150: Childbirth II
…
Meanwhile, on Earth.
In a spacious drawing room of the Hawthorne mansion, a thick and tense atmosphere hung amongst the group gathered.
The quiet hum of conversation had died down long ago, leaving only the muffled sounds of footsteps outside and the occasional creak of the grand house as it settled into the night.
Leucadius stood by the large bay window, looking out into the estate's vast gardens, hands clasped behind his back with a calm posture.
Howard Stark paced back and forth impatiently, the usual confidence that surrounded him replaced with uncharacteristic restlessness. "It's been too long," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his forehead. "Why is it taking this long?"
Martha who sat gracefully on a leather settee, cast a glance at him. "Childbirth is unpredictable, dear. You should know that by now." She said in a calm voice, but her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her dress.
Despite her composed exterior, the wait had stretched everyone's nerves thin.
Young Tony Stark, barely more than a child, sat cross-legged on the floor, building something with bits of wire and scrap he'd collected from the mansion.
His eyes flicked up now and then, watching the adults but saying nothing, too absorbed in his own thoughts.
He didn't understand what was going on, only that his Uncle Lucas and Aunty Thena were welcoming a new family member, and apparently, he had to be a big brother.
Across from him, Peggy Carter sat stiffly in her chair, hands folded neatly in her lap as she watched over the young Tony tinkering with scraps.
She glanced toward the doorway every few minutes, her eyes betraying her concern despite her poised demeanor.
"There's no need to worry until we hear something definite," she said. She was curious as to what kind of child a God could conceive.
With her exposure to the supernatural world, she had delved into stories of mythology and had read stories of Hercules, Achilles, and the other Olympian bastards, but Hala had just assured her that this one would not be an average bastard and that was a dreadful thought.
All Olympian bastards were already superhumanly strong amongst humans during their time, what would a full blood God then look like in comparison?
Jarvis and Allan, the two dutiful butlers of the Stark and Hawthorne families, stood near the entrance, ready to serve but equally tense…Allan most especially.
He had been following his young master…No, Lucas was his master whom he had followed since his youth, and now, that same man was about to bring in an heir.
How could he not be tensed up?
Howard finally stopped pacing before leaning at the back of a chair. "I just... I've never imagined her like this. Never thought I'd see her this vulnerable."
Leucadius finally spoke, his voice calm but commanding. "You underestimate her strength, Howard. She will be fine. The child she's bringing into this world is special. It was never going to be easy."
"Aren't they all?" Howard nodded with a smile as he looked at his young son, but the worry didn't leave his face. "Still, I hate feeling useless," he muttered.
"You are useless. There's nothing you can do, so why bother?" Lucas said flatly but no one picked an offense at that.
Lucas was always like this. Some would perceive him to be cold and mean, but he was always rational, except when he chooses not to be.
In situations where you hold no control whatsoever…why bother feeling emotional? What needs to be done will be done.
A tense silence fell over the room again, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace and the quiet tinkering noise Tony generated, however, no one paid him any mind.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a midwife emerged. All eyes turned to her immediately. She looked exhausted but gave a small, tired smile. "It's done," she said quietly. "The child is healthy. They're both safe."
There was a collective sigh of relief. Martha placed a hand over her heart, her posture relaxing for the first time in hours. She knew the horrors of childbirth and as Thena's friend, she couldn't help feeling a bit terrified for her.
Howard let out a shaky breath, finally allowing himself to sit down. "I hate this feeling." He muttered under his breath.
Leucadius, however, remained by the window, his face unreadable. He gave a small nod, though his gaze never left the moonlit garden.
As the group relaxed and the tension in the room began to lift, young Tony looked up from his project, his curiosity piqued. "So... Can we see the baby?" he asked, his voice small but thoughtful.
Howard chuckled, ruffling his son's hair. "Kid, that baby has just had his first dreadful experience coming into this world-"
However, before he could continue, Leucadius turned from the window with a knowing look in his eye. "Indeed," he said softly, almost to himself. "How about we go, welcome him?"
"Huh?"
…
Leucadius POV.
Illusions.
This was one of the many skills that was underrated but very efficient in messing with the brain. With this I can manipulate illusions causing every human within a certain area, and in this situation, the entire Hawthorne mansion experience the same thing.
Everyone saw, heard, smelled, and felt what I wanted them to perceive, to see, hear, touch, smell or taste things differently from what they truly are.
It was just a similar application as Aizen's From Bleach. With everyone within the mansion under this spell, it would never come up as a suspicion of Thena's actual baby in Asgard.
As for why I was not birthing him in Heaven, it was just me avoiding going to Heaven. I had a prophecy to actualize and I can't help but wonder how the scene would be…
The day when the Celestial Seed…
Heaven already was under the Rule of Yeshua, Lucifer has now fully manifested on Earth, all that was left are the signs of the End Times.
…
"Lucas?" Howard's voice cut through his thoughts.
Leucadius blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts. He turned, seeing the curious and slightly concerned faces of the group. Howard had asked him something, but in his preoccupation with thoughts of the future, he hadn't caught it.
"What did you say?" Leucadius asked calmly, his voice smooth, betraying no hint of his absent mindedness.
Howard smiled faintly, though his eyes were still heavy with the weight of the recent events. "I asked if you've thought of a name for him. You know... your son."
For a moment, Leucadius didn't answer. The thought of naming this child was something his main body in Asgard would harbor. He glanced toward the hallway, picturing Thena in Asgard holding the newborn in her arms.
The image was fleeting, though vivid. Despite being a clone, a part of him wanted to rush to her, to be there when she called their son's name for the first time, but he had to maintain this illusion a little longer.
Heaven's gaze was vast, and every move counted in the grand design.
The others were waiting, eyes fixed on him. Even Tony, usually lost in his tinkering, had paused and was watching him with an innocent curiosity only a child could possess.
He breathed deeply, his voice carrying a tone of finality. "Aethon," he said, the name rolling off his tongue like a word of power. His main body had just named the baby in Asgard and the information was passed to him.
"Aethon?" Martha asked, tilting her head slightly as she tried to recall the meaning. "Like the myth?"
Leucadius nodded once. "Yes. Aethon, meaning 'blazing.' He will shine brighter than any star." he said and added in his thoughts. 'Even the Morning Star.'
…
A similar scene had just taken place in the palace of Asgard. A small silence followed Leucadius' words, the significance of the name sinking in. It was a fitting name for the child of Leucadius and Thena, one who would embody both Intelligence and strength, and the endless power of the cosmos.
Odin raised an eyebrow. "Blazing, huh? Well, that's quite the name. Guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering who his parents are."
Frejya who was sitting tiredly at Thena's bed side stood, her eyes sharp and probing the baby, though not unkind. "A name with purpose," she remarked quietly. "I imagine it's only the beginning of his story."
Leucadius's eyes flickered with something unreadable for a moment. "You have no idea."
…
Back in the Hawthorne mansion, Tony who was still too young to understand the situation, grinned up at Leucadius and the little bundle in Thena's had. "Aethon sounds cool! Can't wait to be a big brother."
Leucadius's lips twitched into a small smile at the boy's innocence. "In time, Tony. For now, let's allow your aunt and the baby some rest."
Howard nodded, finally feeling the tension leave his body. "Yeah, let them rest. Thena's been through a lot."
Leucadius only nodded, his thoughts already returning to Asgard, to Thena, to Aethon. The illusion was still holding strong, a testament to his control over his abilities.
The clock in the drawing room chimed softly, signaling the hour, but time felt irrelevant to Leucadius. The wheel of fate was already in motion, and Aethon, his son, would soon be at the center of it all.
"Rest for now, Howard, Martha. We'll see him when the time is right," Leucadius finally said, breaking the silence.
Martha smiled warmly. "Of course. Take your time. It's a precious moment, after all."
Peggy gave Leucadius a long, thoughtful look before speaking. "You've got a lot on your shoulders, Lucas. If you ever need help, we're all here."
Leucadius met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I appreciate that, Peggy."
And with that, the conversation turned to lighter topics. Howard began recounting a wild tale from one of his many adventures, and the tension in the room finally eased completely.
The mood lifted, and soon enough, laughter began to fill the space, though Leucadius's thoughts remained elsewhere.
The world was unaware, the illusion intact, but the future loomed ever closer.
For now, Aethon had entered the world.
And soon, the universe would take notice.
…
Lucifer woke up with a sudden jolt, his chest rising and falling rapidly as if he'd just surfaced from a deep, dark ocean. His eyes opened to the dimly lit room, the curtains drawn just enough to let a sliver of light in.
Around him, bodies lay entangled, men and women of all sizes, and colors, their limbs draped over one another in a way that spoke of the debauchery they'd shared the night before.
He glanced at them with an amused smirk, the remnants of the wild night swirling in his mind. The sheer hedonism of it all was enough to bring a wicked grin to his lips.
But that grin faded as quickly as it came, for something far more troubling lurked in the recesses of his mind. The vision. No, not a vision, a memory.
With a sigh, Lucifer rubbed his temples, feeling a dull ache build behind his eyes. "What has Father done this time?" he muttered under his breath, pushing away the rising sense of foreboding.
He shifted slightly, disentangling himself from the warm bodies surrounding him, trying to focus on the fleeting fragments of what he had just experienced.
The memory of his fall from Heaven came crashing back to him, vivid and undeniable. But something about it was… off. It wasn't Michael. He could still remember his brother's righteous face as he wielded the power of Heaven against him in the original memory, the pain of betrayal seared into his soul.
But in this vision, the one casting him down was not Michael at all. It was someone else, someone unfamiliar, and yet more powerful than any being he had ever encountered, even his father…Not like he had seen him actually battle.
Lucifer's brows furrowed as he recalled the sensation, there had been no external force, no divine energy aiding this mysterious figure. It was as though the power had come from the universe itself, bending to the will of this new player.
The mere thought sent a shiver down his spine.
He was lost in this troubling realization when Mazikeen appeared before him, her presence as sharp as ever. "Everything alright, my lord?" she asked.
Her voice carried with it, a sort of concern that she allowed herself to feel in his presence.
Lucifer looked up, his eyes momentarily softening at the sight of his loyal demon maid. "I'm not sure, Maze," he responded, his voice low and thoughtful. "Something's changed in the cosmos. Someone new is playing God. And I don't like it."
Mazikeen's eyes narrowed slightly as her gaze turned cold. "Then we'll find out who it is. And make them regret it."
Lucifer nodded slowly, his gaze distant. "Yes… we will. But first…" saying that, he gave an evil smirk and returned back to the bed to continue from where they left off.