Chapter Twelve

"Long time no see," Uriel said drolly, pushing off the wall of the room and stepping forward to greet me. He no longer wore handsome suits and tailored clothing like he did when he was an archangel in Heaven.

Now he wore a long leather coat with matching pants and a sleek button up with studded bracelets and a choker with a skull on it. His tall monstrous boots matched and were an obvious overcompensation for the fact that he had the body of a sixteen-year-old. Such a figure came as an eternal curse from his almighty brother, Michael, who punished him for having betrayed Heaven. I'd say he got off easy considering what Michael had done to Lucifer.

"Last I saw you, you were fleeing Heaven with your tail tucked between your legs," I said smoothly, knowing it was going to rankle his hide. Even though he flashed me a smile, I could sense the irritation boiling off him as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat.

"You've missed a lot betraying the Shifter," Uriel responded, walking over so he could casually peer out the window, his black eyes gleaming as he eyed Sin, "Ooh, another Beast? Tsk tsk, Ro, you never learn, do you?" I said nothing, just eyed Uriel closely. He wasn't just here to chat, and neither one of us was that stupid. It was strange, playing this game with him, almost like ice dancing, waiting to see who was going to eat ice first.

"It's so hard to ruffle your feathers," Uriel said when I didn't answer, and he turned to look at me, amused, "Although, I heard the Shifter had no problem last time. Do you enjoy your time in the dungeon with our professionals? Could've sworn I heard you scream a few times." I still didn't answer, but there was an eerie trickling sensation down the back of my neck, like an ice cube sliding across my skin.

Phantom pains erupted in my hips, on the bottoms of my feet, in my face, my mouth especially, and in my ears. A flash of the darkness inside that cold cell back at the castle slammed against my conscious and I blinked it away, cocking my head slightly, giving Uriel this look that encouraged him to continue before I grew bored of his attempts to scare me.

"Fuck, you're so boring," Uriel sighed, "Hades would've been so much easier. All you have to do is say one of his bastard kids' names and he flies off the handle. You should've seen the way he acted when Abdul said Theo's name. Not that it matters since Abdul's corpse is now under Hades's watchful eye in his realm. Pity, I liked Abdul. He was very talented with a scalpel. But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" I felt my teeth come down together hard.

I remembered exactly what he was talking about, and the image of that scalpel coming down in front of my eyes seated my brain, the feel of the blade cutting down on my tongue in slow sawing motions until I was drowning in my own blood. My lungs constricted at the memory and my tongue shriveled to the back of my mouth.

"So," I said after a moment, keeping my voice steady, "You were the one who launched the attack on Hades." Uriel beamed.

"He speaks! And all it took was bringing your favorite bastard into the conversation. Sounds like you heard all about my handy work," he commented, then nodded and looked so damn proud of himself, "It was a failed mission, but we definitely had some fun. I bet your sweet auntie told you that everyone's doing fine and dandy, huh? Bet she didn't tell you that we almost had him, Ro."

I said nothing.

Uriel leaned closer, invading my personal space, his eyes staring up into mine like razor blades sticking me in the face.

"So, so close. I could almost taste that special blood of his going down my throat," he whispered, making me narrow my eyes on him, "We'll get him next time for sure. And when we do, you'll come running. I know you. You can play the aloof enigma, but in the end, you're utterly predictable, just like the rest of these cockroaches."

"You're going to regret hunting him," I said, making Uriel's lips quirk up in a smile.

"Why? You going to make me?"

"No. He will. I chose him for a reason. He's stronger than you. Smarter than the Shifter."

"But he's got your fucking hero complex," Uriel smirked, stepping back, "He'll bend, just like you have, and just like you will." I stared at him in disinterest now, because I could sense him getting ready to attack me, no doubt to take me back to the Shifter for round two of playtime, as the Shifter called it.

And while I would never admit it, Uriel had succeeded in thoroughly pissing me the fuck off. His threats lobbed at Hades, and knowing he'd gotten so close to him and his children, triggered a nerve in the deepest part of me that hadn't been pinched in a long time.

"What are you doing to do now," I asked, voice low, "Take me back to your leader or talking non-stop like a fucking bimbo cheerleader?" Uriel's eyes flashed at that before narrowing and he threw his hand out, but I not only blocked his attack, but neutralized it and he took a step back, like he hadn't been expecting it. I took a step toward him, daring him to try again.

"You're forgetting," I said, my voice taking on an edge, losing its cool and dropping to a growl, "I'm not just a fucking shadow." I vanished and reappeared right in Uriel's face, knocking him back against the wall so he was pinned.

"I'm a fucking original," I sneered. I bashed my head against his hard and he hissed, falling back against the wall again, but I picked him up by the lapels of his jacket, heaving him clear off his feet and throwing him out the window. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces, scattering in the garden below. Sin had already returned inside, but was now rushing to the deck with Tsukuyomi and Yiuwa, all of whom were stunned to see Uriel sitting up in one of the shallower ponds, choking and sputtering.

I leapt down, landing on the stone pathway with ease. I rose slowly to my feet as Uriel glared and brushed his wet hair back from his face.

"The only reason you managed to capture me before was because you launched a sneak attack," I said, "Knocking on my front door is not a good strategy, Fallen." Uriel bared his teeth, not that it did much, because a second later, Yiuwa and Sin were snarling as well, both of them appearing on either side of me, out of nowhere, like a couple of attack dogs.

Uriel stiffened in the pond, his eyes darting back and forth between the Beasts, neither one of them attacking as they dared Uriel to make a move.

"And if I don't get you," I continued, relaxing when I realized the fight was already over before it had begun, "Then these two will, and... Well, tell Abdul I said hi." Uriel gnashed his teeth together. His black eyes flamed with rage, but he wisely didn't attack. Instead, he slowly rose to his feet and gave his jacket a little shake, drying it instantly. On either side of me, Yiuwa and Sin growled and flexed their claws. And even though Uriel's gestures were calm and casual, his eyes watched the two beasts with distrust.

"You'll come back," Uriel said after a moment, turning his gaze to me, "You came to us once and you will again. You can't resist the temptation. Nobody can." Without another word, Uriel vanished on the spot. I waited a long moment, not trusting him to be gone, but when he didn't reappear after a couple minutes, I relaxed, and so did Sin and Yiuwa.

"Who was that?" Sin asked, turning to look at me with a frown.

"Uriel," I said grimly, "Former archangel of Heaven."

"I'd heard he'd betrayed Heaven," Tsukuyomi said, approaching us and looking annoyed, "And now he knows where I live." I didn't say anything. I stared at the place where Uriel was, a frown working itself onto my face as realization settled in.

The only reason Uriel came here was to get me. And the longer I stayed here, the more I put everyone here in danger. I couldn't risk staying here another day.

We went inside so Tsukuyomi could finish breakfast and we could prepare to go to Tenjin's. I went upstairs and fished out my phone, double checking my messages and spotting one from Simon demanding where I was. I sighed in frustration and texted him back that I would be home tonight. I set my phone on the table and went back to organizing my bag before popping into the shower for a quick rinse.

When I came out, Yiuwa was standing in front of the busted window, staring out into the garden. I frowned, drying off my hair before tossing my towel over my shoulder. I said nothing, however, when my eyes dropped and landed on my phone in his hand.

"I thought we were staying here for a week," Yiuwa said without looking at me. I walked over to my bag to grab a shirt.

"You are. Stay and finish the deal with Tenjin."

"Where are you going?"

"Something came up," I said briefly, tugging the shirt on over my head. Yiuwa turned to look at me and when he did, I took my phone from him and shoved it in my pocket. It annoyed me that he thought he could go through my phone without my permission. I made a mental note to keep it out of his reach next time.

"You can't leave," Yiuwa said, making me arch a brow as I turned to look at him pointedly.

"Aren't you the one who wanted leave sooner?"

"I mean, you can't leave me," Yiuwa reiterated, making me frown curiously, and he touched his hand over the mark on his neck, "This mark. It won't allow us to leave one another." I stared at him for a moment, then scowled.

"You're lying," I accused. Yiuwa's eyes darkened and he dropped his arm down to his side.

"If you try, you will realize it won't work. You will be drawn back to me. You won't be able to resist."

"You have an awful lot of confidence in yourself."

"It's part of the mark," Yiuwa insisted, making me glare at him now as I folded my arms over my chest, "I don't know how many times I have to tell you, we're more than just married right now, our souls are intertwined. We must be together--"

"Stop," I snapped, not wanting to hear anymore and holding my hand up when he tried to go on anyway, and now he was glaring back at me, "Is this a physical thing or are you just bullshitting me?"

"It's physical," Yiuwa said quickly, making me narrow my eyes suspiciously, but he glared at me adamantly, "It is. Once you get to a certain distance, you won't be able to go on. You'll lose the motivation, and so will I. We'll need to be together again. You can run all you want, but in the end, you'll find yourself circling back to me. Because your soul knows where it belongs." His words both infuriated me and... aroused the hell out of me, which only frustrated me further.

I loathed the idea of being tied down. I had to get away from here before anyone else was put in danger, especially Yiuwa. If what he was saying about the marks was true, then I wouldn't be able to get away from him anyway, to protect him from Uriel and from my curse. He would be trapped with me.

And yet, there was a sick part of me that shivered at the idea of such ownership. Something like that had never happened to me, and there was something so raw and savage about it, something so intense. It drew out a part of me that was panting and begging to stay here.

I suddenly knew how the hybrid Atlantean king felt.

But goddammit, why was I letting this get to me so much? It had been far too long since someone had tempted me like this, and the last time it had happened, they had died painfully and so had everyone they loved.

So now not only was Yiuwa in danger, but so was everyone he held dear, and Yiuwa basically adored every fucking creature he ran into.

"Don't leave me," Yiuwa's voice seared my heart and soul, and I blinked, tilting my head up when I realized he'd stepped up against me, his hands on my waist, his eyes holding mine, "It's alright, Rowan. We'll be okay. That Uriel won't return here knowing that he can't simply snatch you away. I will protect you, and you... You are strong as well. I know you are and you are always happy to prove it to me, and somehow, that makes me happy that you want to prove that." A sick little thrill rushed through me, because goddamn he figured me out quicker than even Viviana had.

I didn't want to admit it, but the truth was laid bare. It was a mild annoyance that Yiuwa wanted to protect me, but there was also a part of me that relished in it because my entire life I had lived to protect myself. No one protected me. No one could. Yet, Yiuwa was right there to put himself between me and danger.

And then there was the fact that... I felt a delicious satisfaction from pleasing him. I did want to prove to him that I could protect myself when I needed to. And I was glad he noticed it.

I immediately clamped down on all of that, however. Because I was getting too excited, too eager to dive into this, and looking up at Yiuwa, I had to force all of those feelings back down. He was so kind, so smart, so caring. He was devastatingly handsome. The draw was strong, but knowing that I could be his downfall was stronger. I didn't want to ruin this, this kind creature with a Beast so loving. I couldn't destroy another person's life.

"No," I said at last, making Yiuwa's yellow eyes flash with pain, and it took all of my strength to step away from him, his hands dropping off me, "I'll... We'll have to negotiate the deal with Tenjin. The longer we stay, the more we put everyone here in danger. We have to leave tonight. Return to Viviana with what we discovered of the tablet." And figure out a way to destroy this mark before it broke down the walls I'd worked so hard to build around myself.

Yiuwa didn't say anything. He looked crushed, and there was an agonized piece of me that wanted to go back to him, to feel his arms around me. For the first time in my life, I wanted to be cradle. I wanted someone to hold onto me and never let me go.

And I hated it.

I threw on a yukata and walked out of the room, leaving him to stew. I went downstairs, only to slow down as I came toward the kitchen. Inside, Sin was standing over the stove, pushing food around in a large pan with a wooden spoon. Beside him, Tsukuyomi was instructing him in gentle kind tones, a smile spread across his face. His long black hair was tied up in a ponytail with colorful hair ornaments streaming through his hair, and he was wearing a white and black yukata.

He looked almost colorful today.

And Sin looked incredibly good as well. In a yukata that suited him with navy and gray coloring, he looked healthier in the skin and face, his eyes wide with fascination and his lips quirked up at the corner, like he was amazed at himself and Tsukuyomi's knowledge.

There was an electric spark there, and they seemed to realize it as well.

Sin glanced at Tsukuyomi, who lifted his silver eyes up to Sin, almost shyly. There was a moment when their eyes held, lips parted, almost as if they were at a loss for words to share with one another. And then Sin caught me out the corner of his eye and cleared his throat, and Tsukuyomi stepped back quickly, ducking his head as pink spread across his cheeks.

"Good morning," Sin greeted me.

"Morning," I said, walking toward the dining room where the table was mostly set, save for what they were finishing up just now, "I apologize for Uriel's rude intrusion this morning. I'll fix your window when we return from Tenjin's." Tsukuyomi shook his head, his hair swaying around his shoulders as he came around the island counter to address me. I noticed Sin's eyes following Tsukuyomi's backside, until he realized I was staring at him and his eyes widened before his snapped his head in the opposite direction, pretending to be interested in the food he was cooking.

"Think nothing of it," Tsukuyomi said gently, "I should have known the Shifter would be alerted to your actions. I will fix it. Besides, you are making great sacrifices in order to work these things out with Tenjin." I frowned.

"He's just doing a few tests."

"Tenjin's tests can be unsettling, to say the least," Tsukuyomi said slowly, clearly choosing his words wisely, "They can leave one with a bad taste in their mouths. So, you are dealing with quite a bit for the sake of the universe. I thank you on behalf of my pantheon, whether they will admit it or not." I didn't know what to say to that, so I just smiled and inclined my head uncomfortably.

Yiuwa came down at one point, but wouldn't look at me. He was clearly still upset about the conversation upstairs, and I tried to convince myself it was okay and the right thing to do. Even if it did gnaw at my insides.

We ate breakfast in mostly silence before we headed for Tenjin's, leaving Sin behind to watch over the home and avoid any further taunting from Tenjin. And as we did, the back of my neck seemed to prickle. We were being watched, and it was before we even reached Tenjin's home. Either Tenjin decided he was going to watch us from a distance this time, or someone else was tagging along for the ride.

Entering Tenjin's property meant nothing either if it was a shadow that was on our tail. I felt no sort of weight to indicate that someone had latched onto my shadow, but the feeling persisted, even as we entered the home and Tenjin greeted us looking more like a lazy bum than a scientist.

He was once again wearing his oversized green robe, and this time a large t-shirt with a fish writing on a chalkboard printed across the front, and sky blue sweatpants. His hair was ruffled and unkempt and his glasses slightly askew, a look of anticipation on his face when he met us.

"Glad you've arrived," Tenjin said, then paused to look at his phone before looking up with a strained smile, "Two minutes late."

"You told us nine," Tsukuyomi reminded and Tenjin gave him a droll stare.

"Nine O three," he corrected, "But I digress. You are here and that is all that matters. I am thrilled to begin testing. I wish to once again begin with Rowan. Unless the beast has something to say about that." His eyes went to Yiuwa, who glared at him in distaste. Tenjin smirked, but said nothing as his eyes drifted to me and I inclined my head. Tenjin clapped his hands before he led me away from Yiuwa and Tsukuyomi, both of whom watched me go with looks of distress.

I followed Tenjin once more into the strange room with the odd table-chair thing, the whirring machines, and the eerie lighting. He changed and as did I before I sat back in the chair, letting him take more blood, and this time, he also took a skin sample, saliva sample, and rolled me onto my side to draw spinal fluid.

Not exactly the most painful thing I'd experienced personally, but certainly not the most comfortable. My legs felt wobbly, my back ached, and I felt unsteady as I was told to lay on my side and relax after the procedure. It was on my side when I felt the gentlest of pricks in my neck and I sighed.

"You can just ask me to sleep," I murmured, feeling the immediate heaviness in my limbs, the wakening in my muscles. I heard Tenjin laugh somewhere behind me, felt a sheet being pulled up around me and something sticking to my temple.

"If I did that, you'd still be able to block me from seeing what I want to see," he answered, his voice muffled. I frowned a little, said something, but wasn't sure what it was because in two more seconds, I was slipping into the heavy darkness of unconsciousness.

And dreamt of the first greatest mistake I'd ever made.

I sat beneath the tree in the garden of our home in the Paradise realm. The garden was a beautiful massive maze of exotic plant life. And it was all wrapped around the star of the show, a species of weeping willow that no longer existed in any other realm in the universe. Its long winding branches were draped in vines of purple leaves, perking white flowers spitting up little red fruits on occasion. It was Geara's favorite place to relax, and it was my favorite place to sit and think.

And during that time, I had a lot to think about.

It had been days since the creature called Atlan had come to me and told me to leave the realm.

But I was a coward. I was too scared to leave, at least, right away. I'd pulled away from my family, had stopped following my siblings on their misadventures, had stopped following Joxeia and Geara around, stopped seeking out Xiphrus for nothing more than to feel his presence.

Now, I simply sat with my knees drawn to my chest, my arms wrapped around them as I stared straight ahead. The day was warm and peaceful, a soft mist in the air from the night's rain. It was early in the morning, the sun still nothing more than a wink in the sky. Or at least, that was how it had started out. The more I sat there, the darker the sky grew.

I frowned, lifting my face toward the rolling dark clouds that masked the gentle morning. The rain began to sprinkle down, soaking my face, rolling off the leaves and falling to the bright green grass. The sound of thunder rumbled and growled in the air, and a chill stole up my spine.

Something bad was happening. I felt it. I sensed it.

I rose slowly from the grass and walked barefoot across it, the wet blades squishing between my toes as I made my way to the gravel path way, small stones and dirt sticking to my feet. The storm overhead began to grow, the wind snatching the hood from my head, clawing at my cloak as if to steal it from me. The sense of danger seemed to grow and grow.

I wandered into the home and I could hear voice from the front room. I rounded through the halls, and slowed as I caught sight of Geara, Xiphrus, Joxeia, and Atlan. No, there was another person there, I realized. A creature laying on the floor.

Something told me not to enter the room, so I didn't. I stayed by the hall entrance, hidden by the drapes on the walls, and watched as Geara moved and the creature on the floor was revealed.

Utter horror and fear rushed through my veins like an icy poison. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Goosebumps prickled my skin and every part of me trembled.

The creature on the floor was no more. Nothing more, but a bloodied ruined corpse laying in a pool of blood. And those eyes, gods, those eyes that had been pale blue if I remembered correctly, were now lifeless and gazing up into the ceiling. Her skin was so pale, so papery, so destroyed with scratches and bruises and cuts. She had been mutilated and brutilized.

And it's all your fault.

The thought seared my brain. Tears rushed into my eyes as I stumbled back, my breath stolen from me.

I spun around and ran back through the home, stumbling outside into the storm that snatched and tugged at my cloak. I ran across the gravel and slipped and slid in the grass until I could throw myself at the tree, unable to support myself anymore. Fear clawed at me as I sank to my knees, and guilt ripped me wide open and a sob broke through my throat. Tears filled my eyes and rolled down my cheeks as unmitigated agony burned me from the inside out.

Oh my god, Thia is dead.

Thia, the sweet gentle imp creature that Geara had created to be the queen of her own race. It had been, but a night ago that Thia had been in this very garden, laughing and dancing and twirling with us. She had been so carefree and wild, so lively and colorful.

And now she lay in the front room, completely destroyed.

And it was my fault, oh gods, it was my fault.

Atlan had warned me. He'd told me what would happen if I stayed here, and he had been right, oh Source above, he'd been right. Because of my cowardice, my selfishness, Thia was now dead.

And gods, Joxeia had looked absolutely ruined. He was so pale, soaked through to the bone from the storm, his eyes red with tears, his hands trembling, like he couldn't believe what was happening, and Joxeia rarely wept. He was so strong, so intelligent, so stern. Nothing scared him. Nothing made him panic. And yet, there he'd stood, utterly destroyed as he stared down at our sweet imp's corpse.

Geara, her heart had to be shattered. Thia was her creation. Her epitome of gentle sweet kindness borne of utter innocence. Gone.

I sobbed as I held onto the tree, curling up as lightning flashed in the sky overhead. I couldn't bring myself to move, couldn't bring myself to go inside and tell them that it had been my fault Thia was dead. If Xiphrus or Geara or Joxeia were to look at me with contempt, my heart would be broken. I couldn't bear it if they hated me. Yet, I needed to run to them. I needed to feel Xiphrus holding me and protecting me from all of this evil, from all of this darkness consuming my heart. I wanted to feel him around me. I wanted to have Joxeia pet my hair like he always did, hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay. I needed Geara's sweet kisses all over my face. I needed the comfort, desperately, but I couldn't go in there, I couldn't face them.

The cowardice in me burned. It felt like lava in my veins, flooding my heart. The guilt, the pain, the agony, all of it was so incredibly painful.

My sobs quieted, and only because I couldn't cry anymore. I was exhausted as I lay slumped against the tree, sniffling and choking for air. I hiccuped once in a while, pressed my cloak to my face and wrapped it tight around me as a replacement for the arms I wanted around me so badly.

I felt a hand land on my head and I blinked, jerking my head up and froze to see Atlan standing there, looking grim. I sniffled, and tears welled up in my eyes again.

"I-I couldn't-- I couldn't leave," I managed helplessly, "I was scared-- Xiphrus--"

"I understand," Atlan said softly, making me slump in relief and he crouched down beside me, reaching up to wipe the tears off my face, "I should not have frightened you so, my child. It was cruel of me to approach you so aggressively. You did not understand then... but you understand now, don't you?" I swallowed at the thump in my throat and nodded, and my tears rushed back as I broke into another round of sobs.

"I don't know wh-where to go," I whimpered, "I d-don't know what t-to do. I want my f-father."

"Ssh," Atlan murmured, "Come here." He put his arms around me and held me against his chest. Desperate for this comfort, I snuggled against him and wrapped my arms around him, pressing my face against his chest. He cradled me for a while, stroking my hair, providing me with just the right comfort to soothe me.

"I know it is frightening," Atlan whispered, "It is so unfair, this universe of ours. To curse us with such burdens. You are so young, so sweet, so gentle. It is cruel of the Source to have placed such a heavy curse on your shoulders."

"W-What am I going to do," I sniffled, pulling back to look up at him and he reached up to brush the hair back from my face, his fingers lingering on my skin nothing I'd thought of as odd at the time, "I have to l-leave, but where d-do I go? I d-don't know anything about this universe."

"There is a realm that is soon to come to us," Atlan murmured, making me blink and look at him curiously, "One of mortals. Right now, it is nothing more than an empty wasteland, but it needs soul and heart. Perhaps it needs tender love and care."

"M-Me? You think I can do this?"

"Certainly. Your curse is not who you are. You are beautiful. You are strong. You are smart. You can use all of these gifts bestowed upon you and find retribution for what has happened today. Bring life, cradle it. Do not let your curse beat you."

"B-But I'll be alone..."

"Not for long, my child. Soon, the realm will fill. Creatures of all sorts will come and go, and you will watch over them. More gods will join you. Perhaps one day, I, too, will find you again, and we will watch over the glory that you have helped cultivate there."

And I'd believed him, naturally. Atlan was the only one who'd known about my curse. He was the only one I could talk to about it, and after a few hours of sitting beneath that tree in the rain, listening to him go on and on about how beautiful the universe could be if I played my cards right... I believed him, and I left.

I gave my cloak to Atlan so that he would give it to Xiphrus, so that he would tell Xiphrus that I was safe and I was happy and my leaving was not meant to hurt him, but to help him.

I'd had no idea that Atlan would give my cloak to Xiphrus, and tell Xiphrus that Joxeia and his soldiers had killed me during a war that I had no idea was occurring until it was too late. I'd had no idea that Atlan was using me, getting me out of the way so my curse wouldn't affect his plans to annihilate my friends and family. My presence had been a threat to him. Once I was off the board, he had free reign.

I'd returned after the war to see if the rumors were true, if what had remained was salvageable.

And I had come home to ash and misery. All the beautiful lush forests were nothing more than charcoal skeletons trembling in a cold bitter wind. The lakes and rivers had dried up. The animals and wildlife were nothing more than skeletons or hungry scavengers. I'd just missed Stanton as well. He'd left the day before I arrived.

Nothing was left for me there. I returned to the mortal realm to struggle with the terrors I'd wrought there. My presence had only aggravated the fragile realm. I'd witnessed the creation of many a beast, only to watch them wilt and die. More gods had come and I'd waited eagerly for them to work with me to rebuild what I'd ruined, but none of them held interest in a cursed demon. They'd shunned me and gotten to work creating their own races, and I'd slowly slipped back into the darkness.

My presence did nothing good for the creatures there, even if I only watched. The mortals evolved and preserved, but they could only handle so much of me being there. They questioned me and my presence and began to use the term demon to describe me as an evil being. It became synonymous with misfortune and death and plague and misery and woe. They began to create wards and work with other creatures to repel me. They told stories around the campfires of how I was evil and sought to eat their children and destroy their crops.

And they weren't entirely wrong.

I'd stay in one area, but eventually, the crops would begin to die. Winter would come unannounced and randomly, bury homes and people. Summers would suck the water out of the air and fry skin on stones. Animals would become ill and it would spread to other herds, leaving the mortals without food. Mortals began to blame one another, began to fight. They took advice from the other creatures of the world to ward their homes and hearths against me.

So I took the hint and I left them alone. I stopped interacting with the mortals and left them to their devices.

But I didn't leave.

Not until the day I stood in front of the pyre and watched Petros burn, listened to the sound of his screams and the screams of his Beast as they rose into the skies and all gods woke from their slumbers in cold sweat to the sound of raw agony. I had left the mortal realm then and found the Greeks, delivered the message... and then the prophecy that doomed them all.

I went from realm to realm, listening to the gossip that rose, to the whispers of Atlantis and its fall. The rumors of Cronus devouring his children in a desperate move to protect his throne and his power, only for all of it to collapse in on him. Tales of the proud brave Greeks who overthrew their father and took over the pantheon, ushering in a new era... and their own darkness that followed with them. The stories of Hades seducing his own brother. The Titans being locked away in the darkness of Tartarus. And the children that followed them and the children after that. The wars and the battles that came and went, the victories as these gods yanked themselves from the darkness and refused to be taken. And finally, my heart felt like it was mending because my prophecy rang true.

The Greeks were beginning to heal.

And with them, so did the rest of the realms. Slowly, but surely.

And it was all because I stayed away. I locked myself away in solitude and avoided contact with anyone. I isolated myself in a small quiet realm and provided for myself. Every so often, the ache to be with someone spread through me and I left and went to a different realm every time to find solace before returning once more to my lonely little cabin.

Until the day a naked female landed on my back porch.