most
of the soldiers teleport without a word, agreeing that we've overstayed our welcome.
Those who can, grab the surviving prisoners who were left helpless on the floor. Our
nice, little boarding raid turns all of a sudden into a hasty retreat.
Marcus doesn't wait any longer and teleports us back to the citadel's bridge, where
we are joined by Dad just a few moments later.
Shade immediately requests to know what's going on, which is answered by one of
the operators. “It seems like their energy source is going critical. We can't get into
their system to stop it.”
I frown as Marcus puts me down. “Why would they destroy their own base just like
that? They didn't even properly fight for it. It seems a little radical to give up so much
military power just like that. What about the spirits who are surrounding the pyramid?”
“We will retreat for the moment. The pyramid and the people who are operating it are
obviously considered an expendable resource. Get the citadel out of here as soon as
everyone has reported back, bodies and souls included.” Shade commands, taking his
place in the command chair. “And once that's done we will have a little discussion with
Moonray.”
“Souls?” Marcus asks surprised.
But he gets ignored. The big screen which grants us a view on the pyramid's interior
flashes white as the citadel transitions from inside the pyramid. And not a second too
soon according to the sensor readings. Unfortunately our hasty retreat means that we
don't know what happened to the pyramid and the spirits, though I am sure that we'll
send another taskforce as soon as possible.
Instead of the pyramid and the spirits, the screen is replaced by the familiar view of
the aether between the worlds. And then we are back in Newerth, hovering above the
capital city. From our height, the city looks almost peaceful, were it not for the areas
which got destroyed during the recent attacks.
“I suppose that the pyramid is gone? We opened a portal while we were stuck inside
it.” I ask one of the guys who are manning the sensors.
He shakes his head. “Impossible to say. We opened a portal and forced it to pull us
in. The pyramid shouldn't have been damaged any worse than it already was, though
we took a piece of it with us. It's coating the citadel and we've to manoeuvre very
carefully if we don't want the debris to fall onto the city.”
I wince, imaging how the citadel must look like from the outside. Unfortunately we
don't have a convenient camera drone which allows us a better view.
Marcus doesn't allow himself to be ignored any longer. “Then try to get away from the
populated areas. Fly over the fields outside the city. And does someone care to
answer my question from earlier?”
I bite my lower lip, wondering how to answer the question without making it sound too
offending. “One of the first things my father reinvented was his soulcatcher. It's a
device which catches souls before they can escape into the aether. It's his greatest
gift to his subjects. As long as you die in close proximity to the citadel, or any of our
bigger constructions, you've always a chance at rebirth.” I clap my hands together
and smile at Marcus. There, I suppose that I've sugar-coated it enough.
The older-looking guy from earlier who got handed all the responsibility decides to
comment on my explanation. “To put it in other words... not even death frees us from
our servitude to our king.”
Another random crew-member turns away from his console. “But if you die in battle
for the nation, you are guaranteed to get a new body with your memories as intact as
possible. Though I don't really like the dying part and think that there should be a
bonus included!”
“Don't complain about our system! Be glad that Elona decided to reward you
worthless bunch in case of death! If it had been up to me, I would only revive
exceptionally loyal individuals! What are a few deaths for the crown? A good subject
would come back on his or her own. You guys should feel ashamed that you need
help at remembering your previous lives!”
Marcus's speechless gaze travels from me, to my father and then to the other crew-
members. “It's not a joke, is it?”
“Sometimes I wish it was,” I sigh. “Anyway, should we go and get some answers from
Moonray?”
“Good idea!” My father teleports without further comment.
I huff and open my senses to his aura in order to follow him. He must've dropped off
Moonray somewhere safe before he returned to the bridge, so he can't be far.
One moment before I teleport to follow my father, Marcus grabs my shoulder. ““Ah,
ah, ah! Not again! You won't run off twice in a single day, leaving me behind! Or are
you unable to take two people with you through the teleportation? The last time I had
to follow you, I landed right in the middle of a battle.”
“That couldn't be helped. And you should train teleportation if you land so far away
from me. You were almost on the other end of the hall when you arrived,” I nag, but I
get his reasons. Even back then when we had the pathways it was considered rude
to simply teleport away while having a conversation with another person. I lean closer
and hug his chest to include him in my spell matrix. “Or do you simply want more
skinship with me?”
He scoffs, “Do you want to say that you can't teleport another person without sticking
close?”
“You shouldn't have said that while I am still in spirit form!” Growling, I wrap my legs,
wings and tail around him, sealing his movements completely. “That's what I call the
'teleportation-hug'!”
Then I teleport the both of us.
We don't land where I expected us to. I assumed that Shade must've taken Moonray
to the citadel's interrogation facility. Instead, he took him to our private quarters in our
capital city while I was having my little chit chat with Marcus.
Excluding Moonray, there are several people in the large room. Almost the whole
family! If it weren't for the serious expressions, I would have joked that we were
having a big, happy family reunion. I wonder how Dad managed to assemble
everyone so fast, but then again, all it probably took was a short mental call and they
dropped whatever they were doing to join the event.
“I think I wasn't introduced...” Marcus mumbles as the attention switches from
Moonray to him.
Okay, being wrapped around him like a slut may not be the best way to introduce
Marcus to my old-fashioned grandparents. Though two of them might like that.
I make a show of clearing my throat and pointing out people. First the woman with the
flaming hair and the red, glowing eyes. She grins and reveals a set of pointy, sharp
teeth when I gesture at her. “That's Grandma Tisha, empusa. Moonray sold her into
slavery and destroyed her clan.”
Then the huge, white man who is towering above her, his blue eyes are as cold as
ice. “Grandpa Ishaan, ice titan and probably Moonray's worst enemy.”
It goes on to the white haired beauty who has claws as fingernails and looks as if she
is about to rip someone to pieces. “Great Grandma Doreen, fury. Betrayed by
Moonray and almost one of his victims.”
I already introduced Mom, so I decide to skip her and go on to the last two.
“Grandma Chloe, succubus and Moonray's daughter, who got abandoned and almost
killed by his machinations. And her husband, Shawn, ogre.”
I untangle myself as decently as possible to present my boyfriend. Shoving Marcus, I
nudge him a little further toward the assembly. “This is Marcus, my husband!” Not the
perfect timing to introduce him, but I suppose there is no other choice now.
Marcus insecurely raises a hand in greeting. “Nice to meet all of you.” Then he laughs.
“I suppose that we will have to make a line and take turns with Moonray?”
Ishaan moves his shoulders and tilts his head, crunching his joints. “I'll go
last,otherwise you guys would only have a few shards of frozen flame to play with.”
 55. ~Queue up.~

“Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies on to make its
every move.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
They really went and did it! I intended it as a joke, but they really queued up to settle
their issues with Moonray. The general rule was that everyone has half an hour. And I
had to get in line too...
At first I thought that I wouldn't have to trouble myself with doing my part. It didn't
even seem likely that Moonray would survive until it's my turn. Hell, Doreen did her
best to silence him permanently! But being a phoenix makes him a really tough
bastard. He managed it halfway through Doreen's turn without saying a word. Then he
started spilling his guts. Metaphorically and physically.
When it was Tisha's turn, Moonray probably already had given us all the information
he had. But the scary woman made a point of hurting him until the shredded skin on
his body looked like a torn piece of bloody cloth.
And then the others had their turn.
According to Moonray, he and his men succeeded with their plan. They managed to
arrive in Moonray's realm. That's when their plans went to hell. What Moonray
remembered as a paradise was turned into a twisted version of Dedessia, barren and
overrun by spirits. The natives of his realm lost their battle against the invaders at
some point during Moonray's absence. He had no idea that all his carefully crafted
plans were in vain.
Moonray tried to open the gate again, but with just his men at his side he didn't have
enough resources to succeed. In his desperation he tried to open an uncontrolled gate
in order to escape, only to draw the spirit's attention. Moonray and his men were
caught, overwhelmed, and brought in front of the person who they call the 'Great
One'. Then they had to swear fealty to their new overlord.
If he didn't manage to lie during several hours of interrogation, then even Moonray
doesn't know who the One is. He only knows that the person in question paid irregular
visits to the pyramid. Sometimes months went by without a word from their master.
Then he would suddenly appear and give instructions to attack certain realms or to
relocate the base.
It was clear that the pyramid's crew was just there to provide a controlling element to
the otherwise fully automatic pyramid. The huge artefact would automatically deploy
spirits to every location where it detected a portal. In addition, the pyramid functioned
as a base of operation for the One's trusted agents. They came and went through
personal portals to update the pyramid on their progress.
And while the agents always gave updates about their missions, the One never
stayed for long enough for anyone to learn anything about him. He was always
dressed in his dark cloak and a golden mask, always whispering as if even his voice
is a big secret.
“Go on! I can't wait to have my turn. Or are you too squeamish to take your
revenge?” Ishaan grumbles from behind me, entirely too close. He is violating my
comfort zone and his chilly aura causes the hairs on my neck to stand, but I don't dare
to turn around and face him. There is no way that I'll start a fight with Seria's grandpa
in front of the whole family.
My eyes stay stuck on the naked, sobbing mess on the floor. Shade somehow
managed to preserve Moonray's outrageous healing ability while blocking all his other
powers. That results in the fact that his body looks completely fine, even though I
know that he has been through hell and back. Somehow I feel pity for him. I know.
One could argue that he had a part in what happened to my people. Thousands are
dead, no, more. The pyramid launched attacks all over the multiverse. There is no
way to ever count the loss of life.
Nonetheless, he didn't do anything to me or mine directly. He was just a part of the
machine like so many others. Wouldn't it be petty of me to punish him any differently
than the other prisoners? They are just sitting in their cells while Moonray is here. I
know that he is a scumbag who definitely deserved what he got today. But while
everyone else in this room has one or the other reason to hurt him, I have no personal
feud with him. Just joining them for the sake of being part of the group would be
wrong and not any different than what Moonray ended up doing.
“He burned me with that fire of his. It hurt, you know?” Seria breaks the silence with
her melodious voice.
Before I know it, I've summoned an axe and hacked off Moonray's foot, severing it at
the ankle. Then I shove it down his screaming throat, silencing his squeals as I use a
summoned hammer to force the severed limb further down. Moonray stops struggling
soon afterwards, dying because of the lack of blood and air. Soon afterwards his
regeneration ability kicks in and he goes up in flames. It already happened several
times while I watched the others at work. The flames don't actually burn anything, but
they leave a completely healthy and regenerated Moonray behind.
Only then I realize that I just threw all my moral considerations over board. And all it
took was my wife mentioning that he hurt her, whatever the circumstance.
Ishaan pats my shoulder with one of his huge hands. “Now you are a part of the clan.
The method was crude, but the execution was fine, even if it took you a while to get
going.”
“Thanks, Sir?” Damn! Was this a test? Some kind of initiation ritual? And my words
came out like a question. I step back from Moonray, making way for Ishaan. “He is all
yours. My quarrel with him doesn't lie as deep as yours.” Holding my breath, I pray to
all the gods that I found the right words for Ishaan. Somehow the fellow is even more
intimidating than Shade.
Shade can be pretty scary when he wants to. But there is a definite difference
between him and his father. When Shade looks at you, you feel like a bug in front of
his foot. When Ishaan looks at you, you can feel the malevolence he is harbouring.
You simply know that you are unwelcome. It's like a finely tuned skill which he trained
for years.
Ishaan grabs the much weaker looking Moonray and lifts him like a doll, which doesn't
mean that Moonray looks weak. He has an athletic built which is similar to mine, much
like a swimmer. Ishaan on the other hand is one of those Norse guys who look like
they started bench pressing their Moms at the age of nine. And he is huge.
The ice titan tilts Moonray on his back and brings him down on his knee, which is
accompanied by the resounding crack of a spine-bone. I look away, more for my own
sake as for anything else. I don't want to see any more twisted joints today... and
from the sound of it that's exactly what Ishaan is doing to Moonray right now.
Seria hooks arms with me, smiling. “That wasn't so bad, was it? And we learned a
lot. I am sure that my father will find the other pyramids. Their operation was large,
but there have to be other similar installations.”
I take her hand and intertwine my fingers with hers. “Yeah. How about hiding
somewhere to...” I decide to leave the rest to her imagination. A little distraction
would be very welcome right now.
She grins, but instead of steering me towards the door, she makes a short stop at
Elona's side, whispering, “Do you think it would be possible to search this for any DNA
other than Dad's and mine?” Seria reaches into her pocket and gives a piece of black
cloth to her mother. It's wrapped in plastic now, but I recognize it as the piece of
material which Shade ripped out of the One's cloak.
Elona takes the presented item and raises an eyebrow. “This is?”
“It's a piece from the One's cloak. Dad ripped it off when he chased him. Depending
on the result, we might have to decide on a different approach.” Seria looks at her
mother, conveying something with her eyes which eludes me.
“I understand.” Elona lets the piece of cloth disappear in her sleeve.
Then Seria pulls me onwards towards the door and I decide to ask her about what is
going on. “What was that about?”
She smiles. “You'll probably learn sooner than you want to. Let's just savour the day
before it's gone.”
 56. ~Search.~

“A leader is one who knows the way, shows the way, and goes the way.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
There are so many questions and so few answers. One could argue that our attack
on the pyramid was a striking success. But by now I am not so sure any more. Our
enemies simply abandoned their base without a fuss. It felt more like attacking some
unimportant outpost. I browse through the reports about the battle and everything that
happened afterwards.
It’s been four days since we interrogated Moonray and welcomed Marcus into the
family. I’ve been busy ever since, trying to get all my assets under control. On one
hand I really had to take care of my coffee shop. On the other I had to reconnect with
everyone. There is my own side of the family, but I also had to deepen the
relationship with Adea, Clarity and Charles.
To be honest, I don’t care about the latter two all that much. But they are my parents-
in-law, so treating them as strangers won’t cut it.
“Are there any news about the spirits?” Marcus asks from the sofa. We are currently
relaxing in the living area of his palace, which isn’t all that strange. One could say that
we are lodging in three places; my apartment, his rooms in his palace, and my rooms
in my parent’s palace. I’ve a feeling that we really should try to get our own place at
some point or the other.
I summarize the situation. “Not really. The self destruct didn’t activate, but we already
knew that from the citadel's second mission.” Frowning, I take a look at the next
page. The area around the pyramid is still full of spirits, so our people only jumped
there and returned immediately after a short peek at the situation. To our surprise, the
pyramid was still there, lying dead in space.
“The pyramid was largely left intact when we teleported from inside it. But we must
have damaged something vital when we left. Or the self destruction wasn’t meant to
destroy the pyramid as a whole. We are left with a dead wreck which is floating in an
otherwise empty dimension. The spirits have dispersed since the pyramid was taken
offline, so the citadel will do some more investigation once the area is safe.”
“I wondered about that. Everything seemed too easy. Did the pyramid’s crew never
have any training? I admit that they put up a fight, but in the end we waltzed over
them. If it wasn’t for Moonray, there wouldn’t have been a real fight at all.” Marcus
shifts on his seat and scratches his chin in thought. “The whole situation feels off.”
Or you are simply underestimating the training of our troops. The spirits are a mad
bunch of barbarians, while our people have the memories of several lifetimes of
battles.
I nod. “I’ve given it some thought and I came to the conclusion that it was inevitable.
We aren’t fighting an enemy who is using an army in the real sense of the word. At
some point we compared the spirits to drones and maybe we were closer to the truth
than we thought.”
Marcus looks at me, tilting his head. “But they definitely aren’t drones.”
Spreading my hands, I admit that he is right. “That’s true, but does it matter? The one
who is using them, is deploying them as if they were drones. They must have been
doing so for quite a while and I think that they’ve gotten set in their ways. They are
always using the spirits to soften-up their enemies. Once a realm’s military power is
broken, they come with their army and mop up the rest. Afterwards they install their
own regime. I really would like to visit a realm which is already defeated. I bet that
they don’t prove much of a threat.”
Marcus purses his lips. “So you believe that Moonray’s description of his defeated
realm can be applied to all the other realms which lost to the spirits. Their modus
operandi is to wipe out every authority and to leave only a small part of the population
alive. If that’s true, then that says something about their actual military power.”
So he caught on. “Yes. I am just trying to understand how one would go about
conquering a whole multiverse. The amount of needed troops would be enormous, but
our enemies aren’t acting as if they have that many troops. They rely on spies,
trickery and hiding in the shadows. Why would they have to keep their bases a
secret? They actually go through a lot of trouble to hide all hints at their existence. I
think that they don’t have that much military power, aside from controlling the spirits.”
Marcus winces. “Which is more than enough.”
I raise a finger at him. “Yes and no. If my deductions are correct, then they have a
major weakness. Actually we’ve already proven my suspicions in a way, since our
opponents simply gave up the pyramid. Hell, they are even forcing people from
conquered realms to fight for them. It only shows that they are grabbing more land
than they can control. It’s pretty clear to me that they haven’t many troops aside from
the spirits. Oh, I am sure that they have a few seats of power with a lot of troops
here and there, but we’ve to see that in relation to the whole multiverse. They surely
have to fight uprisings everywhere.”
He leans back and broods over my opinion. After a few moments he nods. “So you
are saying that we need a way to locate the control bases for the spirits. Then we
launch strategic strikes until their whole empire tears itself apart, assuming that there
must be a limit to their control. It sounds too good to be true. The biggest problem will
be to locate their bases. We’ve struck at them once and that was because the secret
of their existence leaked out. I am not so sure that they will allow us to repeat such a
feat. Even if we get our hands on a plan with all their bases, all they need to do is to
move them.”
I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Good!”
He furrows his forehead in honest befuddlement. “Good?”
“Think about it. If the pyramid is a standard example of their bases, then they won’t
be able to move all those spirits. They chose secret locations so that they can build
up a reserve of spirits. I admit that the swarm was frightening, but without the base it
seems to be uncontrolled. Even the hibernating spirits woke up and are now drifting
away from each other, some are even killing off each other. If we force them to
relocate in a hurry, then they will have to leave most of their assets behind.”
He smiles and heads over to my side at the sofa. “That sounds reasonable. We
should share the theory with your parents. Your father said that he can’t use the
pathway network as a weapon of mass destruction, but maybe all we need is
information. The spirits are somehow tracking every large portal, so there must be a
way for us to locate their portals in turn. And the pathway network must be the
largest sensor array in existence.
“Your father explained that it eats energy to grow. Your parents must have limited the
energy sources which are recognized as viable. That implicates a detection system.
Maybe all they need to do is to lift the restrictions on certain frequencies?”
A devious smile spreads on my face. “That’s why I love you. You are thinking out of
the box. It might just work, though we’ve to ask Dad about it.”
Suddenly Marcus places his hands on my hips and flips me around, lifting my skirt.
“Hey! We’ve no freebies left!” I complain and slap his chest, but something must’ve
flipped his switch!
A wave of desire surges through our marriage bond, leaving me no choice but to
gasp. He hugs me from behind and starts nibbling on my earlobe, searching the sweet
spot between my legs. “You really want me to hold back when you look at me like
that. That smile of yours was too sexy!”
I whimper in silent acceptance of my body’s reaction to him. Then I reach behind
myself and pluck the amulet from his neck. “Only if I get to use it first!”
 57. ~Clueless.~

“We should all relax about life because you don't have a clue as to what's really
going on.”

- The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I knock on the door while pressing the alarm button with the fierce determination to
cause havoc if I am not let in immediately. Nobody answers. Either my mother isn't in
her laboratory, or she is so caught up in something that she is ignoring everything
else. Normally I would simply leave, but I want to know what she found out about that
piece of cloth. Giving up, I reach for the handle and try to turn it.
It doesn't move.
“I told you many times that locking me out only results in damaged security
systems...” I mumble to myself and punch a fist through the metal, slightly above and
to the left of the handle. Then I fumble for the handle on the other side of the door and
turn it. The door opens with a click and I step inside, closing the door behind me. It
wasn't meant to keep out unauthorized people, but to shoo away everyone who
doesn't have the determination to break it.
If my parents really want something secured, then there is at least one death trap
involved.
A long hallway is stretching out behind the door, so I waste no time and walk my
merry way. Strolling the corridor, I peek into the various rooms on my path. Most of
them are just storage areas for various materials. There are also a lot of machines
which aren't in use. My parents tend to store everything they invent, which results in a
lot of junk lying around. Calling out my mother's name, I open yet another door. It's
sturdier than the others and I find myself looking at a room which can be called a
greenhouse. A single, large, potted plant is in the middle of the room. Three green
leaves of the size of a human enclose a large flower.
Though something is disturbing about the picture. Clean, white bones are arranged all
around the plant. They look like something gnawed on them. The flower's beauty
quickly turns horrifying as the flower petals part and reveal the head of some kind of
spirit which is attached to the flower. The head looks at me with its beady eyes. It
swivels left and right in a snake-like manner. Then its lips draw back in a snarl and
reveal a set of sharp, bloody teeth.
I slam the door shut and one moment later something bumps against it from the other
side. What a creepy pet.
“Okay. That looked like one of Mom's failed experiments.” I turn away and head
further down the corridor, trying to forget what I've just seen. There is no point in
getting worked up about it. Actually I think it's one of the cuter experiments. At least
much better than the improved zombie-slimes which she created to clean the city's
sewer system. Those things give me the creeps. When she showed them to me I
vowed to keep a distance of at least ten metres to every manhole on the street.
In the end I find Mom camping in the last corner of her part of my parents' shared lab-
complex. I enter the room which is painted in a clinical white. Compared to the plant's
lair this looks comfortably normal. Not witchy or alchemic... just a normal, medical lab.
“Mom? Are you feeling alright?”
She looks up from her microscope. “Quite fine. Why do you ask?”
“Ahem. No special reason. I was just thinking that this looks almost normal compared
to your other labs. Are you on some kind of no-magic trip?” I survey the room, trying
to find the reason why she is here. There is a large working desk with various
instruments in the centre. The left wall is taken up by a large locker and the other
walls house all kinds of large devices.
She laughs. “Not at all, Dear. I just felt like doing it by the book. That's all. Where's
Marcus? I thought you and your hun are inseparable? I've hardly seen you without him
since you returned.”
“Mh... okay. I just wanted to know if you already had time to take a look at that piece
of cloth. And Marcus has some things to do. We've both neglected our other
responsibilities since all this havoc came down on us. I had this job as a teacher and
there is also the coffee shop.” I wave my hand to show that I've taken on more
responsibilities than I can handle.
“Ah, that shop. Shade takes me there every morning to eat chocolate and support
you. I would have never thought that you would indulge in such a hobby.” She smiles
and plays with a strand of her hair.
Yeah. I know. The two of you are showing up in demon form daily, chasing away all
my customers. I gain two people and lose twenty others. Somehow I get the feeling
that the two of you are doing it on purpose to take revenge on me for all the times I
blackmailed you! Admittedly, Dad is eating chocolate cake for ten people, but that
doesn't compare to having more customers.
I decide not to dwell on my issues with Mom and Dad hanging out at my shop. I can't
throw out my parents just because they refuse to change their looks. “Returning to my
question about the piece of cloth-”
“Ah, yes! Sorry. No real results there.”
I slump. “Really? I had my suspicions about our opponent's identity. Without a solid
clue it's nothing more than a hunch.”
Mom squints her eyes and waits for a few moments before she decides to talk. “It
wasn't conclusive, but I found a black hair in the fabric. To be precise, the tip of a
black hair, so there was not enough DNA to be sure. All I can say about it is that it is
in good condition. No split end or something like that. Just a black hair.”
I furrow my forehead. “Did you compare it to Dad's hair?”
She snorts. “There is no need. Shade's hair looks as if he washes it with gas. If it
wasn't for me and magic, he would be bald by now. I really should hide his
regeneration charms to show him what he is doing to his body. The man would be a
wreck if it wasn't for magical healing!”
“So if the hair belongs to another version of him, then the other him is taking better
care of himself?” I fiddle with my fingers. The whole situation is becoming worse and
worse.
Mom sighs. “I know that something is troubling you. Spit it out.”
If you have to know. “It was just that the robed figure moved awkward. It took me a
while to realize what was bothering me.”
“Moved awkward?”
I scratch my head. “Yeah, you know. Like men have a certain way of running and
women move slightly different...”
Mom's expression darkens as she gets my meaning. “You know that you are entering
dangerous territory? If that's true, then we've to be extra careful. If Shade learns that
his other version could be... that... I don't want to think about it.”
My shoulders droop in silent resignation. “I know.” It may be the end of a realm or
two.
Then she flicks her fingers. “Did you get a good reading on that person's aura?
Maybe it was another version of you or me? Why shouldn't there be versions of us out
there? It seems unfair that only Shade has a clone.”
Another version of me!? Gods forbid! “No? If we had sensed that, we wouldn't be
guessing now.” I raise a hand. “And before you ask, we were in the middle of a battle
and the whole area was so charged with energy that I could hardly sense anything.
Shade was doing his shadow-lord-thing and Moonray was doing his best to set the
pyramid aflame.”
After a few moments of awkward silence I decide to steer the conversation back to
safe territory. “By the way, why aren't you complaining about Dad's new habit of
eating so many chocolate cakes? Recently you aren't even mentioning his excessive
consumption of desserts.”
She shrugs. “I decided that there is no reasoning with him, so I am trying to have him
learn by experience. The multiverse is my witness, I tried to make him see reason
regarding his body. So if there is no other solution, he has to learn the hard way.”
“You decided to allow him to become fat!?” I ask baffled.
“No! By the gods! I still want to have my fun in bed. A little belly wouldn’t put me
down, but at the rate he is going, he would look like a barrel in no time. I am slipping
laxatives into his chocolate cakes, and emetics into his hot chocolate. I can hardly
believe that he will keep up his behaviour once it sprays out from both ends of his
body for a few days in a row. Once he comes to me for help, I’ll tell him that he is
allergic and that he has to limit himself. Do you want to take a look at the hair?” She
gestures at the microscope.
Poor Dad. But it’s his own fault in a way...
I smile and step closer to take a look for myself. What greets me is a highly magnified
picture of a black hair. No way in hell that a normal microscope of that size could
achieve this magnification! So she is using magic and all this equipment is just styled
to look normal! “I see what you were talking about. And no luck with dandruffs
either?”
She sighs. “I found a few, but they were yours. So unless you are our enemy, there is
no definitive solution to our question. Though I wonder what an evil sister of yours
would be like.”
I shudder and step away from the microscope. “Let's not go there. One last thing.
What happened to Moonray after we left?”
Mom tilts her head, looking at me.
Raising both hands, I hurry to clarify, “It's not like I care for what's happening to him. I
am just curious. He is still a relative after all.”
It takes an uncomfortable moment, but then Mom shrugs. “Doreen took him, or rather
what was left of him. You'll have to ask her if you are really that interested in his fate.
I didn't inquire.”
“Grandmother had a lot of time to harness her hatred for him. He got her with child,
promising everlasting love, and then he dumped her in the most despicable manner,
almost destroying everything she cares about. Doreen is living for the clan and her
family. Moonray didn't just leave her, he almost killed my Mom and me with his
machinations. It always astonishes me that the woman can love her child that much
while harbouring so much hatred for the man who got her pregnant in the first place.”
I see. “Maybe it's better that I don't know.”
 58. ~Poison.~

“Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other
person to die.”
- The Journey to the Afterlife

***

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

***

***Marcus***

“You really don’t look that well, man. Should I call a doctor? Or your wife?” I ask.
The reason for my question is Shade’s pale face. The guy should really take better
care of himself. Not only is he as pale as a ghost, he also looks a little malnourished
and worked up. Not the greatest state to be in.
Shade waves my worries away and straightens himself, holding onto the working
desk of his laboratory. “Don’t worry. I’ll be better in no time. Must be some kind of
sickness. Maybe influenza! I haven’t been feeling well lately.”
I grind my teeth. There was a reason to visit Shade in his lab. And that was to discuss
the possibility of finding our enemies. He listened to all of my suggestions while
leaning on his working desk, clearly trying hard to keep it together. “I’ve never heard
of someone getting sick without a definite reason. Healing magic can cure most
diseases easily. Were you poisoned? It wouldn’t be the first time that we were
infiltrated by their spies.”
Shade shakes his head in denial. “I carry charms which detect most poisons. You
wouldn’t believe how many attempts at killing me I’ve to endure every week. Most of
my slimy subordinates don’t dare to challenge me directly. Instead they are trying their
luck in all kinds of sneak attacks. Of course I kill everyone who is stupid enough to get
found out. No. It must be something simpler. I wouldn’t fall to such a petty attempt at
taking my life. The cause for my state must be something natural.”
Okay. If it isn’t poison or magic, then it must be something that isn’t recognized as
harmful by the charms. Like food. And I accidentally know that Shade isn’t exactly
holding back in his consumption of certain foods. “Are you still eating that many
chocolate cakes at Seria’s shop? Maybe it’s food poisoning?”
Shade’s whole face cringes in pain. “That can’t be! I’ve lived countless lives and I
never had a problem with eating chocolate. And I am sure that Seria doesn’t serve
bad food in her shop! Don’t dare to spread such rumours about my daughter. She is
already angry at us for always paying our visits in spirit form.”
I roll my eyes. “Everything can harm you if you consume it in abundance, even water.
Seria’s shop doesn’t necessarily have to serve bad food. I am just thinking about the
fact that you are really overdoing it with the sweet stuff. Maybe your current body
doesn’t take well to sweets? Dedessia doesn’t have much sweet stuff, so your
current body might not be used to your current diet?”
Shade’s face pales and his jaw droops. He stares at me as if I just delivered a death
sentence. I’ve never seen him like that. Actually I doubt that anyone has seen him like
that. Ever!
“Boy. I hope that you are wrong! For your sake!”
I realize that I entered dangerous territory and raise both hands, palms out. Shade is
the kind of ruler who kills the messenger for bad news. No matter that it wasn’t the
messenger’s fault. “I just proposed a theory. I am not saying that it’s true. All I wanted
you to do, is to visit someone with more medical knowledge than me. You look ill.”
He hits the table with his fist. “I have no time to be ill! There are orders to give,
research to be made, and your suggestions have to be put to the test! There is an
interdimensional war going on and I am still three steps behind. And now you want to
tell me that I am ill?” He stands up, sways, and sits down again. It’s like he doesn’t
want to show weakness in front of me. Though I really don’t mind. If he feels sick,
then he simply should say so. I have to find Elona and inform her of his dilemma.
“So you think that using the pathways for gathering intelligence is feasible? That’s
better news than I hoped for.” If he really can pull it off, then we are in a much better
position.
“At first glance I don’t see a reason why not. We designed the whole network for
more than transportation. It’s organic design makes the whole issue with changing its
function a little complicated, but there is no real reason why it shouldn’t be possible. In
fact I’ve thought of a similar spying mechanism myself.
“Of course I wanted to use it as a fully functional spying tool, but that feature won’t be
usable until the network goes fully online. That’s why I didn’t think of using it. But your
idea means nothing more than searching for certain energy signatures, something that
the network already does anyway. The main problem lies in accessing the data and
making sense of it. It’s not so much a technical problem, than one of organizing the
information. Once we’ve that under control, it should be possible to locate every portal
that’s opened within the network.”
He finishes his explanation and leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. It looks
a lot as if he is going to puke any moment. “Are you going to puke?”
“No.”
Just why did that sound like a lie? “I’ll go and find Elona. She surely knows what to
do.”
“Well, of course she knows what to do! I bet she is the source of the whole problem!”
I turn back to my father-in-law, raising an eyebrow. “Now you are even turning
delusional.”
“Hah! I knew that something was fishy about the entire situation. She stopped her
attempts at holding me back from eating chocolate!” He calls out, slipping from his
chair and curling up in a foetal position. Using one hand, he pulls closer a nearby
garbage can… I don’t have to guess why he wants it nearby.
Angrily, he goes on, “I kept thinking about her strange behaviour for a few days. When
nothing bad happened I stopped worrying. This feels exactly like her work!”
“That’s it. I’ll go and find you someone professional.” I turn around and hurry out of the
lab. Once outside, I head directly towards Elona’s part of the huge facility.
When I got a short tour through the whole complex, I asked myself for what reason
two people would need all this space, but most of it is just storage area. When they
showed me some device with nuke potential lying around in one of the closets I
vowed to never wander off and explore on my own.
Keeping strictly to the main corridor, I use my marriage bond with Seria to find her
and Elona. If I am not completely wrong, then she mentioned that she wanted to talk
with her mother.
Surprisingly, I encounter the both of them coming my way, so I raise a hand to greet
them. “I was searching for you. Shade isn’t doing that well, so we halted our meeting.
If I didn’t know better, then I would say that he caught the stomach flu. Anyway, his
complete denial of the situation doesn’t make it better. He even started blaming Elona
for all of this. Maybe you should go and take a look at him.”
Elona and Seria share a silent moment of looking at each other, communicating
something. Then Elona pats my shoulder and smiles. “Don’t worry. I’ll take a look at
him and I am sure that he will be back to top performance in no time. I already
expected his breakdown. He is simply working too much. Even gods can’t go on
forever like he does.” She pushes past me and heads down the corridor, whistling
some tune which I recognize as ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’.
“What was that about?” I turn to Seria, but she simply shrugs her shoulders with a
guilty expression on her face.
“Let’s just say that it’s a matter between Mom and Dad. They are always playing their
little games of supremacy with each other. It’s in their nature.” She sighs. “Let’s just
call it a day. I am sure that Mom will sort it out.”
 59. ~Intelligence.~

“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“...so Elona and I believe that there are four more bases like the one which we
destroyed. One of them seems to function as a command centre. There is a lot of
traffic between it and the other locations.” Shade ends his explanation of their
findings. It took Elona and him over a week to make sense of the information which
was gathered by the pathway network. But once they had it, they immediately called
in a big gathering between all the people who are in charge.
Since my side of the family showed up in numbers and Marcus's parents appeared
with their staff, we were forced to move the entire meeting to one of the big rooms in
our palace. It almost feels like sitting in a small classroom with Mom and Dad as the
teachers.
Marcus and I are also attending, sitting right next to each other. Listening to the long
and boring theory behind the final conclusion was a real ordeal. Unfortunately it was
necessary to know how we got the information and that it isn't necessarily conclusive.
A very important thing about warfare is to have more intelligence than your enemy.
Though it's almost equally important to know how far you can trust your own
intelligence gathering network.
Elona takes up from where Shade left off. “Please keep in mind that we base our
conclusions entirely on the amount of registered traffic between the four locations.
We've no intelligence on the actual size of each supposed base. All we know, are the
amount of portals which were opened recently, and their mass output. We've a good
bet, according to the transported mass, but the bases might turn out to be far larger
than expected.”
“Or nothing more than a command centre,” Shade cuts in.
The room stays completely quiet while everyone is trying to draw their own
conclusions on the gathered data. I survey the audience and decide to focus on
Charles and Clarity. The king and queen of Newerth were listening silently during the
entire meeting. They are the ones who are the most interested in this information.
After all it's their kingdom which is in the line of fire.
Dedessia's nomadic culture is too evasive to be targeted easily by the spirits. Mom
and Dad designed their floating cities for the sole purpose of avoiding Dedessia's
harsh environmental conditions. If an area becomes too hostile to live in, we simply
pack up and leave.
There are eighteen cities like our capital under my parents' rule. All of them are
connected by portals, but they are physically far away from each other. So even if
one city falls victim to some calamity, the others can go on as if nothing happened.
Now Clarity gestures at the wall behind Elona and Shade. It's completely covered with
a projection of the gathered information and visualizes it in a two-dimensional map,
showing the traffic between the four locations. “How can we be sure that we are
looking at enemy movements? Isn't it possible that there is a third party which
discovered interdimensional travel?”
Elona turns to the map. “We can't rule it out completely, but there is the fact that the
traffic is going in both directions. At regular intervals I might add.
“A realm which is being invaded would have traffic going in just one direction. In the
case of these four locations, we aren't looking at two parties who are fighting a war.
It would mean that they keep a tight and regular schedule in attacking each other,
which sounds horrendously stupid to me. Their portal pattern is too regular. We also
aren't watching the movements of spies. Some of the opened portals are moving too
much mass for that. The pattern looks more like large amounts of supplies are being
moved around.”
Shade gestures at a few other points on the map. “These eleven locations fulfil what
we would expect of spy-movements. Short portal activations with small amounts of
moved mass in both directions. I think it's highly likely that, by paying a visit, we'll find
civilisations which are similar to us. A few more allies might not be so bad. At the very
least we should send them a message to make them aware of their situation. Even if
they aren't suitable allies, they might be able to cause some local trouble.”
I reach out to hold Marcus's hand. He is sitting silently at my side, listening to
everything.
Charles nods slowly. “Speaking of allies, I've sent word about the situation to our
neighbours. Normally I like it to play my cards close to the chest, but in this case
more awareness might be to our advantage. As I understood it, Dedessia's biggest
problem is manpower. There aren't many of you. If it's needed, we can strike a deal
with Newerth's neighbours to acquire more troops, though I would like to avoid that
because the other nations of this realm would surely try to extort something from us in
return.”
Surprised, I lean back in my chair and whisper to Marcus. “Are there many other
nations who would help? I thought that there is a state of neutrality between all the
nations of this realm.”
Marcus shrugs. “Normally we try our best to keep the status quo, mainly because
everyone is afraid of getting unlucky with a spirit invasion. Once they learn about the
spirits' true nature, they will surely send some help our way.”
Or this realm might devolve into chaos. There was no war between the various
nations because the spirits posed a constant threat. If one nation were to attack
another and the spirits decide to invade at exactly that moment, it might become ugly
for all sides.
Marcus shakes his head, reading my thoughts. “Don't worry. I won't deny that some
idiots will surely try to grab more power, but I've trust in this society. Even if two
nations clash, their neighbours will immediately intervene and attack the offender.
Nobody wants an area which is weakened by war right next to their home. It would be
like inviting the spirits to dinner. In any case, given the size of a whole realm, it would
make no difference in the grand scheme of things.”
Elona clicks her fingernails on the table in front of her, thinking over the offer. “It might
come to that. But as it looks now, we wouldn't be able to face the enemy head on
anyway. Even if we had unlimited troops in form of higher immortals, we would have
the same problem as our enemies. Once the pathways are available for everyone we
can pop up wherever we want. But until then we have to use portals, which means
that we have to fight through a bottleneck. Small strategic strikes with well equipped
troops are much more promising. We have to take out their leaders until they lose
their interest in conquest.”
The discussion goes on for a while until nobody can think of anything more to say.
When all is said and done, the people start leaving in order to return to their
responsibilities. Speaking of responsibilities, “Marcus, what about our jobs as
teachers? I've been so taken up by everything that I didn't even think of checking on
my students.”
He sighs. “Don't worry. Everything has been taken care of. And besides, the academy
is still a mess from the last attack. A lot of people died, students included. Most have
been sent home and given materials for self study. The academy is closed until the
next semester. So we couldn't teach, even if we wanted to.” Slowly, his expression
turns devious. “Why don't we pay your shop a visit? I need a coffee after this boring
meeting. All the planning and talking made me tired.”
My own expression lightens up at the thought. “That's a really good idea. And we are
the only ones who stayed behind anyway.” Without waiting, I hug him and teleport us
directly to my shop. Once we arrive, we are greeted by peculiar scene.
“Let go of me!”
“Mwahaha! Nope! Jazira, did you really think that you would manage to hide from me
forever?”
“I didn't hide! And I am Adea now!”
“And why did you always disappear when I showed up with Shade? I had to pay an
irregular visit to catch you off guard.”
“I don't even know who you are!”
“Don't say that. Weren't we the best girlfriends, ever? All it would take now, would be
to find Lidith and the old trio would be complete. I wonder if the old cat is doing well.”
Elona studies the ceiling in silent contemplation. Her tail is holding the struggling Adea
in a tight grip, stopping her from running away.
“Would you please let go of my daughter?” Adea's mother, Patricia, pulls at the tail in
a vain attempt to free her daughter. Since she is just an immortal of low power, she
isn't even considered as a combatant by my mother. It's as if a toddler is trying to pull
at an adult.
“All I want is to do some catching up? Is that so hard to understand? We've so much
to talk about and I might even be able to help you with your powers.” Elona pulls
Adea to one of the many empty tables. The shop tends to empty when my parents
show up in spirit form.
The last proposition finally causes Adea to stop her struggles. “You can help with my
powers?”
“Obviously? Duh!? Don't you remember that I was there when you started to get them
under control? We talked about everything back then. At least I am sure that I can
give you some pointers.”
 60. ~Counsellor.~

“When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus

“I think Adea made a pact with the devil! That woman isn't a good influence for my
daughter.” Patricia lets out a heavy sigh and rests her upper body on the bar. The
whole scene makes one think that she is going through the hardest time in her life.
Frowning, I stir my coffee with a spoon. At first I just visited Seria’s shop to have
some downtime, but then I somehow ended up as Patricia’s confidant. “What's the
problem? Aren't you glad that she found people who can help her with her
circumstances? Adea wields a lot power. She is lucky that she found Seria and Elona
who can keep her in check while she is learning to control her power. I was honestly a
little afraid when I first learned about her full potential. You should also keep in mind
that she is only running around free because Seria assured us that Adea is no
danger.”
Patricia looks up, tightening her expression. “What do you mean by that?”
After a quick sip of coffee, I decide to calm her down. My words may have sounded a
little too threatening. “It's okay. Nothing will happen to Adea. But do you really think
that we would allow someone like her to run around uncontrolled? Everyone above a
certain level of power is monitored. I myself am no different. We can't have a loose
cannon who has the power to level a city. The girl is just a teenager, yet she wields
more power than anyone of her age should. If Adea loses control over her mana pool
it would be equivalent to a nuke. And I was told that she is only just beginning to
rediscover her full potential.”
“Even more reason not to allow her too close to that woman. She is corrupting her!
Yesterday was the first time she came home in a dress! She hadn't done that for
years and always kept to her school uniform. And when I asked her about the reason,
she gave me a wink, imperiously waved her hand, and stated that she is on a quest of
self-discovery! As if I am some kind of servant.” Patricia batters the bar with her fist.
“I know that I am not exactly a good role model for her. Indeed, I did a lot of things
which may have corrupted her. But when she got tested and admitted to the university
I had hopes that she may achieve something better in life.”
Nodding, I try to understand Patricia's point of view. “And now you are feeling as if
you are losing her.” It must be hard to learn that your daughter didn't just manage to
jump one step up the social ladder, but somehow ended up at the top of the pyramid.
Now Patricia fears that all of this will go to Adea's head.
“I know that it's stupid of me. Elona is Seria's mother and I owe Seria everything...
but still.” She deflates into a boneless heap, as if there is no hope to solve the
situation to her satisfaction. “She is spending so much time with those people and
acts as if she has known them forever.”
Ah, that's the problem. Patricia is someone of the immortal rank and somehow ended
up with a divine ranked daughter. She never had to expect big changes in her
daughter's personality. Our society's approach on recovering old memories is very
careful and, most importantly, slow. The Dedessians prefer the brute force method.
They even train their minds to unlock the memories as fast as possible. Becoming as
strong as possible, as fast as possible, is certainly a question of survival in their
realm.
And now Adea learned those techniques due to her close contact with Seria and
Elona. I guess it can be a little frightening if your daughter suddenly acts like a
completely different person. Patricia was never prepared for that.
“I think you should talk to Adea. Ask her about her previous lives, listen to her
memories and try to understand what she is going through. Try to understand who
she was and how she has to deal with her memories. Newerth’s way of dealing with
our past lives ensured that Adea will not be overwhelmed by her other personalities.
This is nonetheless a difficult time in her life. Though I can assure you that she is still
the same person who grew up with you. If her other personalities are coming through,
then that means that she is trying to cope with her memories.” I set down the cup of
coffee.
Patricia winces. “I haven't thought of that. I simply accepted that Adea was someone
else in another life, not even thinking about the fact that such memories must come
with a lot of emotional baggage. I myself can’t remember much about my previous
lifetimes. I am such a bad mother.”
I smile. “No, you are not. Just a little overwhelmed. Nobody expects you to deal
perfectly with a situation which wasn't of your own making. You and Adea simply have
to deal with unexpected circumstances. It will take work from both of you to deal with
that.”
“You know that you sound very sane... for a divine. Please don't take that as an insult,
but normally the people who are ranked as divine class act a little insane. Us normal
folk are best advised in staying as far away as possible.” Patricia presses her lips
into a tight smile.
I try not to read too deeply into her statement and straighten my clothes instead.
“Don't worry. I tend to think of myself as one of the more sane ones. So what actually
prompted your displeasure about Elona?”
“Prejudice! I am perfectly aware of it, but I can't help myself. Elona is always showing
off her spirit form and she is a succubus! I heard that she isn't acting on her instincts
and that she is the queen of another civilisation, so I am perfectly aware of my
irrationality. I am just afraid that all of this is becoming too much for Adea. She is still
a teenager, mentally. You are right. I'll try to talk to her. A lot! She has to tell me
everything. From start to finish.”
Oh, my. The poor child. I may have set something in motion that Adea will hate me
for. Probably I should pray that she doesn't find out who prompted her mother to
show that much concern for her changing circumstances. I am becoming as
meddlesome as the rest of Seria's family.
After downing the rest of my coffee, I decide to make a strategic retreat. Getting
involved even deeper will do me no good. Patricia can share her troubles with Jimmy.
Isn't he the one who is supposed to listen to her concerns? He is her man, so why did
she make me her confidant? My eyes wander over to Seria's goon who is bowing to
her while receiving some directions regarding the shop. Yeah... probably Patricia is
right not to share that sort of trouble with Jimmy. If she does, then the information will
land directly in Seria's lap.
But am I really any better? I am Seria’s husband, boyfriend... argh… whatever! The
whole thing still doesn't feel real with all the shit that's going on. Seria was right when
she mentioned that we've to settle down and build our own place.
Without anything better to do, I wander up to the second floor and into Seria's
apartment. There I decide to lie down on the bed, using my hands to support my
head. It's a relief when I finally close my eyes and relax. Patricia's concerns certainly
didn't help me in finding relief. Apart from attending the newly formed council of war, I
also tried to find medical help for my brother. A part of me hoped that the Dedessians
have some kind of medical genius among them, but Perseus probably needs more
than medical help.
We've tried to feed the prisoners spirit meat and it's true that they seem a lot stabler
now. Sadly it didn't return my brother to his former self. I've to ask myself if I ever
really knew him. By the time my parents got around to experiment on our serious
cases, Perseus was already too far gone. He is still delusional about his instincts,
which makes it seem that the issue with a spirit transformation isn't just a physical, but
also a mental problem.
If Shade and Elona work together, they might be able to heal him. I would have asked
them if their time wasn't better invested somewhere else. It's infuriating to value the
lives of others above a member of my family, but it's a sad fact that Perseus brought
his fate down on himself. Nobody asked him to give in to his instincts when he knew
about the danger. It was his own weakness.
And even if Elona finds a solution to the medical aspect, we would still have to bend
his mind into shape. Would that even be a proper form of healing? Or would we
simply recreate him according to our wishes. Maybe it's better to keep him in a
mental ward until he recovers, or send him on to his next life. It may be kinder. I
visited him this morning and now I am not even sure for how long he was playing the
family. If I interpret his fragmented hints correctly, then he must have gone over the
edge soon after my father took Clarity as his new wife.
Which means that the person I knew as Perseus never really existed. That's a lot to
deal with. Especially since I have to take care of my own responsibilities.
I promised to act as a spokesperson once we get involved with the other factions who
are affected by the war. Right now several of our agents are trying to contact the
other realms. We've sent them to each of the locations which were identified as
probable spying targets of the spirits. Of course the agents won't report back right
away. That means I have limited time until I'll have even less time to think about
Perseus. Once they return we will have our hands full.
“It's unusual that you are so gloomy. Did something happen that I should know
about?”
Seria's voice startles me, but I don't open my eyes. “I visited my brother. It wasn't
pleasant.”
She snorts and gets onto the bed, making it creak under our combined weight. Then
she gets on top of me, straddling me between her thighs. “So simply feeding them
meat didn't work? I am sure that we can arrange for better treatment once all the shit
has settled down.”
“Thanks. It's just that I've a feeling that I never really knew my brother and the visit
this morning was like a slap in the face. Maybe we've to break his mind and rearrange
it, but would that even be my brother? I am not sure if turning him into a walking doll
solves anything.”
She draws in a deep breath. “That probably requires a lot of philosophical thought and
I am not the right person for that. I am far too simple minded in my world-view. For
example, I never understood why some cultures don’t allow suicide. It’s an insult to a
goddess of death. Everyone should be allowed to do with his own life as he or she
pleases.”
I laugh. “I bet I know where that comes from.”
“I bet that I know how to distract your thoughts from our messed up families.” She
reaches for my hands and pulls them out from under my head. Then she guides them
to her bottom and I get to squeeze her soft skin.
“See? Lecherous bastard. All it takes to forget your brother, is to remind you that you
are the one who got the woman. You are grinning from ear to ear.”
“You call me lecherous, yet you are the one who throws herself naked into my arms.
Which man wouldn't grin at that?” I squeeze her just for the heck of it.
“This is my apartment and my bed! I can be naked all I want. Did I mention that I
dislike people who lie down fully clothed in my bed? You didn't even take off your
shoes,” She grumbles and starts shifting on top of me, unbuttoning my shirt.
I smirk. “I hope you will change the state of affairs without throwing me out of the
bed.”
 61. ~Welcome

“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“This is a circus!” I slowly step back from the crowd which gathered in the palace's
courtyard. All my instincts tell me to run and let others deal with the madness. It's
been a few days since our agents were sent to make contact with other realms. They
succeeded, mostly, and in various degrees of success. As a result we are now
flooded with ambassadors and, worst of all, merchants who want to trade! I think
some people didn’t hear the bells of war.
Unfortunately, Marcus senses my displeasure and reaches out as I step backwards,
catching my hand in his. “You are not going to leave me alone with these idiots! And
where the heck are your parents!”
I shrug, remembering my mother's mysterious request to be present today. She
played me and never showed up, but those clowns in front of us did! “I think my
parents decided to hide in the lowest levels of their underground research lab. Where
are your parents?”
“Disappeared for some urgent business right before we were supposed to attend this
meeting,” Marcus mumbles and steals a look at my official wardrobe. “Isn't this outfit
a little too showy?”
Pouting, I decide to answer. “I wanted to look my best. This is an official first meeting
between all the parties who have to suffer from spirit attacks, though I have a feeling
that we need a dedicated building to house all of our guests.” There are at least thirty
people who followed our invitation. Sadly we've no clue how influential they actually
are. Our only hope is that our agents did a good job in contacting the right persons.
On an impulse, I look down myself to check out the tight fitting, blue and red dress.
The colour clashes a little with my hair, but I chose a pair of black gloves to counter
that. Maybe the deep V of my neckline is indeed a little too much. I wanted to make
the right impression, but not that impression. If that makes any sense.
There is nothing that can be done about it now. I return my attention to our guests.
From what I learned, at least seventeen other realms answered our call. Four of them
are capable of multidimensional travel. Well, actually all of them are. Creating portals
isn't that difficult when a whole civilisation of immortals put their minds to it. But only
those four found a way to hide their portals from the spirits' attention. Most of the
other realms ended up in a similar situation as Newerth, trying to ban the use of
portals as much as possible. I've to admit that it's a far easier way to deal with the
whole issue.
So the assembly in front of me is a mad mix of dress-codes, cultures and languages,
hence I called them a circus. As least we seem to have the language problem under
control. The ambassadors seem to have no trouble at shouting at and insulting each
other.
Marcus steps forward and claps his hands as loud as he can. Which is very loud,
given that he is using a little magic to enhance the effect. “Please, if you would allow
us to lead you all to a little less public locality? We've prepared a hall which should
suit our purpose. There we can discuss our situation in a more civilised manner.”
An imp-like creature steps forward. He must be from one of the realms who embrace
their spirit form. His size is close to mine, so calling him an imp may be a little
exaggerated on my part. Though the rest of his body fits all the criteria. Batwings, a
pointy tail and ears, claws instead of fingernails, and a body that's just a little too
disproportioned to call it a standard human configuration. His baggy, grey robe
doesn't really hide the strangeness of his body. I wouldn't want to run around like that.
He smiles, showing me a set of red, pointy teeth. “And why should we listen to people
who aren't even able to use their spirit forms? Your city is also pretty banged up. It
looks like you are in more need of help than us. Why should we burden ourselves with
you?”
I feel the smiling expression on my face cramp up. This behaviour is totally unfitting of
an ambassador. But if they really want to compare sizes, then who am I to deny them
the opportunity? The muscles on my back shift as I feel my wings bursting out of my
back. Luckily the dress was made with that possibility in mind, so I don’t end up
naked in front of the crowd. They probably wouldn’t have cared anyway, as their eyes
are transfixed on the wings of shadow and light behind me.
My horns grow from my forehead and I feel my pupils turning to slits as I step
towards the imp, allowing him a good look at the sea of stars in my eyes. “I hope you
aren’t mistaking the fact that we are fighting our enemies as weakness. Who of you
can claim that they took out an enemy base and fought them on their own ground?”
Ok, they didn’t put up much of a fight, but I don’t have to mention that.
The imp takes a step back, his eyes on something slightly above my head. He points
towards the door which I indicated earlier. “You said the prepared room is that way? I
suppose we’ll at least listen to what you have to say.” Turning, he hurries to create
some distance between us and follows one of the guards who takes the lead. The
other ambassadors fall in line behind him like good, little school kids. Not that they
were the ones who tried to provoke us.
I turn around to find out who stole all the attention from me.
What I find standing directly behind me is a monster! He is at least three heads taller
than me and has red skin. Two burning horns of white fire crown his head and his
eyes are two holes of pitch black emptiness. A bona fide devil! Only the sword of light
gives me a hint at the identity of the newcomer. He is carrying it in an easy going
manner on his shoulder. And there is the fact that someone else was standing there
just a few moments ago. He is also clad in the same grey robe as Marcus.
“Marcus?”
The devil smiles, revealing a set of sharp fangs. “In the flesh.” He answers, puffing out
a small cloud of smoke as he speaks. “I asked your father for some advice and shape
shifting lessons, given that he is a shape shifter too. He managed to give me some
directions on how to control this new skill of mine.”
I step back and try to take in his new form. In my initial confusion I didn’t recognize it,
but his facial features are still the same. It’s just that he amplified his entire frame by
a few numbers. “So you can shift into anything? And your clothes change with you.
That’s handy.”
“Yep.” He coughs. “But I think I’ve overdone it with the smoke. Feels like having a
smoker’s lung.”
“Hmm.” I let my eyes roam from his horns to his impressive chest, which is totally
fake. I liked his original form, but I won’t say no to a few muscles once in a while.
Then my eyes fall to his hips. “Once this shindig is over, we’ve to explore all the
options. Does your whole body change size? The important parts included?”
He smiles.
I decide not to let his self esteem go overboard. “Just get rid of the teeth. And the
smell of your breath is intolerable. Kissing is out of the question until you’ve solved
that little problem.”
That wipes the stupid grin right off his face and returns him to reality just fine.
 62. ~Friends.~

“Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
Just let it be over. Why are we the ones who have to talk to these people? They want
to have treaties, trade agreements, jurisdictional agreements... nothing of that is
important right now. Upon taking a look at my wristwatch, I realize that I have been
listening to their bickering for three hours. In my opinion there are better activities to
kill time. We could talk about possible ways to fight our enemies. Or I could have
some alone time with Seria.
We’ve led our guests to one of the conference rooms. Looking up, I survey the room.
All of us are arranged around a large, round table. The rest of the room is empty,
except for two huge guards at the door. The two of them are somehow managing to
still look threatening instead of bored. Professionals. I bet they could stand around for
a whole day and still look like they are performing the most important task in the
world.
An ambassador from the realm of Hoo is talking about something, but I am zoning out
his voice completely. He is a large, wiry man and normally that would draw attention
and impress his audience. Sadly, his voice and manner of speaking create the strong
wish to take a nap. He is also one of the idiots who would rather speak of
everything except taking the fight to the enemy. It seems like he is more interested in
the relationship between the realms, than in the spirit problem.
I've my bets on three other people whom I identified as the main players in this
conference. Of course it's hard to judge the power levels of the various realms. All we
have so far, are some vague impressions from our agents and the word of the
ambassadors that they represent a significant power in their realm. So what I am
trying to do right now, is to judge the attitude of our guests. That means that the guy
from Hoo is a total let-down. He honestly seems to think that the spirits are some kind
of weather phenomenon.
The first guy of any importance is the imp who provoked us earlier. If he is a prime
example of his people, then they are up for a fight. I don't like his attitude towards us,
but it's far better than having to deal with a merchant. It's too bad that the spirits did
such a good job in painting themselves as some kind of natural fact of life. Half of the
assembly seems to think that we intend to stop the weather from changing.
Right now we are interested in short term assistance, so I am inclined to take all the
help we can get and kick out everyone else. It feels like a waste of my time to open
their eyes. I am sure that we have a lot of unimportant people who have all the time in
the world to listen to our guest’s verbal outbursts. Once they realise that the spirits
are a real threat, they will come around fast enough.
Then there is Nahal's ambassador. She is a real feast for the eyes with her curvy
body. A whole head shorter than Seria, she is still a nicely shaped woman with
chestnut hair. But wilful as heck. She even managed to glare down the imp when he
tried to cut into her speech time by overrunning his own time limit.
The last person who we should look out for is an average looking, blonde guy who
didn't say much so far. He doesn't show off his spirit form either. All I can use to judge
him is the fact that he sneered at several of the ambassadors who are on the
merchant side. He is clearly not of their opinion, which means that he is at least
neutral. Our agent also reported that Blond's realm is a high-tech civilisation.
Apparently they chose to protect themselves by advancing as rapidly as possible.
They live in mega cities which are protected by high walls to keep the spirit plague
outside.
There must have been a point in their past when they didn't manage to stop a spirit
invasion in its first stages. So the spirits are now roaming most of the land while the
people are hiding in their artificial strongholds. A similar scenario happened to
Dedessia, just that their realm seems to have more than enough resources. Luckily
my realm didn’t have to share their fate.
When it’s clear that the current speaker said everything he had to say, Seria gets up
and claps her hands together. “Wonderful.”
Was that that sarcasm I heard in her voice?
“I think now that everyone voiced his or her opinion, we can finally take a break.
We’ve prepared quarters for all of you. And you can send messages back home if
you wish to do so. If you still have questions, we can talk about it in the next room
where we’ve food and drinks for everyone.”
Perfect! It’s as good as over. I get up and follow Seria with all the others to the
neighbouring room where the staff has prepared a buffet. Only, someone is already
there, her plate loaded with the best treats the buffet has to offer.
Elona turns around and scans the incoming crowd, chewing on a meat-stick. She
smiles and waves the stick upon recognizing us. “I’ve made it! Aren’t you two glad that
I decided not to leave you two to the wolves?”
Seria approaches her mother with quick steps and hisses, “Mom, where have you
been? We had to listen to all of their problems while you hid somewhere. And where
is Shade?” Before Elona can answer, Seria turns around and addresses the crowd,
“Seems like another person of high rank managed to make it. Let me introduce my
mother, Elona, queen of Dedessia.”
Nobody says a word while Elona lets her eyes wander over the ambassadors. Then
her expression turns smug. “Some of you might know me as Celes. And I know at
least one of you. I am so glad that we meet again.”
Most of our guests look confused, but some gasp, remembering the name. Only one
person tries to slowly flow away from us to hide behind the others. It’s the small
bombshell from Nahal.
Elona purses her lips, faking a hurt expression. “Lidith, why are you hiding, aren’t we
friends? We could have a big reunion with Jazira.”
The busty bombshell from Nahal shoves the two ambassadors apart who she used as
a shield. Then she stalks towards Elona, her blue skirt swaying with each step. “You!
How did you recognize me!? I never mentioned my identity to anyone and I was extra
careful to hide my aura! Oh, by the gods! He is also here, isn’t he? If you are here,
then he has to be! He already invaded my mind or something like that. Is he searching
my memories or what? Am I already bound to some operating table? Is all of this an
illusion? I hoped I would be rid of you two!”
Elona soothes the agitated woman by petting her head. “No. Don’t worry. I watched
the whole meeting over the security cameras and your skittish behaviour was familiar,
so I used some of his devices to verify my suspicions. He doesn’t know, yet.” Then
Elona ruffles the woman’s long hair and rearranges it with both hands. “You know… I
really miss those cat ears of yours. They really suited you. Do you mind if I change
that?”
… and that led to our first diplomatic incident. Busty jumps at Elona, both hands at her
throat in an attempt to choke her. Of course Seria and I hurry to pull the two of them
apart, but it turns out that it isn’t that easy, given that both opponents are divines.
At least the others don’t add to the problem by joining the fray.
 63. ~Three.~

“People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“So Jazira is also here? That’s no good. I still can remember her first attempt at using
the pathways. She gathered so much energy that she almost ripped apart a whole
continent. Using brute force was always her method of choice. I hope you managed
to steer her towards a different path this time.” Lidith eyes the ceiling with a gloomy
expression. It took us five minutes to separate her from Mother.
After she cooled down, she introduced herself as Beth. I had to assure her that I
would stop my mother from using any gene-altering methods on her. Seems like her
previous life with my parents left her a little traumatized. I’ll admit that being turned
into a catgirl isn’t high on my list of priorities either. Though I have to say that my
mother had a somewhat legit reason for her actions. Mom’s treatment helped Beth to
control her berserker mode.
Ok, she still went on a rampage now and then, but at least she managed to direct her
aggression at people who deserve it. She had a real problem with her anger issues
back then. And she still has trouble with keeping herself in check from what we’ve just
seen. I’ve to remember that when I bring up old memories.
She has cooled down by now, but I can see in her eyes that she is still unhappy with
the situation.
“Adea can blow up a continent?” Marcus asks alarmed, looking at me with wide eyes.
It looks a little ridiculous when he is surprised while being in his demon form. I really
want to check out the extent of his shapechanging capabilities. Can he turn into an
animal, or does he have to stick to a humanoid form? And now that I think about it,
why not an inanimate object? There are quite a few kinky things we could try if he
turns into a vibr-
“You are drooling,” Marcus reprimands me with a sharp whisper.
I try to gather myself and wipe my mouth with my sleeve. There is no time to lose
myself in a dream world. “I am sorry. Regarding Adea, yes, at the peak of her
powers she can blow up continents. The current reincarnation of her isn’t quite that
capable though,” I answer.
He sighs in relief. “But she will reach that level of power sometime?”
Shrugging, I try to downplay the situation. “Her control will increase and she is a
decent person. In all the time I’ve known her, she never lost control.” Though she is
quite capable of wiping out a city, with residents and pets included, if the right buttons
are pushed. I probably shouldn’t mention that to Marcus. His parents would freak out
if they learned about it.
What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over… or something along those
lines.
Mother raises both hands in surrender. “I am sorry. I didn’t realize that being friends
with us was such a traumatizing experience. I hope we can overcome that. At least I
hold no grudge against you. I understand if the current you is different, and that you
would rather not get involved with us. A lot of time has passed and people can
change. Sometimes it’s better not to face the past.”
It took a while, but after the initial commotion was over, the crowd dissolved. They
gathered in small groups for discussions and to devour the buffet.
Beth sighs and looks around to study the other ambassadors. “It’s not like I actually
resent you after all this time. I actually liked playing the aunt for Seria. You still
opened an old wound though. And I am not particularly interested in meeting your
husband again. Did he manage to overcome his… issue?”
“He goes by Shade now. Don’t worry. It has been quite some time since he last
freaked out,” Mother answers with a perfectly straight face, not giving away anything.
She didn’t lie, but she also forgot about giving Beth all the information.
I shudder, remembering our recent conversation. There might be a real possibility that
Dad freaks out once he meets his other version. So I step in to steer the conversation
away from Shade. “Why don’t we talk about your realm, Beth? How did you do in this
life? And is your realm interested in cooperating with us?”
Beth shrugs, stretching the fabric of her a little too tight dress. “I am not sure. What’s
there to tell? We call ourselves the Jesserj Trading Inc. Don’t be fooled by the name.
The corporation rivals any decently sized continent in power. We provide safe trading
and portals between several different realms. The spirits were always a thorn in our
sides. Interdimensional travel would be so much easier without them.
“As for my time between my reincarnations… I am afraid that I don’t have that much
memories between now and the life we had together. I think that I was alive when you
fought the calamity the second time, though not for long.”
Both my eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “You were!? Why didn’t you seek us out?”
Beth blushes. “Can we talk about something else? I really don’t want to talk about it
since we weren’t on the same side. It was a really, really shitty reincarnation and I
didn’t have memories of you back then. My soul got wrecked and I should probably
thank Shade for repairing it to the point he did, it cut down my reincarnation time. But
I think I lost a lot of memories nonetheless and spent quite some time recovering. This
new reality seems to unlock memories of different timelines. I’ve no other explanation
for my set of memories.”
She was on the other side? And she died? Does that mean that we killed her?
The only one who apparently figured something out is Mom. Her eyes widen in horror
and she covers her mouth with both hands. “I am so, so sorry! To have memories of
being reduced to such an existence. Now I understand everything. I never should have
allowed him to do something like that to anyone.”
Beth raises a hand, stopping Mom from speaking any further. “Please, just don’t talk
about it. I am doing my best to wall off my memories of that time. I don’t want to
speak or hear about it. A lot of things went really wrong back then. Let’s just pray that
there is no version of Sharid running around.”
Oh, yeah. But to be honest, I quite liked Sharid. Even if she was the reincarnation of
my father’s gender-bent nemesis. She did really good as a woman. I had no problem
with her hooking up with my brother.
Marcus looks from Mom, to Beth, and then to me. “Can someone try to bring me up
to date? I don’t understand anything.”
“And that’s for the better!” Beth and Elona answer in unison.
 64. ~Strategy.~

“You can’t teach employees to smile. They have to smile before you hire them.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
“Why don’t we find another subject to talk about? Like how to deal with the spirits? I
am afraid that we could get a real crisis on our hands if we handle this the wrong way.
And we didn’t exactly get anywhere during the past three hours,” I say while I try to
keep eye contact with everyone. We are still at the buffet, talking to Beth.
Beth shrugs and tilts her head. “Why am I not surprised that you guys are involved in
all of this. If there is mayhem and a general threat to the multiverse itself, one can be
sure that the three of you aren’t far away. Though I am not entirely sure that you guys
aren’t the actual threat.”
“Four!”
“Hiii!” Beth jumps half a metre into the air as Shade appears out of thin air right behind
her.
He ignores her and continues, “And I heard that we found yet another one of our old
friends. Seems like this multiverse wants to reunite us with old acquaintances.”
She steps back to gain some distance from him. “It’s you! …But why four?” She bites
her lower lip with a wary expression on her face.
“Oh, that’s simple.” I step closer to Marcus and hug him from the side, pressing a wet
kiss onto his cheek. “Mom and Dad were so nice to include Marcus in our little bond.
I’ve finally found a partner to share my life with, so it’s four from now on.”
Marcus starts smiling, but Beth ruthlessly crushes his bubble by addressing him
directly, “My sincere condolences. Do you realize that you committed to a bond which
reaches beyond death?” She looks at all of us in turn.
Marcus tries to answer, but Shade is faster and doesn’t allow Beth to shut him out.
“Oh, don’t try to ignore me. It has been such a long time, Lidith.” Shade steps forward
and hugs Beth, who stiffens upon the unexpected contact. She gently pushes him
away. “Thanks, but I go by Beth now. I would appreciate it if you try to use the new
name.”
Shade nods. “Of course.” Strangely enough, he doesn’t pursue the matter and steps
back. “Why don’t we celebrate a little? I think that I’ve found a way to interrupt the
signal which is controlling the spirits! If we manage to utilize this against their base,
we might be able to win without fighting.” He spreads his hands, expecting praise.
Beth squints her eyes at Shade. “But?”
Seems like she doesn’t believe that my father suddenly came up with a solution to the
spirit problem. I admit that it sounds too good to be true.
“What do you mean?” Dad lets his hands fall to the sides of his body.
“I remember your antics perfectly well. If you advertise one of your little gadgets as
you just did, then there is a catch to it. Spit it out. What’s the problem?” Beth waves
her hand at Shade, gesturing away his enthusiasm.
“Ahem, well. You obviously remember at least some things about me.”
“Everything!”
Dad shows his open palms as an offering of peace. “Okay, let’s just say that the
range of my device isn’t exactly mentionable. To be honest, we’ve to plug it into their
communication system.” He scratches his head, a guilty expression on his face.
This time it’s my turn to throw up my hands. “Then what help is your device? If we’ve
already fought our path all the way into their station, then blowing it up is just a
formality. Why would we bother to use their communication system to send your
strange signal if the result is the same?”
He raises a finger to stop me. “You would be right, if the signal was an ordinary one.
If I’ve made no mistake, then my signal has the exact frequency to cause a resonance
effect with their souls. I’ve thought long and hard about it. The multiverse abhors the
fusion of different souls. It’s like a physical law. A quantum wave that intersects with
others always tries to return to its original state.
“That’s also why a-” he raises both hands and makes air quotes with his fingers,
“-‘damaged’ soul automatically repairs itself. It requires complicated magical
constructs to prevent this auto-repair function from forcibly dispersing the spirit’s soul.
Of course, spirits can be born naturally in mana storms, but they should die within a
few months to up to a year after their birth. It’s a shame that I didn’t realize it earlier.”
“So the spirits which are created by our enemy have some kind of protection? An
enchantment that protects the different parts of their soul from rejecting each other?
And if you manage to interrupt that enchantment, then their souls will disperse like
they do when they die?” Marcus asks. “That’s brilliant! I would’ve never thought that
you actually had a reason to avoid our party with the ambassadors.”
Shade cocks his eyebrows in silent surprise. “Why did you think that I was hiding in
my basement?”
I answer with a little guilt in my voice. “We thought that you were trying to avoid your
responsibilities, loading off all the work on us.”
Shade blinks, looking at me as if I am some kind of strange bug. “My work is always
important. I can’t be bothered with suppressing all the other realms. Have they sworn
their fealty? Or why are you guys already partying?”
Elona links arms with Shade. “Honeybear, why don’t you leave the diplomatic stuff to
people who actually have an idea of diplomacy? So, why exactly should we kill the
spirits with this new signal of yours?”
He purses his lips. “The enemy constantly sends a signal to control the spirits. If we
send out our own signal, then we might not get the desired result. The two signals
could interfere with each other. But if we send it over their own system, we might be
able to send it over their whole network. If the plan succeeds we might be able to get
them all. Then we just have to wait for a few months.
“I admit that it doesn’t stop them from creating new ones, but they are obviously
stockpiling them like ammunition. If we destroy their supply of drones, then they are
restricted to what they can produce.” Dad turns towards Beth and looks at her
expectantly.
She furrows her forehead in apparent suspicion that something is up. “What?”
“Do you still have your berserker ability?”
“Yes?”
“Great! You can be our spear-point. I suspect that their main base will have a lot
more troops, now that they know that we are on their tails. Maybe we can recruit
Adea too. Her deathray will clear a path.”
 65. ~Trouble.~

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created
them.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
“You look winded.” Seria calmly observes me as I wave goodbye to the last guest.
It's the guy who looks like an imp, and this evening he tried his best to drink me under
the table. But I managed to resist. The ambassadors from the other realms really
took their time before they decided to retreat for the night. And it's kind of hard to
throw someone out of the party if a lot depends on making a good impression.
I drop my hand as soon as the imp-guy is out of sight. “That's because it's really hard
to smile despite the fact that you don't feel like it. At all. I wore the same expression
for over seven hours!”
She frowns and reaches up to tug at my cheek. “But you are still smiling. If you don't
feel like it, then why are you still smiling? The room is empty, except for us.”
I reach up to feel my face and it's no surprise that my hand encounters the tugged up
corners of my mouth. “A cramp.”
“Must be one hell of a cramp then. I've had cramps, but never in my face. How does it
feel?” She gloats and reaches for my face to pull and rub, but without achieving
anything.
“As if someone used flexible stickers to rearrange my expression to his satisfaction.
Please stop that, it feels demoting,” I answer the question sullenly.
It's bad enough that we have to endure the whole ordeal again. Shade and Elona
decided to postpone the attack on the enemy base until all the negotiations are over.
They hope that we will get some more assistance aside from Beth. Surprisingly, she
agreed readily enough to help us, even though her discussion with us was nothing
more than an informal meeting. It felt like she was eager to prove that she is on our
side.
I wouldn't have done that, had I been in her shoes. There wasn't a real plan to begin
with. So far, it is just an idea. And I am still not entirely sure of what to think about
Shade's idea to involve Adea. The girl has her own problems. Fighting in a real war
should not be part of her troubles.
There is also the issue of involving a student in the state's affairs! No matter how you
look at it, she is still a child. So what if she regained some of her old memories? That
doesn't mean that she suddenly reached mental maturity out of nowhere. Shade
wants to toss her into the fire nonetheless. We have to protect her at least long
enough to give her a chance to get a grip on herself. Seria mentioned often enough
how dangerous she can be.
“I hate being ignored.” Suddenly Seria leans in and starts nibbling on my collarbone.
“Do you mind teleporting us to my apartment?”
“Ahem, why this sudden interest? I thought you don’t like this form?” I try to clear my
throat, but fail miserably. The sound turns into a choked croak, but at least I dealt with
the smoke problem. Her hand is simply too distracting. What was I thinking about?
“Something wrong?” She leans in closer, pressing up against me.
“I can teleport us. As soon as you take your hand away. It's distracting.” I reach for
her shoulders and try to concentrate, but that isn't easy if a beautiful woman has her
hand inside my pants. “Are you sure that you want to do it right now? Aren't you
tired?”
Her eyes flash golden and she smiles, letting out the succubus in her. “I am just trying
to make good use of this new form of yours. This whole day was so tedious that I
simply need some time off. Everyone else already fled the scene, so why should we
wait?” Then her expression turns smug. “Seems as if I am able to perform some
transformations on your body without the use magic. Do you really want to tell me
that you can't do something as simple as teleporting us?”
I groan as a shudder runs down my spine. She is using her succubus abilities on me,
that's for sure. Enough is enough. If she wants to play dirty, then so can I. Flicking a
wrist at the room's entrance, I seal it with a barrier of raw force. It's a dirty and
inelegant job, but it will stop unwelcome intruders from stumbling over us.
“Why-”
Flipping her around, I force her to the ground and push up her dress. It helps that she
didn't hold back and undid my trousers, freeing me. Pulling her panties aside, I
position myself and push as far and deep into her as I can. She gasps in surprise and
tries to get up, but I reach for her neck and push her down. “Do you really think that
you can tease me after a day like this?”
To my own surprise she isn't disturbed by my aggressive behaviour. Instead she
giggles and reaches backwards, gaining hold of my trousers and pulling me closer to
grind against me. “Apparently your transformations have an effect on your mind. Who
would have thought that my lovely Marcus can be this forceful? And to simply take me
in such a public place. Aren’t you afraid of someone walking in on us?”
We are behind a barrier. If someone enters the room it would be akin to breaking
down a door. I say nothing and force one of her arms behind her back to keep her in
place. Answering her movements, I follow her rhythm for minutes until both of us
reach the peak of our union.
Seria is still under me when I feel my barrier shudder and crack. Two people appear
with a flash inside the room. The damned woman had to call it!
“Marcus, we need to talk! There is an emergency... By the gods! What are you two
doing in a public place! And what are you doing to Seria! That's no way to treat a
woman! Get off her!” Clarity shrieks with a high pitched voice.
Damn! I realize that the way I am holding Seria down surely looks like it happened
without consent by the other party. And surely enough, my parents had to teleport
right into the room. That's the one thing I didn't completely ward against. I thought that
it would be abundantly clear that I don't want to be disturbed if the whole room is
warded.
Seria moans and circles her hips, not caring in the slightest that we got company. “But
I am not entirely opposed to being held down. It's so rare that he is the aggressive
one. Can't you give us a few more minutes? I've a feeling that he isn't quite done.”
Charles clears his throat and gives me a thumbs up, carefully avoiding to be seen
doing so by Mom. Losing no time, he reaches for Clarity's shoulder and teleports the
both of them out of the room.
I stay there, frozen, with Seria wriggling under me in an attempt to get me moving. I
groan. “This is the most awkward moment I've ever had.”
“Shut up and move!”
A few minutes later we are back to a somewhat presentable state, if sweaty clothes
can be counted as presentable. It can't be helped though, especially because I can
feel the auras of several important people in front of the room. Four important people
to be exact. Our parents.
Grumbling, I break the damaged remains of my barrier and open the door. Then I
step aside to allow them entry. “I hope there was a good reason to interrupt us.”
Mother wrinkles her nose in disapproval and Father studies me with a conflicted
expression. Shade and Elona are openly grinning at Seria and me. Why are they
grinning!? They didn't see anything and my parents would never talk about such an
incident.
Seria leans closer and whispers, “Don't you remember that they spied on the meeting
with the ambassadors? I bet both the conference room and this room are bugged!”
Gods! I feel myself reddening and recognize their stupid expressions for what they
are. And why does Seria know what I am thinking!?
“You are so upset that you are shouting all your thoughts over the wedding bond.”
Just great. I take a deep breath and count silently to ten. “So. What happened?”
Charles is the one to inform us of the bad news. “It's your brother. He escaped!”
I blink and reach up to massage the bridge of my nose. “It had to be something like
this. So how the hell did he get out? And where did he go?”
My father shrugs. “We don't know. He simply vanished out of his cell and the
surveillance camera failed a few seconds before he escaped. So we don't know how
he did it. We thought that he holds a grudge against you two, so we rushed to get to
you in fear that he is after revenge. It was you to who got him locked up after all.”
I squint my eyes at my father. “By that logic, wouldn't you two also be targets? You
were the ones who subdued him.”
“But he didn't go after us, so we thought he went for you. But if he didn't seek
revenge, then where did he go?” Clarity kneads her fingers. Her expression is
stressed and her skin is pale.
I reach up to run a hand through my hair. If Perseus wants to create trouble for us, he
could become a real problem. As if we don't already have enough on our hands. Then
I listen to a lengthy explanation of what my parents deduced from the state of the
prison cell. Which isn’t much. According to them we are facing a mystery with a
locked room.
Seria wandered off during the conversation, showing her disinterest in this new
dilemma. Instead, she attacked the pitiful remains of the buffet. As if Perseus doesn't
concern her. I didn’t pay her behaviour that much attention up until now.
Then the sound of someone who is retching draws my attention. I turn around just in
time to find Seria barfing into an empty bowl. It’s one of the big ones which were
holding the stewed fruits. I can only think of one reason for her to feel sick and
suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. We broke our limit a while ago. But isn't it too
early to show symptoms? Ignoring the scene, I turn back to face our parents.
Mom and Dad are looking at her with pity in their eyes, whereas Shade's and Elona's
expressions show malicious joy. Today it's just one thing after the other.
“I suppose that we all need a drink,” I mumble to myself, not actually talking to
anyone.
Seria returns to our side, holding a new bowl in her hands. It’s empty, so I suspect
that she isn’t done. “Mom, maybe you should tell the servants that they don't want to
bag the leftovers. And I may be ripe for a preliminary examination in your lab.”
“Of course, Dear. Do you want something against feeling sick? It won't harm the baby
and the medicine takes effect fast.” She smiles gently at her daughter and a pill
appears out of nowhere in her open palm.
Seria takes the pill and swallows it without question.
“Ah, I forgot! There might be the side effect of becoming overly emotional, but that
will last only for a short time.”
Sure enough, big tears start rolling down Seria's cheeks and she sobs. “I hate this! I
am not cut out to be a mother! Just look at how I acted in front of my parents-in-law
just a few moments ago! I could die of shame! It's all your fault, Mom!”
Shade tries to say something, but Seria is just starting to gain momentum. “And you!
You betrayed me! Without you she would have never managed to trick me like that! I
thought that I am your darling daughter! Never would I have thought that you would
betray me like that.”
“Now, now... Isn't that going too far? They are your parents.” I reach out, but she
steps back and hisses at me.
“You are the one who is ultimately at fault! Without you, I wouldn't be in this state!
Just look at me! I... hic... I hate this! Gods! What a horrible medicine!” She turns
away and puts a finger into her mouth. One moment later the retching starts again as
she goes to her knees.
Shade chews on his lower lip. “Maybe you should fine tune that recipe of yours. I
shudder at the thought of you taking that stuff; the multiverse might end. The side
effects certainly don't outweigh the benefits.”
Elona snorts. “I thought that being a little emotional wouldn't make a difference to a
pregnant woman.”
 66. ~Locked room.~

“Feelings are like chemicals, the more you analyze them the worse they smell.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I watch my father as he crawls around the prison cell, prodding and poking at the
ground. Apparently he hopes to find some sort of weakness or mistake in the
runescript, which could explain how Perseus escaped his cell. Dad offered his help in
finding out how Perseus pulled off his prison break, so all six of us relocated to the
prison under Charles's palace. Though I have my doubts if prison is the right term for
this facility. I can tell that people who end up in here aren't really meant to get out
again. Ever.
We got a little tour through the prison and were introduced to some of its inmates, just
to show us that there is a good reason to lock them away. Allies should have no
secrets from each other after all. Though I doubt that my parents would have a big
problem even if this prison is used for reasons other than locking away the serious
nutcases. But that’s not the case, so I suppose that we are good.
“Soooo... how did he get out?” I slowly turn in a circle and survey the cell carefully.
This underground prison is the real deal. I didn't even suspect that Marcus and his
family maintained a facility of this magnitude under their palace. We had to pass
through several powerful wards and barriers just to get to the entrance. That's where
the real security measures started. From automatic counterspells, to mana sucking
cellwalls. This cell has it all. And if someone really tries to get out, he'll end up with
some nasty curses before he even manages to scratch the walls.
This prison is meant to bury dark secrets and to hold the most powerful immortals.
I turn my attention to Marcus and our parents. “Or should I rather ask, who let him
out? Because I don't see how I could get out of here. And I am good with breaking
out of and into locked rooms. There are so many layered protection spells that it
would take weeks to unravel them all.”
Charles and Clarity look at each other as if my words are an affront. Marcus is the
one to shine some light on their reaction. “It's impossible. Only the royal family has
access to this part of the prison. That means that either Charles, Clarity or I would
have to be ones who helped Perseus. I doubt that one of us would do something that
stupid. We’ve all talked to him and verified that he isn’t quite right in the head.”
I furrow my forehead. “And what about your brother and sister? Maybe Perseus
manipulated them somehow? He has shown that he is quite skilled with adults, so
playing the strings of a child is surely easy for him.”
Clarity winces. “He may be their older brother, but he never really dealt with them.
I...” she pauses to find the right words, “didn’t allow it. I’ve always felt that something
was off about him, so I discouraged any contact between him and my children.
Marcus and Charles are the only ones who Perseus had a real relationship with. I
didn’t interfere because I deemed that Marcus is old enough to make his own
decisions. The little ones haven't even asked more than once or twice about Perseus.”
Haah, their family situation surely is a little messed up. At some point I’ve to ask how
it happened that Charles had Clarity right at hand when his first wife died. I suppose
that it wasn’t easy for Perseus to see his mother replaced just like that. Add to that
the fact that Clarity seems to have an aversion to Perseus, as he represents the fact
that she is Charles’s second choice.
Charles places a hand on his wife's shoulder. “And they are still children. The wards
on this facility recognize individuals. Mere relationship by blood isn't enough to get in
here. The only ones who are allowed to enter are the three of us. We can bring
visitors with us, but that’s it. The facility maintains itself. Everything is taken care of
with magic. There isn’t even personnel to bring food or take care of the waste.”
So the solution to our problem isn't that simple. I grumble and decide that I am not
quite ready to give up. “Then here is something else to think about. Perseus surely
had access to this facility. Correct?” I wait until Charles nods. “We also know that
Perseus hid his true nature for quite a while. He must have known that if you ever get
wind of him having lost to his spirit nature, then he would surely end up in here. If I
were him, I would prepare a way to get out of here.”
Charles freezes for a moment, then he shakes his head. “We are fools. I should have
thought about it. I am always relying on my ability. Perseus must have realized that
my ability only kicks in if lives are at stake. Otherwise I've to concentrate hard to
glimpse even small things. That's why Perseus managed to play his game for so long.
As long as he didn't kill anyone, he was safe to do as he pleases.”
“But then he messed up,” Marcus mumbles.
“How are the prisoners fed?” Shade interrupts our discussions. He is still on all fours,
studying the runes which should be holding the prisoners inside a circle with a
diameter of two meters. “From this spell matrix, I suppose that food is teleported into
the barrier and waste is teleported outside.”
Marcus nods. “That’s right. I can remote control the process.”
Shade steps into the barrier. “Activate the prison and send me some food, then
teleport it away.”
Marcus walks to a panel at the room’s entrance and manipulates it. The runes to
Dad’s feet flare up, locking him inside the barrier. Then the food appears. Shade
simply studies the whole process from inside the barrier. But when the food is
teleported away, he jumps forward, casting a teleportation spell of his own… and is
gone…
“Where is he!?” I call out in shock.
Charles hurries out of the room. “He must be in the waste disposal system! How
stupid can one be to hitch a ride on a teleportation spell? The facility cancels all
teleports which aren’t related to its functions.”
We follow Charles and Marcus down the corridor. They are heading for a door which
has ‘Waste Disposal’ written in large, black letters on it. Before we reach it, someone
kicks open the door from the inside and Shade steps onto the corridor.
He looks as if he just took a swim in the sewers and an unbelievable smell causes me
to stumble backwards. Shade spreads his hands and casts a spell, sprinkling the stuff
which is clinging to him everywhere. One moment later he is clean again. “I suppose
that solves the question of how he got out. The facility’s teleportation system can be
tricked by hitching a ride on the authorized teleportations. Perseus just had to wait for
the purge of the waste tank, which has to happen from time to time since you don’t
have a recycling system in there. I suppose that you teleport the tank away once it’s
full. He simply had to time his departure with the disposal of the tank. I am sure that
he had sufficient insight into this facility’s time table to know when to use his chance.”
Mom lets out a sound of disgust from right behind me. “I hope you do realize that I’ll
run you through a complete disinfection. Gods! That smell!”
Dad looks down on himself and the mess around him. Then he shrugs. “I’ve had
worse on me as a child.”
.
 67. ~Education.~

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I yawn and stretch myself, trying to shake off the tiredness. We've been trying to
determine Perseus's escape route for more than a day. The time went by like nothing.
It was clear that the way he escaped could only be pulled off if one has a very good
idea of the prison's waste disposal system. Shade was teleported right into a big tank
with nasty stuff inside when he hitched a ride on the facility's teleportation spell.
But that alone didn't get him out of the prison. He had to break the tank to get out.
Which naturally led to a whole room which was inaccessible to us. Dad managed to
get out of the cell, that's true, but it's another matter to leave the facility in one piece
afterwards. Perseus escaped without a trace, which means that he never left the
tank.
That's only possible if he knew exactly when the tank's contents would be disposed
of. He had to time his departure with the disposal of the tank, so that he could leave
the prison with the tank before it went into lockdown. It's not like the designers of the
prison had no clue about their job. If there is a problem, even a small one, the prison
goes into complete lockdown. That means that nothing gets in or out. Not even the
waste.
So Perseus had to wait for the very last second to hitch his ride, otherwise he
would've been caught inside the tank until someone found him. There are search
spells for things like that and Perseus would have been the only living thing outside the
cells. Not particularly hard to find.
“I suggest you incinerate everything inside the tank with every disposal cycle. It would
ensure that everyone who gets the idea to use the same route doesn't try it twice.
And I would put the same magical counter-effects onto the tank. We don't want
someone to protect himself with environmental magic.”
“That would kill them,” Marcus states matter-of-factly.
Dad nods. “That's the intention.”
I sigh and twirl a strand of my hair around my finger. “I think that's all beside the point.
We know that he got out. The main reason why we invested so much time in finding
out how, was to determine if he had any help. So what are his intentions? Will he
open a portal? Try to take revenge on us? I didn't exactly know Perseus. Marcus
talked a lot about his brother though. Perseus doesn't strike me as the type of person
who would simply congratulate himself and run away as far and as fast as he can,
just to make a living in exile somewhere beyond our reach.”
“Which would be the smartest thing to do,” Clarity growls.
I continue, “As I said, he is probably planning something, maybe even negotiating with
our enemy? I'll nonetheless pay a visit to my friends in the underground of this city.
Maybe they heard about something. He'll not escape his punishment.” And I need an
outlet for my frustration.
Mom raises an expectant eyebrow. “Is there a particular reason why you want to see
this Perseus person in a cell? I understand that he is… was the first prince of this
country and probably collaborated with the enemy. But can he really do more damage
than the average spy or agent at this point? Everyone knows that he is a bad apple.
Would the army still side with him? You mentioned that he was a former commander
of Newerth’s troops. I've wondered why you are so concerned that he wants revenge
especially against the two you.” She regards Marcus and me with sceptical eyes.
“I... err... ahem.” I clear my throat to gain some time. If my parents learn what
happened between me and Perseus, they will go apeshit crazy! Not only did I allow
myself to be manipulated, I almost killed him and doomed my mission of creating ties
to Newerth. I've never actually told them the reason for his imprisonment. Marcus and
I just skipped over the event as if it didn't have any importance on the actual state of
affairs. My eyes wander over Charles and Clarity, whose throats are equally sealed
shut.
Fortunately, Marcus decides to save the situation by masterfully telling a piece of the
truth, sugar-coating it as much as possible. “Perseus tried to make a move on Seria. I
barged in on them and it led to an argument between me and my brother. The
argument went out of hand, which resulted in Perseus losing control over his
temperament. Our parents barged in and apprehended him after assessing the
situation. That's why it's reasonable to think that Perseus might hold a grudge against
us. Firstly, against Seria, because she was the reason of the fight. Secondly, against
me, because I escalated it, which led to his imprisonment.”
Charles clears his throat. “At first we tried our best to resolve the situation without a
fuss. But Perseus tried to resist with deadly force, which showed us that he was
clearly over the edge. Or at least very close to it. So I think we can safely assume
that he doesn't think well of either of us.”
“Hah...” Shade snorts, curling down the corners of his mouth. “Seems like a really
nice, self-centred person. I would like him if it wasn't for the fact that he made a move
on my daughter. Maybe there is a chance for us to sniff him out. He must be
somewhere in this realm. My devices would've sensed it if a portal had been opened.
And they didn't. So he has to be hiding in a safe place.”
I nod and turn towards the exit. “I'll use my contacts to gather some information.” As I
turn around, a wave of nausea washes over me and I clench my teeth, fighting the
urge to vomit. Seems like this reincarnation of mine is prone to morning sickness. Or
whatever it's called. Isn't it too early to feel the effects that badly? I reach for Marcus
and grab his clothes to hold myself upright.
“I don't think you should go anywhere. You are as pale as a sheet of paper,” Marcus
says with concern in his voice. He reaches for my forehead to feel my temperature.
Though his limited medical knowledge makes it nothing more than a nice gesture.
My mother's sceptical gaze turns towards me. She studies me for several moments,
thinking of possible reasons for my state. “You just need a good boning. That's all.
Have you made sure to suck on his life force, Sweety?”
Her bluntness baffles me. I steady myself by using Marcus as a crux and turn my
attention towards Mom. “No? Why should I? In fact, I am trying to avoid leeching off
of him. You always told me that I've to stay in control as much as possible. Otherwise
I would end up sucking my partner dry. Though the succubus inside me makes that
hard from time to time and I end up doing it anyway. Not dry I mean… just a little
comatose.”
Dad whistles and turns away, pretending to polish his nails.
Mom squints her eyes at me as if I am stupid as fuck. “What do you think was the
amulet for? Do I have to give you the 'birds-and-the-bees-speech' for succubi?” Then
she launches into a pretty demeaning speech, explaining the whole succubus
reproduction process. And if I haven't felt stupid for going easy on Marcus before
that, then I am surely doing so by the time she is done.
When she is finished I try not to scream. I guess with the amulet there wasn't a
reason to hold back with my partner. It was meant to protect him.
We've taken turns in using the amulet, which was exactly the wrong thing to do. The
amulet is meant just for Marcus, so that it would restore his life force while I can take
as much as I please. And if I can suck as much as I want without tiring him, then there
is no need for me having an amulet. Sucking the life force out of another being
restores a succubus just as well as having an amulet.
“I feel so stupid,” I mumble, glaring at the ceiling. “But why haven't you told me that
this whole pregnancy issue could be over and done with within days!?” I look at my
mother, giving her the evil eye.
She huffs and gestures with her hand. “You have to forgive me. While you were still
small and cute I had you locked in my study with all those books about my research. I
honestly thought that the obvious thing to do, would be to educate yourself about the
biology of your own body. It's so basic that I've never really thought about testing you
on the subject. How often have you been through the reincarnation process? What did
you do during all that time!?”
I feel myself turning red with embarrassment. I sneaked out to spy on all the family
members? We've a big family, so there are a lot of dirty secrets to unearth. “I
suppose I must have overlooked the document with that particular knowledge. Who
would have thought that it would work so different than for everyone else?” I answer,
a little miffed. And why am I to blame? Everyone else has normal pregnancies? So
why are succubi an exception of the rule?
 68. ~Information.~

“Friends show their worth in times of trouble, not in happiness.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
“Love, you are in special circumstances. Just let me deal with the matter in your
stead. I promise to handle it carefully.” I follow Seria down the alleyway. It's the same
one I brought her to several weeks ago. At this location we can meet up with some
people who have contacts to the underworld.
She shakes her head. “It's fine as long as I can siphon off some life energy every now
and then. You just have to stay close and let me do the talking. You may learn a thing
or two about dealing with shady characters.” She quickens her steps, aiming for a
sturdy looking door. It belongs to the average looking building in front of us.
I follow her, not very pleased about the fact that I've to play bodyguard. If she gets
sick with someone who wishes her ill close by, she has no way to defend herself. And
there is the baby to think about. Elona's speech baffled me a little to be honest. I had
no idea that access to someone's spirit form could have such drastic effects. Though
the pregnancy thing seems more like a result of the special ability that comes with
being a succubus.
Succubi can leech on the life force of other organisms, preferably male, and use this
power to accelerate their own metabolism. This results in increased strength, speed
and healing. The trick is that a baby is apparently considered as a part of the body,
so it also benefits from the accelerated metabolism, resulting in a very short
pregnancy. Of course that's only the case if the succubus in question has enough life
force at hand.
I shudder, imagining the natural consequence of Seria's circumstances. If we aren't
careful, we will end up with a football team of children in no time. I take pride in the
fact that I consider myself as a good father. Okay, maybe I am not the best father
figure. Though there are certainly worse role models.
Nonetheless, the thought of having a horde of little Serias to control isn't exactly my
idea of a good life. We've to be very careful when it comes to that. Maybe two or
three children? I can live with that. But definitely not more.
There is a magic number to this. One child means that you have to take constant care
of it because it feels lonely otherwise. They seek attention. Two children are
playmates for each other, which means that the parent doesn't have to play with them
constantly. Everything above that number increases a parent's work and requires
attention, because children also cause trouble and have to be educated.
My train of thought is interrupted when Seria reaches the door. She stops and knocks
politely. After a few moments, a shutter in the door opens and someone mumbles
something incomprehensible from the other side. Seria doesn't seem to be fazed by
the rude tone in the person’s voice. “Hi! I am Seria, an old friend of your boss. I've to
speak with Don.”
“Go away. We don't deal with little chicks,” the voice answers and the shutter snaps
closed.
Seria's reaction follows without hesitation. She takes a stance and digs one heel into
the ground. Then she delivers a lazy slap to the door, creating a nice, little dent in the
shape of her open palm. The scene would have been comical, taking her earnest
preparation into account. The result paints another picture. The whole door breaks out
of the wall, frame and all. A part of the wall crumbles, creating a huge hole and
burying whoever was guarding the entrance.
Yep, just like the last time she visited them. I've a feeling that the people who are
running this business aren't really Seria's friends. More like victims who can be easily
intimidated into doing her bidding. I wonder why she bothers to pay them personal
visits, a phone call should be sufficient. I doubt that they forgot her previous visits. Is it
just the fact that she likes to destroy their door? Do they have an ongoing contest? I
noticed that the new door was sturdier than the old one.
The hole grants me vision of a small room with a desk inside. A scrawny guy with the
aura of an accountant is manning the seat at the desk. He gapes in dismay at the hole
in his office. “You again! What's going to happen on your next visit? Will you take
down the entire building?”
“Hi. Yes, it's me again and I need to speak with Don. And no, I think I'll settle for the
room. Taking down the building is reserved for when I am angry. Today I am just
frustrated.” She walks past the accountant without sparing him a second glance. The
fact that he waved her through is completely beside the point. I suppose he did it to
save at least some of his dignity.
I follow on her heels, wincing as I walk over the iron door. The bouncy motion of the
heavy piece of iron lets me know that someone is buried beneath it. At least the
muffled moaning means that he is still alive.
We enter Don's office and Seria sits down in the chair opposite of a figure who did his
best to look like some old-school Mafia boss. I regard the rest of the office with a
keen eye. The walls are full with folders and stashes of documents. If all of this is
linked to illegal activities, then raiding this place would be a jackpot to the DF.
Don regards me with a wary expression, but then he turns his attention to Seria and
puts on a fake smile. “Such a happy encounter. I am always glad to get visited by a
well paying customer like you. It always covers the cost for a new door. What can I
do for you.”
Seria answers with an equally fake smile. “Perseus escaped his prison. We want him
back. He surely had help to go into hiding after his escape.”
Don purses his lips. “Perseus, the first prince, was in prison? I've never heard about
that.”
She smiles and chuckles. “Of course you did. You are a good information broker. If
you weren't, I would have shut down your business a while ago. But as it is, you are
ending more trouble than you create. So why don't you work with authorities for once.
In the end it will be to your benefit. Isn't business always better without war and
destruction?”
He scratches his stubby cheek and regards us with raised eyebrows. “It's true that
organized crime benefits from chaos... but war means that there is so much chaos
that organized crime becomes a moot point. Bad for business in other words. So if I
provide you with the information, then you will turn a blind eye on my little business.”
Seria looks towards me and I shrug. It's true this fellow's information about the
hideouts in the Tandeen district was good. We would have never found the portal if he
hadn't provided us with a list of possible locations. “Haven't I been doing that since
Seria used you to search for the spirits' hideout?”
Don nods and rolls with his office chair to the wall to his right. He pulls a folder from a
stack of documents and opens it. Then he browses through the documents inside it
and a few seconds later he presents five sheets of paper to us. “The usual payment?”
Seria smiles. “Of course.”
He hands the documents to Seria and I take a look over her shoulder. The documents
are files with personal data. Name, photo, crime record and abilities, it's like a
curriculum vitae for criminals.
“Find those five guys and squeeze them for information.” Don rolls back to his place
behind the office table. “I don't know where they are now, but they are linked to
Perseus's escape. They are always working together and just yesterday someone
hired them anonymously. Right after the prison went into shutdown. A coincidence?
Maybe. But unlikely. Their speciality is underground operations, so there is a high
chance that they are on a certain someone's payroll.”
Seria nods appreciatively. “Then we won't bother you any longer.”
“Queen, you never bother me. But my accountant may hold a grudge if you keep
destroying our reception room.”
 69. ~Observe.~

“It glints with arcane truths to those who know how to glimpse them.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria

They think that I am weak. Just because of a little puking and a few mood swings
they go all protective on me. Marcus especially. I'll show them that they are all wrong.
I am the goddess of life and death. I am Seria. Not some weak little maiden who is in
need of protection.
My parents are Order and Chaos. Can anyone even imagine what it means to be
forever a child of such dysfunctional parents? Finding a way through their laboratories
is akin to defeating a high level dungeon. And their workplaces aren't even under any
form of security. I've had the honour to be caught up in their security installations one
time too often. One doesn't become good at sneaking around overnight. I learned the
hard way and that means pain.
I take the binoculars away from Marcus and glance through them, observing the
lonely house which is situated on a small hill amidst a seemingly endless cornfield. It
took us a while to find this place, which is literally somewhere between nowhere and
no man's land. If I wasn't seeing it for myself, I wouldn't believe that such a rural area
exists in this realm. The next town is over two hundred kilometres away. This house is
the perfect place for a secluded hermit, or someone who doesn't want to be found.
We would've never located this place without Don's help, a hefty dose of luck, and the
stupidity of our foes. Ok, I admit, they weren't stupid. Just a little lazy when it came to
their credit transactions. One of our friends had a personal account on the federal
bank. Of course, it wasn't under his real name. He wouldn’t have deserved his job if
he had made it that easy for us. But Don's nice, little document mentioned that it is
one of the team’s fake accounts which is often used to move money around.
Having a helping hand in the underworld pays off.
Using our influence to access the bank account was a piece of cake. And who would
have thought that the most recent transaction to purchase this house wasn't
connected to their newest mission? So far we've identified all five members of the
team which is supposed to assist Perseus. We managed to take a good peek at each
of them while they were moving around the house, or left it to run an errand.
But no Perseus so far.
“Are you sure that we aren't mistaken? We've watched them for half a day and
Perseus hasn't shown himself. I suspected that he would rather hide himself in a
whorehouse, sandwitching himself between the two bustiest women he could find.”
Marcus grumbles from my side.
He uses my silence to continue. “I mean... what does he hope to accomplish out
here? Is he gunning for something big? Or does he simply intend to hide until we
forget about him? He doesn't strike me as the type.”
I bite my lower lip and use the binoculars to check on the positions of our teammates.
Everyone who was able to, decided to help us in this mission. It's serious overkill to
bring that many divines just to apprehend a single man. Our parents, my grandparents
and my oldest brother decided to join the fray, making it eleven people. We didn't
dare to bring anyone who couldn't hold his own in a fight against Perseus. If Marcus is
right, then his brother is seriously unhinged. In case that Perseus goes all out, we
might have to kill him anyway.
Apprehending a higher immortal is always a matter of how far the person in question
is willing to take it. There is no question that we brought enough fighting power to
subdue Perseus. Though if he channels enough power, he may burn himself out like a
light bulb. In fact, battles between divinities often end in one side or the other
overusing their powers. We might have almost limitless access to mana, but that
doesn't mean that our minds can channel so much power without making a grave
mistake sooner or later.
Either that, or one side manages to cheat, finding a way past the enemy's defences.
“He has to be in the house, hiding. The fact that his minions are doing their best to
shield the house from all forms of scrying magic is enough to justify a raid,” I mumble.
Marcus and I are holed up on the road which is leading to the house. It may look like
we are standing in the open for everyone to see, but Marcus did a fine job in blocking
our mana emissions with his wards. Not that we create that much energy noise to
begin with. Additionally, I put up a little spell which bends the light around us. Our
relatives are hiding through similar means. The fact that I know where they are, just
means that they intentionally gave their position to us. After I've checked on all the
positions of our teammates, I lower the binoculars.
“I still think that your grandfather was a little too innovative about his concealment.
We've to do something soon, or our prey will become suspicious. And have I
mentioned that this whole scenery looks a lot like a trap? I haven’t seen a single
lookout. They are acting as if there isn’t a single chance in hell that they get found.”
Marcus squints his eyes at the dark cloud which is hovering above the house like an
omen of doom.
I purse my lips and inspect Ishaan's cloud. The ice giant used his frost magic to force
the water in the air to condense, concealing himself and his wife inside a thick cloud. I
suppose that Tisha took the job of hiding their presence.
Clenching my teeth, I return my attention to the house. Whatever Perseus is up to, I
have to face him. I would never admit it openly, but when he managed to twist my
mind to his will, he created a chink in my armour. An armour I always thought
impenetrable. I have to face him and withstand whatever sick power he is using.
Otherwise I’ll always doubt my own abilities.
I shiver and draw in a deep breath. Then I turn to face Marcus, looking deep into his
grey eyes. “I don’t think there is a point in waiting any longer. Either it’s a trap, or it’s
not. We’ll not get any results if we don’t walk in there and get some answers.”
 70. ~Messed up.~

“They cease to exist.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
After we gave the signal to attack, Charles opened the negotiations with a silvery orb
of power. The spell flicked away from his open palm and impacted the house on the
small hill. The resulting explosion utterly annihilated the building, flinging pieces of
burning debris in all directions. Earth and stone is thrown through the air like
projectiles, forcing us to shield ourselves.
No, the king of Newerth didn't intend to go easy on his son.
From the corner of my eyes, I notice a body tumbling through the air. One of
Perseus's hired guns was caught off guard. Not that knowing about the attack would
have helped him. Charles interwove an array of counterspells with his attack. There is
no doubt that someone below divine level wouldn't be able to defend himself against
such an attack.
That said, I think we can tick the five goons from our list. Good thing that I didn't even
bother to memorize their names.
When the rain of debris stops the lifting smoke reveals a nice view on the utter
devastation of Charles’s attack. The house is gone and in its stead is a huge crater,
Perseus hovering in its centre. He summoned his aura, protecting himself from the
attack with sheer power.
The rest of his minions are nowhere to be seen. He didn't protect them. So either the
other four were flung away like their comrade and I simply didn't notice them, or they
were torn to pieces.
“Didn't he overdo it? What if Perseus hadn't been in the building? We would have lost
our opportunity to question his goons.” I muse to myself, watching Perseus. Ok! We
wouldn't have lost them. My father is in the habit of snatching every soul that dies
close to him. Every... single... one. So it's easy to understand why we avoid inducting
outsiders to this little secret of ours. Knowing that they are close to a soul-snatching
entity makes people uneasy. Even if there are worse things than being forcefully
employed by my father.
The bastard is waiting for us, taunting us. He hovers in the centre of the crater as if
there is no problem at all. It's as if he thinks that he can take on all of us at once.
That's simply... overconfident? Insane? Did he snap during his imprisonment? I
understand that biding your time in such a small cell is no fun. But he wasn't tortured,
he had enough to eat and to drink. Hell, according to Marcus the prisoners are even
allowed to read books. There is no reason to go off the deep end.
“You forget that my father has the sight. He most likely saw the future, knowing that
he would reveal Perseus by doing this,” Marcus explains his father's actions.
“What a nice way to circumvent all those wards against scrying. Well, I suppose the
wards aren't a problem any longer.” I mumble and stroll forward, shortening the
distance to Perseus. The rest of the group is also closing in, approaching the crater.
The power of a huge barrier weaves around me, charging my body with energy. I
raise both hands to join the group spell. Fine tendrils of power coil around Perseus as
our group closes in on him from all sides. If we want to contain him, then we have to
work together to suppress his power. A fight without limitations could level a huge part
of Newerth. By creating this barrier, we are trying our best to avoid collateral
damage.
Our best chance to subdue Perseus is to surround him with a barrier strong enough to
stop him from breaking through. He can rage all he wants once we have him confined.
With eleven divinities against one, we have a good chance at succeeding.
My power flows into the barrier, strengthening my area of the spell. Marcus joins me
without hesitation. But something feels off about the spell. It's formed correctly, but
somehow it doesn't want to lock into place. When you cast a spell you can tell that
you succeeded in invoking the spell. Once you fed enough mana into the spell matrix,
the spell gains a nature of its own to create the desired effect. In this case we've
woven the matrix and are feeding the spell, which is to be expected for a channel-
type-spell. We are also getting the desired effect, but for some reason the spell
doesn't lock.
Charles reaches the edge of the crater. “Perseus, give up and come back with us.
Don't you understand that you need help?”
Perseus’s self confident smile turns into a sneer as he looks at his father. “And your
idea of help is to deprive me of my power. I'll never give up on my ability. Why do I
have it when it isn't meant to be used? I'll show all of you that I am meant to have this
power. It is mine, just like Newerth should be mine!”
A guttural laugh escapes his lips and he spreads his hands, drawing his fingers
through the air. Fine threads of power become visible on his fingertips. They spread
out and form an intriguing pattern which grows, snaking out from his position. It's a
spell matrix, but one that was already in place when we arrived here!
“That's bad!” Marcus starts a counterspell of his own, but as the pattern reaches our
barrier it simply shatters. The vines of power flow past us, spreading across the
ground. It's an area of effect spell, so I highly doubt that taking off into the air would
have helped us.
Even as I feel the spell doing something to me, a rain of icy shards hammers down
onto Perseus. I try to cast a spell of my own, but I cannot move. Something is
seriously wrong! Ishaan's shards of ice tear into Perseus, but he endures it. A few
moments later the cloud above the house dissipates as if it was blown away and
Ishaan falls towards the ground with his wife in his arms. The ice titan somehow
manages to move his body despite the spell and shields his wife with his body. They
disappear out my sight when they fall into the crater. The sound of the impact makes
my belly cringe.
I just hope that they didn’t get hurt, but knowing Ishaan I bet that he will simply stand
up and create some noise with his spine. Even without magic. Then I realize that
everyone is caught in this spell. Even Dad. I see him on the other side of the crater,
ripples of shadow wandering over his face as he tries to transform. He achieves
nothing though!
“How can this be!? A binding spell of this magnitude. It must have taken months to set
up such a trap. This is impossible,” Charles gasps. He tries to move, but he is caught
like all the others. His conclusion is correct. Setting up a ritual that’s able to bind
several divines at once… It must have been a hell of an undertaking.
Perseus floats forward. “Months! Ha! It took years! Sneaking away during weekends.
Biding my time with preparations, hiding my actions from everyone. It took years,
father.” He reaches the edge of the crater and punches Charles in the face. Then he
turns his attention to Clarity and kicks her in the belly. Without the aid of magic, both
of them crumble like children.
“I wanted to get rid of you since the day you replaced Mother.” Perseus takes his
time to correct his outfit, simple, grey trousers and a black shirt with a loosely hanging
coat. “I’ve planned for years to take over. In fact, I was about to launch my plan when
that bitch started to cause trouble. I had to hold back and delay my plans. After all, I
want a functioning kingdom. Taking over in a time of complete chaos isn’t that easy.
And then you two simply had to go and arrest me.”
He kicks his father for good measure, then he turns his attention to me. “But at least
she is right here. Maybe I should delay killing her. You all can watch while I take my
pleasure with her. This binding circle uses your own power against each other. The
more people are caught in it, the stronger it gets. At first I didn’t expect to hold you
for more than a few minutes. It would be enough to kill you. Though with that many
people caught in the spell I should have well over an hour.”
He walks towards me, ignoring the enraged cries of the people around us. I try to
fight the force that holds me in place. Slight movements are possible, but it feels like
being buried in sand. I can’t even summon a shred of mana.
Marcus starts wriggling at my side. “Don’t dare to come near her or I swear that I’ll
kill you! It doesn’t matter that you are my brother!” Perseus chuckles and slams his
palm into Marcus’s chest. I squeal as he is flung backwards with the crack of bones.
My scream is cut short when Perseus roams a hand over my torso, snaking tendrils
of his power around me. I try to resist, but his energies are pure temptation and a
boiling sensation starts gathering inside me. Why am I so weak towards his power?
“Bastard!”
He smiles. “Oh, I think you simply know that we belong to each other. We are two
sides of the same coin. What do you think? Should we let them watch?”
A jolt of electricity runs up my spine and I feel my mind become clouded. He is right.
His power is so wonderful. I need it. The enraged screams of the others don’t matter
as I move my hand to capture more of the sweet power that’s so full of pure
temptation.
Forcing my trembling hand ever so slowly to move, I reach out to touch Perseus’s
cheek. Purring, I trail a finger down his neck towards the cleft under his throat, pulling
in as much power as I can while reaching out with my own.
Suddenly his self righteous, superior expression disappears and he chokes, startling
me. He chokes another time, coughing up blood. The strange power of the moment is
gone and I clench my teeth, realizing what I’ve done.
Perseus’s upper body comes apart in a shower of blood, gore and bone, painting me
red. In reflex, I close my eyes and feel the warm blood spraying onto my face. When
I open them again, the Adonis of a man in front of me is gone. Just a short stump of
his spine is protruding from the rest of his lower body. His arms were flung to the
side. It’s as if his chest simply exploded from the inside out!
I close my hand around the soul orb which was forcefully freed from Perseus’s mortal
shell. As I do so, his head impacts the ground right next to Charles, rolling twice
before it halts right in front of Clarity’s face. What remains of Perseus, topples over
and I feel that the restraints which hold me vanish.
In an instant Marcus is at my side, wheezing heavily. The broken rib, which is
protruding from his chest, doesn’t stop him from touching me everywhere. “By the
gods! He didn’t hurt you? Tell me that you are fine! How is the baby!? If he was still
alive, I would rip him apart myself!”
I blink, still holding the soul in my hand. “No. It’s fine. My ego took a little damage, but
that’s all. I think I am unharmed.”
Ishaan’s head appears from below the edge of the crater, Tisha on his shoulders. His
eyes roam the scene while everyone else rushes to my side. “What the fuck
happened here!?”
I wince and try wipe the blood out of my face. The droplets are threatening to get into
my eyes. “I… may have forgotten… that I cursed him.” I wince. My voice sounded so
whimsy and shaken. It’s not the blood, or the gore. Hell, it isn’t even the fact that I just
killed the guy who we wanted to catch alive. It’s the fact that I utterly failed in resisting
his power. Again! Maybe I should simply accept that I am a little bitchy on the inside?
Marcus frowns. “You cursed him? When? And which fucking curse makes a man burst
into hundreds of pieces.”
“Ew… It was months ago! You remember that time when I rammed my finger into his
chest? I was totally freaked out at the moment and planted a triggered hex. The hex
is supposed to fuse with the target’s inner magical circuit. It’s a slow curse, since it
has to overcome the individual's natural resistance. But it grows over time if it isn’t
removed. Once it encounters a certain energy wavelength, namely mine, it resonates
and… this...” I gesture at the mess in front of me.
Then I realize that I just killed a member of Newerth’s royal family. “I am being honest,
you have to believe me! I really forgot that I planted the thing in the first place.
Nothing would have happened if he hadn’t come close to me!”
A hand touches my shoulder and I twitch. Mom is standing right next to me, a
maniacal gleam in her eyes. “Don’t worry dear. It’s just proof that our anti-sexual-
harassment-training was a full success. Planting the curse out of reflex is thanks to
our long training. We had to prepare you against unwelcome advances because of
your nature. Sooo… would you give me that?” She looks at the soul orb in my hand.
My eyes wander back and forth between her and the orb. “What do you need it for?”
She snatches the orb from me. “Just making sure that this one never, ever gets
another chance at being included in the family.”
 71 ~Personal.~

“Why do people collect items? Is it greed to have them always at hand? Or is the
fear of throwing away something of worth.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
I ruffle my hair and clench my teeth, watching Seria as she wolfs down yet another
bowl of fried rice. It's been three days since she killed my brother and for some odd
reason I don't give a shit about it. Probably I should, but when it comes down to it, I
have to admit that I was about to kill him myself. The fact that I don't know why Seria
is sulking troubles me much more.
She probably has no problem with the fact that she killed him. She hated him after all.
I also know that she is really tough when it comes to blood and gore. So why is she
locking herself inside her apartment and hiding from the world? Is she frustrated that
my brother managed to pull her strings?
Pursing my lips, I watch out of the window-front which is taking up the whole southern
wall of the living room. Seria surely has it good when it comes to living arrangements.
The view we get over her family's flying city is amazing. Located high in one of the
palace's towers, her apartment feels like being on the top of the world.
My father was shocked about my brother's betrayal, but he was always dense in that
regard. He was never able to express something like fatherly love, so he was never
really close to us. My mother was the one who made decent beings out of me and my
siblings. In the end, even she proved to be fallible. Would it have made a difference if
she had taken care of Perseus? In some aspects, the fault of Perseus turning out as
he did can be laid at our feet.
I return my gaze to Seria who is determined to focus all of her attention out of the
window. She munches on a bowl of fried rice, using her bare hand to shovel the rice
into her mouth.
After Perseus’s death we left the cleaning up to the rest of the family and sought
refuge in Seria's private quarters, where she informed me that she is determined to
get this pregnancy over with in record time. So when she presented her glorious
backside to me, I was all up for the task. Though now that things are cooling down I
am starting to think about her feelings. My eyes wander to her round belly and she
notices it.
Huffing, she touches my hand and starts pulling on my life force, which is immediately
replaced by the amulet around my neck. “I wish it was already over. I've a few
memories about first time births, and I am not fond of the pain.”
I intertwine my fingers with hers. “Aren't you making up for the pain with a lot of
pleasure?” I furrow my forehead, looking down at her hand. “Though I do wonder. You
can pull energy from a man just by touching him? Why didn't you do so earlier?”
“It's about the amount of skin I can touch. The more, the better. And do you really
want to tell me that you would prefer a mere touch to hot sex?”
I laugh and get up. “Definitely not. So why do you do it now?”
She grimaces and looks down at herself. “Are you for real? It's no fun when I can't
even move.”
“I certainly don't mind.” I put on my most earnest face, trying my best not to grin.
She looks at me and finally the corners of her lips curl upwards. At least a little. “I
swear. At some point I'll introduce you to the really kinky stuff. Then we will see if you
are still high and mighty afterwards.” Having said so, she returns to devouring the
fried rice.
I shrug and stand up, deciding that I should finally give this room a good look. It's not
like I lack the time and a room can say a lot about the person who lives in it. The first
thing that comes to mind is that Seria's apartment is almost Spartan and very clean.
There are a few sculptures and pictures on the walls, nothing exceptional. The
pictures are of fractals and look like the ones she used to help her students train their
memories.
“Did you draw them?” I ask. Seria answers with an acknowledging grunt.
I continue my inspection with the oversized television screen, an invention that only
recently became attractive for Dedessians. They don't have a pop culture of their
own, but they gleefully hitch-hike on Newerth's TV shows and music channels.
It's interesting that Seria doesn't seem to have any personal items. Neither is there a
real working space to conduct studies. Maybe inside that huge cabinet?
I stroll towards it and open the two winged doors. What greets me is... surprising?
Men's clothes? No, to be exact, it's a bunch of jackets and T-shirts of various sizes.
And there are a lot of them. The whole cabinet turns out to be a walk-in wardrobe.
And the left hallstand has my most beloved jacket right at the front. I'd wondered
where it disappeared to.
Realizing that the hallstand has wheels, I decide to give it a test. So I pull, and pull,
and pull... until I reach the other side of the room. The thing is huge, at least eight
metres in length and stuffed with neatly arranged jackets. The older ones are even
vacuum-packed to make them smaller? Or to preserve them? Raising an eyebrow, I
turn my attention to Seria who froze; hand with fried rice halfway up to her mouth.
She swallows. “I can explain that. There is a perfectly fine explanation for why I have
those.”
I never expected her to have lived the live of a monk until she met me. Though seeing
it like this... she certainly didn't hold back in this lifetime. Why I am kidding myself?
Don't forget, she is a succubus. “Oh, I believe I understand perfectly well. So I can
assume that my jacket is the last one in your collection of trophies? Or is this
indicating how many love rivals I'll have to fight in the future?”
She bristles. “Oh, of course! Everything comes to an end sooner or later. This is a
hobby that ended when you caught me. You are the one who got me with a baby, so
you are the winner. Hand on my heart, may the tree swallow me whole if I lie.”
I frown. “What a strange expression.”
“Oh, it's not an expression. You see Yggdrasil out there? Back in the old days when
the survival of the fittest ruled, we sent our children through the labyrinth under the
tree. Those who were weak or of bad character didn't come out. It served as a test
of strength and to judge one's mind, so people who did something bad always could
try their luck in the labyrinth to prove their innocence.”
That's barbaric! “You forced children to take the same test as adults? That can't be
fair!”
“Oh, you actually have a better chance to beat the labyrinth as a child. It gets more
complicated and dangerous the more devious your mind is. Yggdrasil may not be
sentient, but he has certain standards. He is a mythical creature after all. I am just
glad that my parents never saw the need to test me.”
“So they had to take the test?” I muse.
“Oh, yes. Mom had to when she was a child. She almost died. Dad wasn't tested
since he was born in another clan. But Mom once threw him into the labyrinth when
they had a fight. He wandered the labyrinth for four days until he got fed up and
blasted his way out.”
“Blasted his way out?” I echo.
“Yes. He collapsed a tunnel and dug upwards until he broke through to the surface.
Almost gave some civilians a heart attack. They reported a zombie crawling out of the
earth in the park. Marcus, can you go and call my Mom?”
“Why do you need your mother all of a sudden?”
“My waters broke, and she has medical experience like nobody else in the
multiverse.”
I reach up and wipe my forehead with the back of my hand. Her waters broke. Yes.
That's a good reason to call for help. “I'll go immediately. Don't stand up! Don't go
anywhere!”
“I don't intend to.”
 72. ~New.~

“I love you. You’re mine. I’ll kill any bastard who tries to take you from me.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria
I am done! Never again! Gasping, I hold the little bundle in my arms, pressing her to
my chest. “Hereby I swear. That's the first and only child I have in this lifetime!” The
whole sped up pregnancy made me forget about the final stage of having a child. I
was so happy about the fact that I would be able to avoid nine months of feeling like a
whale, that I forgot that actually giving birth is the real nastiness of having a child.
“You can't! I want at least one son!” Marcus complains to my astonishment. “Which
doesn't mean that I am not happy about a daughter!” He quickly corrects himself,
saving his neck. “And it doesn't have to be immediately. A break of a few years is
okay.”
I sizzle and pop his bubble with a smile. “More like a few hundred years. I've to forget
about the pain.”
Mom approaches me with a scanner and inspects her first grandchild with a bright
smile. That’s the least of what has to be expected. This is the result of her
machinations after all. “I am on Marcus's side. More children count for more fun.
Besides, I am glad that you finally graduated to motherhood. It's an important stage in
life and helps to steel your character.” She takes the readings from her instrument
and nods. Everything seems to be okay.
I was brought to Mom's laboratory when my waters broke. She is adamant about
using her own equipment when treating someone. Public clinics are horrifying to her.
She always keeps complaining about the poor hygiene with so many people in one
place. Having a lot of sick people in one place is a sign of bad medical support in her
opinion.
I suppose she has a point, taking her knowledge into account. Someone has to be in
a pretty bad shape, combined with a really exotic illness to stay under Mom's care for
an extended amount of time. Otherwise the patient is fixed up and sent on his way
within hours. Then there is also the little detail that our bodies are very resilient and
not prone to illness.
“That's it. I've healed everything. You are as good as new.” Her eyes twinkle at a
sudden thought. “And if you two go at it right away, I could help with the next one.
Seria, give me the little one, so that you and Marcus can-”
“Nanana! Don't wanna know!” I interrupt her quickly and hurry to get out of the bed,
protecting Illia in my arms. I certainly won't do it in front of my mother. There is a line
that’s not to be crossed. Then I stroll towards to the door, thanking the gods that Illia
seems to be a silent child. There are still a lot of things to do for her sake, like
organizing the attack on our enemies. And to show off my daughter in front of
everyone.
“W- Wait! Shouldn't we name her!?” Marcus stops me by clinging onto my arm. “And
what did your mother mean by helping?”
I turn towards him. “What are you talking about? Her name is Illia.”
Marcus raises and eyebrow. “You chose without me?” The corners of his lips curl
downwards in displeasure and I anticipate a fight, but he backtracks just in time.
“Fine. As long as I get to name the boy, we can go with Illia.”
We’ll see about that when we get there. I tried to involve him in finding a name, but his
suggestions weren’t acceptable.
Mom interrupts, “I meant that I could help with the next child by artificial means. You
could choose gender, height, looks... anything. As long as I get to work with the raw
materials, there should be no limits. If you give me some time, we could include some
more interesting features. Shade would surely be more interested in his grandchildren
if we add a cat-tail.”
Surely enough, my daughter starts crying. On some deep level she must have
understood her fate with grandparents like that. I pat Illia's head and look away. “I
think we can do without such things. This world's biology is fucked up enough without
you adding to it.”
“Aw...” Mom deflates a little, but isn't beaten. “But choosing the gender is fine, isn't
it?”
To my horror, Marcus seems to be taken by the idea. He scratches his cheek. “I
admit that the possibility always intrigued me. At least it solves all the insecurities
about becoming a parent.”
I tug at his arm and hiss. “Come, let's get out of here. You have no idea what you are
dealing with! Giving her free reign over your DNA is like sealing a contract in blood
with the devil! Not to mention her preferred way to acquire the mentioned raw
materials.”
He grunts. “Oh, at least I know now why you and your siblings look so perfect. I've
always wondered why you are such a strange hybrid. I've invested a lot of time into
researching the various spirit forms. From what I gathered, children either inherit one
of their parents' spirit forms, or they get one that at least shows up somewhere in
their line of ancestors. Your form isn't documented.”
“...”
Marcus waves his hand in front of me. “Seria? Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Realizing that I must have frozen up, I slowly angle my head to look at my
mother. I've never actually thought about my monstrous spirit form, which always
divided me from the other children. My mother isn't someone who has qualms about in
vitro fertilization. I know that.
Admittedly, I happen to know that my being here was a sort of an accident. But my
mother has the skill to manipulate an embryo. It would be child’s play for her to
experiment on me while I was still in her womb. And she is inventive when it comes to
such things. She surely needs no hi-tech lab to achieve some awe inspiring results.
She whistles and looks away. “Dedessia was a harsh world back then and we couldn't
be sure that we will always be there for you. So I... made sure that you have the
strengths of both of your parents. Biologically speaking at least. Just let me clean up
my equipment. The others are surely waiting desperately to see the little Illia.” Then
she hurries to collect her instruments.
Shaking my head, I turn away and head through the door. If I allow this to rattle my
brain, then I'll be trying to strangle her without second thoughts. “Mom is just... Mom.
There is no point in being angry at the weather. Is there?
Feeling a little better, I greet the people who are waiting on the other side of the door.
Quite a crowd had gathered and now that I get to see them all in one place... I have a
really big family. Clarity is the first to swoop in and somehow, without me even
realizing how she did it, she has Illia out of my arms and is swooning over her. “That's
my little granddaughter.”
She even manages to cause Illia to giggle, which makes my daughter’s betrayal
perfect. I force my expression into a tight smile and decide to play for time. At some
point Illia will get hungry and then it's my moment to shine as the mother... or milk
machine. However someone decides to look at it. There is no way that some
shrivelled, old hag can take my daughter's love from me.
“Mom, why don't you give Illia back? I've a feeling that we might have to deal with
some unforeseen reincarnations if Seria has to share our daughter with you,” Marcus
whispers to his mother. That causes Clarity to look up and cringe at my glare. She
hands Illia back as if the baby is a bomb that's about to off with the slightest mistake
in handling it. Once she is back in my arms I certainly feel better.
Was my expression really that dangerous? I won't complain about getting my
daughter back. “Thank you.”
In the course of introducing Illia to everyone I still have to endure handing her over to
one person after another. At first I thought that showing her off would be cool, but
now I realize that I really don't want to have someone else holding her. What a
bummer. I can’t be. Am I an overprotective mother?
When the introduction to the family is finished, I decide to entertain my brain with
more earnest matters. There is still a danger to Illia out there in the multiverse. “So,
have you guys already thought about a plan on how deal with that enemy base?
Shouldn't our scouts have returned by now?”
 73. ~D.ad.~

“A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Marcus
“I want to hold her too!”
“No!” Seria turns away, shielding Illia with her body. “You suggested to call her Ingrid.
She isn't some fair maiden from Norse mythology. She is directly related to some of
the most infamous beings in the multiverse. There is no way that we can give her such
a mundane name. She has to become fierce and carve out a legend of her own.”
That woman will be the death of me! “She'll be afraid of me if I am not even allowed
to bond with her as a father. And you'll have to let go of her once our forces are ready
to attack.” Our family won’t take forever to plan the attack.
Seria furrows her forehead in silent contemplation. “Why do I have to let go of her
when we attack?”
Sensing a way to win the argument, I quickly shift my angle of attack. “Oh! Of course.
I am sorry. I simply assumed that you want to be at everyone's side when we face
the mystery man. Of course you can stay behind and look after our daughter. To be
honest, now that I know about your intentions, I am really glad that you decided to
stay out of harm's way to be with Illia.”
Seria pastes a paltry smile onto her face. “Nonono. Of course I'll join the attack. You
have no idea of all the things that could go wrong! Mother and I have to be there! In
the worst case scenario, both of us will be needed to stop father.”
Why would we have to stop Shade? Let him rain Armageddon on our enemies for all I
care. Doing my best to project a calm and icy aura, I nail the coffin shut. “So you
really intend to bring Illia along into a war-zone?”
Seria works with her beautiful lips, an inner conflict apparent on her face. She sniffs.
“Fine. We'll hand her over to my younger brothers. They have to protect her with their
lives while staying at the palace's safest room. If someone of questionable character
comes even near her...”
The one with the most questionable character is you...
“Did you say something?”
“No.” Damn the marriage bond! I really have to learn to control that ability.
“Good! So take her while I go and get my brothers. It will be bothersome and will
take a while. They have some kind of warning system. Once I catch the first one, the
others go into hiding. It’s like being around is no good to them, yet they always tried
to shoo away my potential partners.” She hands Illia over to me and hurries out of our
private quarters.
Now I am not really sure if I should be grateful to her brothers. The three younger
ones are idiots though. And I’ve yet to meet the eldest one, but he makes a point of
not being around.
Then I suddenly realize that I’ve won! Sighing contentedly about my victory, I cuddle
Illia, coaxing some happy baby sounds out of her. It feels so good to hold her for the
first time. Seria didn't want to let go of Illia after the family disbanded yesterday. I had
to go a whole night without so much as even having held my daughter in my arms.
Holding her now feels like a big victory in my relationship with Seria.
Could it be that I'm slowly getting the hang of winning arguments against her? I
certainly did well in convincing Seria to hand Illia over. She is surely irrational when it
comes to our daughter. Hopefully that goes away with time. I am not sure on how to
deal with such behaviour.
I bend over to kiss Illia on the forehead, smelling that she is in a little predicament.
Oh, the joy of being a parent. I almost forgot about it.
My victory suddenly doesn't feel like a victory at all. Seria just didn't want to clean Illia
up, so she handed her over. I sigh and walk to a shelf with a lot of books. I am quite
sure that Seria organized some books with convenient spells to take care of babies.
“Don't worry. Dad will relearn all the cleaning spells there are. You will be the cleanest
child in the world... and not smelly at all.”
With a flick of my wrist, I open the windows and turn to the shelf, wondering if Seria
has an index for her books. Maybe cleaning Illia under the shower is faster than
searching the whole shelf? There are well over a hundred books. Only one thought
comes to mind.
I've been had!
An hour later Illia is clean and pleasant-smelling. I am just about to sit down to watch
a movie when Seria returns with her three youngest brothers in tow. She gestures
them into the room and they file in as if they are conscripted soldiers. “Don't worry.
You can join the fight the next time when the multiverse is in dire danger of ending. For
now you can take care of the second most important matter.”
So babysitting Illia is the second most important matter in the multiverse? Interesting,
though I suppose that it's true for the three of them. Seria will have their heads if they
fail their task. Not wholly convinced that this is a good idea, I hand Illia over to Erez,
the youngest brother. “Necessary baby stuff is in the bathroom. You might want to get
acquainted with it.”
The young man snorts. “My body might look young, but I've regained enough
memories to be confident about my abilities. I can take care of one, little baby.”
Seria glares at him.
“... of course we'll check if we need anything else. Illia won't lack anything!” He nods
at the oldest brother and he heads towards the bathroom.
“We'll be going then. Thanks for babysitting!” I hurry to nudge Seria to the door and
close it just as her brother enters the bathroom. The muffled scream of disgust is
abruptly cut off. Hm, her quarters have good sound isolation. I suppose that it
shouldn't surprise me if I take her old hobby of going on man-hunts into account.
“Why are you in a hurry? I couldn't say goodbye to Illia. We were parted for more
than an hour.” Seria complains.
Yeah, well. The bathroom was a mess after I abandoned the idea of using a spell.
The damned poop-monster fought with all her might against being cleaned. I've to
summon a tsunami and flush the bathroom out once I get the opportunity. “She was
sleeping anyway. The little rascal was tired after we fought our epic battle against the
shadow king.”
Seria pulls her eyebrows together and regards me with a stern expression. “Are you
riling her up to dislike my father?”
Oh! Damn! I suppose it could be interpreted that way. “O- Of course not! We just
have a really tiring playing session behind us.” Training session, to be precise. Or
should I call it indoctrination? The earlier you start, the more results you get.
“I've a strange feeling that I shouldn't leave you alone with Illia,” Seria mumbles and
tilts her head, looking at me.
“You are being overprotective!” I smile and take her into my arms.
To distract her, I dig my fingers into her softness and hold her in a tight embrace.
“Now, how about visiting the others? We don't want to miss the attack, don't we?”
She harrumphs and replies by embracing me herself. “Let us end the problem once
and for all.”
I don't waste any time and teleport us to the now repaired citadel. Shade was
adamant about using her as his flagship. I think that I've never before met a guy who
is that enthusiastic about big, flying vessels with a lot of tonnage and doomsday
weapons on board.
 74. ~Stolen.~

“Adapt and conquer.”

The Journey to the Afterlife

Kingdom Newerth, Capital City

Seria

We are on the citadel's command bridge, which looks quite different from the last time
we were here. My father held his promise to remodel the ship's inner design. There is
no trace left of the old bridge. Dad is walking back and forth in front of a huge screen,
which is the only item in the room. Ok, he kept that one, but even the chairs are gone.
No consoles, no crew-members, everything automatized. I harbour the suspicion that
he decided against using real people to control the ship because of the last battle. It
had to be a shock when someone spoke up to him and told him what to do.
But I have to admit that I also think of the old bridge-design as quite inefficient.
The screen shows a large, red spot with a cloud of smaller dots around it. Exactly like
our first combat scenario. Our enemies clearly have one blueprint which they use for
all their bases.
Further inspection of the map reveals our dilemma. At first I assumed that the
citadel's computer simplified the tactical map by grouping all the spirits together and
painted the dangerous area red. Turns out that isn't true. There are simply so many
dots that the map is overloaded. We are badly outnumbered, which leads us to the
question of how to come out of this alive. There are two acceptable ways to win a
fight. Either by overpowering the enemy with brute force, or by being sneaky. We
definitely have to depend on the latter solution.
When our scouts returned, they brought a lot of information with them. This made one
thing very sure. We would never be able to fight our way through the enemy ranks.
Going in with weapons blazing and with a war-cry on our lips will only get us killed.
There are simply too many of them. Even Shade voiced his doubts about the fact that
utilizing Lidith as our hidden weapon will be enough. Then he promptly suggested to
throw Adea into the mix.
I vehemently fought against using Adea as a weapon. The poor girl had gone through
enough in her current life. Of course, there are people who had to endure a far worse
fate, so she has no reason to complain. But I kind of took responsibility for her, so
there is no way that I can allow my parents to use her as their play-toy. They have
their network and more than enough of enemies in their dungeons. No human
experimentation on our friends.
“I don't understand, Seria. You were modified too and you are fine,” Mom pouts from
her position at Shade's side. Normally she is the reasonable one, but somehow I got
to be the voice of reason this time. I simply couldn't allow them to mistreat our newly
found... refound?... friends!
“Well, then how do you suggest that we get near that fortification? I suggest that we
use Adea and Lidith, a.k.a. Beth, to bore a hole through the enemy army. Once we
get to their installation, it will be a repeat of our last battle. We can even put down
some beacons to summon help from the other realms,” Shade explains.
Didn't I see a scene just like that in some movie a really long time ago? What do we
have teleportation for? Our enemy is using it all the time to show up where he
pleases.
My thoughts derail the idea that I could actually be a character in some brain-dead
fantasy world. I wonder if the multiverse is big enough to play out every stupid
Hollywood scene in one of its versions. This new discovery about a wholly separate
multiverse should certainly allow for that.
But I am getting sidetracked. “I am far more concerned about that big, oozing rift in
space right next to their superstructure. You noticed that it's spitting out even more
spirits by the second? Seems like they are getting reinforcements… a lot of
reinforcements.”
Shade shrugs. “Yeah, that's one of the collision points between the two multiverses. A
mana storm that got strong enough to rip a hole into the fabric of space and time.
There will be more of those once the shit hits the fan. I am not sure how the collision
will play out, if the multiverses collide and one or both get annihilated, or if they merge
is up to speculation.”
“That's no good. I don't want the multiverse to get destroyed,” Elona mumbles. She
absent-mindedly corrects her hair.
Shade reaches for her hand and smiles. “Don't worry, Sugar. That worst case
scenario is very unlikely. It would mean that both multiverse collide dead centre. It's
far more likely that we'll sheer off each other. Once that happened, the tear will close
on itself. We could also use Yggdrasil to repair it. I only mentioned the possibility for
the sake of completeness.”
I bristle with anxiety. “So, why don't we open a portal directly into their base? It has to
be possible.”
Shade purses his lips. “The idea is sound, but we have nobody on the inside. They
have a strong inhibition field, which makes aiming the portal complicated. I don't think
that we can manage it on the fly with our available resources.”
Hah! I think that I am ahead of Dad for once! Though my idea is stolen, but who
cares? “So why don't we use their own methods against them? Let's place the
equivalent of cornerstones around their base. We can use the stones to triangulate
their position without ever getting close to the focal point, just like they did with
Newerth's academy. The base isn’t moving, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“That's so simple that it could actually be my idea,” Dad mumbles and scratches his
cheek while he studies the map, already calculating numbers in his brain.
Marcus decides to enter the discussion with a snort. He followed the discussion in
silence up until now. “Maybe it was your idea. We aren't sure from where the spirits
got their knowledge about portals. Their know-how seems to be up to yours, or at
least up to your double. The technology seems to be standard practise for them.”
 75. ~Crawl.~

“The narrow path that 'uncommon' people will take, that the Lord wants you to go
down, that really is the ultimate way to go.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Pyramid Superstructure
Seria
Using the citadel to teleport all of our forces directly to the enemy base was a good
idea. But as it happens with all good ideas, they only sound good and shouldn’t be
taken for granted until they were put to the test.
The bridge shudders and I reach for the metal framework which encloses the console
in front of me. Holding onto something was a smart thing to do. Otherwise the impact
would have flung me across the room. Marcus wasn’t quick enough and ended up
kissing the frontal screen. Luckily crystal based technology is resilient enough to
withstand a lot of abuse. Like people banging their heads against it.
I hurry past Dad to help Marcus to his feet. “I don't think that we were supposed to
materialize right inside their superstructure!” I complain to Dad after taking a look at
the status screen. Shade promised that he would be extra careful with aiming the
ship’s exit point.
Dad doesn't pay attention to me or the others. He stands with confidence in the
centre of the room and doesn’t show any kind of remorse. “A minor miscalculation.
Nothing to be worried about. It's actually beneficial to our attack strategy.”
Beth shakes her fist at Dad. She was also thrown to the ground, but it doesn’t look
like she sustained any injuries. “Beneficial my ass! I know your skills! Such a mistake
is beneath you. You did it intentionally, despite everyone voting against it.”
Her fierce expression gives me the shivers and I remember that Beth is one of the
few people who dares to stand up to my father. I am actually a little surprised that
she went along in giving us her help so willingly. She reasoned that her lack of
resistance is because she has only bad options to choose from. Probably she thinks
that my parents are the lesser one of two evils.
“The troops are on the move.” Mom gestures at the screen and it comes to life,
showing us a representation of the pyramid… at least of what’s left of it. Shade
landed us directly on one of its lower corners. This pyramid’s design is very similar to
the one we encountered first.
Buried deep in the pyramid’s centre is something like an engine room. One of the
corners functions as the command centre, while the others are reserved for minor
functions. Unfortunately the pyramid doesn’t show from the outside which corner is
reserved as the command centre.
I call it a pyramid. But to be exact, it’s base is an equilateral triangle. So what we are
facing is a tetrahedron.
“Tch! We didn’t hit their command centre. Ah, it only was a one in four chance.
Winning the shell game was asking too much,” Dad hisses, punching his open palm
with his fist.
So he really tried to ram the command centre intentionally!
Marcus curses and wipes his nose. His hand comes away bloody. Looks like he
kissed the screen a little harder than I thought. “A little warning would have been
appreciated.”
I cast a quick healing spell on Marcus and use the chance to poke his damaged pride.
“You are lucky that your parents aren’t here. What would they think if they knew that
you are among the battle’s first casualties?”
He snorts. “I am far from being a casualty. And my parents would say that this whole
operation is one, single, improvised clusterfuck! It’s bound to go wrong, beginning with
the fact that we are supposed to catch someone who can give us some answers
regarding the spirits. Are Ishaan and the others already on their way?”
I take a short look at the status screen. “If this is correct, then they are already on
their way to the engine room.” Which means that we are late. Ishaan, Tisha and
Doreen decided to lead in the charge to take control of the pyramid’s energy core.
We are hoping that the pyramid has something to do with the tear between the
multiverses. If so, then shutting down all of the pyramid’s function is surely a good
step.
“Then it’s time to join the party!” Shade smiles and vanishes in a flash of light. Mom
and Beth sigh in unison and pull a disappearance of their own. If they follow the plan,
they should join our forces in a separate attempt to take the command centre.
Marcus pulls himself together and smiles at me. “Are you ready for our part of the
plan?”
I hug him and take a close look at the coordinates which are displayed on the screen.
By studying the first pyramid, we found out that the important areas have an inhibition
field that makes teleports over long distances almost impossible. The most one can
achieve is short range teleportation.
So we can’t simply teleport into the command centre and shut down their portal. At
least we suppose that they have one. There should be a throne with a gate right next
to it. If we charge in from the front, our target will simply step through the gate as
soon as he realises that we are winning. It will be a repeat of our last attack.
Someone has to sneak around their defences and shut down their escape route. This
task fell to Marcus and me. For that purpose I teleport us right into one of the
ventilation shafts which are leading towards the throne room. The world changes from
one moment to the next and we appear horizontally in a narrow, dark tunnel.
Gravitation takes over and I land flat on my back with Marcus above me. We fell not
much more than ten centimetres. Enough to hurt if you are unprepared. Hadn’t Marcus
stopped his fall, he would have crushed the air out of my lungs. “You definitely like it
when I am on top,” he whispers.
“Not in the least! The best position is when you are chained to a bed and I can have
my way with you,” I respond.
With effort, I shimmy around and pull myself forward. The ventilation shaft is just big
enough to crawl. “It’s humiliating to go through all this effort,” I complain and summon
a weak light globe. It’s enough to see ten metres ahead of us. Much better than the
eerie twilight we had to endure earlier.
A look at my hands shows me that the tunnel isn’t just narrow, but also dirty. My
hands are black from the dust and there are countless little pebbles everywhere.
“Geez… I’ll have to burn my clothes when this is over. Don’t they have some kind of
drone to clean the ventilation shaft?”
“I can’t complain. Your butt made a nice imprint back here. If they ever search this
tunnel to find out how we got in, then they will have no problem to prove that it was
you. They just have to take your three sizes!”
Marcus stays silent for a few minutes while we crawl forward. Then he chuckles. “I
know that I was the one who told you to put on armour, but a skirt would be a real
price right now.”
Seriously? I growl and drop to my belly.
“What?”
“Crawl over me and get going. If your male brain can’t ignore my butt, then you have
to go first! We are on an important mission!” I reprimand him.
Marcus grumbles and crawls over me to take the lead. On his way he makes a point
of placing both hands on my behind. “It isn’t my fault. You are the one who waved it in
front of my face in the first place!”
After a lot of shoving and pushing, he is finally in front of me. So I find myself facing a
similar problem. I like his ass. Damn! That’s why most armies don’t allow units of
mixed gender. It distracts from the task at hand.
Suddenly Marcus lets out a curse and light flashes in front of him. Sparks fly and
something squeaks, then silence returns to the tunnel. I try my best to see what
happened, but all I can see is that Marcus is holding a dagger of light in his hand.
“What happened?”
“Nothing! I just encountered a very big rat. Seems like these tunnels are dirty for a
reason.” He pushes forward, past a big… thing! It blocks almost half of the tunnel.
When he is past it, it’s my turn. Now that I am closer, I get to see evil beady eyes,
one of them poked out by the dagger. What the creature lacks in vision, it more than
makes up with large, yellow teeth. Teeth which don’t belong to a rodent, they are of
the pointy kind. Oh, gods! And it stinks! I hurry to force myself past the body, which is
about one metre in length. “That’s not a rat! Rats don’t have spikes on their tails!
That’s some kind of mutant! Or a miniature spirit!”
“I suggest we get out of here fast. I don’t think that we will stay undetected for long if
there are more of these creatures. Blasting our way past them is bound to alert
someone. And I don’t want to think about why this tunnel is so dirty.”
I return my attention to the dirt and the countless little pebbles which are lying
everywhere. “Ew! Why did you have to say it!?”
“Don’t forget to watch our back! I don’t want one of those things to get a taste of
your-”
“No!” I turn around and send the light globe flying into the darkness. When it’s clear
that there is nothing as far as I can see, I let out a sigh. This mission is quickly making
its way to my top ten worst infiltration jobs ever!
 76. ~Observe.~

“Life was always a matter of waiting for the right moment to act.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Pyramid Superstructure
Seria
Covering six hundred metres while crawling is neither fast nor interesting. On the first
ten metres someone might think that it will be easy. At one hundred metres your
knees start hurting. At two hundred, I felt as if I was a mule with too much weight on
its back. And at three hundred metres, we had to double back at thrice the speed to
make up for lost time. That’s when I started moaning.
Marcus took the wrong tunnel. Normally I would use his lacking sense of direction to
make fun of him, but I admit that even I am not sure where we are by now. Having a
map of these tunnels might be helpful. These ventilation shafts have so many
intersections that my head is starting to spin.
And there are the rats! They are the main reason for us almost getting lost. We
encountered the ugly things three more times, even though we tried to avoid them.
Trying to avoid them got us into trouble. We deviated from the planned path to avoid a
pack of them and our little detour turned out to be more complicated than we thought.
“It hurts, Marcus. Are you sure that we are almost there? We didn't take yet another
wrong turn?” I complain.
“No. Just a few more metres. I am sure of it,” he answers in a confident tone.
“I hope you aren't like those men who navigate only by their general sense of
direction, while having no clue where they actually are, all the way reassuring their
wives that they will arrive at their destination in five more minutes.”
He snorts as if he is hurt. “Just ten metres, love. Do you see the light at the end of the
tunnel? That's our goal. Once we are there, we get bed and breakfast.”
“Don't you mean battle and bloodbath? We still have to find a way to shut down the
portal, probably by jumping right into an army of heavily armed guards.” I know that I
sound pessimistic, but that's the most likely situation we'll face. The other pyramid
was smaller, but it still had a big throne room with a huge staircase which led towards
the command chair, a.k.a. throne. If some small outpost had space to spare for such
a pompous display, then this pyramid will have it too.
Marcus reaches the end of the tunnel and crouches down on his belly. I crawl over
him to get a look for myself, pressing my nose against the grill which is covering the
ventilation shaft. “Looks largely the same as in the other pyramid,” I whisper.
“Yes, if you ignore the fact that the room is twice as big and therefore has twice as
many guards,” Marcus grumbles and pokes two fingers into the grill to widen it a little,
allowing us a better view of the situation.
A figure in black robes is sitting on the throne, his back to us. Several rows of soldiers
are lined up at the walls. A separate group is facing the entrance, which is closed off.
The good thing is that there is no portal in sight. Either they don't have one here, or
they still think that they can stop the attack.
“I doubt that they can open a portal on a whim. At least not one that crosses the
multiverse, which would be necessary to avoid being pursued by us. The magical
circuitry is either embedded in the floor, or it has something to do with the throne.” He
points at the throne.
I survey the room, inspecting the ground especially. The metal plates around the
throne are plain and without runes. The throne on the other hand is a piece of art,
filled with fine runes and sparkly jewels. The whole thing seems to be made out of
massive gold. In fact, the whole room looks like a display of wealth and power, with
fine arts of fought battles at the walls and nice statues at the entrance.
“You could be right, but there is no way to be sure. The throne could be intended to
distract us from the important stuff. Magical circuitry could be hidden under the metal
floor.”
Marcus spreads the fingers of one hand in a gesture of resignation. “So what do you
suggest? I don't see any chance to go down there and disassemble everything while
the whole army of guards is watching us. We could ask the evil dude to stand up, so
that we can take a close look at his comfort chair.”
I chuckle, covering my mouth with both hands. It would be hilarious to do exactly that.
We just kick in the grid and scramble out of this tunnel, all dirty and stinky, covered in
rat blood. Marcus didn't manage a clean kill on the last one, so we had to crawl
through the blood.
So once we drop to the ground like a pair of dirty potatoes, since the exit of the
ventilation shaft is placed about five metres up on a wall, we get to our feet and walk
up to the cloaked guy. If we manage that without being overrun by the guards, we
simply ask him to get up, so that we can disassemble his shiny throne. We could also
ask him nicely not to run away, because we want to have a nice and civil chat with
him.
Yeah, not going to happen.
Once I have myself back under control, I clear my throat as silently as possible. A
coughing fit on top of a suppressed laughing fit would give us away for sure. “I
suggest that we wait until they actually try to escape, then we blast them with
everything we got. Preferably completely destroying the room. It would be best to do
that while our people break in through those big doors. Then we wouldn't have to deal
with all those guards.”
“I have a feeling that we will be forced to act much earlier. If the evil dude has any
sense of self-preservation, then he will open the portal and flee as soon as our people
knock on the door. The last time he delayed his departure for long enough to almost
get caught. He would be stupid to make the same mistake twice. I really wondered
why he stayed that long if he didn't intend to fight.” Marcus shifts under me and
scratches his chin, smearing the grime all over his face. Since he was in front, he was
the one who had to fight off most of the rats. The one time one approached from
behind us, I blasted it with a pulse of force, breaking its neck.
I also managed to avoid touching my face, so I don’t look as bad as Marcus. He looks
like he worked in a coal mine. One point for being female; no itchy beard.
“Curiosity killed the cat. I think he wanted to know what he is up against,” I mumble.
Marcus shrugs. “So this time he won't risk staying for too long. He already had a face
to face experience with your dad. No reason to repeat the experiment with the
expectation of a different result.”
Finally something of interest happens. So far, the room beyond the grid was filled with
a strained silence. Just as if the people were waiting for something to happen. Now
the guy with the cloak makes gestures in the air and a small hologram appears in
front of him. It's hard to say for sure, but I suppose he is looking at tactical display of
the pyramid, which is very similar ours. He studies it for several moments.
Whatever took him so long to make a decision, it doesn't seem to matter any longer
when the lights flicker, plunging the room in darkness for a second. It seems as if our
people damaged the energy core. The plan said to take the core intact, but its
destruction is a real possibility when beings who can wrench metal like clay fight in
close proximity to it. These pyramids aren't made of mana crystal, so they aren't
exactly ideal battlegrounds for higher immortals. If one person gets a little too excited,
he can do real damage to the whole structure.
Luckily nobody seems to be too keen about destroying the pyramid, given its calming
effect on the spirits.
The cloaked guy stands up and gestures for his guards to make some space. They
oblige.
“Seems like it's our turn...” Marcus shifts and stretches a hand towards the grid.
I place my hand on his. “Wait until he actually does something, treasure every
moment. Once he actually opens a portal, we blast the whole room with everything
we have.”
 77. ~Fighting dirty.~

“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Pyramid Superstructure
Seria
The cloaked figure is about to cast a spell when the door shudders. Someone
announced his presence to the whole throne room. Sadly I've no way to tell if my
parents have already made it this far. Though they certainly had the time for it.
I let go of my husband and use both hands to widen the grid which is protecting the
ventilation shaft. The people in the room have all their attention on the door anyway.
Another impact rocks the door and runes flare on its surface, announcing the
presence of an old and powerful barrier. Whoever is on the other side of the door
can't get in without breaking the barrier first.
The figure returns to his chant, casting in a low, raspy voice. That's when the floor
around the throne lights up, revealing a complicated pattern of magical circuitry. A
portal spell.
“You take care of the door, I'll stop him from completing the portal,” I order Marcus
and ready myself to punch the grid in order to be able to cast my spells without
obstructions.
The magic around the throne starts humming with power, a certain sign that the spell
is being channelled and about to take effect. I punch the grid and send it flying into the
room, startling everyone. Without waiting for their reaction or caring for the damage
to the surroundings, I aim my open palm at the magical circuit and the cloaked guy
who is standing on it.
I waited for the last moment to force our friend into a tight spot. If the cloaked guy is
anything like my father, then I don't want to take him head on. In fact, I want to avoid
fighting him at all. For that reason I delayed our intervention and waited until the
cloaked guy was committed to his spell. It's fortunate that he decided to power the
rune circle himself. He probably didn't trust in his ship to supply a steady stream of
energy. No wonder with the power outage from just earlier.
A portal spell doesn’t have room for mistakes or energy fluctuations.
But now that he is committed to the spell, even if he is just powering the circle, he is
left with three options. Option one, try to go through with it while I blow up his ass.
Option two, cancel the spell in an orderly manner and dissipate the gathered energy.
Option three, forcibly interrupt the spell and suffer the consequences, namely magical
backlash.
Seeing the golden orb of light emerging from my palm, the cloaked guy decides that
option three may not be healthy, but still the one with the least consequences to his
own person. He jumps out of the circle and rolls off with unexpected agility as my
attack spell impacts the spot where he was standing just moments ago.
My magic registers the lack of a target and fragments according to its design. The
result is very similar to a fragmentation grenade. Countless marbles of golden light
pepper the ground, throne and the surrounding guards, each creating its own
miniature explosion.
Some unprepared guards are wounded, others with a little more sense for self-
preservation manage to shield themselves, blocking the marbles which contain only a
fragment of the original spell's power. But the damage to the floor is extreme as
dozens of little craters open up, sending out metal fragments of their own.
The magical circuit flickers and its light vanishes as the energy snaps back to the
caster. The cloaked figure twitches in visible pain, clawing at a non-existent enemy.
As I ready myself to follow with a second attack, Marcus's hand shoots out, throwing
a little axe of light. The weapon rotates twice before it sinks into the door, its nature
drawing the attention of most of the guards. The door shudders again and one of the
quicker soldiers races for the weapon. He most likely assumed correctly that it won't
be good for the barrier to be attacked from the inside.
Barriers are a tricky thing. Most of them work only in one direction. The more
versatile a barrier is, the harder it is to maintain. And I assume that Marcus just hit the
door with the strongest dispelling chant he knows.
Before the guard reaches the axe, it explodes in a flash of light, wiping out the
complicated runes on the door. The next blow from the other side throws the door
wide open, revealing my parents and Beth together with several of our soldiers. The
wings of the door slam into the guards to the left and right, sending them flying. I think
it's preferable to being squashed to death.
While they charge into the room, I pull myself forward and drop to the ground.
Landing in a low stance, I hurry to get out of the way by throwing myself at the
closest guard.
Marcus isn't as quick and is forced to block a hail of attack spells which is aimed at
the ventilation shaft. He summons a shield of light which simply absorbs most of the
magic. Some of the guards finally identified the hole as the source of the sabotage.
As our people charge into the room and force the guards to turn their attention to a
more immediate problem, the attacks on the ventilation shaft lessen. This gives
Marcus a chance to join the battle.
In the meanwhile I have my own hands full. The guard in front of me turns out to be of
the sturdy type. He was blinded by the flash of light, which I used to disarm him by
twisting his sword out of his hand. But he wasn't completely taken by surprise. After
the weapon fell to the ground, he started fighting back by swinging his bear-like fists
in a slow and methodical manner. We exchange a few blows with me dodging all of
his attacks while it becomes clear that my opponent is no amateur.
He is used to fighting quick opponents, steadily forcing me into a corner. I growl and
throw myself at his waist, channelling a large portion of my power into my inner
magical system. Even if he is strong, my body armour should withstand a few blows.
The plates on the floor squeak as my feet dig into the metal. The guard manages to
pummel my back with three blows before I lift him and send both of us into a spiralling
motion.
Stepping sideways I hammer the wall with his upper body, stunning him.
I am about to change my grip when a sharp pain stings into my lower torso and a
blade appears from my lower belly. Someone attacked me from behind and managed
to slip his blade between the plates of my armour. And a belly wound on top! Those
hurt like hell!
And why do I always get stabbed in the back?
I scream in rage, turn around and throw my opponent at the backstabber. Both go
down in a heap and then Marcus is above them, bringing down a longsword of light.
The weapon slides through both of their chests, pinning them to the floor. “Fool! Why
didn't you wait?”
“I wasn’t hit in a vital spot, so stop overreacting!” I reach out and throw a death curse
at a guard who approaches Marcus from behind. The man struggles and is pushed
back, but doesn't go down immediately.
Marcus twists the longsword and pulls it out of the dead bodies, flawlessly changing it
into a bow. He draws and aims in a single motion, sending a flash of light right past
my cheek. I don't have to look at the result, since a fine shower of blood wets me
from behind.
I reach for the wound on my belly and cast a quick healing spell to stop the flow of
blood. Dedessian physiology can heal a lot, but bleeding too much can still result in
loss of consciousness. With an effortless move I use my foot to send the dropped
sword from earlier upwards and grab it. Then I swing it at Marcus and he dodges.
The weapon buries itself deep inside the opponent who resisted my curse, splitting
open his chest.
Massive trauma to the body is still the best way to kill someone. I send a second
curse into him, this time using the sword like a lightning rod to transmit the spell. The
man trembles and his heart stutters. Then he topples over, his lifestrings cut.
When I turn around, the battle is almost over. Only Dad and the cloaked figure keep
fighting next to the throne's remains. It's a fierce magical duel in which neither of them
seems inclined to step down. The released power of their auras is so strong that I
don't even dare to step closer. It almost seems as if they don't care that they could
damage the pyramid.
Unfortunately, having my father fighting exactly that opponent is the worst outcome for
us.
 78. ~Split.~

“Denial is commonly found among persons with dissociative disorders. My

favourite quotation from such a client is, ‘We are not multiple, we made it all up.’ I
have heard this from several different clients. When I hear it, I politely inquire,
‘And who is we?’”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Pyramid Superstructure
Seria
The battle between my father and the stranger intensifies and I start considering my
options. We could call for a quick retreat and do our best to be somewhere else if
worse comes to worst. If they decide to go all out, they might bring down the whole
pyramid around them.
Or we could try to break up the battle. Maybe we can separate them somehow,
although that sounds unlikely. It's hard to interfere in a magical duel. All sorts of things
could go wrong when two parties throw magic at each other.
I watch in awe as the both of them casually fling deadly spells at each other while
simultaneously parrying their opponent with counterspells. Shade summons a thin ray
of energy from his fingertip and slices the remains of the throne in half. Hadn't the
stranger turned into some form of mist, he would have shared the same fate. When a
shower of icicles shoots forth from the cloud of mist, Shade raises a barrier, stopping
the attack. He answers with a gust of wind, forcing his enemy back to a more
substantial form.
Another spell goes astray and smashes one of the soldiers against the wall, driving
him through it like a bullet through a sheet of paper. The men around us cry out.
Everyone who is too weak to protect himself hurries for the door, hoping that a little
more distance between them and the combatants provides more protection.
More like it makes it less likely to be hit by a stray spell.
My whirling thoughts come to an abrupt halt when the two opponents suddenly forfeit
finesse and decide to battle it out with raw power. They meet each other in the centre
of the room, their auras scraping against each other. The resulting energy causes the
metal to glow under their feet while sizzling sparks fly everywhere. They didn't bother
to take down their protections, so now their auras are scraping against each other
like two bricks of steel.
I hurry to pull Marcus with me, leading him around my father and towards Beth who is
with my mother. “We have to split them up before either of them flips completely!”
Mom pulls a face and spreads her hands in a helpless gesture. “It looks like we are a
little late for that. I tried to persuade Shade to pursue another objective, but he didn't
want to listen. How should we get them apart now? Trying to get between them would
be like jumping between two freight trains. I am not too keen to get caught up in this.”
She points at the two idiots who are trying to use their magic like wrestlers.
I scowl. “Do something! Use your witchy powers or whatever! Aren't you his
soulpartner? You should know how to restrain him. I warned you because I feared
that exactly something like this would happen.”
“Butterfly, if I've learned one thing about your father, then it's not to interfere in his
battles. I've prepared a little trick for the worst case scenario. Let's hope it doesn't
come to that.” Out of nowhere, she fabricates a big syringe with a sickly green liquid
inside. “I really don't want to use it, but if everything else fails...” She lets the rest
unspoken.
Shade and the strange figure send each other flying with a last push of power, landing
in opposite walls. When Dad gets back to his feet he freezes, the figure's cloak in his
hand.
Opposite from him, a beauty with raven black hair gets to her feet. Her features are
new to me, yet strangely familiar. If I didn't know better, I would say that she is Dad's
sister. Well, she probably would be a beauty if it wasn't for the insane rage edged into
her face.
Shade points at her, his hand shaking. “This can't be... Who are you!?”
The beauty coughs and throws her ruffled hair behind her shoulders. “How insulting!
Did you really forget about me? Are you really that content in your current life that you
forgot everything, Master? I searched and searched, yet you don't even recognize
me?”
“Master?”
“You really forgot!” The beauty screeches and grabs a part of the wall, ripping it out
with ease. She throws the heavy, metal plate at Dad who dodges by stepping to the
side. “But I suppose there never was that much to me. As long as I serve you, it's
fine. Isn't it? Nice, little servant without a body! How I loathed not being able to take
part in a real life!”
Oh, crap!
“You aren't me! Our auras are the same, yet you aren't me. How can this be!?” Shade
calls out, his face distorting in rage.
“Of course we aren't the same! Stupid. Why would you think that?”
“The colliding multiverses! Our auras. Aren't you me from another multiverse? It
doesn't matter, soon I'll get to the bottom of this.” Shade bends down to the metal
plate and conjures a chain with shackles from it.
The beauty frowns. “You thought... oh, that's brilliant and yet stupid of you master! Of
course it will never work like that; even with two separate multiverses, there can only
be one soul. Two identical souls cannot exist within the same space and time. Even
being near each other would cause them to resonate and destroy each other. I think
you are the only being in existence who has two souls. Or rather, a split one.” She
reaches for the wall and rips out a pipe. “Soon to be one soul! I'll see to that.”
They meet each other in the centre of the room, Shade flailing with his chains and the
beauty swinging her pipe.
“I don't get it!” Mom mutters.
Beth claps her hands and laughs. “This is brilliant! Don't you remember? It's Warden!
Somehow she got a body of her own this time. One of Shade's stupid experiments
came back to bite him in the ass! Though I don't really get why she is so angry with
him. I rather liked her.”
“Warden?” The artificial intelligence which was born when Dad split off a part of his
soul? “She got independent? I thought that her soul-shard would reintegrate with the
rest of Shade's soul once they both die. It works like that, doesn't it?”
Mom purses her lips. “Unless the soul utterly, totally rejects that part of itself. In
Shade's case, his femininity... which Warden represents. I suppose it must have been
horrible for Warden to be ejected like that and then treated as a convenient tool.” The
syringe wavers, pointing first at one brawling idiot, and then at the other. “I am
honestly unsure of who to put down. This anaesthetic is rather strong with unpleasant
side effects.”
Shade throws his chain around Warden's ankle and pulls her feet out from under her.
She slams with her back onto the ground, wincing. But not without using her pipe to
get a good hit at Dad's knee, followed by several weaker blows at his upper body
which came into reach since he fell too.
He ignores them to the best of his ability and wraps the chain around Warden's throat,
strangling her while she knees his guts with fanatic zeal. It almost looks like Warden's
win when she gets free and uses the pipe like a wood-chopper with Dad under her.
He bucks and throws her off, whipping her with the chain.
“This is getting ridiculous! Give me that. I'll put an end to this.” I take the syringe from
Mom and launch myself into the battle, using their distraction to inject both of them.
First Dad who has his back to me, then Warden who is to my luck a little hindered by
the magical chain around her feet. Mom's witchy power takes effect rather quickly,
resulting in both opponents slowing down. Their movements turn sluggish until they
finally drop to the ground.
“Betrayal! What did you do Seria!?” Dad accuses me.
“I'll never give up! I'll have my revenge! Especially after he simply forgot about me just
like that,” Warden yells.
I inspect the syringe while the two of them are yelling like a pair of scorned lovers.
“Did it work? They are down, but they are still yelling.”
“The correct term is 'paralysed', Butterfly. Their magic is also gone. I need Shade
aware and awake to face his inner demon. He can't do that if he is sleeping.” Mom
approaches and pulls Shade into an upright position. “And now we are going to have a
long, nice conversation between adults. We have to learn why Warden created this
mess. And how to solve our disputes without fighting or laying waste to the
multiverse.”
I clear my throat. “I don't want to destroy the mood, but there is still a huge rift
outside this pyramid, allowing the spirits into our multiverse.” Scowling, I turn to face
Warden who is being tended to by Beth.
Warden doesn’t answer and instead stares defiantly at me.
Okay, maybe a little encouragement is needed. “So whatever happened, I can hardly
believe that it’s irreversible. We can always try to fuse them back together.”
Everyone answers in unison. “No!”
“Peace-talks it is then...”
 79. ~Alone in the end?~

“Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin.
And there are many things that don't really end, anyway, they just begin again in a
new way. Ends are not bad and many ends aren't really an ending; some things are
never-ending.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Pyramid Superstructure
Seria
I rub my temples after listening to Warden’s confession. It took us some time to coax
the details out of her, but in the end we got her side of the story. “So let me get this
straight. You reincarnated and found yourself in that other multiverse-”
Warden interrupts me, happily giving me a lesson on physics. “Not another multiverse.
Strictly speaking, it’s a separate space-time-pocket which operates on a slightly
different quantum wave than this one. Imagine the current multiverse as some kind of
foam, each bubble representing a different layer of existence. There are bubbles for
beings like us, even for mortals, etcetera. What I did, was to punch a hole into the
membrane between two of those space-time-pockets.”
Yeah… right! I suppose that made sense to the others, but I’ll happily ignore this
explanation. “Whatever! So you reincarnated and got it into your head to punish your
creator for all the bad things that happened to you, instead of being glad to be an
independent being. But for some reason, you didn’t reincarnate with the rest of us
because the soul-bond didn’t extend to you for whatever reason. After a long time of
searching your multiverse without results, you came up with a plan to force Dad to
come to you instead of searching him.”
Beth scowls. “I would be happy to be left alone...”
I draw a deep breath to continue, “So what you came up with, was to launch a
devastating war against everyone, taking over several of those space-time-bubbles of
yours?”
Warden bites her lower lip, which looks cute with her perfect looks. I would hug her, if
she wasn’t a prime example for a psychopath. Who in his right mind decides to kill
billions, maybe trillions of people, just to find one person.
“Yes?”
“Are you insane!?”
Warden flinches when I scream at her. “B… B… But it was the only way! How else
was I supposed to find you guys again? It may have taken an eternity of
reincarnations, and even then I had no guarantee that we would recognize each other.
So I relied on the fact that this idiot,” she nods her chin at Shade, “always finds a way
to claw his way to the top. The thought was to create enough of a commotion to force
him to seek me out.”
“I promise that I never had something against you, Seria. Or anyone of the others.
You aren’t to blame.”
Shade scowls at Warden, who is definitely trying to assume the role of a victim. “Then
why did you run away the first time we met?”
Warden turns red. “Because you surprised me and I caught a serious case of stage-
fright. You and your men appeared out of nothing and destroyed one of my
operations. I wasn’t even aware that I already drew your attention. I was surprised
myself when I wasn’t able to face you.”
Beth raises a hand. “That’s all fine and well, but we still have to take care of that rift.
And what to do about the spirits? If Warden’s story is true, then there is an
immeasurable number of spirits out there. There is no way to fight them all.”
Mom enters the discussion for the first time. “There has to be a way. As much as I
want to deny it, but Warden seems a lot like a female version of that completely
useless husband of mine.”
“No! Take that back! There is no way that there are any similarities between the two
of us!” Shade complains, but there is a flicker of doubt in his voice.
“Shut up! And to return to the problem, even if the both of them are maniacs, Shade
always has some kind of fail-safe in his inventions. So Warden must have one too.”
Warden looks away, definitely intending not to answer.
“If it’s like that, then it’s good that my anaesthetic doesn’t shut down the pain
receptors,” Mom grumbles and bends down, reaching for Warden’s well endowed
chest, pinching and twisting with a grip like iron.
I manage just in time to cover my husband’s eyes with a hand before the screaming
starts. There are some things in this world which men aren’t supposed to see. Ever.
Turns out that Warden didn’t inherit Dad’s tolerance for pain. In a matter of minutes
she is a crying, snivelling wreck. Which is a little disturbing. Seeing someone howl in
pain while not trying to move away from the source of the displeasure is a new one to
me. When Mom reaches for other parts of Warden’s body, Warden is suddenly very
willing to spill the beans.
“Nooo, just stop! Gods, I’ll never be able to feed babies! The same signal which
keeps the spirits at bay can be used to issue a self-destruct command. There is a
storage device with all the necessary instructions in my pocket. As for the rift, all you
have to do is to shut down the station’s power. The tear should repair itself if you give
it some time.”
Elona searches the pockets - of which there are many - on Warden’s black attire. At
last she finds the item and reveals a black cube to the rest of us.
Marcus taps my hand, which is still covering his eyes. “Am I allowed to see again? All
this left me somehow with a sour feeling. To lay waste to my town for such a petty
reason. Her logic is understandable, but there are certainly other ways to get
infamous.”
Right. I step forward to get the black cube from Mom, then I place it in Marcus’s
hands. “Go and find some technicians who can make sense of this, then proceed to
send the signal and shut down the station’s power supply.”
Marcus looks at the black cube in his hand, then at me. Finally his attention wanders
to Warden who is still crying after receiving Mom’s special idea of torture. “Why do I
have the feeling that you are trying to get rid of me? Warden still has to answer for
her crimes, you do realize that?”
I pat his chest and smile. “Don’t worry. Warden will be punished, but this is a special
case. In a very real sense it’s a family matter between my parents and Warden.
There are a few things we have to consider before we jump to conclusions and issue
punishments.”
Marcus furrows his forehead, but finally turns around to head back to the citadel.
“Just make sure that she won’t bother us ever again. As long as the spirit attacks
stop and she is sufficiently punished I’ll not raise any objections that you are the ones
who judge her.”
I turn back to Warden. “How exactly should we punish her? It’s not like we could wipe
her memories and send her on to her next reincarnation? I would like to believe that
such a thing is a long term solution, but can we really be sure that the old rules apply
in this new version of the multiverse? Do we have a guarantee that she won’t
remember us? There must be some kind of link between her and Dad, so will anything
we do to her affect Shade? This split-soul thing is totally new to me.”
“We could lock her up and throw away the key,” Shade offers.
Mom kicks Dad without the slightest remorse. “And how would that be any different
from the first solution? No. As much as I dislike it, there is only one long term solution
to all of this...”
Beth looks up, still holding the sobbing Warden. “And what would that be?”
Elona smiles at us. “A soul-bond! We could reincarnate her as my daughter. At least I
could oversee her development and eradicate any problematic character traits.”
Shade curls down the corners of his mouth in displeasure. “I don’t want her as a
constant reminder! Why don’t we add her as the eternal adversary?”
“That won’t do. I’ll certainly never again watch a bitch-fight like earlier,” Mom bristles.
I raise a hand. “Why not as Mom’s sister? If I remember correctly, then there was a
time when Warden was into Shade. It would make for some interesting dynamics if
the two of you compete for Dad’s at-”
Mom moved faster than I could ever react, kneeing me in the guts and sending me to
the floor with a karate-chop. One moment I was standing upright, and the next I am in
a foetal position on the floor, trying to spill my guts all over the place. Luckily I didn’t
eat much before we went on this adventure.
Elona crosses her arms in front of her chest, looking down on all of us. “If I have to
endure this woman for the sake of the multiverse, then I won’t accept any other
relationship than the one of a mother and a daughter. Shade is mine! Forever! There
will be no competition.”
 80. ~Epilogue~

“Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin.
And there are many things that don't really end, anyway, they just begin again in a
new way. Ends are not bad and many ends aren't really an ending; some things are
never-ending.”
The Journey to the Afterlife

Dedessia, Royal Palace’s living quarters

Seria
“I am not sure if that was the best idea you ever had, Mom.” I tilt my head and watch
the two babies with suspicion. Warden, baby version, is sitting right next to my Illia.
The two of them are looking at each other as if there is some silent communication
going on. But that’s impossible. Isn't it?
Mom pushed that one out in record time. I wonder how much time they actually took
to interrogate Warden. Seems like a hasty job, even for someone who can read
minds like books. Was Dad involved at all? Shade and Elona dragged Warden away
from the rest of us as soon as they got the chance. Maybe it’s better that I don’t
know what happened between the three of them.
“Why not? At least Illia has a playing partner. And the two of them look cute together.
Aren’t they real beauties? I am sure that they will grow up to be exceptional beauties.
At least Warden has inherited a very special skillset.” Elona bends down to cuddle the
two of them.
And I still believe that they are planning something. It’s in their eyes. They don’t watch
their surroundings like normal children do. I don’t know what they are planning, but I’ll
keep an eye on them. “In addition it feels awkward to have a little sister who is this
small,” I voice the core of my issues.
Shade shrugs and leans back on the living room’s couch. He is playing a game of
cards with Marcus. The two of them became real buddies during the last week.
Another thing to worry about. “Believe me, in five hundred years a little age difference
won’t matter at all. What are twenty or thirty years? No immortal cares about that.”
I know, but I still can’t help myself. Maybe some moral ideas from a mortal lifetime
somehow took root in my mind? I shake my head to get rid of the thought.
There is so much to do. Warden is taken care of and the rift is closed. But Warden
has established some independent operations which are still launching spirit attacks
on their own. So the attacks won’t stop completely until we take down the last
pyramid. Warden’s war machinery is a moloch which will keep fighting even without its
head. At least the attacks aren’t a real threat to us any longer.
Warden was the only one who was in charge of organizing all the different pyramids.
In one way that’s a good thing. It means that the different pyramids lost their
coordination and will continue to operate as normal. Their central staging area is gone
though, so there will be no more mass invasions. Unfortunately it also means that we
have no way of shutting down all the pyramids. We have to pay a personal visit to
each and every one of them.
“We still have a lot of work to do. Leaning back while the opponent is still active isn’t
in my nature,” I complain and cross my arms in front of my chest.
Marcus looks up from his game, then his eyes wander to Illia. “Do you really want to
say that we should be out there and fight battles? Don’t we have an army for that?
The other nations should also do their share of the work. I hope that you realize that
this whole issue with the pyramids could take years until it is resolved. Do you really
prefer a life at the frontier to watching Illia growing up?”
I turn my attention to Illia. She is looking at me with those big, blue eyes of hers. And
holding out her hands, begging me to pick her up. That’s just cruel, playing the baby
card! I bend down and pick her up, silently cooing her.
After a lot of thinking and grimacing, the fight against my inner demons is lost. “Well,
maybe we should settle down for a while. Just until she is bigger.”
 Credits

Author Andur

Book designer Armaell