Deal.

“What do you mean?”

Ryuunosuke asked, confused at his words.

“Twins. Two individuals born from one event.”

Ryuunosuke glared at Gaius for, in his opinion, his answer had been as obvious as saying that trees photosynthesise. Akihiko cracked in laugher causing the glare to turn at him. He made placating signs while he tried to contain his mirth. He was unsuccessful. Akai saw no other option that to intervene.

“Think about it. Gaius said that the voices were born from him when he told us that he wasn't ready to have twins. Who could be said to have been born from Gaius in this room?”

Ryuunosuke's gaze turned towards the side of his bed, where a set of drawers laid. On top of them was a sheathless sword, the tsurugi in question. He reddened a bit when he understood the implications.

“In my defence, I didn't think of the spirit as Gaius’ kid.”

Akihiko finally restrained himself and put a hand on his shoulder shaking his head.

“Neither did I. But the thought of Gaius having kids who are bound to you made me imagine something funny. I pictured you with two mini-Gaiuses on your shoulders, whispering in your ears.”

Ryuunosuke smiled at that while Gaius raised an eyebrow at the comment. Akai even chuckled.

“Am I perchance funny?”

“No. But the idea is funny either way.”

Their banter was interrupted when Ryuunosuke yelped.

“Eep! They are speaking again! Again!”

“Calm down.” Ordered Akai. “They are not the ones that took control of you. Try to respond, speak with them. You will spend a lot of time with them,you should have a good relationship.”

Ryuunosuke nodded before grabbing the swords hilt and bringing it to his bosom. He sat still for a few moments that stretched long. The three older men watched him with interest, until he coughed and asked.

“How do I do it?”

The silence was deafening. Gaius looked away, Akihiko began whistling and Akai began examining the curtains.

“Wait, you don't know?!” Ryuunosuke was astounded. He was in a room with three of the most experienced men he knew and no one knew how to communicate with a spirit.

“How am I supposed to know? Most spirits speak just fine. I've never found one that was also a sword and couldn't speak.” Justified Akihiko.

“I've been part of this world for a year, not counting my catatonic period. Also I don't remember much from the supernatural that I learned during said coma. What did you expect?”

“You are the one that knows enough about spirits to give birth to one!”

“I know about how Evil Spirits are formed and summonable spirits. No idea about weapon spirits, ask the dwarfs.”

Ryuunosuke turned his head towards his last hope.

“Head?”

“I've always used Senjutsu to communicate with speech incapable spirits. I haven't bothered to learn how others do it.”

Ryuunosuke slumped.

“Who knows how?”

“I'll ask Jiang to seek answers around the Spirit Studies Department. Until then try to find a way.”

Ryuunosuke sighed, he felt like a child that had been given a console without a battery and had to wait until he bought one to play. After looking longingly at the sword he left it on the drawers.

“Well that's a bummer.”

“Actually.” Began speaking Akihiko with a thoughtful look in his face. “Can't you or the Head speak with the spirits and have they tell you how to communicate.”

The two Senjutsu users looked at each other. Gaius signaled Ryuunosuke with his head. Akai shaked his and pointed at him.

“Alright, I'll do it. Bring it here Akihiko.”

He did what was asked of him. Once Gaius had the sword in his hands he activated his Senjutsu, closed his eyes and sent his perception into it.

When he next opened them he found himself in a meadow between two mountains. The mountain to his right had its summit lit on blue fire, while the one to his right was frozen. Not long had passed when form both mountains to shapes flies to him.

Both shapes looked like winged children. They weren't fat nor thin, but well proportioned in shape and size. Both of their eyes were completely black, as if they were giant pupils. Their hair was of middle length and messy.

The one from the flaming mountain was tanned with blue hair and red wings, and he was dressed in a tunic. His facial features were angular.

The one from the frozen mountain was pale with purple hair and blue wings, and he was dressed in a feathered suit. His facial features were rounded.

The flaming one spoke first.

“You are father are you not?”

“Indeed.” Uttered Gaius with a tender smile.

The two childish spirits looked at each other before they dived into him, making him collapse on the floor and falling themselves along him. Once on the floor they snuggled to him.

“It's nice to meet you father!” Shouted the fire one again, beaming at Gaius while sitting on his chest.

“I'm happy you came here, father.” Said the icy one while hugging him

Gaius gave them a wry smile.

“Don't know how to feel at being called father at my age.” He saw their smiles disappeared and he corrected himself. “Not to say I don't acknowledge you as my sons. Just that it seems weird. I could have certainly be a father already, just not of such grown children.”

They smiled once more and hugged him again.

“So. Tell me about yourselves, you two. I want to know you.”

“We were born a few hours ago, so we can't say much. But we certainly have things to say! I like watching cute things, fights and supporting Ryuu. Also I chose the name Speculum Glacies.” Voiced the icy one.

“I like music, fights and supporting Ryuu. I chose the name Clara Pyram.”

Gaius was a bit troubled by their professed enjoyment of fights. They were Evil Spirits after all, even if he had tried to make them not evil. He then threw those thoughts. Just because they liked fights didn't make them bad, many good men did.

He rubbed their heads and complained.

“Awww. I wanted to name you.”

“Sorry.”

“My apologies.”

“No problem. I just wanted to ask something of you. Will you take the name Atiius?”

They raised their heads to look at him.

“”Of course!””

They laid together a bit more before Gaius remembered why he had come here.

“I wanted to ask you two. How can you contact Ryuunosuke?”

“Just make him touch his forehead with the sword. We'll do the rest.” Said Pyram.

Gaius took them off him and rose up.

“Then it's time I left.”

Glacies looked at him sadly.

“Already?”

“Sorry but they're waiting for me. I'll come later alright?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

They flew upwards and kissed his cheeks.

“Goodbye then, father.” Said Pyram reluctantly.

“Until next time, father.”

“Bye, Pyram, Glacies.”

Once Gaius returned to the real world the other three were waiting nervously.

“What took so long?” Asked Ryuunosuke.

“Can't I talk with my kids? Either way just put the sword to your forehead.”

Gaius gave Akihiko the sword who passed it to Ryuunosuke. He then put it to his forehead, closing his eyes. They waited some time before he opened them.

“How did it go?” Queried Akai.

“Good. They are nice. We are sharing our senses now and they can speak to me no matter if we're separated. They say hi Gaius.”

“Hello again kids.”

Ryuunosuke smiled. “They really like you. They are acting all cute for you, they were really formal with me.”

Akai cleared his throat.

“Sorry to interrupt but I need to leave. What are their names? To register them in our security grid.”

“Clara Pyram Atiius and Speculum Glacies Atiius.” Answered Ryuunosuke.

“Thanks. Now to finalise the deal with that stupid mountain spirit.”

Gaius froze and cursed.

“Fuck. I forgot about the star spirit.”

That evening Gaius learned to sneak through detection wards and to redirect the force of an opponent's charge to make them fall.

After classes Gaius went to his workshop. In there he replicated the ritual that had summoned the spirit at first. They answered his summons.

“You have been fast in summoning me.”

“It took me two days.”

“I have lived from the birth of the first star. Three days are ephemeral in my eyes.”

“I see. What does such an ancient spirit want with me?”

“I am not a spirit. I am a god. The god of primordial stars. The eldest god of the universe. I was before life was but a possibility. And I'll be when it banishes from the universe.”

Gaius narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“What does one such as you want from me? I should inform you that I can only worship God.”

“I'm aware. I was there when your God, Ahura Mazda and Brahman first set their eyes within the universe. A few seconds after my birth to be concrete, I do not think that was coincidence by the way. I have learned to avoid interfering with those three.

Of all the gods in the universe, both native and from the multiverse, they are the greatest ones. And they are always watching. You can't feel it because you never have existed in a universe not watched by them. But I always feel their eyes on me. They watch everything, they know everything. You can't escape them.”

Gaius’ curiosity was picked.

“Which gods are from the multiverse?”

“You don't know of all the gods, neither do I. Of the ones in this world those three and the Aztec gods are from the multiverse for sure.”

Gaius felt a little disappointed at that, but he remembered what they were supposed to be doing.

“What do you want then?”

“Over my long life I have visited many worlds. Nearly all of them have perished. Long ago I started accepting the beings that survived until the end into my gardens. Spirits, gods of the planet, supernatural creatures, the last living beings. All of them were safeguarded by me.

And all are bored. There is not much excitement in my gardens. I salvaged all the cultural heritage of the many worlds I visited, but some are not satisfied. They wish to be in the middle of conflict.

It is because of this that I search the universe for inhabited worlds. Once I find them I contact their mages, teach them to summon my wards and make them record that knowledge. This time it was you that found me though.”

“So you wish for me to write a grimoire with the summoning rituals for alien powers. How do I not know you are not seeking to infiltrate us? To take over?”

“I can call upon other gods, gods you know of, to oversee our deal and make sure I don't do that. Is that enough?”

“Even then this is a lot to ask for just some light. Creating a grimoire is the work of a thousand hours, it'd take years of hard work. You can't just record the spells, you must embed them with meaning.”

“So you already have those kinds of books? Good, that's what I want.

And I'd pay you for it. Our previous deal was for you to consider my offer. Ask your price.”

Gaius fell in thought. What was best asked of the oldest God of the universe was something not easily decided.

“What do you consider an equal exchange?”

“I can give many things. Power, knowledge, wisdom. I possess all of them.”

“Let me rephrase that. What do you consider best of me to ask for.”

“You possess access to all knowledge you need for know. You have a strong spirit so wisdom is not as needed. So you require power most.

My recommendation is for me to use the alicorn you took from the undead to give you a starlight powered healing, akin to that of the unicorn itself. Without their limitations,you will be able to use in on yourself and others. I will also give you permanent and free access to my starlight to empower it. With those you shall not fear injuries that don't kill. Within certain limits since it would require you to be conscious. But even then that is not enough. So think of something more.”

“I find your offer acceptable. Aside from that…”

It was then that Gaius thought of something, something he wished desperately.

“I wish for knowledge.”

“What knowledge?”

“Knowledge of where I connected to in ages past.”

“What do you… I see, I hadn't looked at your story before. I can agree to search for which dimension or entity you contacted with that fated ritual. But I can't guarantee when I will find it.”

“As long as you search for it, that is enough. You are my best bet.”

“Then do you agree to write the grimoire I ask of you for a unicorns healing, starlight and knowledge?”

“I agree. Do you know of any binding oath that can bind gods?”

“Gods from the multiverse? No. But I can invoke the Origin of the universe for an oath that if broken would expel me from this universe. Never to return. And trust me I wish to stay in the place of my birth until it dies. Once space-time unravels I shall leave, but not a second before.”

“Then let's do it.”

“Very well. I swear that if Gaius Atiius Quadratus of the universe, agrees to create a grimoire containing the summoning rituals for those that inhabit my garden I shall grant him the healing of an unicorn, infinite starlight, and the knowledge he seeks. Do you agree?”

“That is an ambiguous contract.”

“The Origin judges not the letter, but the spirit. Do not fear tricks from me.”

“And how can I trust that.”

“Then choose a god of your liking, and make them tell you whether it's the truth or not.”

“Then you shall not claim that I disrespected you. I shall do it. But I have something better.”

Gaius moved to his cabinet and from it he took a 25 square metre parchment. Upon it was inscribed a complex circle, with thousands of symbols and lines composing it. It was in the shape of a star with twenty one points.

He stood upon it and chanted a simple spell.

“I call upon you, my guardian. Please show me the way, and deliver me from evil. I am offered a deal, yet I don't know if it would be against God's will. I seek confirmation, am I being fooled? Would this contract be able to damn my soul?”

The circled shined a mute red. Two words were heard.

Yes. No.

With his doubts assuaged Gaius turned to the god.

“May I know your name?”

“You can't pronounce it. But you may call me Lightbringer, for I ended the Dark Age when light didn't exist. I am also the Lifebringer, for my star forged the very atoms that composed the first life and the black hole it formed created the first galaxy and all it contained.”

“Then I agree to the deal that the Lifegiver offers me.”

A moment passed and nothing happened. Gaius was about to ask if something was wrong but the Lifegiver anticipated it.

“Oaths to the Origin don't require complex rituals or light shows. If the universe acknowledges the oaths it is done.”

“Then we're finished.”

“Indeed. I shall contact you on Saturday to begin teaching you the rituals. Take care of yourself, for both our sakes.”

“Wait you haven't given me the healing!”

“Yes I have.”

The light disappeared. Gaius was stunned. He quickly went to the cabinet where he had stored the horn and found it had turned to dust.

Since Lifegiver had not instructed him on a way of accessing it he supposed it would be instinctual. So he focused inwards and discovered two complex structures of Patterns in his mind. The healing and starlight had taken the form of traits.

Gaius stabbed through his arm in order to test it. The cut disappeared in seconds.

His face split in a smile.

“This is going to be very useful.”