Chapter 151

Chapter 151
Isabelle
We quelled Harmony’s worry. She was pretty much 6 months, and ready to birth on Lunarween because of this silly game they played. It was supposed to last only 30 minutes, but time’s flow when people universe hop holds a delay… so in reality they’d been doing this dumb shit for months… Nixxia too. However, her fear was for her children being demigods.
Unlike Xaxas who wanted help, and wanted his children as strong as they could be, Asanguis disagreed. Death is ever busy, so is Judgment. Even now, here they work. They don’t sleep, get breaks, or ever stop reaping, nor judging souls. Asanguis didn’t want that for his kids. He wanted them to be like me and my children…. They can have breaks, being on payroll, not being the employer.
“So tell me about yourself.” Harmony asked while Xaxas was still a wet blanket.
“BAH! A WET BLANKET!” Boomed Arviel, coming and sitting with his mate and herald.. “AHAHAHA”
“WHATEVER!”
“Do you need me to cut up your burger brother?” Snickered Asanguis.
“Grr…..” He grumbled. Xaxas sounded like an alligator, which admittedly continued to sell, that he was, in fact, A Wet Blanket.
“Son, you’re making this a little easy don’t you think?” Said The Horned One. “Go ahead. I would like to know too.”
“I third that.” Said Nixxia.
“Well…. I was a captain of the Sun Chasers. We specialized in investigation, and elimination of evil entities. Well, since Old Ones on most worlds can’t die, it was more like finding any who were awake and stomping them out if they were harming said world.”
“So you do what Norman does, only with Old Ones.” Said Xaxas.
“DON’T Bring him up at the table.” Said Harmony. “Well, not what he does to people.”
“Yeah, his true form is really creepy-crawly.” I cringed. He’s an amalgam of the worst parts. He skitters and slithers through electronics, finding humans who knew too much, and learned ways to end their worlds early. His human form though is a middle aged dad-bodied super, complete with a work toolbelt and khaki pants…
“His personality though is pretty neutral.” Said Bryson. “He grows on you.”
“I need to use the restroom.” Said Victoria. I think she was still worried about Eskaal, but I’ll vouch for him if need be. Nobody minded; we ate enjoying ourselves until the Horned One’s head shot up.
“He’s in our territory.” Said the Horned One, reaching out and grabbing the Beast Prince.
“I bring tributes and trinkets for Victoria.” Eskaal kneeled, panting out of breath. He was disoriented, but scented like Bryson, not an elf…so he really did change.
“But you didn’t bring beer, so the master won’t want anything.” Said Zytherian.
“Wha-” Xaxas was cut off by Harmony.
“No, you didn’t bring an indestructible controller.” She giggled.
“You didn’t bring any souls to torment either.” Said Lulliba. 
It seemed no one was safe.
“Or any of his bastards.” Said Zumitas, the Endless Mountain. A clawed thumb was pointed at Arviel. 
“Whatever.” Grumbled Arviel, while Lia shared a chuckle with him. “….Don’t worry about groveling.” Said Arviel biting into his burger with a hum. “Let’s all at least eat first, my treat.”
“You don’t even need food you jackass.” Scoffed Zumitas, being cheeky. I like him.
“Neither do you, but you’re stuffing your face.” Arviel grumbled back. “Pay for your own meal you little ingrate.” Arviel said that with a grin.
“Wait, Master I don’t have this world’s currency! It’ll look bad if I go Above to the bank.”
“BUT I DO!” Sang Apythmenos. “We got you bestie.” 
“See what I have to deal with too.” Face palmed Zuviel.
The opposing heralds fist-bumped, making a black hole before more or less scrambling to fix it before they made any damage.
It was funny, but I felt too badly for Eskaal. All Victoria did was go to the restroom, and he thought she was dead.
With a silent wave of Xaxas’s hand, he analyzed the Beast Prince.
“Oh he’s the God of Knowledge, smart choice…. But you still fucked with Time. He coughed a drop of blood. Time is MORTAL” Xaxas yelled .
He got bonked on the head with a rolled-up newspaper… That’s his favorite thing in the world to do, since he does make sure that he doesn’t hurt anyone.
/A pardon for the mate I just met…. Yet I still choose to serve./ Eskaal thought sadly. /I really am a dog./ but the rest was gibberish.
“Just drop it.” Lulliba, Harmony, Nixxia, Humblon, all the Heralds…. Including Grendel, and Lia said at the same time with me. Grendel had his burgers in a dog bowl…. Because even now he’s still a giant wolf.
“Fine.” Huffed Xaxas. “You’re such a minor god you won’t even need worship. You might get a few prayers during springs and falls though.”
“I… can I see Victoria?” He said thinking that we would be offended, but she was just in the restroom with a blanket over her shoulders.
“Where are her-”
“I put them away.” She sprouted them. “The master said I could retire, but keep my wings because when I told them what happened, they knew you were coming back a divine being.”
“Well… If I didn’t, I’d probably be made a frog and boiled alive or something.” he mumbled.
“….That sounds… interesting.” Said Humblon.
“O-o-oh! You could do that to poachers and the HeadHunters you get.” Said Lulliba. “That’s what they get for skinning my babies.”
“Oh, hunters who do that to innocent shifters get skinned themselves. They do that shit about 94% for revenge and profit, but it is nice to see the 6% not get lumped in with them all.” Beamed Humblon… He’s always…. Real chipper about torture.
“Nah I won’t be petty… I learned my fucking lesson killing numbered gods on impulse.” Grumbled Zuviel. He looked more pissed that he didn’t catch Eskaal than any crime.
“I vow my undying loyalty to my masters… One, Two, and Three. The rulers of the Light and Night Court. My blood, magic, knowledge, soul, mind and body are yours.” He said that kneeling low, and honest hearted.
“No loopholes, double speech, or counter-woven wordplay. Alright, then remain my High Priest.” said Xaxas kingly, and firmly. “Had you betrayed me I would not have allowed them to be so kind as to throw you into the Pit. I would have manually converted you to energy myself, particle by fucking particle.”
“I know.” He said quietly.
He said that feeling like a dog, and saying to himself that it’s better than being a dead wolf…. For the sake of his mate… and the position he’s in, I agree. If we were just mortals, the chance for him to rise up would be here.…  If it were just men, one could pick up a sword…. It would at least be possible… It’s one thing I miss about my life before being turned into the Risen… He isn’t in the position to do anything other than die or serve. He can’t best someone like the Lord of light or Night….
Even with the Last Secret…. Because I’m pretty sure the Lord of Time would interfere…
And because I’d passively heard his mind, I knew how it worked.
It is…. Everything.
It is every magic, every temperature, every kind of matter, every level of knowing and not knowing…. It is every possibility at its core… It gives concepts shape…
In another universe, Xaxas would be just scales, and the Horned One just a dark night, or only the void of space…. Arviel would be just light… Lia only the planet we live on…
It gives concepts flesh…
And it belongs to-
My head hurt.
I think they let him live or something, but I sat quietly while Bryson held my hand… he was my rock, because I don’t think I was ever meant to know this.
/….I didn’t know he was made of so much magic… This was the right choice./  Said Eskaal. He thought that in reference to Xaxas and his power. I can see the difference between their ranks too. Eskaal was like a candle, and Xaxas a bonfire. You could see a thread connect to Xaxas’s crown… it’s how Eskaal attained necromancy skills, yet broke the law by not being undead.
“You hold too much importance to be only in the low 40’s.” Said Zuviel. “The Last Secret’s cloak is gone now. You are barred from traveling to other universes.”
“Of course, master.” Eskaal dipped his head… gaining gray horns. They were grand gazelle horns, with a silver crown that burned a vibrant purple floating between… 
That crown was basically them knighting him, because he would be too low to have one otherwise.
His god’s crest was a book with Both Zuviel and Arviel’s crest on top, and Xaxas in the center underneath, making a triangle.
“Let’s let him stay number 47 on paper only, to attract any idiots and weed them out.” Said Xaxas. “Let the first person who tries to steal the Secret from us again be heavily surprised.”
“Can I eat them?” Asked Grhakes.
“As slow as you want little one.” Said Xaxas. Eskaal facepalmed. He’d JUST told me before all this went down, that he’d switched him to frozen-thawed food! It’s hard to ween him off live prey!
“Oh like a trap. He can remain a ‘lesser’ god under Xaxas, but technically with magic he’ll be 10, while Grahkes can be strong to protect him as a Herald.” Said Arviel.
“His cosmic elf’s flesh is fortified, and those toe beans are an ‘additional 4% beanier’ as punishment.” Said Xaxas. 
/DAMN! THEY SAW ME FUMBLE AROUND LIKE A JACKASS!!!/ he thought, which made most of us giggle.
Xaxas continued with a grin. Now that this was settled, I assume the sky back home is normal now…. And none of this would have had to happen if they’d have calmed down, and heard him out…..
“He’s connected to me by his phylactery. Someone will have to be strong enough to slash through my crown to break his flesh. Meaning they will have to outright defeat me to take his heart.”
“As a herald, we can make his magical strength 10… Oh this could be fun. The Last Secret holds a throne.” Said Arviel.
“Like twins’ powers. You fused yourself with the Secret… so you have to be protected.” Said Zuviel. “Especially since if you die, so will the intellect of all life.”
….. that part I didn’t realize. I get now why they focused on warding him.
“Alright.” he said kind of getting broken by his mate’s touch. His shoulders relaxed, and we all clapped when he gave her a ring. It was nice, I think with 3 stones but I also …heard not a single thought, not one…. He was smitten, and I was happy for them.
And with all that settled, I went to see my pups.
“Grandma!” they yelled, with Bryson right behind me.
“You didn’t even say ‘bye’ or nothin’!” he laughed..
“Nope.” I kneeled down to get hugs and yips from my babies!
“Me either.” Said the Moon Goddess. She hugged Kaizen, while Tyson and Grace appeared.
NOTE TO SELF< DO HARMONY HAVING KIDS FIRST THEN THE TIME SKIP I ALREADY DID