Chapter 74

Kaizen

[Follow] Said Grindel and I did silently.

I was granted entrance. But her realm did not look like it did before.

Everything it was all black, oxidized.

There was no shimmer to the silver grass and trees it was literally tarnished by her tears. The water was murky and dull. The little animals she loved so much were also tarnished, as if they too were tainted by how she felt

I got dirty looks from many of the wolves who ran alongside their human sides Many who were dead with their mates held each other's hands, but when I walked past, some even spit at me.

I was a villain

An outcast.

The Symbol on my back shoulder and belly button marked me as a coconspirator to make their mistress afraid and upset.

I could smell her fear What was done Above? What terrible thing did they do in front of their wives.?

"Grandmother." I said seeing her briefly look at me before sobbing proper. Her realm was dim, and the dress she wore was red Her skin wasn't silver at the moment either it was a sickly blackish silver. Her irises were black too.Her white hair was dim.

"Look what he has done to you!" She cried into her hands, on her knees. She hadn't made any pups but the unborn that weren't finished tried consoling her by sitting in her lap, or around her

Some were missing eyes, ears, arms, or legs Some didn't have a human form yet, while others weren't properly bonded together Those children if she didn't fix it would be born not only deformed, but likely not make it since some were also missing organs.

"I chose this." I said kneeling to her eye level, hugging her gently.

"You 'chose' that because it is his will!" She shouted. "If you've come here to defend him, leave."

"I don't know what he did, but I know Arviel tried taking Tyson." I told her honestly "If we had not been marked, Me, Grace, Grace's pups And my pups would be dead along with our mates With Tyson stolen This world and Urth would have been ripped apart in mighty battle one where I would likely have to draw my bow against my brother and his sons My nephews Samira is his mate I doubt she'd have the heart to stay on our side if he's not here too.."

"And I I can do nothing." She whispered. "He is no different from the Lord of Light You did not see their anger.. You didn't hear their words."

"I have an idea." I said kneeling lower. "Both are ancient, high ranking, and stubborn None can stop them, merely question them You're grandfather's first wife, yet this isn't the first universe they've ever made." How I knew that, I had no idea, but I ran with it. "They behave as they do because they don't want to lose it all War that great would kill everything they love and own. And what is lost cannot be made again because then it would be a different thing a different person."

"Yet I am so easily thrown away." She mumbled. "I was imprisoned so long, I care not to remember. Time does not pass in our realms the same Even now You've only been here about 1 second of your time Image being locked away for millions of years, being stretched out Eons only to return, and the moment things go south, the one you died giving birth to threatens you with death Again by his blade A Mate who in his anger. Almost hurt me."

I saw what she was talking about...

"I will rend your guts across this floor if you touch my grandchild!" Screamed Grandfather at the absolute top of his lungs. "You did not WANT THEM!"

"They hold MY blood too! MY LIGHT resides in the boy. Give him to Me, or give me back my energy. He steals a blessing meant for Herculion's line!" Yelled Arviel.

"I WOULD NEVER KILL MY CHILD!" Roared The Horned One "THAT YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT SHOWS YOUR TRUE COLORS!"

"My mate, don't." Said grandmother.

"Stay Out of this Lulliba!" He sneered. She backed away as he marched to Arviel.

They both held the same confrontational energy

"Husband stop this!" Yelled Lia, being pushed to the side, falling on grandmother. She fell right on top of grandmother It made her lose a little bark on her shoulder, and it scraped grandmother's arm.

Arviel had pushed his wife Away from the threat of the Irate Horned One but the damage had been done, both literally, and metaphorically.

The sky was half the darkest night, and the brightest day. With lightning of every color striking all around in between

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" The Horned One screamed. He'd had it. He placed grandmother in a protective bubble of his void darkness It was then that she freaked out silently

"YOU WOULD HAVE SLIT HER THROAT." Hissed the Lord of Light. He copied, but Lia had not been imprisoned like the Moon Goddess. She felt safer inside the light barrier.

"You KNOW I would not do such a thing!" grandfather countered.

Arviel did that to keep her out of it, to protect her in case the Horned One looked her way, but it didn't matter. They both were afraid of their husbands now, rightly so, and the Lords of Light and Night were too absorbed in their pissing contest to notice.

"ENOUGH!" Boomed my Uncle Xaxas, teleporting with fire coming from his breath It made a circle of clear sky between the unnaturally night and light sky.. "You cannot fight over souls already Bought And Paid For."

"Boy get out the Fucking Way." Said grandfather. His form changed. He became. Just darkness.

He was the silhouette of a hooved horned man, while Arviel was pure light. If not for Xaxas imprisoning both Lia and grandmother. They'd have continued.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" They both screamed at the same time.

"Killing them BOTH, since NEITHER of you deserve such gifts." Said Xaxas. "If either of you so much as lay a Finger on the other, I will end Both your wives, not that you care."

"Son" Said grandma. She became tarnished silver at that moment

"I do this for Peace. If there is no Urth, there are no grandchildren to fight over. If there is no Moon, there is no Urth Do you understand?" He said coldly. I knew my uncle he really would have done it. His sword was already out.

Lia and grandmother tried stopping the fight that almost broke out but it took the threat of their lives to make them stop.. They are smaller, weaker Lesser Goddesses. Even though no one got Actually hurt, the feel of the kings' powers so close to them terrified them both.

It reminded them of their 'place', a wifeno lower than that

It made her feel as a concubine a warm bed fellow. a son birther. A disposable servant. Less than nearly the lowest mortal, a worm Belittled.

I For a moment I had no words.

Xaxas was no better But at least he did that out of panic I could see on his face that he'd made that up on the fly, then doubled down on the impromptu plan.

Those two share Number One, ruling all that is, or ever was from now until the end of forever Xaxas is Three As the Judge, at any moment he may rule the finality of all worlds, and if Lia dies, so does Lulliba

What is a planet without a moon? Tides won't happen. So the world would slowly die.

What is a moon without an earth to revolve around? Without Lia's planet, grandmother dies a slow death You aren't a moon anymore if you aren't revolving around.

What is a sun without any planets to warm? Yet, they are both powerful enough to 'just make' a replacement wife, but it's something neither of them would do. In their power, they could make more planets after all something I still had trouble wrapping my head around.

"He really fucked up." I mumbled. "I can't lie and say that was all bravado but I know they regret it now."

"Do you ask me to go down there?" She asked, no longer crying about this, but it was clear that she was still upset. "Do you ask me to not scream at the sight of him?"

That hurt me. As someone with a mate If Willow said that, it would absolutely crush me All her realm was silent, though some faintly hummed the Song of the Pale Lady. It has other names, but the tune is the same.

"You shouldn't fear your mate grandma" I said unable to look her in the eyes. She saw him as a monster The Moon Goddess shared her memory with me and that included her feelings

She saw him for what he was, the Void King

"What is to stop him from devouring my realm to make more demons? He took you he took Grace Tyson Bryson even little Isabelle even Nixxia, who I negotiated with Arviel, as still a Prisoner. for 15 years to receive I have no children I merely birth them." She said sadly.

"Yet Father has his Own mark, and so do my uncles Me and my siblings are protected by the Flames of Hell as generals. I can visit whenever you like, now that I know the way. I can't lie and say this is all one side's fault, but I can say that none of us are left behind, nor are we unprotected." I said shifting.

She did that so she could pet me.

"You're such a good boy." She said silently my tail wagged.. "My good boy"

I Really liked that complement I Don't Know Why, but I rested my head on her lap. Her stomach growled Gods don't get hungry but they do need offerings.

[If I made you something to eat, do you think you could at least meet him on Urth?] I asked, being allowed to shift. I had my clothes still, likely something she did.

She wiped her eyes. "I still have some human baking ingredients"

"Alright. I'll make you some warm tea and muffins to go with it." I smiled.

I was given her apron and I at least knew partly what I was doing from seeing Flora Phones don't get reception in other realms, so I winged it.

"Let me help." Said a man I'd not met before He looked like the Sleeping Wolf King. Like King Ashital.

"Alright." I said happily.

"I'm Kejh'Kaizo." He said shaking my wrist, getting measuring cups. That was King Ashital's firstborn grandpa Kaiden's father

He looked like a combination of the Wolf Queen's African, and the King's High Northern complexion His hair was in a thick braid. It was frizzy, and fluffy. Paintings at home had his hair gelled then.

He reminded me of mom His wolf was solid black, and indeed. *Really* fluffy like mom.

I wish she was here to see this. I bet she'd have some snarky comment about what I'd thought if I said it to her.

"In all the years all of us have lived, the only thing I knew of you, was that you were poisoned." I said being aided by this ancestor.

"Aye, but you seem like you, Grace, and Tyson came out alright. Is Kaiden still so serious? I swear that boy was born with a stick up his ass." He complained.

"No?" I said as he breathed fire on the baked goods They were ready a little too crisp for my liking, but they weren't truly burned

"I'll take that as a no. We try so hard mistress We all want good kids who do great things, and we don't want them to slip into darkness But I knew my children would be mated to it After all, that was their destiny. You told me so yourself. They try to keep things unburdened by the war that has me here" He handed her the tray, and she cried as she sipped the tea.

"Why does it hurt so much?" She asked. "Why does this taste so good?"

"..I got to live [Redacted] years. Surely, in all that time, I'd have learned something." Kejh'Kaizo admitted.

"True." She smiled

"Redacted?' I asked, being ignored.

"And if I am permitted I can help you with your-" Kejh'Kaizo was cut off.

[That is enough, blood of my blood.] Barked Grindel. [Your mortal snacks are so good, that I can't wait to eat another batch.] He said glaring at Kejh'Kaizo. And me.

I felt like a roach.

/She feels bad enough. Maybe one day I may tell her./ Grindel linked me. As her herald, he'd be permitted to tell her something so distressing but for my ancestor to be so quick about it, it meant that this probably wasn't the first time he tired being honest with her