I open my eyes. Fallon speeds around Monika who begs her to slow down, telling her she's getting dizzy.

Solice watches them, and Dion fruitlessly chases after Fallon.

A dream. Unfortunately, gods don't dream. Gods only have premonitions.

Holjin sits next to me. "Did you see that too? When I saw you asleep...I had hoped I was wrong."

Holjin is a time fairy. That's what the humans call his kind anyway. He is a being blessed by the divine with time.

He sees the past, the present, and, with enough strength, the future.

Monika notices that I'm up, coming up to my bedside. "You actually slept! It was crazy! I had a dream last night, that...you know who came in here."

I smile and assure her that's just a scary dream.

"Children," I sit up. They all stand at my bedside, their backs straight exactly as I taught them. I look at them.

My children. My babies. A premonition. That's not the accurate word.

I had a prediction. If I don't change something...my children will die in that ballroom.

I stand, walking past them. I need to chain off that room.

"No one is to go into the ballroom," I inform them, bending one of my swords around the door handle.

They groan and complain and tell me I just don't want them to have fun. Monika says nothing.

I think she knows. If she had a dream too, then her powers must be growing. And this threat must be real. Orion will come here and attempt to massacre my family.

So I absolutely can't leave them alone.

I touch my chest. That feeling? I absolutely can't feel that again. I thought...I thought I would perish.

"Hey what the fuck Slade—"

I pull Fallon into my chest holding her tightly. Dion raised his brow.

"Okay—" I snatch him up too, grabbing Solice as well. I have to keep them safe.

"Oh my god, we're gonna die aren't we," Dion whispers.

Monika leans against the door. "Of course not. I told him he has to show you guys more affection. That's all. He's a big teddy bear."

I nod frantically, kissing their heads. "You know I love you. Right?"

Fallon's eyes widened. "Maybe we're already dead."

I frown, popping her forehead. "Go swing your sword. Thirty rounds. All of you."

Fallon rolls her eyes. "Guess not."

"Damn it Fallon your big mouth. You'll be done the quickest too."

Fallon shrugs, as they walk out to the courtyard.

"You're certainly a ball of affection," Monika notes, coming up to me. "Maybe my dream wasn't a dream."

I smile. "Ah...I just...thought I should show them that I...care about them while I...while they're all here. Except for Nathan of course."

Wait...if he's alone he'll be a target. But I can't leave to get him. The second I leave...Orion will come here. I can't bring them all with me.

"Slade, will you help me develop my powers," Monika shifts. "I want to be able to fight. I need to...protect our home. And I can't. Not against anything more than human."

I took her over. The muscles in her body are more developed now, after months of training. Still, she's soft, beautiful.

Her skin glows with divine energy.

"Of course. We can train together. I haven't had a real fight with a god in..."

Eons.

I lift my eyes, holding her waist.

"Don't go easy on me. I know...he won't," she whispered, leaning her head against my shoulder.

She's right. The best I can do I equip her with the power to protect herself. I only saw part of it.

"What happened in your dream, Monika?"

"You said there was a disturbance in the balance. You left for a few hours. You told me to look after them. Orion came in, and...I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough to protect them."

She looks down. "I don't want...to ever have to say that again."

I press my forehead against hers. "Then I'll do everything in my power to make sure you don't have to."