kinda insane

Started: 04/15/24

Last updated: 10/27/24

Total works: 2

NOVA (gwensmut)

the making

dreamland

ecstacy

the elivening

enticement

adjoining

the awakening

switch

seven gods

the extremity

transformation

war of realms

the journey

world of fire

rodeo flame

sanguis bellato

delirium

the evocation

dancing devils

revenant

the revelation

inferno

vindicta

the reaping

olon

amor vincit

the shattering

ninety-nine°

para bellum

the echo

ethereal

dark horse

the conjointment: part one

the conjointment: part two

More of Lesso (charlizesmut)

butterfly garden

incendo

silver moons

vertigo

crown glory

equinox

Nova has only really been in love one other time. It began when she moved to Earth after the death of her mother, Olenara, and before the mysterious blast that turned her Endless...

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Let me help you with that." A stranger said emphatically after she accidentally bumped into Nova outside of the Square in Winter, causing her to drop her pamphlet in the snow. Scrambling to pick it up, the stranger barely noticed the figure in front of her until, finally, she looked into her eyes.

"Oh..."

"That's quite alright, love. No need to get frazzled." Nova flashed her bright and charming smile down at the woman.

"H-here you are." The woman stumbled over her words as she handed the pamphlet back over to Nova, their hands lingering just a moment over what was necessary.

"Thank you." Nova's smile widened, bringing the butterflies in the stranger's stomach to a full flutter.

"Dawn of the Dragon opera." Nova began to break the ice, by holding up the laminate, folded piece of parchment up to eye level.

"I heard it's free tonight at the Pearl Oak Theater."

"As did I. Have you seen it yet?"

"No, no. It's always preformed too much of a ways away and I'm always far too busy."

"Oh, but you must go tonight. It's the last show until next season."

"I-"

"I simply won't take no for an answer. It's settled, I'm picking you up." Nova insisted, drawing a soft laugh from her newfound acquaintance.

"But, you don't even know my name." The woman's eyes grew softer with a flirtatious light.

"Nova." She said, extending her hand for a shake. "And you are?" Hesitating for a moment, the woman's smile slowly spread across her face as she extended her own hand in the same manner.

"Alaya. It's nice to meet you, Nova."

As the elegant notes of the opera filled the air, Nova couldn't help but to be captivated by the enchanting performance. Alaya closely sat beside her, their eyes meeting in shared appreciation for the artistry on stage. The subtle brush of Nova's hand against Alaya's sent a tingling sensation through her.

Amidst the grandeur of the opera house, Nova and Alaya shared whispers and laughter, creating a world of their own within the splendor of the performance. Alaya's eyes sparkled with passion, and Nova found herself drawn to the way Alaya described her own internalized sentiments conveyed by the music.

As the final act unfolded, Nova felt a warmth growing within her, an unfamiliar yet exhilarating sensation. Alaya's infectious joy and the shared experience at the opera forged a connection that went beyond the music and the setting. Nova's heart danced to the rhythm of the melodies and her newfound feelings that took root.

By the end of the evening, Nova realized that the opera had become a symphony of emotions, a backdrop to the blossoming romance between she and Alaya. The echo of the final notes lingered in their hearts, leaving them with a shared memory that marked the beginning of a beautiful love story.

__________________________________________

"Unhand me at once!" Nova protested, finally yanking her arm free from her captor's grip as she, Desire, and Raine were presented before Her Grace, the duchess, Potmos of the land Destiny.

"Sister. I should have known it was you. Do you really think me so delicate and unintelligent that I would leave the security of my land wide open?"

"Ah, alas, sister. I think the very opposite of you." Nova replied matter-of-factly, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

"What is it that you want, Lucifer?" Destiny asked through gritted teeth, glaring down at the three of them from her platinum throne.

"An ally, Your Grace." Nova nodded her head in respects to her sister's status in her own land.

"Ha! You insult me. You think that I will join your losing side in this war? I happen to enjoy being on the winning side of things for once." Destiny replied with a smirk.

"You amaze me, sister. You seem like a whole different person in the comfort of your duchy. Tell me, why is it that you are so timid, so in your shell anywhere else?"

"You have no right questioning me. Do you not know that I could very easily have your head delivered to Dream myself?"

"I assure you, sister... Dream has no desire of receiving my head. I would never have come here had I not already possessed him in my back pocket."

"You lie!"

"Lucifer. never. lies. A lot happened on our journey with Obsidian- may his soul never rest in peace." Death said with utmost hatred in her voice, her face slightly twitching with loathe.

"Y-you killed our father?"

"I killed your father. I damn well will do it over again if given the opportunity." Nova sneered. At this, Destiny waved her hand, signaling for her guards to stand down shortly before they obeyed and took a step back. She then stood, descended down the steps from her throne and stopped short directly in front of her sister. Wary of what Destiny might attempt, Death prepared for a fight, though she had no desire to slay her own sister. However, to the Queen's surprise- and everyone else's, the duchess held her palm open to her. Reluctantly, Nova placed her hand inside of Potmos's hand and watched as she lifted her silky ivory dorsal aspect to Destiny's own full, ebony lips pressing a gentle kiss to the soft of her skin.

From beside her, Desire and Raine shared a small glance at each other in disbelief. Was Destiny really pledging her loyalty to the very being she's hated for centuries? Or was this some sort of plot?

"Sister. You have made me proud. Slaying a beast such as Obsidian erases all of your sins, as far as I am concerned. He deserved to die after what he's done to our dear brother, Mania, and not to mention how foully he treated our mother. I will stand by your side, and what's even better is that I can convince another of our siblings to take a stand with us as well."

"Oh, please don't tell me you're speaking of Despair." Desire chimed in with knowing dread.

"Indeed, my sibling. Despair only listens to me, after all." Destiny responded, turning her attention toward Desire.

"Are you mad? The only being Despair hates more than Lucifer is me. Are you really so naïve that you believe she will stand by us both?"

"Do you really possess so little in faith in me that you think I cannot convince her to? Just because you lot view me as soft spoken, doesn't mean that my very power is watered down like some sort of bad wine. I am Destiny. Who can control destiny but I?" Potmos replied with her head held high. Slowly, a grin began to spread across Lucifer's flawless face.

"I knew I came to the right place. Come, let us discuss our next move, shall we?" Nova offered her arm to her sister, who eagerly took it. Nova then looked back toward Raine and Desire, nodding for them to follow.

"This should be fun." Raine said to Desire sarcastically, mimicking Nova's arm invitation.

"Loads." Desire chuckled, taking her arm with their own before following the elder Endless' into Destiny's study.

The four of them went to work on a plot to, hopefully, sway Despair to their side. By the end of the night, they all shared a satisfied look over their foolproof plan...

"I have a surprise for youuuu." A deep chocolate woman with dark brown eyes sang through a bright white smile. She spun her lover around and reached up to place her hands over her eyes.

"Where are you taking me?" The other woman smiled as she trusted her partner to navigate for her.

"Now, why on earth would I tell you that? That would ruin the surprise." The woman giggled giddily as they approached the spread she singlehandedly prepared for their 4th year anniversary dinner.

"It smells amazing! What did you make?" The taller woman asked as she reached her hands out in front of her- as if she were to grab a hint.

"Ta-da!" She released her hands from over her fiancée's eyes, willing her curls to bounce over her shoulders.

"Oh, Laya! You made all of my favorites. Thank you. Happy anniversary, baby."

"Happy anniversary, Nova. I love you." Laya said as she got on her toes, wrapped her arms around Nova's neck and placed a gentle kiss to her lips...

• • • • • •

"Dream, how dare you! How dare you take away from me the one thing that matters to me most!" Lucienne angrily burst into the Endless's study and marched right up to his desk. Unflinching, Dream slowly looked up from the book sprawled out on his desktop and removed his reading spectacles.

"How dare I? Do you forget your position? Do you forget the position you placed me in with my own sister and leader of the Seven? You should be thankful all that had been destroyed was your precious library. You should be thankful that she hadn't destroyed you."

"Lucifer is troubled! You know I'm right about it."

"You have no right! Stand down, you know not the damage you've caused!"

"Someone needs to stop her!"

"That's enough! One more word of this and I will have you removed!" Dream stood, bringing his fist down onto the desk so hard that a crack immediately formed in the mahogany wood. "Stand down."

With a deep breath and through a clenched jaw, Lucienne retreated. As she reached the door, Dream called after her.

"Why do you feel so strongly against her, anyway? Wasn't she your all at one point in time?" Dream asked, causing Lucienne's head to whip around, glaring at him with confusion.

"Who- Who told you that?" Lucienne asked, taken aback.

"I know everything about every life of the beings I employ. Now, tell me, why would you be so against someone you were completely for?"

"Let's just say we couldn't see eye to eye. A creature such as Lucifer is incapable of being completely vulnerable in love. A creature such as myself is incapable of love itself."

"Yet, you did- love her. Still do, it seems. So, why?"

"No! I don't expect you to understand. Even if you did, what reason would I have to confide in the being who has torn down the only thing I held dear to me?" With tears brimming her eyes, Lucienne turned and exited the room without waiting for an answer.

•~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~• •~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~• •~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~• •~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~••~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~• •~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~•

"What do you mean? You- cannot do anything at all?" Nova asked, tears brimming her eyes as her lovers frail melanin hand attempted to squeeze her own hand tighter.

"Apologies, but we tried everything. There's nothing we can do. The pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was caught far too late. We could go in and attempt to remove the pancreas, but the cancer has already spread to the liver and the lungs. I'm terribly sorry."

"Please, leave us." Nova demanded, beginning to shake with anger as her tears finally broke free and ran down her face.

"Call for a nurse whenever you're ready." The doctor said gently as she nodded toward her nurses, signaling them toward the door.

"My love-"

"No! I won't take no for an answer! We're taking you somewhere else."

"Nova..." Alaya almost whispered, covering Nova's hand with her other. "Please. I'm tired. We've already been to four doctors. Can't we just enjoy the time we have left together?"

"Laya, I cannot lose you."

"You will never lose me. I'll be yours forever, until the end of time, and into all of eternity." And she flashed her lover a weak smile, a smile that they'd both clung to over the next month and a half together. Alaya passed painlessly and in the arms of her wife, Lucifer Nova Morningstar, who wept with sorrow seemingly without hope for an end...

"The Land of Destiny? Why here?" Desire questioned their sister as they arrived inconspicuously through a portal by boat. As they approached the private dock, Nova turned to her sibling with a cunning grin.

"We are going to need allies."

"So, you decided Destiny of all beings should be one?"

"Would you have suggested your twin? Destiny could be a vital asset for us to win this war."

"Hang on, Your Highness, you know I would never question your leadership. However, if we charge into Destiny's castillo, there is a larger possibility of her sounding the alarm and capturing us all than her joining forces with us."

"Oh, Desire, my dear sibling. Do you think not that I have thought this through yet? I have a plan. I always have a plan."

"It's true, she does." Raine added her two cents in, earning a look from Desire that made her have to hold back a chuckle.

"Is this a game to you two?" Nova's voice suddenly boomed as her eyes flashed with red for a brief moment.

"Of course not, my Queen. I was only trying to lighten the mood. I apologize."

"We are on a mission, here. I want nothing more than to just see you walking down the aisle to me, my love. So, all of this" Nova twirled her finger in the air, metaphorically signaling toward the situation they're in. "must go away."

"Understood. Tell us what you need us to do." Raine licked her lips, trying to focus not on Nova's sexy authoritarian state, but instead on the fact that they're all literally in the middle of chaos.

"I need you here guarding the boat." Nova commanded. At that moment, Desire sucked in a sharp breath, preparing themselves for another fight- another protest from Raine.

"Yes, my Queen. I will stay here and guard the boat."

"Huh?" Desire said out loud, the couple turning to stare. "I just- wasn't expecting such a hard headed individual such as Raine to agree to a command so easily."

"Eat shit, Desire." Raine joked, flipping them the bird.

"Enough. I appreciate that you two have grown so fond of each other, but we are not in the comfort of our own lands."

"No. You sure are not." A voice called assertively from behind them. They all turned to see Destiny standing on the sand edge of the dock with a small army of men behind her.

"My sister." Nova smiled, opening her arms as if to invite Destiny in for a hug.

"Just what the hell are you all doing here?" Destiny ignored her, furrowing her brows together.

"I have a proposition for you."

4 days until the students arrive

"You wanted to see me?" Aavani startled at the sound of Leonora's voice behind her. She turned, and immediately, her breath was caught in her throat. Lesso smirked in pure amusement as she watched Aavani's eyes sweep down her body and snap quickly back up to her eyes.

"Leonora." Aavani nearly whispered, breathless. "I didn't hear you enter."

"I cannot announce my arrival just anywhere. Why the library anyway? Why this odd hour?"

"I apologize for the late hour. It is the only time I knew we would be truly alone."

"You wish to be completely alone with me?" Lesso smiled, moving closer and closer to professor Truth's aching body— her temperature rising more with every step Leonora took.

"I- I need to speak to you on an important matter." Avani's chest heaved up and down as Leonora grew closer still. She barely felt the breath escape her mouth at the welcome feeling of Lesso snaking an arm around her waist slowly, sensually, pulling her closer to her own body.

"What a coincidence. I've been meaning to speak with you on the same matter." Professor Lesso whispered, her breath washing over Truth's full lips. Aavani gasped, reveling in their barely touching lips, wanting to feel... more.

Willing herself the breathe, Aavani began to speak.

"You don't even know what—" Until she was cut off by Leonora's lips fully committing to the crash into her own. Pins and needles formed all over Aavani's skin as she parted her lips to allow Leonora in. Lesso backed Truth slowly up into the nearest standing bookshelf. However soft the blow, Aavani gasped in shock as her back hit the shelf and Leonora held her closer.

"Do not tease me." Lesso growled as she trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses down Aavani's neck.

"Leonora, I would never." Truth gasped, eyes rolling in her head as her head tilted back to rest on some books.

"What did I tell you to call me, huh?" Leonora aggressively pulled one of Aavani's legs to rest around her waist and began scrunching up the bottom of professor Truth's casual evening gown. Aavani tightened at the feeling of her own juices dripping down her thigh.

"Leonora, we shouldn't."

"Answer me!" Lesso grunted, ripping Aavani's undergarments completely off.

"Ah! Mistress!" Truth gasped for air, struggling to breathe as her arousing feelings overtook her all at once.

"Good girl. May I?" Lesso asked politely, aptly positioning her fingers at Truth's wet and ready entrance.

"Please!" Aavani whined. Before her exclamation point was even put out into the universe, she found herself filled to the brim with Leonora's delightful fingers. The moaning professor clung desperately to her lover as she felt a slow building at her core.

"Do not cum until I tell you to, understood?" Lesso commanded into Truth's ear.

"Yes, mistress! Yes!" Aavani cried out, eyes shut tightly. It took so much of her not to cum right then.

"Good girl. Now, I wanna feel you tighten yourself around my fingers."

"Like this?"

"Just like that." Lesso growled, gradually slowing her strokes.

"Leonora, I—"

"Are you so close?"

"Yes!"

"Yeah?" Lesso teased, rubbing tantalizing pressurized circles around Truth's button with her thumb all while continuing her movements in and out.

"Mistress, yes!"

"Excellent." Lesso smirked before suddenly removing herself from inside of Aavani's sweet wetness and backing away abruptly.

"Leonora! What-?" Truth asked, feeling instantaneously empty, clinging to the bookshelf so that she would not crumble to the floor.

"What was it that you needed to speak with me about?" Lesso asked, slowly licking Aavani's juices off of her fingers.

"Mistress, please. I was so close." Aavani begged shamelessly.

"Professor Truth, focus. What is the topic?"

"Leonora, please!" Aavani whined, nearly wanting to cry.

"Well, then. You clearly need more time to compose yourself. Let us talk in the morning, yes?" And just like that, Leonora turned and walked out of the dimly lit library, leaving Aavani struggling to stand on her own legs...

——————————————

Once Aavani finally mustered up the strength to walk back to her room, she began to wander aimlessly through the corridors. With the ghost of Leonora's touch still lingering over her skin, she had to rely solely on muscle memory to set her on the right path back to her room. Aavani was in such a daze that she almost ignored the sound of raised whispers coming from the cracked open door of the students library.

Upon recognizing Lesso's voice, she was snatched out of the reverie she was floating in and began creeping slowly, quietly toward the door.

"Oh, so, now you want to pay attention to me, do you?" Leonora scoffed.

"You wanted my attention? Well, you got it! Now answer my question! What do you think you are doing with the new professor?" A second voice replied. Aavani recognized it immediately as belonging to no other than Clarissa Dovey.

"I am doing what I want, Clarissa. You broke it off with me remember? I don't have to answer to you anymore." Lesso responded coolly. Aavani closed her eyes and imagined that the red-headed professor were standing there, relaxed, with her hands in her pockets. She didn't dare to peek in, though, she couldn't risk being spotted.

"You think, just because I broke up with you, that you can just adopt yourself a new pet? That is not how this works. We are technically still married, remember?" Dovey raised her whispered voice even louder. At her words, Truth felt a pang of sadness in her chest. She gasped into her clasped hands and backed up from the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Married? How could they be married? She thought to herself as she hurriedly power-walked to her room, tears in her eyes. Once she got inside and closed the door behind her, she leaned her back into it and attempted to catch her breath. Her head was spinning, mind was whirling as she grabbed the fabric between her breasts and bunched it up into her fist. Her sadness swiftly made way to anger as if a violent switch had been flipped deep within her being.

Aavani restlessly began pacing the floors of her bedchambers, reveling in the heat of her own exasperation. The more she paced, the warmer her body became until, finally, she took hold of a small porcelain jewelry holder from atop her dresser and chunked it clean across the room.

She startled at the sound of it crashing against the brick wall before making room for that very sound to soothe her, as well. Feeling a sudden hunger for more of such release wash over her body, Truth reached for more ceramic items to chunk against the wall.

Before she knew it, she was heavily breathing and staring down at her pile of satisfying mischief in the form of broken glass. There was so much of it. The very sight gave her a thrill. Aavani started looking around for more... she needed more... until her eyes landed on the very being who helped push her to this limit. She gasped with a startle, taking a step back directly onto a piece of her own anger.

"Ah! Leonora!" Aavani said louder than she intended, the pain of the glass in the bottom of her foot and the feeling of being snatched out of her manic episode both catching her by surprise all at once.

"Here, sit down. Let me have a look." Lesso moved to help Truth onto her bed before stroking her hands smoothly down her thigh, her calf, and finally to her foot that she may survey it a bit closer.

"You really don't need—"

"Shhh. I know just the spell." Leonora nearly whispered before taking a deep breath, closing her eyes, and bringing her unoccupied hand to hover over the gash in the bottom of Aavani's foot. Aavani watched, mouth slightly agape, as Lesso wordlessly caused her wound to close, immediately removing the pain.

"Better?" Leonora asked, looking up into Aavani's eyes, her hand still gingerly holding Truth's foot. Aavani pulled herself away from Leonora gently and stood up.

"Yes, thank you." She replied before moving towards the door and opening it up.

"Kicking me out so soon?" Leonora asked playfully.

"I'm sure Clarissa is waiting for you. I came to The School for Good and Evil for one purpose and I have been distracted from that purpose. I apologize for involving you in my distraction. You needn't worry about that ever happening again. You have a good night Professor Lesso." Aavani said with a steady voice.

"Ugh, what is this? What, are you back with her now?" Maz skinned up her face as she watched Nova walk out of the room she brought her to hand in hand with a very grinny Raine.

"What, are you jealous? You cannot have possibly had it in your mind that you and the Queen were to have a serious relationship. You cannot have possibly thought that she would, what, wed you and you would both live happily ever after?" Desire smiled wickedly.

"Of course not. I just did not think Her Highness would be so welcoming to the one who betrayed her, that is all." Maz smirked, cutting her eyes in Raine's direction.

"Nova knows it was a misunderstanding." Raine responded to Maz with a piercing glare.

"Yes, quite the misunderstanding... until the next time it happens."

"Mind your tongue, Mazikeen. Forget not who you serve." Death spake warningly. Raine watched as the expression on Maz's face grew dangerously dark. It was as if she could literally see her blood boiling and she knew Maz was getting ready to be her own undoing.

"Forget not who you were fucking a minute ago, Your Highness!" Maz snapped, immediately showing regret in the way she began to tremble with fear.

"What..." Nova dropped Raine's hand and stalked closer to Maz, who had already lowered her eyes to the ground. "...did you just say?"

"A-apologies, Mistress. I know n-not what came over me." Maz stuttered, visibly gulping down her own spit. Raine tried not to allow her entertainment in this display show too much, however locking eyes with Desire caused her resolve to crumble as they stifled a laugh together.

"Remember..." Nova started through gritted teeth as she violently lifted Maz's chin to meet her glowing red eyes. "remember where you come from. It's dangerous to forget, because the second you do, I will send your ass right back. Are we clear?"

"We are, Mistress."

"Good. Now, get back to the castle and remain there. I will handle you later."

"Yes, Mistress." Maz replied with a bow. As she turned to walk away, she caught Raine's eyes and gave her the most disgusting look Raine has ever gotten in the entirety of her twenty-seven years of life. A look like that could only mean one thing— Maz was definitely going to make her life back in the Land of Death extra troubling.

"Geez, did you see that?" Raine mumbled to Desire.

"Oh, I saw it alright. Though, you shouldn't worry your pretty face about it too much. Maz cannot do anything to hurt you without being hurt herself and she knows it." Desire shrugged, lifting their head confidently. "Teleute, darling, have you collected your bearings?"

Nova turned to Desire and Raine just as her eyes flickered back to their original color. With a terrifying yet beautiful smile, the Queen nodded before retreating back into the room to get dressed.

"Ive seen what's it's like to be on her bad side and I do not like it one bit." Raine shook her head vigorously.

"Oh, honey, you were never on my sister's bad side. You were on her hurt side. There is a worlds difference. Honestly, I have never seen her invite someone back into her life who has hurt her so..." Desire paused as they seemed to be falling deeper into their thoughts, "come to think of it, I have never seen her allow herself to even be hurt. Not after how our late father treated her."

"I can imagine why."

"You, my dear, are special."

"Really? Is that why she brought another woman into her sex chamber so soon?" Raine scoffed with a subtle eye roll. She was trying not to allow her jealousy to show, but she was sure it wasn't working out in her favor.

"I am sure Lucifer has a very reasonable explanation for this." Desire said, their tone more serious than before.

"I'm sure." Raine replied sarcastically in impeccable timing as Nova emerged from the room once more just as her words clung to the air.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Nova glanced between Desire and Raine, picking up on the thick tension in the atmosphere.

"Nothing at all."

"Nope."

They awkwardly said both at the same time. Death skeptically shifted her eyes from each of the beings in front of her trying to get a read. Raine cleared her throat and looked away, desperate to change the subject.

"Right, then, shall we go?" Raine asked and began to speed walk away before she could get an answer.

"Is she alright?" Nova narrowed her eyes at her sibling and was met with a subtle shrug.

"I could never tell with Morgoes. They are just as unpredictable as the movement of our moons."

"Fancy analogy." Nova teased with a playful eye roll.

"Your Highness, please. Your moons aren't the only ones that has ever crashed together." Desire grinned, standing on their toes next to Nova in order to give her a spirited shoulder nudge. They shared a smile with one another as they began to trudge along.

"I am truly grateful to have an ally in you, my friend."

"There is no way possible that I would ever leave your side. When we were younger, I admired you, you know. I felt... sympathy for how you were treated and was in complete awe of how you handled it. You were— and still are— the strongest being I know."

"I appreciate that, Desire."

"Yes, well that being said, I figured it'd be in my best interest to stay on your good side."

"Way to ruin the moment."

"You know I couldn't resist. Anyhow, just what did happen in there with Mazikeen? Since your very public engagement, the entire megaverse knows of your supposed to be loyalty to your Queen consort, Raine. How could you bring Mazikeen into the Land of Desire? Into your sacred space? The space you are to be sharing with Raine? Trust me, there is no judgement coming from me. I'm all for multiple partners— sometimes all at once. However, you are Queen. There's a lot riding on your title. A title that your own flesh and blood are out to remove from you."

"If you do not mind, I'd like to explain myself to Raine first. I owe her at least that. You are correct, I am Queen. That does not mean I am immune to any bad decision making."

"Of course, Master Mistress. Luckily for you, there she is." Desire stopped to point at Raine just ahead, waiting for them at Castle Desire's front doors. She had a certain somberness about her that gave off an unmistakable energy. "Don't squander your opportunity."

Nova glanced at Raine before nodding and heading toward her. Every step of the way, she tried to shake the feeling in the pit of her belly. Why should I feel this highly strung? She thought to herself. I am Queen.

"Raine Jackson." Nova said soothingly from behind her lover's back. As she spun, Raine sucked in a startled gasp and worked on a subtle smile as she realized she was no longer alone.

"Nova." Raine sighed longingly, almost dragging the name out to savor the taste of it on her full lips.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation." Nova's piercing gaze never leaving Raine's eyes.

"You suppose?" She repeated, lifting an eyebrow.

"I— apologies. Allow me to restart." Nova's tone softened even more as she gently took Raine's hands into her own. "My love, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you or make you out to be a fool. I realize that what I am about to say will never change my actions, but you must know that I touched Mazikeen not the entire night. Not even a single finger."

"Then she lied about you fucking her? Is that it?" Raine's voice rose as she felt herself getting worked up.

"My dear, you know more than anyone that I have the power to bring one pleasure even from afar." The Queen stroked a calm finger down the side of her lover's face, stoking a certain electricity inside of them both.

"Yes, well— ahem. Tell me what happened then." Raine demanded as if she were the one in control.

"Are you certain?"

"I am certain, Nova."

"Very well, then. I simply ordered Mazikeen to please herself. I told her what to do and she eagerly obeyed. I only watched. You must understand that I cannot bring myself to touch another woman. However, even the strongest of beings have their weak moments."

"Do you find her attractive?" Raine asked only half-wanting the truth.

"To an extent. She'll not ever be more than how I view her now. It is you whom I truly find to be the most stunning woman in all of my years." Nova very carefully and smoothly turned the tables.

Clever, clever being. Why is this turning me on? Raine thought to herself, trying to shake the feeling.

"Pretty words." Raine said, secretly hoping that Nova would continue.

And that she did.

"I cannot force you to believe anything that I say. Just know that you are the one I will marry. No other being has even ever had the luxury of being asked the question. If you decide that this life is too much, too complicated and you walk away, there will never be another." Nova continued stroking Raine's face slowly.

"I wouldn't dream of walking away from you. I- I'm truly sorry about what happened with Lucienne. I really didn't mean you any harm. I just didn't want you to be your own undoing." Raine nearly whispered, tears stinging the corners of her eyes at the memory of Nova turning her back on her.

"Shh. It's alright, my love. I know you did not mean it. I know you had no real knowledge of what it is you were doing. It's just- my anger bested me in the moment. I should not have exiled you. I am the one who should be apologizing. Seems I've a lot of making up to do."

"Oh? And how do you plan on doing that?" Raine asked almost in a purr-like manner.

"I can show you better." Nova lowered her tone to a growl as Raine became increasingly aware of how close they'd become. Her heaving chest grazing Nova's body was enough to draw a whine out of her as she hungrily leaned up into her lover in a hearty kiss. Nova wrapped Raine up into her arms and deepened the kiss, guiding both of her hands to the plump of Raine's ass. The surprise of the action caused Raine to moan softly into Nova's mouth which, in turn caused Nova to squeeze even harder.

Pressure that they both desperately longed to release. Forgetting that they were very much in public and that Desire wasn't too far behind them, Nova grabbed Raine's leg and wrapped it around her body. Raine moaned as she opened up her lips to allow Nova's tongue to slide in.

"You don't know what you do to me." Raine whispered, head lolling back, eyes shut off to the world as Nova began sucking on her neck.

"I think I have an idea." Nova grinned against her melanin skin, hand traveling further up the sensitive skin of Raine's inner thigh.

"You two want to get a room, or...? 'Cause y'all are causing quite the scene." Desire interrupted through gritted teeth. Suddenly, the room around the pair came back into focus as they realized they were still in the front lobby of Hotel de la Desire.

"Right." Nova said, taking a step back and gathering her posture. She and Raine both cleared their throats and began smoothing out their clothes.

"I guess we got a bit carried  away." Raine under exaggerated. 'A bit' was a stretch.

"No kidding. Shall we head back to the Land of Death?" Desire asked with a small grin.

"Not the land of Death... I have a better idea." Nova emphasized, grinning wickedly. Raine and Desire shared a half-concerned, half-herewegoagain look before they both nodded in agreement.

"Holy shit, Rai!" Chantel was finally able to blurt out after watching her friend's blood literally retreat back into her body and the slice in her arm close up.

"There's nothing fictional about what I went through. I need to get back to Nova, but I don't know how. She's pissed at me, anyway, I don't even know if she'll ever hear me out."

"What the fuck did you do to piss of Lucifer?"

"I—" Raine exclaimed loudly before taking a breath and calming her tone. "I almost stole away her powers."

"I'm sorry, what?!" Chantel choked out in disbelief.

"In my defense, I didn't know what I was doing! I got tricked, played, bamboozled— by an Empath, no less."

"Hold up. I'm not sure if I follow. You mean to tell me that an Empath, as described in the tales, tricked you into almost robbing the literal Queen of Death of her superhuman abilities?"

"Correct. And it broke my heart because I felt as though Luci and I were just getting closer to each other."

"Luci? Empath..." Chantel mumbled to herself as Raine watched and noticed the exact moment that her thoughts all clicked together. "Shut. UP. You met Lucienne?! As in the Lucienne? As in Dream's right-hand woman? I love her! Is it true they're in love with each other?"

"No, Cha-cha. It isn't true. In fact, she and Nova has history together— romantic history."

"Wait, you mean..."

"Lucienne is queer. And she dated my fiancée." Raine said before she could stop herself. She shut her eyes and braced herself for the blow up.

"Your what?! Fiancée? What the fuck, Rai? You didn't say anything about being engaged. You're engaged?! TO LUCIFER MORNINGSTAR? Holy mother of fuck!" Chantel stood abruptly and began pacing the living room floors of Raine's brownstone apartment.

"Cha-cha, please, let's not do this. Don't you think I've already been through enough?" Raine asked before she slowly realized how selfish she sounded. But Chantel? Chantel realized it right away and she stopped dead in her tracks to turn to her friend.

"You've been through enough? I know you went through some shit, Raine, but imagine how I feel. I thought I'd lost you. I was going crazy trying to find you and you didn't even think I was important enough to know where the fuck you were going, when the fuck you were leaving, and if you were ever fucking comin' back. So, don't talk to me about having been through enough. I know alllll about it, sister. God, you can be so selfish sometimes! I was the one still searching for your black ass when the useless fucking authorities gave up! Don't you ever forget that." With this, Chantel grabbed her keys and rushed out the way she came, allowing the door to slam behind her.

"Fuuuuuck!" Raine exclaimed with a huff as she threw her tv remote against the wall and sank back down into her seat. She'd lost the love of her life and now, her only friend. The room began spinning around her, making her dizzy and nauseous. She took deep breaths in an attempt to slow her breathing as she allowed tears to escape from her eyes.

"Damn, that's tough." A sultry voice sounded from her dining room table behind her. Absolutely terrifyingly spooked, Raine jumped up and turned around all in one movement.

"Who's there!" She shouted, getting into her best Ju Jitsu stance. Squinting, she could almost make out a figure in the dark corner chair of her round dining table. Raine tensed as the figure leaned slowly forward into the dim light of the moon... until...

"Boo." Desire whispered before breaking out into a powerful laugh.

"Desire?! What the fuck! I could have killed you."

"Not with that fucked up stance, you couldn't have." They joked before cackling again.

"Hardy-har. I'm just a little rusty. What the hell are you doing here? How did you even get here?"

"Same way you got here, honey."

"I didn't see any portals." Raine said, making a show of looking around.

"I like to bore my portals up out of the ground. It's less conspicuous that way."

"Yeah, no kidding." Raine mumbled sarcastically, finally visibly relaxing.

"Come on, I have to get you back to Nova."

"Really? Im surprised you found out so soon. I've only been back on Earth a few hours."

"And that's long enough to forget how time works in the multiverse? It's been a few days, beloved. Within these few days, all shit has turned to shit and Nova needs you."

"Did she say that?"

"No, but I know she does. Homegirl ain't even fighting right anymore without you. What my siblings did was dead wrong and what Lucienne did to you was even worse, but I'm team Teleute forever and right now, what Teleute needs is you. So, are you coming, or not?" Desire held out their hand to Raine as a portal opened up in the floor behind them.

"What if she doesn't want to see me?" Raine hesitated, biting her lip nervously.

"What if she does? And what's the alternative? You gonna go back to The Ridge tomorrow?" Desire cocked an eyebrow and Raine considered their words before dropping her hand into theirs.

"Let's go." Raine took one step forward before planting her heels firmly into the floor at the thought of Chantel. "Wait!"

"Wait?" Desire sighed impatiently.

"I have to message my friend. I made the mistake of ditching her once, and I don't want to do that again. She doesn't deserve it." At this, Raine went for her phone and pulled up she and Chantel's messages.

Raine stared at the screen for a while, hoping to get a response before the clock ticked all the way down. To no avail, she watched as her message seemed to have been stuck on delivered.

"Come on, Raine, we have to go." Desire rushed her, but gently.

"Yeah. I'm coming." She placed her phone down on her coffee table and took Desire's hand before they both jumped down into the portal in Raine's dining room floor...

...and arrived out of a side wall in Desire's quarters of Desire's castle.

"The Land of Desire? I thought we were going to Nova." Raine asked, bewildered as she looked around.

"We are." They said matter-of-factly.

"She's... here? With whom?" Raine lifted her slit eyebrow, for she knew that Nova only came to the Land of Desire for one of two things— to steal or to fuck. Being as though she and Desire were on the same side, she knew she wasn't here to steal anything.

"Best we don't get into the details." Desire replied with shifty eyes.

"Desire." Raine said firmly, folding her arms across her chest. "Who is Nova here with? Tell me the truth."

"That... blasted Mazikeen." Desire said through gritted teeth. They didn't like Maz as much as Raine didn't like Maz. Secretly, Raine loved that fact.

"I'm gone for a few days and she goes and fucks Mazikeen again? What the fuck! She knows that woman is in love with her- why would she even... you know what? It doesn't matter. Let's just find them and get the fuck out of here."

"Better words have never come out of your pretty little mouth." Desire stroked Raine's face before starting for the exit. They led Raine past pink painted walls lined with glass display cases upon cases of sex toys illuminated by pink LED lights. Raine gaped at the sight of so many doohickeys. From whips and chains to dildos and vibrating objects and everything in between. Frankly, she was impressed and quite intrigued.

"How long did it take for you to build up your collection?" Raine asked Desire, still admiring the art as they passed by.

"Oh, centuries, darling. Castillo del Deseo has many floors." They finished with a deep chuckle in their throat. Raine and Desire descended a spiral staircase and went down a long hallway aligned with paintings of naked men and women of all shapes, sizes, and colors. They turned left and then right down another hallway before reaching a certain familiar set of double doors.

"Ah, yes. Nova's usual room." Raine rolled her eyes before banging on the door. After a few moments without an answer, she knocked even harder, biting back the urge to shout something disrespectful.

"What the hell?!" Maz swung the door open, presenting herself in nothing but a silky red robe. Once she noticed Raine standing on the outside, she could not stop herself from smirking. She dropped a hip and leaned against the door frame before leaning down toward Raine condescendingly.

"Well, well. I'd get out of here if I were you. Nova wants nothing to do with your betraying ass, and if you piss her off and fuck up my nut, I'll make sure you have a scar to match mine."

"Shove it up your desperate, wanna be loved ass, Mazikeen. Tell Nova I need to speak with her." Raine rolled her eyes.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Mazikeen left her post on the door frame to step closer to Raine, her face hovering just inches above Raine's.

"Didn't you hear what she said?" Desire cut in, raising their machete into the small space between Maz and Raine. "She needs to speak with Nova. Now be a doll, won't you? Run along and don't come back to this door unless you have Nova with you."

Maz glared at Desire, knowing there isn't anything she could do or say to defeat them. Only thing she could do was obey. With a small growl, she turned and walked back into the room, making a scene of slamming the door behind her. Moments later, the door swung back open and...

"Nova." Raine whispered to herself. The sight of her absolutely took Raine's breath away. It was as if it were the first time in that dainty little clothing shop all over again.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Raine Jackson?" Aaaand the tone of her voice ruined the moment.

"Nova... if you could find it anywhere inside of you to forgive me, would you please? I-I'm terribly sorry for joining forces with the enemy. Whether it was intentional or no, whether I knew what I was doing or no, I should have talked to you about it— about everything. I was only back in Cali for five, maybe six Earth hours, and in that time, I realized I cannot— I just cannot go an eternity without you. So, please, can we just start over? Can I make it up to you?"

"Nice speech." Maz smirked, walking up and sliding a lazy arm around the front of Nova's perfect body. "Can you go, now, so Mistress Mommy could finish making me cum?"

"Bitch, step out here, I'll fuck you up!" Raine yelled as anger boiled up inside her, causing her fists to instantly ball up at her sides.

"Aw, how cute. You have all the balls now that you have Desire by your side." Maz chuckled.

"And you have all the tongue now that you're hiding in the shadows of Death. But don't get comfortable, honey, I can still cut it out from here." Desire came back quickly, casually playing with the machete in their hands.

"Enough." Nova cut in, her voice eerily calm. "Maz, darling, do you mind?" She looked at her expectantly. Maz opened her mouth to protest but quickly thought against it. She slipped past Nova in the doorway, glaring at Raine as she passed her on the way out.

"You go. I'll stay out here and keep a close eye on this one." Desire said to Raine, complete with an evil chuckle that lasted all the way until the door closed behind her.

"You have five minutes." Nova tightened her black robe around her body as she took a seat at the vanity.

"First, I'm gone for all but a few days and you wind up here... with her?" Raine asked disgusted, pointing her thumb back toward the door.

"Jealous, are we?" Nova smiled.

"Nothing about this is comical to me, Nova." Raine said with attitude.

"Madame Mistress. And I do not find it comical, I find it cute." The Queen replied playfully as she tilted her head to the side, eyes sweeping slowly down Raine's body.

"Cute?" Raine scoffed and folded her arms offendedly across her chest.

"Mm-hmm. Come here." Nova dropped her voice to a low growl and bit her lip.

"Absolutely not." Raine protested even as a familiar warmth pooled into the hammock of her thongs.

"You dare defy me?" Lucifer got up and started stalking her way toward Raine the way she knew she liked it.

"Mistress, don't." Raine took a step back.

"What's the magic word?" Nova whispered, gaining speed until her lips were pressed against Raine's ear.

"Mistress, please!" Raine tightened her eyes, trying to fight the urge. Unwillingly, her body tensed at Nova's gentle touch and her traitorous head tilted back slightly, giving Death all the access her dark little heart yearned for.

"Oh, I've missed this. It's been a long four days." Nova grinned, taking in a deep breath of Raine's scent through her nostrils.

"Can you please just concentrate? What has gotten into you? Is this your way of distracting yourself? And Maz? What the fuck, Nova!" Remembering why she's there and who Nova came here with, Raine was able to snap out of Nova's entransic spell and slip away in time to put some space between them.

"You have no right questioning what I do. You almost stripped me of what makes me who I am!" Nova's eyes turned red in an instant as the veins in her forehead began to show.

"But, Nova, baby. Your powers are not what makes you who you are. You make your powers what they are. I saw that the moment I fell in love with you... my Queen." Raine bowed as a show of respect and loyalty. She knew she didn't have to bow, but she needed Nova to see that what was in front of her was real. Death blinked rapidly until her eyes changed back to their naturally beautiful tint of crystal blue.

"I— no one has ever said such a thing to me before. Do you know what you are getting yourself into, Raine Jackson?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I've known since the moment I first took your hand."

Raine sucked in a sharp, startled breath as the grip on her wrist became tighter and tighter.

M i s s i o n  f a i l e d.

She had been made and she had no idea what this would mean for her going forward.

"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?" Nova peered over her shoulder before smoothly transitioning from lying on her side to standing on the side of their bed all while still having Raine's wrist in her death grip.

"Nova— you're hurting me!" Raine blurted out.

"Oh, am I?" Her eyes began to glow as she squeezed even harder.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Raine cried out in pain. Much different from the crying out Nova had her doing just hours prior.

"Who put you up to this?! Who!" Lucifer's voice reverberated through their quarters. Raine was sure she woke the others by now and that surely one of them, if not both, were coming to her aid.

At least, she'd hoped.

"Nova, let go!" Raine dodged the question.

"Tell me right fucking now!"

"It was Lucienne, okay? She gave me the X! Nova, please! You're hurting me!"

"Lucienne." Lucifer seethed through gritted teeth as she finally let Raine free. As Raine cradled her very purple and red wrist, Nova made for the door.

"Nova, wait! What will you do?" Raine called out after her. Lucifer paused, hand on the doorknob, only to look over her shoulder at Raine and respond coldly...

"It's 'Madam Mistress' to you." As she tornadoed her way through the door, Raine got up as quickly as possible to scramble after her.

"Lucienne! Lucienne, get out here now!" She yelled, making a scene of banging on Lucienne's door.

"Your Grace?" Luci slowly emerged halfway through the doors of her quarters, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Without her unflattering glasses, Lucienne was even easier to look at— and that's definitely saying much.

"Tell me it isn't true! Tell me you did not supply Raine Jackson with X to inject into my spine! Did you even educate her as to what it is?"

"She did, Nov— er— Madam Mistress. We thought that removing your negative emotions temporarily will decrease the chances of another Great Quake happening." Raine explained, leading the three of them and Dream, who had appeared to speculate gods knew how long ago, into a very tense atmosphere.

"Removing my negative emotions? Is that what you told her?" She laughed as she turned her attention back toward Lucienne.

"That... is what X does, right Luci?"

"I—"

"No! You stupid, naive girl! X destroys your powers completely! You've been duped! And by a bloody Empath, no less." Nova laughed hysterically. "So, Luci, tell me... why'd you do it?"

"I was only following orders, Your Grace." Luci bowed her head respectfully— as if that were to change anything.

"Whose orders? Those weren't my orders, so who?" Dream finally spoke up.

"Destruction and the others, sir." Lucienne wasted no time answering.

"Are Destruction and the others your master or am I your master?"

"Actually, sir, I belong to no master. I only follow you because I believe in you."

"You will be dealt with later."

"Fuck that! She will be dealt with now." Lucifer stepped toward her brother, raising her voice.

"Teleute, stand down, I will handle it!" Dream replied assertively.

"Morpheus, a line has been crossed! My own wife—" Nova paused to catch and compose herself, "future wife... ugh, what was supposed to be— just forget about it! She's crossed the line!"

"Why, Lucienne?" Oneiros turned to her with seemingly no emotion.

"I agreed to it for the good of the realm. Lucifer can be far too reckless, Dream. I hear another traumatic disaster stirring in the multiverse. I can hear it, sir." Luci replied, leading them all into a stiff silence.

"Take me home, Oneiros, I must prepare my armies." Nova sighed and looked over at Raine, "And take her home, too."

Raine felt as though it had suddenly gotten harder to breathe as she watched Nova walk away from her, bathing in her final command. Raine couldn't go back to Earth! Not after everything she's been through with Nova. Not after becoming one without end. How will she live on Earth knowing she'd outlive anyone she would ever come across? How will she live without Nova?

"Nova, please!" She blurted out after her only for her words to be met by a closed door. She whipped around to glare at Lucienne with tears of hurt in her eyes. "You lied to me! I thought we'd become friends!"

"Empaths aren't meant for friends." She responded before backing away into her dark room and shutting the door. With tears finally flowing down, she looked to Dream with desperation.

"There has to be something you can do!" Raine pleaded.

"Pack your things. We will drop you off first." Morpheus said, almost as if he felt sorry for her, before he walked away as well. Raine was only left with her heavy breathing, her heavily pounding heart, and a feeling similar to being sucked into a cyclone.

Raine had to quickly face the harsh reality that she was going back to Earth.

Staring through the portal into her dark and empty living room— at the life she thought she'd left behind for good— Raine stood in the heart of Alora with a single duffle bag in hand. She looked back at Morpheus who was the only being who came to see her off and he said and did nothing but nod her on.

"Tell Nova... tell her that I love her and I never meant to cause her any harm." Raine choked back tears.

"I will tell her."

"Please, Dream. It's important that she gets this message. Tell her that she knows where to find me and that I'll be waiting." And without standing by for him so say anything else, Raine looked forward into her old home and stepped through the portal just as quickly as it closed behind her.

The silence was deafening.

She went from being inside of a lit ship with all of her mechanical whirring to being inside of her dark apartment with nothing but quiet. Needless to say, she was shell-shocked. Raine dropped her bag, not caring where it landed and shuffled her feet slowly over to her living room sectional where she plopped down carelessly. Using nothing but muscle memory, she picked up her television remote and pushed the power button until her flatscreen crackled to life. Basking in the new noise and light, she was able to fall into a restless... uncomfortable... sleep...

BANG BANG BANG!!

Raine's eyes shot open just as soon as she felt like they closed. She'd probably been sleeping for a good 15-20 minutes, but it only felt like seconds.

BANG BANG BANG BANG!!

There was another set of bangs on her front door before she finally got her bearings and dragged her feet to look through the peephole. It was Chantel looking wide eyed and crazy. Raine didn't know how to greet her old friend after so long... how long has it been, anyway? Before overthinking herself out of it, she quickly opened up the door and came face to face with the fact that she still didn't know what the fuck to say.

"Um... hey, Chantel?" Raine smile-grimaced awkwardly.

"Where the hell have you been Rai?!" She started off strong.

"I just— went on a trip." Raine lied before turning and stalking back to her couch, Chantel hot on her heels.

"Without telling anyone?! Without telling me? Without telling Mr. and Mrs. Ridge?! They think you're dead, Rai! I thought—" Chantel paused to gulp down tears and attempt compose herself, "And now you're back acting all nonchalant about it as if nothing ever happened."

"Look, I have something to tell you and it's gonna sound crazy." Raine said after taking a deep breath and tucking her feet underneath of her on the chaise of the sectional.

"About as crazy as you disappearing for nearly a year and then coming back and cutting on the fucking television?" Chantel swept her arm toward the tv, glaring at Raine with red and wet eyes.

"Are you familiar with the Endless?"

"Wha— what?" She blinked a few times, plopping down in the middle of the couch, coming closer to the conclusion that Raine had completely lost her mind.

"The Endless, Cha-cha, the Seven fucking Endless ."

"I read about them in school, why?" Chantel responded with a huff, clearly losing her patience.

"I met them. I saw them with my own two eyes. Remember the woman I was telling you about? The one who visited the shop? She's one of them and I was with her the entire time I was gone."

Chantel sat staring at her friend with her mouth agape, trying her best to make sense of what she just heard... but she just— couldn't.

"Rai..." She paused and reached over to grab Raine's hand, "I think you need to seek help. I'll do whatever I can to support you, in any way you nee—"

"No! Stop!" Raine yanked her hand away. "I'm not fucking crazy. I lived it, Chantel! I was there! If you knew the shit I been through— the shit I have learned... I fell in love, Cha-cha. I mean really in love. And I fucked it up." Raine finally broke down, burying her head in her hands.

Chantel watched as the tears falling from her friend's eyes helped soften her up a bit.

"Wait... you're serious." She said as realization set in. What her friend experienced was so real to her and she needed to be there for her, even if she wasn't completely sold on the story. Chantel scooted closer to her friend, as close as she can be, and wrapped her arm around her. Raine began sobbing harder as she leaned her head onto Chantel's shoulder.

"I fucked it up. All I want to do is be back in Nova's arms for all of eternity."

"Nova?"

"Lucifer, Death, Teleute— she has many names, but I call her Nova." Raine sat upright, staring past the television and managing a small smile.

"Raine, I really am having a difficult time right now. I spent all eight months that you were gone paying private investigators and detectives to help me find you. I spoke to all of your neighbors and told them to call me at the very first sign of you, which is how I knew you'd come home and cut on the television. I just— I was so worried about you and now here you are telling me that..." She trailed off, shaking her head slightly. "I'm just having a hard time."

"Chantel, I am so sorry for disappearing on you. I have every intention of paying you back—"

"Raine, for fuck's sake, it's not about the goddamn money! You won't be able to pay me back for the time I spent searching for you! The countless, sleepless nights, the constant nightmares, the endless phone calls! And, I'm sorry, but I don't believe you have been with a bunch of fictional characters!"

"Fictional?! I'll show you 'fictional'." Raine got up and stormed into her kitchen, grabbing the bread knife from her wooden knife block. Just as quickly as she grabbed it, she made it back to Chantel with her arm held out in front of her. "Does this look fictional to you?" Raine asked as she sliced a quick, long line down her forearm.

"Raine, no!" Chantel yelled, but it was all too late. She watched in horror as her friend's arm bled and bled and bled some more— until it didn't. Like magic, Raine's arm seemed to have healed itself and closed right up, sucking in all the blood which had began flowing down toward her fingertips as if nothing happened. With her mouth completely open, Chantel moved her eyes up slowly to meet Raine's.

"Olenara! You are a sight for weary eyes." Olon greeted his lover with open arms and a smile brighter than the suns above them.

"Olon, my love. It's been too long." She leaned up for a gentle kiss, encompassed by his unwavering embrace.

"I received your letter. You've news for me?" Olon gazed into the eyes of his beauty, an unmistakable sparkle in his own that any one being who has experienced such a love knows very well.

"Please. Let us sit." The woman took the man by his hand and led him to sit on a bench under a tree.

This wasn't just any bench under any tree, but it was their bench under their special English oak tree in which they had carved their names lifetimes ago.

"Well? My nerves are growing harder to contain." It was everything Olon could do to suppress his giddiness. Picture a 7 foot and 5 inch tall lean man with broad shoulders and muscles on top of muscles. That's the kind of man that Olon was and his heart turns to absolute mush around her.

"My love. I was visited by a garnet dove in my vegetable garden last night. She whispered to me... puella est." Olenara squeezed his hand, tears rimming her eyes.

"A girl? You don't mean..." He grinned.

"We're having a baby." She nearly whispered as the tears finally broke and fell down her cheeks.

"We're having a baby!" Olon wrapped her up in his arms, standing up to spin her around in them. "WOOO-HOO! We're having a baby!"

"I'm leaving him, Olon. I want to be a family." The beautiful woman said ever so softly as she allowed her smile to fade.

"Olenara, I've never wanted anything more. I never push, but I've always wanted you to leave Obsidian. That man is no good for you or for your children. I'll take care of you all! Come home to me." Olon dropped a kiss to her cheek.

"It's settled. Meet back here when the crow crosses the moon! I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." She leaned up for another kiss.

"I love you, Olenara."

"I love you, too, Olon of the Deep."

__________________________________________

Nova very loudly made her appearance back onto the ship. Blurring out both Lucienne and Raine's greetings, she stormed off straight into their designated room and attempted to slam the door. Of course, Alora didn't allow it to actually slam, but an attempt was made.

Sharing a knowing look, Luci and Raine turned their attention to Dream, who had slipped in quietly and without their immediate knowledge.

"What has happened?" Lucienne asked, peering over her glasses.

"Yeah, Dream, what the fuck happened?" Raine chimed in.

"We eliminated the target and all of their soldiers. Once we reached back to Obsidian's encampment, he and Nova argued... again. Death snapped his neck, set his camp ablaze, and now here we are." Dream summarized, cool as a cucumber.

"Wait, what?"

"She did what?"

Both Raine and Lucienne exclaimed at the same time. At this, Dream only shrugged.

"He had it coming. She did warn him."

"O-kay? That doesn't explain why she's so upset." Raine pointed out.

"Gohan whispered something to her right before she killed them. Only she could hear what was said and she will not tell me what it was. I believe whatever they said to her is what has her so heavily heated. Maybe you could find out, Raine?" Both he and Lucienne looked at her expectantly.

"Whoa, whoa. I mean, I could try, but you both saw how she just blew past me like a tornado and-and I wasn't exactly her favorite the last time I saw her. I mean, I was being kind of a jerk."

"Yes, but that would not change her attitude toward you. She loves you. In fact, I have never seen her so in love with anyone as she is with you." Luci spoke up, almost as if it were painful for her to do.

"Nor have I. If anyone could find out what Gohan said to her, it's you." Morpheus added, giving Raine a sure nod of approval. Raine glanced between Oneiros and her new friend before exhaling both audibly and visibly.

"Alright. Here I go. I'm going." Raine said aloud— mostly to hype herself up. She wasn't particularly excited about approaching Nova, especially considering the information she had just received about her. Once she reached their bedroom door, Raine took another deep breath before entering to find Nova pacing the floor.

"Nova?" Raine squeaked out to no avail, as Death continued pacing back and forth, "Baby. Tell me what happened."

"Not now." Nova muttered under her breath, clearly unraveling.

"Nova!" Raine raised her voice a bit and grabbed Death firmly by the arm. Death stopped only to glare into Raine's eyes.

"Remove... your hand... at once." Nova demanded, a dark hue forming around her and her eyes glowing with red light.

"Nova, it's me! What has gotten into you?!" She yelled, near tears. Teleute blinked a couple times before the dark hue and glowing eyes went away all at once. Nova quickly grabbed Raine's hands comfortingly into her own.

"My love. I am so terribly sorry! Are you hurt?" She asked, examining Raine for any blood or bruises.

"I'm not. Nova, please! What is going on with you? You're frightening me." Raine swallowed down tears.

"I— I am just processing some things."

"What kind of things? And is it true that you killed your father?"

"Obsidian... was not...myfather." Her voice went deep, sending a chill down Raine's spine.

"Nova," Raine sighed, leading her to sit down on the bed, "what happened?"

"I finally avenged my baby brother. I watched the eyes of his murderer haze over as they took their final breath. It was meant to be more than satisfying, but they weren't satisfied. No. They wanted to take something else from me before I sent them to be devoured by my demons." Nova shook with anger as she spoke, eyes unblinking and fixed straight ahead onto the wall.

"What did they do?"

"They told me... they told me that, not only were they responsible for Delirium's death, but my father's as well." Nova looked over at Raine. "My real father."

"Olon of the Deep. I thought Obsidian mentioned that he died in the great Grave war."

"Gohan also fought in that war on the other side. They said I look just like him, my father. l will never know for sure what actually took place."

"Oh, Nova." Raine began rubbing small, soothing circles into Lucifer's back.

"I have no time for consolation. I need to get back to the comforts of my own land. Being away for so long has turned me soft." Death squirmed under Raine's touch until she finally dropped her hand from off Nova's back.

"There you go again... running." Raine mumbled as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms defensively.

"I beg your pardon?" Lucifer asked as she looked over at Raine who was avoiding eye contact.

"I said there you go again, runni—" She was cut off by Nova suddenly grabbing her face and bringing it centimeters away from her own.

"This is what I'm talking about, my dear. I somehow allowed you to believe that you have any control here. But remember, my love, it is I who holds control. It is I who is the more dominant, more powerful, and far more... influential." She allowed her last word to roll off her tongue and onto Raine's slightly parted lips. "If I say beg, you beg. If I say crawl, you crawl. And, my dear, if I say scream, you better fucking scream. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." Raine squeaked out, chest heaving up and down with anticipation. Just when she thought Nova did enough to get her point across, the Goddess quickly proved her wrong.

"As a matter of fact, remove your clothes." Nova stood looming over Raine, placing her hands on her hips of plenty.

"M-my clothes?" Raine repeated, stunned, as a very familiar warmth pooled in her middle.

"Now, Raine Jackson. I am tired of repeating myself to you."

"Yes, Nova." Raine obeyed making quick work of removing each article of her clothes from her body. She sighed with content as Nova's eyes roamed her body slowly from head to toe and back again.

"Who do you belong to?" Lucifer growled, stalking closer to a sweating Raine.

"You, Nova." Raine nearly whispered as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Fucking louder. Who do you belong to?" Nova repeated, grabbing a good chunk of Raine's hair up into her fist.

"Ah! You, Nova!" Raine cried out before the Queen spun her around and bent her over the bed.

"And don't you forget it either." Nova commanded, sliding a finger into Raine's very ready pussy. All she could do was moan in response as Nova continuously pushed her against wave after wave of pure euphoric releases.

Later that night, while Lucifer fell to rest, Raine lay awake beside her fondling with the syringe and needle in her hands. Slowly and steadily, she moved their blanket down just enough to expose the sleek skin of Nova's back.

Taking in a shaky breath, Raine brought the needle closer to Nova's bare posterior spine only to be surprised by her hand reaching over and gripping her wrist tightly.

"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?" Nova growleed, an angry fire in her eyes.

"How could you?! I told you no several times and you go over my head and lie to Mistral? Telling him that I gave you permission to use my classroom?"

"Oh, please, Cameron. You do not need the space! Your class makes up a total of fifteen students. My class makes up a total of more than twice that. Quit your crying and deal with it." Lesso replied calmly. At this point, Aavani as well as Frankie, Emma, Henry, and Clarissa were all gathered into the kitchen to witness the commotion firsthand.

"What is going on here?" Anemone asked, quickly deflating as the feeling of being disrespected washed over her, as she found herself just as swiftly ignored.

"I cannot believe that you are actually my sister. Like, does Lothros, the God of Stars really hate me that much?" Cameron rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her huffy chest.

"Don't throw a tantrum, Cam. It's unappealing." Lesso smirked, shrugging off her little sibling with a small sip of her coffee.

"I hate you." Snow said in a calm tone, shaking her head and never breaking eye contact with her sister even as the distant look in her eyes grew ever further away.

"I have warned you before about being so harsh with your words, especially if you don't mean them." Leonora's face straightened up into a tight frown. It was very evident that Cameron's words struck a hard nerve.

"Oh, but I do mean it." Cameron chuckled humorlessly. "You are single-handedly the worst thing that has ever happened to me." The group parted and watched as she flew out of the room in a whirlwind of emotion.

"Well, then. Good morning, I suppose." Clarissa spoke up, smoothing down her gown. Aavani scoffed in disbelief as everyone else just shrugged and broke off to do their own thing.

"Are you all mad? Will none of you go and check on her? Make sure she's ok?" Aavani asked, her tone dripping with disappointment. She already knew they wouldn't based on their clear inaction, but she just had to ask.

"My extremely dramatic little sister will live. She just needs time to cool off." Lesso shrugged.

"Besides, she's a grown woman. No one needs to coddle her, Truth." Dovey chimed in, snarling in Aavani's direction.

"You all are ridiculous." Aavani shook her head before jogging off behind Cameron.

"Professor Snow, wait!" A breathless Aavani called out as she caught up to Cameron, who was now moving around a fast-paced walk.

"Just leave me alone." Snow mumbled over her shoulder in a huff, slightly picking up her pace.

"Cameron, please!" Aavani pleaded with her colleague, reaching out her arm to grab her shoulder and just barely falling short of it as Cameron whipped around on her.

"What is it! You here to collect information for my wonderful sister so you all can laugh at me later?"

"That's not fair, Cameron, I genuinely want to know if you're ok. Have I ever given you a reason to distrust me?" Aavani asked, channelling every bit of the most sincere energy as she could in that moment. She had to show Professor Snow that she could, in fact, trust her. Cameron hesitated a moment, staring cautiously at the new professor before she allowed her resolve to crumble. Aavani watched, hopeful, as Snow's shoulders finally slumped and the breath she was holding gave way to an exhausted sigh.

"Fine. I guess I could use a friend right now. I don't want to talk here, though. These walls have ears. There's a garden out back that very few visit anymore. I like to call it my floral thinkery. I was just on my way there... care to join me?"

"I would love to, Cam." Truth agreed with a careful smile. Wordlessly, Professor Snow turned and began off in the direction of the gardens. Once they arrived, Aavani could hardly keep her mouth shut, she was so in awe. She struggled to fathom the thought of her collogues not visiting magical place more often.

"Wow." A breathless Truth asked as she took in her surroundings. "You get this place all to yourself?"

"Mostly. Sometimes, the kids come out here in between classes, but never any of the professors." Cameron replied casually, slowing down to a cool stroll.

"But... why?" Aavani asked in disbelief. How could one not spend as much time here as they could?

"Clarissa believes that hanging out in gardens is for children and the elderly. She forgets that she is over one hundred years old." She mumbled the last bit.

"I beg your pardon?" Aavani asked, shocked and unsure of if she heard her correctly.

"Never mind that. I— I really appreciate you checking on me. I've never had anyone do that before." She started, staring down at her feet as they walked alongside each other.

"Well, that is just a shame. You should know that as long as I'm here— and I will be here for a very long time— you always will have a friend in me. What's the deal between you and your sister, anyway?"

"Our parents died when I was 9 and she was 13. They were a part of the Real Justice Coalition of Imperial Magic and died in a battle."

"Whoa! No way! Your parents were members of the RJC? My grandmother used to read me stories about them. I was absolutely smitten! I am sorry to hear about your loss." Truth placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. At first touch, Cameron tensed up as if she had never felt a hand before, then she relaxed after a moment.

"Thanks. Well, anyway, Leonora became super-parent to me at that point. She did everything she could for me, and she took care of anyone who crossed me. She was... my best friend."

"So, what happened?"

"We grew up. I guess Leonora realized that she was spending so much time raising me, that she neglected herself. She started accusing me of stealing her youth." Cameron scoffed. "It's pathetic, really. No one asked her to raise me. I sure as hell didn't."

"She can't possibly continue to blame you for that. It wasn't your fault."

"Tell me about it." She mumbled. Aavani studied Cameron's solomn, yet angry expression for a long while before meticulously responding.

"All you want is her approval... don't you?" Aavani asked in the softest way she knew how, careful to avoid toeing the line.

"Wh—what? No! All I want is her respect! I am no longer a child, professor Truth." Snow stopped their stroll abruptly and turned to fully face Aavani.

"You can be honest with me. What reasons have I to judge you?"

"I- ugh! I don't understand why she can't just let go of the past. I know I took most of her life away by merely existing, but I really look up to my sister, unfortunately. Everything that I've accomplished, I did it so that she could notice me." Snow exclaimed, face turning as red as a rose in bloom.

"Why don't we talk to her, then? Together."

"You— you would really do that for me? We hardly know each other."

"My grandmother taught me to always be kind— not just polite— to everyone I ever come across. I promised her I would and I don't intend to let up now." Truth explained as softly as she could, smiling all the while. Cameron lifted her chin and looked her square in the eye— determined.

"Yoto! Long time no see, my friend. And who might ye have with ya?" A friendly furry beast greeted the three Sprinters with a warm Scottish accent.

"Trazador, my friend, these are my brothers! I want you to meet Yoron and Yohi." Obsidian said as he pointed to Dream and then to Death.

"Nice to meet you." Yoron said assertively.

"A pleasure." Yohi followed shortly with a precise nod.

"What brings ye all by?" the beast, Trazador, asked with his crooked smile.

"We were hoping Gohan was somewhere about. Have you seen them?"

"Aye! Last I saw, they were 'round the bend by the oaks. Should still be there, mate."

"We best be on our way, then. Cheers." Yoto said firmly, signaling for Yohi and Yoron to follow him.

When they were far enough out of earshot, the beast that was Obsidian let out a low whistle.

"Great work back there. The being we're going to see is the one responsible for Delirium's murder, so we—"

"No. You are responsible for his murder. When will you take responsibility, Obsidian?" The beast that was Nova snarled as they treaded along.

"Listen, girl! I've had just about enough of you. It's because of me that you are even here and it's high time you show a bit of gratitude." He slowed to a stop, halting both of the brutes who were with him as well.

"Gratitude? For you! Oh, fuck off. I'd rather cut my own throat."

"So, do it, yeah? Oh, right, you haven't got it in you. All you do is talk." The beast who was Obsidian barked back.

"And all you do is run. I don't have to prove myself to you. You're a lowly son of a bitch who isn't worth my efforts."

"Oh, here we go. Come on, tell me how you really feel. Do your worst!"

"As I stated afore-hand, I need not waste my efforts on the likes of you." Nova quite literally spat at Obsidian's feet as she concluded her statement.

"Please! Will you two stop this! What is the mission?"

"I did not sign up to be—"

"The mission, Teleute! What is the mission?" Dream interrupted his sister, soliciting a heavy heave of a sigh from her before she spake.

"We are here to avenge Delirium."

"Cool it, sis. Obsidian means nothing when this is over, but for now, we unfortunately need him."

"I can hear you, you know." Yoto rolled his eyes.

"Funny, I do not recall whispering. Now, could we please carry on so that I could return back to my own glorious body from this gods-awful disguise?" Without waiting for a response, Morpheus continued trotting along. Teleute and Obsidian shared a glare at one another before taking off as well.

The trio came to a slow as the oaks came into view around the red river bend. Nova noted the position of the seven beasts standing there and pretty much guessed who Gohan was.

"I'm guessing that is their leader?" She pointed her long, lanky Sprinter finger toward the beast with the broadest shoulder armour on. They had a small waist, enormous calf muscles, and even bigger biceps, making for the perfect triangular shaped body.

"Yes, that is Gohan. They're a dangerous motherfucker, so we have to tread very carefully. First sign of danger and they'll likely strike first." Obsidian warned them as they came to a halt and watched from a distance. Gohan was laughing and talking with their comrades.

They had no idea what was coming next.

"What of the rest of them?" Dream's beast asked, using his chin as a pointer.

"They'll be a cake walk. There's six of them and three of us, so each of us gets to take out two each then we tag Gohan."

"Seems easy enough. You ready, sis?" Yoron asked as he cracked his neck cinematically.

"Oh, I'm ready." Yohi responded, glaring at the enemy through low eyes

"Let's go!"

"You've done this before?"

"I have."

"And you're sure she won't feel anything?"

"The needle is enchanted, my dear, she won't feel a thing."

"This feels... wrong."

"You must follow through with this, Raine Jackson. You are the only one who can get close enough."

"You do still love her, don't you?" Raine squinted, studying Lucienne's face carefully.

"A-as aforementioned, us Empaths are incapable of love and I- I do still care for her a great deal. However, this goes far beyond she or I. This..." Lucienne paused to lift the device in her hand to eye level for emphasis, "... this is for the sake of the multiverse."

"What's it like?" Raine asked as she began to feel the product of downing her bottle of wine.

"What's what like, Ms. Jackson?"

"Spending your entire eternity only feeling what others feel? Only being a servant and never served? Knowing that you'll never get to wake up next to someone who you consider your person?"

"I— I'm not sure what you mean."

"You know what I mean. No one's listening, Luci. It's just me and you. Tell me." Raine spoke gently as she placed an encouraging hand on Lucienne's knee. Considering her words, Lucienne glanced at Raine's hand on her leg and then back up at her concerned face before sighing and covering Raine's melanin hand with her own.

"I cannot lie... it isn't easy. It is lonely. It is rough. Having to be the one to take on everyone else's emotions whilst neglecting my own. I sometimes get weak and wonder why I was crafted in such a manner. The feeling almost gives me the urge to—"

"Cry?" Raine finished as she reached her crooked finger toward the single tear falling from Luci's eye. In shock and awe, Lucienne surveyed the mixture of lipid, water, and mucus that washed over Raine's finger. It was as if she'd never seen anything quite like it before.

"Amazing." She gasped with a tiny smile.

"Have you never cried before?" Raine asked, wiping the tear onto her own clothes.

"Not once. I had not a thought that it was even in me."

"Anything is possible, Luci. Fuck that old rule book." Raine genuinely smiled at her, feeling like they'd finally broken the mold. In return, Lucienne began to chuckle and shake her head. "What's so funny?" Raine asked, picking up on the contagion of Lucienne's happiness.

"It's just... you called me Luci."

"Okay, don't let it get to your head, it's already big enough." They laughed and laughed!

But they were the only ones laughing....

"Watch out!" Yoron warned Yohi seconds before she ducked and a heavy axe came swinging where her head had just resided. Yohi swept her leg in a swift motion, sending her enemy flying face down into the ground before driving her weapon at an angle through his back.

"Thanks." Yohi gave Yoron a quick nod before they both took on new enemies. The trio had slain everyone quickly and far too easily. Everyone except for...

"GOHAN!" Yoron yelled, eyeing them down as he, Yoto, and Yohi surrounded them.

"Do you know why we're here?" Yohi asked as she flicked her wrist, causing the blood from her weapon to fly to the ground with a splat.

"Well, I'm sure I'm bound to find out." Gohan smirked, turning in slow circles in hopes of keeping an eye on the three of them.

"You... killed... our... brother." Yohi growled, skillfully turning her weapon around in her hands as she spoke.

"Funny, I don't remember murdering any Sprinter swine." Gohan barked back, his deep voice vibrating through the air like the wings of a helicopter.

"He wasn't a Sprinter, cunt!" Yohi reached into her travel sling, pulled out a vial of Helterjuice reversal potion, and downed it. The others followed suit and instantly took back on their original form.

"He was an Endless." Dream cut in.

"Oh, fuck." Gohan turned to try and run, but Obsidian was seconds ahead of them and stopped them dead in their tracks.

"You murdered my son. Now, you must pay the price." Obsidian grew in size and towered over Gohan.

"I forgot he could do that." Nova said to her brother.

"So did I." He shrugged.

"Obsidian, stand down. This motherfucker belongs to me." Nova commanded as she slowly made her way toward Gohan.

"Hey- look, man... I-I don't want any trouble."

"Well, you should have thought about that—" Nova rushed them, quickly backing them into a tree with the rod her weapon pressed against their neck, "BEFORE YOU MURDERED MY SIX YEAR OLD BROTHER!"

She was so close to their face that she could feel the condensation forming on their forehead.

"Look, I'm sorry! I— wait a minute. You look familiar." They studied her face closely.

"Oh, have you seen Death before?" Nova asked, tilting her pretty little head to the side.

"No, it's— oh! That's what it is! Olon." Gohan whispered.

"Ex-excuse me?" She loosened her grip a bit, thrown for a loop by the name that just escaped her enemy's mouth.

"You're the spitting image of your father. And guess what? I murdered him, too." They whispered before they began to laugh menacingly.

"Nova, I can help." Raine said in the middle of pleading with Lucifer, who seemed to have had her mind made up.

"No, Raine Jackson. I'm not sure how many more ways I could say it. I will not allow you to be amongst such raunchy people. I need you safe." Nova reached out and cupped her face.

"I'm safer with you!" Raine argued.

"That's enough! I said 'no' and it's final. I will have no more of this." Nova stated firmly as she dropped her hand, having taken enough of Raine's protests.

"But, Nova!—" Raine stubbornly contended before being assertively interrupted by the Queen once more.

"Silence!" Her voice erupted and spread like a buckshot from the nose of a shotgun.

"Madame Mistress, perhaps you shouldn't speak to her in such a manner." Lucienne surprisingly came to Raine's defense. And here Raine was painting her to be a foul being all because she had history with her wife to be.

"Lucienne, perhaps you should mind the hand that feeds you." Nova shot back without hesitation. "What I say is finite. Conversation over."

"You're doing it again." Raine crossed her arms across her chest and rolled her brown eyes. She knew she was acting out and that she should probably stand down and follow Death's orders, but Death needed to know that she was hurting the love of her very infinite life.

"Doing what, exactly?" Lucifer asked with an exhaustive and annoyed sigh.

"Behaving like a right cunt!" Raine exclaimed. Everyone else grew silent and looked around at each other. Lucifer's eyes went dark as she took a step closer to Raine.

"Nobody calls me out of my name. Nobody."

"Think you can intimidate me? Look at you! Queen of fucking Death... and can't even own up to your own bullshit. I'm getting tired of this shit, Nova."

"Perhaps I should have just left you to your misery at The Ridge."

"Oh? Is that really how you feel? After all I've been through with you? For you?"

"You're being a brat. I am trying to protect you!"

"This is not how you do it, Nova! You cannot coddle me! I'm not a child."

"What is the meaning of this?" Dream asked as he waltzed in, already rubbing his temples out of stress.

"Your dear sister won't allow me to join you all. She's treating me like a baby." Raine pouted.

"Oh, please. She won't listen to reason. I'm only trying to keep her safe."

"She is right, Raine. You stay with Lucienne. Teleute and I will infiltrate the camp." Dream commanded without skipping a beat, earning a dirty look from Raine.

"Traitor!" She exclaimed.

"Be that as it may, you have no experience doing this type of work. Not only will you be assed out for yourself, but you will also be a liability to us. This is about our dearly departed brother. We cannot have a green nosed entity such as yourself tagging along and fucking things up." Said Morpheus plainly.

"But—"

"Lucienne, please carry Raine back to the ship."

"Carry?" Raine scoffed, offended that he would make such a demand.

"Ms. Jackson, if you will." Lucienne offered her gentle hand.

"Ugh. You know what, how about you take me back home, Lucienne?"

"Home, Ms. Jackson?"

"Yeah. Back to California... on Earth." She said pettily in Nova's direction.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Raine. I need you safe! Why are you making me out to be some sort of criminal for it?"

"Why can't you see that I won't feel safe without you?!"

"Do you even know what a Sprinter is? Here, let me show you!" Nova snapped before downing an entire vial of transformation serum. Within seconds, Nova started to groan as her skin began swelling and pulling unnaturally in all directions. Raine watched in horror as what was once her stunning divine Goddess of Darkness turned into a hideous nightmare of a beast.

"Do you feel safe now?" The creature growled, it's glowing red eyes boring holes into Raine. She could hardly hear a small hint of Nova's voice in there, but she knew it was really her. She'd seen it with her own eyes.

Still... the answer was no...

"I-"

"These are the kinds of creatures we will encounter, Raine Jackson! This is what I am protecting you from! I know you're used to being stubborn and headstrong because you didn't have anybody taking care of you, but I am taking care of you now. You need to listen to me when I speak!" The unrecognizable beast roared, Nova's voice far from noticeable as it was being consumed by the creature's.

Raine opened her mouth to speak very shortly before closing it again. With tears in her eyes and a stiff nod, she turned toward Lucienne.

"Take me to Alora."

"As you wish." the Empath responded, sweeping her arm forward inviting Raine to lead the way out of the round entryway.

As soon as she and Lucienne entered into Alora, Raine began to pace. Lucienne stood back and watched with both of her hands placed elegantly in front of her body. Raine mumbled and grumbled to herself like a woman scorned, continuing to tread the floors of the ship.

"Care for a glass of wine, Ms. Jackson?" Lucienne finally spoke up, unable to bear watching Raine spiral for much longer.

"I'll take the bottle." Raine huffed, situating herself on the nearest barstool against the bar.

"As you wish. Alora?" Lucienne spoke. Immediately following her command, Alora caused an opening on the bar in front of Raine where a bottle of sweet red wine and a single glass rose to meet her. Raine watched in awe as the countertop underneath the items closed up.

'Your wine, Ms. Jackson.' The robotic voice concluded. Lucienne moved to sit next to Raine, who was greedily filling her glass to the rim.

"Tell me what's on your mind." She said carefully.

"Nuh-uh. Don't come over here with your empathetic bullshit, Lucienne." Raine said between gulps of her beverage, conjuring a small laugh from the being.

"You may call me Luci." She smiled brightly. Raine scoffed.

"The fact that you want me to call you the nickname that Nova gave to you is crazy to me."

"It seems we've gotten off on the wrong foot. I'm sure Mistress Morningstar has told you a little bit about our past, er— relationship. I am also certain that she only told you what she thought you wanted to hear. Won't you allow me to give you every detail?"

"Maybe not every detail." Raine said as she skinned up her face. "But I would like to know the full story."

"We would have never worked. She and I were worlds apart and I was only her servant after all. Although we did fall in love with the construct of love being near one another, we were only in love with just that."

"Do you always speak in parables, or—?" Raine trailed off, confused as ever.

"The Queen and I were never in love with each other, Ms. Jackson. We were only in love with the idea that we could be loved. Since we shared that feeling, we had become connected. I will always care for and look after her... always. However, you needn't worry about a certain— how can I say— spark forming between us again. Empaths are destined to spend eternity alone. It is written in the Book of the Endless." Lucienne explained far too calmly. Raine began to feel lamented for her. Destined to spend eternity alone? That's got to sting.

"Well... that can't really be true, right?" She frowned.

"I'm afraid it is. Empaths are incapable of feeling love for another, and isn't it ironic? The Queen of Death only thought she was incapable of being loved. That's how our bond formed— trauma."

"Wow. I guess... I guess that makes sense." Raine paused, carefully processing what Lucienne had said. "Listen, Luci, I'm—"

"You need not apologise, my dear." Lucienne cut in with a warm smile.

"If what you're saying is true, why'd she feel the need to send you to her brother?"

"That was only upon my request. I realised how I was hurting her... she didn't know she could love and be loved but I did. I also knew that I wouldn't be able to reciprocate so, I left. For her sake."

"You do understand that you wouldn't have been able to come to that conclusion without feeling love, right?" At this, Lucienne grew still and quiet as she considered Raine's words. In the same manner, Raine lifted her bottle of wine and took it to the head until it was bone dry, slightly slamming it down with a flourish.

"Earlier, you began to tell me something about Nova. I think now's the perfect opportunity to finish."

"Right. Alora? Ears off, please." Lucienne commanded.

'Turning Ears off.' Alora obeyed.

"Is it that serious?" Raine cocked a skeptical eyebrow.

"You'll need to inject her." The Empath wasted no time.

"Wait— what?! What do you mean inject?" Choked a very flabbergasted Raine.

"She'll never take it willingly."

"Lucienne, what the fuck are you talking about?"

"It's called X. Basically, it will steal away all negative energy, negative emotions long enough for the period to pass. Long enough for her not to cause destruction."

"You want me to inject Nova with shit that will change her emotional chemical balances? Absolutely not. Furthermore, how the fuck am I supposed to stick a fucking needle into the fucking Queen without her knowledge of it?"

"You'd have to do it while she's asleep, of course."

"Man, hell nah." Raine threw her hands up and her head back for emphasis.

"Let's be rational about this, Raine—"

"Rationalize with my natural black ass, Lucienne. I'm not doing it, end of story."

"Do you want to know what happened the last time Lucifer threw one of her fits? It was modularity on a molecular scale that caused a shot which cataclysmically produced the atmosphere and all that surrounded it to actually shift."

"What... the fuck did you just say?"

"She caused a quake that was felt throughout the entire galaxy, Ms. Jackson. She is just that powerful."

"Wait, you don't mean—"

"I'm afraid I do. The Great Quake of '17."

"That was Nova? Jeez. I thought it was just another California earthquake until I saw it on the national news. It wasn't until weeks later when I learned it was on global news outlets as well."

"So, now do you see the importance of X?"

"I do. Tell me exactly what I must do."

Sprinter Nova nodded her head in determination as she looked between her unrecognizable brother and her unrecognizable... Obsidian. Their disguises were fool-proof and they had nine and forty hours to complete this mission and finally slay the enemies who killed Delirium.

"Let's go. No time to lose." Obsidian's unsurprisingly fitting Sprinter voice sounded before he took off in full sprint out of the tent. Morpheus shot his sister an annoyed look before they both took off after him.

"A warning would have been nice." Nova snarled as both she and Dream appeared on either side of Obsidian.

"What fun would that have been? How else am I supposed to keep you two on your toes?" Obsidian snickered as the trio continued running.

"You're nothing but a—"

"Teleute, please! Not now. Let's just make it to this encampment." Oneiros's gremlin-like Sprinter voice interrupted. Nova responded with a huff of air from her nose as they ran on.

"Just ahead, now. Follow my lead." Obsidian said as they came to a slow at an entry gate with 'Grimmstone' written across the arch of it.

"Grimmstone? I thought this place was a fairytale." Morpheus mumbled to himself.

Nova turned slowly, chills crawling down her long spine, to face the entity she never thought she'd see again... her father.

"Hello, Teleute." The gruff old man said with a condescending smile.

"Hello, father." Nova spit out as if the word were an insult.

"I see you became exactly what I thought you would become."

"I see you haven't changed your wicked ways a bit— exactly as I suspected."

"You still look like your mother." Obsidian smirked. After all this time, he still knew just how to press his daughter's buttons.

"Mention her again and I'll rip your tongue out faster than you can regret it." Nova took a step toward him.

"Enough. This isn't what you called us here for, is it, Obsidian?" Dream interrupted the banter with his deep, monotone voice.

"Well, no. I suppose I should cut to the chase. I found the beasts who slayed Delirium. They reside in this very land."

"You haven't killed them yet? Don't tell me you've gone soft. That's a long way coming from beating the hell out of mother." Nova replied sarcastically.

"You watch your tongue, girl. I never laid a finger on your mother!" Obsidian ironically pointed his fat index in Nova's face.

"News flash, you old bastard, mental abuse is the same as physical abuse— if not worse. You may as well have laid a finger on her!" She didn't skip a beat.

"I loved your mother!"

"Bull-shit!"

"Enough! You both are behaving like small children. Obsidian, do not make me regret answering your comm and Teleute, do not make me regret bringing you along." Morpheus rose his voice.

"Please. You would die out here without me and you know it." Nova scoffed, causing Dream's jaw to clench and a vain to rise in his forehead.

He knew she was right... that's the reason he summoned her to come along in the first place. Oneiros would never admit it, but he would be weak here without his sister by his side.

"Let's try a different approach, shall we?" Lucienne cut in. "Obsidian, where exactly are these beasts located?"

"Just a span outward from here. I've infiltrated their camp, disguising myself as a Sprinter to gain information. This has been a century's worth of research. I reached out to Oneiros as soon as I gathered enough information. No matter what, we cannot mess this up." He looked at Nova as he finished his sentence.

"You needn't worry about me. I know how to pretend, remember? What's your plan?"

"They finally trust me. I was thinking you both could disguise yourselves as Sprinters as well and I can introduce you to them. We take them down from the inside as quietly as possible."

"What are we up against here? What will happen if they don't go down quietly?"

"Well, let's just say they have friends— in Hundu and Freith."

"Fucking gods! You could not have led with that, couldn't you?" Nova threw her hands up in frustration. Hundu and Freith were two of the most dangerous and powerful lands that have ever been created. Only the worst of the worst reside in these lands— even Death wouldn't dare to travel there alone.

"Fuck's sake, keep your cool, Teleute! Not every piece of information deserves a hot reaction." Obsidian rose to Nova's level.

"Don't speak to her that way." Raine cut in firmly, glaring at the old man in utter disgust.

"And who might you be? Almost didn't realize you existed." Obsidian snarled with a wicked grin.

"You don't deserve to know who she is." Nova stepped in front of Raine protectively.

"Oh! So, this is love, is it?" Obsidian mocked, reaching his hand around his daughter and toward Raine.

"Fuck off. I'm warning you." Nova said in a deep, fiery tone as she smacked her father's hand down violently. There was a brief flicker of red in Obsidian's eyes before he raised his backhand and brought it viscerally across Nova's face.

"Obsidian! You've crossed the line." Morpheus barked.

"Nova! Are you okay?" Raine asked as she quickly pulled Nova away from her father. She was so stunned that she couldn't speak. After the initial shock had passed, Raine noticed a certain darkness in Morningstar's eyes that gave her an eerie feeling.

Nova looked over at the enemy with more hatred for him than she thought she could ever hold.

"After we find whomever was responsible for my little brother's killing... you'll be next." Lucifer's voice was calm and steady. Raine watched as the scratches Obsidian left on Nova's face slowly healed themselves.

"I feared this would happen again." Lucienne said quietly to herself. Nobody seemed to have heard her except for Raine, as Dream continued in his attempt to make peace between his sister and father.

"You feared what would happen again?" Raine asked curiously. Lucienne quickly grabbed Raine by her elbow and pulled her out of earshot of the others.

"You could've just asked me to follow you." Raine yanked her arm away from her as soon as they were far enough away.

"I've seen Her Majesty like this several times before. It always happens right before major destruction."

"What are you on about, Lucienne? Speak plainly." Raine said, annoyed. She knew she probably should give Lucienne a chance, but hers and Nova's history just kept looming in the back of her mind.

"I've known Mistress Morningstar for centuries. Every decade or so, she is destined it seems to cause— shall I say— a commotion. Her patterns are pretty much all the same and this... this is how it begins."

"What are you saying? What can I do to help?"

"I will tell you... but you won't like it."

"Just tell me. I can handle it."

"Ok. First, you must—"

"Raine. We're leaving." Nova called out to her, interrupting Lucienne at the entirely wrong time.

"Lucifer, you're acting on your emotional state. Use logic. What are we here for? We traveled this far on behalf of our brother. Keep that in mind." Once again, Dream stepped in as the voice of reason, causing Nova to pause and consider.

"He's crossed the line, Oneiros."

"Yes, he has. He will be dealt with later, but now... now we deal with the beasts who killed our little brother. Unfortunately, we need him for that. So, please, Teleute. Let's get this done." For the first time since she's been around, Raine saw a certain softness about Dream as he spoke.

She's seen it in Death, Desire, and now Dream... it makes her wonder just what's underneath the surface of the rest of the Endless.

"Alright. Let's do this." Nova declared with a new determination, earning a stiff nod of respect from her brother.

"Show us to your supply." Morpheus demanded as he turned toward Obsidian.

"Right this way, Your Fearlessness." Obsidian grinned with a mocking bow before leading all who would follow into his tent. From the outside, the tent was just a tent... but on the inside, it was a fully established living space. A full kitchen and eating area, a closed off sleeping space, a closed off restroom area, and every hi-tech security instrumentation anyone could imagine.

"I see you made it out just fine when you left your children to raise themselves." Nova threw another jab at her father as she looked around.

"You have one more time, girl." Obsidian squinted his eyes warningly in her direction.

"I'm terrified." Nova grinned, amused that some weak old man thought he could intimidate the Queen of Death.

"The disguises?" Dream asked plainly, placing everyone's focus back onto the mission.

"You'll have to drink a Helterjuice potion in order to transform into a Sprinter. The potion only lasts for ten hours at a time, so we must be swift. I will give you both the reverse potion in case you must transform back into your original selves before the Helterjuice wears off.

These people are not pretty. They're monsters... ghastly creatures. Be careful out there. Remember everything is not as it seems."

"Aw. Would you listen to him, Morpheus? It almost sounds like he cares." Nova teased, smiling in her brother's direction.

"We all know he doesn't." Oneiros kept his piercing glare fixed on his father. "Why are you appearing as if you cared? What's in this for you?"

"Information. I want to know the truth about Delirium's death same as you do."

"You know the truth about Delirium's death. YOU killed him! With your foolish plots! Having a child lay out your battle strategies..." Nova scoffed "you're weak. You have never been a man and I am ashamed to call you 'father'."

"Well, luckily for us both, you don't have to!" Obsidian boomed.

"Just what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Nova was taken aback. Obsidian let out a heavy sigh and put down his defenses.

"I really didn't want to have this conversation now because we are here for Delirium, but I am not your father, Teleute." He explained softly.

"Absurd!" Dream protested.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Lucifer asked, feeling as though she were beginning a very slow decent into a very dark spiraling hole.

"Your mother was in love with another man. His name was Olon of the Deep."

"The sea creature?" Nova exclaimed in disgust, rage, and confusion.

"'The sea creature'? Oh, my dear girl, he was not just the sea creature... he was King of the Maur Volcano reef."

"Hang on..."

"He was a great man, Teleute."

"Give me a moment..."

"He died with honour in the great Grave war."

"Can we take a beat?! Please!" Nova could hardly catch up with her breath. Raine placed a comforting hand on her lower back and began to rub small circles in it.

"You asshole! You treated my sister like shite—" Dream summoned his weapon, causing Lucienne to quickly grab his arm.

"Dream, no." Lucienne tried to stop him before he nudged her away.

"You treated my sister like shite because she isn't yours!? You will suffer!" Dream's eyes were glowing red and a tint of gold like his sand. He rose his weapon high over Obsidian's head and just as he was about to bring it down with all his strength—

"Stop! Dream, stop." Nova yelled.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way." Obsidian said emotionlessly.