“Cyprus was far worse than Xunatar,” Undine snapped in. “She would have dissected you the moment you were born or let you take a breath just to strangle you and watch your skin turn blue. She would have taken someone like Triss and…” There needed to be no more said. “I remember that much.”

Kirika nodded. “The basement was where she birthed most of us. Some of our siblings never even got to their first scream before she ripped them apart for experiments. She used her body to get power from demons. Some of them like Xunatar wanted children and she let them live but the ones that happened just because… Well, they got fates worse than death.”

Lotus looked Sol over and she put up a hand to her gold eyes. “She gauged my eye out when my sister wasn’t available to torture. She planned on Colden raping Kirika to make a being to destroy the whole world… This house was filled with bodies from the floor to the ceiling. You will find even outside these walls that people do not trust us. They hate us for what she has done.”

Kirika was in agreement, “It will take centuries to undo what’s been done by her hand. Anything I say is questioned but my aunts back me up. They wanted to kill us all but we managed to get away from that if each one of the surviving children had offspring. They didn’t realize Undine was still alive and the council that wanted us dead is now gone. This is our prison too until the day we can make it past what she has done. We must have buried thousands of bodies after we cleaned out the house. We blew it all up and we started again.”

Lotus leaned into Dante. “Once we were all comfortable here… We blew up the basement and filled it in. Sort of like a funeral. The children are shunned but they are strong enough to let it flow over them.”

Eldora smiled a bit, “Or like our Artemis, they punch them until they don’t mess with them anymore. It’s slow but people are coming around and it’s not everyone. In a week or so, you both can leave the house. As long as you are in Sularia, we don’t need you cooped up here. Angela is watching after all and Undine needs to be in the sea.”

Undine looked at Sol, “And now you know what the bitch was like to everyone else too.”

Lotus put her leg over the other and snuggled into Dante with a blanket. "So, any questions about this place or Sularia or even us Sol?"

Sol could imagine there being worse people in this realm than his own father. It was merely the fact that he didn’t need to care about those that weren’t in his way. Unfortunately, Cyprus probably would have been a thorn to his side because of Undine, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Evil, pure evil such as their mother was something that he wouldn’t have tolerated. Nor would he had done so towards the abuse that her children suffered even after her death. “I would have given them a reason to shut up and fear”, he shrugged. To hell with what outsiders would have thought. It was clear that her children weren’t responsible for what Cyprus did and anyone that said otherwise was a stupid idiot.

Steele chimed in, “That’s not how the world works anymore, Sol. There has to be a balance of diplomacy…”

“Sounds like you lost your nerve, dog”, Sol said slyly, “Or is bloodshed not your fancy anymore?” As far as he could see, having the little urchins had changed him for the worse. Dante, who was cuddled up with Lotus, shook his head. He could see why their father locked him up in the first place; he was too hardheaded for his own good. It would likely get him, Undine or anyone close to him killed if he showed his attitude to the wrong person.

Sol grumbled at hearing how even the urchins were treated, but that wasn’t his problem, right? They would have to get strong to stand on their own feet, especially in this sort of environment. It was how they would learn as he had done when he was younger. Colden brought Triss closer to his chest, “They don’t deserve any of this. Angelette tries to fight against it as well. And if that doesn’t work, then Garland defends her and the others. If not them, then there are others in the family that takes it into their own hands. Aunt Toya is one of the more reckless ones.”

Hearing that they would be let out to be on their own was a strange concept to him but he supposed that he could play along for now. “How the hell did my family get entangled in this situation in the first place?”

Eldora spoke up for her husband. “No, Steele has bite when its needed. It’s just not needed. If we try to bite back right now it would only weaken what the queens have done to save us. Spitting in their faces so to speak. I don’t care what they say about me but the children…” She frowned a bit. “They don’t have anything to do with this. They weren’t even born.”

Kirika nodded, “But biting back right now would also hurt the children the most.”

Lotus made a face and laughed a bit, “Toya is a complete animal. They don’t even speak in their direction bad. The last time someone picked on her kids she punted them across Sularia until the guards pick the guy up for disturbing the public. Her temper and pride make her one of the most dangerous people in Sularia, they call her The Dragon. She is the Queen of Fire.”

Getting out of Dante’s snuggle Lotus got on the edge of her seat. “Your brother and I met just before the situation with Colden came to a head.” Lotus waved her hand. “We messed around a bit and kept bumping into each other. I’m a succubus by nature, most of us are half-demons. Dante being lust actually caused us to meet our matches. I generally kill most of the men I sleep with and he gets bored. Eventually, I dragged Eldora into the situation because she is an oracle. She’s who we use to track people.”

“When Xunatar became a god I sought him out to fix me. I wasn’t always as human as I appear now. Steele also helped normalize me. We were paired together to deal with my mother and well now we’re married,” Eldora took Steele’s hand.

“Colden… well, Cyprus was strong and Xunatar knew he could get one of the sins from her. He just didn’t realize how bad she was. If he had there is no doubt in my mind that he would have ghosted her,” Lotus held up her hand. “Not that I don’t love my little brother.” Lotus flung herself on Colden and snuggled him close. “I would fight all over again for him. You love your daddy don’t you Triss?” Triss nodded up and gave her father a grin. Lotus kissed the top of Colden’s head.

“Xunatar isn’t all bad though he does have his moments and goals,” Crystaline spoke up and everyone got quiet. She put her hands in front of her and one had a banana. “If only to get Colden to listen to him once in a while he helped give me my sight back. He’s really good with the kids as well. When the boys were picking on Angelette he gave her a stuffed animal to protect her. For the family, as he says.” Crys was breaking up a banana and feeding it to Triss who got big-eyed and tried to eat the whole one while everyone laughed.

“Sularia is a huge city. It’s more like five cities in one. The only way out of Sularia is through the desert… Though Aunt Angela watches this place like a hawk. She’s the matron goddess of this place.” Kirika explained. “It’s why no one is really worried about letting you out and about. You’ll have your freedom that I promise. It just has limitations like leaving Sularia but this place is charming. I was raised in the Castle District for most of my life because they were hiding me from my mother.”

Oh, did Dante perk up when his brother asked that unfortunate question? Steele himself rolled his eyes as he knew how this was all going to play out the moment Lotus spoke of it. He was sure that Sol regretted his question and boy, did he ever. "Yup, it was by our lovely hands that the families' fates intertwined, dear brother. We were merely just…" He thought for an appropriate name for what they were doing. "Very casually seeing one another whenever we ran into each other. We met in a spider legged house over in Parvpora and from there, it was a beautiful encounter after the other. When we learned that we share a common person- Colden and figured out what that bitch wanted to use him for, we talked to father and he got Eldora and Steele to work together…perhaps a little too well." He couldn't help but snicker as most would know what he was talking about. The slippery demon then went over to wrap an arm around Colden, "And when we freed him", he started as his little brother struggled against his grip, but to no avail. Dante had a hell of a grip on him. "He was all mopy and stuff until little Crystaline there was ever persistent and got him to cheer up. And from there they had a very cute little adventure to become a couple."

Sol was really sorry that he asked, having to hear a long-winded tale from Lust himself. Gods, he could only imagine what his other siblings were like. He was sure in the coming days, he would meet with the rest of them and he wasn't looking forward to seeing Carrie again. At least he was able to tolerant Crystaline up until she mentioned that damned family motto that he despised. "For the family…" His eyes slithered around these people that considered him family and merely shook his head. Even in prevail times, they seemed happy and united. An oddity in comparison to the time he was raised upon. 

"Sol, I was like you once", Steele spoke up, making his older brother glance towards his direction. "I never thought that I was the type to settle down or to never be freed from my vice. Colden was the same way and Dante…" He looked to him and the latter waved. "Anyway, the point is that I've learned to adapt and overcome. You will too if you make the effort and you've taken baby steps. We've seen the way you are with Undine, and hell knows that you weren't like that before." Sol rolled his eyes and sunk into his seat. He still didn't quite trust them, but at least the leash wasn't as short as he thought. "We'll see, brother", he waved it off. "So who are the others in the flock?"

Dante took that initiative, "There's the four of us brothers, Rize of Sloth, Beleeze of Gluttony and Freya of Greed. The latter is the youngest and we have yet to find her. Probably somewhere in a dungeon for stealing again." Sol looked to Undine and thought of something. "Where's the other sister? The one that came with Keres and Samyaza in Abed?" 

"Junko? She's in Nisshoki, don't you worry."

"I'm not."

For now, he would play along and see what sort of place Sularia was in the coming days. He would have to be patient and calm, traits he was never good at. 

Eldora sighed at the way Dante was going on and on. Crystaline was trying to save Colden now but there was no avail but Triss made her displeasure known as Dante made her drop pieces of her banana. Her bright blue eyes looked up at him as tears started to pool in them. “Uh oh, Dante if you want this one to keep liking you I would fix that situation if I were you,” Eldora chuckled. Turning her attention back to Sol she smiled towards Steele. “We each had our families and are raising them together. Giving the children lives that we never got the chance to have. They can be a hand full but they are good kids.”

“For the most part,” Lotus chimed in, “I’m debating whether my sons will make it to adulthood or not.” There was a bit of laughter from that.

Kirika chimed in next, “The only ones who stay here or visit here are in this room. We often discount Junko since we don’t see her often. She is a part of this family though for what it’s worth.

Lotus waved her hand, “My father Nazerial stops in often since I’m his only daughter and Shiroi is his only granddaughter. He’s an incubus king but he isn’t much to worry about. He’s always thinking about his next conquest.”

“I wonder if that means my father will also visit me…” Undine managed to get out as she had been lost in thought.

“Probably, Eliagos has always worried about you. He even went out of his way to make sure we knew when you were awake or asleep depending. This last time he wasn’t fast enough to give the warning,” Eldora shot her a glare but Undine just shrugged a bit. “However, you aren’t a morning person so I forgave you for that.”

“I never asked to be forgiven,” Undine shot back.

“You didn’t have too. We all live together or near each other. Fighting against one another is just going to hurt us in the long run here. We need to be on a united front for both us and the children.”

Undine scoffed but gave in as she curled up nearly on Sol. Her eyes were looking around the room finally. “You were always unstable. How the hell did you become sane?”

“Xunatar. He managed to calm the spirits and give me leeway. Once he fell I almost died but he borderline killed himself to make sure I lived and could live the same quality of life outside of those walls. He brought me all the way to Angela on his last limb so she could cut our ties. When I got pregnant with Estelle that’s when it really gave way and I could breathe and I found myself balancing. It’s still hard but I can keep it in check now by myself. You were always so full of rage and hate… but I don’t need to ask you what happened.” Eldora looked at Sol. “Undine, Princess of the Sea, Maiden of the Dark Waters, Song of the Depths, The Butcher, The Raging Typhoon – You’ve gone by many, many names over the years. Some of them pleasant and some of them not.”

“Shocking anyone has lived long enough to actually tell those stories,” Undine scoffed and she closed her eyes as she leaned her head against Sol. “And what do Sol and I get to do here anyway?” They were stuck here for an unknown amount of time.

“Live a normal life, as normal as you can get. Eventually, you’ll be allowed to go back to Abed I would imagine. For now, at least you both have each other and us too. I know it’s bothersome and it’s not what you want but it isn’t all bad. I never thought I would be happy washing dishes and yelling at kids but things change and people do too. Steele used to make these funny faces to get Estelle to eat and everyone always used to comment on how it wasn’t him but I couldn’t see him any other way now after all these years. When the time comes we go to war and we come home and operate as normal. I never thought I would have that… Normal that is but here we are. Two kids later, a good marriage, and a nice little house to watch them grow in. It’s not a lot but it’s enough to make me feel satisfied.”

Undine let out a scoff but she peeked up at Sol to see what his thoughts were on the whole thing. Knowing him he probably hated it. He wanted so much more.

“No, no, no sweetie”, Dante stumbled as he scurried off to get another banana for Triss. He already had Angelette against him, he couldn’t afford to have another little one crossed with him. He returned moments later with a fresh banana and broke it into parts before handing it to the tiny girl. “See, your Uncle Dante is still the best.” He gave the girl a welcoming grin as he handed her the pieces one at a time.

Sol couldn’t help but to look at this in disbelief- this is what his father had spent his days cultivating so much for? Getting his special children just to watch them squander the powers they carried? He couldn’t understand any of this, especially them holding family in high regards. Due to his upbringings, he cared little for such times, which was why he made Steele’s life a living hell back in their youth.

“You’d think the boys would be smart, considering their parents”, Steele chimed in. “They act like Dante, but at least we know that it's an act.”

Dante continued to feed Triss, “I have no idea of what you are talking about.”

Colden only shook his head at how good of a fool his older brother could play. The djinn listened to the others go over their parents and then learned of the fate that would be bestowed onto them. Was this some sort of joke? He clearly wasn’t laughing but what else could he do? He was stuck here thanks to the geas and his father would keep him under his thumb until he was able to go back to Abed.

‘Whatever”, he sighed, annoyed as ever before Steele followed up with something. “In a few days, you’ll get a visitor. Father told me to let you know.”

“Visitor? I don’t have any connections…” He thought for a moment before he made a grave face. “No, you can’t mean her.”

“Her, who’s that?”, Dante asked nosily, ‘An old flame?”

“No, his mother, Kali”, Steele answered. “A powerful demoness from Abed. It’s said that she’s older than Father even. She’s been waiting to keep an eye on you for some time now”

“Just kill me now”, Sol whined a bit while covering his face. ‘The last thing I need to deal with is that woman.”