It was a beautiful day, the sunset a breathtaking sight to behold. Its glow was like the dance of swans, enchanting her in a mesmerizing shine. Her eyes, usually dark with focus, softened as she began to whisper:
"Oh, I so love to be in your embrace.
My breath, our bridge; my life, yours.
My soul, the eternal flame between us.
My heart throbs with every second in your glow.
My eyes follow your every moment.
You're my destination. The shine I reach for but now never acquire.
You're the..."
The door to the room slammed open, instantly ruining the beautiful scenery. A man in black leather armor, dripping with fresh, dark blood, stepped through the frame.
"Hey, Helen, are you there? I'm done with what you asked. Both husband and wife are dead."
"What?" Helen immediately rose from her chair by the open window. "I asked you to take out the wife, not the husband too."
"But the husband was also at fault, and deserves to die. So, what did I do wrong this time?" Titan asked, tilting his head with genuine confusion.
"Titan."
"Yes, Helen."
Rubbing her temple, she continued, "Do you know or have you ever heard of Mana Deviation and Mana Poisoning?"
"What's that?" Titan was honest in his questioning, having never encountered those terms.
Helen was stunned by his reply. "How I wish to punch that face of yours, but doing that would just ruin its beauty and cuteness." She sighed. "Oh, Teleute, Teleute." Looking up toward the ceiling, she muttered, "I should've never listened to you. What am I even saying?" She slapped her palm to her forehead. "It was that face that got us where we are today." She immediately bolted out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Titan called after her.
"Follow! And cleanse that blood before the innkeeper sees it!"
Across the Road at Catz Play
Across the road from Helen and Titan's temporary residence, the intimate retreat known as Catz Play specialized in deepening affections within its luxurious Cuddle Cottages. The grandest of these, the Royal Kitty, housed their most extravagant guests for the night.
Stretched across the plush Royal Paw Suite bed was Selene Phi, a figure of arresting beauty. Her orange hair was a reflection of the blazing sunset outside, her slender body the image of a perfect sculpture. Her dark brown eyes were captivating, a trap for any gaze.
But she found herself growing impatient.
"Larile," she called out, a saccharine sweetness in her tone that barely masked her frustration. "What's taking you? The night won't wait."
A soft, measured voice responded. "Calm down, Selene." Larile emerged from the shadows of the window blinds. "The night is still young."
The sight of her made Selene immediately turn red. While Selene was beautiful, Larile was the definition of perfection, a magnificent figure ranked among the top ten in the Asphat Kingdom.
Her dark black hair flowed like silky smooth water, glimmering with the stars of the night sky. Her skin was as smooth as fine wine, yet possessed the flawless hardness of a diamond. Her figure was beyond dreams, and her blue eyes held depths that trapped every gaze. Her charm was legendary, capable of swaying men, women, animals, and gods alike—a force no one could resist.
She was the demigod Larile Avion, the third child born of the unusual union between the gods Teleute and Cyrius and the mortals Meir and Osius.
With flawless poise, Larile took a sip of her wine, watching the sunset. Even this simple act of grace sent Selene's heart into a frantic rhythm.
The sun finally dipped below the horizon. The soft, ambient night glow cast a mesmerizing scene, illuminating Selene and causing Larile's eyes to glimmer.
Larile set the glass on the nightstand and leaned in, their faces inches apart. The sudden, close proximity was enough to steal Selene's breath completely.
Selene attempted to regain control by speaking, but Larile placed a silencing finger on her lips, and the words died in her throat.
Larile proceeded to shower Selene with gentle, passionate kisses. She started at her hair, moved to her forehead, her cheeks, and then her lips, where the kiss deepened and lasted. Next was her neck, a cascade of pure sensation.
Lost entirely in the pleasure, Selene's rational thought ceased to exist.
Larile's hand shifted, tugging at the strings of Selene's nightgown. Before the fabric could fall, a sudden, booming interruption ripped through the quiet luxury.
The majestic double doors to the Royal Kitty burst open. The shock immediately jolted Selene back from the depths of her pleasure, and she turned red with mounting fury. But a quick, soft kiss Larile placed on her forehead instantly dissolved all her anger.
Helen and Titan, who had clearly just scrubbed off Titan's mess, rushed into the room, followed closely by a flustered attendant.
Yanking the blankets up to cover herself, Selene glared. "Helen, what is the meaning of this? Just because we're traveling together, you think you can invade my privacy, little sister?"
The attendant, trembling slightly, bowed low. "Please forgive us, honored guest. They simply ran in without notice. We didn't intervene, since they are your siblings." He pleaded, "If you wish, security can remove them immediately."
Larile held up a hand. The entire room plunged into profound silence, silencing all external noise. "No," she said, her voice quiet but piercing. "No, that won't be necessary." She descended from the bed. Her first step onto the floor was unnervingly magnetic, causing a subtle disorientation in the room.
Each step Larile took was a wave of pure elegance, each movement the concentrated grace of the world. Selene visibly melted, the attendant stumbled back as she approached, and a faint tinge of red even flashed across Helen's face. Only Titan remained wholly unaffected.
Titan, as always, questioned why everyone seemed to freeze when his sister was around, and why he, too, only received such overwhelming attention until the moment he opened his mouth.
Standing directly before them, Larile continued, the lunar spotlight on her brightening. "Helen would never barge in without a reason. I'm sure my brother has messed up again." She glanced at the attendant's name tag. "Mr. Liam, thank you for your service. But we'll handle it from here on out."
Liam, utterly flustered and smitten, stumbled over his words. "Don't worry... about... it, L-la-lady Larile. I'd... I'd be out of... your hair immediately." He scrambled out the door, his steps awkward, repeatedly tripping as he fought to tear his gaze away from Larile.
Turning to Helen, Larile gently cupped her cheek. "Hey Helen. Why are you here?"
Helen's flush deepened, but she quickly pulled herself together. Two years serving with Titan had surprisingly dulled the edge of Larile's charm, giving Helen a necessary resistance. Clearing her throat to fully dispel the effect, Helen removed Larile's hand. "Do you know of Mana Deviation and Mana Poisoning?"
"Yes. Mana Deviation is when one's mana goes awry, leading to bodily harm, and effects that range from mild sickness to madness, or even death. Mana poisoning is often a result, as the deviated mana transforms into a toxic substance. Those affected carry an easily sensed, sinister aura." Larile shifted her gaze to Titan. "Why do you ask?"
Helen's frustration peaked as she looked at Titan. "Your own sister knows this, yet you don't?"
Larile intervened smoothly before Titan could speak. "Helen, go easy on him. This is entirely new to him. Our village, Garh Village, has never seen mana deviation. The term and the concept are foreign to all of us. The only remotely similar thing is chaotic Natural Energy, but the effects are vastly different and it's so rare the last incident happened three years before Titan was born."
Settling comfortably onto a sofa, Larile elaborated. "Neither I nor our other siblings knew of these outside norms until we left Garh. Our people's sense of normality is worlds apart; Selene literally had to teach me the rules here. It's barely been two years since he was assigned as your assistant by Mother Teleute and Father Cyrius."
Helen tried to retort, but Larile's explanation about Garh Village had sunk in, leaving her speechless. Titan remained still, completely absorbed in processing the new information.
Turning to the Royal Paw Suite, where Selene lay melting into a state of blissful delusion, Helen asked, "How long have you been her assistant?"
"Nearly a decade and a half," Larile replied.
"Seriously? Almost fifteen years, and she's still like that?" Helen placed both hands on her hips, shaking her head in profound disappointment.
"Selene! Selene! SELENE!" The final shout jolted Selene back to reality. "I need your help. Not as a sister, but as the Avatar of the Goddess of Life and Death, the Avatar of Life and Reincarnation." Helen's tone shifted to a formal, resonant decree: "As Avatar of Life and Reincarnation, I, the Mixed Avatar of Justice and Death, of God Cyrius and Teleute, formally request you to reincarnate this soul into the family of my choosing."
Selene dropped gracefully from the bed. "For the prideful Avatar of Justice and Death to seek my help, this person must be of great importance."
"Affirmative. He's of high importance."
"Tell me, how large are his destiny and fortune?"
"They are equivalent to two large cities each, the size of a small country."
As the words left Helen's mouth, Selene's legs gave out, and she instantly crumpled to the ground. "The size of a small country, you say? Do you know how dense that is? It would take all night and all day, plus the huge Causality cost!"
Helen placed a reassuring hand on Selene's shoulder and leaned in to whisper. "Don't worry about the cost. I've got someone who will take the full burden." She gave a cheerful thumbs-up, glancing pointedly at Titan.
"I see." The strength Selene had lost immediately returned as the full meaning of Helen's whisper settled in.
Turning to their respective assistants, the two sisters called out in perfect unison: "Larile Avion, Titan Avion, 'La ver ruil ave rul.' (Prepare what must be)."
The two demigods instantly shifted into rigid formality. They responded in sync, placing their right arm across their chest in salutation. "Yes, My Lady."
The sisters separated, each entering one of the attached dressing rooms of the Royal Kitty. They began to undress and drape white cloth onto their bodies. A moment later, Larile and Titan entered their respective rooms, clad in ceremonial armor. They meticulously dressed the Avatars in their official wear, concluding with the ceremonial outer robe.
Just as Helen and Titan prepared to step out, Helen pointed a sharp finger at an item laid out on the nearby sofa: Titan's own ceremonial attire. He would be joining them.
As they stepped out, Avatar Selene Phi and her assistant, Larile Avion, were ready and waiting. Seeing the change in Titan's attire, Larile instantly understood his new, burdensome role. Titan, however, remained utterly confused about his ceremonial attire. No words were exchanged; instead, Larile simply moved to the door to stand guard.
Helen and Selene sat in a circular ring, surrounding the complex ritual formation Selene had prepared earlier.
"What may be the name of our honored soul?" Selene asked.
"Yamato," Helen replied.
A silence lingered as Selene waited for Helen to continue. When no further details came, Selene questioned, "Wait, his name is just Yamato? What about his family name?"
"He doesn't have one," Helen admitted, "but it seems he is from the Yoshi family."
"In this day and age, it's hard to find an individual without a proper surname. Okay then,..."
"Wait, Selene, before you go on. Can you summon his soul? I and Titan would like to apologize." Titan, hearing his name, pointed to himself with a baffled look, but he was ignored. Without Selene's express permission, the demigod couldn't speak.
"Yeah, I figured as much," Selene said wryly. "There's a soul summoning formation layered with this one."
Helen stared intently at the ground, trying to study the ritual formation more thoroughly. She couldn't identify which layer was which, or how many distinct formations were stacked, proving Selene's impressive growth in the art of formations.
Pouring her divine power into the formation, Selene called upon the soul of Yamato. His soul materialized the instant it was summoned, shocking all four occupants. When a soul dies, it is supposed to immediately pass into the Otherworld. Yamato's instant materialization meant he had not entered the Otherworld and was, tragically, a lingering soul due to his life being ended prematurely.
The true gravity of the situation finally sank in, and Titan was overwhelmed with genuine remorse, realizing he had cut short an innocent life.
"Greetings, Yamato," Selene spoke first.
Yamato recognized her instantly and immediately kowtowed to show his respect.
"Lady Selene, to what do I owe this summons?"
"Please raise yourself, Yamato, I just wish to talk," Selene replied, gesturing for him to rise.
"Please pardon me if my next words sound rude," Yamato said, still on his knees. "But shouldn't I be in the presence of Lord Doth, the Avatar of Souls, of the Goddess Teleute?"
Selene covered her lips with her robe, suppressing a giggle. "You're not being rude, Yamato. Your question is correct. But since you died prematurely and without a just cause, the Avatar of Justice and Death, Helen Phi, and her assistant, Titan Avion, would like to apologize."
Yamato turned and saw Helen and Titan. Before either could utter a word of apology, he kowtowed seven times in succession, his gratitude palpable. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done."
His actions and words completely baffled everyone present.
"Due to my incompetence and the mind of a young adult, I turned a blind eye to the deeds of my wife. I deserved my death. My grief caused the little mana I was born with to run amok, which was my madness and poisoning." Yamato kowtowed seven times, his voice filled with sincere thanks. "I thank you for ending this foolish one's life, even though it was premature."
A sharp twitch of Selene's eye kept Helen and Titan silenced.
"Yamato, I commend you for accepting your own faults. But truly, you bear no blame. Your wife's villainy far exceeds your knowledge. However, this is not why you are here," Selene continued, waving her hand gently. "We called upon your soul to grant you a new life."
"Thank you, Lady Selene, for granting this foolish one such a great gift." Yamato started to bow again, but Selene subtly stopped him by moving her pinky.
"But first, why did you never carry your family name?"
"My father claimed that at birth, I possessed a great destiny and fortune that rendered the family name beneath me to carry."
"Oh, I see." They all rose simultaneously.
"Yamato, you were born with great destiny and fortune, but your early death prevented their fulfillment. Therefore, I, Selene Phi, the Avatar of Life and Reincarnation, empowered by the Goddess Teleute, shall grant you a new life—but with necessary gifts."
Helen, now free to speak, added, "While you had destiny and fortune, you had no talent whatsoever. We shall rectify this."
"From I, Selene Phi. I bless you with a strong, resilient, and healthy body."
"From I, Helen Phi. As an Avatar, I bless you with the Blade of Justice from God Cyrius, and the Eyes of the Soul from the Goddess Teleute."
"From I, Titan Avion. The fifth son of the gods Teleute and Cyrius and the mortals Meir and Osius, I bless you with all Four Powers. I hope you learn how to use them well."
Selene looked to Larile. "Would you like to contribute?"
"It would be my honor," Larile responded with a salute. She addressed Yamato. "Yamato, from I, Larile Avion. The third daughter of the gods Teleute and Cyrius and the mortals Meir and Osius, I bless you with courage and beauty."
"Now then, let's begin." Selene and Helen firmly grasped Titan's hands and activated the Reincarnation Formation. Titan was utterly bewildered as to why he was part of the ritual.
The complexity of Yamato's destiny and fortune meant the process required nearly a day, finally concluding at high noon.
Selene and Helen lay utterly exhausted on the ground. Titan, however, stood alone, feeling an overwhelming force gradually dawn over him.
"So, how far did you send him?" Helen asked, catching her breath.
"Ten years into the future. During the transfer, I found something else." Larile and Titan helped Selene and Helen onto the Royal Paw Suite bed.
"What did you find?" Helen prompted.
"Apparently, this isn't his first reincarnation, but his second. He doesn't remember his past life, so as a bonus, I returned those memories."
"Nice." Helen turned to Titan, who was sitting heavily on the bed, still processing. She nudged him softly. "Hey, why are you still here?"
"To care for you, of course." Titan replied simply.
"You're as dense as ever, brother," Larile spoke, a note of exasperation in her voice. "Don't you feel a creeping, overwhelming force on you?"
"Yes, I do, but what does that have to do with any of this?"
"Oh, mother," Larile murmured under her breath.
Selene, now sitting upright with Larile's support, began to explain. "Titan, for a mortal to do something like this, there must be cause and effect. This is enforced by Causality. For someone like Yamato, the cost to pay is high, and I, as the one who performed the act, would have had to pay the price. But thanks to Helen, the causality was passed on to you."
A few stunned seconds of silence passed, then Titan shrieked. He instantly teleported to the peak of the highest mountain in the world. There, he was struck by millions of bolts of lightning. When the barrage finally ceased, his body was charred black as coal.
He teleported back to the inn he and Helen were staying at almost exactly at sunset. He merely glanced at Helen, took a quick bath, and fell asleep the moment he reached his room, collapsing before he could even reach his bed.
Selene and Larile returned to deepening their affection for the night.
When the sun began to set, Helen stood by the window and began her whisper once more, completing the cycle that had begun the day before:
"Oh, I so love to be in your embrace.
My breath, our bridge; my life, yours.
My soul, the eternal flame between us.
My heart throbs with every second in your glow.
My eyes follow your every moment.
You're my destination. The shine I reach for but now never acquire.
You're the shine in my hair,
The perfect glow I can't escape.
Even though you had to go,
You left your warmth inside my soul.
Happiness is in my veins."