Lords of Creation, The Second Age

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

The Babysitter glances around at the non-reaction of the mortals and shakes her head.

"If this is just one of those 'it's not my problem' things I swear.... come on Jr."

The Babysitter leaps off and follows Paean.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Aox woke slowly, his eyes fluttering as his mind rolled back into consciousness. The world around him felt blurred and streaked as he prodded about his brain for words.

All he managed to find was, "Where?"

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

Aox quickly finds himself flying over the ocean at a heartstopping speed that most mortals would never have the chance to experience.

Taking a quick glance showed him that he was in the arms of one woman wearing a dress of metal with what appeared to be lightning sparking all over it, over which was laid a yellow furry-looking cape and nearby another woman with an ethereal looking dress that was almost as good as looking at a dress made of see-through materials. The one whose hands he was in looked down in response to his words, "So, you're awake Aox. Any explanation for why you ditched my class 400 years ago? I've been waiting the whole time."

The other one chuckles and spins around before beginning to fly backwards, "Ah, don't scare him like that, Magnas. You sound like you've kidnapped him. Right now, we're right over the Northern Sea, in Waverider's territory. As well, Aox, you should know by now that you're 400 years after the events that you can last recall. Thus, everyone highly respects you, whether you know it or not. Also, in terms of mortals, there's only one who remembers you for who you are. The rest have all died off, are lost, or are hibernating somewhere in Gammara that I'm not going to tell you for reasons of security except for Kagehana who is within Môsôoriku near the city of Suzaku. Any other questions?"

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

"Hmm, children?" Duerkripe asks. "Your own? What are they like? Similar to you I'm guessing. Amazingly beautiful and all else that goes with it, right?"

[Marvelous Miscreant]

"Respects me? Why? I'm a coward. I wanted to be a powerful hero, but I took shortcuts to get it and even when I was called on to use that power I ran away after."

Aox look ashamed, but something the goddess said reverberated in his mind.

"You...you said Kagehana still remembers me?"

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"Yes, they've run off somewhere." Uburra-Namall sighed, "Any mortal mother would fear for her children's safety, but I worry about the mortals' safety from them. They're curious things; I'd hate for all these mortals' hard work to go to waste..."

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

Magnas pats Aox on the head in amusement before laughing, "You'll need to change that attitude of yours somehow. Many people will want to meet you. Regardless of whether your acts were those of a coward or not, you still took down the Monsterking and the associated dangers. Everyone considers you a hero."

Both the Goddesses look away for a second with saddened looks on their faces, before Gravas replies, "Kagehana... well, when I said that a mortal remembers you... Kagehana is not the one who's awake and going around. She went into hibernation several years back in order to remain in top condition for whenever the world needs her once more. The one who remembers you though, is Koneko. She's been worrying about the state that you've been in since no one knew where you were."

Magnas chuckles, "She'll be happy that you're finally coming to THAT festival."

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

"Mmmmm, well then, shall we enjoy ourselves? I would hazard a guess that they can take care of themselves and I'd hate to see a festival go to waste, even if I have no idea what it's celebrating, it's still a festival and a time to have fun."

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Aox gazed misty eyed out at the world zooming by and asked in a detached manner, "What festival?"

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

Magnas and Gravas look at each then grin conspiratorially, "Not telling. You'll have to see for yourself. I dare say though that you'll recognize yourself quite well, if people do it correctly."

The two start whistling a song in honor of Aox's feats.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

The tune carried, serenading Aox as he slipped into silence and stared off at the land as it passed by. He prodded the foggy corners of his memory, again trying desperately to recall what happened after the battle, but again he remember nothing. His attempts returned nothing but empty thoughts and clouded memories.

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

Suddenly, in the distance, Aox and the two goddesses can see a temple floating on the water, slowly moving along with the waves.

"Ah, yes, that temple," Gravas muses. "I remember when Illusia and Sonia asked and convinced Waverider that a temple on the seas honoring every god would help to make the other gods respect her more. Would you like to see it Aox?"

[Zaleramancer]

It was amazing how slow time could seem to go at times.

She pondered stealing another ale.

[Zaleramancer]

The roar of the crowds and the soft shimmer of sunlight faded away as they entered the alley, replaced with a silence broken only by the occasional squeak and a cloyingly sweet smell.

Paean had shrugged off his him form in favor of something between a fox and a crocodile. Moving like quicksilver, he looked back and measured the distance from the entrance.

This wasn't good.

A young woman's voice broke through the silence, "Lizzie! Return her or your tanned hides will become my winter cloak. Where are you hiding?!"

Squeezing through a fence hole, the young god landed on all fours with tensed muscles at the ready.

An open intersection of several alleys stood before him, with a well stooped in the center. Prowling around the well was a shifter woman, a desert nomad by her clothes, with features of one of the leonine tribes. The sounds of an angry cat rumbled in her throat as she looked in the shadows.

Her eyes caught sight of Paean and she pounced.

[Zaleramancer]

"What.. I.. You.." She sputtered, "Are you mad.. A.. What."

This was completely insane but..  she found it hard to not believe the giant glowing cloud of.. whatever it was.

Remembering her pride, the young woman stuck up her chin and announced right back to it.

"I am Aneke of the village of Febe, and I accept this.. erm.. duty?"

Alright. A plan. That's what she needed. It was pretty obvious what the whole goal was.

The damn sorcerers. They might go easy on the coast because of the Undine, but she knew that they didn't inland.

But what to do about it.

"So, er, Dinny thing. Just a question. What would you do to overthrow a bunch of magical thugs?"

[Philote]

"So long as your request does not intefere with my own plans and the interference of another Spirit is not made present, Murozond can deal with these mortals in any way you see fit."

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

She caught up just in time to spot the shifter leap and feel a sting of wild panic from someplace deep and far beyond logic. Where it came from it didn't matter that Paean was a god, or a crocofox, or that they weren't actually related technically speaking.

She put herself between the animal and her little brother.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"For all I know it is not within your power to do either, stanger."

[Philote]

Anima's vessel ripples with electricity as his main body slips outside of his container for the occasion. From the lamp, an electrical elemental like being hangs in the air in front of the vessel while still remaining connected.

Moss reacts by raising and fully drawing his bow.

"Step forward and I will give you proof. If you are so brave" Anima replies.

"I have your back Lee. If this is not as it seems then just give the word" Moss states.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"Thank you, Moss." Lee replies. "You heard him: if anything happens to me I trust my students to find a way to rip you apart."

As Lee takes a step forward, the tourists take a step back.