***The City of Light***

***Celes***

“Tanja? Dad?”

Upon finding my friend and my father among the crowd of people who gathered to stop Tjenemit I rush forward to greet them, ignoring the attention that comes with it. Reaching my father, I fall into his arms. “I am so glad that you made it out of the city!”

“Ah, yeah...” He hesitates but then places his arms around my shoulders and chuckles. “I am so sorry, but those returned memories are overwhelming me at the moment. I need some time to sort out what's going on in my head.”

I gulp, realizing that Seria left us to clean up her mess. “That little bitch. I am going to teach her a lesson if she ever reincarnates.” I sigh and let go of him. “Sooo... who were you in a previous life? Did we know each other?”

“Ah, no. At least I think not.” He scratches his chest, searching through his memories. “I think I was fairly unimportant until I became a god and refused to serve the Council. I realized that something fishy was going on when they approached me and decided to run. Seria saved my ass before they could get their hands on me.”

“Don't worry.” Angrod joins us. “It will take some time until everything comes back. The technique which Seria used to seal our memories and take our godhood was never meant to be abused like this.”

I raise an inquisitive eyebrow. “I thought you don’t know how she did it.”

He nods. “True. I always asked myself how she managed to do it. Mainly because I didn’t think anyone would go to such lengths, but with this situation at hand things are a lot clearer. I never thought anyone would be stupid enough to take such a risk and dismissed the possibility out of hand. If she was lucky, her soul was only torn asunder by the process of returning all that power. I was never certain if it's actually possible to permanently extinguish a soul, but if there is one, then hers was a pretty good attempt.”

I wince. “Do you think...”

“I don't know. Give me some time and I will investigate. If her soul survived it can't go anywhere within the Void Zone. Given time, I will find it.” He sighs and turns his attention to Tanja. “So, who are you?”

In a peerless demonstration of indecision, the assassin curls her lips into an s-shape. “Nobody.”

Angrod's eyes narrow. “Who are you?”

“It's really not that important, hahaha!” She looks at me, sweating buckets while pleading for help with her eyes.

But in this special case, there is no help from my side. I also want to know what’s going on with my friend. “Tanja?” I narrow my eyes.

“This is so awkward.” Tanja looks at the ground. “I am Karin, one of Ascathon's former minions.”

“Ha!” Angrod calls out and slaps Tanja on the shoulder, causing her to stumble two steps sideways. “Do you know how unlikely it is to ever meet someone from a former lifetime again?! I thought I had lost all of you forever when you idiots got yourself killed! But to think that not even in your second life you managed to get yourself a man. You might end up as an eternal single.”

Tanja narrows her eyes, clearly irked by Angrod's exclamation. “Well. There seems to be a lot more to it. I can remember surviving the war. Seria saved most of our asses and souls. Then we had to stay on this world, hidden from the Council. She enlisted us to help her set all of this up.”

Angrod nods. “In any case, now that you are a god, I can finally finish your education.”

“N- n- no!” Tanja looks around frantically, then grabs my arm, pulling me in front of her. “I already have a teacher, right, Celes?!”

“I guess. It would be a waste to stop now that I already showed you a few internal mana techniques.” I chuckle, remembering Karin.

She was a mortal when Ascathon saved her life and picked her up, practically adopting her. Back then, I never understood why someone like him would do such a thing. I always suspected that he had some kind of nefarious plan for her, but my point of perspective was distorted by the world enchantment that Tjenemit used to control us.

Now I know that there is a soft spot in Angrod’s heart.

Angrod opens his mouth to object, but I have something to bring up before we start arguing about pointless things. “Wait a moment before you continue.” I raise a hand to stop them, a thought hovering on the edge of my mind. “Do you two really think that Tanja/Karin being here is a coincidence?”

“What do you mean?” My friend looks confused.

Angrod raises both eyebrows but jumps onto my train of thought. “Ooh! Seria, what deviousness! You think that we weren't the only ones whose souls were 'placed'.”

“Hell, yeah,” I shout. “That little bitch's mind is so twisted, I wouldn't put it beyond her to play a perverted game like that. Do it once, do twice, so what's thrice!? We already know that she internalized the trick with placing a soul inside a body!”

Angrod rolls his eyes, his expression saying everything. “We have to make sure with everyone we know. I suspect people are going to set up a network to search for former acquaintances anyway.”

“What about Nicosar?” I look around, searching for the geezer.

“I last saw him in the City of Light,” Arthur informs me. “We split up. While i tried to go after you, he decided to head home to get the others into some bunker.”

Someone clears his throat behind me and I turn around to find out that Gabriel stood by and listened silently to our conversation. He waves at me. “Hi. You may not remember me, but I fought on your side... once.”

I narrow my eyes. “You were one of the people who deserted and kicked off the war!?”

Back then, things wouldn't have gone as badly as they did if it hadn't been for a certain group within my faction of the pantheon who took matters into their own hands to attack Ascathon's side.

Gabriel's eyes widen. “Nonono! I wasn't one of those!”

“Then who were you?”

He clears his throat. “Ardun.”

“Who?” I frown, not recognizing the name. Which means that he isn't on my shit-list.

“This is so embarrassing, I should have just stayed silent.” Gabriel sighs and kicks a random stone on the ground, then looks up into the sky as if searching for help. “Ardun, the God of War. Mid-level deity. I was the guy who antagonized Ascathon and who he locked in the closet with his familiar when I challenged him to a fight.”

Angrod nods eagerly. “I can actually remember that. Boy, that girlish scream when you got to see my familiar's true form was epic!”

Gabriel's face pales. “You shouldn't have said that. I could have lived without that particular memory.”

I blink, remembering now. “You really changed from back then. You are so... different.”

Gabriel huffs and crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Do you want to say that people don't deserve a second chance?”

“Nooo...” I draw my answer out in an attempt to avoid saying something I would regret later on. “Just saying that I am surprised. That’s all.”

“Alright, everyone.” Angrod claps his hands together. “Gather around me and I will teleport you home. I just need a moment to concentrate and find the others. We have a lot to talk about with the rest of the family.”

“Okay.” Arthur nods. “Let me just order some volunteers to clean up this mess quickly.”

I nod and link arms with my husband. It is a great relief people’s personalities stayed mostly the same. Right now it doesn’t look like their newfound memories changed much, though I could be wrong and it’s an issue which depends on the individual.

As I talk with Arthur, Gabriel, and Tanja, it becomes clear that accessing their old memories was like remembering a movie. Their newfound memories don't feel like they are their own.

Then Angrod teleports us home. Teleporting around the world wasn't a problem for Angrod while he was mortal, but now that he regained access to his powers, transporting large amounts of people is no issue.

We find Ireth and Rose at our summer residence in Midhold. They leave the house when we appear in the courtyard, apparently having sensed our arrival.

The embassy was still in ruins after the attack, so they evacuated to this seldom used place. As we approach, Ireth storms towards us with tears in her eyes. “You are all alive!”

She is holding Aengus and I hurry to claim my baby boy, glad that he is alright. “You are fine!” The baby smiles and squeaks upon seeing my face.

Katrine, Rose, and Nicosar exit the house joined by Angrod’s white-furred familiar who starts running happy circles around our group. My mother wears a serious expression, her demeanour slightly changed from her usual behaviour. She somehow seems grander, more royal. “We have to talk.”

Ireth nods. “Yes. Seria made a real mess of things.”

A strange feeling stirs my guts, my fears coming true. “Who are you?”

Ireth smiles. “I am Janice!”

Who?

But Angrod gasps and flies towards his mother, lifting her off the floor while hugging her. “You are truly her!? I searched for you for centuries!”

I try to steel my face as a pang of jealously steals itself into my mind. Angrod actually searched for a woman? For centuries? Just what is their relationship? “Who is Janice?” I can’t help but ask with a stern voice.

Rose sighs and massages her temples, a vein throbbing on her forehead. “She was Angrod’s/Nova’s grandmother in a past life, another master of soul magic and necromancy who helped him develop his magic. She was an immortal at the time and presumably managed to advance to godhood before she vanished. Now it’s clear that Seria was involved and snatched her away from under the Council’s nose when she ascended.” She looks at me. “I am… was Willow, by the way.”

Oh, that’s… not too bad. I would be worried if she had been a former lover.

I nod, now having to sigh myself, remembering Willow from Isabella’s memories. Another one of Angrod’s minions. Our family situation will be awkward for quite some time.

My own mother puts on a forced smile, looking at me. “And I was Ashley. I guess you can now call me 'mother' in more ways than one.”

My mind makes a flip upon hearing this newest revelation. Ashley, Isabella’s mother!?

“Ashley!” Angrod is unperturbed by the developments, happy at meeting old friends anew.

I can’t understand how he can take all of this in stride and be happy about Seria having played all of us like puppets.

Because my knees feel wobbly, I sit down on the ground, not wanting to fall while holding Aengus. “Things just keep coming.” I look at Nicosar. “So, who are you?”

The geezer clears his throat. “For once, I cannot significantly add to the insanity. Unlike the others’, my memories are very hazy.” He frowns. “Though, I believe one of my former selves was called Ishaan, the Titan.”

I don’t remember anyone of that name, so I turn my attention to my baby Aengus. “So... who do we have here?” I ask Aengus with a forced smile. At least I have to try to keep my calm. If I don't like his personality, I will ask Angrod to wipe his mind and that's it!

“It will take some time for the children to remember,” Angrod explains. “If I am right, then this process will be very similar to natural reincarnation. Which means that brains which are too young to interact with a soul will need time to adjust. We may even consider suppressing most memories until teenagers are older and had time to develop their own personality. I am unsure about the repercussions to our society if teenagers start out with the memories of their previous lives. It would undermine Seria’s intentions for this world.”

“Then why did we two remember so much from an early age onwards?” I ask.

“We didn’t reincarnate naturally. Seria placed our souls in the children’s bodies with a spell,” he clarifies.

I massage my temple while I think about it. Great work Seria! You created complete chaos for society. We are likely to have to deal with talking toddlers, workers and serfs who are suddenly gods and who could smite cities with a thought. A wonder our society didn't already deteriorate into civil war.

Rose puts on a wistful expression as she studies the mansion. “Ahem, I hate to break up the reunion, but shouldn’t we get back to work before our world’s society falls apart? There are some documents you have to sign. We need to rebuild the city, give people something to do. Make sure that they have a goal beyond their personal problems. Right now, I imagine the world around us to be in chaos.”

“The embassy? Rebuilding?” Angrod blinks. “Of course! The palace!” he screams and Aengus twitches at his outburst.

I throw him a berating look for startling the babe.

Without asking for our permission, Angrod teleports all of us to the ruins of our embassy where a few people are trying to save valuables from the rubble. Angrod shoos them away, waving his staff and unleashing the full potential of his aura. The pressure of his presence alone chases away anything less than a major god.

Interestingly enough, none of our group seems to be affected by his show of power.

“What are you thinking, just teleporting us off!” I snap at his thoughtlessness.

“Oh, sorry! But I almost forgot that the new palace should arrive any minute now!” he informs me while starting to clean up the area, flattening everything with telekinesis. Moving mountains is no issue in his current condition, so clearing out some rubble is done with a wave of his hand.

“New palace?” I ask, dumbfounded. Did he go insane? As gods, we are powerful, but we can’t summon a palace out of nowhere.

“Arrive?” Rose is equally taken by surprise.

“Yes! You see, I remembered one of my old projects and figured that since this is the same planet on which we originally fought our war, it must still be where I left it. So I went down to the planet’s core where I hid it and ordered it to rise to the surface.” He smiles at us.

And then the earth starts shaking. It's not really an earthquake, just a mild vibration, but ominous nonetheless.

“The core?” Rose squeaks. “You can’t mean that thing!? What did you do?”

“You ordered it?” How can someone order a castle around? I am out of my depth here.

“Off to the side! We have to get out of the way!” He leads us out of the area, beating a hasty retreat from the site of the old embassy.

Just in that moment, a spike made out of Mana Crystal stabs through the ground and starts rising higher and higher.

Shocked, I take a step back as the ground is penetrated at several other positions by similar spikes and something rises from the earth. First, the crystal structures grow to the size of a house, shedding dirt and rock while rising until they resemble towers.

Suddenly, the whole area bulges upwards and a huge shimmering structure made out of Mana Crystal rises from the ground as if summoned from hell itself.

Angrod spreads his hands and starts laughing madly. “Mwahaha! Behold! My greatest technological masterpiece! Worthy of the gods! I call it the Eternal Palace. Originally, I just wanted to use it as my mobile research lab, but I guess it is grand enough to also serve as a palace.

After two minutes, the structure stops rising and the quakes stop.

A sudden pulse of power shakes off the dirt, revealing the structure in all its glory. As if pleased, the building gives off a satisfied hum upon having accomplished its task.

The sunlight is broken in the smooth diamond-like surface, providing the onlooker with the full spectrum of colours. Satisfied, Angrod nods and grins at the rest of us, who were only able to watch the show in awe.

Behind us, I notice a crowd of people growing bigger and bigger. It seems like the spectacle alarmed the whole city.

Angrod spreads his hands. “Witness the might of your king! The king of all gods! Mwahaha!”

Becoming a little concerned about his demeanour, I lean over to the others. “Could it be that he is developing a little case of a megalomaniac attitude now that he is back to being a god?”

Ireth and Katrine nod, Angrod’s mother looking more concerned than the others. “We definitely have to look out for that.”

The scene is then interrupted by the arrival of the Cygnus siblings, forcing me to sigh as they fly towards us, bypassing the gathering crowd. Who or what are they going to bring to the table? When will this madness stop?

Stephen looks worse for wear while following Margerie, but his sister looks more than a little mad as she doesn’t stop and tackles Angrod to the ground, forcing me to jump aside in order to not get my Aengus involved.

“My library! You caused me to lose all that knowledge!”

I purse my lips, watching my husband being straddled and choked by the much smaller woman. I guess not all reunions can go well?