NationStates Jolt Archive

"Even the Existence at times has it's own order. And it's own sense of humor."

Aleaic turns around towards the permanent sunset.

"Yeah... I did feel it. I never knew why, but I felt something for the longest time, before I even remet Tsunami. I mean, you just know..."

"Indeed.." The elder leans forward. "There are things that mortals can feel at times, never knowing why. And sometimes they have a purpose." The elder then leans back. "It was the same for me, when I met your grandmother. Aye it was exactly the same between us. And that Love drove me to create such miracles as a Power. Life was florishing and neverending. The Powers always benefit from love. It has many other words and emotional states to different beings and species, but it always feels the same to the proper species and race."

The elder then puts in, something that strikes a deep chord with Aleaic. "To have such power, as a Power, can make of anything you wish the universe around you to become. It was the same for myself when I accepted the ascension from my own ancestor. In over a Age, I turned the universe to a mindset that saw peace unmathced in Eons. Indeed such is fleeting. But when you are the one that creates it, it only expands ever more. It's a cascade that has few breakwaters in it's path. And the path taken to get there, is one that is of you own doing. A vision you can create, and one that is easily followable by those that are closest to you. That tends to bring more followers, and those unto more. All because of a voice that a cynical civilization such as yours, can believe in.

And when souls believe in something, they tend to make the very miracles I speak of. Miracles that are inside your mind right now. Aye, I can feel it. You have dreams and wishes that your normal world cannot bring."

Another lean forward, almost causing him to fall forward. "..as a Power, you can bring those dreams to life, young kinseth."

Aleaic turns around. "But still..."

"We are only forcing you, in the regard that we require the Balance be maintained. After that, the rest is of your own makings. Everything you wish."

Aleaic rubs his head.. "Maybe...."

The elder then suddenly stands. He heads past the table and then heads towards something, guesturing Aleaic to follow. The lack of words seems to be magnetic and Aleaic follows willingly. After a short distance, they enter a large open area, open to the 'sunset' outside, as well as a large scenery of an ancient city. The layout of the chamber seems to be a strange library, with orbs and other geometric shapes, interspaced between all kinds of informational gaterhing devices. The types seem kinda familiar to Aleaic as he progresses into the chamber. The elder then takes a hold of an intracite device shaped like a ten-sided die. He then hands it to Aleaic, who takes the device..

..and then is HIT with a wave of information, dumped into his mind. When Aleaic recovers from the mass of information shoved into his brain.. "What did...?"

"A holocron of the Powers. This one contains the basics about your heratige. Thought it would be a good whetter.

It also has information I gathered for your father to use, as well as tools to use in becoming a Power. Now, it is passed unto you my grandson."

Aleaic, after recovering clear though, though much is suddenly new, he asks.. "How come I feel..."

"As a Power, you can build things that will assist you on yur eternal jounery. Also, the information within contains so much more. About allies you can meet. Ways of star travel not well known, and much that will assist your new civilization, or at least foundation, in creation of great works among the Existence." The elder then taps the device in Aleaic's hands.

"And if I may, one piece of advice when handling this.

Go with your dreams... and think immense."

Aleaic just looks down, still uncertain about the whole thing presented unto him. But there was the small spark of the 'what if' that began to rummage in his mind.

~ The Meeting: June, 3169

================

~ Those dreams took a long time to foster. I never did truly accept any of this for the longest time. I made excuses, tried to forget, ran away even, having those dearest to me track me down when wanted not, I even lost my own name for a short time.

All to avoid the Power that my name took, against my will.

It took six months, all those days and nights to slowly realize through the push of many friends that 'did' believe far more beforehand than I did at that time, to accept a destiny that took the step from future to fantasy, both all too real when the time came.

I still look back every day at that one moment, mostly a passing memory when I see a sunset, more when times are either appropriate, or my mind wanders. I still feel the burning fury of the cosmos in veins I prefer to feel plain blood in. I still avoid the great miracles, moreso ever since the move of all those Galaxies to Archonis. I don't see a civilization run by miracles, rather by the pride and works of those I prefer to call more family, than plain subjects. I truly care for my citizens, my family, my beloveds, far more than for myself.

Even Tsunami balks at my continued humility, even if it doesn't seem such to those foreign and alien that lay eye upon me. I learned to put the good 'kingly' facade on, and strip it off when not needed. I never saw power as a need to impress, rather as a hand to make things happen, get things done, do the great tasks ahead of all civilizations. The Universe is just another step along the great works, a reality of real things out there to touch and make maliable.

Great words, all so easy to make me forget what I am. Not the who. I decided the 'who' was Aleaic, king that led many peoples to their own dreams, and call that my own dream, never needed to be spoken of. The works would speak for themselves, the citizens the cheer that made it real. The stars, galaxies, everything in this Universe the pallate to sculpt and paint with.

That is all the 'miracles' I see that is needed. I only do true miracles when they are really needed. I hate attracting attention like that. Where does a person with power get off being flashy and stupid with it all, when it's 'not' needed at all? Could I make worlds with my mind, and call them real from other's words? Aye, but I won't demonstrate them. The Ascendants do that, and take time to do it right, and no one can doubt their power as magic, where all technology is magic anyway.

For me to do something like that, 'is' magic, and to feel the deliniation terrorizes the hell out of me. If I could do that. then what? Where does the abuse of power end? A Universe? Dozens? Be a God?

No... never........... 'never' a God. I feel that same blood of the cosmos, but I feel the 'blood' of it more than the cosmos. I don't want to be feared, because those that can't understand, fear despite all else. Comfort is the absence of fear, lack of fear gives confidence. Confidence makes real things made by 'real' hand mean far more than simply willing things into existence.

Yes, I know genetic engineering, open polygamy, diplomatic excuses of expansion, bending the laws of physics, and even life after death is controversial things to consider. We do it daily, using real ideals, responsible actions, and a baseline to keep confidence, with fear at bay. These are real things, real things make people strong, and accept what comes their way. We dealt with the great wars of our history as such.

I don't know if my citizens ever accepted me moving whol galaxies, they accepted the 'why'. So why would they accept me being a God, and doing things they would fear?

I won't, and more than likely 'they' won't. I may be a Power, but it doesn't mean I have to do a damn thing with it. So, I won't be a God. This is a 'mortal' Power.

This is a human first. I like feeling alive.

I like feeling life, not immortality and power.

When someone else figures out why I should be a God, remember me to kick their arse for suggestiing it. ~

~ Personal Journal entry: December 3354

================

:: ~ We are proud and united, no other realm can say so equally as we attempt to say so. Three Superclusters, the Destiny Confederacy Republic in the Milky Way Core Galaxy, a proud military that defends the cosmos from great threats, the Guardianship that commands respect of all forms of thought for our audacious capacity, in realms of good and evil alike. Infernals tread us with care, the mortal nations we walk along side to make friendship despite their standing, the Universe is made a Balanced place to exist in.

We cannot solve all things, we are a beacon, not a sword that points. If they notice us, we have done enough, and all 'your' hard work makes that possible.

Two hundred and twenty three years of grand display of all we stand for, not to make others in our image, but to be our own image that simply exists. We are controversial, imposing at times, interlopers, knights of yore and powers of light and anew. We breathe life back to the dead, and make sure they remember the lessons of that interruption of their lives. Worlds and citizens alike are alive through our efforts, evolution goes a different path where we see it 'can' go.

However we are also lucky. The GE, Neo Zetans, Dark Eternals, Infernals, among others, have nearly ended us. We are not folly to invicibility, we do not maintain vast armies and starfields of grand fleets to simply look good. We prove our teeth, the same we prove the pen of diplomats, both to the end that makes what we stand for exist.

My cherished people. Ever since we came here, I doubted, but you 'all' proved to me my dream is more yours, now more than ever. I sorrow in my doubt, that I could think we could not have achieved great things. I thank you all that listen to this for making the Dream a true reality. Thank you for proving my fears wrong.

The Dream continues, even now a special flotilla is begun an epic trek, in the yore of Lewis and Clark of the Motherworld lore, unto our own version of history, where brave souls are exploring the Red Galaxy boundry for new realms to find new riches, to continue to increase strength and prosperity in the Universe, for all that wish to step in the same stride with us. Even now the old territory in the Motherworld Galaxy is renamed, the governors seeking all trade to make the MWCG a grand realm for all we know by name, and keep in mind and heart.

The Dream is a process where many things happen, again by your hand. No war is more powerful than the power of creation. You create, and through that, you are more gods than even those of books and tomes speak of. Yes there might be a magic that can make things occur at the whim of a mind. Once I did that, but not to prove, but to protect. Your hands are more godly than my mind can ever be.

The hands create, the mind imagines, the will makes them combine, and strive for all the things we now call granted in afterthought. Reminder and humility makes sure we don't overreach the ability, or forget those hands can be cut, the imagination dulled, the will sapped. Remember, to keep doing great things, you MUST remember to remember yourselves. Remember all you know, and never let the fallacy of false incarnations take history away, make fools of the mind, and break all we have built.

I never say how long we will last. Every passing day of every passing star, is a beginning, and an ending. So the clock never truly stops for anyone or anything. We live to remember that we can lose all in even dreams, so can reality follow.

The Dream 'can' die. But not from the hand of an enemy. It dies when we forget why we built the Dream. Why we take for granted what we have. When we forget we are human, mortal, falliable, first and foremost.

Remember my people, your hands can fade, but only if you let it. Remember to keep them in pride and in mind. If we keep the reminder, we keep the history, and we keep looking forward with every passing moment, we cannot fail.

You are cherished, and for that I thank you so dearly much. ~ ::

~ State of the Alliance Speach: 1 January 3394 (Excerpt)

====

She didn't believe it was happening. She was for the first time, after so many Eons upon Eons. afraid.

She looked out past the ancient columns, where The GrandFather handed his heritage to the now incumbent Power. She learned the story very shortly after the end of the Meeting. She laughed at how inept the child was, sneered at how incompetent the Father was for giving up the same position. How she learned over the next two hundred years, how impressive an incorrect assumption that original thought became.

She had to remember hard to note the last major empire that reached so far, without shattering from all obvious problems, existed in the Great Existence. This Gaian Emperor had learned decently well.

Of human lessons that Powers are. She handn't been forced to teach real effect of the Powers itself as a whole entity to the same foolhardy child. The Black Wilt was just a sweatmark on the brow of a cooling star core, compared to what lessons were truly out there.

Unfortunately, what Lady Creation had in mind for lessons, waiting for excuses that hadn't come yet, to teach, were outright pale in comparison to what she just learned, as she looked at the near pitch black horizon of the eternal Sunset. She tried to will the old bronze landscape she remembered, but could not even do that, with all the powers of a fully empowered Goddess.

She 'actually' tried in anger, in agony, and finally in desperation. The bronze sun would not return. It was where life had a meaning that nothing could change it back from, a time of a true and permanent conclusion.

She looked at her own barely noticable hands, a light of dark gold coming from the still lit lamps, eons old, the same life that the sun had, once many suns, a time when the sky was white, the land lifeless and eternal all the same, entropy and creation occuring at every moment.

Now only entropy was primarily present. She knew eventually the sky, then the lands, and finally where she even stood, at the side of the dying Power, would be truly no more.

"(~ Still here? I told you where to go. ~)"

Creation heard the deep, cracked voice of the ageless GrandFather finally speak again. He didn't speak of her pointless attempt to stave the End, only to chide her in remaining. She still forced out.. "(( ~ Not without trying. You.............. you... CAN'T die!

It doesn't make any sense!! ~ ))"

The ancient elder made no real move, only a chuckle. He didn't fight the coming end. He knew better. "(~ All reality never has. All life coming from mere atoms, existence from nothing? A reality where thoughts contradict and oppose each other as much as matter and false matter, and all of it still existing anyway?

No, it will 'never' make any sense. But there is no more time for lack of sense. My bretherin are waiting, but cannot enter here again until my Grandson knows, and comes to speak our last words together.

And time is finally of the essence. You cannot delay anymore. I feel the cold beginning to grip. Never argue this again, for no more will help now. ~)"

Lady Creation shook badly under the words, she broke tears she never used before. Gods that cry only do so either from insanity, or from terrible knowledge.

She was both at the moment. Her mind only accepted enough to open a portal and leave for the Mortal Planes.

She left, not seeing the aged elder grasp his icing chest cavity. She didn't see the actual pain. There was a blessing in this, hard to see.

The GrandFather was finally to pass on.

===

((OC- My big thread for the ending of a chapter in the life of one of the family. If anyone else wants in, TG me on this one to get details. Everything is up in the air, so expect either suprises or a flat result. Not sure yet on all of the end result.

Hope I do this one right. =^^= ))

*White Diamond/Sapphire; Plains of Minas south of the capital

Mid morning, 5 January 3394*

He didn't know why he was out here, much of a real reasoning to call sane with, rather a more crazy notion his First Wife and Lady Excellency dragged him along of. The plains were a strange meld of copper brown and brown-green of a field just melted of recent snows from the Christmas Celebration of 3393. Startica was over, and to be honest it was fine, since a month of celebration got weary for even Aleaic after a month of it all.

The recent speech of the state of the alliance was still ringing in many citizenry ears, some more auspicious than others, none however below the line of proud. A few days of plain work later, it seemed things were returning to normalcy. Something along that line apparently made Tsunami take Aleaic away from morning Council session after it was completed, with the lady love simply pulling him along this arid grassland, the rolling hills above the beaches of the Hikari Gulf taking in the sea spray in it's thin mist to add a slight sea green tinge further down towards the seascape.

A teleporter had whisked them both without further transport, with king in plain clothes and a shinto jacket, the lady in a short white spring-summer dress with black shoes and socks. It was a strange sight, more like a moment from their youth.

"We've been running for awhile, where we going?" Aleaic called out, the sheen glow of teal mane fluttering by his face ocassionally in the wind of the run, and the wind of crosswinds lightly playing across from the northwest. It was a strange, serene moment where Tsui just teased him by just continuing their unknown trek. They were making good ground even with all the giggle-running she was dragging Al along in.

Hill rises lifted and fell, and lost count by the time they started slowing down, breath was fast, hearts seemed to grow more youthful as they finished running.

"Whoa, geeze girl, why are...." ...he started with a laugh in the voice before Tsunami simply lept into a rather unexpected embrace. She acted more like the teenager or two centuries before than the elegant queen she had long since become. It was a moment that reminded him how incredibly lucky he was.

Maybe, he thought, this was all there was to it.

That was until she started clutching his shirt front with more longing, which made him grow uncertain, added to a soft, then growing fit of light sobs. He felt his soul cringe with worry. "W... what... what's wrong?" ..he clutched back with fear, with really bad thoughts leaping in his mind.

"S... sorry.... bad dream."

Al cocked an eye. He was going to ask, but Tsui answered anyway, "I never really had one like it. You were there... you know... cute and all." ...Al blushed, thankful the others weren't around.. ''...and then...

...then something really bad happened. I know I shouldn't believe it, but something simply took you away, I tried to come after, but....... but..."

Al held close, as all dutiful husbands do as Tsunami sobbed her continuance... "It really felt like you went away. I never had such a band nightmare in my life, nothing ever felt so bad.

I just wanted to do this to run away from it all. I know... it feels dumb... but."

Tsui heard a light chuckle, and a slight burn of annoyance leapt in her chest, but Aleaic follwed this with... "No.... never dumb. You... well, you are telling me.

But I'm not going anywhere, not with someone like you in a place like this to live for." ..he said, looking across the panorama of the capital and more natural landscape. A few smaller sideburg townships, looking a lot like small mounds of gleaming crystals in the bright daysuns, spread here and there along the coast. Traffic passed by, but never closer than a few hundred meters above the ground. He furthered... "Whatever the nightmare was, there are more powerful forces that keep bad dreams at bay. Don't worry, I am 'not' going anywhere. Not in a dying sense anyway."

"No kidding you wont."

Aleaic smiled broadly, resting his head on her forehead, as she rested her's on his chest. He was more comforted by the possessive sound in Tsui's voice just then. It was a more normal, confident tone he liked to hear. The terrorized version really scared Al far more.

Well, actually the 'time of month' version was worse, but another story.

He didn't get far into thinking much more, when Tsui took her previlige of First Wife by lifting her head, suddenly grasping Al's head and locked lips for the seven millionth trillionth something time. He always did like the girly innocent version that took hold in these moments from her, melded with the scent of the woman of two centuries. He like the Trees for that...

A good while of this, and it was, was slowly however grown with a hightening sense they weren't alone. At some point they sense this mutually, and is joined by a suddenly low tone 'cough'.

The both look off their mutual left towards the city, but find a closer, and more shocking subject in viewpoint. Aleaic saw him, and despite over two hundred and twnety years seperating their last meeting, the King knew the sight of the Judgementor without fail. Tsunami saw, and held onto Al's shirt jacket in a fearful grip of steel.

"~ Pardon..... ~"

Aleaic felt a icy chill gulp down his throat despite himself. He quickly spoke in the light sounds of the world around them. "It's........... been a 'long' time."

Aleaic's nameless Cousin nodded. "~ Indeed Cousin. Milady, it is very well to meet you as well. ~" Tsunami only nodded, she didn't have a mutual feeling.

The reasons was tatamount. The last time the Judgementor was seen by them, Aleaic was given the news he was a Power of the Universe by Representia incarnite, becoming a King by the mere word as fact. The very moment of that changed everything, and was the moment that changed children of Earth, to children of Cosmos. It wasn't the Judgementor that told them all this, he was the one that found Aleaic in that old High School Center, and attacked him in a terrible sparring duel. Aleaic never felt his arms so assailed as he had been at that time, being tested by physical means at the time.

It was hard to surmise into words, what could have happened if Aleaic hadn't matched his Cousin's brutal power in equal strokes. If it had been a real battle, goddess knows the consequences. Powers normally don't hold back when they mean something to be done. Aleaic rememberd another reason why he hated being one.

This cold moment of reality now to pass however, was different. The duo looked at the elder Cousin of who knows how many centuries, with dark hesitation. This tense moment however had a tinge to the taste a mind feels, one very different from the day of the Meeting. Aleaic knew something was up, when his Cousin hadn't come in over two hundred years.

Estranged family, this one actually was. Only the GrandFather held any real closeness with Aleaic.

Wait a minute...

"~ Exactly. ~" ..the dark cowled being that could easily be a Sith Lord, save things even the Force didn't dwel in normally, spoke in a dire tone. "~ It is best spoken of in your Emperor's chambers of advisory. ~"

Aleaic sighed... "Council chambers, we're not 'that' imperialist." ...Tsui agreeing with a stiff nod in concert. The Judgementor only sighed. "~ As you wish Cousin.

But it will not matter. ~"

Aleaic stiffened enough where Tsui gripped at him to calm down on the spot, but words fell silent as his Cousin opens a swift portal directly to the chamber in question of the Palace Tree. In it he sees a frightening sight.

To find the answers to it all, he and his wife followed through in wake of the Cousin, quickly. They had no time......

Seto was usually the one in control. She liked it, it gave her importance she didn't really hide. She knew she was the elder to most of the Council, including the Excellency-Emperor-King-boy-whatever himself, she could have easily been a leader, like she could have been back in that Coral Springs township. But she knew she liked the behind the scenes part of such things better. She was more of a face of the serious demeanor the Sphere Alliance, the kind that kept the idealistic empathy of much of the realm in check.

Seto was sitting at her well used, but still well kempt Office desk, a good ten meters long in a long curve, shallow but distinct, with marble and silver edgework, with inlaid lighting runs, it was piled with the daily major chores of handling the upkeep of the empire-republic. Padds, displayed holoscreens and mini-hologlobes. Holopictures and standard ones of her family at the right edge, writing utensils and comm buttons held together to her immediate right. Even a controller for physical changing of the entertainment screen to her far left when bored enough to not use her commanding voice.

All of it wasn't that different from her days running that 'women's house' that was the secret talk of the town. She loved the days when rumors were rampant about her activities, even when she was far more innocent in action and intent than what was whispered. It gave a sense of power that you couldn't have, like what her son Azusa had with the twon Council. While she didn't ever run an actual hose of ill repute, she didn't disuade the notion either.

One could do certain things when the smoke screen was just hazy enough, but not too chocking. It was a delicate game that got her ire and dischord at times, but it was also an excellent foil for practicing the diplomatic craft in ways not suited for open air politics. It was more like poker than goverment.

When she learned Aleaic's truth, well after the time the child had been caught on a dare to enter the same 'house' she owned in town, on a dare Tenchi, Keiichi and Akito impressed on the young bloke, just to find his love Tsunami there one friday evening, she knew he was a special soul, though how much she couldn't fathom until the time came.

Seto looked out into the white sunlit landscape, detail of the lands beyond, sea included, hazed by the light, cool and crisp, melded with the warmth of the Office interior in an invisible curtain of temperatures. She was glad she joined, she offered in her own uneasy way, but Aleiac saw the right tool to use her as immediately. Despite the agitation the two sometimes had, the respect was too deep to let simple outward emotions ruin such trust.

Seto had proved her worth at the side of her husband Utsutsumi Kamiki, on the Council for two hundred years, no one on the Council doubted her ability. The recent Bautizar situation was just one of millions of successful events that shaped the political landscape of the universe, quite physically at that. A long and fruitful step since the days as the 'harlot keeper', showing the Gaian way didn't see history as an anchor, but simply a stepping stone along a long stairway.

One could go down and remember if needed, but not be stuck there. Seto really liked the nature that the king-boy delivered upon. She 'did' have times she self-doubted herself for her old history, sometimes the games hurt and strained things.

She had no need to worry for such things anymore. She was a power and voice behind the scenes, but more open than she had ever been. And yes, she 'was' proud for everything she existed in, those with, and especially the king that gave her the chance.

She was 'more' than happy to not be the leader, since elder was only a title of an old age, she was actually younger in look than what she was before Foundation, she didn't mind that reduction in status. She just used it as a barb to play the buttons of others ocassionally, to keep the waters from being too still.

She would 'not' allow this realm to suffer, for all it gave outwardly in turn. She was determined to never allow the Guardianship to ever fail or falter. She owed it to her family, and to the Dream. She remarked on this with a thoughtful chuckle, her trademark hand under chin, where she could usually either cover her mouth with it, or a bento fan she sometimes carried. Small pegs of her diplomatic games she played willingly, as well as vigorously.

Only the family bedchamber saw more vigor.

She giggled like this for a good moment, before a voice called her attention to the entry foyer. "Yes milady?"

Lady Peorth and, from the looks of it, a very agitated aide, were standing together at the Office entrance. In fact they both looked extremely agitated, something Seto sensed even in the air, and a moment later, the very Trees themselves, felt through her Link. In fact the agitation had a very palitable aura of fear in it all. The Trees were never so afraid.

Something was very, very wrong.

Seto stood from her seat as Peorth described... "We have visitors. You might.... remember them from.... well.." ..Peorth trailed off, Seto knew it took a lot to faze her diplomatic advisory partner. Seto grew cold from the growing worry.

"What's going on exactly?" ..she asked, just as she saw the aide next to Peorth leap-scamper out of the way, both she and Peorth moving back, as a third person appears. Seto sees, and only from description alone, realizes who it is.

She wasn't there at the time, but the story was too detailed by now not to notice who this person was. Enough to make Seto stiffen at the sight of Aleaic's Grandmother. She might consider herself an elder, but Seto knew damn better to conisder comparing that to the new arrival. She bowed, controlling her emotions as best she could.

"~ Appologies, I realize this moment. ~" ..the true elder lady speaks simply, as Seto nods within her bow. "Not at all, I welcome you to your grandson's Homeworld. If we had advance warning, we could..."

The GrandMother shakes her head, speaking.. "~ Nay. Our ways are stark, as they are primarily absent for most times. This is such a time where the fore preceeds the latter. A dire time it is. ~" ..she speaks with a sorrow in her tone, as the GrandMother halts at the head of Seto's desk. Seto rounds it to stand across from the elder Power, asking from the note in tone... "Is there something wrong?"

Peorth and the aide watch as bystanders, as the GrandMother imparts to Seto. "As we speak, my Nephew, the one called Judgementor by your history texts, is seeking the Power Representia and his accompanying Power Si`trana of love bond, to return them here. Others of my Power family are present, seeking others of your quasi-mortal family to a gathering.

Time is very short, the sun is setting for the one who I love. This summoning is tatamount, without fail. ~"

Seto drew from the great dire that whatever was exactly going on, they weren't avoiding it. So they wouldn't... "Then we should head to the Council chambers."

The GrandMother nods, and walks just behind Seto to follow to the appropriate location. Peorth follows after telling the aide to call 'all' the Council Advisors to the Palace Tree, since none were away from the Capital System at present.

Seto had a lousy feeling as they made the all too short trek to the chamber, seeing several of the Council already present, about half. She saw a few new, and ominous faces that had to be other Powers present too, four in all.

Seto had a louse feeling indeed.

Aleaic hadn't felt this way since the very day itself, as a teenager with great fright in his heart, as his other Cousin, the second one that met him that day when Aleaic was mentally arid of complete thought and sanity, after the Judgementor's imposing effects earlier at the school, when he was led to his destiny of truth and hated memory ever since then.

As Tsunami and he walked through the opened portal, ripping apart physics with mere thought alone, as the Judgementor led the two rulers to the Council chambers, Aleaic felt he was back in that same moment of helplessness.

He grew to hate it all again, he truly did.

On arrival, the hardly clad formality of the lot of them, compared to the formal permanence of the Powers present, held a similar atmosphere of confusion and ill feelings. Aleaic saw that most were present, including his own family. It was a repeat of history from all looks of things, seperated by two centuries.

He saw his father and quickly demanded... "Okay, what going on? Father? Do you know?"

"Yes. I just learned."

Aleaic looked back at a creeped out Tsunami, as he looked around and broke away from following his brutish Cousin and saw Seto next to his GrandMother. "And what is it that was learned?"

Seto spoke first... "Honestly I'm not sure kid."

Aleaic looked between his Foreign Advisor and the Elder Power, getting in turn next.. "~ My appologies, we are remiss on manners, for reasons that are no longer held at bay.

My husband, your GrandFather, is finally passing on from the Existence. ~"

Aleaic froze solid in place. It was hard to fathom into words, that while one can know what it is like for a relative to normally die, the pain only remarked in afar whispers of the old days on Terra-Sol before Foundation, 'this' had a different inclination completely outright in a different note. "He's dying?"

The GrandMother nodded, then Terrai next to Jeain and Aleiac's sisters and brother Ashar, quickly asked. "There... there's no mistake abou...."

"~ None at all Brother. No mistake. ~" The Judgementor struck a harsh chord at Terrai, who winced at the intent. Aleaic turned back to his Cousin. "No need for that. We will be civilized here please."

The Cousin however retorts back. "I still refuse to forget the role that led to 'my' Father now beginning at the last leg. If NOT for the refusal of my Brother, 'my' Father might still live for some time longer."

Before Jeain could strike words back at the intent of immolated words at Terrai's vector, Aleaic's other Cousin, also nameless of not even title, replied. "~ I would prefer you 'not' be posessive of our mutal parent Cousin. ~"

"~ AND GRANDFATHER SHOULD NOT BE DYING, OF WHAT I GRASP FOR! ~"

"(~ Are you both done, you are mocking against the 'real' ideals of this place we are guests in. ~)" ..Aleaic looked over towards the entryway, where Skuld was scooting away a bit as Lady Creation arrives in the heated midst. Aleaic and Creation nod and bow heads. Then the GrandMother opens back up with... "None of that matters, a few more decades at most it all would have been longer anyway.

And the Grandson has blossomed into the seed of germination that my husband once was. There is no true loss, save for what family must bear. However little even I wish for such. ~"

Everyone was rivetted to the Elder Lady's voice, as Aleaic walked over to her. He openly professed. "You know I still prefer not who I am. Still, I imagine we should not dwell on such.

Is..... is he 'really' dying?"

Aleaic found it hard to intertwine feelings, in a matter for someone he had a hard time accepting as family. It all still meant accepting himself, selfish in thought all that may be. Still he didn't deny such, as he once did. The GrandMother sighs with further comment.. "~ There will come a time to resolve that, to find the path you truly must follow into the rest of eternity.

As it is.. ~"

Lady Creation spoke quickly. "(~ There is little time for even that. He sent me in person to inform the sunset is nearly over. We just have no more time. ~)"

For the Gaians and others nearby of the Command Center hearing, it was all a removed feeling of sorrow on hearing this. For the Powers aside from Aleaic however, it was a terrible thing to hear. Aleaic and others heard, as the Judgementor suddenly fell foward a bit, clutching a Council seat Makoto usually sat.

"~ No............... not yet. It..... it can't..... ~"

"~ We have to. It's time then. ~"

Aleaic looked back to his GrandMother, and felt pensive on how to react. Expecting that, the Elder Power informed simply. "~ But not here. There is a place where you once lived that will represent the reality about to pass.

Of Earth-Mortala you must go, back to where it all began. There he is waiting, but not forever this time. I plead you to obey this with all haste. *terrorized tone growing* Do not combat with thought, go with haste with my words nipping.

Please. ~" ...that last word trailing off several times into wordless whispers, enough to scare the life out of everyone around Aleiac alongside. Aleaic in fact never felt so terrorized in his entire life.

He stuttered his head away, and for a moment felt blank thoughts. However he quickly asked... "Wh... what vessel is available?"

Yurika suddenly stormed from the right hand of the chamber, in a hard rush, yelling out.. "Whatever damn ship I can find." ..Aleiac saw her go, then looked at Terrai dead on, with an equal eye.

"We're heading to Earth."

===

The signal that reached through the Comm-Orb array network, from Archonis space to MWCG was not coded, and not even masked in intent. It was cold and direct.

:: ~ This is a Priority One Gold signal. EX-1 will be heading to the Sol System within the next hour or two. All Sphere assets are now on Priority One alert. All leaves and free time is nulled until further notice.

Repeat, EX-1 and the Council Advisory will be arriving in MWCG space within the hour. ~ ::

....the signal, when it reached Ruri's hands in the Destiny Confederacy Republic, at the Palace Tree Command Center there, was treated simply with...

"Oh my goddess. What the Light is happening?"

"So he's coming here. It's not exactly a new thing. What, the Sol System's going to be invaded or something?" ...Lady Ran asked, as Lord Goro looked at the message text that just shot across the Gold Hikari Comm-Net channel.

Lady Mika just comments.. "It doesn't sound like a vacation trip this time. There's not even a basic schedule, like everything was thrown together suddenly."

"That may be it." Goro notes, just before Lady Yuki yells from afar... "The Stargate unit just got activated from Homeworld."

At that, the near whole lot of the Mutsumi family rushes over two domes and down six levels to the Stagate center. The center gate where twelve large and five standard gates surrounded a large number of catwalks, was already active. Through it Lady Caladeni arrives.

Goro gulps. "Must be important I guess."

In short order, they got the gist of what was going on. Lady Ran was horrified at the knowledge. Everyone else was shock to the point of tears, some even at their knees. Everyone all but outright revered the Council, and the Excellency.

To hear of the dying moments of Aleaic's GrandFather was now upon him made a great number of just these souls well in tear fountains. "That's so awful."

Goro was however confused by one question he voiced. "Wasn't it true that he has been living longer than this universe has existed, or something like that?"

Caladeni commented. "Not certain on much myself. Only Brother has met the GrandFather in person, the only time I saw him was during that Black Wilt thing, but I never knew much more than afterthought Aleaic would tell.

But everytime he ever spoke of GrandFather, it had a tinge of unease about it all. I gathered he really hated talking about anything of all that Powers stuff. Certainly don't learn much from trying to ask either and getting a bad stare in return."

"Remind me not to either then." Lady Tsubasa commented with a meek grin.

Caladeni explained after that a number of Gaian vessels would arrive extremely soon. The vessel method instead of gating to increase protection assets, as the Excellency Family would be heading to the Florida Territory on Terra, for the old neighboorhood of the past.

The entire Embassy Complex and Annex sectors on the planet itself were notifed quickly after. Local goverments were notified to increase local security a bit, but little else was done.

The moment to come was very uncertain at even the best of moments, so the worst was giving even more nervousness.

A simple Mablin`nor`sur Destroyer TreeShip was acquired, both on short notice, since any dang ship could be acquired, but time was short for looking too far, but also since the smaller vessel would attract less attention, as a small flotilla was thrown together to be a distraction, as the Sphere had no idea what would happen when the Excellency family arrived.

The Gaians knew how to be paranoid when the situation called for it. The main goal of simply getting to Terra-Sol, to the old hometown of Coral Springs, probably would have little event.

If only it was so simple, even on the Treeship acquired, as the Council and much of the available family boarded it, somewhat seperately. The Powers arrived through their own gating methods, the Council not in total entirety either, as tension just among them was high at present.

----

Even as the teleporter beam was defolding it's envelope, through the shimmer sound.. "...will.. wait will you... Al..." ..as Aleaic stomps away from the teleport pads into the nearby hallway, Tsunami in close pursuit. The Techs witnessing keeping well clear.. "...dang it love, please STOP already!" ..Tsui yells very soon after. Aleaic stops with a severely annoyed growl. Tsui stops with a slight wheeze from actually having to chase after Aleaic between the two teleport chambers.

"Thank you."

Aleaic about stomps off again, looking up at nothing but with an annoyed eye, when Tsunami grabs hard onto his shoulder sleeves of his robes, making him actually jerk backwards, yelling.. "DANG it girl! I'm not in the mood!"

"I know you're not. But you can't do this same thing again, not now!" Tsui yells back just as hard. She was terrified Al was going to have one of his self-doubt filled exile escapes again that would take weeks to locate and find his arse, somewhere in the cosmos. She dare did not let go.

Aleaic however struggles to free himself, his mind swimming with all the same confusion and doubt he always had with this one aspect of himself, or just simply the notion of the Powers outright. He was thinking of exactly what Tsui was fearful of happening. He just never could truly accept it all, even when circumstances supposedly shown otherwise.

The two struggle like this for another short moment, a strange tug of war, when Aleaic shout out... "DAMMIT WOMAN, THIS IS A WRETCHED MOMENT FOR THIS!!!!"

Tsunami was suddenly shaken by how hard she just got yelled at. Aleaic that split moment later, realized the tone he used was too personal, even bordering on emotion twisting. Tsunami stepped back, suddenly uncertain. Aleaic grew afraid, but realized he went too far to say anything. As soon as he reflexively tried, Tsunami backed further away, a 'neutral' look on her face.

"Fine."

It was all that was said, he let her go, Tsunami heading the other direction, out of sight. Aleaic left alone, the cold sound of usually comforting technology sounding in echoes about him through the hallway. A frozen moment after this, he sighs in self admonishment. He turns to head towards an isolated section of the observation deck somewhere.

In short order, what occured spreads, no one decides to press further just yet, at least not until they reached Terra. It all only added to the more replete dread that the King was going to face, and it was growing into something he was outright helpless to deal with.

He didn't even know where this all was going to lead. He was truly afraid.

"Yeah, we got a good lock on this time, the Tree core has him."

Lady Ifurita nodded as she head from Lady Luriena, Lady Misao next to her looking pensive on hearing this. "Very well." ..Ifurita commented back in a bland tone. No one was very proud within earshot, of having to track their own King's constant location, even preventing any escape vector by locking out his pattern from the teleport matrix from any format on the Treeship.

Everyone was too well aware this was the one sensitive point of contention where trust was not in great supply. Ifurita was following the 'suggestion' of Lady Seto, off of history of such similar incident that struck at Aleaic's core so deeply.

When she learned what Lady Tsunami endured, it was her way of 'slapping across the face', in concert with the suggestion. The entirety of the crew aboard ship had a notch lowered of the opinion of the Excellency for the time and moment. Still, it wasn't seen too much more than what it was.

Ifurtia though wondered 'what' that all even meant. She turned away from the Tactica-Sector and shuffled slowly through the grass laden deck to a spot near where, by random chance, Makoto and Belldandy were looking out over a deck edge.

While the simple Destroyer Treeship was not a beauteous example of the best of Hikari subspace technology, it was well off enough for it's half stadium sized view of a small hill area, the command deck connected to the habitation zone where most of the family were mulling about. Somewhere their wayward child-king hid away for the moment, though the interior sensors knew better.

Ifurita sighed as she just felt weakened from just this short time of dischord that was occuring. She hadn't felt such things in such a long time, not even as much as during the worst of the Eternal War.

"The Black Wilt." ...she whispered, remembering possibly the last time. Bell looked over as Makoto considered, feeling the mutual empathy through their long bonded Link. "That was back in the 3220 period wasn't it? I don't have my Tree core looking it up, not in the mood."

Makoto replied... "3218." ..on reflex of looking from his own Tree. Ifurita just moaned. "I know were all such great friends and all, but how can one guy make us all feel this way. And what are 'we' really supposed to feel about all of this. I'm not even sure if this is all sad or anything."

Bell glumly smiled and shrugged. "I think that was the original objection when we began 'all' of this." ..remarking to the entire history of the Ascendancy as an object. Makoto considered that, and remembered... "We were all too star dumbfounded of knowing an alien world was out there, and everything else that lay in wait.

Maybe we're realizing better now, what we should have done in the first place."

Bell wonders.. "We're not doubting what we did are we?"

Ifurita grumbles a bit in tone.. "At a time like this, it feels as such."

The silence a moment later, just made the previous silence absorb the current. It was becoming stiffiling. The crew just wanted to get going with this, but were waiting for last confirmations from Terra-Sol Motherworld Sector before making the Fold, to ensure the standard safety of the vessel.

This was the entire leadership of an empire on adhoc travel measures after all. A lucky assasination of such event would destroy the empire outright essentially.

The soul is part of the body after all. The people here didn't feel like chancing anything on such short notice, so 'some' caution was observed.

The silent stress of the moment lain heavy on them, until they started hearing from somewhere off to the rear Habitation zone...

"...... and I'm telling you NOW Brother, if this all leads to what my son fears most, I will so help me...."

"~ Of what measure of threat do you attempt! His destiny was written by YOUR failiure to obey the Directive that forced all such beings when the time ALWAYS comes. The Powers of the Law embodied never fail at such, and DARE you not think it was never to come! ~"

"What the heck is going...." Makoto comments generally, as the voices of apparently two Brothers claw at each other. "My son did NOT, I repeat NOT ever had to be forced like that.

Being forced is ALWAYS a terrible crime of any reason. Where is our supposed benevolence upon all of that!"

A cold silence, one that makes Bell 'and' Ifurita take Makoto's free hands from unsteady emotion, passes before the Judgementor's harsh answer sounds out.

"~ What part of Existence isn't cruel. The will of all Cosmos WILLED it's Existence before the foundation of all things. Law MADE it's will from that. ALL things by random, cruel and ironclad, chance, made the universe in it's unfathomable wisdom. Not even the Powers know where the true, final true power of all such things lies.

Such ignorance comes, in the wake of Laws set upon us by things and unknown entities that have existed before other Realities ever did, far far before THIS one ever did, upon us as those that are governed over this reality. We of my other kin, didn't choose our destinies either, such is our cruel fate.

So, I dare say, you play small of mind to say you or your son is above any of that, and that I should consider the SAME. 'Forced' is a cold term, so is as all the cruelty that the Universe plays on the cycles few can control. Death is such a thing, so is life in it's OWN way.

I see the dark in enough to know that that dark nature does great and terrible things. The pain of forcing another with anything is a fact of existence. So, your son was forced, chosen from those of your blood by your decision just as cruel to others. So be it. Dark tidings indeed in all of us, so I hold no intent to reduce my contempts either. And truly especially in 'you' Brother. ~"

A stuttered voice replies back.... "At least my son sees better than that."

"~ All the better 'he' was forced then, and not you in the end. ~"

Some sound of a teleport echoes out from the Habitation Zone, leaving many that heard all about the area to feel chilled to the core. Ifurita, still clutching Makoto's left hand, gulps out.. "Okay. Now what are we 'really' begotten into this day."

"I no longer know." Belldandy fearfully says.

----

And elsewhere, two other beings lie in wait, their own sorrow at hand, but one fitting why they are all gathered.

Lady Creation, and the Elder GrandMother.

Their company was silent for awhile with each other, but it doesn't last. The GrandMother simply comments after some undetermined moment of waiting... "~ Where do we go from here? ~"

Creation brushes a glowing milky white hand through her, literally, star filled hair. All she can comment... "(~ Are we 'really' at the will of the grandson, not even accepting even 'us', less his true nature?

What tides for even us from such a time? At least your love never faltered in his duty. I don't trust your grandson for the same. ~)"

Creation looks over, as she sees the Elder Lady leaving, just as she answers back. "~ We were once the same as the moment of time now. My husband and I will be replaced with real honest truth. I have no doubt at all. ~"

At that, Creation is alone. She blinks, not considering, out of such respect for the Elder Lord now passing, that He was once the same as the now Power in self-doubt. She wasn't the type to consider self guessing things 'ever'. Deities usually don't, ego fully accepted in part of such things.

Which was why Powers were lead by mortals. Good ones. She knew it. She just didn't trust in it yet.

But then she knew.... "(~ You always were the wiser one than I GrandMother. ~)" ...and she shut up afterwards about it too.

For now.

He couldn't believe his eyes when her eyes locked on his that very first time. It was all so unreal how that moment turned out. It was a plain shopping mall on that early fall day in 3165, nothing about that day seemed special, the stores in this new town called Coral Springs. Maybe he was as oblivious about that day as he was most other days, stuck in his then introverted state.

All those other kids his age then back in that High School Center in Big Timber, were never all that kind to him. Growing up in such an environment brought the mind within itself often, so it was more than unprepared when that day in the mall came.

Strange even it was a mall it all happened in. Didn't hardly seem the kind of place that one found the total love of your life in. At least it wasn't one of those bars or other grungy places. Still in front of a cookie vendor kiosk in the food court didn't seem just as romantic.

But it was someone that 'knew' him well before he realized better. There was even stalking involved. The only person that ever stalked Al before that was his old fourth grade english teacher after a rather bad grade. Aleaic maintained a B average after 'that' incident. The rest of much of his life was about being avoided for reasons he never understood.

It was like a switch was pulled on the avoidance switch, where the old life of being decently oustrizised was turned into what the rest of his life turned out to be. Aleaic just got those pink, deep and wide, eyes onto his, and everything fell into place.

It took a good day to fall his ribs back into place after that lifelong glomming lock Tsunami gave him a moment later. But he more remembers the words along side. He could even slow motion it all into heard speach again, from the moment he walked to that cookie kiosk, after meeting Misaki and Funaho, who was chatting with Al's mother Jeain a short distance away. He even hears the change of coin and paper folds of money being rummaged for in his right pocket.

"So... M&M or chocolate chip? Hmm.. some big ones they make here."

"I'm partial to the white chocolate ones with the deep molasses."

"That sounds interest.... er.... huh?"

...and then that moment replayed over and over in his mind.

"Uh... hello?"

...and that locked gaze, and a smile he didn't see because of such focus at that moment. He heard her say back... "I found you at last."

Aleaic looked at her, and felt a 'I know you' shiver sweep though his mind to the belly. A split moment later was that suprise glom, and then realization that much of the food court, including what would become his closest friends and extended family. It was like one of those wierd movie picture moments that could only be scripted.

Maybe it was, it could all easily have been preplanned, considering how hard Al's parents dragged him out of the new house that day, almost as soon as they had finished moving. To learn later the house was across the street from Tsunami's own parent's, just made it all seem too scripted.

---

Aleaic was used to doing this, looking out of the vast viewport, not even realizing that the Fold had just occured, considering he was reflexively thinking of the one he had hurt a short while ago.

He finally sighed, and rubbed his melon.

"Wonder if I'll ever control my emotions." ...he admonishes himself, as he then feels a gentle nuge on his mind, and realizes it is the Link, and opens it further.

"~ Sorry I yelled. ~" ..he appologizes outright. This is returned shortly with.... "~ Dunno... that was a good snap you gave me. ~"

Aleaic paused for a moment, not noting the approaching orb of Earth dominating his vision. He thought back.. "~ I know I'm scum. The words fail okay? ~"

Aleaic waited a moment, but didn't feel anything coming back. He grew more dour in an echo of a moment, just before he got an appropriate answer. He felt something brush his mind...

....and then gave it a big fat SOCK to it. So hard in fact, he physically acts like he was punched in the face, and falls onto his butt. He even winces a good deal in reflexive concert.

"~ Appology accepted lover. ~" ..he heard Tsui chime back in her usual cheerful tone to Al. Aleaic actually wipes a bit of blood from his left lip corner, and chuckles.

He then notes the appearance of his GrandMother, as well as Ryoko, both whom witnessed the in progress effect of the 'punch', including butt fall. Ryoko snickers... "Got what was coming to ya bud."

Aleaic just chuckles back with a wince, looking up from his butted position. "Love hurts everytime."

Ryoko comes over and helps Al up, as the Lady Elder smiles with what she can, in commenting.. "~ Then you have spent your many days since the Truth, learning much. I am impressed. ~"

Aleaic however disuades this with a waved hand. "Not enough."

"~ You'll have more than enough time to learn far more. ~"

Aleaic switches glances between Ryoko and GrandMother, and replies back with a mixed tone. "Somehow I doubt it. Not really.... sure...." ...he trails off, his original bad mood fixation returning to his mind.

Ryoko tries to be official by... "We're about to enter high orbit over the old neighboorhood."

The Elder Lady notes with a gentle hand on Ryoko's shoulder. "~ Allow us a moment will you please. ~" ..the rough mannered Lady Universe Commander nods, and gives an actual look of worried regard at Aleaic, who is back staring out the viewports. After Ryoko leaves for the command deck, the two Powers simply stare out for a short while.

This is broken when Aleaic whispers out, half knowing who is next to him... "I'm so afraid. Cold.... afraid...."

The two share something once more............

Word spread as fast through the system among the Sphere Alliance types, as it was also muted almost elsewhere. Any other nation amongst the stars or the Terran Motherworld itself would start to be hard pressed to know of the Council Family's presence in the Sector. The manic moments before arrival were now rather steelclad against word leaking back out.

Lady Tsubasa on the Luna-Sol Outpost looked out across the surface of the moon at the rising Earth along it's horizon, the blazing hot surface of the lunar body present shimmering the stars a around a touch, but not the imagination that knew better. "Don't know if we should be this excited about their arrival or not. It's not like they don't come around rarely, more like otherwise at times it seems."

Lady Caladeni stood nearby and replied, looking out across the same landscape. "Any other time it would not be a deal to consider at all. I wish it was still one of those times."

Tsubasa asked.. "Are you not going too? It's your family member in essence that's dying, too." ..looking sidelong. Caladeni just sighed, and from an honest viewpoint, remarked... "I honestly don't know if I 'am' related to this GrandFather. It's probably cold to say that.

If my brother wants me, he'll send. I gathered being too forward for once was not wanted."

"So I keep hearing." Tsubasa commented, and then looked back out at the planet beyond.

----

The mood onboard the Treeship was rather... moody, while everyone was waiting to see what would happen next. There was no plan or schedule anyway.

If there was a moment pinned down to what one person did, this was apparently it. Everyone was waiting to see what and when Aleaic did and went. A half hour had already passed since the Treeship arrived in orbit. All the planetary Complex commands, small as they were, were already informed of the Council arrival.

The air was stuffy as a result, no one was comfortable. At least not until at some point while they were waiting, the mood of everyone, quite simply, began to lighten up. Everyone felt it but didn't realize it to each other immediately.

Then Aleaic asked over Hikari Link for everyone to gather on the main deck. Time shortly passed when they all gathered, the Powers and Council family keeping distance from each other.

They saw the Elder Lady and Aleaic walk into the deck area together, rather briskly at that. Azusa immediately snipped.. "Are we done sulking young one?"

"Yes. I got some answers already a moment ago. I'm sorry for my attitude earlier."

Misaki shoved into Azusa's left shoudler and replied 'for' him. "It would be understandable, if we understood truly how to feel about all of this."

Aleaic gaze a look to the GrandMother and back to the others, replying... "We're about to. No one is leaving this meeting without knowing the full truth, and this time I mean we 'all' will be there.

If we all understand this together as a family, we can grow from it for the road of our mutual future together. I think I'll need that to accept what is about to occur, even more since I'm not fully understanding completely what 'is' going to be occuring."

Aleaic gets a response of all three of his wives coming over to him, Tsunami taking voice with... "Then we'll all go insane as one big sappy family." Aleaic cocks an eye back. "Nice to hear."

A rough voice echoes out... "~ Dare we must play games with this all? Be serious already." ..as another smarts back at the Judgementor. "~ Brother, do 'try' to learn of the world we are taking permanent place in after this moment passes. ~"

Keiichi asks on hearing this exchange.. "What the heck does that mean?"

The Elder Lady replies openly for all to hear. "~ We're all about to find out. We're heading to the surface now. ~"

Aleaic echoed. "Indeed." ..and started the procession to the teleporter chamber, where they would head to the Florida Territory, Sphere Embassy Complex.

It was easy to sense his Grandson's arrival, even if the seperation of dimensions was distinct. It was the one place where it was easy to do so this way, as the weaking GrandFather noted Aleaic's arrival on the surface of the originating planet the child and his kin were born upon.

"(~ Very well and good.... ~)"

Almost as soon as he thought that, the simple exertion of energy to even do this much made him shiver like he had a terrible flu. He knew the time was drawing to a close, no matter how blunt it was all turning out to be.

The elder knew better than to try and fight it anymore, other than to simply not pass on just yet. Being this tired never was a consideration to him before this point.

He forgot the last time he was this afraid, in a moment he was realizing how much lonliness there was.

No wonder he didn't like it.

---

At the other end of the spectrum, the vibrant successor was now on planet, Terra-Sol itself, at the Florida Embassy Complex hidden away in the sprawl of structures that spaned the Florida Territory. After the large group arrived to quick greetings, and then a just as quick change of clothes to blend into the populace, as well as to shed old comforts for older versions, the bunch prepared to depart via a series of hovercars that would blend into the local traffic.

There was no fanfare, and even less talking. Aleaic was at the moment consumed with what he was going to encounter, and what to even say as this moment was approaching. He didn't have a clue this time what would happen.

No idea what would be lost this time, nor gained.

He didn't talk again even to his loves during the hour long trek from the Complex near Fort Lauderdale, moved from Coral Springs after a reporter got too nosy a hundred years ago, to protect ethical stability of the Terran populace for the time being. It gave the silent Excellency time to consider many things.

Most of all....

"Do I have to leave it all behind now?"

The sudden words spoken shake the few souls with him in the vehicle. The long train of vehicles carrying the whole Council and family were spread out, but connected via commlinks for various reasons.

They all heard the comment Aleaic blurted out. Tsunami leaned forward in response.. "I don't think they'll make you do something like that."

":: How do we know? ::"

No one responded to Akito's comment. It just made the trip all silent again.

It was deafening by the time they finally reached the town itself.

":: Hey, the old stomping grounds. ::" ..Lady Yurika's voice echoed across the linked comms as the first hovercars entered Coral Springs proper. While the city had grown greatly since the days before Foundation, looking like a poor mans Corusant in fact along much of the Florida Territory coastline anymore, the familiar sights at least seemed to have not changed very much at all.

The school grounds looked on passing by, just as large as ever. The School Center had managed to cover a good ten acre area, unknown if the underground areas ever changed any since those days. The school did look like it added a couple of stories and other structures in the two hundred years since.

The Council wondered how much of their 'light' influence was helping to keep it and certain other areas of the town that way, those that meant of core where the present empire-republic all came from.

It was all the Sphere could do to not keep themselves from taking control of the Territory outright, the attachments of the past were that dear to the Gaian leadership sphere. Having Terran Japan as an annex was all well and good.

However places like Florida, Montana and the Molmol Island Kingdom Territories (the latter in the South Pacific, in places on the Motherworld, had to be left without the protective touch the Gaians craved in giving. It was all almost their drug in a way, the restraint to not conduct it showed unseen responsibility that allowed evolution to take it's proper course.

Still, having the Embassy Complexes in place, and other 'assurances' ensured the local goverments kept the territories in question out of harms way, and with hope, furthered that to keep the Terran Sphere and Sol System safe. Otherwise, the trip past the School Center was simply that of seeing pedestrians and students passing by on this late afternoon winter day. The trees displayed lack of leaves, the sky was a dull gray with light breaking through in places. Little else was disturbed other than through normalcy.

Still, being noted of passing by the School Center still however was out of place at the time. Belldandy's voice comes back across the comms from a seperate vehicle. ":: Yurika, this is not the time for such. ::"

A meek.. ":: Sorry... ::" ..comes back across, knowing Aleaic was listening. However they are suprised on response to this with. "No, that is alright. A reminder is never a bad thing.

We did have so many wonderful days here. It's not a bad thing to keep the ills at bay as much as we can with such memories. They are one of our pillars after all."

Where the notch back on the Treeship had been lowered of the opinion of the Excellency beforehand, that notch raised back to normal levels of respect as the words soothe the normally roudy bunch of royals. Tsunami leaned over across to where Aleaic was sitting next to the left hand window in the rear, and touched his folded hands. "Good to hear the normal side of you back."

Aleaic on reaction, sighs back into a dour state almost on a blink of an eye. Tsui sees this and seems to slink back in mood the same way. Unknowingly, it happens to the lot of them just as quickly. Empathy or whatever called, it still reverberates back to the slience as before, as the spread out cars interspersed of arrival into the city, the cars that saw the School Center now approaching a stretch where memory once served, where a strip mall and some fast food chains once were, though by the eye, look to be in about the same type of condition, though store types, and the strip mall all look far better in condition these days.

Aleaic 'did' smirk knowing those 'small funds' that were slipped into the local coffers were helping, but knew the approach to the old homestead itself was fast approaching.

Inside, Aleaic was twisting like a wet towel, cold and restricting, was clenching his soul to death. He was having hard time 'not' being afraid as they were finshing their trip.

Before they knew it... "There..." ...Arashi reflexively says before catching herself, as Aleaic realizes the last turn to the right towards a well off residential area, and an approach to the unknown.

Aleaic just felt like slinking under the seat covers at that point. He couldn't help it anymore.

The hard clancking sound of whitesteel strut-stabilization peds upon the gleaming deck surface of the Luna Outpost circular hallway ring between the external rings and inner command dome, paved route for the Lord Droid Commander that commanded the droid FACAF elements for the outpost.

Commander Untanus was heading towards the command deck, when suddenly several figures began shooting out of the same area hatchway, as the droid construct of General Grevious, minus the biological parts, noted the forms of Caladeni, Goro and Ran suddenly rushing towards him, a number of the other lady commanders of the outpost not too far behind.

The large droid, equal to the height of an Avian Lord, commented though his electronic enunciator unit.. ":: Dinner hour is not for three more terran hours. ::" ..just as a bunch of the rush by, Tsubasa among them yelping out on the pass... "We got a signal from the EX-1 party." ...on that the Droid Commander of silver-white and pearlaescent decides to follow, his droid speed of function easily keeping up.

They do not travel far, heading for the teleporter chamber enmasse. What the Droid overhears as his accute sensors picks up on what is going on, and feels his subprocessors just as disturbed.

On arrival and giving orders to the Teleport-Techs, Caladeni questions.. "I just hope teleporting there directly won't cause anything."

"If that message sounded as bad as it did, we'd better not be so prudent at the moment." Ran commented, the transmission she hear with the rest of them still chilling the life out of her.

Goro however was confused and spoke it.. "I hope they aren't in trouble."

The Droid meanwhile used a connection port to scan for recent transmissions as the others were discussing, and found what was the culprit for all of this...

---

:: ~

Earth: Cal? You there?

Cal: Yeah, that you Alusair? What's up? Bro okay?

Alu: Yes. He says for you to get your arse down here fast. And he means HURRY!!

Cal: What? Why? Is it about his GrandFather?

Alu: No, it's about OUR Father! Get here QUICK!!! ~ ::

---

The last part of the transmission even made the Droid Commander break contact reflexively. As soon as he did, he turned and noted the teleport coils were already active, the Sister Excellenca departing as fast for the direct coordinates of the old Kerensky household as demanded.

Whatever had happened in the past half-hour or so must have been terrible stuff.

It made the Droid wonder what it all could be.

The same thought was going through the Luna commanders minds at that point as well. Direct open teleporting to the Motherworld was normally forbidden, even if accurate and all.

The Droid considered activating the local units just in case, his processors were feeling a strange twinge that could be called 'worry'.

*An hour before actually..........*

The first of the motorcade, with Terrai and Jeain within their vehicle, arrived within a small 'limo' style vehicle more remeniscent of english style coaches that old govenors and such used. Still they didn't look out of place as the first vehicles arrived, the old homestead still all there in Coral Springs, a small 'hehe' in the face of the two centuries since Foundation and leaving them both behind.

In fact, the old houses had been occupied by other owners for a few decades, some not as well kempt as others, the old Morisato residences for one example. However over time the local Embassy Complexes bought up all of the related (pun included) real estate, and had 'local' families take up residence, essentially embassy staff and such that essentially kept up the front of them all being owned, so as to not tip off the local populace that had once lived with the Council family prior to Foundation.

Such things had to keep in account the two centuries of passing time, from the point of view of the Gaians anyway. Still, between the 'deposits' and the local acquisition upkeep, the majority of the populace continued on with normal lives, for a good few generations now, since the old Gaians left their Terran base behind.

That meant very few realized, or would even know what the heck was going on along 7th Avenue. All the better it would turn out.

By the time Aleaic's motorcoach arrived, Terrai was already talking with the local mayor of present. On arrival, Terrai and Jean apparently noted Aleaic's arrival to the mayor with looks becometh.

Exiting and walking a few steps, he stops and looks around for a moment, and reflexively his wives as well. The next vehicle behind holding the Sisters and Daughters, further behind the rest of the Council family.

There were a good number of them, hence for the quick meeting with the mayor as Aleaic turned and walked over the well kempt grass up to the elder gent. Terrai greeted for Aleiac.. "My son, this is Mayor David Greeburg."

Aleaic blinked... "A familiar name."

David commented back with a strange tone.. "Well, my grandfather was once on the old city council with your father and Azusa. Imagine my suprise when I was told of all this."

As Tsunami comes up beside, Aleaic asks.. "Will there be a problem with such?" David shakes his head. "Your apparent people are rather quite effective as promised in keeping a lid on most of this. I'm only in the loop since I have to be the one that accepts the donations from your goverment for our local one. Making up excuses gets tricky with the other councilors after long enough.

I only imagine how my coming successor next year, after elections, will react to all of this."

Tsunami giggled. "Imagine is a tricky word in of itself."

Terrai then looks at his son level, just as several more vehicles pull up along the street. "There won't be any interference that we can anticipate, that will interrupt this meeting."

Aleaic looks down, closing his eyes. The greatly saddened look makes David alone feel guilt ridden, no less amongst the rest of them. Aleaic speaks in this echo with... "This won't be pleasant. I already feel his coldness very deeply, even from here. The portal still lies shut but still...."

Aleaic looks up and sees the others gathering in various areas around him amongst the grass and sidewalk ferrocrete. A last sigh and he irons his will some to start it all finally. "...and now to open that portal. I sense the other Powers are at the old broom closet once more."

Tenchi from off Al's right quips. "That Judge guy really gives me the creeps."

Aleaic snickers beside himself, the others around him react somewhat similar. Al nods... "That, I wont argue.

David, my appologies but you and the residents here must wait outside for a while. What that is going to occur is rather sensitive and even impossible stuff for sanity to comprehend." David nods and only steps aside, more than feeling Aleaic's commanding aura as he passes by.

As for the house residents, technically the family of four (husband, wife, two daughters) is Kerensky in bloodname house, a few hundred generations removed, so is technically relation. Technically thye just bow and step aside anyway as Aleaic and in numbers, much the rest of the family enter the abode.

Not all, the residence was never that terribly large, two story with a basement for the old and original Kerensky family. It all still looks as if it was on the day of departure for Molmol Islands, when they all finally left, save for personal touches of the same residential family.

Not saved for the same broom closet. The door still looks as paint aged as before, a white and smudge stained door. Next to it, the elder Lady is seen again. The other Powers off peripherial vision.

The GrandMother sees the Power Representia and asks.. "(~ If there are no other delays. ~)"

Aleaic walks up and shakes his head. "No, none." ..and then opens the door himself.

What he sees on intial sight shocks him..............

As soon as the door is peered through, nothing but darkness betrays to sight, an absolute scene that seems to make sight fail, but still not 'somehow' as the dying realm of the GrandFather is seen for only the second time. It's only barely noticable as such, as nearby pillars are just barely lit in a pale bronze color by barely flickering flame lit orifices.

Where one the golden-bronze seas and alit landscape of the ancient times, as much hyper advanced as they also seem incredibly medieval, all of it now seems gone. There 'is' a barely hinted sound of rippling water, and a lesser whisper of wind, from a world that is breathing last breaths.

A world, a dimension... something that was once there, is lost to sight now. Off the left, where once Aleaic saw a still mid-low sunset of sun(s) upon the unmoving horizon, now lies the barest, utter barest hint of the bronze gold horizon, of the end. The sun(s) are never to rise here again, and Aleaic knows it on arrival, giving a horrid chill that is amplified by an obvious source.

"Dear...................................... gods..............."

Aleaic turns back, and is suprised to see, rather than a filtering through of bodies through the broom closet door, everyone, Power and mortal Council Family alike, are all present at the same moment of time. "What?"

Knowing Aleaic's question, as well as the rest mutually, the GrandMother explains... "(~ The will of a Power in action. As I said, time is very short. ~)" ...just as Aleaic is turned to the sound of a heavy cough. Knowing the sound well enough, he is instantly beaten to the moment as Lady Creation rushes by. "(~ Elder! ~)"

Other than the Powers, Lady Creation, and hesitantly behind Aleaic, all mentioned start walking towards the sound of the unwell, all of the rest remain less than living, and more statuesque. The lot of them feel numbed by the presence of the place.

Ayeka whispers over to Ryoko next to her.. "Are... are we supposed to do anything?"

"Got me." ..is all that is returned in an admittedly near helpless sounding voice. Tenchi hears this and reacts by steping closer to each of them, giving comfort of presence. Reactively, most the rest of them fall back on the same note to those closest to each of them.

Meanwhile the GrandFather's voice can be heard. "(~ Don't fret over me so much young lady. Worry does no good here. Now where is my Grandson as I asked. ~)"

Aleaic takes cue, just as his own family reaches around/about him, and steps forward. "I was asked for?"

Lady Creation however takes darkly of... "(~ Elder, your voice... it's... ~)"

"(~ Nothing that can be done for, now please step back. ~)" ..the Elder's voice makes the goddess fall back. The other Powers do not approach closely either, though the GrandMother takes up position up near where Lady Creation was, and Aleaic notes this detail as he steps close. Upon so, Aleaic sees the elder half sitting, half laying on a reclined chair, almost a bed even, the being before him not looking all that frail, but the eyes tell far more than the body.

They glisten with a growing blackness, the pupils once normal enough looking, seem to lie useless. Aleaic notes this, and is somehow, unsuprisingly, responded upon with... "(~ I assure you, my body still acts with formal function, the eyes are still able to see, what I must here. ~)"

Aleaic looks him over, his body glowing somewhat, compared to the utter darkness around. He senses correctly the body normally does this, and comments... "A long way to bring me, for one that doesn't look near death at all. In fact..."

"(~ Indeed... very indeed. For an old man, I would gather, I look still quite fit. My slender loving wife of many a mellenia and age, looks just as youthful, despite intial appearance.

If only the spirit still was equal to the form. How I miss the days of feeling young, as I know you cast aside as taken granted at the present. It has indeed been many a day since full function of my body was up to the spirit. ~)" ...this last making Aleaic chuckle a bit, not mentioning just simply calesthenics alone in the intent of 'fitness'. It's accented with a caress of a long aged loving wife's hands.

Still, even with the brief moment of slight cheer, the sadness is so palatible, Aleaic instinctively wipes a tear from his eye. By now many are around, seeing more clearly.

Lady Creation for her part, is turned away, having more and more trouble witnessing this. Everything here is defying her terms of logic.

Just then, the GrandFather waves a weak hand, and 'calls' over Terrai, Jeain in following alongside. As Terrai walks up to stand a small distance away from Aleaic, the Elder imparts..

"(~ It is now time. I presume you are prepared. ~)"

Aleaic and Jeain reflexively look over at Terrai with concern, a reply returned... "Not until you tell the remainder of the truth. It must be understood 'why' I did, when I did, for my Son to understand how to hate it all properly.

And not from just simple awe and fear."

"(~ Yes yes. It was my point of having this conversation at all. Still the truth will include yourself when I am finished. ~)"

Aleaic immediately stabs in with a mix of curiosity and heightened concern. "Exactly what is that to be?"

The GrandFather has the Elder Lady and his wife all the same, help him stand up. It in fact looks harder than it should, mentioning the condition of their bodies. In fact, the GrandMother shows obvious signs of distress in doing this much herself. The Elder as he stands, comments to a finish on finishing getting up.

"(~ Myboy. Why everything left there is to know.

Everything that Black Wilt didn't teach. ~)"

The bunch of them manage to gurgle down their fear, on hearing that term. Now few are not paying attention. (Save for a goddess trying to control her emotions.....)

The very first thing the Elder did as he was helped along towards Aleaic, with everyone watching raptly, was suddenly wave a open palm hand in front of Aleaic.

As soon as this happens, an impossible feeling stabs right through him. A gray cold, morbidly plain and empty feeling suddenly floods through his soul. He no longer feels his confidence, his attachments to the Hikari Power, nothing that he takes for granted.

With it all, he no longer, upon realization, senses even those closest to him, or even, by further measure........

"(~ You are no longer feeling the gifts of a Power. Take a moment, to realize the truth. ~)"

....nothing of his civilization. All the hope he had built up vanished. A panic of lonliness and lost emotion swirls around him. Aleaic realizes he can't feel even his civilization, no celestial, ascended, or mortal component. He never realized how much he could feel of even mere souls, of small ships, the stars themselves, the echoing voice of worlds. Galaxies no longer exist in his mind, the universe feels too large to imagine once more.

"(~ Tell the difference between how a mortal is, and what a Power does. Where all the boundaries either exist, or fail. ~)"

Worse, he can't feel the others even nearest to him. His loves and family, and in turn, they all also no longer feel him, or what they felt through him.

It's not alone, everything that the Sphere stands for in this moment is lost. Things mere assets and knowledge do not explain. They cannot be accepted so easily without spirit to guide.

"(~ A Power binds, we exist to the serving of the Existence, a partnership that if done correctly, no one at all will realize anything ever occurs. So much you have built, through your 'Dream'....

..so much of it a reailty of the mind of a Power. Something more powerful than obvious acts of physical event matter. ~)"

Aleaic looks at his gray, plain, mortal hands. He feels such a difference, he sheds tears as if a friend just died all of a sudden. It's not an addiction, it's an ally that is not there.....

"(~ Did it ever occur to you, that one person, in infinite reality in all it's power and capability, with all the infinities and existences all around, containing all the same, can change the course of so much?

How else can you explain how your realm holds together with it's size and composition? ~)"

Aleaic stutters... "I feel so empty."

"(~ How so indeed. Take for granted without knowledge, and fall trap to the very thing you fear most.

For this, understand that a Power may represent the nature of corruption and abuse by our very name. But dare not forget that we choose the most responsible of those that can be corrupted anyway, as to see them conduct their abilities as proper that supports the Existence.

This.... Gaian Ascendancy.... for all it's power, it also gives so much life in turn. You do not use it's power in a way that is seen so easily as corrupting. Instead it's been used in a way that makes the darker natures of all those around you pay attention in appropriate measure.

For the Balance says to oppose life where it can, in however measure it chooses, by those that choose such a path. Your path has made you a target, your civilization considered for things that don't make it seem so dire.

And for all of it, it can crash within an instant, if the anchor itself isn't there. ~)"

Aleaic tries to forment anger in his voice... "How can you make it seem that I am the one that made it all possible?"

The Elder by now is held tight by the Elder Lady, but the GrandFather is not disuaded by weakness, and instead continues in a strange twist. "(~ Sad is it, that you lack even the bite of your voice that makes Powers feared and respected.

And what was it all that started the path where we began looking once more? ~)"

Aleaic is confused, not sure how to answer. The Elder looks over next to Al's right... "An unanswerable quandry, is not love? It drives so much, creates in it's wake that feeds upon itself.

The Sirrana if you will...." ..Aleaic looks over and feels Tsunami touch him, her own panic needing a anchor. As soon as she does, he starts feeling just how stark a contrast the engendered Power within him is, as if the tough sparks it all back to life within him.

Everthing he felt lost, returns at that single touch. Aleaic can't believe what he is feeling, beyond sense of word to explain. Tsunami, Arashi, Jennifer.... the daughters... the blood family.... the Council family... set by micro-quick step, he feels everything, from individual to star to empire, to the Existence return.

Aleaic looks at Tsunami with an incredulous look not meant for her, but rather... "This makes no sense. You mean..."

The Elder finally weakens too much and has to be sat back down on the recline apparatus by the GrandMother. As he manages voice out of breath again... "Understand... Powers cannot exist in a vaccum. Existance cannot exist without other iotas about it. Companionship unto the Balance, between Creation and Entropy... not you goddess.. *Creation fumes, looking on again*

...your love began the process where we even began noticing you at all. Before hand, you were just a child of a wayward son I lost to fear. We chose you, but you weren't our immediate choice at all, not before your love of the Sirrana became melded to the Representia.

It could have easily been one of the others of the same family if circumstances allowed. ~)"

At this, Aleaic looks from Tsunami, over to Alusair and Luriena, and then Ashar in turn. Each of them then feel a strange feeling in their chests. Luriena just comments... "You mean I could have been the big girl instead? Dang."

Aleaic comments over... "Maybe you still can."

"(~ No... the universe itself, alive and sentient, made it's choice of acceptance, as we did in actual thought process. The love of the Sirrana makes the Representia possible when becometh of the proper bloodline. More, the universe itself in it's unfathomable wisdom makes the infinite possibilities cause for moments like that one you call that 'magic moment'.

The universe is humorous, but it also has a purpose. Cruel and magnanamous all the same.

It's a feeling that took eons for even me to accept. No other Power Representia usually takes less. ~)" ..the Elder says, stroking the Elder Lady's hand as he speaks. He then adds in... "(~ That spark created events that transpired to create the ideal you now hold. And without you as a Power, your realm cannot hold together. You may not wish to believe this, but the 'Sphere', as you call it, cannot exist without your guidance.

..but it is a tiny realm in comparison to so many others I have seen. I do not remiss in seeing a day I cannot witness, where your realm encompasses it's own Dimension, multiple universes and all that. ~)"

Aleaic blinks, the others around looking at each other. The Elder continues.. "(~ But it all is nothing compared to understandings and knowledge to soon one day come.

It will come to you, as will many other things as well. I can speak of obvious things that come as a consequence to the spans of time you will encounter, but I do not wish to give away anymore unread pages. The gift is such to you to learn all on your own, without any other guidance save for what you learn on your own, in whatever manner comes fit. ~)"

Aleaic sighs, feeling the old uncertainties crop up. "I already feel overwhelmed by what I live with these days. I do wonder if what is being done, is indeed for a greater good. There are others that believe otherwise out amongst the stars."

The Elder shrugs as best he can. "(~ And so they still will. You would not be remiss to convince them to your realm of thinking anyway. You would not do so anyway. In the end, they will make their own minds up, and you will deal with the consequences in any light or shadow.

The consequence of a free existence you seek, means all facets of that very consequence are of either shared, or combatted. However, all of them will one day pass from knowledge into legends, forgotten by most.

Your realm may fade as well. Everything you know gone, destroyed, rebuilt, and done so over and over again. But you will exist beyond the function of normalcy otherwise. Great pains and vast triumphs of all kinds still await your coming history.

As will welcomes and goodbyes not yet seen come to pass. ~)"

Aleaic shook just then. "But...."

The Elder shook his head. "(~ Try as you might, all the power you command can only delay inevitability, but cannot stop it. One day even those closest to you will pass on, one way or another.

Meet them again in another reality, another dimension, another time, small groups or larger welcomes and goodbyes await. But this is the one fomenting time of your life that you must cherish most, before what I experienced comes to pass.

I too once held with terrible clarity, a family as one you hold now, and bid them goodbye, all in slow measure, before eventuality took the 'all' away. I suggest you hold hard to what you have now, and not the worry that you are to leave it all behind for any reason.

My station is yours, and your existence has no anchor. Fool boy, I have no need for you to take 'my place'. You already have your own in my wake.

Instead, you 'must' cherish, and grow with. To do so, makes the glorious time you have at hand last as long as time-space allows you, before my own goodbyes become your own history in a similar vein.

Do not fail this mindset. Take not for granted, and push aside all those that seek to take away from you what feel is right and responsible, for to do so otherwise will cause things like what I am now about to do to you. ~)"

Aleaic was listening intently, before those last words came to light, and he suddenly realized... "What.... mean you GrandFather?"

The Elder sighs, and then looks over at Terrai again. "You know full well what I speak."

Jeain looks at her husband... "What does that mean?"

The words of the Elder assaulted Jeain's ears. "(~ He know's exactly what is 'going on'. The time has come to depart this Plane of existence for the Edge. ~)"

More than a few of the gathered gasp in various tones of shock, as Azusa yells out. "Say what?!"

"What's he talking about love? He sounds like....."

Lady creation puts in without much good note from the others.. "(~ The Edge? Even the immortals have heard tales of a place that simply cannot exist, it... ~)"

"(~ It can't, unless you're a dying Power. ~)" The Judgementor says with a fearful note. Aleaic looks over and sees his Counsin visibly sweating. The Elder explains.. "(~ There is a place, a realm of nothing that all Powers one day must face, yet all fear even more than even Entropy. It is indeed fearfully terrifying to us, for it is the one place we do not know anything about.

Unlike even the realm of death, which has a portal past to a next step, celestial or ascended otherwise to another bodily realm, the Edge is unknown for it's own cold reason.

There, a Power is judged to all they have done, and with them, those closest to that Power, as only other Powers of related blood can be in the same place as the judged.

And, the rumor is even for us, judged Powers 'and' their blood kin Powers can recieve the same final fate. In all my ages of knowing other Powers, several hundred in my time of existence, I have known only three come out of the Edge, and all 'they' ever impart, is that they lived a nightmare, and never speak of it again. ~)"

Aleaic... "Are you saying my Father is now...."

"(~ My sons and my wife all must journey with me to the Edge. This is the law of the Powers since those same links that held us together, anchor us all to the same fate.

At the Edge, our mutual end comes, only for a certain reason can a Power even come back out of it, and they are so changed after, that it is almost best they had gone anyway.

It's the same fate for Existence as it is. There is a Beginning, and an End.

'This' is the lesson I spoke of my Grandson. ~)"

Aleaic attempts.. "But he's MY blood kin too! How...?!"

The Elder explains again... "(~ ...and my Son beforehand. Admirable your love for your Father, but all things still in order. And you cannot follow yourself, nor combat this in anyway.

The cruelty of the universal law is rather stark, as I learned at your current age. You cannot leave behind your realm for even a moment, as the Edge lies beyond all attachment to this Existence, or any other. Plus, to be blunt, the Powers won't allow you to interfere anyway. You may try to attempt, to the null effect rather than any overt hand by them. ~)"

Jeain almost screams out... "What about me?! I was...."

Terrai plainly explains, hating his Power kin blood now.. "My son will need you more than I will. I was hoping my abdication would nullify this. Facing this isn't my choice either."

Azusa all but stomps over at Terrai and has to be held back by Jeain to keep from strangling a long time friend. "And keeping something like this from us is just as poor form you FOOL!! How the LIGHT do we accept something like this?!?"

"(~ You must! Our ways are absolute where they must be. ~)"

Azusa actually snaps back at the GrandMother. "Like HEAVEN I WILL!!!"

"Azusa please."

Azusa however snaps at Aleaic next. "DON'T PATRONIZE ME WHELP!!!"

"AS IF I FEEL LIKE TRYING!!"

At this, Tsui and Misaki on their own ends of this spectrum step in to defuse the moment, but Aleaic reacts by wiping a tear away to Azusa's suprise.

"If there's anything to hate here, it's my place in this. I 'knew' this Power crap had a price somewhere along the way. Ignorance has no excuses in the face of stuff like this."

Aleaic walks past everyone to get to Terrai up close. "Just tell me you hate all of this as much as I do. It's all I want to know right now."

A father reacts with a bare half-hearted snicker, and then takes the son into a tight embrace, suprising Aleaic and everyone else, save the two Elder Powers, on sight.

"I hated it because of pure fear. I never regretted anything. Knowing my son has bettered me and accepts what I feel on a same vein makes this all worthwhile." ..he pulls away with... "I 'am' proud of you my son.

But this fate I must accept, even if there is a sliver of a chance to return, the Edge I must go with my brothers and family."

He then looks at Azusa, Misaki and Jeain, his own tight knit family circle, Funaho walking over almost on cue. "I am sorry for this. I don't ask for forgiveness, nor can I allow any to follow, I have no... heh... power to prevent this."

A severely sad moment starts to flow over everyone's mood just then, as Aleaic sees and yells over to Alusair. "Sis! Get Cal here FAST!!" ..making his older sister jump a great deal as she fumbles for her commlink device somewhere on her person. (On the wrist actually, but you know....)

By the time Cal starts speaking to contact Luna Outpost (despite being in another subspace dimension of apparent note, welcome to the unknown quandries of the multiverses.) the Elder is satisfied that what is going to occur is accepted enough to prepare the mind for the pain to come at least.

He didn't like his own parents leaving like they did. At least for his they were both Powers. It was enough of a punishment for his own son Terrai, for what all had happened.

However he suspected...................................

The Elder looked over at Lady Creation. "(~ From now on, you are to formally assist the realm of my Grandson in a more open fashion. There will always be obstacles that even mere technology and spirit cannot combat. Please leave the old aversions behind if you will. ~)"

The goddess however folds her arms. "(~ You know full damn well what I want to agree to that commandment. Is it not time for it? ~)"

The Elder sighs, and waves a really weak hand. He feels the fade of his passing quickly approaching, no longer to keep it at bay. With that, he looks again at his Grandson.

"(~ Very well. I know this will be ill accepted as well, but it is justified, given the history of my Grandson's distaste for such 'showy' displays. But it is proper to give sight to mind, as does the words.

As such... ~)" ..Aleaic senses something he really won't like... "(~ ....I require before my departure, demonstration 'of' your Power heritage in physical manifestation.

In essence, display a Miracle. ~)"

With all that had been said up to this point, just as Caladeni appears within a teleport beam 'redirected' from a point outside the Kerensky residence, what was heard isn't truly certain how to react.

Aleaic however knows full well as his wives and daughters nearby look on. It's displayed first with a iron clenched fist.

"What the light is 'that' supposed to accomplish? It's ludicrous!"

"(~ It's also your final test before all lessons are ended. You must demonstrate a projection of your power into a format. It what was agreed to when I agreed to become your new goddess of real note. ~)"

Aleiac just snaps back. "So of consequence, don't bother then! You don't need to be our goddess of an enforced nature."

Creation flicked a pointing finger up. "(~ Nope, I actually agreed, but hold back due to a need to respect you kinseth. So I am indeed 'forced' by the laws of the agreement here. ~)"

Aleaic yells out in exasperation, to slight amusement of those nearest to him. "IS EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS DAMN POWER STUFF FORCED?!"

"(~ Is not Existence and the living Universe 'also' forced in the end? In a fashion of denied truth? ~)"

Aleaic dryly looks bowed head at the GrandMother. "That don't help milady."

What the LIGHT constituted a miracle with these beings? It was the first question that swam through Aleaic's mind. It sure didn't seem proper to him that with his GrandFather about to... die? ....pass on? ....ascend? Something...

"This isn't right." ..the young Power said to the Elder. "This isn't the time for a Miracle of ANY kind!" ...and a look to Terrai.. "..and with my Father about to...."

The Elder held up a hand again, an apparent trademark to shut people up, if gentlly done... "(~ I assure you, this is a proper time. The one thing you find most uncomfortable with, is also what is most needed at this moment. I need to be assured you will be able to use your Powers when the time comes most.

Call indeed, the final exam. If nothing else, you are commanded 'now'. ~)"

Aleaic just slapped his hands on his hips. From afar Ifurita just quips.. "Aw come on, just do something ritzy. Make a planet or something."

Aleaic just rolls his eyes and replies back.. "We have enough planets, stars, galaxies, other stuff nature takes well care enough of as it 'is'.

Can't see what I can add to what is already well done in enough."

"(~ Coward.. ~)"

This starts a short series of vocal arguments against, cut short by suggestions and prodding from the others in various ways, from creating life, civilizations, a pretty rock that can computer better than most computers, even world full of magical girls. Eventually it gets enough where Aleaic just shouts out in a frazzle..

"This isn't helping! Stop it!!"

However what prods him on all of a sudden, rather than any further words or chiding, is when the GrandMother suddenly sits down on the same recline apparatus, clutching her own chest. After a number of shocked queries...

"(~ I think I feel the time now coming as well. So cold..... ~)"

"(~ Wretched link... ~)" The GrandFather imparts, feeling it just as keenly. Lady Creation reacts to this by shouting to Aleaic.. "(~ Stop thinking so hard about it, and just do 'something'. Even 'I' don't care what now!! ~)"

Aleaic.... "But..."

"(~ I SAID.... ~)"

"~ FINE!! ~" ...and clenches a hand (probably needlessly) above his head, one glowing fiercely as Aleaic thinks of something and makes it become reality.

\\=============//

Somewhere in amongst the stars in the vast, vast universe, a cloud of matter suddenly forms, as if an earth age was passing in that one instant. The dust collects from within a blue galaxy filament, and within moments colludes into a suddenly flaring star of mixed green and blue. The disc of stellar dust races into forming a large number of gravity orbits, over seventeen around the rather large star.

But more, several of the orbits form with pairs of planets, and one centered on a triad orbit compex, form with just outright gobs of moons around them. More, each orbit has a ring formed with several partial, and other full ring worlds, complete and self contained worlds that just defied conventions of logic.

Upon them began what would become one of the most interesting existences of any set of civilizations to ever exist in the known universe.

Within a few moments, it was done.

//=============\\

(~ And unto the fabric, there came a breath and clenched fist, and unto from, life sprang anew in the cosmos. And so it was good.

~ Holo of Creation 1:12 ~)

-----------

Aleaic slowly turned around as he finished to the satisfaction of others all around, and looked at Lady Creation with an INCREDULOUS eye.

"WHAT THE FRACK WAS THAT!?" ..with a frazzled stare.

"(~ Well I thought it'd make it all more pertinent. ~)"

"Making it all sound like a Terran bible entry JUST ain't right girl!!"

"(~ Is 'this' what I get for being your deity now? ~)"

"I still said don't bother!!"

Ryoko... "Maybe we can have a sake party for it all." ...which Lady creation hops a happy skip WELL out of place. Aleaic just waves a finger out wildly between them both.. "Oh no we AREN'T, that's just wrong!!"

"Where's this new... whatever you just made, anyway?" Tsunami asks. Aleaic shurgs. "No idea actually. Just some empty area of space in some galaxy I guess. Someone will find it."

Lady Creation rolls her eyes... "(~ Just like a Power to be so irresponsible. Putting your planets out of place like a kid in a storefront. ~)"

"Hey, hey.. you pushed lady."

The Elder, satisfied with the conduct of the Miracle, just chuckles at the sight of all the bantering. It quickly ends just as it once began however, as everyone's attention is swiftly stabbed all at once, as a sudden flare of light breaks off from the dying horizon.

Everyone's chatter stops dead, as the horizon glows a slight yellow for a moment, then fades all too quickly. Creation holds her arms very tightly all of a sudden, as Aleaic instinctively looks over at the two Elders, and sees them starting to 'actually' fade slightly, an alit pillar behind them showing through.

"Is............ this it?" ...the young Power asks. Jeain clutches hard and fast onto Terrai in the same fearful vein.

David saw the first of the family seemingly emerge from the residence, desipte the apparent numbers emerging from within. The mortal didn't pretend to understand what was going on. He only saw apparently a singular look of sadness on all of their faces.

He even saw Caladeni, who hadn't even entered the house as far as he knew, but the look was just as similar. Some were looking like they were trying to cry. A few details however was stark in realization as they began to emerge.

david saw Jeain in tears, holding onto Ashar, Aleaic's brother, which led to the other main detail, Terrai was not with her. The mayor grew concerned as a result.

He also didn't see Aleaic emerge, but did see the three wives and daughters with eventually emerge, and David approaches Tsunami, asking... "Um... if i may ask..."

"Please don't. I'm not even ready to accept what even I saw in there."

Isarra asked Tsunami in the passing... "How long till father comes out? I didn't hear that last part."

Tsunami sighs.. "When all is ready my daughter."

Isarra stomps away in frustration. "I think I'm starting to hate this power crud." David sees Isarra walk off and he just rubs his head. "I think I'll be heading back to work then.

I leave your affairs to such."

The mayor leaves, the baggage behind as well. Tsunami however feels the same worse now. She was correct in suspecting that Aleaic's feelings were influencing how everyone else was feeling.

If this was the case, it was borderline depression that was seeping into everyone's emotions. A bad enough instance, if utter doubt wasn't included in it all.

"I wonder if we're back to square one with husband's psyche. It wasn't all that easy the first time around with this stuff." ..this as Arashi passes by. She however combats this line of thought with...

"If it takes six months again, we'll 'do' six months. I'm not giving up on him, we shouldn't either."

Tsunami is suprised by this, as she realizes her own dour state all too well for real. This is then seconded by Jennifer's words.. "Don't forget me in this lil party. In fact....."

Tsunami feels the glimmer of an idea form in the Hikari Link.

They will need it...

------

Aleaic is finally ordered alone, as the rest of the family is departed by the Powers a moment after the Sunset enters the Edge.

The last moments with a GrandFather barely ever known.

It was the last thing he noted as he looked at Jeain trying to hold onto Terrai, as Mother and Father are torn away from each other by the act of a Elder Power that can't allow mortals to remain any longer out of pure safety.

It unnerved Aleaic greatly as a look of 'animosity' creeped into her tears, and felt a hint of something he thought was directed at him, or more the Powers in general, 'just' as the whole lot was cast away. It had started with..

"(~ I am sorry, but to remain for non-Powers is lethal now. The Edge is coming 'here', time is gone. ~)" ...at that, a wave of a hand, and a torn moment that wrenches all compassion away. It was the first time Aleaic felt how cruel the Powers could really be.

A look of sadness from Tsunami later, faded away, Aleaic hears the Elder inform.... "(~ The unique schisim about to form that comprises the Edge would shatter them apart. No mortal deserves such pain, good or ill alike. ~)"

Aleaic gulps, and speaks, looking away from the remaining Powers, Father included. "What does that say of ascended versions?"

"(~ Everything ends, even for immortals. There is a reason why the Absolute End exists with the Great Beginning. Nothing is immune, not even Powers, Continuum, or otherwise. ~)"

Aleaic finds some actual solace in that. However he suspect because of what was described of the Edge, and the fact of his own knowledge of the GrandFather and GrandMother each. He turns his head cranewise to speak of... "But I suspect this Edge hasa trick up it's sleeve even we do not know of." ...looking down... "...something for something at all has to explain where the meaning of the 'higher power' even all came from. Sentience cannot create itself from a vacuum.

There is another place beyond this Edge isn't there? It's not a graveyard for immortals, is it?"

The GrandMother smirks, as the Elder Lord shakes his head. "(~ I applaud you, it takes a being that believes to look past what they cannot see when the end comes.

But even I cannot answer that. Belief ends at the Edge. If I were to say that 'is' a truth of a place beyond, a cradle that explains all after the Existence ends and begins again, I would tell you volumes about it.

I would tell everyone ~)"

Aleaic does not find the comfort of foundation he was seeking in that answer. It only grows more painful to watch as the Elder reacts with a sharp stab of cold, and then notes the glow on the last horizon from before vanishes. Aleaic feels a panic grip him just then, and it carries him towards the Elder, the other Powers gathering...

"By the Ages, how can you leave me 'now'? I still hate this entirety too much to just be left behind with it now! I still feel like I need to be held by the hand here.

I need 'some' kind of hope to grasp onto here." ...the Power Representia trails off, tears starting to fall finally, feeling a 'real' relative is about to pass on, not considering the Elder as anything more now. He feels not one but three hands touch his shoulders....

He sees through wet lenses, both Elder's and his Father's hand as he looks with a slight head swivel.

"(~ There will come a time you must make your own hope, you are the Power now, and no one else, save for those that evolve in the ages to come. But no path is 'that' lonely.

You will always have those to call your own, a Power is not indeed to exist in a vacuum, not by the lack of stars or life, and not by loss of family. All things come around, and everything in your life to come will cycle to where the loss, is found again.

Look to the Infinite Complex matrix, the guideline that causes infinity to repeat itself over the vast spans of time to come. There you will learn where the true power of existence lies.

Beyond that, believe in what you have now. And never fail in what you believe is right, for unlike most ideals that 'right' is in the subjective mind, for you, to make 'right' is an act of same laws that govern where the Pillars come from. Good and Evil, Light and Dark, Beginning and End. These and more are your true allies now, and your coldest enemies, all where 'you' shape them in your chosen image. ~)"

This is added by Terrai... "I expect that if my teachings have any merit, those choices will be most honorable indeed. The past two hundred plus years have validated that much so far.

Just remember that even good can become a great evil if allowed. Beyond that, We cannot teach you anymore, you are the instructor now, my son."

Aleaic tries to recompose, despite a child's hold over his mind at that moment. The kind that calls out for a parent one day that is not there anymore, and never understanding why. That empty house is all that Aleaic's heart feels, despite the words that 'are' there in the same vein. This complexity is confusing to endure.

But then Powers are their own book on such matters..

He was alone, that late evening at the old High School Center. No one else was around as far as he was certain. A fourth quarter crescent moonlit night made for a bare minimum aura that fit the mood.

He was alone, the last thoughts and words drowning his mind with little abatement to normal calming techniques. The clouds were sparse but gloom enough to fit the mood, a shadow of minimum that fit the heart well this night.

He was alone, those around him not nearby as far as he was certain he was supposed to call family. He wasn't certain of even blood anchor of that anymore. The mood of the others was dreary at best, but those of the mother dire at worst. An emptiness that hit hard and fit well with the scenery.

He was alone, the old monument built of a replica of Minas Tirith, long ago by the student body that all but revered him, despite his distaste for such attention. Now none of that was present, leading so many he never looked in the eye, doubt of himself easy to find as a result.

He was alone, Lady Creation had departed for her own whims. Father and kin all beyond the Edge now. What was felt at that last moment was of a dread that never will have a meaning beyond influxed fear. No other Powers were left in this known existence, the rest not yet met, probably in other realities and dimensions not yet experienced.

He was alone.... the last words made him feel even moreso.

-------------

Aleaic emerged from the residence finally, but didn't find many familiar faces waiting for him. In fact he found the previous familial empathy from before they arrived for all this, totally gone.

Only Tsunami was present, but when Aleaic approached her, she fended him off with... "Not......... not now." ...leaving Aleaic to nod, and blurt out. "Maybe that's best for all of us."

-------------

"......after all..." ...Aleaic looked with a hollow whisper, the scenery of Coral Springs looked down upon from the high vantage point. It was hard to believe the entire structure was holographics and solid matter particle energies. He felt the 'stone' and saw there was more substance to it than within himself now.

He looked and saw the floating focusing emitter that was one of many that helped this scene matter. Things that lost their moment in more muddled memory.

He just wanted all of this to stop being confusing.

-------------

...he had had enough of this, wiping away his tears, he stood and was meaning to speak further, but got a rude shock when he 'felt' what he saw was occuring to the Powers around him.

Phasing in a format, our of existence. Aleaic could feel that, he could 'feel' the Edge enclosing all around them. Fast....

He turned and was losing sight before he could call out to halt this in a needless fashion. This all kept exacerbating and exacerbating as vision faded into something else that made the words dark and black lose even more meaning than it did before entropy.

"(~ Grandson, a last word in our last moments. ~)"

Aleaic looked, just as he felt a last, very last, hand of a father behind him, no words with them, and then not even that. Before he knows it, the two are alone.

The Elder had Aleaic draw close, the words starting to fade with him. The GrandFather didn't look weak, just simply fading out of sight. Still so much to understand, all yet to come...

...with it came this. "*deep whisper* (~ Never figured this kind of opera did you? ~)"

Aleaic reflexively chuckled a short bit, before the Elder continued with the real intent... "*weaker whisper* I meant the words for holding what means most to you. But there is more reason for that than you know.

One last truth, one you cannot tell anyone, save for your Sirrana. it is my name...

...............my true name is....................*inaudible whispered......*"

Aleaic has to lean in to hear with his ear up to the Elder's lips. What he hears however turns his mind white with a final confusion that he never could have tried to dream of. Only the most narssistic could have done so, and Aleaic just felt numb in result from it.

...it was the last he ever heard of the Elder, His edge view of the Elder's fading face dissapears, and then the void, replaced with an awkward view of the couch of his old residence.

Such a moment is the last thing on his mind.

------------

Looking out at the fit mood of landscape, the king and emperor feels his human fraility and empty existence taking hold. He leans his head on the 'solid' stone white blocks somewhere on one of the upper of the seven levels of the 'monument'.

The cool feel replicated by the holographics through thermal dynamics of the present night environment, draws heat from his chin bone and flab of skin attached, just past his arms folded underneath.

"Is that what infinity means?" ...said to himself, a bad habit as usual. He also adds... "What the light do 'I' do now?" ..said with a thunk of his head on the white stone, roughing his nose in the process. "Ich..."

However that pain jolts his mind to one other memory of that last moment.

------------

After Tsunami had brushed Aleaic off and went to her old family residence across the street, he presumed with much of the old Masaki family, he heard and then saw a car pass by.

One with his sisters, brother.... and to his cold erry emptiness that kept with him hours later, a look from his mother.

One that, strained, contorted, held within soul and all, still betrayed a look that really made him feel lonely.

------------

"Hate...........

....me? The Powers?

................................................both and the same?"

He had the reason for his current state. He felt he was alone. Two centuries to cycle back to the same result.

Is this the end?

.....he couldn't have tried to make himself feel more alone. Just considering made him sick. Everything all gone? The end of the Sphere and the Ascendancy?

"Is it?"

The air grew colder, they sky turned clear, but it didn't have any real beauty in it. The stars felt dull, the air was stale with a life feeling empty, though plenty of life still existed.

Aleaic didn't know how to feel life in this instance anymore. It was like everything lost meaning again, and he knew this time just running away would do no good.

He 'did' grow fearful that the family he had once cherished just now decided to abandon him. He believed that to be folly, but how could he consider otherwise when he saw that look in Jeain's eyes, the loss of his Father, the brush off by Tsunami.

Maybe it all...

"{{{{{~ A poor and shame indeed. ~}}}}}"

Aleaic drew back up slowly. "Such timing, a perfect moment for a dark mirror."

The form was not actually there. No actual dark shadow to turn and face, this was a spite of will, not of blades. Still it wasn't one where damage couldn't be further inflicted.

"{{{{{~ Such a terrible shame, the third of the family falls. Death is still death no matter how it occurs. My only complaint is that I can't feed from this death.

I will have to solace for the others instead. ~}}}}}"

Aleaic just grinds his teeth, his hands pushing hard on the white stone. "I wonder how long you can remain here to taunt me like this. What has it been, since the start of the Alpha Universe battles of the Eternal War?

I would gather you would be more interested in your own affairs and not mine after all this time."

The Dark Lord only quips back over this warped link... "{{{{{~ Ying and Yang, Balance of Life and Death.

Something unto I represent for the Entropy to destroy. I assure you, your death and the pain I can inflict beforehand is my utter goal. I had Ruri and Hori taken, I had Asashi taken... I know their names well. I know this as well..

GT-772.33, what about that gift i sent for the joy it brought? Such small things that bring so much change, and I haven't even begun approaching the other nations you coexist with.

So many dark and dire nations of greed and power, it's been getting easier for me to traverse the Dimensional boundry, it only took five years this time, not fifty like last.

Another five months, I can take another life from you. But, I may not need to yet, you are all doing for me so much better than my own pain of imagination can inflict. ~}}}}}"

Aleaic shouts out, to any nearby, apparently into nothing. A truth by far indeed... "No perfection exists! Every moment of great note has a low point. Not even you control such things, I assure 'you' to try will find obstruction by my own resources at every turn.

For you to want to focus on me so much, commands both a fear and respect of loathing. Please don't think I will play the surprised puppet forever dark smudge. Hori, Ruri and Asashi all were returned. Not even you can take death from me."

The Dark Lord parries back in this small battle of the tongue. "{{{{{~ But then you forget that those around you are ready to quit on you. I feel your heart.

I 'saw' the hate in your own dear mother's face. They may turn back to 'your' thinking eventually, but that doubt is now forever in their hearts. It is so well and good for entropy that those closest to you can be the worst traitors.

To enjoy what I don't even need to lay a finger upon, such is the best results to look forward to. ~}}}}}"

Aleaic only pays lip service to Mulhorand with... "I'll look for the same of your subordinates when they tire of 'you' then. You are no more perfect than I am. Shalt this dance of the Pillars continue like this, or can I cast off your dead weight as I please, here and 'now'?"

There was no return of a voice for a moment, Aleaic waited but didn't hear anything more. This however didn't stop the moment after that either... "{{{{{~ You are alone, Pillars are alone, the journey for us is alone. Unlike me however, you depend on others too much.

Come the point it will then, that you lose them all. I am to demonstrate this again very soon. One closest to you will die, and you will lose a strand of what helped make you.

It will be better if you quit now, and discard your empire of self delusion. That ego if continued, I 'will' make you pay for with the next encounter. Do please ignore me, so I can enjoy the lesson even more. ~}}}}}"

Aleaic clenches his hand, wishing for a target to strike at.

"{{{{{~ We 'will' become so alike as opposing Pillars. I will never be away from your influence anymore.

As of now, I will see your pain merged to mine. My Darker Ascendancy is the truth that all will follow, and many already do. The light is a weak puppet that requires expunging, nothing can exist, and when I am done, not even through evil will existence be done.

All the lessons are now in session, weak Mirror. ~}}}}}"

Aleaic has enough... "~ You WILL be wrong!!! Your lesson will be how you will fail to understand how powerful the light will ALWAYS be!

Combat me all you please, it is time to put YOU in your place. The allies of the Light will NEVER be broken in this or any universe or Existence!!

And so it all IS! ~"

The Excellency found his backbone in time, and this time it did drive Mulhorand out of his mind. For a moment he glowed with the vast power he commanded.

"~ No one is going to keep this reality from existing, not matter what the cost. I will do my Elders proper and proud. ~"

"Good to hear."

Aleaic looked over suddenly, and saw Jeain of all people standing there. "M... mom?"

The elegant elder lady of the family now smiled, and then bowed her head. "Forgive me, I saw in your eyes what I was thinking of you by mistake.

I can't hate my son, I need you to help keep me sane from now on anyway."

Aleaic dropped his power, and rushed over to Jeain, the mother embracing terribly hard, crying just as deeply. Quickly Aleaic joins, the loss of a Father and Husband in the same vein too keen as it is. the tears flow as long as they are needed, there is no rush.

There is only time and now healing begun here. A product of the Gaian way of opening souls as quickly as possible, loosing the bonds of ego and pride.

It helps here so greatly.

------

At the second level, looking up to about the sixth of the seven levels of this Minas Tirith. Two wives and a long time friend watch on.

"I see the mother was thinking the same way we were." Yurika imparted. Tsunami and Arashi nod. "Probably best. But what was he yelling at exactly?" Arashi comments, to which Tsunami shakes her head.

"It doesn't matter for now. I think we heard what we needed to anyway."

Yurika giggles.. "Better to get the party proper going. I think ill moods are needed to be held at bay tonight."

Arashi bows her head. "We may not have known him personally, but we know our mutual king far better, so it is the same to me. This is a life celebration, so we need the proper guest of honor for it."

Tsunami steps forward to climb the long arse path to reach the king-boy. "No better time than the present to start."

This time the search and chase does not take anywhere near as long.