Whenever Angela requested his presence at her temple he knew it could never be for something good.  Not completely good anyways.  And what’s more, she had made a habit of coming to his for important matters, so to ask him to her home?  It had to be extremely high on her list…or worse, high on his.  The second he had received her hailing he’d kissed his wife and left immediately: opening a portal and stepping through to the entrance of her temple.  The smell of roses put him on edge these days, but he’d gone with her clergy, hardly needing led to her anymore from how often he had been here but wanting to be respectful.
 
It’d been some time since he’d held his own domain and had come into his confidence a great deal since his ascension, but despite that he had moments of stomach churning worry.  This was one such moment.  His heart hammered in his chest when he came to the stained-glass entrance of her throne room, and he hesitated before opening the doors and going inside.  The scent of earth and herbs filled his nostrils as it always did, but he didn’t look upon her wondrous garden today, and instead moved towards the great throne itself.
 
When he was closer to her, he dropped to one knee and bowed his head in respect as he usually did when entering another conclave member’s place of power.  Rising back up, his eyes moved to hers, “I’m still not a very huge fan of cryptic meetings, so I hope this is all for show and you have very good news to give me…”  With the turmoil that had been happening since Dalanesca’s fall into darkness, they could all use a bit of happy news.  Nonetheless, he smiled, though it was one of cautious optimism at best.

Angela had suffered the second greatest due to Dalanesca’s fall to madness. To be honest, the goddess was deeply troubled by her old friend and the godmother of her son. The woman had gone mad and while Angela knew it was her fault, her sister Triune member would not hear her reasoning for not coming when she was called. The fight was too long and too hard. She sat on her throne in a slouch as if in a daze. As he approached her the onslaught of attacks from Dalanesca shook the whole damn realm. With lazy eyes, Angela sat up and threw her arm out. Suddenly the attacks were bounced back with a greater force. “She’s leaving openings because she is upset at me.” She mused as soon as he was in earshot. “Not that attacking our realms is going to do anything but hurt other people.” 

She stood up and came over to the younger god and dusted his shoulders off. “Was Echo in the horse arena again?” She could tell from the dusting specks on the god’s shoulder. Most likely from his wife hugging him before he went. “I’m afraid it is both good and bad news. For Echo and yourself.” She let the realm shake again and again before bouncing yet another angry attack back at the sobbing goddess.

“She’s making this easy because she is angry… But let us talk about the news. Which one do you want to hear first? The good or the bad?” She wasn’t even getting any tea for them. This was business after all. “I would suggest the good so the bad makes sense.”

The ground shook and his attention was instantly averted to an attack on Angela’s realm.  Though this was in no way his grounds, he still felt need to help protect it, and shot his energy out in time with Angela’s arm, setting forth a ring of protection in contrast to her attack.  It would only help so much when it came to the fury of another god, but he at least needed to try.  Though his heart went out to Dalanesca, he didn’t like how the world was being forced to suffer…he’d seen more troubled souls fill Suisho no Kyuden in the passed few days than he had the first year of his ascension.
 
He looked back at her when she spoke, his eyes having gone solid white from his own blast, though now they were dimming back down and his irises were returning.  She dusted his shoulders and he nodded to her suspicions, but her words about the former Justiciar left him more than a little uneasy. “In the rose quartz ring as always…”  The image of her there left him both happy and terrified.  For a single second his heart lightened when she mentioned good news, but the heaviness returned when she finished her sentence.  All at once his head felt light at the mention of Echo, and his markings steadily glowed brighter.
 
“I’d prefer to hear the good first so that it won’t be immediately tarnished by the bad…”  What could it be though?  And how could it not only directly affect him, but Echo as well?  This quarrel with Dalanesca had nothing to do with his wife or himself, so he hoped that was a sign that it had nothing to do with her wrath.  Suddenly he very much wished that this conversation was happening in his home where he could be closer to Echo…Of course, that might have made his own temple a target since Dalanesca’s attacks were directed at Angela above all else.  Reminding himself of that comforted him very little, and it was outshone by guilt.

Angela gave a smile and nodded. “Echo is a predictable little thing isn’t she?” She was happy that Echo had both Naota and the horses to keep her company but the news she was bringing today might put that in jeopardy. A deep troubled sigh left her lips as she sat back down on her throne and stared at the young Naota.

“My dear boy, the potion worked. However, I will admit to fudging up a perfectly good potion and adding a  bit too much of the agent that produces the ability for her to get pregnant.” She did a smudge with her fingers though it sounded much more than that as she laughed nervously. “Echo and yourself are now proud soon to be parents of triplets. I told you I did my job a little too well on some occasions. I knew it wouldn’t hurt her but to be honest I didn’t think it would take as well as it actually did with her. Her body responded exceptionally well.”

Now the frown came to her face. “However, this problem with Dalanesca… Death is seeking almost everything out that cannot hold its own life force. The dying, the unborn, those that have weak souls. You know what that meant don’t you? So… I’ve pushed back and I’ve stopped all of it. There is no more dying… no more progression in pregnancies… and the weak are now stronger for a time. I’ve made everyone immortal but with great stalling to your predicament. Echo might be in great trouble if she stresses out during this time. She is only a few months along with all three of them. I would suggest to keep her at ease until Dalanesca calms down, if she calms down… If I were to lift the spell for Echo there is a chance she could lose one or more of the triplets she is carrying at this moment. That’s why I called you here. I was going to wait for the next time I popped in for a visit but that’s no longer an option for us.”

For a moment his heart soared and his eyes warmed.  All past transgressions slipped from his mind, even the horrible situation the world had been put in was nothing to him right now.  His wife was pregnant, not just pregnant: to have triplets!  Three times the laughter, three times the smiles, three times the joy, and he couldn’t be happier!  Forgetting their positions, he quickly moved forward and wrapped his arms tightly around The Mother.  He bent his knees a little so as not to tower over her in his impromptu embrace, and squeezed her tighter before kissing her cheek, quickly over and over in thanks.  “Thank you Angela!  I don’t consider it a fudge of a potion at all, this is absolutely fantastic!”  How could any news be terrible when something so amazing was about to happen? 
 
Tears fell from his eyes, shining brightly from his bond with light to the point that they looked like trailing diamonds.  Now he wanted to be back with Echo for entirely different reasons.  But as happy as this was, he could feel the shift in mood and drew back from Angela.  His hands pulled back from her and his smile faded down.  The more he spoke, the darker his eyes became until there was no color at all…only blackness: solid obsidian.  Color drained from his face and his heart was pumping so hard he could feel his pulse in his ears, even hear a dangerous ringing.
 
No.  He didn’t accept this.  He wouldn’t accept this.  Even though such tragedies were hitting families all around the world, this situation had just become personal.  After today he would return to his usual calm resolve, but right now he was a protective father and husband.  His jaw locked, the softness of his features having grown rigid and set from this news.

His mind acted on its own, and an idea was there instantly.  How could it not be?  It was the same feeling he’d gotten when he’d first stumbled upon the barren mountain top that had since become his home.  That same urge to build, create, form protection that was everlasting and abundant in strength.  But he knew what that would mean for a person…He turned his head from her, eyes out even though it was hard to tell due to their solid state, “N-No it’s…don’t worry about it Angela.  Thank you for telling me.  I would normally stay to discuss this more but I have a very…unappealing job to do.”

Angela let out a gleeful laugh as he kissed her cheek over and over. “Just as we planned just a little better is all.” She was glad that he was taking it so well. However, when the time to tell him the bad news came she saw his demeanor change and she too frowned. He wasn’t pleased at all with what she was trying to tell him but she understood. He was to be a first-time father and now all of that was in jeopardy because of Dalanesca and herself.

The Mother nodded to him. “Whatever it is you are going to do… make sure you don’t regret it Naota. Echo is a very special girl and now she is holding true life in her. I don’t want to lose those babies either.” This was important to her and they had worked so hard for this to happen. Angela reached quickly and took his hands. “Try to keep that girl as calm as possible. I don’t care how you do it. I refuse to let Dalanesca realize she is causing the death of someone else’s child should Echo get worked up. Go with speed and care, I know you know how to do that. That is why we are so quick to trust you. That is why the World Tree trusts you.”

The Mother let his hands go and she gave him a sad smile. “Cherish the news with Echo first whatever it is you’re going to do. She deserves to know about the life she is carrying now. She will be so happy.”

The truth of it was that no matter what he did there was always that risk of regret.  But what he had in store for Echo would work, he knew it, he just hated that it was coming to that.  What he was thinking right now was whether or not he should even tell her he was going to do it.  As soon as he thought it he knew that he would: there was no way he could be so dishonest with his wife, he held far too much respect for her and the relationship they’d held for the past year.
 
When she mentioned The Tree his eyes slowly closed.  So much trust was placed in him but this would be the most important decision he’d ever make.  In his own eyes at least.  He gripped her fingers gently before forcing himself to release them as she pulled back, and when his eyes opened they were once more on hers.  The obsidian, however, remained.  A sad smile took place of the joyous one he’d had only five minutes ago and he nodded, “I will…She’ll be happy, scared I’m sure as all new parents are, but happy.”  His smile faded, his expression becoming more serious, “She will be safe.  And alive.  I promise you that.”
 
He stepped closer to her and gently kissed her cheek before turning and opening a portal back to his own temple, “Thank you Angela…No matter what happens, you can never fully understand the importance and meaning you’ve given to my life.”  Echo was a gift beyond compare, but to be able to have children with her…Nothing could be greater.  With that, he stepped through the portal, and it swiftly closed behind him as he came into their bedchambers.  First, he would speak to his wife, and then…to Dalanesca.