It came as the clock struck a new hour in the early mornings of the Sundering Gardens. Her eyes fluttered open and the first thing out of her mouth as she looked at her beloved next to her. “You have to be fucking joking.” She could see the confusion on Drae’s face as she pulled herself up. “The new gods got chosen. I’ll be back.” She changed into a lazy dress but one that still showed off her spirit and body. The silk was plain but with her hair pulled back it looked nice.

“I’ll be back later.” She dipped down and kissed Drae softly before vanishing to Sularia. “Wake up.” She almost toppled her niece out of bed. Arri was even earlier than The Sundering Gardens were. 

“Why does this happen to me,” Keira was slumped up on the floor, no doubt from tired nights of trying to get the twins on a good sleep schedule.

“Why indeed.” Angela’s eyes were mischievous as Toya came into the room. “Watch them, I have to take Keira somewhere.” She basically had to dress the tired mother but it wasn’t too much hassle. When she gated them she half expected Keira to fall on her face. They were both looking at the city like it was nothing they had ever seen before, and Angela had met a lot of the gods.

“Aunt Angela, not that I doubt that this is important but why are we here?”

“Because your moron is here,” Angela sighed as she helped Keira through her sleepy gaze. It took Angela no time at all to find Torn, he was probably admiring his work. “Of all the people the Tree has ever chosen… this time, it shocked me.” A smile came to her face as Keira yawned.

“I don’t get it…” Keira looked lazily up to Torn. Sleep was still radiating off the poor Rosenite as she rubbed her eyes and pushed her bedhead curls out of the way. “What is she talking about?”

Torn had spent a few hours perfecting his vision of what his temple-realm should be like. He had been timid at first - trying to make simple natural formations - but had soon found that he had more power over the realm than he believed was even possible. The world's physical form had taken him only a few minutes to complete. It was the rules - the laws of nature that applied to the realm - which he had spent the most time pondering about. He had soon learned that all he had to do was speak, and the realm would make it so. Statues of the likeness of the world's most famous heroes had sprung up, perfect replications of their mortal forms, without Torn even knowing what these great men and women looked like. When his ability to explain faltered, the realm understood anyway, and made it exactly like he envisioned. Torn had toured Canelux as well - seeing the statues of heroes pop into existence at a number of relevant locations. He had been so caught up in his power that he'd completely forgotten to alert Keira to what had happened - just as well, probably, as his apotheosis found place while Keira slept. And so it was with a slight surprise that Torn felt another divine presence making its entry to The Dream Arena - and even more to his surprise, he knew who had arrived instantly.

Torn left the naming of shops and inns to the Misfits, and willed himself to his palace, where his angels had already appeared to attend his needs. He stepped out to his balcony on the arena proper, reclining in a most comfortable chair, being served succulent food and drink by his angels - some clad like musicians, some like warriors. It didn’t take long for Angela to find him there. Poor Keira looked very sleepy - while Torn had been away on his adventure, she had likely had much more hassle dealing with the twins.

“I’m a god now!” Torn answered with a grin. He watched as Keira’s expression went from sleepy, to a little less sleepy. “Sure you are, hun. You’re a god to me, et cetera.” Torn looked a little miffed at Keira’s reply. He looked to Angela, and the goddess rolled her eyes. “He’s telling the truth, Keira.” Torn nodded fiercely at Angela’s confirmation, and sprang to his feet. “I’ll prove it to you,” he said, and held one arm against the sky. “Realm! Erect a giant golden cock in the middle of the arena!”

What happened next was a bizarre sight by all accounts. A crack formed in the middle of the arena grounds, and from that crack emerged an enormous monolith of gold. What was more, the ‘sculpture’ was an exact likeness of Torn’s own manhood, and the newly appointed god suddenly got very appreciative of the fact that Angela hadn’t seen it. He turned to Keira with a grin, disappointed to see his fiancée’s reaction.

“Has the World Tree gone retarded?” Torn looked at Keira, somewhat confused. “I am wondering the same thing,” Angela replied - to which Torn just got offended. “I told you I was destined for greatness,” he said, moping a little. The mood quickly passed, though, and Torn looked at the giant golden member standing in the middle of the arena. “Realm, return the arena to its former state.” The giant cock immediately began to melt, seep into the cracks in the ground, and vanish entirely, along with the cracks themselves. “Keira, I swear. This is real. Your eyes do not deceive you. I am a god, and my domain is heroism and song.” He took a step back, and theatrically slung his arms out to his side, grinning. “I am now the Prince of Epics, and I will bring song and excitement to Revaliir. The World Tree has spoken, and apparently, I am the best man for the job!”

Her mind was so drained that everything Torn was saying was going in one ear and out the other. A skill she had made while trying to sleep through the man’s constant singing and talking. She loved him and everything about him but the woman did need her sleep. 

What woke her up was him forming a giant manhood just in her eyesight and she groaned a bit. Angela groaned too. Now she had to believe him. It wasn’t long before she was accusing the World Tree of going mental.  She loved Torn but she had never seen him as a person who could do a ton of responsibilities. She was the responsible one, at least most of the time.

“One of the best. Two gods have risen in this time but you I was more worried about I will admit.” Angela mused out loud. “I’ll leave you two then. I’ve seen enough of Torn and… well Torn.” She was gone leaving the lonely little half Rosenite to stare at the man she was gonna marry.

“I believe you. It’s just hard to imagine. We were only just talking about you leaving on an adventure a few days ago.” Her eyes were tired as she came up to her love and curled up into him. “I am tired and the twins wouldn’t stop crying and you weren’t there.” She pouted a bit. “So forgive me if my mood is a little less than merry when I hear these things. Your children have loud voices like you.” 

Torn gave a respectful bow to Angela as she left Keira with him. He then let Keira rest on the soft reclining chair he’d placed on the balcony overlooking the arena, cuddling up to her. “I understand. If nothing else, though, perhaps this will cheer you up: I name you kin, and give you the ability to enter and leave this realm at will, and take with you whom you will as well. You can move in here. Be tended to by angels, and maybe priests further down the line. Here, there will be toys, and gardens, and whatever else is needed to raise the kids.” He stroked Keira’s hair, taking a timeout from his realm to properly attend to his intended. “And here, they’ll be sung to sleep by muses, tended by angels should they wake. You’d only be roused if the babes need their mother more than they need a change of diapers,” he said, hugging Keira closer. “And when the time comes,” he continued, “all we have to do is speak, and we’ll be on the road. Or in Arri, in Toya’s palace. Or in the Sundering Gardens, visiting Angela.” He kissed Keira’s forehead, and smiled. “Rest. I can fetch Toya and the twins. If you need anything,” he said, and gestured out to nothing in particular. “The realm will provide,” he finished.

It didn’t take long for Torn to find Toya. It didn’t take more than a minute, in fact, as Torn simply teleported himself to the door leading to his and Keira’s room. He knocked once on the door, and entered. “Good morning, Toya,” he said, smiling apologetically. “Sorry about this. Something tells me Angela didn’t brief you,” he said, knowing full well that Torn was probably not the first person Toya expected to walk through that door. “Suffice to say you’re in for a bit of news that’ll be… A little hard to believe.” He walked over and relieved Toya of his daughter, holding Tempest gently in his hands. “We will now teleport out of Revaliir,” he warned. “So… Sorry.”

A few moments later, Torn, Toya, Kite, and Tempest were all standing on the balcony of the Dream Arena, with Keira still resting in her chair. “Welcome to the dream-city of Musalia, and the Dream Arena, my new home.” He looked at Toya with a grin. “Your sister insisted the World Tree has gone insane, but I have been elected as one of Revaliir’s new gods. Which means that the moment I marry Keira, there will be two deities in your family!” Torn grinned like a fool, probably expecting Toya to be excited or something.

Keira stared at him for a long time. “You know… I wanted to raise our kids like my parents raised us but that does sound nice… Not to be dragged out of bed every ten minutes.” She mused slightly and chuckled. “It’s been terrible just trying to do it by myself. After you left they noticed.” She snuggled into him and chuckled softly. “I do like the sounds of that… and now you don’t have to be away.” She let out a huge yawn though as soon as he said to rest. It didn’t need anymore time for rest to set in and she was out.

Toya on the other hand, was in Keira’s room with both babies on the bed. She was tending to them and playing with them. They were growing fast but their bloodlines dictated that. She could see the wolf in them when they moved. She chuckled a bit and sat up only to see Torn. “Angela doesn’t tell me shit. To even think she would think I was important enough to tell things to is madness.” 

Soon Toya was standing on the balcony of some place she had never been and she sighed. “You certainly are a mystery to me Torn. Look take care of Keira and the twins. That is your job now. You have the strength to do it.” She began to poke him in the chest. “You will have enemies that will seek to hurt Keira and the babies and if they manage to I’ll punch your face in. Understood?”

Taking a moment to sigh and let that air out of the space, "You two should get married! I think that's a wonderful idea. Now you could have a wedding fit for a hero! Seriously take care of her, boy. She is precious to me and those twins are now too."

Torn looked a little confused as Toya’s reaction was a lot more deadpan than he had anticipated. He let out an exasperated sigh as Toya gave her speech, poking her chest in turn. “In case you forgot, I am a god. You are a queen. And Keira’s aunt, your sister, is a triune. Between the three of us, neither Keira, Kite, or Tempest will ever be harmed.” Torn took a step back, looking slightly annoyed. “And if they are, the full might of the conclave is bound to hunt whomever is responsible to the ends of Revaliir.”

When the subject of marriage came up, Torn just nodded. “I intend to. But I don’t think a priest has the right authority any longer, and I can’t have Keira’s aunt do the wedding. I’ll have a word with Angela, maybe one of the other triunes would like to do the ceremony,” he said, furrowing his brow. “We’ll figure it out. But I was hoping we could hold the feast at your place - the moment challengers come to the Dream Arena, the place is going to be packed with people,” he said, before looking over the arena, seeing the Walk of Glory.

“Oh! See over there? I made a statue of you, relatively close to the arena. You’re perhaps the fiercest warrior I know, so it seemed fitting,” he said, pointing at a bronze statue depicting an armoured woman riding a dragon. Up close, it’d be a perfect likeness of Toya herself (slightly beautified), but from a distance, that was hard to see. “Also, I’d like to erect a statue near your palace, to provide free and convenient transport for you and the rest of Keira’s family,” Torn said. He made a gesture, and a map of Toya’s palace and the palace grounds replaced the sand on the floor of the arena. He looked at the map, and found a suitable spot in Toya’s private gardens. “What about… there,” he said, making a sword stick out of the ground at the relevant location on the map. “Private, convenient, and it won’t be all that in the way.” He looked at Toya, asking for her approval, not wanting to deface her property without her permission.

Toya took a moment to sigh and in her mind it did sound perfect. “There will always be those who will push that boundary but you are correct.”

Butterflies came out of no where going into Toya’s head. She began to twitch and scream at Angela for a few seconds. “The bitch says, go to see Dalanesca. She will be more than happy to help just let Angela give her a warning shot.” She nodded a bit more to his words now that she wasn’t fussing at Angela. “A feast at my place would work. I could gather the whole family, well not the whole family would need the castle for that lot.”

Looking over the statue she chuckled. “Never thought I would see that anywhere.” She was pleased from the looks of it. She took a lot of where he was pointing and nodded. “That is acceptable.”

Keira stirred a bit, looked up at the babies and her mother before holding out her arms. “Aren’t you suppose to be resting?”

“Shut up and give me my kids.” She took a drawn out yawn before Toya put Kite in her arms. Keira snuggled up to him and if given Tempest she did the same thing before going back to sleep.

“She is a good mother Torn. You did a good job picking a good mother. They are often hard to find.”

Torn nodded, and with a wave of his hand, a bronze statue, depicting Torn and Keira holding Tempest and Kite respectively, rose from the floor of the arena. With an effort of will, the statue flew up into the sky, soon vanishing from sight - and reappearing in its designated position, to be used only by family. “There. Statue is in place. Your family will be able to use it, but be warned: The same does not go for your servants,” Torn explained.

Torn looked at Keira as she stirred, with a smile. “Alright, babe.” He walked over and placed Tempest next to her, before turning back to Toya.

He chuckled as Toya mentioned Keira being a good mother. “You’re right about that. Good thing, too, for I honestly don’t know if I’m proper father material,” he said, half-jokingly. With a more serious tone, he went on about his plans for the future. “I lived a boring life most of my life. I don’t want that for my kids. I want them to see and experience, to learn and conquer. Just like I seek greatness, I want that for them, too. And Keira.” He looked at Toya with a smirk. “Her fame won’t stop at being a god’s wife. She’ll forge tales and songs of her own, I’ll see to that. And the twins?” Torn laughed out loud. “They’re a prince and a princess. Believe me when I say I will treat them as such,” he said. He looked over the arena, smirking. “Most fathers would want to keep their kids safe. I want to keep my kids excited. Between my blood and Keira’s, they are bound to adventure themselves, one day. Better they learn how with us present, than stay at home and do nothing… ‘safely’,” he concluded. It was plain that he had given the matter more thought than he usually gave anything, even if his logic could seem flawed.

He turned back to Toya again. “Shall I send you back to Arri? I’m sure Blaine would be thrilled to hear the news.” With a gesture, Torn opened a portal back to Toya’s palace. “Just… Please inform him that you already gave me the speech. I have thought about it, and I don’t need him fussing over it while I’m still trying to figure left from right about my new… situation,” he said, before stepping aside, allowing Toya to step through the portal and back home.

Toya watched her daughter take Tempest before falling asleep with both twins. Toya knew that her daughter was a good mother. From the moment she could love on them with all of her heart Keira did. Looking up to Torn she shook her head. “Just love the children and do whatever Keira tells you and you’ll be just find. She’s a damn natural at the parenting thing. Must get it from Blaine.”

Before Toya left to go back home she stared back up to Torn. “Ask Angela what happened to her son Raven. She’ll tell you why being a god doesn’t really protect your family even when you are a Triune member. I was shocked when I found out but Angela doesn’t talk about it much. Take care of them for me still Torn and love them always.”

She thought on Blaine and laughed. “Don’t know if he will ever change how he feels about you but it will be fine.  He does love Keira though so as long as you aren’t messing up in his presence you will be fine.” She offered a smile before going back home to tend to her youngest.

Keira opened her eyes and looked back up at him. “She’s right you know. We’ll be fine as long as we work together.” She chuckled a bit and snuggled both of the twins.

Torn looked and Toya and nodded. “I’ve heard snippets of the tale,” he said, in response to Toya’s warning about Angela’s son. “But I’ll get the full version. Knowing me, I won’t learn much, but it’s worth the try,” he said, before listening to what she had to say about Blaine, responding with a chuckle. “I’ll win him over yet,” he said, grinning confidently. “A bit of charm, a solid dose of not fucking up, and perhaps a display of strength will have him accept me,” he said, before his grin faded, turning into something more muted and sincere.

As Toya was about to leave, Torn grabbed her wrist, preventing her. He stepped closer, not wanting Keira to overhear his sappy moment. “One more thing before you go,” he said, his voice soft. “These last few months… Thanks for that,” he said, for once not quite sure how to phrase himself. “I never had family, so… Yeah.” He stood in awkward silence for a moment before he grew a pair and actually asked what he meant to ask. “Since Keira and I are getting married, I, uh… I wanted to ask you something,” he said, looking uncomfortable with this kind of personal talk. “I wanted to ask if I could call you mother. It’d mean a lot to me, and I believe to Keira, too.” He smiled, weakly, honestly hoping Toya would accept. Having never known his own mother, being collectively raised by the village in which he washed up, it was something he craved rather deeply. And, if Torn was to be completely honest with himself, Toya would be the most awesome mother I could ever have asked for.