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”Duskclaw!” Karna crossed the distance from the door to the bed with hurried steps and pulled her ‘mother’ into an embrace. Arjuna would otherwise say that she had rushed over, but his daughter didn’t rush.

“Karna! It’s good to see you!” Duskclaw eagerly returned the embrace with equal fervor. The two held each other for several minutes, which couldn’t help but move Arjuna’s emotions as well. It was heartwarming to see the two most important people in his life acting so close.

“How are you, really?” Karna finally asked quietly, not letting go. She was leaning over Duskclaw’s bed a little awkwardly, but she didn’t mind.

“Truly? There are better days and there are worse days.” Duskclaw gave Arjuna a meaningful look and he left the room, leaving the two alone. “Your father has done what he can, but progress is slow. And it can be rather painful some days.” Normally Duskclaw would’ve put up a tough front and tried to reassure Karna, but she knew the girl was too sharp for that.

“Let me check.” Karna wasn’t really asking for a permission, and her senses already delved inside Duskclaw’s body, checking her condition in a very comprehensive manner. “I see the healers have managed to regrow some of the mana channels in your arm. No wonder it’s painful, they’re not doing anything to protect the new channels. It’s like leaving a raw nerve open to air. We’ll have to fix that. I can whip something up in a few hours, and I can use my own mana to help the channels grow.”

“You should’ve seen the arm when it happened. It was charred completely black, and I was honestly worried it was too far gone to save. They’ve done a good job to fix it to this state. It’ll just take some more time.” Duskclaw defended the healers that had done their best.

“Well, a lot less time now that I’m here. The healers haven’t done a completely shoddy job, I’ll admit, but they could’ve done better as well. Let’s see, your mage core is…fractured in seven places.” Karna frowned a bit.

“Seven? There’s only a single crack in it.” Duskclaw suddenly got worried.

“The other fractures are much smaller, but they’d become a problem if we leave them untreated. I see Arjuna has at least made an effort to fix the damage. Maybe I don’t have to chew him out quite as badly as I planned…oh?” She suddenly noticed something. “Ohhh?! Maybe I don’t have to chew him out at all. It seems the two of you have been busy.”

Duskclaw smiled a bit. “Yes. There have been some benefits from the accident.”

“I’d say! You’re pregnant! I didn’t think he had it in him. You two work quick. That’s why you sent him out of the room.” Karna couldn’t stop the grin splitting her face.

“Apparently he was quite shaken by my injury. You should’ve been there! Actually, maybe it’s better you weren’t. He wouldn’t have been able to get over his hang-ups and embarrassment if you had been there. He even apologized for leaving me hanging for so long.” Duskclaw blushed at her memory about what happened afterwards.

“Aha. I see. Well, how was it? Everything you wanted?” Karna pressed for details.

“It was wonderful! Well, the injury made things a little awkward, but he was so attentive and gentle that the awkwardness wasn’t too bad.” Duskclaw had a silly grin on her face.

“Well, you obviously didn’t take care of precautions seeing your current state. I’m just going to note that you don’t get to give me any grief after this.” Karna teased. “I can’t believe that I’m asking this about my father, but was he any good? Just out of curiosity.”

"He's…improving," Duskclaw said a bit defensively. "He doesn't have that much experience, believe it or not. As I said, the injury has been a bit…"

“Ah, I got it. You’d like it if he was a bit more passionate and he’s being too careful at the moment. Do you want me to give him some advice?” Karna was mostly just teasing, though her offer was somewhat genuine. She had a lot of experience, after all, so she could give plenty of advice on how to please a woman.

“No! ….actually, that might not be too bad.” Duskclaw blushed fiercely before joining in on the joke. “Just because I can’t even imagine the look on his face! Please, if you do it, let me see his face when you do. I’ll even record it magically so that I can have his expression framed and placed in the lobby!”

The two shared an evil cackle as their plan started coming together. “Seriously though, your core will need some time to heal, even with my help. It might be good that you’re pregnant now, as this way the time won’t be wasted.”

“That’s actually part of why I didn’t take care of things afterwards. I mean the whole thing happened so quickly that there was no way I could’ve predicted it. But Arjuna pointed out rather intelligently that we are still bound by the Progeny Accords. You’re our daughter in all but biology, but I doubt everyone will see things the same way. It’s becoming more and more obvious that we aren’t actually your parents after all.” Duskclaw explained. While she and Arjuna had gotten together in a rush of emotions and passion, they had talked about the pregnancy afterwards quite rationally. Using too much magic while you were pregnant could risk a miscarriage, so her current situation provided the perfect opportunity in that sense.

“Not a bad plan. His idea I presume? Yeah, he can be quite smart when he bothers using his head.” Karna considered her options a bit. “I could create something that would get you mobile and out of bed in a few days. With proper care, I’m sure I can fix your core with enough time. But you’re not going to be casting any spells for a long while.”

“That’s fine. I can live with that. I just hate being bound to a bed and being treated like I’d break if I did anything strenuous.” Duskclaw was a beastwoman and they tended to hate staying still for too long.

“Oh, that’s not right. I’d actually encourage you to move. In fact, after we get you to a state where you can move around without pain, I’d encourage you to train your warrior skills in the meantime. Nothing too heavy, but the sooner you get into a decent condition, the sooner your body can start helping us with the healing.” Karna was going to be taking over Duskclaw’s care, no matter what others tried to say.

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"…and if you move your hips in a circle like this, it's going to be extremely pleasurable for the both of you," Karna explained with a completely stoic face while moving her hips very suggestively. "Now remember, some women like a bit of passion and rough treatment…"

“Please stop. I beg you.” Arjuna had his face covered with his hands and he was nearing the point of having a nervous breakdown from embarrassment, mortification, and a host of other feelings.

“Please don’t stop. This is great stuff! I never knew about the…what did you call it? On the inside, I mean.” Wolfgang was actually taking notes. Because of course Karna had chosen to have the embarrassing conversation while in the company of others.

“G-spot.” Karna provided helpfully, without showing a shred of shame.

“Some of this is new to me as well. I have no idea how you discovered all of this, but this is enlightening.” Tsumi joined in with Wolfgang. Despite what most people might think of her because of the way she spoke, acted, and dressed, the Headmistress wasn’t an expert when it came to lovemaking.

“I agree. I thought I’d learned most of what there is to learn about the subject, but it just goes to show you’re never finished with learning.” Queen Amaranthine added. She had come to negotiate with the Magocracy about their future plans and was staying at Arjuna’s tower. Unlike the others, she was extremely experienced, but the elves weren’t exactly the most adventurous race when it came to such things. She was quite sure Karna’s knowledge came from her status as a Blessed Child. An odd blessing to get, but perhaps a useful one.

“Kill me now.” Arjuna made a rather genuine wish.

“Oh, this is just the basics. Next, we're going to move on to more complex concepts like using your voice and very simple touch to bring pleasure, and even…" Karna carried on to the next topic.

“Please tell me you’re getting all of this recorded.” Wolfgang’s Valkyrie wife Birgitte whispered to Duskclaw with a barely concealed grin.

“Oh, I wouldn’t miss this for anything, believe me, I'm recording this, and I'll lord it over everyone present for years to come," Duskclaw assured her while conspicuously holding a magical orb in her hands.

“Good. Make sure I get a copy.” Birgitte demanded.

“There’s no way!” Wolfgang exclaimed suddenly. “There’s no way you can reliably do what you claim.”

“What did I miss?” Birgitte asked Amaranthine, who was sitting next to her.

“Karna claimed someone could effectively and reliably make someone…reach an orgasm with nothing but your voice.” Amaranthine whispered, very intrigued.

“There are several ways to do it actually, but most of them require the subject to already be in the correct mood. I know at least one way that doesn’t require that. It’s…a little invasive and doesn’t work on someone powerful enough that’s actively resisting the effect, but beyond that…” Karna argued.

“And I call bullshit!” Wolfgang shouted, though he was mostly just caught in the mood.

“Would you like to make a bet?” Karna challenged the man directly.

Her confidence gave Wolfgang a pause, but he decided to go ahead anyway. This was simply too juicy even if he lost the bet. “Fine, a bet it is. How will we check this?”

“Well, I’m certainly not going to make you cum if that’s what you’re asking. You could also resist the effect easily.” Karna laid down the obvious restriction.

“Tsumi?” Wolfgang asked a little hopefully.

“My own disciple? Really?” Tsumi asked with faux shock. In truth, she was a little intrigued about the ability Karna mentioned, but wasn’t going to volunteer here.

“Well Arjuna and I are out," Duskclaw stated firmly.

"That leaves…" Wolfgang's eyes skipped over Amaranthine straight away and looked towards Birgitte.

His wife lifted her eyebrow meaningfully. “Ask me. I dare you.”

"I think we'll need to skip on the bet after all," Wolfgang said in a dejected voice.

“Smart choice. The best one you’ve made all day.” Amaranthine commended him.

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“Revered Father.” Tethrine took a knee in front of the illusory image in front of him. The image showed a broad-shouldered man with powerful but attractive features and an exquisitely decorated robe depicting phoenixes taking flight. The man looked a lot like Tethrine himself, but a more mature and majestic version.

“Son. You requested this meeting. I have a good guess as to why, but I want to hear you say it. The whole Divine Plane is in an uproar about it after all.” The man said with a deep and rumbling voice.

“The Sacred Lady. I need to know more about her, and there are very few people that can provide any of the information I seek.” Tethrine kept his eyes glued to the floor in front of the image. There was very little emotion shared between the two aside from very obligatory familial bonds. Their relationship was more of an alliance of necessity than the relationship between a father and son.

He could sense the man in front of him thinking, considering if he was worthy of the information. “Do you know why that information is so hard to find?”

“I do not, but I assume it has something to do with the fact that very few of her contemporaries exist anymore.” Tethrine knew there had to be more to it since his father had asked, but he didn’t know what exactly.

“That is only partly true. Very few Divines alive today realize just how long ago the Sacred Lady died, and it is true that time is one of the reasons. However, more of her contemporaries were alive when I was your age and I had just as little luck finding anything out. Details of the Sacred Lady are some of the most well-kept secrets of this entire universe. That information has been suppressed on purpose. Mostly out of fear.” The older man explained slowly. “If her Divinity had not stirred earlier, I would not tell you anything either. But with the situation being what it is, you have perhaps earned the basics at least. Just so you have some idea what you are dealing with.”

“Fear?” Tethrine asked in confusion. “How would a Goddess of Mercy be able to make anyone afraid?”

The older man laughed a bit in a very eerie way. “Tell me, how many lives have you lived?” Just like Tethrine, his father was also a reincarnator. That was also the main reason the two didn’t feel like family.

“A hundred maybe? I haven’t kept exact count.” Tethrine wasn’t entirely sure why the question was asked. It also reminded him a bit about what the Seer had told him.

“So enough to know many things, but not enough to have experienced most of them. Well, let us begin with a bit of speculation. Many of the most powerful of our kind in the Divine Plane have long suspected that the Sacred Lady became the Goddess of Mercy for atonement. It was not the concept her nature was most suited for. That is also why she sacrificed herself, to atone for earlier sins.” His father spoke with a voice that made it clear that all this was just speculation.

“Alright. Interesting, but I don’t quite see the significance yet.” Tethrine said with a careful voice.

“We will get there. Now another question. You are aware of the fact that no matter where her temples and servants can be found, they are almost never attacked, right? Nowadays it is because it is the custom, and because she is seen as the goddess of the people. Any aspiring warlord would find their supporters suddenly running low if they attacked the temples of mercy. That was not the original reason though. Tell me, if the servants of a Deity are all unable to use their powers to attack, why would anyone bother to avoid attacking them? Take into consideration that she had not sacrificed herself yet." The man known as Kurnous Asuryan asked with a slightly toying tone.

“Because they were afraid of the Deity? But if she’s the Goddess of Mercy of all things…” Tethrine found the dichotomy incongruous.

“Very good. However, mercy can be shown in many ways. And from what I heard, her favorite form of mercy was that of a quick death. A mercy she didn’t always provide her enemies. There is also the fact that most other Deities were quite quick to come to her defense, and the few alive still refuse to really speak ill of her. In short, they are still afraid, and they also respect her at the same time. Now tell me. What kind of a Goddess would seek atonement and yet cause such fear in others at the same time?” It felt like his father was placing dots in front of him and was now only waiting for him to connect them.

“Someone old and powerful. Someone who had done something that required atonement. Likely something the others knew about, so a True Name? Someone carrying a True Name of a sin…one of the seven?” Tethrine, still keeping his eyes on the floor, speculated.

“And which of the seven?” Kurnous prodded a bit.

It didn’t take long for Tethrine to arrive at an answer. All of the seven could cause a lot of damage and were bad in their own way, but only one could really cause fear like that. “Wrath.” He stated with conviction.

“Precisely. Ironic isn’t it? The Sacred Lady that everyone reveres actually carries the Name Wrath? What could be less merciful than that? So, as you might imagine, the mere possibility that someone like that has returned is something that will cause everyone with enough knowledge to take things seriously. Just her mere presence changes things drastically.” There was another hint in his father’s words.

"Don't tell me…you don't have faith that I can deal with the situation by myself?" Tethrine was a little vexed but also realized that it probably wasn’t a judgment of his abilities this time.

"We are sending Marius. He is not the only one, but he is the only one with power over you.” Kurnous said with a tone that would not accept any arguments. To his surprise, he didn’t get any. he had expected Tethrine to protest.

“As you will father.” He had suddenly realized something. The Seer had told him that trying to find the missing member of their family would not end well. He had scoffed at the idea a bit at the time, but now he realized why the Seer had said what she had. He was probably the only one aside from the Seer that suspected the person they were looking for, and the person who had used the Sacred Lady’s powers were the same person. ‘I’ll let Marius spring that trap. Depending on how things go, I might be able to swoop in and capitalize on the situation. Or I might even be able to work out a deal. Having someone like Wrath in my corner…’

“Marius was recalled from another mission so it will take a bit of time for him to arrive, but you should see other arrivals in a few weeks.” Kurnous wasn’t sure what his son was thinking, but he eagerly awaited finding out. Clearly, the boy had some kind of plan.