Though Serafina had heard quite a while ago of the ascension of Nemesis, someone with whom she had quite a history, she had not made any effort to seek him out. The pair had quite a falling out some time back, and though they had come face to face since then, it seemed that there was still come damage, at least in Serafina’s opinion, that had yet to be repaired – damage caused by both herself and by Nemesis. Of course, much of it had to do with Xerxez, the man that Serafina had made vaewolf and taken on as her mate. Truthfully, she had been in an incredibly dysfunctional relationship with Nemesis and Celeste, but from her point of view, Nemesis had chosen Celeste over her, and that had hurt her deeply. At first, creating Xerxez had been Serafina’s way of lashing out, in a manner of speaking – perhaps an attempt to show Nemesis that if he didn’t need her, she sure as hell didn’t need him. However, after some time, Serafina had realized she had an actual attachment to Xerxez, and things had escalated from there.

It did not take the vaewolf female long to find one of the many neptunite obelisks scattered around Revaliir. She had done a bit of poking around about the newly risen God of Darkness and Fear, finding out just how she would make it to his realm. When she had heard what it was called – the Obscure Bastion – she had almost laughed. Leave it to Nemesis to keep his flare for the dramatic, even in godhood. With a single brush of her hand against the cool surface of the obelisk, darkness enveloped her, and within moments she found herself looking around a wooded area – strange in appearance, and most certainly not where she had been just moments before. ”Well done,” she said quietly under her breath, silently praising the dramatism her creator had provided.

She began following the path in front of her, finding it rather easy to maintain her direction despite the uncertainty of where it was exactly that she was heading. She knew, in the end, she would find her way to Nemesis, and they could meet face to face for the first time in a long time. In the distance, she could hear the distinct whines, calls, and howls of the animals nestled in the darkness of the strange forest, but she ignored them, steadfast on her path toward Nemesis.

It didn’t take long and the large mansion came into view. She could hear the trickling of water, and soon, a beautiful marble fountain came into view, the sight of which froze Serafina in her tracks. The fountain was adorned with statues depicting many beautiful women. In the center she saw Celeste – someone she still considered to be her sister, her friend – but that was not what had caused her to cease her movement. There, near the statue of Celeste, was a statue of herself. A statue of Serafina. She felt a tug at her heartstrings – why on earth would Nemesis want to immortalize her in his realm, with all she had done to him? It was a question that she could not answer, but hoped to one day find out.

Shaking off the uneasy feeling the fountain had given her, she continued onwards towards the entrance of the mansion, paying no real attention to the stone gargoyles around. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps there were real gargoyles peppered in amongst those that were faux, but she was visiting with no ill intentions so she did not worry too much about that.

When she finally found one of the entrances into the mansion, she made her way inside, and let out an audible chuckle at the sight of all the candles before her. She was not surprised by the appearance in the slightest. Once inside the foyer, she decided that this would be as good a place as any to have a seat. Perhaps Nemesis would be able to sense her arrival in his realm – if not, she would make her presence known one way or another. She perched herself upon a rather luxurious loveseat, legs sprawled to one side and visible from the slit in her skirts. ”Don’t make me wait too long, now, Nemesis… it’s been ages,” she said, reclining slightly with an air of patience. If Nemesis did not come in a reasonable amount of time, she would possibly begin poking around the main floor of the building to see if she could find him – but for now, she would be content to wait. Her plans, in fact, were to apologize to Nemesis for her behavior and her absence, in hopes that they could reestablish at least their familial relationship – she knew that his love was mostly likely long lost to her, now, and had wholly accepted that.

As of late, Nemesis had been at a crossroads of sorts with all sorts of questions and scenarios that occurred over and over again in his head. That creature, that thing that had infiltrated their ranks had led to the demise of one of their own before being defeated for the moment. Ever since he had been questioning his future and that of those closest to him. Truthfully his thoughts would drift over to the woman that had been his first sired and wife. It had been ages since he had seen Sera, though was it a shock?

They had been on speaking terms despite the hell they put each other through on that night she bought Xerxez home. And even then, he had already had her mate visit him, alone surprisingly. He knew that she hadn’t been home at the estate and pondered if she was avoiding him or if she had been busy with her own affairs.

From the moment he felt her presence in the Bastion, he had kept an eye on her. The large wolf was finishing the kill of an elk when it happened. Lifting his bloody maw, Nemesis left the meal for the shadow wolves to feast on while he returned to the grounds. Gods knew how this was going to play out- at least on his part, Nemesis had just about forgiven her. While he had accepted her new relationship early on, a part of him back then had still been angry and it was what led him to betray Celeste in the worse possible way. He had to accept that he had betrayed Serafina in a similar fashion even if it hadn’t been his intention to hurt her. She made that much clear to him during their brawl.

To be frank, Nemesis was a tad nervous about how this would play.

Upon reaching the doors, the wolf became a man and from there, the shadows slithered over his being until he was clothed before he hesitantly pushed himself inside. Within seconds, he was face to face with Sera and his expression betrayed any form of coolness he attempted to display. Just seeing her there sprawled about like a feline felt surreal. The God couldn’t help but have a small smile in remembering how she used to be. Confident, powerful and not giving a damn what others thought. He missed seeing her like this. “Yes, it’s been a while, darling.” He moved slowly over to his cabinet and retrieved a decanter of bloodwine and a pair of glasses. “Have whatever you’d like”, he offered while pouring his own glass. “Are you here because of Xerxez’s visit or do you wish to speak to me?” It dawned on him that this was the first time that they had a private conversation and it made him stop mid-drink for a moment before he downed it and poured another round.

“You haven’t been home in a good while. But I’m glad that you seem to be doing quite well after all.” He flopped onto a chair of his own and studied the other alpha for a good moment. “I am glad that the two of you have been doing well.”

Serafina’s metaphorical heart stopped in her throat when Nemesis appeared before her. That wry grin that spread across Nemesis’s lips was mirrored on Serafina’s own, even though she had attempted to stop the smile from appearing. She could not help but to feel a twinge of happiness at seeing him, even with the history between the two. He had, after all, been the one who had given her the marvelous life that she was living now. ”Too long, it would seem,” she said, her voice sounding a bit more sultry than she had intended. She was not here to seduce Nemesis, she was merely here for a visit, and to relay a bit of information to him and see if he could help her shed a bit of light on what had been happening to her.

Upon his offering of a beverage, she rose from her luxe position on the loveseat and moved to where the glass for her sat, pouring herself a generous amount of bloodwine. She took a drink, fixing her eyes on Nemesis, unblinking for a moment as she savored the delectable tastes the beverage provided. ”Godhood certainly suits you, love,” she breathed, as though she were drinking in the sight of Nemesis before her rather than the drink in her cup. She was clearly skirting on answering the question he had asked her regarding why she had come to see him. She had every intention of answering him, of course, but she was taking her time and trying to figure out how exactly to word what she wanted to tell him.

”No, I did not come because of Xerxez. I had a vague inkling he would come to you when he heard of your ascension,” she explained. ”But I have come to speak with you,” she said. ”First, I come to express my happiness for you. A man such as yourself should most certainly be in a position of power, and godhood is most certainly the epitome of that,” she said. ”I thought it merely time that I come to you, both to congratulate you and to see you after such a long time.”

She paused for a moment, remaining silent as she moved back to the position she had been sitting in once more. ”I wouldn’t exactly say that Xerxez and I are doing well,” she confessed. ”I have hardly seen him in months, and I am not quite sure where he is, or if he even considers himself my mate any longer. I released him, you know? Gave him the option to go away if he didn’t truly want to be with me. I just didn’t think he would do it – in fact, I don’t know if that is what has happened…” she trailed off, and it was clear that she didn’t want to speak on that subject any longer. Truth be told she did not want to speak about the other subject she was about to embark on.

She didn’t feel the need to tell him about the brothel she had purchased – for one, she was quite sure he had already heard of her business ventures. Also, she had much more pressing things to discuss with him than a silly little whore house that she was running.

”Nemesis,” she said, and the sultry tones had left her voice. She now sounded serious, and almost concerned. ”I need to tell you something,” she breathed. ”Something has been… happening to me, and I don’t know what it is,” she said. ”I thought maybe it was connected to your ascension, since you created me, but I am starting to think that’s not it,” she said. ”It’s hard to explain what exactly it has been, but I have been stronger – even stronger than I already was. I don’t need to feed as often, in fact I hardly feel the urge whatsoever,” she added. ”And when I lie in the darkness in my bed at night, I hear things… voices, speaking to me in a language I just don’t understand. It is all one voice, but there are so many layers… And I will admit to you, Nemesis. I am afraid,” she said, hoping that he would be able to help her shed some light on what had been happening to her.

He wouldn’t try and predict what Sera would think or say; it would take far too much effort for someone that followed her whims. He never had in all their years spent together attempted to. It was a surprise to see her here but it wasn’t an unwelcome surprise. He was true to his word as far as Serafina’s position remaining as both a member of the house and as alpha remaining intact. The fallout between them had simply been followed by their paths never intertwining for one reason or another. At least that’s what he wanted to believe as the reason for her absence.

He had taken to his glass, allowing the crimson bubbly drink to flow smoothly down his throat as the gorgeous blonde watched him. “Perhaps. I’m still adjusting. It was something that I had wanted very long ago, but now?” He wasn’t too sure if it was right for him to carry such power. If this had been in the past, then Nemesis would have surely drunk it all in excess. But he was older and wiser than the destructive killer he had been.

Perched forward, he watched her with care, waiting for her answer. When it came, he couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “I thank you, though it is unneeded, dear. What’s important is that this blessing serves well for our entire family.” Which was truly what he believed- unlike how his former masters were, Nemesis didn’t merely think of himself. Those that were among his bloodline were also to reap the benefits, and now they would be better protected in case something were to happen in the near future. Perhaps even against the thing that had led to a Goddess’ demise recently. “I won’t lie to you, it’s been far too long since we have been able to meet on friendly terms. I have missed you..”

While he hadn’t been prepared to hear the news about her and Xerxez, especially with the latter’s visit a bit ago, he didn’t know the man completely to make one guess or another about his fate. “No, I hadn’t. He was here to speak about his concerns for the family now that I have ascended. Xerxez was worried about our enemies and I reassured him not to.” After that, he didn’t know where the beta went. He could have run off, or perhaps he had been caught doing something and imprisoned somewhere. Xerxez didn’t seem to be the sort to be killed easily. The god looked to his former mate with a sad look before nodding. That discussion would die right there for now.

He grew more curious about the change in her tone and thought deeply about her experiences as of late. Placing the glass onto the table, he approached her from behind and placed a hand upon her shoulder for comfort. Had she received a blessing? A curse? It was difficult to think of what had happened considering that they hadn’t talked in a great deal of time? What he could do at the moment was offer support for his first child. “I’m…not sure, but in time we will find out what is going on with you, Serafina. I promise you.”

There were many things that had been happening to Serafina that she had not yet mentioned to Nemesis, but they would come out with time. They were a constant parade in her mind, as she thought about every single thing she had experienced since the strange things had begun. However, when Nemesis came to stand beside her, his hand on her shoulder in a message of solidarity and comfort, she relaxed for the first time in a very long time.

It was not a romantic or sexual feeling that she garnered from the contact, but rather one that a child would feel from their parent, comforting them in a time of distress and worry – which was exactly what Serafina had been feeling. She felt herself lean in towards his hand, so that her cheek rested against the back of his cool flesh. ”After everything that I have done to you – all of the times I have betrayed you, you are still here for me, still caring for me, still trying to ease my worries… promising me that you will be there for me, by my side through it all. I find it strange, yet comforting,” she added, sounding grateful but also a bit concerned.

She grew silent for a moment, leaning away from Nemesis and his comforting touch and retrieving the glass of bloodwine, taking a deep drink before placing it back down. She twisted around to face him, her eyes wide with a combination of curiosity and what could possibly be fear. ”I found myself wondering if the changes inside of me had something to do with your ascension, but they didn’t happen right away,” she said, her words sounding rather thoughtful. ”I tried to pinpoint when it all started, and it really seemed to happen after you had all banded together to take down the Reaper, when she was possessed,” she added.

Her eyes darkened. ”Do you think the souls of the innocents that I have murdered over the years, those that I have fed upon and murdered for sport… do you think that perhaps they have escaped from the underworld and are hell bent on seeking their revenge upon me?” she asked, with almost a hint of paranoia to her words. ”Could that be it? Maybe they are trying to make me feel like I am more powerful, like I don’t need to feed as much…” she said, though she trailed off when she realized that she sounded like a raving lunatic.

”What are the voices I have been hearing? That is what I truly want to find out,” she said, sounding even more concerned. She looked away from Nemesis, as though she were staring off into space, not sure what to say to him next – she was unsure if he would have any suggestions at all for what was happening to her, other than he was going to support her.

It wasn’t out of pity or some attempt to lead Serafina astray; Nemesis had meant his word. He loved her, of course, but at this moment he was trying to be the sire he should have been with her from the start. Whatever hell she was going through, she hadn’t warranted it in his eyes. No matter how much has come between them. His eyes softened a bit as he watched her take into his hand, a comfort that could be traced by to their wolven sides. “Whatever anger I had with you had died a while ago. I was in the wrong for placing you in such a situation in the first place. He had been blinded to her worries and fears from before when he had taken in Celeste as his second. It hadn’t been intentional but he had hurt her all the same. So much as to drive her into the arms of another man. “I had never meant to pick Celeste over you; we tried simply to create an heir for our family. I knew that you weren’t keen on carrying a child to term so she decided to carry that burden.” His reason for this was to clear the air once and for all, something that should have been eons ago.

Nemesis moved on and focused on why she had come. “None of the other Volkovs have been affected in that sort of manner. Perhaps because you are my first that this occurred?“ He went to sit back down and stumble around with his thoughts while Sera went on. “The Reaper…” His tone was hushed as the vivid memories replayed in his mind- her possession right down to Angela being forced to slay her. A thought came across him but he dismissed almost immediately. Sera…” The vaewolf blinked as she started to unravel; the strong and confident Serafina crumbling down like a fortress’ walls under siege. This wasn’t the woman he had known all those years ago, which made her aliment all the more serious for him.

He put up a hand to try and silence her for a moment. “Perhaps you might be right. The underworld has no master now and those souls could be coming to you because of that. If that was the case, I too would be affected by those I’ve destroyed.” His eyes fell upon her as he bought out his innermost thoughts. “Another reason could be that you have grown some sort of connection with them now. It is possible, but tell me, have you seen someone from your past in recent times?"

He got back up and scurried over to the window and looked to the statues. He pointed to one of the women that she wouldn’t recognize. “I was visited by my master shortly before I ascended. Only it wasn’t her- she had perished many moons ago. It was someone else that used her as a means to speak without repercussions. The Voice, or whatever it calls itself. Perhaps you have been feeling like this; the voices in your head, the disinterest of feeding and yet your strength is still great…perhaps you…” Nemesis wasn’t too sure if he believed that she was chosen, not that he would dismiss it entirely. “You should sit down and we can continue to figure this out.”

A nod showed Sera’s understanding as to why Celeste had been the one to carry Nemesis’ child. Truthfully, on the inside she had always known that – but it had always felt as though she had not been good enough for him. She knew that was not the case, because he would not have chosen to change her to vaewolf had she not been good enough for him – but it was difficult for her not to feel that way. ”I suppose that could be it,” she said, in response to the fact that she had been his first to change. Her voice certainly gave way to the fact that she acknowledged what he had said to her, but that she did not necessarily feel the same way. No matter how many times he reassured her, there would always be that little voice in the back of her mind telling her that she wasn’t good enough – it was partly what fueled her rage.

Serafina fell silent as Nemesis held up a hand, falling back into the motions of obeying him as she had so long ago. It was not out of fear, but more so out of habit. She had let her guard down with him by telling him the things she had been experiencing, and it seemed only right to reward his willingness to listen to her with obedience.

The explanation he began to offer only served to confuse her further, however. At his suggestion, she slouched back into her seat. ”What do you mean continue to figure this out, Nemesis?” she asked, her voice sounding incredibly serious. It was clear that she was catching on to the fact that he had some idea of what could be happening to her. ”I have heard whisperings of the Voice, people mentioning it, but I am not quite certain what it is. From what I gather it is something that has to do with deities, and how the ascend, but I cannot be sure.” She furrowed her brow slightly, as though she were starting to piece together exactly what it was that he was thinking.

Suddenly, Serafina let out a sharp laugh. ”Oh, no, that’s just ridiculous,” she said out loud, without alluding to what it was she spoke of. ”It almost seems as though you’re suggesting that the Voice is speaking to me because I’m going to ascend,” she said, though she could hardly get the words out through her laughter. After a moment however, her laughter died down, and her gaze darkened slightly. ”That’s not… that’s not what you’re suggesting is it?” she asked, and it was clear that she was very, very confused by the thought. ”That would be ridiculous, Nemesis. Could you imagine? What could I possibly offer as a deity? I’m a complete psychopath,” she added, bringing a hand to her forehead. ”Please tell me that I’m reading into what you’re saying wrong,” she said, glancing at him from beneath her hand.

“That I am not entirely sure if what I am thinking is truly the case or not with what’s going on with you”, Nemesis pointed out. Sure she was hearing whispers and such, but was it really because she was picked out? He knew not of how the Voice picked and chose its representatives, only that sometimes it had an interesting sense of humor. Only when Serafina caught on did he looked to her with a grave look on his face and waited until her laughter died down. “Yes, that is one possibility.” He looked back outside, thinking and coming up with another logical explanation. Was she going mad? That was another possible reason, though from what he’s been seeing, her mind was still intact and he dared not insult her in speaking otherwise.

“My dear, if clarity of mind was a requirement, then I wouldn’t have been chosen.” He spoke of it as calmly as he could while sporting a grin. “I have been called mad back in my day and have fallen into those darker recesses of my mind from time to time. I am a killer with no heart for another other than my family and yet I was chosen. If this is truly your fate, then it must have seen something in you.”

“I can understand your hesitation on the matter, but I wouldn’t leave that off the table just yet”, he continued before pouring himself another glass. “For all we know, you could have already been pulled into the fold by now. How to test that out is anyone’s guess at this point.”

While he pondered that, he thought of something else- that she hadn’t need to feed. Regardless, he wasn’t going to let her go without some sort of nourishment in that case. He undid his coat, sporting a collarless, sleeveless dark shirt. “Come now, you probably need to feed whether I am wrong or right about the matter. It should help keep your mind calm too”, he spoke as he moved his head to the side, revealing his neck more to her.

Serafina had been hoping that her discussion with Nemesis would alleviate some of the worries she had, though it almost seemed as though it were bringing more on, at least in relation to the cause of her recent mental discomfort. At least she felt a bit better regarding where their relationship stood – perhaps they were at a point where they could begin to repair things, and perhaps she would begin to feel like a family along with Nemesis and Celeste again. However, she was unable to spend too much time dwelling on that though at the current moment, as there were much more pressing matters at hand.

She watched Nemesis closely as he poured himself another drink. “I suppose one way to test it would be to attempt to kill me, yes? I mean, if we are wrong, then I will be gone forever, but if we are right, then I suppose we would know,” she said. “Though, I can’t honestly say that would be my ideal method of deduction,” she added, a hint of her old humor audible in her sultry voice.

While it was true that she hadn’t felt the hunger or the need to feed on blood, she could not help but have her interest piqued as Nemesis unfastened his coat, revealing his sleeveless arms as well as his neck. It brought back many memories of her time with him, times that had occurred even before Celeste had become a part of the Volkov family. ”I haven’t felt the hunger,” she said, though as her eyes found the locations of the veins on his neck, she felt a pang that she hadn’t felt in some time. ”Though seeing your throat in such a manner, it seems to be bringing it on,” she added, moving so she was seated next to him.

One hand found his shoulder while the other found the back of his head, keeping it tilted in the manner it already had been, almost as though she were cradling him as she leaned across him. She tipped her own head back for a moment as her fangs exposed, before leaning forward and bringing her lips to his neck, puncturing his vein with her fangs. She gently suckled at the wound, feeding on the god’s blood – and she had never tasted anything like it. A gentle moan escaped her lips as she fed, brought forth from the luxury of the taste of such powerful blood. It was not as she remembered his blood tasting – it had the same familiarity, but it was so much more.

After a moment she broke away, leaning back in her seat, nearly feeling drunk off of the experience of feeding on him. She chuckled at herself, wiping at the corner of her mouth at a trickle of blood that had made its way out. ”Thank you,” she said, her voice heavy. ”You taste… so different,” she added, though she was sure that Nemesis was already aware of the fact that his blood would have been affected by his deityhood.

”So,” she began. ”Now that this is handled, I need to figure out what all to do to figure out this situation,” she said, the concern feeding back into her voice. ”Do you think, perhaps, with her connection to the Voice… that I should visit Angela?” she asked, hesitating slightly. She knew of Nemesis and his past with Angela, and was unsure what his thoughts would be on getting the elder of the all the gods involved in the situation at hand.

"Nor would it be mine", he spoke softly, perhaps more so than she's ever heard. It had been a good while, but still, the memory that he was willing to take her life overtaking on a new lover still filled him with shame. After all, she was his first child in this world and despite his feelings on that matter before now, she had been right to feel upset and neglected. She had been right to look for love when it wasn't presently there for solely her. But the time right now wasn't to indulge in the past. No, they were here now for her future, as uncertain as it was right now. 

Reminding himself of that, Nemesis turned the conversation over to having her feed, just in case he had been wrong over assuming that she would be chosen. If this wasn't the case, then perhaps she was suffering through some sort of alignment, which would have to be checked upon as quickly as possible. He let the blond beauty more in and take the lead, and soon a small, crafty grin revealed itself. This mirrored quite a few scenarios they had rehearsed over the years, an odd but comfortable feeling. While they could gorge themselves on meat, there was something enticing about drinking blood. He sat there, being positioned accordingly like how a doll would be by its owner, anticipating the moment well her fangs would sink into him. A small pang rushed through his nerves as she made the entry, making his eyes roll slightly and a sigh slipped out. Not many had ever fed from him and even for the privileged few, it would be done through a goblet or a pierced hand. His neck, to this very day, was only fair game for his alphas. 

Seconds…minutes… hours, time was irrelevant in how long she would feed until she was sufficed, but eventually, he felt the fangs leave him and his skin quickly sealed the wounds.

"I hope it was too your suiting", he spoke, still coming off the high of being fed from. "I can't say what effects it could have on you. They could perhaps magnify whatever is going inside you currently, though I doubt it will bring harm."

Angela. 

The moment he heard that name, he couldn't bring himself into anger. No, he flung his head back and laughed a bit like a madman. Of course, he would have to see her, the woman was either a catalyst of his troubles or an all in one solution all wrapped up in a voracious package. First, it had been for Celeste he would deal with the redhead devil, and now it was for Serafina. His hand collapsed onto his face as his laughter died down. "So be it. If anyone would know what's going on- whether its an ailment, an ascension or something in-between, it would be her that would know." Rising from his spot, he didn't bother to get dressed up again before he snapped his fingers and darkness wrapped its cold embrace around them. It would be a moment before it swept them in to Elysia. Having been here before, Nemesis made sure that they made it to the palace and called for a servant to seek out Angela on his and Sera's behalf. He hadn't known if she had been in the realm before, so he turned to her and shook his head. "I will warn you that her flair can be…a bit too extravagate at times. At least for my taste. Fortunately, she will have our answers, love."