Chapter 83

A/N: You finally get to see why I rolled the double 60's on my dice in the first place. I still can't believe I rolled 60 twice. I should have filmed it. That's never happening again.

Willow

Blood pooled off the table. I was so tired, yet I was not able to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, it seemed that I was kept here by magic.

"Your right son cut his brother's cord, and the left one cut you open." Said the Horned One. He was elbow deep to try and save them. And I didn't feel anything, but I knew I would be sore after this. "And now Herculian fights Eternya, destroying your town. What a mess" He said shaking his head.

The boom of their fight could be heard. It shook the building with each blow, but I couldn't worry about anyone else. I only thought of my little ones.

"I Are they ok?" I asked, and he hummed.

"They'll be fine." He said passing something to a nurse. "The Left One is born First." He said as if it were law. He passed another one. "There is the Right one."

"I'm here!" Shouted Kaizen, running to me. He kissed me on the forehead. "I'm so sorry."

"I know you wouldn't have left if it wasn't important." I said weakly.

"It couldn't but everything else can now."

"Name your children." Said the Horned One with black eyes. "Had you missed this moment, you would have regretted it."

"The right one is Vexterios." Said Kaizen. "I means 'the right hand' or 'paw', in wolf."

". And the left one is Aristaeus. That means 'the left hand, I think." I said wanting to see my children, but I was denied that. They were being cleaned, but I could hear their cries in protest.

"It does." Said Kaizen. "I think those are good names."

"I like it." Said the Horned One. "May they be blessed by the Lord Below, that they live healthy, joyous lives. That they have childhoods, and are not swept into the madness of old gods and petty plots. But with that said, I still need to close you up." He grinned.

"Thank you." I mumbled. I was finally able to sleep. I think he prevented me from dying.

"Don't thank me just yet." He pressed his thumb behind my right ear, and it forced me to shift on the table.

That hurt. The stretch of organs and the like to rearrange themselves made me wince. Even with medication, I could feel the sharpness of the incision he'd made to free my pups.

----Kaizen----

My mate was safe, and two beds were pushed together to fit her. I remember father told us about our harrowing birth when we were younger, but to be in the same shoes is a different story I couldn't focus on the doctor's words, but for her sake I tried.

"Now the annoying part." Said Dr. Sampson. "Her babes are fresh, and so are her wounds. It would not be good that I heal her unnaturally right now, as she needs to manually adjust to all I've done. It takes more energy to force life than to just let one die, and resurrect them later... But then there's the rot to contend with." He said thinking out loud. "Disregard this old man's rambling."

"I understand. With your skill comes knowledge I couldn't fathom." I said with a respectful bow. I questioned who, or rather what Dr. Sampson really was, since he spoke so casually of death as a mortal.

"All in a night's work." He said with a small smile. "Enjoy your babies." He left with a puff of black smoke.

He'd done all he was going to do He shaved and stitched up Willow as her kitsune, so she could shift back when she healed a bit

I don't think I will ever have more children.

I don't think I could put her through such an ordeal again This pregnancy was so easy on her. She didn't get morning sickness, she didn't really show too much, and then this. One day, one moment their little claws just rip right through her Nurses were still cleaning the blood in the operating room She lost so much that they were still mopping the halls.

"They're ready to be held, my lord." Said a nurse. She seemed almost afraid to approach me, but I could understand why.

Eternya still fought Herculian, and the town around us burned, the people fled, and my mate lay sick on a hospital bed. And I was my true visage. I intimidated people on a good day, yet alone Now.

But my pups were healthy. They were both black as night, though I could tell them apart. I don't know how, but I just could They looked and smelled the same. Their little horn nubs were the same Their little black claws were razer sharp They reminded me of my baby photos, each fitting in my open hand. I cradled them close, and held my sons to my heart I was a father.

"They're perfect and probably hungry." I chuckled, stopping myself from being too sentimental.. Willow hummed happily in the rest Dr. Sampson placed on her. She'd done enough.

They drank from their mother, and a bloodied Eternya and Herculian came in together.

Eternya kneeled. "Forgive me master. He swore on his blood he meant no harm. I defeated him. He is no threat."

"I am duty bound to it I mean it. I really just want to see." He said with his eyes lit up like a small toddler asking to hold a kitten.

Herculian was not a bad person His timing though was terrible.

All my instincts were for me to shift in this small room and rip him apart, but I wouldn't He left his weapons at the threshold of the door, and had both his hands on the tile while on his knees He kneeled to me fully. If he tried getting up to attack, he wouldn't be fast enough and he knew it.

"Not a step closer." I said showing my fangs. I wouldn't growl and wake them.

"Whether or not it's recognized, we're family. I wanted to-" I cut him off.

"We may be blood, but I cannot trust one who holds the Sun on his back shoulder." I said firmly. "And no, you may not pet them."

"Fuck! Just a Little! Let me touch a bean." He complained, referring to their little paws. "I swear on my blood I won't do anything other than hold them."

"No." I said firmly. "But since you're here, you can look."

He took that, and sat cross legged on the floor. He was content with my order. I hadn't even called my father, yet the first of my family to see, was one of Arveil's line I picked up Aristaeus first, and he squeaked a bit, then Vexterios. "My sons. 4th General Aristaeus and 5th General Vexterios, The Horned Wolf, the Charred, Swift Ones." I said proudly.

"Good names and titles for those who drink milk." He chuckled. "The left and right hands good names indeed."

"Aye." I said firmly.

"Then let me be their godfather." He smiled. "That designation means I cannot be given a task to harm them you know this."

". You only allowed yourself to be defeated." I said more as truth than speculation.

"Aye." He smiled. "I didn't want to have a real fight out there" He was right too a real fight would have destroyed the town proper AND the clinic.

"Fine" I relented.

He squealed. "Now can I hold them?" He asked excitedly.

"Your father will be furious." I said letting him hold them. "You trade the Sun's favor for my children."

"Don't care. Fluff." He said simply. "Also, father isn't as bad as you make him out to be. Now that there is peace, he wishes he could be down here and see them too."

He immediately touched their little closed ears once I handed them to him. He sat on the floor content, being his father's 2nd general. And at least as strong as Uriel, being the Demigod of Strength. He petted them between the horns, and was very careful I half expected him to beg to take at minimum one twin home, not that I would let him.

Technically, and I mean technically, he was my great half-uncle. The Moon Goddess, though denounced, was still Arviel's daughter.

Why is every pantheon filled with relatives?

"Diana is only 6 months along." He smiled. "She has 7 more to go. It takes Fae 13 moons to birth their little ones, but the trade off is that they are born as ready as a four-year old mortal. She told me it was like a defense mechanism. They can walk from the first day they draw breath."

"That's interesting I suppose they would still need milk half a year or so anyway though." I mumbled. If they didn't need milk, fae wouldn't have breasts.

"Aye. But I was in the area, running errands. The Cult of the Sun has been my task to handle a few months now."

"I've had to deal with something similar, the Cult of Ragnorock." I complained. "I got the last one right before the boys were born I almost missed it."

"I killed the last one of mine about 20, 30 miles from here? They were attracted to your passive energies I thought I'd stop by. I knew it was a full moon tonight, and I was hoping to show support, not walk in on already birthed pups." He said looking up. "I should have called.. sorry about your town. I will stop at nothing to fix this."

"Better a misunderstanding than us fighting right now." I said hesitantly touching Willow. Herculian gave her the pups, and she curled around them in her sleep. "I can't wait to train you little ones." He whispered. "I have so many swords, shields and clubs I can tell you now that they will be as capable as you."

They were demigods with my grandfather's mark

"At least nobody died." Said my uncle Xaxas. "Herculian." He looked down on him as if he were dirt.

"Xaxas." He said casually. He'd had his way. He didn't care about any hostility. "I'm already the godfather." Herculian said proudly.

"WHAT?! KAIZEN YOU FUCKING TRAITOR!" He screamed. It woke my pups, who squeaked from the vibration.

"You're too late." He sang.

"SHH!" I hissed. "He got here first, and literally kneeled for it." I grinned. "Plus, I Already KNOW you whisked away Grace's pup." I snickered.

".and Asanguis has Tyson's. But I could have had it all if I were fast enough." He complained. "Why'd you all give birth about the same time anyway?! Take it Back." He commanded Herculian.

"No. Your side has all the fun, and I get to have puppies!" He beamed. "I already have playdates planned. My son and his little cousins will be as brothers."

". It isn't fair." Huffed Xaxas. "I was This close." He pinched his fingers together.

"..Fix the town and maybe you can share the title of godfather." I said thinking fast.

"For the mortals' sakes, I agree to those terms." Said Herculian.

"Deal." He snapped his fingers. "There, now let me have my turn." He said petting Willow. "Unfortunately, I can't fix you." He said quietly. "I see why father left her in this state..."

"Will she be alright?" I asked.

"Just time." Said Xaxas. "About three months?" He said thinking out loud. "Four." He said firmly.

[Everybody is too loud.] she complained.

"Shhh" Said Xaxas. "Sleep" he mumbled.

He didn't pick the pups up, but instead he helped Willow.

". Mortals are so frail" Xaxas mumbled.

"I think I'll head home before I'm missed" Said Herculian. "I feel like *all* of us, especially me, impose on your special moment."

"Go ahead." I said shaking my head. "With so many parties interested in my little ones I'm surprised more people aren't here."

I shook wrists with Herculian, who left by becoming a beam of light once he left out the door.

"Asanguis watches Samira, your father is with Grace. And I remain here for a time. Now that Herculian is gone, I will send for Harmony. Eternya you did well." He said snapping his fingers, and his general was fully healed. "Rise Flaming One. Go be with your wife."

Xaxas disappeared, but he wasn't gone. He was just out the way of this now private moment with my wife and children

They were so small... so frail. Willow was weak. Had I not had training for my instincts, I'd have lashed out at all who came near, whether or not they were trying to help.