The call had came to him from Sularia; his father wanted to speak with him. Something urge, from the sounds of it, but the contents weren’t revealed. Typical of his father. Steele thought nothing more of it at first and headed to what he had assumed would have been the Cradle. The portal that was provided for him instead caused for him to appear in the middle of the woods…at night. Normally he was used to appearing right at the god’s front door, with the except of his first visit where he had to go through the Ring first. Aside from mildly annoyed, he didn’t think too much of it- he believed that he was on one of the floating islands again. But something seemed off, even for Chaos himself. Everything felt darker, colder and gloomy. Those certainly weren’t qualities of his father.

After walking through the dead woods for sometime, he thought he was walking in circles. Or at least it seemed as though he was. The warlord wasn’t sure and it only added to his frustrations. It wasn’t until he heard the howls in the distance that he ceased and listened. He wasn’t alone on this isle- there were other werewolves about and throwing caution to the wind, Steele shifted into a hulking black wolf and threw in his own howl into the air before following his brethen’s cries.

What may have been an hour later lead him to find a palace, one that could have belonged to his father had it not gave him an eerie vibe. As he approached the doors, the wolf halted as they opened for him, allowing a cold gust to blow at his form. What was all of this? Why had his father’s home changed so drastically, even for him being the one charged with Chaos? The wolf sighed as he entered the lion’s den, per say and was glanced about, looking for the god to explain everything.

Eldora was enjoying the day out with Estelle. They were playing in the water on Sularia’s beach. The Oracle had a parasol over Estelle as they sat playing in the water and sand that ran up on her toes. Estelle squealed and pushed herself up into a stand. “What are you doing little girl?” Her blue eyes watched as her daughter took a step forward and got her foot lost in the sand. She started to go forward and Eldora caught her in her arms.


“That’s new Estelle… Did you think of doing that all by yourself?” She brought the laughing girl up to her and kissed her cheek softly. “You are getting way too big too fast…” She should show Steele! The warlord would be overjoyed at seeing little Estelle attempting to take her first steps. Luckily they hadn’t happened yet as the sand as stopped her. Pulling herself up she saw Dante running down the sandy hill.

Holding the parasol she tilted her head and balanced Estelle on her hips as Dante told her about something being wrong. “Well let's go find out what’s wrong.” She opened a portal and they went through it. Finding themselves in a forest she took a deep breath and looked up at Dante. “Steele is here… I can feel him. Stay close.”

Estelle was squealing and it was hard to keep quiet as Eldora paced herself through the woods. They found the palace and Eldora looked confused for a few moments. “What’s happened to this place?” The doors opened for her and she found herself approaching Steele. “Before you explain to me what the hell is going on… Watch.” Eldora dropped the parasol as a clang rang through the room.

Estelle squealed as her mother put her down in a sitting position. At first, she moved to a crawl before realizing it wasn’t sand anymore. The little one pushed herself up and re-balanced herself as she attempted not to fall. Putting her arms out she squealed loudly and took little steps towards Steele. “Da…”

Eldora stood there looking proudly for a moment as Estelle continued on her small journey. “She attempted it on the beach but the sand caught her before she could try fully. She’s been trying for a while now but never really got the hang of it.” Her eyes looked up at her husband. “Now can I get an explanation of what is going on…?”

Dante hadn’t wanted to spend his day searching high and low for Eldora of all people. No, he wanted to spend his time with Lotus, especially that her body had recovered and he knew that his lover was eager to continue on with their frequent sex life. Instead, he had to break away from her when he felt his father’s domains shift. Their connection was still intact and it confused the halfling at first and he had to find the only other person that served his father. Which unfortunately was the midget his brother married, but as he rushed over towards her at the beach, he was surprisingly serious. “I don’t know, there’s been a sudden change and he doesn’t…feel right.” She didn’t seem to worry as much as he had and she lead both him and Estelle through a portal that he had hoped would bring them to the Hollow Cradle.

But when they crossed over, they were met with the sight of dead trees that seemed to carry on for miles. “What the hell is this?” His mind was fumbling about how odd this new place was as they navigated through the eerie forest; the avatar jumped every now and then when they heard howling and other sounds that he wasn’t used to. By the time they reached the apex of their travel, he looked dumbfounded at the palace. How in the word did the man create all of this in a short while? “Dunno. Have to ask my father, if we ever find him.” But the longer this played out, the more Dante wandered if they actually wanted to find him. Everything about this place seemed so wrong.

The doors opened for them and he saw the big black wolf and sighed. “Well, there’s the mutt.” Steele’s soft growls at his brother all but confirmed his identity before he glanced over to his wife and child. But Estelle knew her daddy no matter what form he took and the wolf turned to face her as she placed their daughter down. His eyes looked on as if they were in a trance as she rose herself off the ground. That was something new, as was what she did next. Slowly, the wolf approached the girl as she slowly and awkwardly drew closer to him. He couldn’t help but to rush over and nuzzle her with his nose. “Aw, that’s so cute!”, Dante squealed while his brother reverted back to his human form and held onto his daughter. “Getting stronger, aren’t we little one?” He kissed her cheek before coming closer to the pair, “I don’t know what is happening…Father called me here and after that, I found myself in parts unknown…”

“Parts…unknown…a perfect way of thinking, boy. But is it not uncommon that people fear what they don’t know or understand?” The voice was dry and monotone as it rang from all directions around. “The hell? Father?” Dante was utterly confused, as was Steele as they looked around, but the god wasn’t in sight at all.

“Nothingness, darkness, these are the things beyond the mortal coil of understanding. Yet it has been gifted to me as of late. No longer the carrier of the silver tongue… “

“Great, I just love riddles”, Dante said as he looked around the hall in a feeble attempt to locate him.

It was hard to scare Eldora but her arms were around Estelle with fangs out. That was the one thing she was scared of the most. Losing her. Steele could take care of himself but once they found him she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled just a bit. She barely heard Dante’s insult but what came next had her even happier.

Estelle hugged onto his nose as he nuzzled her and she giggled at him. “Da…” Her fingers gripped at his black fur and she rubbed her face against his as she imitated him. Opening her mouth she put her lips to his cheek back and drooled all over him. Eldora was quick to help with a laugh as she used a cloth to clean his cheek.

It was Xunatar’s voice that caught her by surprise and she listened very closely to every word. “I was born in the unknown… that would be why I wasn’t so scared compared to Dante.” She chuckled a bit but she took a step forward away from them. “Everything you need to solve it is what he said.”

Her eyes looked back at the two of them. “He has taken the domain of darkness. It makes sense…” Her fingers tapped against her skin. “I was given information by the spirits and I kept hold of it in case I needed it… However, it appears now is the best time to give it. If you have Darkness and Dalanesca hasn’t fallen then that means…” Her voice drifted for a minute. “All of the Awakening Gardens’ portals collapsed in on themselves earlier this morning. We’ve kept it secret as not to spread panic. No one has heard from Angela since they collapsed but I get the feeling she has changed as well… Her powers are ancient so the implosion of her realm probably happened from her losing a sphere that she has held since the beginning.”

Eldora turned back to the darkness. “Xunatar knows this to be true. He must know deep down inside. The conclave has shifted. Xunatar has lost the domain of lies… but has gained a much more powerful domain in darkness… I can feel it because we are connected at least now that I am not focused on Estelle.” It was the doll… It too had changed in a way. “This place is our new home. The Cradle is no more. Is that correct?”

Whether they understood his motives or not was not his concern. It hadn’t been since even before he ascended, though he would give credit to Eldora for figuring out what she did. His boys were simply too impulsive to see the forest through the trees. Darkness soon trailed into the hall, nearly flooding it up to their legs. Steele held on fast and steady to Estelle, refusing to let her get near the shadowy stuff. Dante’s eyes grew with interest as it soon gathered and clumped together, piling up among itself until a figure appeared from it. Soon it was given form as a man in a dark hooded robe, his face partially exposed from the nose down. Twin blue eyes that mirrored the coldfire shined through at the group.

“Yes, Dalanesca no longer holds Darkness. That sphere is mine now, as sad as it is to lose Deceit.” He looked at a moment towards Estelle before she was found blanketed in a bit of the shadowy stuff by his command. The tangible thing surrounded her like a sheet, but she was perfectly fine though her father had no idea at the time until he looked to her. “I suppose. I have felt a many great things lately. A deity fell. Several spheres have been rearranged or even lost now. Hearing about Angela doesn’t surprise me.” Any warmth that he might have provided in his tone back then couldn’t be found, it seemed. Still, he wasn’t without feelings, albeit many would think otherwise.

“Yes…and no. The Cradle you all have known is gone, but not entirely. It merely grew into something grander. Welcome to Discordia, the Forsaken Isle.”

“Terrific, Father”, Steele said as his arms wrapped around Estelle tightly. “What is it that you wished to speak with us about? You called me into this place earlier, if memory serves me right.”

At first Xunatar didn’t respond but in the next few moments he suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Dante, who nearly jumped right out of his boots. “You lot will have to be more careful. When news arrives of my new position, enemies that I have already made will be seeking you and your children out. And I’m sure that new ones are about to rear their ugly heads soon. If you seek sanctuary, then perhaps you may find it here. But be warned of the city of the isle. There are plenty of things that can be found here of use, especially to Eldora, but the inhabitants are ruthless and lawless.”

Eldora stood steadfast as the darkness swooped in. Steele kept Estelle safe just in case but her suspicions were correct as Xunatar appeared. Her blue eyes looked back as Estelle became wrapped up in the shadow like blanket.

Babbling away Estelle pulled it close, sniffed it and grinned her toothy grin. She had almost all of her teeth now. “Papa,” she put the blanket in her mouth before squealing and trying to show Steele.

Eldora watched her daughter for a moment before looking back at her father in law. “No, I didn’t think it was completely gone. My connection to you would have severed and I would have felt it. That was not the case at all.” Finally, Steele spoke up and Eldora quieted down more than she already was.

She listened to Xunatar and for a moment there was a chuckle from her. “You know that I am bound to you Xunatar. I cannot live outside of this place for long. At least… sanely. This is also a safe place for Estelle. I know that if Steele or I cannot take care of her that you or Scarlett will. I am not afraid of lawless or ruthless. I can assure you that I can be both if I have to be in order to survive.” It wasn’t that Eldora was cocky but merely telling the truth. She had never been a good liar and she tended not to overestimate her abilities or underestimate.

“As for Dante, I would assume Sularia is one of the safest places outside of here for you. Angela will be back but it is a matter of time. Her spheres were ancient. It means that it is going to take time for her to build until then I beat Adraejen will be protecting Sularia in her stead. I would go more than I do but I still get dizzy walking the streets if I am there for too long. There’s no way I could live at home.”

Estelle’s blue eyes landed on her grandfather and she squealed a bit more. She did love him regardless. To her, he was warm and snuggly. She didn’t know any better nor did Eldora or Steele try to tell her anything different. She lifted her arms up to the god and Xunatar took her. Pressing her lips to his cheek she giggled and snuggled into the blanket of darkness they gave her. “Besides, Estelle is right at home with you most of the time. It wouldn’t be right to take you away from her.” Eldora said it with a sigh. “She has always been around you. You are what she knows and who she likes to be with. I would like to keep her happy like that.”

For everything that Eldora was confused on… Being a good mother wasn’t one of them. Estelle was her whole world and she strived to make the little girl as happy as she could be. It was easy since Estelle had always been a happy and content baby. She went over and kissed Estelle on the forehead. “We will stay here on the Isle if that is alright with Steele.” She looked over at her husband but she knew that their hands were mostly tied in the matter. She would lose her sanity if they left even if it was gradually.

Steele wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of letting Xunatar take care of Estelle should something unfortunate happened to her parents. Scarlett? He would feel better that she would be in her adopted grandmother’s hands but the risk of his father’s influence was still there. He remembered how he and his siblings were raised and weren’t comfortable with thinking of her going through something similar. Xunatar didn’t waste a moment to bat his eyes about it- he knew that his elder son didn’t favor the idea, but it was one that he would let happen in the end if it needed to be done.

Speaking of which, the girl called out to him and her father released her onto her grandfather’s cradling hands. She wouldn’t feel the chill of his embrace, no she would find that familiar warm that he had always produced in the past. Had more of his cold-heartedness come out now with the shift of domains? Certainly, but the god wasn’t heartless or completely so. At least not to his own kin anyway.

“Yes, if it means my wife’s protection as well as my daughter’s”, Steele said. Had there been another opinion, perhaps he would have tried to pursue it, but with Angela disappeared and he knew of no other god on a personal matter and time was of an issue, there was little choice. “Now that that’s out of the way, I suppose that I can offer why I summoned you, son. I have a proposition- I want you to watch over my isle as governor.”

Both sons looked at him, confused as hell but for different reasons. “Hey now, why can’t I be in charge?”, Dante said, slightly annoyed. His answer would come in a screeching tone that was only heard in the depths of his mind, “Because I said so and that you play around too much!” The young son yelped in pain while his father looked at his brother, “Besides, you are already serving a purpose, though I haven’t learned very much of what I wished to know.” No, instead he severed the link a good many times since Dante spent most of his with Lotus. As entertaining as it would be to observe their antics, he had far better things to contend with.

“In any case, you will be permitted to stay on the isle, in a house of your own if you wished.” Steele crossed his arms; his father knew that he had no taste for politics and was more so the muscle than a thinker and smooth-tongued. “The title is only a formality. All you need to do is make sure that the city doesn’t get too rowdy. Anything else is permitted and you may see to do as you wish.”

“Seeing how I have little choice? Very well.”

Dante huffed but then his father shot him a death glare and he fell silent and then the god looked to his oracle, “The house has just been crafted and what you will wish for will come to you, just as it had back in the Cradle. While I am sure that you are capable of defending yourself, the unknown has a way of breaking even the broken. Like here, the house is on the outskirts, not too far away.”

For a moment the Oracle looked pleased with the deal. Even if the whole thing wasn’t what they could have hoped for. “A house is good for Estelle. She will have her own space to wander in without the temple keep around her.” She mused just a bit more and smiled towards her daughter who was enthralled by her grandfather. Everything was for her.

Eldora moved over to her husband and wrapped her arm around his. “You will be good at it I am sure.” She was being supportive of him. “It will also keep you close to us as well.” That was a positive. He wouldn’t need to go fair for his need of bloodshed and war. Though she wouldn’t object to him still needing to go out.

Her eyes flickered up to the god and nodded. “Just far enough away that if you need my services I am just a call away.” She was still his oracle. She still sought after the spirits for him. Marrying his son had not changed that. Eldora needed to pay the toll for her sanity and that toll was being the bridge for Xunatar to the spirit realm.

“It also helps that we will have protection for Estelle as well. Though I will be setting up my own measures because of who and what I am. I would rather our sweet girl remain innocent through her childhood. We will teach her the harshness of the world soon enough but for now… She deserves this much. We never had that chance… but she will. That is Steele and mine’s will. As soon as she is old enough to understand… We will teach her.”

Eldora left her husband’s side and ran her fingers through Estelle thick dark curls. “Papa… Purple.” Estelle grabbed at her purple dress and giggled. She remembered that it was her papa who showed her what her favorite color was. She was slowly starting to form coherent thoughts and her vocabulary was expanding. It made Eldora proud and she read to her every night to help. “Nana?” She looked back at her mom with a toothy smile.

“You just ate… A little bit longer and we can have another snack alright?” Eldora kissed Estelle’s forehead and Estelle got a grumpy look for a moment. It went away though when she refocused on her papa and Eldora chuckled a bit. “She at least knows better than to throw a fit.”

Estelle was an extremely well-behaved child. Taking the blanket into her small hands Estelle looked at it and up at her papa with a smile. “Tank you… Papa.” Those h’s were hard for her but it made Eldora smile a bit more.

“Everything is worth it for her…” Looking back at Steele she nodded a bit more. "Maybe we should take the time to get the house in order before we take Estelle with us?"

Despite Eldora’s encouragement and his brother’s seemingly hissy fit about this new “position”, Steele wasn’t fooled by why he was given it. For one thing, that city hardly needed governing and he himself was a placeholder, from what his father spoke of. Chaos couldn’t be controlled nor contained and he had no intention of doing such unless it tried to come to his family. Still, his wife had to remain close enough to his father’s power as possible and whether he liked it or not wasn’t relevant to him. In spite of that, he would still keep eyes on Estelle- he wasn’t sure if being on the isle away from the palace was any safer than living inside it for her.

He was sure that his father knew that he was skeptical about it but would put up with it anyway. Dante was still rubbing his head, soothing it after the mental backlash he suffered. “Innocence? Well, good luck with that”, he spoke, not out of malice but of matter of fact. “Not that I wish anything bad on her, but half of that blood in her is her father’s side. Considering that, I don’t think that will last too long for her.” Steele rolled his eyes and looked towards her daughter. “Either way, we will try.” The other problem that would have made it difficult was his father’s influence, and prove of Dante’s word could have been with their other siblings. But the girl was getting bigger and smarter with each passing day and when the time did arrive, he would make sure that she knew everything she needed to break the cycle.

Whether his father truly cared for Estelle or if he just saw her as another piece of his game remained unseen, but he had doubts that he would. For starters, she belonged to Steele and Eldora and though he was known for even using his children in his quests, her being his granddaughter may have saved her from being used. But he couldn’t completely read the god’s mind as he tended to her and smiled albeit crafty when she thanked him for the blanket.

“Don’t you have your own rugrats to look after? Bet Lotus is wondering where you are and is sharpening a blade for you…”

The young brother thought about it for a moment and wasn’t too thrilled with the idea. “I won’t stay for too long, I just dragged here by the littlest witch is all.” Xunatar cut in on their conversation as he handed their daughter back to her mother, “No need to prepare…merely use your imagination and it will bow to your whims. Go east from here and you will arrive there within a few moments.” Soon the doors opened on their own accord; no, by his and before they knew it, he receded back into the shadows. Dante took the time and the opportunity to reach behind both parents with either arm, “Well, shall we go explore the new place?” Steele gave him a groan and his eyes cut at him but it didn’t deter the damn fool.

Eldora’s head turned to Dante. There was a damning look on her face that could kill. “You forget what half of my blood is. You forget that I too am a demon’s child… You forget that the bitch was also my mother. If anyone’s blood is more potent… It is mine.” Her voice was stern but then it got soft as she looked at Steele. They both felt the same way. It was about ending a cycle. “Like Steele says… We shall try for her. At least she will not start life with a dagger in her heart…” It was a reference to herself and her voice was protective yet saddened at the same time. Steele and Eldora were focused on providing the very best life they could for Estelle considering the circumstances that they were bound to.

Estelle was smart though and she did grow stronger every day. Eldora was sure that she would be able to see through the veil of the world just a bit easier than those of her cousins or other family members. “She has been a bit more temperamental lately…” The elder sister flashed her brother in law an amused look. Lotus wasn’t the type to get angry for no reason but she did have her needs after all.

Taking Estelle softly into her arms she pressed her lips to the girl’s forehead. She nodded to Xunatar and looked up at Steele. “Who invited Dante?” Eldora smirked a bit but kept Steele close. She knew that this wasn’t what it all appeared. However, she was stuck on the isle either way as a means to survive.

Putting the baby on her hip she began the short walk with Steele and begrudgingly Dante as well. It was a fenced in manor not too far off just like Xunatar had said. Crafted with light bricks which seemed out of place on the island. The isle took force and a tall tree of flowers bloomed. The petals were, of course, purple. A swing hung from the tallest branch and Estelle cooed towards it. “No one invited you to make decisions on the house,” Eldora chuckled towards their daughter who seemed very pleased.

Looking back up at it she tilted her head. “This house could easily fit twenty Estelles in it. She was using her own child as a method of measurement as she joked with Steele. They hadn’t discussed the possibility of having another child because they were so focused on Estelle. Her free hand came over and she took her husband’s fingers and hand in her own.

Once inside the courtyard, the temperature went up as a pleasant place for a child to play. She would still need a light cloak or something that would cover her up as she played but it was enough of a jump to make her happy. Eldora looked down at Estelle and chuckled. “That time we pushed her and me on the swing… it has stuck with her.” It was amazing what the little one remembered and what she didn’t remember. There was also a small patch of sand most likely from her trip to the beach. It was encased in a little wooden box-like structure. “Did you like the beach, Estelle?”

Eldora went over and touched the sand finding that it was just as warm as the sands of Sularia. Estelle reached with her and grunted as she couldn’t quite touch it. Eldora dipped herself more so Estelle could grasp it. “Da and…” The little girl tried to show him the sand as it slipped through her fingers. Perplexed Estelle grabbed a handful and watched it fall from her hands just as easily as she grabbed it. “It go bye-bye.” She patted the sand and waved to it as Eldora got back up.

“That’s right… It’s hard holding fistfuls of sand,” Eldora chuckled a bit as she smiled up at Steele. She really was getting way too smart for her own good.

“Unle Dane look,” she showed him the sand on her fingers. Estelle seemed entranced by it but she reached out and practically wiped her hands on him. “You have and now.” Eldora rubbed the rest off of her hands with a chuckle.

She was a giant chatter bucket who was only getting better with words every single day. Her speech got more complex every month though she was having problems with certain letters. She understood and she grew. She listened to her parents and she learned from them. There was a few times that Eldora had to scold her for picking up words that were bad but Estelle didn’t repeat them after she knew they were bad.

“Let’s go inside and see what we can’t cook up huh?”

Misunderstanding her mother Estelle got big eyes and looked at everyone individually. “Nanas?” Eldora hung her head and chuckled before kissing her head.

“Why not? Food sounds good about now… Then you can go down for a nap.”

“No, nap bad,” Estelle shook her head and Eldora gave her a look.

“Nap good for crabby baby.” Eldora tickled her daughter a bit who giggled. She did look a bit tired from all the excitement. Once inside they stepped foot in a spacious parlor bathed in warm colors. There were beautiful paintings. The staircase to the upstairs was grand. In the very center was a painting of Steele and Eldora holding onto a tiny Estelle. It pleased Eldora greatly. Heading off to the side she found a large dining room linked to a spacious kitchen filled to the brim with food.

“Dante, are you going to stay for food or you going to run off and not make my sister mad?” She chuckled more as she found the food already cooked. Grabbing a few plates she brought them over to the table. “Do you want to feed her this time or shall I?” It was all a matter of who wanted to make the faces and shove a spoon in her mouth still. Which seemed like something Estelle didn’t need but instead wanted from her parents.