Interlude III
Interlude III
It had taken nearly three centuries for the Moon Forest to grow enough, extending again and again its reach through the realms.
Then one morning, both Jade and Luna had dropped by, looking rather intent.
Carter knew his fellow deities well enough to guess that both visiting had to be important.
They’d gone through the woods, wandering toward the area where, usually, their Dream world faded into the nothingness of the In-Between.
Except this time, the forest was going further in – until they stumbled on a very familiar Japanese Style house.
The House of Moon – or precisely, the House of Moon that stood on the borders of Konoha, in their previous world.
There was a familiar red-head waiting for them.
Inari took their new appearance in stride, “I felt your approach.” he told them, “Though I didn’t expect it.”
“We’re in an old world filled with gods.” Carter rolled his eyes, amused, “And naturally, your mother has accidentally seduced the most dangerous one.”
“Naturally.” the kitsune deity laughed, not in the least surprised
They’d spent hours catching up, Carter telling his son about Adrasteia Potter’s life, short but eventful, and how it had led numerous Third Circle Deities to try to reach the Immortal Realm to visit her.
“And rather than making a way to see your wife sooner, you chose to visit?”
“It felt more interesting.” Carter mused, “After all, I can access the Immortal Realm easier from here.” he pointed out, “And I know the bambina is busy.”
“So she’s ready?”
“She was the second she awakened her personal powers as a goddess.” Carter agreed
“And what about you?”
“I’ll get there in time.” the Egyptian shrugged, not too concerned – he already had his idea, after all, about where his own godly evolution was taking him
“Still, won’t the Purgatory be dangerous alone?”
“She’s not alone.” Carter contradicted, “She’s got War with her.”
Inari rolled his eyes, “First, War doesn’t have his powers right now, that’s precisely why he needed to get into the Purgatory… And seriously, you look far too laid back for a man whose wife is with a god who’s the biggest contenders among all her suitors.”
“Oh, he’ll fall for her, no doubt about it.” Carter agreed, mirth in his eyes, “She’s like catnip for dangerous people, and War? He’s got to be the most dangerous of them all!”
“More dangerous than you?”
“Well I’m only a hitman, while I’ve gone through several wars, it’s not something that comes that easily to me.” a smirk “No, what I’m good at is survival.”
Inari’s eyes widened, understanding easily what the other was implying “Fitting.” he admitted
¤.¤.¤
It took decades, before Dionysus and Grover/Pan noticed that he wasn’t really growing the Moon Forest as intently as before, and dropped by.
The two gods were looking rather stunned when their walk through the god’s domain eventually let them stumble into another realm – and meet Inari too. Both had been fascinated, and had gotten along very well with Inari, then Istya.
Within a few months, Pan had decided to take a vacation in the shinobi world, leaving a stunned Dionysus in charge of his realm. Not that the other had really been surprised, having noticed how well he got on with Istya – though he did wonder what kind of half-blood would be born from gods from two different worlds.
He had his answer within a few years – in the form of a powerful demigod with a strong affinity for the Wild, born in the Uzumaki clan, where Grover/Pan had incarnated.
¤.¤.¤
Without any surprise, it had been Anubis who’d reached through First, his wife and him eventually ending the long, dangerous river they’d been making toward Death’s Island into a dark, gigantic sea, above which numerous islands floated.
“I guess I should have expected you to end in the Sea of Chaos.” an amused voice had mused as the Egyptian barque appeared
He may not look quite the same as when they’d known him – both immediately recognized him, and Death found himself with arms full, as his brother and sister-in-law greeted him enthusiastically.
¤.¤.¤
Over the following decades, several more Dream worlds grew enough that their inhabitants could visit the Immortal Realms. Love had been all but unbearable about the fact that it was her domain who’d influenced a world previously on the edge of being Lost into becoming a Transcendental one.
The gods were always delighted when it happened, as it was both a proof that those worlds were balanced – and provided some animation in their eternal lives that could sometimes be dull.
Even if they hadn’t really been bored ever since Chaos had managed to adapt his game to them!
As for the visiting gods, they’d been rather stunned, when they realized the woman they’d come looking for was still unreachable. Though they’d easily understood, as she had shared along the years, her reason for ascending.
“But still…” Leifr rolled his eyes, “War? That’s some competition!”
All had expressed their agreement in various way – before Carter, or rather Light in the Immortal Realm, had laughed wildly.
“Bah, you’re no better than me. You enjoy the challenge!”
“If he seduces her,” Dionysus agreed with an amused smile, “We’ll just have to steal her away!” a wink, “I’m sure we’ll be able to convince her to drop by for some vacation now that she doesn’t have to incarnate to visit.”
Light glanced toward Hades, that was looking to be plotting just as much as the others; while his wife was curled against Death, telling the First Circle god all about the children he hadn’t been able to see grow up in the Mortal Realms.
“Still,” Leifr pouted, “It’s so frustrating that we can’t know about what’s happening to Adra. Isn’t there a way to sneak a peak?”
“The Purgatory Gates cuts us off from the Abyss.” Peace contradicted, looking just as eager as him to learn about what was going on inside – which was rather understandable, given that her own twin brother and counterpart was there too
“Well, I’m not saying to open the door,” Hermione agreed, “but there must be a way to at least scry…” she mused
“And she’s off!” Anubis laughed as his wife was already deep in thoughts, multiple screens floating around her, writing her ideas as quickly as her mind birthed them
Moon goddess she may be – Knowledge had always been her main godly affinity, to the surprise of no one who knew her.
Light smiled, just as amused, as the other god, as he saw several Magic and Knowledge deities gather with Hermione, as if feeling that something interesting was going on – which was quite possible, given their godly domains.
“Well, let's hope the brainy ones do the job.” mused Dionysus, before taking out of nowhere several gigantic amphorae, “Meanwhile, who’s up for a drink? It’s a vine from Grover/Pan’s latest temperate level!”
Chaos agreed loudly, but wasn’t the only one. And though Carter was unsurprised to see the Roman-Greek gods, and visiting Norse, enthusiastically start a revelry, he hadn’t quite expected so many of the First and Second Circle deities to partake just as enthusiastically.
He accepted a glass from Peace, setting by her side on a sofa she’d conjured, in a style he didn’t know, and was doubtlessly from her own home world.
“Your counterpart and you have done a tremendous job in saving that world.” she told him “It’s the first time we’ve ever seen a world swing from the Edge to Transcending in less than a millennium.” a sight, “And there’s far too few Transcendental words.”
“Balance isn’t something easy to achieve. And the power needed for a world to Transcend, even less.” Light agreed, remembering all the tribulation his birth world had gone though
Peace raised her glass “Indeed.” a smile “To our counterpart, may they soon come home.”
Light raised his hand in turn, silently agreeing.
¤.¤.¤
Obi Wan and Arkous both shuddered, and shared a worried glance.
“I don’t know why, but I’ve got a bad feeling.”
“As if a hoard of killers had decided to seduce Arya.”
“And the worst of all, gone after our sister.”
A pause.
“Nah, sister wouldn’t be so easily seduced, right?”
“You mean… If she isn’t the one doing the seducing.”
They shared another shudder.
“Poor sod.”
Anakin, who’d been listening to his masters’ musings, shared a glance with Z6PO and shrugged helplessly.
“I thought adults were weird,” he told the droid, “but I’ve come to realize that gods are even worse.”