He dreamt that day, a dream which was real.

The moment he had fallen into the world of dreams, he found himself in a familiar world of darkness, which gave way to the stars about him. He turned on his heel, seeing the various figures, each staring at him like he were some kind of beast in a cage.

“A stranger in our lands,” one said.

“One of many,” another added.

He recognised the pair of them, who seemed to be leading this inquisition. “It’s a pleasure to see that you’re well, Miss Elaveil,” Adam said, noting the appearance of the godly being, so familiar, and yet so strange. His eyes could barely take note of any features, as though he was forgetting what he saw immediately as he saw it.

Adam glanced to see the boy on the throne of black, terribly jagged. “Long time no see.”

“You know of us?” Elaveil asked, her voice so sweet and melodic.

“Of course I do,” Adam replied, smiling. “I know of you and Sozain well, we’ve spoken before. I also know…” Adam’s eyes darted to find him, but instead, he saw another figure. “Lady Arya? What are you doing here?” Adam blinked at her.

“You know me as well?” Arya asked, her appearance easily seen and easily forgotten.

“Of course,” Adam said, dropping to a knee and bowing his head. “Lady Arya, Goddess of Swords. You had given me your strength, and I am not the the type to forget my favours, even in my next life.”

“Goddess of Swords?” Arya asked, staring at the kneeling young half elf. “I am the Goddess of War.”

“Goddess of War?” Adam asked, before glancing around, noting all the other gods. He vaguely remembered them, but the one he was looking for wasn’t around. “Where’s Bandlor?”

Elaveil and Sozain exchanged a look, one which had caused their siblings to tense up for a moment.

“How do you know that name?” Elaveil asked. Her voice was the same as before, but it held a greater weight on his shoulders, as though she was pressing him down with her tone.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Adam said, standing against the pressure. “I asked my question first. Where is he? Bandlor should be here, standing alongside you. Hey, Bel-“

It had only taken a moment for the stranger to appear, cutting into the domain. It was a knightly figure, adorned in the whitest of whites, and his blade was so close to cutting Adam apart, not even a finger’s width away from his face, only held back by a dark string which had caught the blade.

“How rude,” Sozain said, his finger raised from the arm rest on the throne. “Did you think I would allow you to cut a guest of mine right before me?”

“This is a matter above you,” the stranger in white replied, simply. His tone of voice was even, but it was full of authority.

Adam blinked, looking at the string on the blade, which was so thin, and yet could easily hold back the being which was still pressing his blade forward, trying to cut him. “Who the hell are you?”

The knightly figure remained glaring down at Adam, and Adam tried to recall who he had pissed off in his previous life. He continued to dwell on the matter, and the entire time, the figure’s body was tense, trying to break through the black thread.

‘Looks like Sozain is protecting me for now, so I guess I can continue?’ Adam cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re doing alright, Miss Elaveil.” Adam smiled a genuine smile. “If you weren’t I would have been particularly pissed off.”

Elaveil stared down at one of the various anomalies which had appeared. “Will you explain yourself, young man?”

“Well, your fath-“ Adam was cut off by the stranger in white having appeared beside him, who seemed to have cut through the thread of blackness, only for his sword to be caught by another sword, near identical to his own, but it was completely black.

“How rude,” Sozain said, staring at the stranger in black who had appeared. “Why are there so many who are breaking into our space while we siblings are speaking with our guest?”

“You may say such words, but it’s because of me that this boy still lives,” the stranger in black, who had caught the stranger in white’s blade, said.

“Do you really believe Lord of Order could lay a hand on this boy if I didn’t want him to?” Sozain asked, raising his brow.

The stranger in black did not respond, but he remained clashed with the stranger in white.

“What are you doing?” Lord of Order asked.

“What is expected of me,” his black twin responded, a wild grin on his face.

“This anomaly must be destroyed,” Lord of Order stated. “This is a matter above us.”

“You will not be harmed,” Elaveil assured Adam, holding her scale in hand. “You may continue.”

Adam noted the times that the being wanted to attack. It was only when he was trying to mention Belle. “Lord of Order, eh?” Adam smiled, before his eyes fell to the stranger in black. “So let me guess, you’re Lord of Chaos?”

“Hello there,” the Lord of Chaos replied.

Adam smiled. “You aren’t so bad.” Adam noted Elaveil staring at him, waiting for him to continue. “Anyway, where’s Bandlor?”

“Bandlor is a name long forgotten,” Elaveil said. “We all remember the name, but we do not remember who he was.”

“Bandlor, the God of War?” Adam said. “You’ve forgotten him?” He stared at the group, blinking at them. “What a bunch of shitty siblings you lot are.” He chuckled, though wondered if poking fun at the gods was a wise idea.

“So he really was our brother,” Sozain said, hiding his smirk.

Elaveil stared at him, noting the gloating tone. She had always mentioned that she would have never forgotten a sibling, but it seemed she may have been incorrect. “How is it that we have all forgotten our brother?”

“Why are you asking me?” Adam asked, shrugging his shoulders. “You’re the ones who forgot him.”

“It was a rhetorical question.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Elaveil stared at the boy. The gods each understood that the situation was far more complicated than it appeared. It was especially complicated since those two had intruded, and even more so because so far, as far as the gods knew, Adam stated not a single lie as they spoke.

“Bandlor was forgotten, huh?” Adam narrowed his eyes. “Bandlor? But…” He stared at the one known as Lord of Order, who was still being held at bay by Lord of Chaos. “Bandlor, Bandlor…” Adam whispered, trying to think about why the god might be missing. ‘What happened to you, Bandlor? Where are you? Is it because of me?’ He recalled that Bandlor had sacrificed himself that time, but did that mean he was no longer in this world? This realm?

“It is strange,” Elaveil said. “We can read the minds of all beings below us, even the other anomaly beside you, but we cannot read your mind.”

“Really?” Adam asked, flashing his mind with lewd images. “I’m fairly certain last time you could.”

“Last time?” Elaveil asked, staring down at him, still unphased by the lewd images.

‘Either she has a good poker face, or I’m not going hardcore enough,’ Adam thought.

“I have been keeping an eye on you,” Sozain said. “Yet, even within the Iyr, that tale you told was blocked to my ears.”

“There are things that you may know, and things you cannot know,” Lord of Order said, trying to stop them from speaking more.

“Do you have a special connection to the Iyr?” Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ‘He was spying on me in the Iyr?’

“Yes,” Sozain replied, simply.

“Oh?” Adam narrowed his eyes. “It’s a little unfair that you don’t tell me when I’m being so forthcoming.”

“I apologise, but we must know more about you first.”

“Whether I am friend or foe?” Adam asked.

“Yes.”

“You helped me in my previous life as well,” Adam said. “I was helped by yourself, Lord Sozain, when your father could not, and Lady Arya too. I won’t forget it. I also won’t forget I died for you, Miss Elaveil, so I hope we can have a wonderful relationship together too.” Adam smiled innocently.

“You died for me?” Elaveil asked. “Why would you die for me?”

“I was asked to die for your sake,” Adam said. “So I hope, in that world, you’re doing well.”

“You speak of the other worlds within another ribbon?” Elaveil asked.

“I don’t know what that means, but sure.” Adam shrugged his shoulders.

“Who asked you to die for me?” Elaveil couldn’t help but ask.

“Your father,” Adam replied, as Lord of Order managed to force his blade to the half elf’s neck, though he remained frozen as Elaveil’s scales appeared beside him, perfectly balanced.

‘Father?’ The gods had thought the same thing in that moment. A brother and a father, forgotten due to the whims of higher powers.

“It seems you don’t want me to speak about their father, Order,” Adam said, staring at the blade, so close to his skin, almost touching him.

“This is a matter far above us,” Lord of Order said. “Such things must remain buried.”

Adam’s ears twitched at the phrasing. “I can’t even speak of their father?”

“You know of our father?” Elaveil asked, keeping her finger raised, her scales keeping Lord of Order at bay.

“I do,” Adam said. “He’s the reason why I’m here. He’s the reason I died the first and second time.”

“How many lives have you lived?” Sozain asked. He was interested due to the fact he was the God of Death.

“This is my third life,” Adam said. “My first life was on earth, my second was on this planet, but on another ribbon, and this is my third…” Adam tilted his head. ‘Does that mean Belle doesn’t exist in this world? Is he missing?’ His eyes fell to the pair before him, the strangers he didn’t know. ‘Lord of Order and Chaos?’

“We should speak another time,” Elaveil said, straining to keep the stranger at bay. He grew more powerful as Adam spoke about her father. ‘They really do not want us to know more about him?’

“What about him?” Adam asked, pointing to the stranger in white. “Won’t he try and kill me?”

“He will not bother you,” Elaveil assured.

“Order must be maintained,” Lord of Order said.

“Are you on my side then?” Adam asked the black fellow.

Lord of Chaos refused to reply.

“He will not bother you,” Sozain repeated after his sister. “Tell me, Adam, son of Fate.” Sozain wondered if he should ask. “Are you the son of that Fate?”

“It’s just a name,” Adam said, though he smirked. “Though, I do pay my respects to Her.”

Sozain had almost relaxed, but hearing the last few words caused him to tense up. “Then, we will leave you on your way.”

“Before I go,” Adam said, glancing at Lord of Order and Chaos, shaking his head. “Even with the pair of you, you can’t replace him.”

The pair of them remained silent.

Adam laughed, wondering when he had grown so brave. He stared at the gods and goddesses once more. “Belle,” Adam said, his last act of bravery.

“Belle?” Sozain asked, his finger raised. Hundreds of black threads formed around Lord of Order and his blade, which had pressed against Adam’s throat, so close to cutting into the half elf.

“The name of your father,” Adam said. “Belle, the God of Chaos and Order, and don’t you forget it.” He threw out the peace sign towards the two Lords. “Dueces.”

Lord of Chaos smiled.