When Phita had first received news that her house was going to war with their head of line; she summoned Evyette faster than one would take to strike a match to start a fire, Evyette who had been in her bath scrubbing her legs was transported suddenly to the time in history Phita had designated as her semi-permanent prison. 

The younger of the pair, now suddenly finding her soaked under the Egyptian sun, entirely nude and covered in soap suds scowled at her mother for the interruption; however was not given the chance to speak before she found herself colliding into the yet to be finished Pyramid (the monument in question would later go on to be called one of the great Pyramids of Giza) in retaliation she tried to launch herself back at her mother with all her might, yet as had always been the case failed to manage a single blow against the superior. Her mother’s laughs irritated Evyette, who had with all heart had wanted nothing more to silence the mocking, the glaring, the pointing, the snickers that the humans who fell under her mother’s direct protection gave her as she climbed out of the rumble of what was once a statue of her mother. None of the humans seemed at least the bit concerned that this fight had caused them even more work. ‘Anything for Ra’. Stalking back into the pharaohs palace where her mother resided, she stood in front of her mother. 

“I suppose you are wondering why I did this. Brought you here.” 

“I’d have to assume that one of our claimants prayed to you rather than me and now we’re here.” 

“Of the sort.” 

Phita waited for the handmaidens who sat to either side of her to approach Evyette with silks dipped in fragrant oils to clean up. Evyette bit her lip and clenched her fists as the two humans wiped her down and offered her a selection of white cloth to wrap herself in, she just wanted to burn them all and watch her mother suffer; and yet she knew that any attempt at attacking the humans under Phita’s protection would only result in her death and her treasure or rather granddaughter who was entirely unprepared to take her place on the mantle that was the house of fire and destruction. 

A wooden stool covered in gold was offered to Evyette who sat only once her mother gave her the go ahead, the stool was uncomfortable as hell and she wanted to ask for a cushion; but she knew doing that in front of her mother would only result in further injury and further humiliation at the hands of the Almighty Ra. A glass of amber coloured beer was offered to her, which she declined… all beer did was remind of her mother and the reign that had been considered almost impossible by most of the rest of the houses once, Evyette had never exactly understood how or why her mother had gotten away with bullying the rest of the houses, why they respected her so. None of it ever made sense. 

“So tell me, was a man really worth it for the sake of starting a war?”

“Ritunen is not his father’s slave. He should be free to do as he wishes-“

The bowl of dates was promptly dropped and rather than being seated Evyette once again found herself launched into the air, this time with her mother’s hands around her throat as they shot upwards towards the sun. She choked unable to take in oxygen as Phita flew further up, without the use of her flame Evyette wondered how it was even possible for either of them not to be falling to a painful death; another secret that her mother refused to reveal. Once they were past the clouds and up into space, her mother let her go and pushed her a certain distance away so that they could overlook the planet that all of the ancients agreed was the ‘mortal realm’. Phita gestured to the planet. 

“This realm, is the only one we have free influence over.” 

“We have the forge.” 

“It’s not the same, that is our home. This realm is where we Ancients make good on our words. Are you truly willing to fight Novevu here. This is not the forge where you have a natural advantage. Nor is it the Void.”  

Phita touched one of the balls of gas that the humans called the stars. The star trembled and glowed brighter as Phita shared some of her eternal flame with the orb. Evyette approached her mother wearily, her mother was when mad loud and boisterous but the fact her mother was calm meant that she was on another level… she gulped. Rubbing at her neck. 

“You are not me Evyette. You do not stand a chance against my grandfather.” 

“You don’t know that.” 

“You cannot beat me. How do you think you will beat him? You are not Alvax. You don’t have neither the charm nor the skill to talk your way out of this. You can’t apologise for what you’ve done to insult my grandfather. Unlike me, who can stand her ground and walk out of this alive. Novevu will only be satisfied with the death of you or the destruction of our house. Why would you put our children through that.” 

 Evyette opened her mouth to protest…

“You know when I put you in charge and left, I thought it would be for the betterment of the house; and for a time it was… now with this I might as well take back the house and you can be resigned to that of a treasure. You’ve not earned your place an ancient nor have you learnt any of the lessons I tried to teach you as a treasure.” 

Silence filled the space between them, but for Evyette the emotion of bitter hatred consumed her; her mother had no right to be so outrageously self righteous about this entire situation, seeing as a lot of the previous facts stated were entirely false. 

“At least I am not a coward. At least I am not afraid of Novevu.” 

They both returned to the palace, this time Phita led Evyette to a grand library where her mother began to look through the volumes of papyrus that she had. Evyette was partially curious as she was offered a comfier stool than the one she had been offered earlier by a servant who skittered out of the room in fear as soon as Evyette was gone, what a strange reaction? Perhaps it was because of her mother or maybe the servant was new and not used to be in the presence of their most important deity. Once Phita had finished rummaging around the place like a lunatic, she placed into Evyette's lap several scrolls that Evyette was supposed to read. Opening the first carefully she unfurled the scroll and waited for it to land before beginning to muse over the hieroglyphs. 

"I've never heard of these swords." 

"There are three, and honestly they might be the only way you can walk out of this alive. It's the only way to deter Novevu from doing anything." 

"Where are they?" 

"Who can say, Extius gave them to the humans and told the humans to hide them from us by whatever means possible. I've only ever encountered one and it disappeared shortly after. So I have no hope that you'll be able to find them in your time." 

"You're saying they still exist."

"All three of them and all of them are deadly. Especially with the secretive fourth." 

"Fourth?"

"It's currently in the possession of Alvax. He has never confirmed what it can and what it cannot do. It is why no one bothers trying to challenge him to a fight. We don't want to start a fight against someone and something that we can't be sure of."

Phita leant against her desk, there several unopened correspondence scrolls waited for her - she presumed that the contents revolved around landlords and somewhat literate slaves writing down their desires and begging her to see them made reality. As she waited for her daughter to formulate a plan, she snapped her fingers and asked for a glass of their finest wine, which once received she drunk eagerly. She knew that her words were particularly harsh but warranted especially because this was a massive screwup... one that she had never thought her own daughter would fall for. She shook her head as Evyette looked up, the younger female rolled up the scroll and placed it back where it belonged; reading each in turn and returning them before kneeling. 

"Whatever are you kneeling for."

"I beg you for a battle blessing." 

Phita snapped her fingers, as she was partially consumed by her true flame; she dabbed her daughter gently between the eyes for foresight and wisdom, her ears and then her daughter's shoulders and heart. Once that was done, Evyette rose and could not help but consume Phita in a hug that was as tight as one of Florita's on a bad day. With that Evyette disappeared and Phita sighed... she had no idea if the quest for the swords was worth anything, but she supposed that she needed to give her daughter some kind of path to surviving the war that was to come. She sipped at her wine and shut her eyes, remembering all that was and all that was about to be. 

"I hope you know what you're doing." Echowix's words seemed to echo in her mind. 

"I hope so too..." 

“I miss you more than life.”

Stasia touched the statuette, rather than a replica of her younger sister. The older Noba sister had opted for Verin to buried in the Vortex, with a wolf cub sitting vigilantly over the grave site. She traced her wrist, where a new scar was hidden by a bandage; Noxvon hadn’t understood why she had tried to kill herself when he found her in her studio… her soul about to fly away to the Void. Eviax had been called, and Stasia had sat numb as the life treasure healed the wound, or at least most of it until there was but a faint reminder of the event. 

No one had told DeVian, not even she had. She kicked at the dirt and watched as the dust settled… in the background she could hear the soft repetitive chime of the carnival. She could go there, hop on a ride and be lost to oblivion. A new set of heavier footsteps approached, she didn’t have to turn to know it was the Darkness Ancient himself come to visit. 

“Your sorrow, despite being silent. Is loud enough to wake the dead.” 

“Then why won’t it wake Verin up.” 

“Her soul has flown.” 

“Soul? Ha.” She choked “You said so yourself. There was nothing left, no soul to collect. My sister might as well not have existed.” 

“Do not insult her memory.” Xainayne warned 

Instead of a laugh like she had intended, she let out a sob; the type that Xainayne knew well: an almost sickly forbidden type, not even a mother losing a child could compare to the type of sound that Stasia let out. He reached out but was instead slapped away; he would normally have hit back but instead pocketed his hand back in his cloak. 

Stasia soothed herself, she had gotten so used to the action it was almost comedic; at least for Xainayne… he was the Ancient of mania and fear after all… his best friend Novevu despite the grace he gave off was the Ancient of true pain. Or at least, DeVian was now… he wondered if DeVian could hear her soulmate; or was the woman too busy saving the world to care?

“Stop thinking, it will stop the pain. The feelings.”

“If I wanted advice. I’d have asked Quinnox.” 

“He will get you drunk. High. But he will let not listen nor talk to you.” 

That caused Stasia to crack a smile, good. At least she was capable. Now it was time to get to business; without so much as caring if Gahbreal would come after his own Ancient; Xainayne grabbed a hold of Stasia and whisked them both off to the mouth of the Void. He did not stop there, rather he shoved her until she toppled off the cliff and was forced to cling for her life with her hands. 

“You wanted to die? Want to be with your sister so bad. Then let go and die. You fucking idiot. If you die, which I suppose I am helping with that, then all of this…” 

He waved his arms, suddenly they were not at  edge of the world but in a lush field of green, with a bright blue sky and birds singing on the breeze. Stasia huffed.

“Would be for nothing. Did you for a second think of the consequences.” 

Now they were on a raft with a ginormous wave coming towards them, Stasia contemplated jumping off of the raft and swimming away.

“Would be for naught. Your past life Lucas. Died, once a hundred years ago and do you know what happened?” 

“Amarjeet nearly killed us all?” 

“Bah. No. She nearly returned this place to the way Extius intended.” 

Stasia sat up just as they were in the middle of the woods, a deer was being devoured by a pack of wolves.  She couldn’t help but stare. 

“Amarjeet, lost the love of her life. She let go. Verin like Lucas was the air she breathed and the water she craved at the end of a long day.” 

He slapped her so she would pay attention. 

“You have DeVian. You are not alone in this world. Do not let this be a repeat of history. I cannot watch it again. I cannot hear her scream for you.” 

Finally Stasia shoved back, she screamed. She punched, kicked and maybe if she had a blade she would have ripped his heart out and put it on display - Eviax had taken her scissors away. 

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW.” 

He did not respond.

“I AM SO SICK OF BEING THIS.” 

Now they were in a busy market, humans went past them; going about their day… all of them talking about the events in Europe. None of them could see either the Ancient or Stasia. 

“Look at them. They live life once. You have had the luxury of being amongst them before they called themselves human.” 

“Why are you doing this.” 

“Because if I don’t. It will be like every single time I failed Novevu. He should not have died. Just like how in your heart you know that if you died now; DeVian, Rene, Qrow… would not feel anything but utter failure.” 

He paused for dramatic effect, as was in his nature before continuing 

“I understand what it is. To lose someone you hold so dearly. But I also know that your sister would not want you to suffer like this.” 

Now they were at the peak of Everest.

“Not have wanted you to lose your way. To want to kill yourself. No.” 

This time it was his turn to be thrown off a cliff. Unfortunately for Stasia this would not be the end of their trip. Because the next thing she knew she was in her studio where Noxvon had found her. But rather than cleaned up it was like Xainayne had frozen her attempt in time and now she was looking at her corpse. 

“DeVian was on her way home to you. She would have found you like this. Yes you left a note but that would not have sufficed.” 

Noxvon had told Stasia later that once she was stable, Xainayne had sent Ritunen in to be a distraction so that they could be sure Stasia would survive the night. Ritunen had visited later and had in the simplest and nicest way possible: ‘do that again and death won’t be your out.’ And to prove a point he dug his nails into her and allowed some of his power over fungi to manifest; she felt like she was being eaten alive, Gahbreal had to pull him back and had to ask Vetani to reverse whatever it was Rit had tried to start. 

When Stasia finally had the nerve to ask Rit if he had told DeVian, the Sytagen laughed and said even Stasia didn’t deserve the satisfaction of knowing what DeVian’s reaction would have been… knowing she had left DeVian to fend for herself. Rit then left. 

Stasia couldn’t even look at Gahbreal, when he handed her the hand written letter… the words were smudged on account of her own tears, she had been out of her mind high on painkillers. 

“I suppose you did not think the blade would be enough. Four bottles. Really? Even I could have told you that was not going to work.” 

“Do you hate me?” 

“No. Katze. I cannot hate my own child. Not when they are in so much pain.” 

She read the note, her writing was a mess… and in a mess of English, Portuguese and Japanese. She could barely even decipher what she had been trying to say in Japanese. 

My love, 

I cannot apologise for the scene you see here. I cannot know how it is you would react though I can be certain that you will pass out only to rise furious at me. For this. My worst infraction over the many hundreds of years we have walked this realm and many others together. 

I thought I should have died in battle… that way at least you can direct your anger elsewhere but instead you can only be angry at me. For this. 

I cannot really explain why this was justified. I cannot precisely elaborate on why I made such a decision. When Verin died I feel like I finally partially understood how Amarjeet must have felt finding Lucas in fifty pieces at their front door. I suppose this is a slightly more graceful death, if suicide is ever graceful. Normally suicide is attributed to those who forget their purpose. Those who have lost their way; I think maybe I lost myself too.

I understand how and why you might think you might have been too late. Our lives seem to have that in common; we are always just a second too late to save the other. But despite this you should not blame yourself; you have Ritunen, you can be happy again. I understand that the bond that he and you share is not the same ours but one could argue that perhaps if given the chance to… it could blossom and be so much more. 

Stasia wiped at her eyes, Xainayne didn’t think Stasia had the right to cry over this… to pity this. He rolled his eyes as she kept reading. 

I love you, more than you know and I know that this pain will never in a million years be describable and you may never quite heal. Not as you would normally; but at least this time there will be no waking up to find yourself in a new body or time. 

I think it is funny that despite being the thief that can steal minds that I could not steal my own. Could not save my own from utter fucking collapse.  

Stasia stopped and began ripping the paper into bits until there was a pile of confetti left at her feet; in her haste she hadn’t realised she had cut herself so many times. She looked at Xainayne now, he offered her his hand which she took nervously, wondering what else the Darkness Ancient had in store for the two of them, she had expected to be thrown into a volcano but instead they found themselves in the bedroom that DeVian and Stasia shared, DeVian was deep in sleep gripping onto a pillow that was wrapped firmly with one of Stasia's dress shirts, Xainayne pushed her towards the bed and nodded. Stasia was unsure of herself as she moved towards the bed, she looked back only to see that Xainanye had faded into the shadows, taking off her outer clothing, she walked into their shared wardrobe and grabbed one of her stretched out band shirts – a reminder from the time they had attended their first music festival, when they were soaked in the rain and they complained about their mascara, when they both ate those shitty tacos and promised they would make something better at home. She turned on her ankle wanting to return to the bed but instead found herself looking at each of the random items of clothing. 

The pair of converse she had worn to see DeVian after so much time apart, the same pair that Marjorie did not approve of. 

The wedding dress that DeVian had decided not to wear after all. She wore a different dress that Stasia would have never had thought to pick out. 

Their rings, oh their precious rings crafted so lovingly by Nier, that neither dared to wear unless they were on vacation together, or at home. Stasia slipped hers off and placed it next to DeVian's, the rings chimed in recognition and she could hear DeVian let out a breath, finally slumbering peacefully knowing that her other half was home. 

The flower crowns that they had made each other when they went to visit Najya's village. 

She continued walking through and picking things up, examining them and the memories that came attached, stopped herself from opening the cabinet where DeVian and Stasia stored their respective weapons, she knew that Eviax had returned her scissors and that they were there waiting... she shook her head and picked up a silk scarf from Turkey, the same one that was slightly charred after they had escaped from a mission. Folding it back up so that the charred edges were hidden she placed them back with the other assortment of things that they never wore but chose to keep as a reminder... she collected the pair of stilettos that DeVian wore day-to-day and quickly polished them before returning them to their spot amongst the many other identical pairs.

She opened the drawer with the hair pieces from their Japanese tea ceremony before the wedding, her own was a tortoiseshell; when Nier had first approached them before the wedding and before the ceremony asking about what each thought the other liked, Stasia had barely been able to answer. Nier had laughed and gone 'oh it's alright, I will figure it out on my own then. DeVian couldn't tell me either. I will be back.' she undid the bun that her hair was in and turned this time for the bathroom. 

DeVian woke up, rubbing her eyes and blinked, the sound of a Koto playing in the distance had not gone unnoticed by the impromptu Death Ancient, the sound was familiar reverberating in her mind as she realised it was the same song that Stasia played at their wedding reception, sitting up she reached for her robe and began to walk towards the source of the sound, she came to an abrupt stop at the door as she watched Stasia in her Shiromuki. When Stasia had pulled out her Koto at the wedding, DeVian had not expected for Stasia to have composed a ballad, it lasted a full hour but no one had stopped Stasia from playing it to it's completion; from what DeVian could recall, Stasia was about at the end – the white haired woman had explained much later during their honeymoon that the song was a collection of all of the memories she had of DeVian throughout their lives and all of the marriages they had gone through, ceremonies, gifts, honeymoons and that it was just the culmination of a very long heartfelt journey. 

Stasia continued to pluck at the cords, her mind was focused on just playing the song as she did all of those years ago, focused on the feeling of that moment and returning to that moment. She looked up as DeVian entered and sat down on the bamboo mat, picking up the pot of tea that Stasia had made before she started playing, the liquid inside was now the perfect temperature for sipping, she watched as her spouse sniffed; as though trying to determine what type of tea Stasia had decided to make, the signature matcha from the Noba estates – another detail from their wedding. DeVian poured them both a cup and sipped at it, listening to the music lilt and become higher, this part signified the mourning of Amarjeet for Lucas... 

The two women sat next to each other on the couch, watching the fireplace. DeVian had noticed the scar on Stasia's wrist - but had decided not to ask, in case Stasia didn't want to talk about it, but also primarily because DeVian wanted her wife to open up and tell her what was on her mind. Leaning into each other they watched the flames flicker to and from, so peaceful and so eternal. 

"I tried to die." 

Stasia had thought DeVian would be furious, that she would be thrown out. Instead DeVian reached for that same incriminating wrist and rubbed the scar, it stung a bit and it made Stasia cringe to no avail but DeVian kept at it, as though she hoped her touch would be enough to erase whatever type of darkness had consumed her soulmate to do something so drastic. 

"You know, I felt it." 

This was new. 

"When someone dies, I can feel it. I felt you cut your wrist." 

"I"

"There is no need to say anything, do not say anything. I only wish you had used something that would not have left such an ugly scar." 

Noxvon had gone on DeVian's order to stop Stasia. She would have gone herself but she didn't think she'd be able to save her spouse, all of these powers that she had now gained as an Ancient terrified her... and she hadn't wanted her new powers to kill Stasia. She kissed the scar and wished it would go away. Yes, she had been disappointed and she had wanted to strangle Stasia for doing something, but when Noxvon had returned promising Stasia's soul had remained and not flown like she had feared she had decided she needed to sleep. So she did, she hadn't even realised that Stasia had returned home, until her own ring chimed when reunited with its sister. Now they sat here, watching the fireplace. 

"Do you hate me." 

"I have long since forgotten what it means to hate. Do I hate you nearly died? Yes. Do I hate you for making that choice. No." 

Ritunen stepped into the room, at first he wanted to crack a joke instead however he coughed so they could hear him. Stasia turned her head as he held up the two bags of plastic, the faint scent of really trashy, backwater Chinese food filled Stasia's nostrils. She cringed as DeVian got up and pulled her along, no one cared to grab the pretty set of crockery, no one cared about eating with plastic forks. The three sat there at the table, Ritunen stabbing at pieces of sweet n sour pork, DeVian was busy trying to sneak one of Stasia's pork dumplings, the only thing that was really out of place were the mugs filled near to brim with wine for all three. Ritunen looked over Stasia, he did not trust the electricity Aikekunai but did not want to start a fight that he knew DeVian would win if things came down to it. 

"Why the hell is Chinese our default trash food night thing." 

"Because if I remember distinctly. We all said that if we had to give Dev a night off. Chinese would be it." 

"Also because it's the easiest to get drunk too. Flavours work." 

"Hopefully they remembered the fortune cookies." 

This caused the trio to laugh at that, all three lifted up their mugs and saluted each other before each taking another large gulp of the crimson liquid. Ritunen waited till they were nearly both finished before he pointed his fork at Stasia. 

"Glad you survived? Cause otherwise tonight would be different." 

Stasia did not need to respond. 

"Good. Lesson learnt. Now. Please tell me one of you went to the store and got that salty caramel stuff." 

"You realise you have money and a wallet." Stasia chided 

"Yeah but you both do it so much better." 

Another round of snickers as they tossed the rest into the trash, popped open another bottle, grabbed their three tubs of ice cream each labelled for their own person and strolled into the massive home cinema, Ritunen fluffed the blankets as Stasia lit the candles; DeVian off to check her emails and pick a film for the three to view, the blonde and brunette worked side by side, one checking the popcorn and the other making sure that everything else was in order so that by the time DeVian was back, both were on either side of the massive able to fit twenty people couch, that gave DeVian and whoever she wanted to cuddle with plenty of space as the film played in the background. 

They woke to a phone ringing somewhere in the distance, all three splayed out in random positions on the couch, Ritunen cursed whoever was calling and got up to ruin someone else day, as he started cleaning up he looked at the two sleeping women, DeVian had a firm grip around Stasia's waist whilst Stasia was seemingly drowning in the woman's hair, they might as well have been dead to the world for how deep in sleep they were. By the time he had dealt with an insufferable human, carried them both to their bed and cleaned the house, he started on breakfast. 

"How was she last night?" 

"She is stronger than you think Xainayne. She won't abandon DeVian. Besides. I would not survive." 

The Darkness Ancient sat on the bench as Ritunen cut up various fruits, putting each into a glass bowl whilst waiting for the bacon to fry. Unlike the two he called his life partners who slept for hours on end, Ritunen was not as much a fan of wasting the mornings as they were and he barely gave Xainayne a backwards glance as he walked up the stair with two seperate trays of breakfast in tow, the Darkness Ancient disappeared soon after knowing that he was no longer needed and that with all three back together, nothing was going to happen. 

"Morning loves." 

"What time is it?"

"Three minutes past eleven. Sit up. Breakfast is here." 

Untangling themselves and sitting on either side of the bed so that there was just enough space for Ritunen to sit in the middle, Stasia bit into her fruit and sighed, DeVian on the other hand poked suspiciously at the bacon. 

"You know I can cook." 

"You do it so rarely that I have to make sure you're not trying to murder me." 

"Ouch, and I cooked last week thank you." he sassed back