“Mom?” called out a voice from outside the Story, “Mom?” it drawled, shaking Sarah's body enough for her to snap out of her daze in order for her to set the Story of the Devil King down. Afterwards, she turned to her right in order to find her beloved Nox wearing his crimson vest and trousers kneeling on her bed. Of whom wore a pout upon his features whilst his nine tail flicked with irritation.

“Geez, Mom, you were so enraptured by that book, I contemplated fetching Shauu and Sia to grab a pail of water to dump on your head,” he frowned whilst leaning back upon his knees.

“What?” she blinked in response, kneading her eyes before allowing them to focus more on his form. Afterwards, he was able to note that her own colours, which were drab and muted, were now fluctuating with vibrancy. “Oh. You know your Father would have given you a beating if you damaged his books.”

“No he wouldn't,” came his reply with a somewhat disgusted look, “Sure, he'd yell a lot, but he's not once hit me.”

“Hmm,” her voice hummed as a distant memory was somewhat recalled of her being slapped from an accidental spill of wine upon one of his books, but quickly shook it free. For after he had done so, he quickly apologised for his transgression, and made it up to her almost immediately. After such an incident, she made certain to never cause harm to his books.

“Whatever,” growled the boy as he quickly pulled her off the bed, then turned around as he found a portion of her dress to be a little too revealing. As he was a growing boy who was in his early stages of puberty, he had blushed whilst waving, “Fix your dress, Mom, and let's go.”

“Huh?” Sarah looked down at herself, and noted that one of the straps on her shoulders had fallen low. Of which caused the mounds of her chest to be a little more revealed than normal. Whereupon she chuckled at his discomfort, replaced it, and ruffled her son's hair with both hands.

“Hey,” he called out, moving out from under her touch in order to pout with a frown, “Not my hair, Mom.”

“What hair?” she pounced on him, hugging his body from behind in order to turn it around in an awkward princess carry. Whereupon she tossed him onto her bed with a smile, “You have excess fluff.”

“Muu,” was his reply as he scrambled out of the bed just in time to see the tip of her tail retreat out the door. Which led to him scampering to catch up, only to find her waiting with a tickle attack.

“Nuu,” he cried out, laughing uproariously. It was loud enough to cause the suits of ancient armour to turn their helmets towards their position. Of which were actually a race of Living Armour that were chosen to serve the Ageless's family as their guards for all time.

Each of these suits, save one, were designed after a race of Humans called Romans, and their soldiers were called Legionnaires. Therefore, the past self of the God King created these in their likeness, save for their own Emperor. Of which was called Zabartik, and it was created in the image of a warrior race of Humans known as Spartans.

As for the one who was made up of Spartan armours, it was wandering down one of the castle's many corridors when it heard the laughing cry of its Lord's child. Even though it was capable of generating great intelligence, it was still made up of armour. Therefore, Zabartik ran down the corridors, alerting ten other Living Armours who then joined their leader and Emperor. However, upon reaching the scene, they each came to an abrupt halt, as they each witnessed Sarah tickling the child called Nox. Regardless, it sent the ten who followed its person to fan out in search of any and all intruders, whilst Zabartik checked on the pair who were still causing a scene despite the audience.

At this point, mother and son paused in their revelry in order to stare upon the Spartan Living Armour with widened eyes. Causing Sarah to voice out with some confusion, “Zabartik, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be in this section for another hour.” Which led to the Armour to point at her son and mime a loud noise coming from the child.

No. They weren't able to speak, except for those who have the ability to speak telepathically. However, she was never told such an option was available, but Nox had found out about it accidentally. Therefore, his mind whispered to its with, 'I'm fine, Uncle Zabartik. Mom was just teasing me, so no need to worry, alright? We'll be gone for most of the day, too.'

'Where?' came the immediate reply in the form of a commanding tone denoted by one who has lived through many a war, but without any flavour or emotion, only a hollow tone.

'Terra,' he responded quickly, knowing that any hesitation would not bode well for himself, and stood up slowly whilst brushing off his vest and trousers. However, his mother lightly gripped his muzzle, and lightly rubbed some gunk from under his eyes, “Mom,” his voice drawled out, “I can do it myself.”

“We're going out in public,” she replied, “and you tend to forget.”

“Muu,” was all he could respond with, and allowed her to resume her cleaning of his face.

'I will send ten,' came the mental voice of Zabartik.

'Shauu and Sia are joining us.'

'…I will send two.' Afterwards, two Legionnaires detached themselves from the walls of the hallway in order to stand before the Goddess Sarah and Nox, awaiting their orders just as Shauu and Sia rounded the corner.

Shauu and Sia were part of a set of Beastwomen called The Chosen. Each of whom were given the tasks of maintaining the Terran Pantheon's System's orders concerning the children within. What is more, their bodies were replaced with iron in the beginning, but over time were granted stronger metals such as Orichalcum, Mithril, and Adamantium to their forms. With some using it to enhance their bodies, or to simply embrace something called the Offering, and shedding their flesh to become something more.

As such, Sia was one of those who embraced the Offering, and became a metallic and skeletal Wolfwoman made up of the silvered-white metal known as Mithril. What is more, she was given an extra pair of arms below her primaries, whilst within her eye sockets were a pair of sky-blue flames which danced and left a small trail of energy every time she moved her head. At a height of one hundred and eighty centimetres, just twenty centimetres short of Sarah, she was considered to be the shortest member of the Chosen. However, height meant very little in this group, especially when she was their leader.

Whereas Shauu, a Bear Beastwoman of two hundred and ten centimetres tall, and just as wide as any normal bear. However, she did not embrace the Ageless's “Offering”, and was instead given an Orichalcum form. Which gave her very little beyond a tougher form, sharper claws, and a more imposing figure. This, as well as changing her colour from iron to a lighter shade of green and her eyes becoming the same colour, was all that occurred.

Now, the pair strode forward with purpose, their bodies adorned with a thick, silk robe with a crest of a personage that was split vertically over their left breast. Upon the left of the image was of a skeleton upon a yellow background, whilst the right was of an angelic being with a feathered wing on a shadowed background. This was to denote the image of their God King, the Ageless. Of whom also went by another title: The Nameless.

In any case, once the pair were close enough, Nox launched himself into the arms of Shauu with glee, shouting, “Aunty Shauu! Aunty Shauu! Are you ready to go?” and grinned a wide grin just as his mother greeted Sia with a warm embrace.

“Ah, Lady Sarah,” came a husky voice from the Wolfwoman whilst her flames flared with warmth and joy, “I'm so glad we didn't need to bring a bucket this time.”

“'This time'?” she asked whilst holding the other at arm's length whilst quirking an eyebrow, “What do you mean by 'this time', Sia?” Which was answered with a soft chuckle as she turned away to watch the Beastwoman swing the boy around several times before tossing him into the air, only to watch as he slowly glided down to the ground.

“Ready to go?” the Wolfwoman asked, and was responded by a pair of thumbs sticking up by the child and her counterpart within the Chosen. After which, she then noted a pair of Living armour standing at attention, and gave an impression of her raising an eyebrow towards the pair.

“Aunty Sia,” called out Nox as he tugged on her robe, “Uncle Zabartik is sending them with us. Is that okay?”

Which led to a drawn out groan from herself, far longer than those with lungs would ever able to perform. However, it was here that Shauu stepped forward, and slapped Sia upside the head, spinning it for several rotations until the Wolfwoman was able to stop it. Whereupon she glared up at her counterpart with fury inside her flame-like eyes, whilst Nox giggled and Sarah chuckled at the scene.

“Fine,” she grumbled, “They can come with, but you, Nox” she pointed towards the child, “you are not to leave their sight, understand? Though you are still a child, and Command will protect you, Terra is still a dangerous place. So if there are any problems,” she turned towards the pair of Living Armour which seemed to quake in their boots, “you are to transport him back here, to the Midnight Castle, understand?”

After the pair slammed their gauntleted fists over the left side of their chests, Sarah turned towards the Wolfwoman with some concern, “Has there been any problems down below?”

Which led to Shauu snorting, and then following it up with a melodic and soprano-like voice of, “With Lord Brutus running the show? There hasn't been much of anything. Even after the debacle of his adopted daughter, Denna, allowing slavers to come forth, we've taken care of them all.”

“But still, you expect danger?” she hugged her son, who squirmed as he was subjected to a tight and protective embrace.

“There's always danger, Lady Sarah,” chimed in Sia as she took up her arm, gently pulling her down the hallway, “But come, we mustn't let Lord Brutus wait too long.”

“Uncle Brutus is going to be there?” Nox perked up as he heard this after she nodded, and took his mother's free hand in order to pull her along with Sia, “Come on Mom,” whilst his tails wiggled with some excitement.

“Okay, okay,” Sarah responded with a chuckle, “I can move on my own, you know?”

“Yeah, but you're too slow,” grumbled her son, who then ran around her to push at her back. Whereupon he was whipped by the flick of her tail, and responded with, “Ow,” as he moved away whilst rubbing his right cheek.

“Now who's too slow?” grinned his mother as she danced away towards the front of their home. Thus, leaving Nox to see this, grin, and drop to all fours. Whereupon he launched himself forward, leaving his Aunts and Living Armours behind to bring up the rear as quick as they may.

Such a jaunt only took a few minutes, and soon the group was reunited once more, but within a fanciful carriage upon the courtyard outside. All around them, however, was darkness with the only light source coming from the few torches along the walls and the pale glow of the lonely moon which shown from high above. No stars bespeckled the darkness, as the area was within a structured Void Space created by the Ageless to serve the single purpose of protecting what was his from the rest of the Universe.

As for the carriage, it was decked in shadows on the outside, whilst the interior was carpeted with red velvet which caused the young boy to purr as he stretched and rubbed his body across the surface of the seat he shared with his mother. Of whom smirked at his antics, knowing full well of the softness in which she sat upon. However, if no one else was present, she would perform exactly as her son was currently in her presence. Unfortunately, there was to be company in the form of two chosen, and therefore could not embarrass herself in front of them. Even if the temptation was exceedingly greater due to Nox's rubbing. Therefore, she contented herself with rubbing the space to her left, out of eyesight. Unfortunately, such pleasures were disrupted by the advent of Sia and Shauu's presence, and their entering the space.

“Well,” commented Sia as she glanced towards the mother and purring son, “shall we get a move on?” and promptly sat across from Sarah whilst Shauu sat across the still purring Nox. After which, the pair of Living Armours which were assigned to them, stood at attention upon either side, then marched forward as the carriage itself, without the use of a beast of burden, lurched forward and towards the gates. Whereupon a vertical, oval portal portraying a very different and colourful world erupted into being.