Eldora adjusted Estelle in her arms. Estelle was looking at many brightly colored pages. “You want to go all the way up to see your grandfather to show him pictures?” The oracle tilted her head. The child had whims that she would follow like other children and sometimes she would be very adult-like.

Estelle’s blue eyes looked up at her and she nodded. “Yeah, Mommy. I want to show Grandpa all the hard work I did! I drew him too!” There was a giggle from the little girl as Eldora made her way into the temple and set Estelle down once they got to where Xunatar was.

More than likely he was waiting to hear how the adventure to get Sol had gone. “Grandpa!” Estelle squealed as she ran up in her little dark dress and was picked up to put on his lap. She snuggled into him and her black bouncy curls mushed into his chest. “Grandpa I drew you and Grandma Scarlett.” She was getting rather good with paints as she showed off the pictures she had worked so hard on.

For a moment Eldora’s face went into a shocked expression. “Xunatar.” Her face calmed back down as she came over and knelt his side. “The twins and Junko failed to capture Sol. The twins are on their way back to tell you as such and Junko has stayed behind to find Sol.” Her voice was in a whisper but Estelle had heard every word with her super hearing. The child ignored it though since she thought that if her mother was whispering it meant it was none of her business.

Xunatar awaited for days to hear back from either Junko or the damned twins on news about Sol. His patience waned a bit, unsure if the task was more difficult than he had thought but for the time being, he felt the presence of his daughter-in-law and granddaughter and slipped on a more pleasant face. “Ah, my dearheart.” He took Estelle into his awaiting arms and pulled her up as she showed him the pictures she made of him and Scarlett. His eyes scanned them as she so proudly of. “I see we have been getting pretty good at these. I bet your grandmother will love them like I do.” He smiled widely at her as he studied them, his attention was drawn enough to Eldora to hear what she said and his smile dropped a bit.

“I suppose that I shouldn’t be surprised…too much time has passed and Junko usually deliver results quickly.” Perhaps freeing Keres and Samyaza wasn’t the brightest of ideas, but they would have much to answer for later. He kissed the top of Estelle’s head in time to see the pair of annoyances finally coming through the doors to the throne room. “Hm, speak of the devils…” He shifted to get more comfortable in his seat as Keres stepped towards him. “We, unfortunately, couldn’t…”

“Don’t bother, I already know. Tell me how you failed me”, he cut her off and Samyaza stood beside her. “It wasn’t our fault, Father. Brother Sol’s little friend was taken by this huge calamari person.”

“Eligaos, I presume?”

Keres simply nodded and then looked to Eldora. “Is she…”

“Yes, she’s a sister of Junko and Undine.”

The child in his lap looked like her too, so it wasn’t hard to figure who she belonged to. Sam looked at her and waved. “A little cutie pie, can I hold her?”

“No, instead tell me why I shouldn’t put you back into your rooms”, he said, holding back his scolding simply for Estelle’s sake.

“Now, now, Father. We did our best and didn’t betray you, so doesn’t that account for something? If needed, we can simply go back out there and look for him. The girl won’t bother us unless he goes seeking Eligaos. Even then, he’ll probably end up in a watery grave… “

“Hey now”, Sam said, slipping right over to Eldora and patted her head, “Never seen a little lady with some huge…personality like that before.” Clearly, he was speaking of something else as his eyes were glued to the top of her breasts.

Estelle beamed with pride at her grandfather’s words. She did, after all, favor him among most other family members besides her mother and father. Especially her father. Eldora held a small smile on her face for a moment before moving onto business with her deity. She, after all, was also his oracle and not just his daughter-in-law. A powerful asset he had.

Eldora stayed knelt by Estelle and Xunatar’s sides. It was easy to see that the twins were indeed his children. Her ocean like eyes watched the siblings with unease as she had never met them before.

Estelle’s blue eyes looked up at the twins with a peaked interest after they called Xunatar father. That would mean much like Dante that these were also her uncle and aunt respectively. A large amount of family she had and she knew that but there were those she knew to stay away from. “Papa says that I shouldn’t talk to Uncles and Aunts that aren’t safe.” Estelle’s voice was soft as Eldora pet her black curls.

“That’s right he did say that didn’t he?” Steele was protective of her. Eldora rubbed her black curls more before sighing a bit. “Why don’t you… Go see what your grandmother is up to? I bet she is up in her workshop Starbright.” Her nickname by her grandmother grabbed Estelle’s attention quickly.

“Can I take my pictures too?” Estelle’s eyes rarely left the twins since her father had called people like them dangerous.

“Of course,” Eldora kissed the top of her head before Estelle moved to kiss her grandfather’s cheek.

“Okay, I’ll come back later Grandpa when you aren’t busy.” Estelle slipped off of his lap and took her pictures with her. She was very careful going around the two twins before she dashed through the doors and up to where Scarlett was.

“She is quick on the draw as usual… Even excused herself when she realized who these two were. Estelle is a smart girl.” Eldora seemed proud as she pushed herself back up and stood by Xunatar’s side. She had all but acknowledged what Sam had said and simply brushed him off. “I don’t think going back and simply looking for Sol will be that easy anymore.” Her eyes batted softly.

“You’ve failed horribly.” Eldora was at least very, very stern with her words. Her eyes drifted to Xunatar for a moment. “Maybe we should have gone after Undine ourselves and at least taken care of her before these two were allowed to go. Lotus and I are at least capable and know what our sister can do.”

“I would rather not get involved with that,” Lotus was leaned up against the other side of Xunatar. “I wasn’t pleased the first time we had to deal with her let alone having to deal with her a second time.” Lotus rubbed her black curls before folding her arms over her chest. “Came to drop the boys off for some quality time with Estelle… Noticed this little gathering and had a feeling it was about Sol and Undine. Besides, we all know that I can't help right now.”

Eldora nodded a bit and sighed. “Would seem your intuition is still as sharp as ever.” Her blue eyes moved over to the growing baby bump that Lotus had. “Shouldn’t come here in your condition. I suppose it wouldn’t make sense to hold back what our family has to do with yours Xunatar. They would find out eventually.”

Lotus looked displeased with the idea of them knowing more than they should at the time but Eldora was right as usual. They would piece it together if not by them by Colden. “Do as you wish Eldora.”

“I’m married to your brother Steele and Lotus is the mate to your other brother Dante… In this weave of a family, we’ve created our younger half-brother Colden is also one of your brothers as well. However, I am getting tired of cleaning up after our family… If Sol hadn’t found Undine then maybe this wouldn’t have been as dire as it was.” Again Lotus looked displeased but she let it go.

“As long as they don’t go after the children I don’t really care what they do.” Lotus let the words leave her mouth as she walked towards the door. “Keep it that way please.” Her eyes narrowed on the twins. “If they do I’ll hold you both responsible.” Lotus was protective of her children and so was Eldora as she was nodding along with her sister. Lotus left them and Eldora took a deep frustrated sigh.

“Dante wasn’t kidding when he said she was rather moody lately. It isn’t like her to issue threats like that.” Eldora rubbed some of her hair before pushing it back behind her ear. “What troublesome siblings I have.”

It was at that moment that the look on Eldora’s face shifted and she put her hand out. “The situation has changed… I would suggest we all watch what is about to happen.” The water in the room dripped together until the spirits flowed into it. Floating up it displayed an underwater castle of amazing design. Deep within the hallways, the mirror rushed past until it showed Sol with a water enchantment about himself so he could breathe.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t kick you out right now,” the demon lord was sitting upon a large throne and off from his side was a bed of kelp that grew up the castle walls. Within the kelp was Undine softly asleep and her hair floating with the still ocean water. “The trouble it must have caused for you to come all this way and for what? Knowing I would kill you or force you out?” His orange eyes were drilling into Sol. “Tell me why I should return her when I do not trust you.”

Samyaza wasn’t one that paid many people heed unless they acquired his attention or wrath. The little girl grabbed his interest for the time being, especially since she had called him Uncle. Considering that there were plenty of their siblings still locked away, he could only assume that she was one of sin’s children. “Oh, that’s very good advice he said”, he said with a snicker while his sister remained calm and collected. Once the girl left, he watched slightly from the corner of his eye and then looked over to her mother, who didn’t hesitate to inform them of their failure. “Wasn’t our fault, it was the Calamari! I’d like to see you do better against him…” Keres silenced him with a pair of fingers against his lips and immediately he ceased his words. “Had we been able to go full strength, then we would have caught him before the whole Eligaos situation. Your [i[other sister was basically a handicap and slowed us down”, she spoke, referring to Junko. “Sol, even at full power would have difficulty handling us at the same time. Why do you think we were the first he sought out to join him?”

“Because he filled your heads with promises of doing as you please after he was to defeat me”, the god said plainly. “They have no loyalty other than to each other, that’s why it was so easy to have them go hunt him down. If I had permitted it, they would have killed him. That’s why I had Junko go with you two.”

The intrusion of yet another sister was starting to cross Keres, while Samyaza merely looked at the pretty little thing with the stomach bump. While the drawing of the family tree wasn’t of any importance to him, the name Steele reached his ears. “Steele? The angry pup is still alive?” He knew nothing of either this Dante or Colden but he suppose that they were both also children of sin. He kept the information in the back of his mind for the time being- there was likely something that could be gained from the knowledge. “Guess he must have grown up, can’t wait to pinch those little cheeks of his again.”

His sister's’ eyes narrowed darkenly, she grew tired of these women that slithered their way somehow into their blood. If she had it her way, she would have ended all four of them so that she wouldn’t have to hear their voices again. “Such pretty little flowers to be delivering threats they can’t fulfill to weeds like us.” Samyaza shrugged at it; if it came to it, then he would welcome the challenge. Death and punishment weren’t things he feared; there was only one thing that did it for him and it wasn’t a recommended option. As for his sister, he suppose that the girls could thank that their father was here so that they could bark all they want yet if the time came to it, they’d be the ones littered in bites. The thought amused him greatly as he leaned his head against Keres’ shoulder.

Xunatar looked at the two that were greatly revered as the black sheeps of the entire Norcross family before his attention shifted over to Eldora as she prepared to show them something. Sam looked on at all while the older sibling watched with folded arms against her chest. The vision showed Sol, who apparently found his way to Undine and her father. From the corner, Junko could seen as well, a stern look in her eyes as she kept her distance from him. Her fingers tapping lightly against her arms as she waited to see how this played out. If hadn’t been long since she found him and it took much convincing her not to turn him in until he freed Undine. Aside the brief mutterings that left him mouth, he was seeming calm, or at least as much as he could muster.

“I care very little if you trust me or not, but your daughter did. I couldn’t do any more harm to her than what she had faced. You coddling her and putting her to sleep at any sign of danger won’t help her either.” His teeth clenched together as he tried to restrain himself, and took a deep breath. Something that he seemed to have gained from Junko from the looks of things, at least to Xunatar since he knew her the best out of everyone presence. The god looked on with an icy gaze as his son continued. “Fine, what will it take then? I’m capable of proving my worth, if that’s needed.” He thought for a moment before he turned to Junko. “Cut my hand.” She looked at him surprised but moved over to him and took out a small dagger. She didn’t give him time to prepare before she slid the blade against the palm of his hand and he winced a bit as the blood seeped into the water. Immediately Keres tilted her head and stepped closer to the vision. “Really? He’s gonna do that…?”

“Do what, sissy?”, Sam asked, confusion dripped over his face.

“A blood oath. It’s a pact between two people in which if one of them breaks it, the perpetrator dies. It requires the sharing of their blood and only powerful demons can make this sort of deal. Sol’s desperate, the most I’ve ever seen since getting us on his side so long ago.”

Eldora waved her hand towards Samyaza. It was clear that they were all agitated about the situation. “He probably had sleep kelp on the edges of his tentacles to put her to sleep otherwise it wouldn’t have worked.” Eldora’s eyes moved to Xunatar. “Considering her power is his there’s no way for him to have clashed with her easily. He played dirty. Though I expect nothing less of him.”

Still, the mothers were agitated as shown by their responses. They wanted their children safe and they would do anything to make it happen. Once more Eldora waved her hand towards the insult and let it go showing it didn’t bother her. It wasn’t worth it to her nor to them to continue it.

The mirror, however, showed a new story and Eldora was interested in it. It would do him no good to free Undine down there… Or would it? What was Junko doing? Eldora tilted her head and continued to listen in.

Eliagos crossed some of his tentacles before turning his eyes to his sleeping daughter. “Perhaps and maybe this will enlighten you some… I protect her because she is my greatest creation and weakness. You will understand someday if you gain someone you could lose…” Though from just looking at him it appeared like he had in a way. Eliagos moved his hand over and his large thumb stroked at Undine’s sleeping face. “For the record, I put her asleep when she causes more harm than she should. Sending a tidal wave at an entire island like Abed isn’t helping matters. However, those two twins would have killed her when I looked in her heart.” Orange eyes flashed back at Sol. “That’s why I took her.”

Watching as Sol cut his hand Eliagos mused to himself lightly. “Prove yourself… You know that is one thing I didn’t think a demon like yourself would do. If Undine matters that much to you I suppose… I will take it into consideration.” The demon appeared to be musing it quite contently.

“He’s actually going to take the deal?” Even Eldora was shocked at the situation’s turn of events. It was unlike Eliagos to trust a man with Undine even if there was this blood pact. There was a lot to lose on both parts.

After a few more moments Eliagos shrugged. “In your current state, you couldn’t help her at all. You were the reason why I pulled her back, to begin with. She was so preoccupied with you that she was going to make mistakes.” Tapping his tentacles one by one he finally leaned forward in the throne. “So you will take care of Undine and you will make sure that no harm brings her close to death… In exchange for this, I will allow you to take her from this place.” He held out his hand and one of his many sirens came over and slit his palm with their nails. “I do believe that this is an equal exchange for that which I treasure most in this life.”

The great demon king put his hand to Sol’s and their magic lit up like fire should Sol accept the terms of the oath. “I would hope that you take great care of my daughter. She is a gift that the world did not need to give me. I treasure her very existence.” His eyes bored into Sol’s. “Do not make me regret this Boy.” The kelp that held up Undine slowly undid and Eliagos caught her in his tentacle. “Take care of her… Or else.” The or else did not need to be said at this point as he handed his daughter off with care into the arms of the demon. “She’ll wake up on her own. Sleep kelp works fast and doesn’t care what strength you are. However, it will take time to fade its effects. I would suggest keeping out of trouble until then.”

Eldora looked back at Xunatar. She wondered what the demon lord would do now that Undine was once again free and Sol had her in his grasps.

Sol wasn’t the most humble man in the world. In fact, he was the polar opposite of it and yet, he was being forced to swallow his pride. Or the remains of it. He couldn’t very well said that his siblings wouldn’t kill her if given half a chance. No, he knew that it was true; they could care less who she was as long as they had their sick little fun. He could plainly see Undine next to her father, slumbering like usual. But there was something wrong about it, and it didn’t take much to realize. Covering up the wounded hand to keep too much blood from slipping away, Sol turned to face Eliagos while Junko stepped back, unsure what was going on with him. It didn’t take long to see the darker side of him but this was entirely different.

Xunatar was less than moved by the display; Sol would do anything to get what he wanted as far as he was concerned. The fact that he wounded his hand as much as he had his own pride didn’t sway him just yet. “I do this because we have an arrangement of our own- she’s my business partner in a sense. I merely come to collect her. But if that’s what it will take, then so be it. I won’t let her die. He eyed the sea demon as he had his own hand cut as well and took it into his own. The surge of magic was nearly suffocating but he’d lived. “All or nothing”, Keres stated as she watched her brother overwhelmed by the oath. “It would always come to this; he’d rather die than to be denied what’s his.”

Junko hadn’t expected this to work herself and yet here she was, waiting Undine fall into the custody of Sol and shook her head. “Leave him be”, Xunatar instructed Junko from her mind. Sighing, she did as she was told and slipped away from the place while Sol cradled Undine in his arms. “Looks like I’m all in.” He bowed his head slightly before turning away to take his leave with her.

Xunatar leaned against his hand gestured for the twins to begone. He didn’t wish to deal with them any further right now. “Fortunately you can keep tabs on them via your sister. I will let them be for now, but if he decided to continue his foolish crusade, then the hunt will go on”, he spoke to Eldora, clearly not pleased with how things went.