Chapter 223: Chapter 222: Generations

“Why did I make this so complicated?”

“You said, “I created the humans to show you that you could change, you chose to look down on them, make me human so I can show you how foolish you were”. After that, you saw our unborn daughter and told me she would be the example of what could be achieved by an immortal, if they were raised away from the sense of self-entitlement we were plagued by.”

“So what do you mean by reached this stage?”

“You said if you ever came here, you would need the paradoxical energy accumulated by the others to return to your original form. That’s why they gather, but it seems the plan has changed.”

“It has, I can’t even begin to fathom why I expected to come here and why make simply learning the law of Death the trigger?”

“A failsafe, if you learnt the law of Death and the sub-routine activated instantly, it’s because of one of several hundred issues arising. From our discussion though, it sounds like I failed completely and they likely all occurred.”

“Not all, the companions you had prepared all found me and all recently ascended to immortality. Though Remus died four centuries ago, it seems he modified the blessing to choose its own champion in the eventuality.”

Ishtar looked into the middle distance, her face slowly scrunching in response to something. When Carl asked what the expression was for, she explained that the gate was opening and Carl laughed.

“Like I said, my kids are unstoppable when they decide to do something…” Carl smiled, then sighed. “…I hate you, but do you have any words for your daughter?”

“Tell her to be better than us and when you get to the workshop, there is a book addressed to the twins. It explains everything that happened an-”

“She already has it, but who is her twin?”

“You. You aren’t my blood, but you were born together and the only thing she has in the world. It tells her to honour anything she creates and lean on the bonds she forms, as well as the truth about Nergal, who I guess she knows already.

Tell Kyubi I’m sorry as well, she reminded me of the fox-spirit I saw in Kur all those years ago and told Tsukuyomi to see her well tended. He not only failed, but he then let her entire race die.”

“Well, he had been killed by Amaterasu in front of her while it was happening, I have to go and fulfill my promise to her soon.”

“Your promise?”

“She asked me to tell her when she was being scary and she certainly scared my fiancé.”

“I’m beginning to think your memory is fine but simply selective.”

“Maybe. There’s a new plan by the way. I’m going to save everyone, right every wrong and after that, me and my family are leaving for a realm entirely separate to make our home. After that, you can all do whatever you want, you can make it a paradise or hellscape as you see fit.”

Ishtar clicked her tongue at Carl’s casual tone, the grand declaration he had made ringing hollow to her ears after the countless failures she endured in her life. “How exactly do you intend to right all wrongs, when you refuse to even remember them?”

“First, Gilgamesh dies. He and the committee have committed far too many crimes to simply be forgotten. Any who seek atonement will be given the opportunity, but they will be contracted to only act to the betterment of the species they betrayed.

Then I’m going to deal with Margo and figure out what my boy is planning, I need to know how much of a hiding future me needs to give him. As for what happens to Margo, that’s for his daughter to decide and wife to decide.

Mobius has a debt to pay, Amaterasu I have no idea, Dracula is down already, the prophet I’ve heard about has stayed mostly out of reach and Pandora hasn’t done anything because of Cronus.”

“That’s strange, the situation should have been much worse…” Ishtar pinched her chin to think about it, but Carl waved it away.

“Don’t. My boy dragged me out of the time maelstrom seven years sooner than Margo expected me to arrive. Out of curiosity, if I’m not your child, why do I suffer inversion?”

Ishtar’s lips parted, a moment of hesitation passing almost unnoticed before she continued. “…If I had to guess, it’s the human mind your vessel was created with. Your lack of clear memory likely left you in a state of flux, your human self and original self fighting for dominance.”

“Fair enough, I guess seeing that they both wanted the same thing in the en-…” As Carl was speaking, the gate suddenly opened and a few seconds later, the door swung open with a level of brute force. “…Ki-ko, Tiamutael, Raziel. You’re in big trouble, there’s no way you got permission to do this.”

At her limit Kitsunoko immediately forgot of the perceived dangers of entering and charged in at top speed, earning a playful chop to the head as Carl scooped her up. “You’re such an idiot Dad! We were all so scared!”

As her tears saturated his top, he kissed her head and squeezed her. “I’m so sorry. Daddy was an idiot, but you just ran in after me and that wasn’t much better.”

“At least I left the door open and had a way out!”

“Tiamutael, Raziel, come on in you two. Anyone else you roped into it as well.”

A few seconds later, Ishtar almost imploded. Recognising the face of the daughter she never saw in person immediately.

“Okay kids, I didn’t expect that one, we best keep the gate guarded. Sis, thank you for helping them get to me, I thought I felt you suddenly pushing against the sub-routine. Err, okay, so Sis meet Ishtar…”

Sis ran over and immediately slapped him. “First you go and get yourself sent to the afterlife, then you go and introduce me to our mum like she’s one of the refugees we took in? I love you, but you are the stupidest big brother in the world!”

“Your Mum, I already know I’m the reincarnated law of Divinity and even if I wasn’t, two mums are plenty.” Sis didn’t answer, just looked at Ishtar, then asked for some privacy.

As he went over to the entrance with the kids to honour her request, Raziel looked around. “Dad, I don’t get it, I produce far more paradox energy than this and so do you. So I’m not sure how something leaving was supposed to end everything. By the way, Tiamutael beat up Nergal because of you.”

“Good boy, Tiamutael. You took your anger out on someone that deserved it. Now out of curiosity, why would you join Margo?”

“Ki-ko talked me into it while Raziel wasn’t around to stop her?”

“Hey! Don’t blame me!”

“Hey you two, stop arguing, we just got Dad back.”

Carl smiled then grabbed them all and almost crushed the life out of them with how strongly he held them. “You three didn’t really think I’d leave you, did you? I just trusted my two delinquents to drag my little angel into a rescue mission. We’re family, we always help each other.”

“Dad, try all you like, but Mums and the others are probably sending you back here properly.”

“Yeah, I know, but I can’t message them. I don’t have a system anymore, so I just had to trust my family and when I saw Ki-ko standing strong, I knew she had a plan. I also couldn’t get through to any of you or the others with telepathy because you were too busy panicking.”

Suddenly Sis slapped Ishtar and got all of their attention, but as they turned to look, Sis pushed them all through. “Mum! Close the damn door behind us! Tiamutael, you grab Nergal and get him to close the gate.”

“You sure? we could bring her with us, Sis.”

“Yes, she can stay put until we’ve cleaned up their mess. I can’t just forgive her for everything I read about. How she let Nergal take the blame and be the villain, then let her husband and friends do the same thing. I’m not sure I can ever forgive it, but I definitely can’t whilst the consequences are staring me in the face.”

“I’m to blame too though, I’ll face my punishment when it’s time.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. You weren’t even aware of anything until the end, when there were enough dead immortals producing paradox energy to bridge the gap between your extra-existential realm and what the laws had made.”

“Why is it that whether I’m human or the origin of all things, I have trouble maker kids, ones that go along with it and one that tries to let me know when the others are acting up?”

“Not quite sure what you mean.” Sis laughed as Nergal appeared in front of them and began to panic.

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