Tija could feel the hole being bore into him by the stares of the others as he adjusted Lucy's hair.
No matter which way he tied it, it always seemed to come undone. Quite annoying if you asked him, which is exactly what Spija did. Sort of.
"What exactly did you fly into to make you adopt a child?"
Was she always that rude?
"As far as I can remember." Demeter retorted as Ares bawled his eyes out.
"It's not fair! Why can't she see us?"
"It may have something to do with the fact that we're six-dimensional beings?" Wazul replied with a sigh.
"Don't be mean about it." Fizul defended.
"Maybe it's a good thing the baby can't see your ugly mug."
As Poseidon was single-handedly trying to comfort Ares' crying while stop Fizul and Wazul's fight while Demeter simply watched on with glee, Airizul and Aeolus carefully introduced themselves and Earzul to Lucy as Spija asked, "Is this why you asked us to come in our human forms?"
And it was. That and Earzul would probably accidentally step on all of them in that dragon form of his.
"I call it an unhealthy obsession."
"Of course you would."
Andromeda!
"Sorry I'm late."
Not at all. She was just in time for the fight.
"The fight?"
"Wazul made Ares cry again," Airizul explained as she watched over Aeolus and Earzul.
"Unless you plan on helping Poseidon or convincing Demeter to help, it's going to be a nasty fight."
"And you're fine with that?"
"Why not? It's about time someone knocked some sense into Wazul already."
That was unsurprisingly harsh of her, but Tija didn't blame Airizul.
"If she can't see us," Aeolus started as she watched Earzul play with little Lucy, "Does that mean she's not a Magi?"
Yes, it did.
"What is she then?"
A human, Demeter.
"And what exactly possessed you to adopt a human?" Fizul asked as Poseidon kept his father at bay.
Tija simply found little Lucy while on a stroll in the woods.
"Please tell me you don't actually expect us to believe that." Spija commented with her eyebrow raised.
Fine! Tija was taking a nap when he heard a baby crying in the middle of the night, so he went out and found Lucy all alone.
"And how long ago was that?" Ares asked as he wiped his tears.
It was a few months ago-
"A few months?" Spija yelled.
"You've been taking care of a baby for months now?" Andromeda questioned in shock as Wazul added how he was, "Surprised the loud ball of fat isn't dead yet."
Were they always this rude?
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Poseidon asked worriedly, but Tija was determined to find Lucy's parents himself.
"But you couldn't find them," Fizul realised, "And called us here to ask for help."
Were they willing to help him?
"Even if we wanted to help you," Andromeda explained, "The five of us have a Council meeting in a few. We can't stay and help you-"
"Sure we can." Demeter interrupted.
"How exactly do you plan to be in two places at the same time?" Wazul questioned with a glare, but Demeter didn't even flinch as he explained, "Five of us need to be there, so the rest of us can go, while the rest of us stay and search."
"That could work," Airizul said as she patted Demeter's head. "Aeolus and I can stay to watch Lucy, here, while Wazul, Ares, Fizul, and Earzul search for her parents."
Which meant Tija, Spija, Andromeda, Poseidon, and Demeter would go to the Council. Yay.
"That sounded quite dejected," Poseidon noticed, "Do you perhaps not like Council meetings?"
Between the condescending arguing and arrogant atmosphere, what was there not to love?
"Count yourselves lucky," Andromeda said, "This might be the only Council meeting without arguments."
"Those exist?" Demeter asked sarcastically, and for the record, no.
Council meetings with no arguing do not exist.
"Don't worry about Lucy," Aeolus said as she hugged them goodbye, "She's in good hands."
Tija knew that well as he watched Airizul wave Lucy's little arm as if she even knew where he was going.
It didn't matter to him. He knew the others would find her parents soon and she wouldn't even remember him in a few years. It didn't matter that she giggled at him as she waved.
It didn't matter one bit.
"How about you wipe that grin off your face before the kids notice?" Spija whispered, but Tija wasn't smiling.
"That's why I said grinning."
Actually, she said grin.
"Did not!"
Did too.
"Nu-uh."
Uh-huh.
"No, I didn't!"
Yes, she did-
"Ow!" Spija and Tija said at the same time as Andromeda walked past them after punching both of them on the back of their heads.
Geez. Why was her daughter so violent?
"I don't know. Why is your niece so violent?"
She got it from her mother.
"No, she got it from her favourite uncle."
Did not.
"Did too."
No, she didn't.
"Yes, she did."
Really didn't.
"Really did."
No, she-
Tija and Spija found themselves rubbing their heads in pain again as Demeter remarked how they, "Had it coming." as he laughed his head off.
*****
Aeolus had really outdone herself with Magiterra, Tija noticed as he and Spija gawked at the main hallway of the Palace of Divine and Eternal Creation.
"She was inspired by her mother's work on Donum." Poseidon noted as they arrived at the Council hall.
"You're late." Jupiter said before he noticed Tija and Spija standing behind her.
Upon making eye contact, the Magi dropped on his knee as he bowed to them before the other Council members noticed and followed suit.
As much as Spija was clearly enjoying it, Tija went out of his way to ask the Council members to treat them as their equals and not their peers.
"Easy for you to say when they didn't make you." Andromeda mumbled as she made her way to her chair, beside the Head of the Council, Demeter.
"What exactly is this about?" he said with an obvious hint of boredom in his voice as Sun Wukong stood and declared, "The Magi before us has committed the gravest crime known to Magiterra. He gave his magic to a half-breed."
Was it true? Did he really do such a thing?
"Yes. I, Montu, gave all I have to my child."
Why? He must've known the consequences of a noble giving up their magic.
"I did."
"Then why?" Glitche Manitou questioned, "Why did you consort with not only a commoner, but with a hybrid of Donum?"
"I fell in love."
Was that love worth that much?
"What?"
Didn't he regret it? He was now powerless and weak. Was the love he felt going to be enough to fill the hole the magic left behind?
"And more."
"That is indeed honourable-" Pyxis said before Cassiopeia cut him off with,
"But honour does not change the law."
"How old is your child?" Spija asked softly before Cassiopeia questioned,
"Does it matter?"
"Yes. It does. Montu, how old is your child?"
"Only a few years, your Honour. He's barely the size of my forearm."
"And the mother?"
"The most beautiful deer hybrid you could ever see."
"You guys can continue discussing nonsense as I prepare his execution date." Cassiopeia said, sparking an argument with Spija.
"If he has no magic, he cannot be dangerous." Spija argued.
"And the unstable son? We just sit here and wait for the ticking time bomb to blow?"
"We can monitor both of them by letting him go."
"It's the law."
"That you unjustly made."
"The Council made the law-"
"And yet you are the only member trying to uphold such evil."
"It's evil to protect the public?"
"No, it's evil to kill the father of a baby!"
Both of them were too busy arguing to notice the last two Council seats being filled, but all attention was soon on the Creators as Esros declared,
"Kill the father. The mother is already dead and the child will be soon."
"But-"
"I know it is painful, my child," Isra said, "But we have more pressing matters at hand."
It simply wasn't fair, though.
"What isn't, my child?"
For the baby to just be left to die. At the least, they could ask Earzul to find him.
"Then what?" Esros questioned, "Will you and your siblings watch over the child?"
Yes, they would.
"Preposterous! No child of mine shall care for such a freak of nature." Esros declared. "Execute the man. This meeting is now adjourned."
Tija found himself unable to argue as he and Spija watched the man look up, towards the stars as he cried.
For the first time, Tija felt Esros was wrong, and for the last time, he decided to do something about it as Spija said, "I can't imagine the pain he's going through. Losing the loves of your life the day your execution is announced."
Tija couldn't imagine the pain either as he and Spija made eye contact and nodded to each other.
*****
"All of them?" Spija asked gravely.
"Every single one of them." Ares cried, "Massacred."
"We did manage to get your message, and Earzul is looking after the child as we speak." Airizul said, bringing some sort of relief to Tija as Demeter watched over Fizul as he and Wazul played with Lucy.
"What are you going to do with her?" he asked, "I can look for some good orphanages or find foster parents."
"Since when are you so kind?" Andromeda questioned.
"You're right. Let's just leave her to die."
"That's more like you."
"I'm so glad you're pleased."
"Do you know who killed them?" Spija asked, still shaken by the news.
"We're not sure," Wazul replied, "But we have reason to believe it was those humans who pride themselves on destroying the dragon race."
"They call themselves the 'chosen ones', but they're all hypocritical murderers." Fizul added, clearly angered.
Lucy, being a baby, immediately picked on this anger and started to cry uncontrollably until Tija finally picked her up.
"You have to teach me that spell." Fizul said as he smiled for the frightened little baby, but the spell wouldn't work for him because of Fizul's scary face.
"She'll grow up to love these bad boys."
"Or maybe," Wazul responded with a cheeky grin, "Those scars of yours will make her put you out of your misery."
"Tija, you're keeping her?" Aeolus asked, but before he could even speak, Spija cut him off as she said, "Of course he is! You saw how he is with her. She loves him."
"Well, don't get too heartbroken, uncle."
For the 17385902475837th time, Tija was not Demeter's uncle!
"Haha. You're too funny, uncle!"
Yeah, yeah, Tija replied as Lucy used both her little hands to grab his index finger as she let out a little yawn.
"I guess it's time for us to go." Airizul said softly, but they were welcome to stop by to hang out with little Lucy.
"Really?"
Except Ares?
"Why?"
His constant crying would rub off on her.
"Meanie!"
"It's true, isn't it?" Wazul said before smacking the back of Ares' head and running away, but Fizul followed closely behind him as Poseidon went after them.
As Airizul and Aeolus walked a sobbing Ares outside, Tija found himself with Spija, Demeter, and Andromeda.
Normally he wouldn't care, but the confusion on their faces added to his worry as they walked him to his and Lucy's room.
What was keeping them so on edge anyway?
"Isra and Esros," Spija started, "Almost never show up for Council meetings."
So?
"So why did they show up for a crime hearing?"
Perhaps they were intrigued?
"The case is unusual, but it isn't the first." Demeter explained.
"Do you think something is going to happen?" Andromeda asked, obviously suspicious of them, but who were they to question Esros and Isra.
They were already busy looking for their magicians to fulfill the prophecy on top of governing everything they created.
"What if they're trying to put us in our place-"
Spija! How could she accuse them of such a thing?
"I wouldn't be surprised if they did." she pouted before storming out of the room.
Tija asked Andromeda and Demeter to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't get into any trouble, but as luck would have it, she was right.
For two and a half weeks, Timmit had to go through the brunt of Sky's "I was right" tirade, and he honestly wished it would never happen again as he suspended Richard Mustollini as he simply stared at the sky.
"You're not going to fight back?" Brandon questioned, but Richard Mustollini simply smiled as he said, "There is nothing I can do to fight the dragon who presides over time. Aside from the Creators, no one has power like it."
"Well since you've already been caught, how about we hear about the whole masterplan as Kiara convinces Julian to calm down."
"Ha! Now that's funny! I'd tell you to become a comedian, but, you know ..."
"No, I don't. Care to explain?"
"Sigh."
Did he just say 'sigh'?
"I'll tell you this. The power of a single Creator is simply unfathomable to any creature in existence."
"Everyone knows that. What's your point?"
"My point is," Richard smiled, "No one ever talks about what would happen if one Creators' Magician was to die."
"Because it's impossible. That's why it's called immortality."
"Uh-uh. That's where you're wrong."
What did he mean? The Creators were the only immortals. Even spirits like Tija, Spija, Wazul, Earzul, Airizul, and Fizul could be killed, but nothing could kill the Creators.
"I know."
Then what was he talking about?
"You haven't noticed?"
Noticed what?
"And here I thought dragons could sense when other dragons are using their power."
What?
"The Space Dragon, or Spija, as you called it, is what is holding the sky up."
Timmit's eyes shot upwards towards the fight as he slowly realised the madman was right. Sky was the one protecting the ground from the battle. Her and Willy. But why-
"Would they need to interfere? Simply because a battle to the death between the two Creators' Magicians is a death sentence to reality."
What?
"Maybe if all six dragons come together, you might have a chance at- Oh wait! You destroyed that bond."
"So you're telling us," Brandon said, changing the subject, "Kiara and Julian are going to destroy everything as they attempt to destroy each other?"
"Not at all."
What?
"You've seen it before. Haven't you, Brandon? The princess' magic absorption."
An ability unique to the Creators, but it only works on dispelled or discarded magic.
"So we are going to die unless we convince Kiara and Julian to calm down."
"Probably."
"Then our plan will work and you'll rot in jail for the rest of your miserable life."
"Never said that."
"You don't have to. If anyone can save the day, it's Kiara."
Richard began to laugh uncontrollably as tears poured down his eyes. Timmit couldn't understand what exactly was wrong with him as he started to sob.
"As Doria's father, I can confidently say, there is nothing a father can't do to be reunited with his daughter."
"Which is exactly why Julian can't kill Kiara."
"She's not his daughter!"
Yes, she was. Him adopting her didn't change the fact that he raised her-
"Elesius Myra. That's his real daughter's name."
Richard Mustollini smiled as Timmit watched Brandon's face turn white with fear.
He turned to jump towards the bubble in the sky, but he stopped him.
What was wrong with him?
"Elesius Myra was the first monarch of the Southern Kingdom. Kiara's namesake and Julian Myra's daughter."
If Richard Mustollini was telling the truth, that meant-
"Julian is going to use Kiara to kill himself."
Was it possible?
"What happens if the most corrupt soul finds the purest emotion?"
Brandon, in a state of frenzy, ran up to Richard Mustollini and started to punch him in the face, repeatedly until a blinding light filled the sky for a split second.
It was enough to catch everyone's attention as it began to rain.
Timmit heard it.
He heard Kiara's wails echo through the downpour, and he instinctively grabbed Brandon as soon as the rain froze in mid air.
It was his fault.
If only he had listened to Spija, they would've been able to keep everyone safe as a white light around Kiara grew.
He could only apologize for being unable to protect Lucy before and now as the light got closer and closer.
He was still a tad bit grateful for one thing.
The happiness of being able to hold his child in his last moments.