Life was good.

He was curled up on the soft, fluffy bed. His wings were spread out, with the warm light soaking into him. It was relaxing, his own little island of paradise. Peace and quiet, with no siblings to bother him, and no one yelling his name.

"Zane, you've been sunbathing for two days now."

He stretched out on the bed like a cat or dog would, sticking his rear end out and into the air. He opened his eye slowly, looking up at the one who had disturbed him. It had not been two days, it had only been a few hours.

His mother stood in the doorway of his bedroom in her Aldrothian Plane, her long black hair styled in waves of voluminous curls. A silver tiara adorned by amber and sunstone acted as a halo above her head, floating elegantly, which was pale white with silver eyeshadow on her eyelids. Her dress was pale gold and white, reaching the floor. A scarf of see-through white silk was draped across her shoulders, woven around her forearms loosely. High heels made from glass covered her feet, with white silk gloves that had frilly cuffs around the wrists. A noble necklace hung around her neck, a strong yet thin chain of silver with three black opals. Large wings with white feathers were on her back, with a gold diamond ring on her ring finger.

She was beautiful, gorgeous as his father would put it.

"Mother, it has only been a few hours." Zane yawned, getting up from the bed.

"It has been two entire days, Zane." She repeated, cupping his cheek. "You're like a feline."

Zane let out a small purr, leaning into his mother's touch. He blushed a pinkist tint on his cheeks from the comparison, and purring only added to it. Still, his mother had the soft, gentle touch. She was warm and easygoing, unlike his harsh and decisive father. He knew that his father acted more on his overprotective side, but Zane had quickly grown tired of being chained up in his pocket Dimension.

"Your brothers, sisters, and cousins have been waiting for you to return to Asphodel." She informed him, pulling her hand away. "They say they have a surprise waiting for you."

"Oh really? I feel honored almost, like more than half of them are grateful for my blessing presence." He replied, his white Demon tail swaying.

His mother let out a small giggle, which lifted up Zane's spirits a bit. He quite enjoyed seeing his mother being happy. She should have always been happy, as she was the Aldrothian Personification of paradise and Heaven. Even though he had a bit of difficulty keeping himself in a good mood, he did his best to try and make his family at ease.

"You shouldn't keep them waiting, Zane." She suggested, smiling. "I am very certain that you remember what happened the last time?"

Zane felt a shiver run down his spine at the memory. Last time had been a horrific disaster. Then again, it was a disaster whenever any Aldrothian Deity expressed their rage. It was best to not even think about an Aldrothian Personification exerting their wrath.

"There's also someone special there, waiting for you." She added, exiting the room.

"Is it Laurance? Aphmau? Oh, I know, it's Vylad!" He guessed, following her throug the bronze doorway.

"I'm not going to spoil the surprise." She laughed, straightening her posture. "What fun would be in that?"

"But mom..." He started, putting on a pouty face.

"But nothing, Zane." She sighed, looking down at him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to meet with Bhoodevi and Nirvelli."

With that, she disappeared in a glow of light. Zane covered his face with one wing from how bright it was, blinking at the spot where she had been standing. Letting his shoulders drop, he dragged himself through the Aldrothian Plane known as Elysium.

Elysium was filled with pale gold and white light. Stone brick walkways were paved over large white clouds, with geometric patterns of gold engraved in the paths. Pools of clear water poured down in waterfalls to the void below, spraying into mist and reforming into clouds. There were tall flowers made of crystals that blossomed along the walls of the palace and buildings, and winged horses, also known as Pegasi, grazed freely, munching on the sturdy flora.

Nymphs were bustling about, tending to the Aldrothian Plane as needed. Every Aldrothian Plane had Nymphs, which were handmade by the Personification themselves. Most of the Personified Nymphs had specific species names, but Nymphs in general didn't. The Nymphs that were created by his mother were called Angels, but they were also called Light Nymphs.

"Greetings, Lord Líkúorianō." One of the Light Nymphs greeted, bowing in respect.

Zane nodded in acknowledgment, dismissing the Angel with a flick of his tail. All Nymphs, and anyone who wasn't an Aldrothian Deity or Personification, were to call them by their Aldrothian names. While his mortal name was Zane, his Aldrothian one was Líkúorianō.

When he got back to Asphodel, he wasn't expecting his relatives to be waiting for him. But there they were, or at least one of them was waiting for him. Even though it wasn't one of his siblings, and it was one of his cousins, but it was still someone waiting for him.

"Vertumnus, it's so good to see you, cousin!" He greeted, the portal closing behind him.

Vertumnus was a child of Bhoodevi, the Personification of Aldrothian Nature. Vertumnus was genderless from birth, but he preferred the male pronouns. Since his mother was Bhoodevi, his powers and sphere were related to her domain of nature. He was in control of the seasons, and his physical appearance changed to match the current season.

Right now it was wintertime in Aldroth. Vertumnus had shiny black hair that was spiked, with coffee brown eyes. He was a tone of unnatural pale white, even paler than Zane was, like his skin was made strictly from snow. He even had that reflection of light. He was wearing an outfit made of pale furs, but it was sleeveless and had shorts.

"It took you long enough to get here, Zane." Vertumnus sneered, narrowing his eyes. "Sunbathing for two whole days?"

"It only felt like hours." He shrugged, already wishing he was back in the warmth of his mother's Aldrothian Plane.

He had almost forgotten that Vertumnus had mood swings. It was mostly because of his four appearances, but it was also because he hated the fact that he had to live in Asphodel. His mother was Bhoodevi, and his father was Kpúoç, the Aldrothian Personification of the Cold. Of course he would feel like he was worth more than the rest of them. Most of them had a mortal parent.

"You should just be thankful that you're a child of Díabolos and Theotokos." Vertumnus grumbled, shrugging. "If not I would burn you with frost."

"I'd like to see you try." He frowned, rolling his eye.

"Do you two ever stop bickering?"

Both Zane and Vertumnus looked up the hallway corridor, where one of Zane's half sisters was approaching. Her name was Moira, and her sphere was Magicks, Witchcraft, and the Arcane Arts.

Moira was one of the many daughters of Díabolos, or Garte, the Aldrothian Personification of Death and Hell. Her mother was not Theotokos, or Zianna, like Zane's was. Her mother had been one of the Greek Goddesses, before the first invasion of the Aldrothians, which had killed all the Greek Gods. Her name had been Hecate, known to the Romans as Trivia, the Goddess of Magic.

Moira's hair was a golden blonde color like their father's was, but her eyes were a greenish black color, a trait inherited from her mother. Her hair was lush and long, with silver ribbons braided down one side so it fell across her shoulder. She had a slightly noticeable aura that outlined her, if you had the proper eyesight to see it, that shimmered a pale green. Her skin was pale like most of them, looking beautiful and ageless.

She wore black glass high heels, and a black cloak made from crow feathers around her shoulders. Her gown was made of white silk, the skirt reaching her knees. It was sleeveless, with a V-neck lower than any mortal could hope to look dignified in. Her biceps were circled by delicate silver armbands, a noble necklace of moonstone, glass, and silver shapes glittering around her neck. Hanging from her waist was a silver cord, where the leather sheath of her dagger was connected.

"Moira." Zane managed to say without any emotion, doing a small bow to his older half sister. "I assume that you are here to yell at me too?"

Moira stared at him for a moment, narrowing her eyes. She stopped a few feet away from him and Vertumnus, the sound of her glass heels stomping on the polished floor echoing. Her face was empty of any real expression or emotion, but there was probably a whirlwind of thoughts storming in her mind. Moira never was one of Zane's good siblings. She only ever bothered with him if he was being scolded or needed training for his powers.

"I do not yell for such pathetic things." She started, her voice calm and dignified. "However, I was expecting you to be here earlier."

"Apparently you all were expecting that." He sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"Yes... especially one of us." She agreed, nodding.

Zane let out a heavy sigh, much to the amusement of the other two. It was no secret that Zane was one of the pawns of the family, which was why he tried to be in Asphodel as little as possible. Even though it annoyed his relatives, he didn't want to be getting broken down every day of his life.

He pulled his mask up over his nose, following Vertumnus and Moira through the corridors and rooms of the palace. All the children of the Aldrothian Personifications lived in their own pocket Dimensions, but they spent their daily lives in Asphodel, which was why they had a palace there.

"Did anything exciting happen while I was gone?" Zane asked them, trying to make conversation.

"Not really, just the usual sibling rivalry when it comes to love, opinions, and who gets the last cup of punch." Vertumnus sighed, shaking his head. "I should have gotten that last cup! It had the cherry lemonade sherbet side!"

"Oh well, Vertumnus." Moira sneered, rolling her eyes. "He has been gone for how long? He deserved that punch fair and square."

"He?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Which one?"

"Oh, you'll see...." She trailed off, her tone becoming much more intimidating.

Zane didn't the way she was suddenly grinning, or how Vertumnus was smiling. Especially with the tone Moira had used with those last words. Who was the he they were talking about? Could it be...? No, no, there was no way for that to happen. The seal this time was stronger than before. It would have been impossible for Garroth to come back.

"So, Moira...." Zane started, shifting his gaze. "How are your studies going? Any new results or experiments?"

"I've constructed a device that can store souls of different sizes." She answered, displaying a gem. "I call them Soul Gems."

"And let me guess, any soul that goes in them gets transported to your Dimension?" He guessed, taking the Soul Gem.

"Actually, that's only when the Soul Gems are used." She clarified, handing one to Vertumnus as well. "There are small little illusions of reality inside each Soul Gem, fit for the soul that goes inside. Only when the Soul Gems are broken, using the soul, do the remains get transported to my Dimension."

The Soul Gem that Zane had been handed was black and dark purple, with more bumps and and a more jagged surface than the one Vertumnus got. His was extremely small, though, and a pale purplish color. Zane's Soul Gem was pulsing with light, though. It sparked along the tip at the bottom whenever the faint light pulsed.

"Moira.... is there a soul in here?" Zane asked, looking up at his okder sister.

"Oh, yes, I did claim a soul with that one earlier this month." She answered, nodding. "I don't remember her name, but it was one of those Shadow Angels you care so much for."

"A.... Shadow Light Nymph?" Vertumnus questioned, raising a frost dusted eyebrow. "How... unusual.."

"No, a Shadow Angel." He corrected, feeling outraged. "I created them to act as guardians in my Dimension."

"Oh right... them and their counterparts." He nodded, but something about his tone stated that he had lost interest.

"Reflection Demons." Moira agreed, opening another door.

"How dare you use my Shadow Angels for your little experiments!" Zane cried, wishing he was older than Moira. "How would you like it if I used one of your Warlocks?"

"Oh, please. I couldn't care less about the peasantry." She shrugged, rolling her eyes. "Besides, your Shadow angels and Reflection Demons are made from pure spiritual energy."

Zane gritted his teeth, scowling in his throat. This seemed to amuse Moira, given the twinkle in her eyes as she glanced back at him. Vertumnus, on the other hand, had an expression of stone. Zane couldn't even tell if he was blinking or not.

An automaton of bronze scuttled past them, designed like a spider. Zane could see one of the Soul Gems inside of their mechanical bodies, immense sparks of energy radiating from them.

"Our brother Bryngrim has started using my Soul Gems in his own little projects, you see." Moira announced, clearly enjoying her work. "Now those heaps of metal not only repair other automatons and help him with his work, but can now fire lightning bolts at foes."

"If I find out that you're trying to use these Soul Gems on our relatives..." He started, but Moira laughed.

"You'll do what? Cry to our father? Do him a few favors to get what you want?" She questioned, clearly entertained. "Face it, Líkúorianō. You are completely powerless against me."

"I'm not powerless against our younger siblings." He pointed out, saying he still had some power in the family.

"Perhaps, but since I am older than you, you must do as I tell you to." She reminded him, grinning.

"Damn this family..." He growled, looking to the floor.

They passed through another set of doors, entering the main hall. The main hall, given it's name, was the main room of every palace and castle.

The main hall was a rectangular room, three times as long as it was wide. The ceiling was high up, in an arched shape with crystal chandeliers hanging from thick metal chains. Windows lined the walls up and down the hall, with a large bay window in the center of each wall. The glass was limousine tinted, so one could only see outside, and not inside. Silk tapestries and masterpiece paintings filled the main hall, with a painting of Aldroth above the large fireplace. On the shelf above the fireplace were glass vases and mini figures. Velvet sofas lined the walls, decorated by pillows and blankets. Bronze automatons bustled about, returning empty bottles of wine to the storage rooms, and coming back with cases of new wine. Nymphs poured the wine into the glasses and handed them out to the gathered Deities, performing other services as well.

"How could you ever want to be away from all of this?" Moira asked, letting out an overdramatic sigh as she flopped onto one of the couches.

"That's quite simple, really. One could have a horrid sister like you." Zane answered, shrugging.

A laugh went through the gathered Aldrothian Deities, as Moira sat up straight to give him a glare. Zane couldn't help but smile as well. He may have been younger than Moira, but he could still poke fun at her around the others.

That smile faded when she smiled innocently. Something was definitely wrong with the picture here, and he was not talking about the painting above the fireplace. Moira and Vertumnus had brought him here, to the main hall, for a specific reason.

Glancing around, he noticed that all his siblings and cousins were present in the main hall. That was a lot of Aldrothian Deities. Even when they hosted parties, not all of them attended. Why were they all together like this now?

"Zane, dearest brother...." Moira started, snapping her fingers. "I'm certain that you remember this face."

From the other end of the main hall, the group of relatives disbanded. One of them approached Zane, in a slow and menacing way. Zane had taken a glass of simple, plain water from a Nymph. He went to drink it, when it slipped from his hands, shattering on the floor. He didn't notice as an automaton cleaned up the glass and water, scurrying away to dispose of the contents properly.

Fear was surging through Zane. The others knew that, their expressions becoming amused by his unease. He refused to believe it, thinking instead that they were playing a cruel trick on him. But somewhere in the back of his mind, for whatever reason, part of him wanted to believe that it was true. That terrified him to an extent. Why in all the Realms would he want to believe that he was really there, approaching him? After all the things he had done, after all the people he hurt, all the lives he took, all the horrible things that made him who he was. After everything he did to Laurance, one of Zane's closest friends.

When Zane spoke, he was afraid of his own voice. It was far too sweet for him, especially with everything that had happened. He was close to tears, but not from the happiness that the tone of his voice suggested.

"Garroth....?"

"Well, looks like you're happy to see me after all.... baby brother."