Chapter 161

Chapter 161
A/n: o/ I’m back. I have 2 jobs and I won’t lie it got a little rough and discouraging, but I’ll never stop writing!
Kaizen
Oh my fucking gods that was stressful… I felt like I was walking on eggshells at first, but I should have known better. The Lord of Time has spent his time being mortal; I guess it only makes sense he picked up our mortal ways of kinship.
It makes me wonder if he sees us how people see their pet chickens. Nobody who owns a pet pig eats their pet…. Bacon maybe…  or roast chicken… but not your chicken. Not if you name it. That’s what Willow said. I’ll have to take her word for it…
At first I was joking, but I said I’d totally roast a pet chicken and eat it on the spot. Then she pulled the moral dilemma out her back pocket.
‘What if the boys were chickens?’ She asked. ‘What if I was a chicken?’
And when she asked that…. I only had the one answer. If my sons were chickens, I could never hurt them. I couldn’t touch any in that flock of birds either, because it would bring fear… and I’d probably get attached to them too. I’d see all of them run around as chicks and feed them until they grow up… That’s probably how Calaxious feels.
Well… until they showed my baby photos too….. 
Why’d I have to be cute as a child? Nobody… NOBODY is going to take me seriously! 
But at least no one was safe. They even showed Willow when she was covered in her own birthday cake at three.
Let them deal with the end of the worlds, and those who can make it happen… Today was my fucking day off.
I had the boys though. I kind of learned a valuable lesson dad didn’t tell us. The pups, the packhouse, being Alpha…. Gaining all that is easy…. But a real wolf lays down his claws to help nurture his family too. I took the boys so she could do what she wanted for as long as she wanted.
A father does more than just provide and protect… We’re supposed to guide too. A real father is there for his children and his mate without calling it babysitting, and without thinking we deserve some sort of prize for helping their mother…Father never told me that, but I saw him do this through his actions. I remember glimpses of how she mourned dad before he took his godhood. Our first year of life was hard on her, but none after. Of course they had stress, she’s on the council and he runs an entire state sized pack, but it was never because she was alone in raising us.
 I still think about how stressed Willow got when they were little. I will not do that again. Not if I can help it.
And today was no different. As father coached us, I coached them with their little bitty bows.
“Close your eyes, and feel the power in your star skinned hand.” I said firmly.
“PAPA!” Screamed Vex. He summoned a thin black bow. I could tell he can’t charge his shots like I can, which means he is the weaker child. After all, he was the fated child to die… 
To be honest I don’t care about his power. Where an accomplished demon lord might shun their child now, I gave him all the love and hugs in the world. All I care about is that I didn’t have to see him be ferried to the afterlife. I wouldn’t have let Asanguis do it… I’d have taken him to grandfather myself.
“You did so great!” I beamed, honestly happy that he’s just safe. As the destined child to die, if not for that wish, he might already be… Or I would have happily raised him to see him killed.
“Me too! Me Too!” Beamed Ari… admittedly I could see his was more intricate… his looked like mine, only the tips of his bow had blades, an improvement of mine.
“I’m very proud of you two.” I said making sure both felt the same amount of love from me. I won’t make a difference between them.
That’s something father never did. We were triplets, but we were simply three pups, not one favorite and two extras.
I’ll never let Vexterios feel that way. He’s my pup.
“Alright. Now let’s see.” I said standing, summoning a black scroll….
They don’t know that their father doesn’t really know what he’s doing, but while I’m still seen as ‘cool’ I ran with it.
“Can we make arrows yet papa?!” Asked Ari… with a flaming arrow already loaded.
“That’s too hard!” complained Vex.
“Hold on.” I said with a smile. “Ari. I want you to watch me. Unsummon everything.” He did as he was told…..
Oh gods…
Time to use magic…. Here goes nothing.
I snapped my fingers and a Tarteron hay target that was… malformed but functional appeared. It was supposed to be a pumpkin headed straw target… but the head was a potato with an angry face crudely drawn on it with marker… and the ‘shirt’ target was a red bulls-eyed white uniform shirt …. For Tahrgett…. But it was Good Enough!
“AWE COOL!” Shouted Vex.
“Vex I want you to watch, but don’t do it yet.” I said drawing my bow. Oddly enough… powerful shots are easy… dumbing it down for a pile of hay was something I calculated. Just a tap. “When you draw your bow back, holding your breath as you take a shot can help you stay steady. When you look at the target, imagine an X of where you believe the arrow will go if you shoot it. This target isn’t alive, and doesn’t move… So take your time. And don’t worry if you don’t hit your mark.”
I made a really shitty wall of black Tarteron straw behind the target dummy…. So long as they don’t miss the yard entirely, I won’t have to go zipping around collecting their arrows.
“Ok papa.” Said Ari… He became a different person once he pulled back that arrow. He missed, miserably… it only went about a foot in front of him but his form was instinctually good.
“You need to focus on your strength.” I said and he looked a little frustrated.
“I don’t want to hurt anybody.” He said quietly. “It’s not alive, but everything behind it is.”
With the snap of my fingers, I made a solid wall of dirt a little taller than the straw. The yard’s fucked now, but I should have done this at the park anyway. The dirt wall I infused should stop even my uncharged shots.
“How about that?” I asked.
“That’s good.” He beamed.
“Now Vex. You have trouble summoning your bow, the arrows, or both?” I asked while Ari still failed. He got a little better each try though. My pup just needs a Little confidence.
“I think both.” He mumbled.
“You know I had trouble too.” I said kneeling down. “Remember the lesson I gave you on drawing out your power?” I asked.
“It starts in the belly, and travels up, then out the hand… like when we use lightning, or fire.” He said closing his eyes.
His problem was his confidence too. He knows he’s the weaker pup…. It’s my job to let him see that it doesn’t mean he can’t achieve his own greatness.
“You’re doing just fine. Now imagine your bow in your hands. That ball you feel inside your gut is your bow. It is part of you. It will never leave you. One day it will be like breathing, but for now, imagine grabbing hold of that ball.”
Vex now summoned it at same speed as his brother. It looked thicker as well.
“Good Job!” I shouted.
“I did it!” I beamed.
“Now the same thing goes for the arrows, but they’re more like… hmm…. Imagine you pulled a thread out from that ball. That’s arrow magic. For now, imagine one made of wood, but one day, metal, fire, lightning, even black light might become what you’re good at.”
“What are you good at dad?” Asked Ari.
“Dark light.” I said proudly. “But I can’t show that off. It’s too dangerous… Another thing about your weapon, is that because we always have one… you may have to be the bigger person, even when you really really don’t want to.”
“Like when Ari doesn’t want to share.” Huffed Vex.
“Yeah. This is only for protection.” I said firmly. “Don’t draw it unless you’re practicing on one of my targets, or someone is in danger. Promise?” I asked.
“Promise.” They both said at the same time.
“If ever you want to practice more, or use it for real, I Will take you hunting.” I didn’t want to tell them that. They’re too young to see they’re strong enough to sink an island…but I also don’t want them sneaking out, and finding that out by accident.
“Why?” Asked Vex.