Chapter 141: Chapter 140: Killing Time Before Picking Up The Kids

Carl left once more, passing on Lillim’s request to have Bahamut sent to the hospital and continued to make himself some lunch.

[ GROUP MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM KLAIRE : CARL, THIS ROOM NEEDS A BATH CAN YOU COME MAKE US ONE? ]

[ GROUP MESSAGE SENT FROM CARL : HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK I AM? YOU HAVE YOUR OWN DIVINITY AND ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM. ]

[ GROUP MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM KYUBI : PLEASE JOIN US CARL… ]

[ GROUP MESSAGE SENT FROM CARL : SORRY GIRLS, I’M NOT THERE YET… ]

[ GROUP MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM KYUBI : OKAY SWEETIE, BUT WHEN YOU’RE READY YOU NEED TO MAKE IT UP TO US. ]

[ SIS MESSAGE RECEIVED : BROTHER FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! PLEASE DON’T FORGET I CAN’T COMPLETELY IGNORE EVERY SINGLE MESSAGE THAT COMES THROUGH!!! ]

’Hey, don’t blame me Sis, that was all them.’

’I told them too, don’t worry. Geez bro, you need to get a sense of decency, scratch that a family pack of it.’

’Wow, maybe you should hit the new bar and see if you never leak any messages at me. Anyway, I really am sorry, I should have told them not to send any messages like that.’

After that Sis didn’t reply, so Carl finally made some lunch and then took it with him as he asked felt out for his bond with Aegis to know where to open a portal to.

As he stepped through, he found himself at Alysse’s.

“How’s it going Alysse? guys?”

“Good, this sun-blocking nanite cream you made is insane, you know it also healed some of their surface injuries, right?”

“No, I didn’t, but shut up a sec. How do you feel about your new project?”

“You mean “operation: cluttered space”? You certainly like to keep me busy, but I like being kept busy, so I feel good about it.”

“Alysse, how you feeling in general?”

“Honestly, pretty gutted when you first took Kyubi. I get why, but there’s no such thing as a painless rejection.”

“Yeah, that’s what I figured. I want you to know though, even Kyubi couldn’t tempt me, I had to change how I think with the laws to do it.”

“Carl, appreciate it but like I said, I get it. Kyubi genuinely seems to love you both, I just think you’re both hot. I’m jealous that I wasn’t wired with the lovey-dovey stuff, but I’m not and it can’t be helped, so I’ll just fantasise about the three of you.”

“Err, wow, that’s some great personal growth Alysse.”

Alysse missed the sarcasm and nodded cheerily, then redirected the conversation, asking Carl what actually brought him here.

“We’re going on a trip, wanted to know if you need anything before I go.”

“Yeah, Sophie mentioned it, sounds gross and outdoorsy. I’m good, I’ve been studying new nanites you brought me and managed to replicate them, right now I’m drawing up plans that Leanna asked for… Well, not right now, right now is inspection time on the vampires.”

“Speaking off, you never told me how you guys are doing.”

The vampires all looked at each other then at him. “Do you have any idea how to treat a prisoner?” Narcissus finally said.

“Well, no, I don’t. I figured I’d give you an inch, Aegis is going to report to me every week, if it’s good I’ll give you another. Every time it’s bad I’ll take one, ever gets to zero and I’ll accept defeat and kill you.”

“Well, it sounds reasonable… I can only imagine it must be your idea of what an inch in terms of life means.”

“Well I figured it’s the daily necessities.”

“Yes, but you do realise, the floor is as good a place to sleep as any.”

“How the hell can you do good work if your backs all messed up?”

“Okay, I guess, I get the feeling you’ve thought about it more than we believed.”

Narcissus pinched his chin and tilted his head to one side and Carl asked them why they seem so intent on being treated like crap and got the answer he expected.

“Look guys if you want to pay for all the things you did as a slave, then just be ready to help me help the other slaves of Margo’s game.”

“The other… You mean you’re going after the villains? You must be insane to challenge them, Father was one thing and you only achieved that by becoming a devoted conduit. The others are a different story and you can’t play that card indefinitely.”

“No, I’m actually taking a neutral stance, but they aren’t going to sit idle forever. The only ones I have a bone to pick with are Samael and Amaterasu.”

“So, Grandfather and our arch-enemy.”

“I guess, I owe Samael a punch for betraying Eckro and Amaterasu asked me to stop her a long time ago.”

Carl changed the subject and then asked what he had actually come to ask. He wanted to know if there was anywhere on earth that Walter was particularly attached to, after considering it, Carl had decided that finding walter would be the easiest way to get the rest of the vampires under control.

Narcissus mentioned a few places Walter had mentioned before the game had begun, but they were all places that were vague to say the least and would not be easy to find a powerful vampire trying to hide.

Mountain ranges, countries that no longer existed and places no one had ever heard of at all.

The only real clue he had was that Gaia was the one to hand over the land.

“I’ll go ask Gaia if any of these places sound familiar, If there’s one place that doesn’t, that’s a good sign that he’s there and she forgot due to their deal.”

“Good plan. I don’t have any right, but if you do get a lead, can I come with you? Walter was my mentor once, I need to apologise for not heeding his teachings at the least.”

“Sure, I’ll have you sent over.”

Narcissus nodded then Carl looked at Alysse’s viewing screen.

Friday 7th November 1111 P.I.D 13.17

Since it was still early, Carl decided to test his portal skills and head over to his hometown.

He managed it and gave himself a pat on the back, freezing when he realised.

’Have I ever actually praised myself before. Wow, this “taking it easy” thing is better than I expected.’

“You seem chipper.”

“Hey Gaia…” Carl realised what he had just said and looked about. “…What brings you here? Do you just hang out here now?”

“No, but I stay alert to this area, Rhea would never forgive me if I missed you visiting.”

Carl chuckled, then explained everything that had happened since his last visit, up to and including the discussion shortly before with Narcissus. Unfortunately, Gaia knew all three locations and couldn’t narrow it down at all.

Gaia then asked how it was going with the girls and chuckled when he updated her on that situation.

“I’m happy, she deserves some joy after all the hardship. Do you know what the worst part of immortality is? You should probably be aware…”

“What?”

“When something rips out the core of all you know, the foundation for countless years of life, it is a wound that never heals and a pain without end. It is so rare for us to get the second lease that you’ve given Kyubi it is practically unprecedented.

Carl, I know you are unhappy with being forced into the role of “hero” and the weight of being such a figure must be crushing, but I want you to know you are my hero at the very least.

You have made immortality seem like far less of a curse in the short time I’ve known you, healing Kyubi, Lillim, Faylorna and myself.”

“I’m sorry? Kyubi, I get, by you I can assume Rhea but I’m not sure about the other two.”

“It may surprise you to learn that Lillim carries considerable guilt, the massacre she staged is legendary, but helping to nurture your growth has eased that to some extent. Faylorna on the other hand, you forced her to open herself up to the idea of change. Even if it was pure coincidence, you were the catalyst for it.”

“Gaia, do you know what? The thing about change, is that it happens regardless, If I hadn’t come along something else would have.”

“Well you would know, Mr. Law of Change.” Gaia laughed, before turning abruptly melancholy and scooping Rhea up in her arms. “You know Carl, my children despised me, my grandchildren locked me in Tartarus with them and then we broke out and all the bridges burned. You gave me a chance to be a mother, I would say again but… Anyway, I won’t let you diminish what you’ve done for me Carl.”

“I-I appreciate that Gaia. I hope I can convince myself I deserve it.”

“I hope you can too, that self-worth will be a powerful shield Carl, don’t make me break little Rhea’s heart telling them something happened to you.”

Carl looked at Rhea, the androgynous child staring back with a sense of distant admiration, he walked over and ran a hand through Rhea’s earthy hair. “Look after Mommy and try not to worry about me, okay? I’m just a stranger, you should put the woman raising you first.”

Rhea nodded, then nuzzled into Gaia. “Now, now, Rhea… All love must be earned, even a child’s for their mother, don’t act it just because he tells you when I want the joy of earning it.”

“How could I of all people forget that? My Mum Leanna told me the same thing when I first met her. Well, I’m going to head back, did you two want to come and see our home?”

“I suppose a visit would be nice, little Rhea will be thrilled to see his friends.”

“Cool, they’re at school right now, but I’ll be picking them up soon enough. You can meet my youngest Raziel.”

“A celestial? Who gave the material, or was it the same feathers you used in Tiamutael?”

“Lasael, he was quite helpful.”

“Ha! Helpful is a perspective offered by half-truths and undiscovered schemes. The angel wishes to use you, I have no doubt of that, but I’ll trust Kyubi control the situation.”

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