Ever had six minutes to decide something? What if that something was to lead this world towards early destruction or let everything play out? No… Well… I do.

It takes six minutes for the brain to begin to die after the heart stops. And I had less with every second that passed. Rem rushed in a blinding fury towards the scene in front of us. In her eyes, I no longer was a concern.

Though Loki’s body hit the floor before she got to him. Oswald saw red too. Zephier grew larger than I had ever seen her be. She picked him up, running towards Loki. Thea turned to me to make sure I was alright.

Out of the family, she was the only one who had a leveled head. Alijah had gone behind Rem, leaving Luna with Leo, who was shocked. Though he was making sure Luna couldn’t see what was happening. Tears were coming from the young pup’s eyes.

Caden had stayed with us, too. Lola was in his arms, terrified. Thea’s words were all muffled. I had fucked up big. I didn’t know what I was dealing with. Without knowing, I would have to… In less than a minute, Alistair’s head rolled, thanks to Rem.

All chaos was about to break loose, and I would die in less time than I thought. Though the shock was making me sluggish. It was hard to think. That dream hadn’t been about the god at all. Or maybe it had been. I was too stunned to think straight.

Having seen Loki’s heart out of his body sickened me to my core. Oswald ran to Loki, picking him up in his arms before calling for his brother. The broken tone of his voice caused me to grab onto my brooch.

Ripping it off my dress, my breathing was unsteady.

Why… Why did this have to happen? I thought… everything was going to be fine. Fuck! Move!

I threw the brooch to the side, triggering my body to glow. Before I realized it, it was blinding.

This world doesn’t deserve to exist as it is! Not if it kills those two! So, move! Correct it!

Just like my mother said, the world turned on the prince who had killed his brother in a moment of madness.

A moment of madness… That alone made no sense.

Alistair was a man who was hurt.

But why did he break now out of all times?

There had to be a reason, and it all started the night Jin and Oliver attacked. Why it was, though, was the crucial question without an answer. Either way, I would be the one to change everything. Rewriting the past was a thing that should never happen. Yet it had to.

The world would end either way if things continued the way they were. And if it was, I rather have them alive than dead, to see it burn. This was a selfish desire. Yet… I didn’t want to die.

Yes, as long as we’re alive, that’s all that matters. Alistair, Loki, and Oswald must be alive for any of this to be acceptable. Otherwise, I’ll rewrite the past as many times as needed. Even if the world shatters!

Back when the prophecy was read, Alistair lived through it, yet Rem wasn’t present. No, Vera would’ve been the one here with Loki and Oswald.

Or was the hybrid there, too? And it just played out differently? Was this god after Fenrir or…? After something else? Elias? Could a god be after him?

It never crossed my mind.

How could I have been so wrong?

I mean, the cult was after Rem’s happiness because she killed Edna. But the reason they targeted Loki and Oswald could’ve been because of the god’s whims. In an instance time froze, stopping everything and everyone around me.

That doesn’t matter anymore. We’re fucked, no matter what.

I walked toward the stadium, without allowing the scene in front of me to affect me. Distortions appeared everywhere around too. Loki wasn’t dead yet, even though his body didn’t have a pulse. After all, without a heart, there was nothing pumping blood through his veins.

However, the moment his mind died. At that moment, I would too. Carrying Eli with me, I found my way to the steps and the ground floor. The time I took to get there felt eternal. It was time to lock all my emotions within me.

The scene in front of me was one I had lived through in my nightmares. My heart was racing so hard that I could barely speak right. However, I managed to force words out of me. Most fueled by anger.

“How many times did I tell you to be careful with that heart?” I sighed, knowing Loki couldn’t answer me, let alone hear me.

However, everyone around me was well aware of how time was stopped. Unlike him and Alistair, everyone was conscious when I froze it. The thing that tore through reality was the fact that memories were eternal.

Even if I returned the clock, everyone would remember the last few moments. Including the frozen ones. This was the first time I had ever used any time magic to this extent. I didn’t know if I had frozen the entire world or just this spot.

The skin in my right hand seemed to peel a bit, alerting me that my power was too much for my mortal body. It appeared Edna’s gamble on making my father a homunculus wasn’t enough. Rem was being held by Alijah, who was trying to stop her from cutting further into the beheaded prince.

Besides them, Oswald was crying for Loki. Placing Eli inside of my dress, he was comfy in my bra. I was about to do something forbidden even among my kin. The true reason that we were feared and hunted. One lost in time, though. It was silly.

The diluted eternal witches of this time didn’t have the power to accomplish this. Only gods and beings descended from pure order could use this magic. The sole reason the witches from the past didn’t play with this magic was that it had the potential to destroy every reality.

Including those in the celestial planes. It was why they would come down after they felt this anomaly. When they did, Yama would find me before trying to conquer me. However, it was too late for regrets.

I could only hope a slight moment like this wouldn’t be enough to destroy our world. But it would surely cause more fractures to appear. Moments like this were the reasons the rift between our worlds appeared.

They weren’t made by mortal hands, though. No, they had come through when the war between gods began.

Vivian, you’re… Edna’s voice ringed in my ears.

Not that any of that mattered. When Yama felt my presence, he wouldn’t stop hunting for me. This world was doomed either way. Yet I wanted to live. And I wanted them to live until this world was destroyed.

A cruel fate from a merciless goddess.

“Rewind…” I muttered, twirling once counterclockwise.

My powers were so vast that I found it easy to concentrate with movements to match what I wanted to happen. This simple thing reversed the scene towards the past. This allowed me to finally witness what had happened, too.

Alistair went for Loki’s extended arm before his eyes shifted from blue to white. In that instance, he yanked Loki towards him before ripping into him. This left no doubt in my mind that a god was indeed part of this.

However, which one was still unknown to me. In an instant, we were back to the moment before Loki got his heart ripped out, but that wasn’t good enough for me. They were still too close. I allowed the spell to continue before the brothers were a decent space apart.

I could feel Rem trying to break out of my spell. Being a god of order, she was a hassle to pin down. Even though she was back at the stand, I could feel her power growing. After all, Fenrir controlled the flow of battle. Though he could only freeze time for moments.

With Eli safely tucked in my bosom, preventing my magic from placing him back where he was before. Once satisfied with the distance between the two, I walked over to the frozen sickly prince. Multiple cracks in our reality were seen around us, but I didn’t care.

I wouldn’t drop the spell until I saved them both. Taking out Oliver’s crystal from my pocket, I pressed my hand on Alistair’s forehead. He was so much taller than me, yet frozen in time, he had no way to avoid me.

Using the broken crystal, I would locate whoever was afflicting this prince. Without a doubt, it would summon them to me.

I can’t believe I’m about to do this for a simple mortal. But one that calls me his friend. Until… whoever used him… Unforgivable... We aren’t tools to be used and tossed aside!

“Ali… it seems we were never really friends. I mean, how can you with someone you don’t know.” I smiled bitterly, triggering the crystal in my other hand to glow.

It’ll be easier on me if I kill him. Yet I yearn to know more about this vampire. I want him to be happy. No, he deserves it.

A soft shine came from him and me. I didn’t know what expression I held on to my face. Though I could feel tears fall down my cheeks. If it was a god who knew my incantation then, I was fucked.

I could only hope Yama kept that knowledge to himself.

“Caring for you mortals is such a chore.” I huffed, gazing at the frozen vampire.

Even though he couldn’t move, he could hear me. The poor boy was probably confused out of his mind. Even the newly conscious Loki could, too. There were gaps in his memory when his head rolled, though.

There was no doubt in my mind my vampire could remember the moments his brother took his heart.

“Don’t face things alone anymore, you idiotic excuse for a prince. Because of you. And only because of you. I’ll give up my life as I live it now. So, you better not waste this chance! There won’t be another one!” I huffed, smiling at him.

Live a life of freedom, one I won’t have. Even if it’s a short one.

There was no turning back anymore. The crystal floated as the light refracted from it. In an instance, it shattered, yet the pieces remained frozen in time. A chain reaction occurred, triggering a golden light to come from Alistair’s chest.

With a brief hesitation, I jabbed my left hand into it. I had to remove whatever this god placed inside of this man. Though I didn’t know what I was doing, yet something urged me. All I had ever used before was the chaos within me.

Destruction was easier than saving. It was better than understanding. Yet all I desired was to ruin the hold this god had over Ali. I wanted to save his life. I didn’t want his head to roll again or for my beloved vampire to die.

Even though my nerves were all over the place, an eerie calm consumed my senses.

Elias…

A blue shimmer from my dress could be seen even through the frozen spell.

I’ll always be with you, Vivian. Eli’s voice rang in my mind.

He was also a god that aligned with order. Yet he wasn’t trying to break free from my spell-like Rem. No, he was trying to comfort me.

My beloved…

 

A soft sigh left my lips as my heart filled with something else.

Right… My power isn’t only for destroying things. I should be able to create too. Don’t be afraid of it. Conquer it! Make it your own! It isn’t that different from time magic. And you’re using that right now!

The shimmer of gold got brighter, as Alistair must’ve felt agony with every moment I delayed. Yet I didn’t know if the god that ailed him was chaos or order. I had to guess. There were only two options available to me.

And either one would lead them to me.

“Destroy…” I declared, triggering the gold to turn purple before going black.

Darkness poured out of the hole, creating cracks within it. A second later, I yanked out something that felt like an orb. At that moment, my hold on Alistair broke, causing him to fall onto his knees.

Out of breath, he gazed at me as I glared at the unknown object in my hands. It was eerily similar to something I had read in the coven’s book. One my mother had left behind. The orb was yellow, yet it dimmed grey a few moments after being pulled out of the host.

Is this a god seed?

Gods would use these to implant thoughts into a mortal's mind. It could even give them power through them. And even control them. It seemed this prince indeed was a pawn. A tool like me.

“Vivian…” Alistair breathed; eyes glossed with tears.

He remembered everything. Including his head being chopped off by Rem. Yet he wanted to know what I was more than anything else. Those eyes of his caused my heart to ache.

“What are you?” he gasped for air, gazing at me like I was his savior.

I wasn’t one. The color was returning to the vampire, though. And that caused relief to wash over me. The only thing that was left was to make sure Rem didn’t chop his head again. A second later, the time spell was broken for everyone else.

“Everyone’s worse nightmare,” I answered, smiling.

His eyes widened as a second later, a blade was pressing against my neck. Not that she would dare to slice it off.

“You!” Rem snarled, blade quivering.

A soft sigh left my lips, gripping onto the seed.

“Hybrid, what do you want?” I mumbled, turning slightly to face her.

Loki grabbed onto her arm. “Ma, please don’t! She saved me!”

Hearing his voice eased me in ways I couldn’t comprehend. My legs wanted to give out as they were alive. And that was all that mattered. But it wasn’t over. Eli came out of my dress, wrapping himself around my neck protectively.

Rem gazed at Loki before glaring back at me.

“What have you done to my son?!” she questioned, still holding the blade in place.

Ah… Will I fuck up your relationships even more? No… It’s time for me to show my true colors. Though, I doubt that will make him let me go. I’m sorry, Elias.

The seed shone brightly in my hand, too.

It won’t be long now.

“You know, I saved your youngest, too. Yet you’re an ungrateful bitch. But what the fuck should I expect from you?! The woman who labeled me as a monster without even knowing me!” I turned to face the hatred that was being sent my way.

Behind Rem was Alijah, glaring at me too. By our side was a cat familiar coming towards us. It wasn’t Zephier since Oswald was by Thea and the rest. Luna’s wailing was all I could hear as most of the spectators were being evacuated.

Leo was holding her close to his chest. Caden stayed with the kids up there too. Though Zoe was missing. I was glad she was staying true to my request. A plan I had made her promise if things played out this way.

Well then, it begins.

“Vivi—” I interrupted my vampire by raising my hand.

It almost seemed like I was about to give up, but if anyone knew me, they knew I wasn’t going to.

“You’ve always hunted me down, but I’ve had enough of your shit.” I declared, sending a pulse of energy out of me.

It repelled everyone away. Well, the only one who I allowed to stay near me was Alistair and Eli. Alijah caught Rem, while Loki caught himself.

“Stay out of my fucking way if you want to live.” I huffed, turning towards where our new intruder was about to make an appearance.

The energy flowing out of that spot was extraordinary.

What are the chances the god that appears is new? Low… Whoever it is, it knew Fenrir or Elias. Fuck it, it might have a quarrel with Zephier or even something else.

I didn’t know who the fuck was about to appear out of the portal that opened. But I knew it would only be the beginning. Taking off my bracelet, I could only hope my father and Lilith came in time.

If this god took control of me, then I…

“Protect Alistair,” I commanded Eli, throwing him towards him.

From the way he gazed at me, I knew he…

“If he dies, all of this will be for naught. Do you understand, Elias?” I scowled at the snake, causing him to wince.

A second later, a figure emerged from the portal. A male with blue hair and red eyes. His skin was golden, and translucent, too.

“Who dares summon me into this mortal world?!” the titan in front of us huffed.

He was trying to be tough, but what I had done caused him a terrible headache. And it had yanked him here. However, he wasn’t someone I recognized. Yet again, I didn’t know how any of the gods looked.

My memories were locked away. And even those who I recalled were blurry. The only one I ever saw clearly was Elias. This god’s demeanor caused me to take a step back, though. Every fiber of my being was telling me to run.

Yet if I did, I knew he would kill everyone here. I couldn’t afford to lose any of them. Not now… They were all needed for Yama if he ever came to us.

No… that’s not the reason…

“Oh, fuck…” Alistair's voice trembled, leaning into Eli.

We were the only ones close to this being. The only reason I hadn’t sent Alistair away was that I feared Rem would kill him. Sadly, his words caused the god-like being to gaze at him. I had to find my voice or else.

There was no time to fear. I knew that at least he couldn’t kill me that easily. And if he recognized who I was, he would want to capture me. Though I hadn’t realized my hand had been bleeding.

Not that it mattered in the scene we were in. Not even the scent of blood would make a vampire move. Well, other than to run away. The king, Lilith, and Fenris were still in the stadium. Everyone else who wasn’t part of this family had been running out.

Caden was trying to get the kids out, too. But to no avail. They weren’t leaving without the rest of their family.

“Like that matters. Why the fuck are you getting involved with mortals?!” I snarled, trying to get a grip on my fears.

This wasn’t like the gods in the soul cairn.

No…

This one was alive and well. Though it seemed the necklace was still hiding my aura from him. But for how long I wouldn’t know.

Time… I need to buy time for Dad to come.

“Hm… interesting. How did a mere mortal take my seed out?” he asked, tilting his head, noticing the object in my hand.

Luckily, his curiosity about me was keeping him from going crazy.

Steadying my voice, “Wouldn’t you like to know. How about you answer my question first?”

The being narrowed his eyes, gazing at me with interest. Though I was only a bug to him. This was a fascinating moment, though. It had been the longest time since the gods roamed this realm. His presence alone was causing the fractures to worsen.

If he used his power, it would have led to more instability.

“Oh, how cute? You have the guts to talk to me like that. Don’t you know who I am?” he spoke like his identity was a given.

Fool… It seems you don’t know who I am. A win for me.

“Oh… Do you think we simple mortals know everything about the celestial plane? Enlighten us by introducing yourself.” I tried to play with his ego, knowing my demeanor was the thing intriguing to him.

Please, daddy hurry.

A soft chuckle left the being’s lips.

“I’m Metnir, god of the minds and son of Mulriac.” He announced.

At that moment, he made everything clear to me. Mulriac was the god that created the vampires and gifted them blood magic. This god must’ve felt Loki and thought of eliminating him to get into his father's graces.

Though, most importantly this meant he was order. The fact I didn’t recognize his name meant he was a fairly new divine. It seemed I was wrong before. This god only wanted to impress his father by killing the one miracle that happened.

My miracle… Unforgivable…

“So, you came to create discord to impress your father? What a pathetic being you are.” I scoffed, radiating pure chaos energy from me.

Only a chaos god could destroy one from order. It was the same the other way around. This was what made Yama and me so dangerous. We were both beings of duality, so it meant we needed to be fought on both fronts.

This meant for me, that my right hand allowed me to concentrate in order, while my left was chaos. Having this body allowed me to tap into my power much easier than when I was a book. Well, without the help of someone else.

Or use…

“It seems I might not need my father after all. Though with you gone, I might upset yours. Or perhaps he won’t give a damn! After all, you’re nothing but a failure.” I smirked, infusing the seed with my energy.

In an instant, it embedded into his forehead.

“What are you?!” he screeched, feeling overwhelmed by the chaos.

Can the gods feel pain?

From Metnir’s expression alone, I could deduce they could feel agony. They could even bleed like us mortals. Some of it was spilling down this being’s face. Though instead of red, it was blue.

It pained me to admit we were more alike than I would’ve liked to admit. Then again, mortals were molded by them. So, it would have been strange if we did not resemble them. Part of me remembered how it felt to have them try to rip my pages.

They held me with no pity. So, I could not show mercy to them. Chaos was one element I was at home with. I didn’t need to fear it. Though I needed to hold back. If I went too much, I could destroy everything.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with. Now, be a good little god and die for me, won’t you?” I snickered, unleashing a force I never used before.

After all, it didn’t matter anymore. Yama was coming no matter what. There was no way he didn’t feel me take Elias’s soul away from his hands. Too many coincidences for that god to stay silent.

At the very least, he would investigate this realm. And I had to hide before it came to that. However, I couldn’t allow this being to exist. This god had to die. In an instant, the deity was overwhelmed, before turning into nothing.

Though, I knew better. The little bitch had run away. Not that it mattered much. Well, as long as he learned his lesson. And I thought he did. After all, I made it clear I summoned him because he messed with the mortal realm.

A soft sigh left my lips, turning away from it.

If only every god would…

Before that thought finished crossing my mind, I spotted Alijah and Rem rushing toward me. Though instead of coming at me, they struck something behind me. I had done a mistake thinking Metnir backed off fully.

Loki yanked me into his arms at that moment, too. Eli brought Alistair, coiling protectively around us. In blinding speed, Rem sliced through the titan’s hand, which was reaching for me. Alijah took his other arm, causing the Metnir to screech in pain.

Rem’s sword was made with Midnight’s chaotic flames. Yet it also radiated order. She had somehow made Rem into a being of duality, too. Though Alijah was pure chaos.

“Fenrir!? You dare get in my way?!” Metnir screamed, recognizing Rem’s truest self.

His eyes flashed with fury. Loki held onto me tighter, wings spread out. The paint from Eli melted away when the sky above us drenched us in water. It seemed the rain claimed the day.

“Nothing would please me more than seeing that girl die. But if you kill her, you take my sons!” Rem answered, slicing off his leg, causing him to fall.

Even in the rain, she was a menace to deal with.

“Our sons!” Alijah growled, launching the divine into the air with a kick.

Chains erupted from everywhere, catching Metnir in midair.

“How about you do as the lady says and die.” Oswald snarled from behind us.

I hadn’t noticed when he came down from where he was. But the aura that was radiating out of the young warlock was extraordinary. It allowed the young warlock to use his soul cairn magic to the fullest. This was also known as soul magic.

The same way Lilith, Vera, and Oswald could summon souls from there. They could also make them go in.

A gift…

Midnight surely left them, too. The goddess seemed to have thought of everything. Unfortunate for Metnir since he was a god. The very being the soul cairn was made to hold. It almost seemed like the warlock’s chains sucked the soul into the Gate, leaving behind a husk.

However, that body couldn’t be left to be found by another god. I had to correct my first mistake. Pushing away from Loki, I turned towards the body where Alijah and Rem were. My mortal mother was right.

They truly were the best weapons I had. Including Oswald, whose bond with me made him into something more than what he was supposed to be. His eyes were glowing brightly. His power was exponentially more potent than any other witchcraft user.

I thought my bond with him was gone, but I was wrong. In his breast, there was a shine. His choice to protect me and his brother bonded us together again. If he had been a bystander, my hold on him would’ve lessened.

We were all evolving. Perhaps we had a chance. But that was all it would be, and it would depend on us working together. Clasping my hands as one, I created a barrier around the body, repelling Alijah and Rem away from it. I didn’t know if it would work, but I couldn’t hold back with these beings.

My barrier would have to keep my destructive energy from spilling into this world. Not that it wasn’t already unstable. More fractures were appearing around in our reality with every second that passed.

Yet that was the least of our worries. I could already feel him coming. Shivers were running down my spine.

He can’t have another god added to his power! Especially one with such mind control!

Shaking away that thought, I separated my hands, creating a black hole within the barrier. There was nothing more destructive in the world than a hole where matter couldn’t escape. My true father, Orenz, created them.

They only happened when stars collapsed, or when massive amounts of chaos gathered at one spot for too long. My body was not stable enough to keep it going, though. Layers of my skin were peeling off from my hands where I had concentrated on the energy.

Luckily, in an instant, the body of the god-like being was no more. A second later, Loki grabbed onto my hands, breaking the concentration along with the spell I had cast.

“Enough! Your power is destroying you!” my prince shouted, pulling my bloody hands to his lips.

He didn’t care when the energy spilled into this world, triggering an explosion of energy to almost blind us. When the light dimmed, half of the coliseum was gone. Yet all I cared about was how his eyes were on me.

“I-I had to obliterate his body.” I tried to explain myself.

He wasn’t interested in it, though. Or on the fact that I had destroyed half of the stadium, we stood in. Though that was partly his fault, too. Luckily, no one was there when it went off. Everyone was by the entrance or outside.

Taking a lick from my hand, in an instant his eyes flashed those vein tattoos, healing every self-injury I had. Those roots used to be red, yet now they were golden. And that wasn’t the only change.

The pigmentation of my fingertips was off.

“Never put your body in danger like that again! Realize that you matter to me!” Loki scolded.

I winced, knowing that this was only the beginning. Yet part of me hoped it wasn’t.

“I’m sorry. I…” never did I think something would be so hard to say.

I wanted to warn them, but nothing came out of my mouth. I guess not saying it out loud was the same as it not existing. Thankfully, there was someone in the group, who was eager to know more.

“What the fuck is going on?!” Rem snarled, coming towards me.

Even though she saved me, it meant nothing. The rain had made my dress rather see-through. Something Loki didn’t like from the look on his face. Luckily, I had my underwear, though I could see parts of the golden flower.

Not that it mattered.

“It’s okay.” My prince whispered, holding me tightly.

His embrace was so welcomed. Especially after seeing him drop dead a few moments ago. Alistair stood on the side, not knowing what to say. He remembered everything that had happened, even though he wasn’t in control.

“Vivian, are you okay?” Oswald asked, grabbing his brother by his shoulder.

His hands trembled a bit. Though the icy rain wasn’t making it easy for anyone to stay warm. It was obvious Loki was well, thanks to me. Something that I was grateful for. The warmth that radiated out of his hand onto my skin was all I needed.

I gazed at the warlock, wincing once again. His white shirt allowed me to see that the marking was still there. The infinity symbol my mortal mother had bound us with had turned golden, too. Loki’s vest hid the flower from everyone.

Yet Oz’s eyes were like a fire had lit within them. My energy was radiating from him, too. I had affected all of this.

“Oswald the bond. It was never gone. It…” I trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought.

Yet it had to be done.

“It grew. I can feel it. And it’s fine. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Oz reassured with a soft smile on his lips.

Rem and Alijah were behind us. I could feel both of their fiery gazes on me. It was almost crushing.

“Explain what the fuck is going on.” Alijah huffed.

In his eyes, this all could’ve been avoided if we had trusted them. In reality, if Rem knew, then it all would’ve gone to shit. This hybrid hated me. Though Alijah didn’t gaze at me the same way. He seemed more neutral towards me.

I guess in his eyes I wasn’t the same being that caused everyone's pain. After all, I appeared like a normal girl. Well, until the moment I rained fury onto that god. In his mind, I had also saved both of his baby girls.

Thea and Luna…

Thea who had stood for me against them. It seemed his girls were his weak spot. My necklace was still hiding my aura from everyone. So that helped too.

“Pa, Ma, I love her.” Loki stood his ground, holding me close to his chest.

The sound of his heart was all I needed to gather my strength. As long as it beat, I could fight. I could win and live.

Before Rem could go off, Oswald stepped towards them. “She isn’t the evil we thought.”

The words that left his mouth were surprising.

Not evil… What is something wicked?

A villain was usually misunderstood and pushed aside by everyone who surrounded them. They find themselves isolated, yet at the same time, they form armies of people who feel the same. Their views were twisted and contested against the forces of good.

But what is that? Good and evil… Malevolent or benevolent…

No one was made of one purely. Just like being a being of chaos didn’t mean one was good or bad. Same with order… Yama was chaos to start with. Though there was something that differed. The term of being…

“What the fuck are you talking about? That thing is a monster. The one that destroyed countless lives!” Rem snapped at the two boys.

While I was in Loki’s arms, she wouldn’t dare touch me. Well, as long as we were bonded. I guess that was better. Though there was no doubt she would tackle me and imprison me.

Dad… where are you? I want an out.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around to fully face her. This time not as Vivian the mortal, but the goddess. It was like I was two sides of a coin. Yet, I knew I was no mortal.

“You’re right. I’m a monster.” I smirked.

Her eyes narrowed when I placed a hand up to my chest. Loki grabbed me from behind.

“Vivian you aren’t.” He assured me.

I shook my head.

Such a foolish boy.

“No, I am. I’ve killed many. Even if I can’t remember most of it. I know that’s true. So, Rem isn’t wrong to call me that. Yet I’ve saved as well. Including both your daughters and your stepson!” I snapped at her.

This person wouldn’t define me any longer. If I was to live as a monster in her eyes, then I would gladly stay like that. But she wouldn’t affect me any longer. Not when I had bigger fish to worry about.

And it wasn’t like those weren’t a concern to her. They were both our enemies.

“Please, you only saved him to save yourself. Something like you isn’t capable of love!” Rem scoffed, wishing nothing more than to end me.

Vivian… You are… Edna’s voice rang in my ears.

A memory that wanted to surface was so close, yet so far. Silence filled the air, though that didn’t stop her from holding her blade in her hands. Something she couldn’t use against me. I had no right to feel offended by her words yet; I hated she said that.

That was true before I met the boys, but now I cared for them. Loki was something I couldn’t live without anymore. It wasn’t like she hadn’t noted Loki’s and Eli’s new colors. If anything, the unknown shook her up.

Something I wanted to rub all over her face.

“Tell me hybrid. How does it feel to have the being you hate most in front of you? How does it feel to have your hands tied?” I smirked, feeling empowered by the circumstances.

The only reason I wasn’t in combat was because of my connection to Oswald and Loki.

“Vivian, that isn’t helping.”  My vampire sighed.

Help? There is no helping this relationship.

I huffed, gazing towards the side. There I saw the cat named Shade, gazing at me from the side, tilting her head. Her summoner was by the royal spectators with her husband. They both were observing what was going on.

 It seemed the queen was nowhere to be seen, though.

Had she run? Did Zoe find her in the chaos?

I could only hope.

“Pretty shitty.” Rem scoffed, glaring at me.

Those purple orbs were… I couldn’t help but gaze away.

Yes, a relationship between us is impossible.

Rem wasn’t happy at all about what had happened. Yet she quickly made her move.

“What did you do to my son for him to be infatuated with you!?” she pursued, ignoring my earlier instigation.

There was more to what she wanted to know, but for now, this had to be enough. Though, the way she eyed Eli and Loki down left me with little doubt that she would grill them later.

“Rem… Let’s go back to the ship. There we’ll figure everything out.” Alijah announced, reaching for his wife.

He appeared uneasy about the entire thing. Though, I knew if I tried to do anything to his wife or kids. He would’ve pinned me down without a second thought. That black wolf was deadly. Sadly, I couldn’t help the words that left my mouth.

Her anger. I’ll fuel it more. Fuck it. I owe her nothing.

“I did nothing. Well, nothing he didn’t wish for. The changes to him and his other half have to do with the Amor Aeternum. Does that ring a bell for you, Fenrir?” I huffed, crossing my arms.

I didn’t owe her a damn thing. Yet the moment Rem’s past name left my lips, I realized I fucked up. Her eyes shimmered before she reached for her face. It seemed I was the key behind every damned god's memory.

Including the reincarnated ones. Nothing happened when Metnir said her name.

So, why did it with me?

“Rem?!” Alijah grabbed onto his wife’s face, which appeared pale.

She seemed half there. The moment his eyes fell on me, I felt an icy grip take hold of me.

Oh, shit! I didn’t mean…

“You, what the fuck did you do to my wife?!” the black wolf snarled.

He held her protectively. Though the way he gazed at me caused me to take a step back into Loki. If I could merge into him, I would gladly do so. Instead, my vampire…

“I didn’t mean to…” I mumbled, only for my prince to step between me and them.

Eli had come towards us, too. Alistair stood by, shocked at everything that was happening.

“It’s fine, love. Somehow, she unlocked some memories of my past life.” Rem assured her husband, placing her hand on his cheek.

In response, he released a heavy sigh, leaning into her touch. If I had ever seen true love, that was it. The way they cared for each other was breathtaking.

Is that how Loki and I seem to others? Doubtful…

Though the moment her eyes shifted back to me, I felt a chill in the air. A soft smirk rose on her lips.

“Ah, I should thank you for that. Now I remember how I sealed you the first time.” She announced, taking a step toward me.

Impossible… She… can’t! I… don’t want to be alone again!

I never knew I could ever want to run away from someone, more than I did from her. This differed from being called a monster.

“I won’t allow you to do that, Ma.” Loki stood defensively between us.

The tone of his voice was hostile towards her. Unlike me, who was moved by his attempt to keep me safe. Rem wasn’t impressed.

“Loki, for once shut up and listen to me!” she scowled.

He shuttered in response to her, but he didn’t move from me. That would be something he would never allow. I truly was his heart. It was no mistake to fall in love with him. For the first time, I was glad about how I did everything.

Alistair seemed confused by everything. Yet he was alive. Seeing the color on his face made me feel like anything that happened was worth it.

Emma, I was late for you, but I won’t allow anyone I care about to die again. Not when I can do something about it.

“You don’t know what the fuck that being can do. And now that I remember even more. I can tell you if he finds her, it’s over! This is the only way to—” the only thing that interrupted her was a surge of power that repelled everyone away from me.

A second later, something had me by my throat. It was a vampire, one that was on the stands not too long ago. They had all been evacuated, so how he got here confused me. I didn’t know if it was a royal or not, but his eyes were white.

That was when I realized he wasn’t there. No, the power he was exerting was also destroying his body. And it was at a faster rate than me. A sharp laugh left his lips as he tilted his head, gazing at me.

“Hah… How lovely it’s to finally find something I thought lost.” He smirked.

Everyone around was still being repelled by his aura. His grip on me was colder than ice itself.

My dream…

It had been a warning. One I hadn’t listened to the right way. Yet how could I? I didn’t know half of what my powers could do. It was too complicated for me to understand. The man’s eyes shifted towards Rem.

A wicked smile rose on his lips. It was like he was glaring at his nemesis.

“Fenrir, it’s far too late. If you think I’ll allow you to steal my beloved tool again. Well, perhaps I should take your family this time. So many of them have your aura.” The unknown man snickered, sending chills down my spine.

He wouldn’t ruin them. Yet fear froze me in place the moment he gazed at me again. The desire in his eyes left me feeling odd. It wasn’t for my flesh, but my power. The feeling this man gave was so familiar that I shivered where I stood.

Dread filled my being, as I knew they caught me.

From the way he spoke... this man… has to be…

A soft sigh left his lips.

“This useless body will prevent me from binding you to me. But don’t worry, I’ll come for you soon enough.” His words left me feeling hollow.

His aura died a bit too. It seemed he couldn’t keep it going for long. I didn’t know what was going on. Or more like my brain was refusing to acknowledge it. However, from the corner of my eye, I saw Eli move.

At that moment, my heart froze. If I did nothing… He would’ve…

“Don’t move!” I screamed to everyone around me in the hopes they would listen.

Luckily, Oswald held Loki to him while Zephier held my beloved snake. It appeared they knew this was no normal mortal. Not that Loki and Eli cared about it. All that mattered to them was my safety.

A sharper smile rose on the man’s lips, “It’s right, none of you should move. Unless you want to die. My touch can be deadly to you mortals even in this body.” he snickered.

I’m so fucked.

I could have destroyed this body. Yet I didn’t know if he would possess someone else. It appeared it was by random chance he used this man. I couldn’t afford him to take over my beloved, or anyone else in his family.

Without more information, my hands were tied.

“Such a useless body. It’s a pity. It seems my daughter has intervened even in death. I would have loved to possess your body, Fenrir.” He rolled his eyes.

Midnight was protecting Rem. If that was the case, then who else fell into that?

Shit… Not that it matters, Alistair isn’t part of it. Neither is Asher.

The ill king was still here. And though he deserved a painful death for everything he had done to Loki and Alistair, he was also a prisoner in this life. I couldn’t find it in me to damn him, knowing I wasn’t innocent either.

We were all good and bad. No one was made of one purely.

Grey… The world’s ugly grey.

This man surely was no different. Though I was sure he had no feelings, even though he pretended to have them. If the legend was something to be believed, he had them once long ago. Well, before the world took them from him.

However, I couldn’t help my disdain for the man's show. If I was his focus, perhaps he would let everyone else go.

“It seems your daughter was smarter than you.” I scowled, finding some courage within me.

Though that was easy. I refused to be a tool. There wasn’t a part of me who wanted to flow his way. Even if it angered him, I knew he wouldn’t kill me. He needed me in a body. My soul wouldn’t work in the same way.

“Oh, such a silly little thing you are. Are you happy I can’t bind you to me right now?” he smirked, tightening his hold on my throat.

Shivers ran down my spine, leaving me feeling terrified. I could hear Loki scream, as this man felt like he was about to crush me.

“I liked you better when you were a book. You didn’t have a voice. And a tool doesn't need to speak!” a second later, I felt a snap.

Blood flowed out of my mouth, followed by agony. This man was a royal.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” Loki snarled, triggering the vampire’s eyes to fall on him.

A sharp laugh left his lips before he gazed at my chest. Although some of it had been stained red, the flower was still visible. With a tug of my bra, everyone around us saw the rest.

Not that I cared. The pain in my throat was too much for me to care about who saw my breast and who didn’t. The rain somehow made it worse as every chilly breath made it ache more. However, I refused to lose myself in it.

I had to concentrate.

Save everyone…

“Oh, wow! Elias, I never knew you fell for a tool. How silly of you!” he chuckled, dropping me onto the floor.

If I had ever seen twisted, this man was it. He was worse than Jin. He had no mercy. My voice refused to leave me as I struggled to sit up. Loki’s aura was surging, wanting to murder the being known as Yama.

Something I had to stop. He had to run to live the last days of his life somewhere else. When the possessed vampire’s eyes were on Loki a second later, his head flew to the side.

“Filthy god! I’ll make your life a living nightmare for what you did to my daughter!” a voice I wanted to hear snarled.

The first thing I saw was his golden hair before his blue eyes were set on me. Loki and Eli rushed towards me, scooping me in their arms. Again, my voice refused to leave. Only pain remained.

There were multiple shadow portals opened around us. My father winced at me, knowing he had been too late. However, it was better now than later.

“Everyone into the portal now! Before he takes over another body!” he declared.

With a brief hesitation, Loki dove into one with me in his arms. Darkness consumed me before tumbling into the light. I suddenly found myself surrounded by metal. It was an airship. One I had never seen before.

Yet there was someone there who I knew.

“Hey, baby girl.” Another familiar voice filled my ears.

I turned to notice an elf I had known most of my life. Her beautiful lavender hair and tan skin were the first things I recognized. She held an extended hand to us.

Lilith…