She knows before I can feel their pretense. She wraps herself up in a cocoon of vines, shutting herself off from the world, from them.

That's when I feel them. The overwhelming pressure.

I pull them all back, my children, Monika too.

The time has come. They stand in front of me. The woman escapes me, slithering toward the cocoon that is my poor wife.

It's not like her to hide. Something isn't right.

My sword is drawn. I put my energy into it, watching it flame. If I can kill them with this, I can do what I did to Orion. To separate a god from its spirit. I usually need the void. But I may be able to create one around me.

The children are behind me, but these two of so fast, and Monika is defenseless. Which isn't like her. She fought even when she was mortal.

"Can you get her," He rumbles?

The woman knocks at the cocoon. I move it., putting Monika into the air and out of reach for a moment.

Of course, they can find me. They can find me at any time, just like I can my children. Because they have my blood. So there's no need to attempt to regroup.

I need to get them away from each other. Nathaniel and Azareal can be tracked, they have my blood. The rest are so faint...if I get them far, far away, maybe...

"Monika?!"

"No. She's trying to get it out before we can," The Goddess hisses.

My eyes widen. The child. She's trying to give birth to the child as quickly as she can. Or maybe the child wants to get out.

I came out fully grown. Maybe...it can too. Maybe it's trying to fight.

Shit. Right now? The woman seems the biggest threat to Monika right now. Let's dispose of her first.

"Void," I mumble, trying to create a void space around us. I've never done it, never needed to. But I can't poof them, they're too much energy.

It flickers, the landscape showing black before fading back to the temple quickly.

"Void," I say again, watching us be enclosed in blackness.

"That's new," The God chuckles. This is what I've been waiting for. It's now or never.

"What do you want with this child," my sword flames. He pulls out his own sword.

I stop for a moment. Damn it...I look just like him.

I swallow out, the nausea, taking my god form. He doesn't bother. I'm cocky like him too. Damn it.

"Answer me!"

He just stared at me. This is not the time to wonder. Wonder about whether they care about me, or whether I am strong enough.

I will have to be. I come down in a flurry of blows, and he parried me, even in his human form. It's better that way. I'm having to split my attention between fighting him and keeping Monika away from the Goddess.

It must be done. I will protect this family.

It's silent, just the clashing of swords. He slices a handoff, and I watch it grow back, before putting more of my power into my blows.

I can't go all out with Monika like that. If those Vines aren't strong enough, even an accidental blow from this sword can kill her and that child.

It figures. The only people in this reality stronger than me...I smirk. And they're against me. The only people who have the answers.

Oh well. I'll have to make it up as I go. I am the strongest god. What I say will have to be the truth. I have given enough.

Enough to my purpose. Enough of myself and my life and my happiness for this thing called purpose.

All I have asked is to have this family. This one little family. And I will protect it.

I have given enough.

No more.