After putting away the very irritating notion that he might just give in to a determined request by the Memory Sifter, Gemini reached out to Quinn, who was busy handing out food to people in need. As it turned out, the people displaced by the invasion had little desire to return to their original homes for a few reasons.

First, the northern side of the Wildlands had lesser arable land than the southern side. Second, the fears of being invaded and their homes destroyed had led to a drive in which the northern Wildlands would be manned by the military exclusively, with fortresses and defensive lines created in general.

The ruins of Ars, which had turned into a solid chokepoint in which any and all infantry must breach to invade the southern Wildlands, would be developed into a fortress rivalling that of the Five Lands’s Heaven-cleaving Fortress in the decades to come.

“A food drive?” Lila tilted her head. “He’s handing out food to the needy, huh.”

“Yup. He seems rather happy too, which is a good thing. Being stuck in my head and as my clone probably isn’t a very fun experience. Or a pleasant one.” Gemini smiled. “He’s an existence by himself now, made manifest by my will and blessing. He’s free to do what he wants.”

“Alright. That just leaves the three of us, then,” Lila replied. “Shall we go?”

“We don’t really need to pack anything either,” Gemini noted. “How convenient.”

“You’re the walking bag of everything we need, so if that’s your judgement, then we’ll be fine.” Lila picked up Aria, who gurgled away happily. “Aria, we’ll be going back home…and then going back to our true home. Okay?”

“Auh?”

Gemini chuckled. “Hereward, I think you’re the professional at this, so you do it.”

“You’re quite capable of teleporting others through space, though,” Hereward replied. “Did you not transport us to the Demon God’s inheritance back then?”

“Back then, my wife and daughter weren’t with me,” Gemini replied. “There’s a difference. I’d very much prefer the professional driver to bring us there.”

“Professional driver?” Lila asked.

“Don’t think too hard about it; it’s from Earth.” Gemini grinned. “Come on, chauffeur! Bring us there!”

“Why do I feel like I’ve lost something?” Hereward grumbled. “Fine, whatever. Since you’re so sincere, I should show off to my fullest. Behold, the might of the most professional driver of Orb.”

At those words, the world around them, which was Gemini’s Divine Kingdom, fell apart, replaced by a huge, floating top of sorts. The sun shone down on them, unimpeded by the dark dome that still covered the Wildlands, and Aria made a happy little noise.

“Aww, she likes it,” Gemini observed. “Here, give me a five!”

Alarms began to ring a moment later, and the new Ark City, which looked an inverted pine cone, began to light up with red lights. Gemini could feel waves of spiritual energy emanate outwards, before gathering on him and the others.

“Quaint,” Gemini murmured. “I suppose I shouldn’t do anything about these things, though. They probably detected two very powerful presences and are freaking out now, right?”

“That’s right,” said Lila. “Just stand there and wait for whichever poor fellow’s on duty today to swing by.”

“Waiting is the easiest job for me,” Hereward murmured. “Still, using qi to as a means to guide projectiles…it’s an interesting idea. Instead of interfering with cause and effect, simply linking the enemy to the projectile could create almost equal results with a lower expenditure of energy.”

“What makes you say that?” Gemini asked, curious.

“Well, it seems that to sever the hundred-odd threads that connect us to whatever projectile that follows, we need to apply a great deal of power,” Hereward replied. “However, if beings like you and me use such a method, very few existences would be able to sever this link. Few would be able to dodge whatever attacks that follow, while sparing us of the need to use our Will.”

“Is that why you’re impressed?” the Demon Sovereign asked, a small smile on his face. “At the potential of mortals?”

“Yes. Precisely.” Hereward closed his eyes for a moment. “It’s not just about the risk the Abyss Sovereign poses to Orb as it is now. The world he intends to create is likely to stifle innovation and competition, since there’s never a need to compete. It would be a boundless world that forgives inefficiency and waste. People will never seek to develop beyond what is necessary, and before long, a civilisation that is broad in application and shallow in depth would be created.”

“But it’s these qualities that make it a utopia through and through, no? If everything is unlimited, competition becomes inefficient,” Gemini replied. “Why would there be a need to fight? Those who act on impulses like these would eventually be relegated.”

“True.” Hereward made a little noise. “Considering the Abyss Sovereign’s history, I find it ironic that he sided with the Human God’s ideals at the very end, even if he expressed them in different ways.”

“History?”

“Correct. The Human God wanted him dead, or, if we went by how the last battle went, wanted to consume him,” Hereward replied. “Failed catastrophically, but maybe…”

He shook his head. “Now that’s an interesting thought.”

“What thought?” Gemini asked.

“Maybe the Human God left something for the Abyss Sovereign. Taught him certain things. Who knows?”

Gemini wanted to press the topic, but he had a feeling that the Sentinel of Space wasn’t going to answer his questions.

“They’re here,” said Lila. “Remember to play nice, alright?”

In silence, the three of them, plus little Aria, watched as Ark City’s mightiest defenders raced out of the city and took up position around them, their presences billowing in the blue skies. Gemini couldn’t recognise many of them, but he did spot a very familiar face.

Demigod Eliza.

“Welcome home, Gemini.” Eliza floated forward. “Hero of Ark City.”

Gemini stared at them, and let out a relaxed smiled. “Yes. We’re home.”