***The Crystal City***

***Celes***

“Warden, if you won’t get used to our terminology I swear that I am going to find a way to delete you,” I complain while glaring at the table that's supposed to hold the artificial intelligence's consciousness. It has been a month since Warden's awakening and its explanations of the past are still wonky as hell.

The machine's reply sounds a little too smug for my tastes. “I doubt that you would be able to-”

“I can ask Angrod!” I interrupt it.

“That may actually work,” Warden admits after a second of consideration.

I sigh while brooding over the notes of our discussions with this relic of another time.

Warden is very helpful with controlling the city’s functions, of which one is actually an inhibitor field that surrounds the entire system. It wasn’t activated while we fought the Council, but now it is providing us with additional safety. Another benefit is that souls are unable to get anywhere near the black hole.

Unfortunately, Warden is especially unhelpful when it comes to questions about the Curse which supposedly resets the multiverse or any details regarding the Ascended.

Myrm, my old self, thought herself untouchable, but when I realized that there is something strange going on with my soul… or souls… I actually started worrying about the future and the possibility of dying a final death. I am not dumb enough to not realize that Angrod is trying to avoid the subject whenever possible. Or that he is spending hours on end researching the topic.

He is clearly worried that Myrm’s and Isabella’s souls merged into the new me; a person who isn’t quite as angry as Myrm, and not as head over heels in love with him as Isabella was. According to him, that should be impossible – though he never dares to say that to my face. I have overheard him and our mothers talking, all of them pooling their knowledge and ideas.

It is as if they think that I have a possibly lethal disease.

Then there is Warden who is drawing this picture of the multiverse with other me’s going through the same loop again and again. It is disturbing and actually makes me a little afraid. “What point is there in an immortal soul if I can’t remember the past? Isn’t that the same thing as death?”

“I am not responsible for how the multiverse functions,” Warden replies, sounding a little defensive. “An organic brain is physically incapable of managing all the information that’s available inside a soul’s memory space. If you had full access, you would be caught inside your memories until your body perishes.”

It adds dutifully, “That’s why you only remember bits and pieces.”

I shake my head. “But shouldn’t I remember different versions of the same event if what you say is true?”

“That’s a valid question,” Warden muses. “Without explaining the details of soul-magic and quantum mechanics, the easiest pill to swallow would be continuity.”

“Continuity?” I ask.

“Yes. Existence – or the multiverse – strives for continuity. When the Ascended cast their Curse, they had to smash the space-time-continuum to make the multiverse bow to their will. The multiverse is trying to re-establish order. In each iteration, your soul’s memories change to support the most logical flow of events. Have you ever met a deity whose divinity sprung from continuity?”

“I can’t say that I have…” I purse my lips. “Why not? A god’s divinity can be fuelled by any imaginable concept or emotion.”

“Correct.” Warden actually sounds a little pleased. “That’s one of the divinities which had to be erased for the Curse, but the multiverse still remembers.”

Now Warden is going far beyond my horizon again. “Which means that they sacrificed a god’s power to cast the Curse? Can we bring this god back?”

“This information is restricted,” Warden intones in an emotionless voice.

“Of course it is…” I roll my eyes. Though, I might be onto something.

Angrod believes that Warden itself might not know the things it classifies as restricted. He is fascinated with how the Ascended managed to create a supposedly impossible form of time-travel. To protect their plan, the Ascended must have ensured that Warden can’t alter a given iteration of the multiverse too much. One wrong word might break the loop.

Given the facts, it might be possible that the Ascended never existed in this iteration of the multiverse. With what Warden shared of its knowledge, Angrod believes that the same effect which ensures Warden’s retaining of knowledge throughout each iteration may even be responsible for sending objects and places on towards the next multiverse.

“So... the multiverse's flow of time isn't exactly linear, is it?” I conclude. “It's more like a closed-off circle that repeats itself with minor alterations.”

“Essentially,” Warden admits.

It’s suspicious that Warden never explains how the multiverse will actually end. So instead of complete annihilation, it might be more like a shattering of reality. Some pieces are lost and dissolve, while others remain to form the basis of the next multiverse.

Which is likely how the Calamity manages its own survival and recreation.

Otherwise, the minor changes from multiverse to multiverse wouldn’t be possible according to Angrod. In a true repeating universe theory, each iteration should be identical to the previous one – which clearly isn’t the case here.

“Should I lower the room temperature?” Warden asks, helpful as ever when it comes to everything else aside from giving cryptic explanations.

“No, it’s fine.” I push the notes away from me and lean back in my chair.

We took over the Council's office building and as much of the former government as we could – though we are certainly making no effort in dictating anything to the other gods. The multiverse is a big place and the more the gods get used to taking care of their own affairs the better it is for us.

There is still the little issue that new deities get sent to the Crystal City once they are found. We already had a handful of unexpected arrivals. The people I spoke to are saying that it is a tradition, but I suspect that the Council’s former citizens are trying to test us.

Warden’s voice interrupts my thoughts once again. “You are moaning and groaning as if you are in great discomfort. It irks me that I seem to be unable to lighten your mood since I was instructed to be helpful to any citizen of the Crystal City.”

“I told you that I am fine,” I assure the computer. “My only problem is that you seem to be unwilling or unable to provide certain answers. Like who exactly these Ascended were, or how they created the pathways.”

“I am afraid that this knowledge would be directly related to the Curse, and is therefore restricted,” Warden replies in an apologetic tone. “Maybe you could work the tensions out of your system by engaging in sexual activities with your mate. I observed that it helped in the past… for a few hours.”

“Are you saying that I am cranky?” I hit the table, hoping to rattle Warden’s circuits. “And my love-life is my own business!”

“Yet you actively involved me in it,” the artificial being replies, sounding slightly accusatory.

“We never-”

Warden interrupts me. “You had coitus in this very room four times in the last month. Once, you even did it on top me. I know that my creator gave me the look of furniture but that doesn’t diminish my rights as a person or my dignity. As an inorganic being, I try not to involve myself with those with organic bodies, but as we already came to talk about the topic I would like to have it noted down that I don’t want to be covered in any kind of sexual fluids.”

I gape at the table, trying to remember when Angrod and I had our last quickie in this very office.

Seeing its chance, Warden continues, “And there is another point. I would be happy if you confronted Lynniesh, that one succubus maid of yours, in respects to her suspicious cleaning methods. I feel violated.”

“What did she do?” I frown, surprised that Warden is acting up like that. Up until now I only ever thought of Warden as a machine, but it seems like it has its own personality, feelings, and desires. Which makes what Angrod and I did only more embarrassing.

“She ‘licked’ me clean after one of your escapades!”

“I…” I choke, feeling ill. “I will instruct them at the next opportunity.”

Maybe I should cover Warden's physical representation in some slow acting poison. I always had suspicions regarding those three… just what rode me when I decided to accept three succubi as maids and personal assistants!?

The only thing that surprises me is that they didn’t dare to touch Angrod up until now. Or did they...

That’s when the door opens and my husband enters the room. “Hi, dear!”

He sees my face and stops in his tracks. “Bye, dear.” He turns around to leave.

“Wait!” I call out.

He stops again and sighs, turning back to me. “What did I do?”

“Nothing,” I reply quickly. Though, he sounds like he did something!

His expression lights up. “Hurray! So, someone else pissed you off. Who are we going to kill!?”

“Nobody, something else annoyed me!” I narrow my eyes. “Though, you are behaving suspiciously. Why did you act like someone who has something to hide?”

He winces and starts playing with his fingernails. “No- nothing! But you know how it is. I always do something you are unhappy with.”

I roll my eyes, knowing very well that he is trying to avoid the topic. “Fine. I am not particularly interested in more disgusting news. Just make sure that I never find out what you think that I shouldn’t know.”

Angrod sighs in relief and smiles. Then he walks over to me and leans onto the table. “So, what’s gotten you so riled up?”

I tell him.

First Angrod’s smile disappears, then he looks down at the table, pulling his hands away in disgust. “Ick! Succubus saliva. No wonder that we started rutting like animals in the office!” He looks around, clearly working out where the next bathroom is to wash his hands.

I sigh and shake my head.

Having a little shag on the table wasn’t that bad. I still have no clue how to approach my aid. She probably didn’t even think that there was anything wrong with her actions… she is a succubus after all.

Angrod wipes his hands on his robe. “Any news about the Council?”

“No,” I reply. “They know the multiverse well enough to hide. I am afraid that unless they have a traitor or we risk using the Sphere we won’t find them quickly.”

I would really like to know why they just fled and went into hiding. Did they really hope that we would fall for the Sphere? By now it has to be obvious to them that we avoided their trap.

“Too bad.” Angrod snorts. “Well, I am not particularly keen on risking my hide with the Sphere. There is no point in gambling right now. We control the Crystal City and the Calamity’s prison. First, we have to establish our power and make sure that this place doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

“We are slowly letting neutral deities back into the city,” I inform him and continue explaining a set of easy rules which our military is going to impose on the citizens. We will change that later on, but right now we are still in a state of warfare.

Rule number one: Do what you want as long as you don't break the rules.

Rule number two: Don't mess too much with mortals.

Rule number three: Don't mess with another god.

Rule number four: Report everyone who breaks the rules to the Crystal City.

Rule number five: Report new gods and tell them of the rules.

We already had some cases of rampaging gods who had to be stopped. Some think that they can do what they want with the Council gone, but it is manageable. We just show up with one of our fortresses and gently inform them of their errors.

The really problematic cases are either thrown into a Void Zone to repent for a few years – or they are mind-wiped. Of course, we use that last option just for irredeemable creeps.

The Ragnarok is permanently stationed above the city to guard the black hole and the Guardian is keeping watch over our homeworld. The Nomad is used for missions throughout the multiverse.

“The correct name for this city is Asheim. Which means home of the Ascended,” Warden interrupts us once more.

“It’s the Crystal City!” I bark back. “Everyone who is currently alive knows it as the Crystal City. So it stays the Crystal City.”

“Warden, isn’t there someone else you can annoy?” Angrod asks, also pissed that the artefact likes interrupting our meetings.

Though, given the circumstances I assume that Warden is reminding us of its presence.

“I can hold individual conversations with everyone in the city at the same time,” Warden replies proudly. “For example, I am talking to two very strange individuals right now.”

“Strange?” I ask and purse my lips, wondering if Warden found some enemy agents.

“I conversed with them for quite a while, but I am unable to understand their behaviour. They are completely irrational at one moment and the next they sound sane,” Warden explains dutifully, clearly unaware of the tension within the room.

“I also don't understand why their bodies are so different from the other gods. I already understand that your group is made up of many different humanoid races. Though, those two are not matching the pattern. After a few scans of their bodies, I came to the conclusion that they either took some rejuvenation-treatment or are very young.”

I rub my temples. “Are you talking about Aengus and Seria?”

“Exactly. You know them?”

Yes, and I thought I told them to stay with our parents at the Eternal Palace! Who cleared them for using the pathways anyway? “They are our children and you misunderstood the racial traits of our bodies. We all belong to the same race.”

“Children?” Warden actually sounds perplexed.

Oh, multiverse!

Do we have to explain the flower and the bees to Warden? A godlike supercomputer with a crystal core and it doesn't know about basic biology? “If a man and a woman-”

“I know that!” Warden cuts me short. “I was just shocked that any ascended being would have children. The Ascended Ones never had children because their children's souls would always be mortal. It's pretty depressing if your child dies after a few years and you go on for eternity. Or are you those sort of people who spend thousands of years with guiding a mortal soul to ascension?”

Yeah. That's the problem of ascending to immortality or godhood. Any being’s lifespan is influenced by their mana pool. A being with a limited mana pool has a limited lifespan. Most of the older gods avoid such drama by not having children at all. Warden doesn’t know that we found a way around this problem.

“Very irrational. They just tested their courage by jumping off the central tower. They shouldn't have survived that if they were mortals,” Warden philosophizes.

“They did WHAT!?” I screech and jump up to run out of the room and onto the balcony in a hurry.

“I already said that they are acting really irrational at times. But if they are children, that explains their irrationality.”

I feel a headache forming. “Warden. Our world is within a Void Zone and filled to the brim with the latent souls of gods, so it is no problem for us to have children. They will always be reincarnated gods like Seria and Aengus.”

Then I jump off the balcony, hoping to catch the two miscreants.

***The Crystal City***

***Angrod***

I blink, having just witnessed Celes jump off a skyscraper. She should be fine if she unleashes her aura.

“Oh, that makes a totally different society possible,” Warden swoons. “I already asked myself why you people are so different from the other ascended beings in the city.”

“Exactly. Though I don't know how long it will stay like that,” I reply, indulging Warden with some small-talk while Celes is out hunting for our offspring.

“It would be really fascinating to learn how a society like yours came to be. In a way, you are everything the Ascended Ones yearned for. Any ascended being would choose to return to the flow of Life and Death at some point because the mind can't deal with eternity. Your solution sounds unique.”

I nod and explain our system to the machine.

“It’s as if an Ascended designed your society,” Warden marvels. “Your society will probably go on forever because you can just decide to reincarnate and drop the burden of some memories in order to lift the stress. The Void Zone makes it possible to keep your pool of souls clean. The Ascended Ones didn’t have anything like that. They had the inhibitor, but they were too set in their ways by the point it was invented.”

The machine hums. “From what I saw you are even collecting the souls of your fallen comrades to release them at your homeworld?”

I nod my head.

At that moment, Celes enters the room with Aengus under one arm and Seria wrapped up in her tail. “They really jumped off the tower just to see how long they would fall! They gave the guards a panic attack!”

I smirk at the kids. “Who won?”

“Aengus impacted one second before me. It wasn't fair! He is heavier!” Seria complains, moody about the result of their game.

“I told you that Aengus would hit the ground first. Physics never lies,” Warden lectures.

“Booh... Why should we trust in something like theory if we can test it in practice!” Aengus tries to wriggle himself out his mother's embrace, but she doesn't let go.

“You two are grounded for two days! This place isn't a playground.” Celes sits back down on her chair and wraps Aengus and Seria together with their backs to each other – using her tail as the rope.

“That looks like you roped up two criminals,” I give her my impression.

“They ARE criminals!” Celes hisses.

“I see!” Warden decides to make it worse. “So that's the motherly instinct of protecting their young. Very interesting. I had never hoped to be able to study such interactions.”

“You shut up too! It was because of your comments about calculations that they jumped in the first place!” Celes looks at the ceiling and narrows her eyes.

A guilty silence follows as Warden tries to come up with a reply. “I will do my best to learn how to interact with children.”

What a noble thought. Unfortunately, not even us parents are able to interact with our children in a way which keeps them out of trouble.

Celes doesn’t acknowledge Warden's apology, so we go on with our discussion while having an eye on the kids.

Then Warden coughs, interrupting us once more.

“What now?” Celes grumbles, annoyed. “We need a room where Warden doesn’t have any surveillance or speaker systems.”

“No such room exists. The surveillance functions are integrated into the crystal itself and impossible to remove.” Warden shatters our hopes. “And regarding the interruption: An ambassador just arrived and wants to speak to the highest authority.”