I didn’t feel different physically, but there was something. Maybe more. More aware, more in tune with my abilities. My memories had certainly shifted, those that I had carried over with me were still there. I poked at them as one would do with a loose tooth, attempting to see if I could notice a difference. I thought I detected some changes; information and memories that were once easily available becoming more tenuous, harder to grasp.

I theorized that as my attention wandered, as I stopped poking at the changes, the transition would increase until I had lost the entirety of my life on Earth. I was astounded to find I wasn’t sad or angry at the loss of those memories, there was no fleeting sense of longing. I had lived that life and it was past time to let those experiences fade. I only hoped that some esoteric bit of knowledge, some tidbit of trivia that I had gathered over the years wouldn’t be needed as I forded the local and universal political waters, I would soon be wading in.

While I had spent time trying to process how the Sithern had influenced and adapted my memories it had been continuing the process for sheathing and storing the byproducts of creation, those energies that it had expended to create a dimensional pocket in space.

The Sithern had completed all but the last step for hibernation. The Volar-Fey were safely encapsulated in their protective cocoons, and the Knockers were all gathered at the entrance waiting on me. Sparing one final glance, enjoying the fruits of creation that I had helped shape, I took comfort in the knowledge that as I left this world, this island of peace and sanctuary would travel with me.

I took a deep breath, releasing any final regrets, I might have. Relaxing muscles that had been clenched since the first World Announcement about the changes to Earth. What was to be, would be. I had been cleverly led by S-Prime to this point. I hoped that I was now removed from the Cosmic game of Chess that had embroiled me in the maneuvering between Powers.

Earth’s sub-Universe would join the System paradigm. The God Particles and Wi-Fi technologies that could have dire repercussions were identified. S-Prime could now apply a fix to the problem, a path that integrated Wi-Fi restrictions into a System update. I had completed the quest I’d been tasked with. Not in the way I had planned, but perhaps this was for the best.

System integration allowed me a clean break. I would not grasp and cling tightly to an Earth culture I had elevated, and the Earth population could survive and grow, creating a new world of their own making.

There was nothing left for me here.

I had made my choices. And Earth was not one of them. It was time to return and take up the mantle of stewardship and change that I had envisioned for Talahm and those individuals Seelie, Unseelie, and Lesser Sidhe that yearned for more.

Duchess Wynne was waiting patiently at the entrance along with those Knockers that had been banished to CERN and still followed her. I was bewildered when I noticed that her party was not entirely comprised of Knockers, they were not alone. Two of the newly created Cernunnos were also waiting. A pair that turned and stepped forward as I approached.

“Mother has tasked us with returning with you to Talahm,” the male said, his voice appealing, more like the sounds of leaves falling and rustling than anything else I could think of.

“Mother?” I wondered.

“The Goddess Danu has breathed life into us, it is Her divine will that has allowed us to be. We are the first Sidhe to be created by any of the Gods in so many mega-annum that the remembrance of those moments is long forgotten,” the male continued.

“Danu plans to take advantage of the ripples in creation, that those who supplanted System protocols created. They have given Her a small window of opportunity, the smallest crack in the restrictions that bind Her, to exert Her will.”

“Just the two of you?” I asked, unsure if they had been appointed to broker this discussion for all the newly created Cernunnos.

“Yes,” the female answered her voice more a whisper of the wind, “the rest have already spread out around this world, selecting groves and forests to protect and cultivate. It is only in this World that Danu can impart Her words and guide our steps. She is not able to act where you are going without her actions being discovered. Forces have constrained Her there, and She sleeps.”

“Here, She has imbued us with a tiny seed of possibility, the unyielding nature the Earth people contain, that drive to prosper and propagate. I am Aspen, he is Pine, together we hope to grow strong enough, grow roots deep enough that our offshoots will turn the tide between Pantheons by reinforcing the land. Adding an additional layer of strength and complexity to the soil that nourishes all Sidhe.”

“Danu has spoken to us of you. She believes you may be the fulcrum, that real change is inevitable. She has seen that the hands of Fate have selected you. When you claim your Land. When you place the Sithern in those newly claimed Land. We will send out roots and cultivate a forest of change and power. We and our progeny will become the guardians of those forests, protecting and ensuring that Danu’s vision unfolds.”

“You will serve as Vassals?” I asked. It would seem likely, I doubted they would become House members.

“No,” Pine answered firmly. “We are dedicated to Danu. You are too closely bound to Beleros and Cyronax for us to swear to you.”

“We are expressions of Danu’s will, not constrained or tied to House or Ranked,” Aspen added. “But we are constrained, against those that have Danu’s blessing, we can raise no hand unless in defense. Sidhe, no matter how they are identified or who they are bound to, as long as they have obtained Danu’s blessing will be allowed to find shelter and comfort beneath our boughs.”

“Others will find only the unforgiving harshness that the untamed and wild can display.”

It looked like they were coming to Talahm no matter what I thought of the idea. If there was any way to refuse a request from a Goddess, I wasn’t brave enough to make the attempt. And, I saw no harm.

Perhaps a new Sidhe species would be a good thing. Something to shake up the status quo that had developed on Talahm. The Seelie and Unseelie had become too entrenched in tradition and protocol. Yet, even as hind-bound as they were, they weren’t stupid enough to dismiss newly created children of Danu.

At least I hoped not.

“I have no idea what is waiting for me when we get back to Talahm,” I warned them, and by affiliation Duchess Wynne and her people, “I had been given leave to investigate and rescue those that Haygan had trapped inside the Dungeon

“I also received a quest from System to shut down the Hadron Collider, permanently. And do so in such a way that loss of life on both planets was minimized. A quest I failed to disclose.

“When I created the shrine to the Tuatha de Danaan Pantheon, I had no idea the side effect of that dedication would be the implementation of System to this World. I doubt the Seelie Monarchs will accept any excuse, even if it were impossible to have predicted this outcome.

“I somehow think the Seelie Monarchs are not going to ignore or consider it acceptable that my actions deprived them of an easy and fast method for ascension to Godhood.

“The way I resolved the System errors that had begun impacting all facets of society is an issue that is certain to cause more anger than relief. I was not given permission to close CERN or make the production of God particles using a machine no longer possible, and since System, Danu, Beleros, and Cyronax cannot be held accountable, the blame will fall squarely on my shoulders.”

Duchess Wynne snorted in agreement, part laugh, part derision, she agreed. “No. They won’t be happy. They have been sitting safely entrenched on their thrones for tens of millennium. Too satisfied with their positions to risk possible death by questing or killing to claim the experience they need to take that final step.”

The Cernunnos cared little. They had no clue who the characters we were discussing were or their relative power. They were direct children of the Goddess Danu, the first created in millions of years, and they were comfortable in their roles. The rest would follow, no matter what they did or what they thought.

They were not sophists they would not argue fallacy, they were more fatalistic. Comfortable in their roles and their beliefs, still cloaked in the blessing as cherished children of Danu.

Choosing to ignore what repercussions they would encounter on Talahm, consequences I was powerless to control, I decided to discuss more practical matters with the Duchess. “We both can open portals to Talahm, do you want to do the honors?” I asked. “Or should both of us open one to minimize the breach between dimensions?”

“Only one of us, certainly,” she advised. “The chances of us arriving at the same place and time in the Summerlands are next to zero if we use two gates. I think it would be best if you open the gate and are the last person through.

“I’m not sure what will happen to our connection to this World. I don’t think anyone has ever sealed a Dungeon breach quite in the manner you have before. But you are the highest Ranked and stand the largest chance of surviving if something goes wrong as we transition.”

“Let’s exit the Sithern then,” I agreed. “I will complete the claiming process, and then we can return home.” Ignoring the stillness and calm that awaited our departure as we exited the Sithern, I opened System messages and finished the process of claiming, opting to move the Sithern to a new location.

Energies began to cycle, turbulence disrupting the peace that had protected our exit. Energies and intent forming as the Sithern marshaled and focused the creative powers under its command to fold space. Shrinking what had been a world of splendor and grandeur into a concept. The idea that would sprout once more. The only requirement, the need to be germinated and infused with will and intent once more to reverse the process.

Once the matter and energy had been sheathed in a protective runic array, the resulting embryo melded with my flesh, following and flowing with my magical channels until it arrived at my Dantian, nestled and protected by my internal ID, my fiercest magical construct.

Any examination, cursory or detailed, would never be able to isolate or identify the Sithern as part of me. It had become woven into the framework that bound my magic and life energies together.

Yet, even embedded and hidden within my Dantian, I still had enough of a mental connection with it to understand the feelings of safety, satiety, and satisfaction that were flooding my magical pathways, once it was fully rooted.