The Fate of A Pendragon

Diplomatic Solutions

J. Cole- For Whom The Bell Tolls

    Having the kid around is a lot of fun. I haven't had this much fun since Rose came into my life. I'm teaching him mana control. There are times he sneezes or trips and turns back time by a few minutes or ahead. We're making progress. I think we need to help him organize all of the things he sees. Time had a system for his thoughts. Maybe we can get one for him too. Carrying around everything he does, can be harmful to someone as young as he is.

    "You think he's ready?" Young asked. Temps is helping Rose with tying her shoes. It's his first day of school. 

    "Are you?" I asked looking up at the worried look in his eyes. Didn't think I'd see the day where he'd be such a dad. It's cute, but I'm also really worried about him. 

    "I think so," he sighed reluctantly and got into the car. 

    I can't imagine the nightmare he's going to be when I finally do pop one of his kids out. I watched Rose and Temps walk into the school together. When we had him tested he scored a little over his age training, so they have the same classes. Rose has him wrapped around her finger. As far as I know, that's all it is. He wants her approval because he knows she's important to me. 

    "We have a meeting with Elise and your father as well as the other assigned elders. Athena agreed to take us up on our offer and cupid is on her way," I began before he changes his mind about letting Temps go to the school with all the other kids his age. 

    "That was fast. You have a way with words," he smirked. 

    "I have a way of pretending I'm going to kill people if they don't listen. Got that from you," I laughed. 

    "You're welcome," he stretched. "You think Temps is going to be okay? The other kids used to be mean to Rose when she had her affinity. What if we ask Athena if she could, you know. Temporarily lock his powers away too?" 

    "She can't. I already asked and she already tried. He's too strong," 

    "I love that you already tried," he placed his hand over mine. I rolled my eyes as I opened up the portal to what used to be the University of the Gods. Creation is calling it The Council of Fate. No one has had any objections yet. 

    "You took your sweet ass time to get here," Creation scolded as we got out of the car. 

    "We have a kid to drop off at school," Young reminded him. Creation turned to look at me with a worried expression on his face. Yeah, that makes two of us buddy. 

    "This is not going to end well for him or the kid," he whispered. Young is greeting his parents.

    Elise put together the council. She's the one that really knows the ins and outs of all of this. Athena backs her up, sometimes. Other times, they're all at each other's throats. That's where I come in. Keeping the peace one argument at a time. 

    The ancients that hadn't taken the side of those who are dead were asked to take council seats. My former professor is here. Aurora and a few others whose names I can't remember right now. I wonder where Aurora is. She's usually one of the first ones here. This place looks good. We're all falling into place nicely. Smoothly. 

    Young really likes to take lead in all of this. When he's a little indecisive about something he turns to me and I try my best to teeter him towards the best option. On top of all of this, we have training and studying. Creation and Elise can't get enough of teaching us s**t that is honestly mostly common sense. Well, common sense when it comes to telling other gods that smiting isn't always the way to go despite how much they want to do it. Smiting is kind of easier though.

    "Today, we welcome Setanta and Scathach who have the reports on the lower cases," Elise introduced Set and Scathach. The two of them stood up and brought over some files. Young handed them over to me. 

    "Everything seems clear for now. We only have one concern," Scathach began. 

    "One?" I asked looking over the file she had given us. "There are twelve here," 

    "We say one because it's the one group-gang," Set shrugged. 

    "Gang?" someone asked.

    "They call themselves Mutiny. They're going around recruiting members into their group," Scathach explained. 

    "What for?" Mr. Gwaiin asked. 

    "Mutiny against the new verse," Set answered. 

    "That's cute," I laughed. Everyone turned to look at me. "Their name I mean. f**k it. The whole thing. There are a few names on here. All children of the fallen Ancients. Era Eros, Joshua Hydra, Kellen Kairos, they're pissed because we killed their parents," I handed the file back to Young. "Have they made any demands, threats?" 

    "None that we know of but they have the attention of a lot of the new gods. Not everyone is happy about an outsider taking the throne," 

    "Then f**k them," Young bit out angrily. "If they have a problem with Lily they can take it up with me and I'll let them know what I think of them," 

    "Chill," I laughed. "Flattered, but we can't just kill everyone. The last thing we need is a shortage of Gods. We're here to keep the balance not make it worse," 

    "You're too soft," he scoffed. 

    "That's rich coming from you," I smirked. "Scathach, who do we have that can take a closer look into Mutiny? Anyone, you trust?" 

    "You're asking me?" she asked. "I do have a couple of names. One, you're acquainted with," 

    "Aurora?" I asked. She nodded. That explains why she's not here. "Great. I trust you can bring some good feedback," 

    "Yes, my queen," she bowed. She smacked Set on the arm and the two of them walked out together. 

    Mutiny is going to be a problem if they start doing stupid s**t. I really don't want to kill any more of the new gods. We can't afford to. Everyone has a role to play and if they're not in their posts doing what they're supposed to be doing, everything gets thrown out of wack and a multiverse out of wack brings forth crazy s**t. Like me and Young. 

    "We're next," Elise stood up. 

    "We found something you two might find interesting," Mr. Gwaiin added. 

    "Okay," I nodded. 

    "There's a Lily. She's not like the others and very unlike you. She-" Elise paused. Young and I looked at one another worriedly. 

    "She earned her God markings. She's one of us," Mr. Gwaiin finished. 

    "Why is that a problem?" Young asked. 

    "There hasn't been one like her in a very very long time," Elise sighed. "Sin and Hatred," 

    "What?" Professor Allah stood up. "How did something like this happen? We've been watching the multiverse-" 

    "Lilianna Pendragon lives," Athena cut her off. "We all need a balance. Mine was my brother Ares. My father's was his brother Hades. She's a new generation God which means her balance is going to be like her and nothing like her. This girl, where is she?" 

    "A new constellation was born in verse infinite. We went to investigate and ask for a presentation audience with the new Queen and she refused. She said she bows to no queen," Elise answered. 

    "I've never felt energy like hers. Not even with Hades or Lucifer. She's the complete opposite of you. You bring peace and you help heal. This girl," Mr. Gwaiin shook his head. "She smells like death. There was nothing in her eyes. She has no attachments to anything. We scanned the planet for other duplicates and there were only a handful of knights left. Knights from my time. None of the new ones. When she addressed me, she said that knights weren't welcomed in her home," 

    "So, she's not coming?" I asked. 

    "No," they shook their heads. 

    "I have to meet this girl," Young smirked. "I mean you scare the hell out of me when you're pissed. This girl is the Goddess of Sin and Hatred. You can't even bring yourself to hate the people who hurt you. Forget about sins. You're the type to do the right thing even if it kills you," 

    "What else can you give us?" I asked Elise. 

    "Lovie," she began. "I need you to be very careful. There is immense loss and pain inside of someone worthy of the title of hatred. She has nothing but the kingdom she rules over. There is no one there to tell her to calm down or to tell her right from wrong. Her fate, just like yours and Gray's is inconclusive," 

    "What if we kill her?" Young asked. I rolled my eyes at him. "No, no. Hear me out. Lilianna Pendragon can f**k s**t up by doing the right thing. Can you imagine what this girl can do doing the wrong thing? She'd be doing out of spite. She'd be doing it because she can. If this Lily can do half of what our Lily can we're in deep s**t," 

    "I agree," Mr. Gwaiin nodded. 

    "We can't kill her," Athena interjected. "When my father died. Hades lost his power. He had to pass the mantel of the Underworld to Lucifer and his other siblings. All he had left was the immortality and weapons we forged. His title and abilities as a god were stripped away by the Leylines," 

    "That can happen?" Elise asked. We all turned to look at her. 

    "You're fate. How can you not know that?" Young accused. 

    "I'm new at this as well. I don't know everything. I don't even know how I got this job," 

    "It's true. I was there," Mr. Gwaiin added. 

    "This is our life now," Athena sighed. 

    "Don't be so dramatic," I laughed. "Okay, so I can't kill her. We find a plan B," 

    "What would plan B, be?" Young asked. 

    "I'll think of something. For now, let's meet the terror herself," 

    "I don't trust the two of you going in alone," Mr. Gwaiin shook his head. He's really afraid of this Lily. Can she really be that bad? Is what I've been waiting for? The thing that looks back at me whenever I shut my eyes?

    "We can't go in there with guards. She'll think we're there to attack," I dismissed his suggestion. 

    "You should be," Elise countered. "This girl can very well be the death of us," 

    "There's nothing we can do if that really is our fate. You know that more than anyone else in this room. If we meet her with aggression she will answer with aggression. If she's anything like me-" 

    "She's not," Mr. Gwaiin shouted. "Lily, have you not been listening? This girl is a f*****g monster," 

    "I've been listening very closely, Mr. Gwaiin. It's you who refuses to hear what is coming out of your mouth. Hate isn't something that is born. Something f****d up happened to her and she's lashing out. I've done it. Your son does it all the time," 

    "You can't fix something like this," he agrued. "Lovie, you are just like your father. You have common ground with the rest of us. You have a family. This girl is a tyrant. She's taken whatever she's wanted by force. There was no Grayson to help her. There was no Arthur to pave the path of excellence for her. Amaryllis was not there to tell her that what she had done was wrong. You have all of that. You even have the love of Creation who would end the entire universe to keep you happy. She has nothing," 

    "Exactly," 

    I stood up going over to him. I took his hands in mine and gently embraced him. He's crying. I know why this hurts him. He can see what could have easily happened to me had I not been raised the way I was. There's fear in his eyes because I'm pretty sure he can picture me in the position this girl is in. My dad is his best friend and he'd do anything for him and my mother despite his clear dislike of her. 

    "There is nothing left inside of her," he tightened his hold on me. 

    "You're wrong. There's hate inside of her. She still feels something even if it's not like the rest of us," I pulled away to look up at him. "We're going to be fine. If I can't get through to her then I will take care of it," 

    "But?" he shook his head. 

    "But she needs to see that we're not going there to harm her right off the bat. This verse started with blood. We lost so much history and family because we keep repeating the same pattern. I don't want to keep killing everyone just because I can. Just let us talk to her. She's one of us despite the place she's earned. It's balance. There has to be darkness as well as light. We can't have one without the other," 

    "She's right," Elise placed her hand on Mr. Gwaiin's arm. "We overreacted. It's just that- I've felt this before," she sighed. "When you came back with Alyssa. The same pain and anger you felt. While it nearly destroyed you, this girl is thriving in it. There is nothing wrong with her Crystallis. The people are happy. Free of war. There is no pain for them. She is the queen you were meant to be before your brother was born. I'm afraid that her wickedness is something deeper than not knowing right from wrong. Like you, she does all this bad s**t because she chooses it. The same way you choose to try and save people. There's is no motive. This is just who she is," 

    "She became one of us for a reason. She's meant to be here. This isn't something that happened by chance, Elise. If this is her nature, there is nothing we can do to change it. We just have to establish the ground rules. Teach her how to cope with what she is the same way the rest of us have to. We can't single her out. If you do, in her position, I would f**k everything up just to prove a point," 

    "And what point would that be?" Creation asked. 

    "That I can do whatever the f**k I want and there isn't s**t that any of you can do about it. I've done it before. She may not be me, but there is something that all Lily's carry throughout the multiverse," 

    "They don't have limitations to what they can do," Young finished. "I hate to admit it, mostly because we already have an evil Lily on eleven. However, I know the consequences of trying to restrict a Lily. As soon as they hear the words you can't do that, they f*****g do it," 

    "That's for damn sure," Creation sighed heavily. "Take right now for example," 

    "So much for setting ground rules," Professor Allah interjected. 

    "We can tell her no," I shrugged. "If she has the same powers as me, I'm going to be standing in her way every time she tries anything if she tries anything. Another thing about Lilies you guys should know is that we get bored easily. We need some serious motivation to do something like conquering the multiverse," 

    "What was your motivation?" Professor Allah asked. 

    "I needed to know why me. Why Fate thought that the multiverse needed something like me," I answered.

    "Did you find your answer?" she asked. 

    "Yeah, one last Lily fun fact, I always finish what I start. It doesn't always end the way I want it to, but it never goes unfinished. How deep in the multiverse do we have to go?" I asked Elise. 

    "Crystallis Infinite is at the end of infinity," she whispered. "Past the darkness of oblivion,"

    "What the hell were you doing way the f**k out there?" Young asked. 

    "I keep waking up on Primal Infinite," she answered. 

    "What's on Primal Infinite?" I asked. 

    "Nothing really," she answered. "They destroyed one another. Those who are left are trying to survive on what little resources they have," 

    "Let's send a team out there. Have Lucille and Meerlyn start cleaning it up. When she's done, call in Gabrielle. She's on Primal eleven forty-six," I ordered. 

    "Are you going now?" Mr. Gwaiin asked. 

    "No, Tempts should be getting out of school soon. We'll go tomorrow," Young answered. 

    "Okay," the two of them nodded, almost relieved to hear him say that. 

    "Gray," Tempts shouted as soon as he got out of school. He and Rose ran towards us the same way she always has. 

    "How was your first day of school buddy?" Young asked him. 

    "It was weird," he and Rose laughed. "Everyone kept calling me Gwaiin," 

    "Oh," Young smiled big. "Here, all the knights refer to one another by their last names. Everyone calls me Gwaiin too," 

    "That's why everyone calls me Pen," Rose added. 

    "Oh," he nodded. "I thought you might have a middle name or something," 

    "She doesn't," we all laughed. 

    As soon as we got home, I went into the garage. I had been working on the bullets from the ruby I got from Tempts's home planet. I only have four. I was hoping I was wrong. That my instincts are wired the way they are after what happened and because of what we found. I'm trying my best to keep the peace, but it's difficult to do so when everyone expects me to be just like Young. I can't. It's too hard. Diplomacy is all I have left when it comes to real situations. I'm tired of fighting, but I'm not above it.